Henry Jay Forman's Blog
July 27, 2015
#Water, #Juice and #life - Facts and FictionWhat is it?Wa...
#Water, #Juice and #life - Facts and FictionWhat is it?Water is two hydrogens bound to oxygen; that's all. You need water to live even though it has no nutients, salts, or free oxygen. Gases, including oxygen, and salts, including table salt (sodium chloride) can dissolve in water. Therefore, the value to your health of drinking the water from a tap or bottle will vary with what's in it. Unless you buy or make distilled water, you will be drinking water with a variety of things dissolved in it. Those things may be harmful or good for you or may have no value at all to health.
Examples of water solutions: #Orange, #pomegranate, and other juice contains sugars, vitamin C, natural flavorings, a variety of compounds called polyphenols, and salts but is mostly water. Commercial softdrinks are mostly water, but usually contain high quantities of table salt disguised by having very high sugar or artificial sweetener and flavorings, and dissolved carbon dioxide, which provides the bubbles as it comes out of solution. Often flavoring is added that has no nutritive value. Many natural favoring agents and polyphenols have been claimed to be antioxidants (see below). What you want to drink should be based partially on taste, but should also be based on facts rather than hype. You need H2O. All the other things that you might get from a drink, may be obtained from the solid components of your diet. On the other hand, if you have been exercising and sweated, you should replace the salts you have lost along with the water. So, having those salts dissolved in the water can be good. The problem is that will not taste good to most people and so in some products lots of sugar is added. If your reason for exercising is to lose weight, the sugar may be why you're not.
Beware claims So, what about claims for spring water?
Just remember that Evian spelled backwards is naive. Spring water, which may come out of a city water tap, may taste good because of the salts (not table salt) dissolved in it. I grew up in New York where the tap water tastes great and makes the bagels taste great too. But, it wasn't better for my health than distilled water. So, I'm for tap water. If you worry about contaminants, get a filter to take out the organics and heavy metals, which can be toxic, but are usually so low that your natural defenses protect you from them.
And then there is pure nonsense. Indeed, what led me to writing this was the posting of an amusing picture of a product called "pHerformance" that claims "to activate the existing oxygen levels in Wisconsin natural spring water. The result: pHerformance™ Water contains up to 700 times the activated oxygen levels compared to normal bottled water which rapidly re-hydrates the body for optimal results." Wow! I'd think this was a joke if they didn't also actually sell it. Want more oxygen? Get a tank. But unless you have a respiratory problem, that will do you no more good than normal breathing.
Antioxidants I've written on this topic several times and so just refer to my previous post, which you can click on here. For the more knowlegeable readers, I refer you to the free peer-reviewed article "How Do Nutritional Antioxidants Really Work: Nucleophilic Tone and Para-Hormesis Versus Free Radical Scavenging in vivo," which you can get here.Bottom lineYou need water. Lots of it. What's dissolved in it doesn't make the water better.
Examples of water solutions: #Orange, #pomegranate, and other juice contains sugars, vitamin C, natural flavorings, a variety of compounds called polyphenols, and salts but is mostly water. Commercial softdrinks are mostly water, but usually contain high quantities of table salt disguised by having very high sugar or artificial sweetener and flavorings, and dissolved carbon dioxide, which provides the bubbles as it comes out of solution. Often flavoring is added that has no nutritive value. Many natural favoring agents and polyphenols have been claimed to be antioxidants (see below). What you want to drink should be based partially on taste, but should also be based on facts rather than hype. You need H2O. All the other things that you might get from a drink, may be obtained from the solid components of your diet. On the other hand, if you have been exercising and sweated, you should replace the salts you have lost along with the water. So, having those salts dissolved in the water can be good. The problem is that will not taste good to most people and so in some products lots of sugar is added. If your reason for exercising is to lose weight, the sugar may be why you're not.
Beware claims So, what about claims for spring water?
Just remember that Evian spelled backwards is naive. Spring water, which may come out of a city water tap, may taste good because of the salts (not table salt) dissolved in it. I grew up in New York where the tap water tastes great and makes the bagels taste great too. But, it wasn't better for my health than distilled water. So, I'm for tap water. If you worry about contaminants, get a filter to take out the organics and heavy metals, which can be toxic, but are usually so low that your natural defenses protect you from them.
And then there is pure nonsense. Indeed, what led me to writing this was the posting of an amusing picture of a product called "pHerformance" that claims "to activate the existing oxygen levels in Wisconsin natural spring water. The result: pHerformance™ Water contains up to 700 times the activated oxygen levels compared to normal bottled water which rapidly re-hydrates the body for optimal results." Wow! I'd think this was a joke if they didn't also actually sell it. Want more oxygen? Get a tank. But unless you have a respiratory problem, that will do you no more good than normal breathing.
