Healthy Nation

The administration of synthetic cannabinoid agonists limits HIV infection in macrophages (white blood cells that aid in the bodys immune response), according to preclinical data published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology. Macrophages are one of the first type of cells infected by the HIV virus when it enters the body.

Investigators at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia assessed the impact of three commercially available synthetic THC agonists on HIV-infected macrophage cells. Following administration, researchers sampled the cells periodically to measure the activity of an enzyme called reverse transcriptase (RT), which is essential for HIV replication.

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In my final column about Natural Products Expo West 2013, Im going to focus on three unconventional items that may improve the quality of many lives But, you might be surprised to learn that the products in question consist of a butter substitute, coffee for those with digestive issues and lavender oil thats taken orally On the surface, health conscious consumers understand that many buttery spreads contain unhealthy ingredients such as hydrogenated oils Coffee is frequently regarded as a no no for anyone living with GERD or irritable bowel syndrome And, while lavender oil is perhaps the most popular aromatherapy ingredient, its typically not intended for internal use

According to the scientific literature, increasing your intake of omega-3 fats and lowering consumption of omega-6 fats can benefit everything from bone density to cognitive functioning throughout life A delicious and simple way to improve your omega-6/omega-3 ratio is to substitute regular butter or market brand butter substitutes with a product called Melt This organic, 100% natural spread boasts an impressive ingredient list that features organic coconut oil, flaxseed oil and a small amount of grass-fed butter Melt has twice the amount of omega-3s as omega-6 fatty acids and is free of gluten, hydrogenated fats, lactose and soy

While I am admittedly a big coffee proponent, Im well aware that some people simply cannot tolerate it In particular, those that experience frequent heartburn may need of avoid or limit coffee altogether However, Puroast, a specially roasted coffee, may offer a viable option for those who have issues with the natural acidity present in conventional coffee Testing conducted at the University of California, Davis determined that Puroast contains between 3 to 5 times less acid than competing brands of coffee such as Folgers, Nescafe and Starbucks Whats more, Puroast is much lower in specific gut irritating compounds known as dichlorogenic acids This is welcome news because the latest research on coffee continues to report very positive and, sometimes, unexpected outcomes such as improved cardiovascular function and reduced stroke risk

If youre living with chronic anxiety, but want to avoid powerful anxiolytic medications, Silexan may be right for you This lavender oil soft gel has been shown to safely improve anxiousness, depressed mood and sleeplessness in patients with generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress and somatization disorder A recent study, appearing in the journal Phytomedicine, reveals that Silexan is as effective as a prescription anti-anxiety medication lorazepam The authors of the trial concluded that this natural alternative showed no sedative effects … has no potential for drug abuse and appears to be an effective and well tolerated alternative to benzodiazepines for amelioration of generalized anxiety Another positive attribute of this affordable supplement is that there is ongoing research being conducted on it This is welcome news for open-minded patients and skeptical physicians who are interested in a more holistic, integrative means of attaining psychological health

The Obama Administration has released its National Drug Control Budget for the FY 2014 and despite their claims that the war on drugs is over and that they have bigger fish to fry the Office National Drug Control Policy is still prioritizing failed drug war tactics over prevention and treatment.

The new budget calls for 9.6 billion dollars to be spent on domestic law enforcement, 3.7 billion for interdiction, and 1.4 billion for international drug control efforts.

Prevention, in the form of education and outreach efforts, receives a paltry $1.4 billion dollars. While this is a 5% increase over the previous years budget, it is still a minuscule sum when you consider we are spending nine times more on arresting people than we are to educate them on risks of drug use and stop them from ending up in the criminal justice system in the first place.

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Want to know what National Wildlife Federation was up to this week? Here is a recap of the week’s NWF news:

New guide addresses parents’ weather-related concerns around letting kids enjoy outdoor playtime

“This guide shows that children are safe to play outside in most kinds of weather barring the extremes,” said Lindsay Legendre, manager of NWF’s Be Out There program. “Regular outdoor play is so important to kids’ healthy development and a little rain shouldn’t stop them from being out there. Parents might enjoy puddle jumping again themselves.”

For more information about fun outdoor activities, please visit our Be Out There page

National Blueprint for Addressing Climate Change Impacts on Wildlife and Habitats

“Climate change is now the most serious threat facing wildlife,” said Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of National Wildlife Federation. “In addition to the u

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Once again, team Healthy Fellow visited this years Natural Products Expo West Beginning on March 8th and extending through March 10th, we attended a diverse series of lectures, sampled a wide array of health foods and stopped at any and every booth that seemed promising In the next few columns, Ill share some of the products found at Expo West that I believe are worthy of your hard earned money and time To be clear, I dont consult with or represent any of the companies mentioned My sole intent is to spread the word about a select group of foods and supplements that I think represent the best and brightest of Expo West 2013

Conventional physicians frequently recommend a daily aspirin to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes In the past, there really wasnt much in the way of scientifically validated, natural alternatives to aspirin therapy However, there is now an all-natural supplement that may offer a viable alternative for those who cannot or choose not to use aspirin The product in question is known as Fruitflow The active ingredient is a lycopene-free, tomato extract Much like aspirin, Fruitflow exerts antiplatelet activity which allows for blood to flow more efficiently through blood vessels In addition, thus far there is no indication that Fruitflow presents the same side effects commonly associated with daily aspirin use, including bleeding risk and gastrointestinal complications

One of the most impressive new entries in the probiotic market is an innovative product line called Inner-Eco These dairy free, kefir cultured beverages utilize a base of fresh coconut water Each all-natural, sugar-free serving yields a minimum of 100 billion active probiotic kefir cultures If youre wondering why you should consider a coconut based kefir instead of a dairy based kefir, the answer lies in a newly published study appearing in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition In it, researchers discovered some good and bad news about traditional milk containing kefir On the positive side, dairy kefir was found to have a relatively low glycemic index However, the dairy version of this probiotic food also presented a high insulinemic index causing a rise in insulin production Excess insulin output can contribute to many problems, including increased cancer risk, storage of body fat and a reduction in HDL good cholesterol Last, but not least, I like the fact that this particular kefir is sold in amber, glass bottles in the refrigerated section of health food stores and specialty markets This is clearly the best way to protect delicate probiotics and to ensure that they impart their desired health promoting properties after consumption

NORML will be among a number of advocacy groups in Annapolis tomorrow to testify in favor of House Bill 1453, which seeks to legalize and regulate adult marijuana consumption in Maryland.

NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre will be testifying before members of the House Committee on the Judiciary. The Committee is scheduled to hear the measure on Tuesday, March 19 at 1:00pm. Excerpts of Allen St. Pierres written testimony appears below.

It is time for Maryland lawmakers to give serious consideration to this proposal. Never in modern history has there existed greater public support for