Antioxidants I've written on this topic several times and so just refer to my previous post, which you can click on here. For the more knowlegeable readers, I refer you to the free peer-reviewed article "How Do Nutritional Antioxidants Really Work: Nucleophilic Tone and Para-Hormesis Versus Free Radical Scavenging in vivo," which you can get here.Bottom lineYou need water. Lots of it. What's dissolved in it doesn't make the water better.
June 2, 2015
#Global_warming - are you a supporter of #science or not?
Go green or screw your children! Of course, if you distrust science you will ignore this (see link below) and remain a pawn of those making profit from fossil fuels. On the other hand, for those with an open mind, this shows that natural cycles do exist, but that the Industrial Age has dramatically shifted us to the point that being a climate change denier makes you either a Koch whore or an imbecile.
The cycles are now changed and this link and the graph below show it!
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The cycles are now changed and this link and the graph below show it!
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February 11, 2015
#Antioxidants
Free access to article on how antioxidants actually work: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3852196/
November 8, 2014
Can the #aluminum nonsense about it causing #Alzheimer's Disease!
Aluminum does not cause Alzheimer's!Aluminum is toxic, but....Aluminum can cause toxicity, but Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is not one of the problems associated with aluminum (Al).
There are quite a few elements other than carbon, hydrogen,oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, iron, copper, calcium and sulfur that are essential nutrients. These others are usually called micronutrients because only a small amount of each is needed. Zinc, manganese, magnesium, selenium and cobalt are among these elements. Al is not needed. But, it is non-toxic at the levels you would get from drinking or eating foods and beverages from Al cans. At higher doses, Al can cause problems, most notably in dialysis patients. It can even cause neurotoxicity - yes - affecting the brain - BUT at higher doses than you get unless you work in an environment with Al dust or other unusual situation.
Where can you get more information?
Reading and citing peer-reviewed scientific publications rather than rumors is the way to prevent the misinformation including the Al-AD myth. It was an observation that did not hold up to carefully done research. To see some of the scientific evidence on this topic and Al toxicity see:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/25233067/?i=7&from=aluminum%20alzheimer's
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14596888
There are quite a few elements other than carbon, hydrogen,oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, iron, copper, calcium and sulfur that are essential nutrients. These others are usually called micronutrients because only a small amount of each is needed. Zinc, manganese, magnesium, selenium and cobalt are among these elements. Al is not needed. But, it is non-toxic at the levels you would get from drinking or eating foods and beverages from Al cans. At higher doses, Al can cause problems, most notably in dialysis patients. It can even cause neurotoxicity - yes - affecting the brain - BUT at higher doses than you get unless you work in an environment with Al dust or other unusual situation.
Where can you get more information?
Reading and citing peer-reviewed scientific publications rather than rumors is the way to prevent the misinformation including the Al-AD myth. It was an observation that did not hold up to carefully done research. To see some of the scientific evidence on this topic and Al toxicity see:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/25233067/?i=7&from=aluminum%20alzheimer's
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14596888
September 2, 2014
Responsible #drinking. Do you wreck your #brain with a little #wine or not?
Whining about wine: good or evil?No brainerSo, can a little bit of wine (or other alcoholic drink) kill brain cells? The answer is no! Today, a very interesting video that I highly recommend viewing appeared on the web:
Does alcohol kill brain cells?
And take heart!We know that a little wine doesn't irreversibly damage your brain. But, does it do you any good aside from making you happy? The answer to that is yes! There are many studies that demonstrate that moderate drinking (about two small glasses for a male) decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease- that is fewer heart attacks and strokes. How that works is complex, but in part, other compounds aside from the alcohol are able to increase enzymes and other molecules in your cells that protect you from toxicity. Indeed, my colleague Fulvio Ursini and I have published an article in not too complex language about this topic: Para-hormesis: An innovative mechanism for the health protection brought by antioxidants in wine Have a good glass of zinfandel, my favorite. Here's to your health!
Does alcohol kill brain cells?
And take heart!We know that a little wine doesn't irreversibly damage your brain. But, does it do you any good aside from making you happy? The answer to that is yes! There are many studies that demonstrate that moderate drinking (about two small glasses for a male) decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease- that is fewer heart attacks and strokes. How that works is complex, but in part, other compounds aside from the alcohol are able to increase enzymes and other molecules in your cells that protect you from toxicity. Indeed, my colleague Fulvio Ursini and I have published an article in not too complex language about this topic: Para-hormesis: An innovative mechanism for the health protection brought by antioxidants in wine Have a good glass of zinfandel, my favorite. Here's to your health!
August 30, 2014
#Poisonous #Science Major Revision Planned
Poisonous Science
So, circumstances have changed! Instead of a minor revision, Poisonous Science will undergo a major revision and be republished as Poisonous Science 1.5. This process will take several months as it will also be professionally edited and no longer self published. Stay tuned for further details. Who knows - there may even be a changed ending???????
So, circumstances have changed! Instead of a minor revision, Poisonous Science will undergo a major revision and be republished as Poisonous Science 1.5. This process will take several months as it will also be professionally edited and no longer self published. Stay tuned for further details. Who knows - there may even be a changed ending???????
July 27, 2014
Real #Science #Websites for #Non-Scientists
Real Science Websites for Non-Scientists
I've been writing my blog for several months. It's a hobby that allows me to express my opinions about some current scientific issues that are in the news. Its purpose is to defend science against misperceptions that are spread on the web as well as in other media.
There are a few websites that do the same far more effectively. I've listed them here. You can get to each by clicking on them.
Warning: These are news reports about science. While my opinion is that they are honest attempts to convey accurate science, if you want to use the information in an argument with some anti-science troll on the web or nutcase relative at Thanksgiving, cite the original peer-reviewed work (and better yet, actually try to get through it).
This is a small list. Please feel free to add suggested additions in the comments and I'll check them out. If I agree, I'll add them to the list.
How stuff works
NIH News in Health
Real Clear Science
Science for the Public
Popular Science
Smithsonian Magazine
I've been writing my blog for several months. It's a hobby that allows me to express my opinions about some current scientific issues that are in the news. Its purpose is to defend science against misperceptions that are spread on the web as well as in other media.
There are a few websites that do the same far more effectively. I've listed them here. You can get to each by clicking on them.
Warning: These are news reports about science. While my opinion is that they are honest attempts to convey accurate science, if you want to use the information in an argument with some anti-science troll on the web or nutcase relative at Thanksgiving, cite the original peer-reviewed work (and better yet, actually try to get through it).
This is a small list. Please feel free to add suggested additions in the comments and I'll check them out. If I agree, I'll add them to the list.
How stuff works
NIH News in Health
Real Clear Science
Science for the Public
Popular Science
Smithsonian Magazine
July 18, 2014
#Poison #Science #Murder #Mystery #KindleUnlimited
Now on Kindle Unlimited:The humorous murder mystery about what can go wrong in peer review.
Poisonous Science is now available through Kindle Unlimited.
June 23, 2014
#Herbal Remedies versus #PrescriptionMedicine
Herbal Remedies versus Prescription MedicinesThe factsPlants contain thousands of compounds that can affect your health. Some for good. Some for bad.
The good: Good compounds include the nutrients your body needs for energy and maintenance of health including sugars and vitamins. Indeed, if you have the correct balance of amino acids, the building blocks for proteins, you can live a reasonably healthy life as a strict vegan. Then there are stimulants like caffeine that make life more enjoyable and might even have health benefits. Clearly small amounts of wine and other alcohol beverages also are beneficial in reducing cardiovascular disease.
Well what about those herbal remedy claims? Many of the compounds that plants evolved to have for their defense against being eaten or to attract insects and animals to help disperse their seeds have been shown to have beneficial effects in humans. Drugs from plants like theophylline, aspirin and taxol are used either as the actual compound or slightly modified version for better delivery of natural products. Indeed, the pharmaceutical companies still investigate the potential for herbal remedies to be developed into drugs. But, development costs a lot. For a new drug to go through all the laboratory testing and then clinical trials to show that it is generally (nothing is absolute) safe and effective costs half to three quarters of a billion dollars.
The bad: Ever hear of hemlock? There are thousands of compounds that are lethal in small amounts. How about the oil from poison ivy? Not lethal, but quite unpleasant. So, pushing the natural angle can have that nasty point.
So what about those herbal remedies is bad? Simply, you don't know whether they work, what you're getting, or how much of whatever is supposed to be good in it there is in the potion or pill. There's good reason why the Food and Drug Administration requires those extremely expensive tests. They are responsible for the public's safety and for making certain that drugs are effective at doses that cause a minimal amount of side effects.
My OpinionThere is plenty of money being made by selling herbal remedies and staying just inside the law that doesn't allow claims to cure or treat disease. The purveyors of these compounds appeal to those for whom prescription medicines don't work, those who have become convinced that the medical and pharmaceutical establishment are in conspiracy to get their money, and those who mistakenly think herbal medicines are designed by some entity to be in plants to cure mankind of its ailments.
My opinion is that while plants contain good and bad compounds, eating a healthy diet containing lots of fruit and vegetables is the best use of plants in maintaining health. Taking herbal concoctions is risky. Let's say you have some ailment that could be helped by a prescription or over-the-counter FDA approved drug. If you're lucky they are harmless to your body, but then you would be taking them instead of something that actually would help. That makes little sense. But, what if they do help? Then, you're very lucky indeed, and perhaps if you're extraordinarily lucky, the next time you take it, the same ingredients at the same amount might be there. If you're unlucky, the ingredients cause you harm.
I wish you luck, but I wish you the good sense to let others feed the wallets of the herbal witch doctors.
For more information, the same sources as in my recent blog about #Weightloss and #Nutrition are relevant:
What's a Healthy Weight?Should I take supplements?What about alternative medicine and supplements?More information
The good: Good compounds include the nutrients your body needs for energy and maintenance of health including sugars and vitamins. Indeed, if you have the correct balance of amino acids, the building blocks for proteins, you can live a reasonably healthy life as a strict vegan. Then there are stimulants like caffeine that make life more enjoyable and might even have health benefits. Clearly small amounts of wine and other alcohol beverages also are beneficial in reducing cardiovascular disease.
Well what about those herbal remedy claims? Many of the compounds that plants evolved to have for their defense against being eaten or to attract insects and animals to help disperse their seeds have been shown to have beneficial effects in humans. Drugs from plants like theophylline, aspirin and taxol are used either as the actual compound or slightly modified version for better delivery of natural products. Indeed, the pharmaceutical companies still investigate the potential for herbal remedies to be developed into drugs. But, development costs a lot. For a new drug to go through all the laboratory testing and then clinical trials to show that it is generally (nothing is absolute) safe and effective costs half to three quarters of a billion dollars.
The bad: Ever hear of hemlock? There are thousands of compounds that are lethal in small amounts. How about the oil from poison ivy? Not lethal, but quite unpleasant. So, pushing the natural angle can have that nasty point.
So what about those herbal remedies is bad? Simply, you don't know whether they work, what you're getting, or how much of whatever is supposed to be good in it there is in the potion or pill. There's good reason why the Food and Drug Administration requires those extremely expensive tests. They are responsible for the public's safety and for making certain that drugs are effective at doses that cause a minimal amount of side effects.
My OpinionThere is plenty of money being made by selling herbal remedies and staying just inside the law that doesn't allow claims to cure or treat disease. The purveyors of these compounds appeal to those for whom prescription medicines don't work, those who have become convinced that the medical and pharmaceutical establishment are in conspiracy to get their money, and those who mistakenly think herbal medicines are designed by some entity to be in plants to cure mankind of its ailments.
My opinion is that while plants contain good and bad compounds, eating a healthy diet containing lots of fruit and vegetables is the best use of plants in maintaining health. Taking herbal concoctions is risky. Let's say you have some ailment that could be helped by a prescription or over-the-counter FDA approved drug. If you're lucky they are harmless to your body, but then you would be taking them instead of something that actually would help. That makes little sense. But, what if they do help? Then, you're very lucky indeed, and perhaps if you're extraordinarily lucky, the next time you take it, the same ingredients at the same amount might be there. If you're unlucky, the ingredients cause you harm.
I wish you luck, but I wish you the good sense to let others feed the wallets of the herbal witch doctors.
For more information, the same sources as in my recent blog about #Weightloss and #Nutrition are relevant:
What's a Healthy Weight?Should I take supplements?What about alternative medicine and supplements?More information
June 18, 2014
#Pseudoscience of #Weightloss gets busted by #Congress #Oz not in Wonderland of #Nutrition So #Science wins
Dr. Oz Grilled In Congress, Admits Weight Loss Products He Touts Don't Pass 'Scientific Muster' see the article at Huffington Post
This type of peddling of pseudoscience is the biggest reason why I started my blog. There are ways to lose weight, but too many methods are pushed that do not work or only cause temporary loss of water.
The best way to lose weight is to lower calorie consumption, increase exercise, and make sure your health is maintained by eating a balanced diet. There is no magic and it is not easy. Some people are helped by getting encouragement from others, as in groups, but the desire to lose weight is not enough. One needs self-discipline to lose weight and keep it off.
One also needs to be a real skeptic about any article that is not based on peer-reviewed research and from a reliable source.
Where to get real science based helpIf you want to read more from reliable sources click these links from The National Institutes of Health:
What's a Healthy Weight?Should I take supplements?What about alternative medicine and supplements?More information
This type of peddling of pseudoscience is the biggest reason why I started my blog. There are ways to lose weight, but too many methods are pushed that do not work or only cause temporary loss of water.
The best way to lose weight is to lower calorie consumption, increase exercise, and make sure your health is maintained by eating a balanced diet. There is no magic and it is not easy. Some people are helped by getting encouragement from others, as in groups, but the desire to lose weight is not enough. One needs self-discipline to lose weight and keep it off.
One also needs to be a real skeptic about any article that is not based on peer-reviewed research and from a reliable source.
Where to get real science based helpIf you want to read more from reliable sources click these links from The National Institutes of Health:
What's a Healthy Weight?Should I take supplements?What about alternative medicine and supplements?More information
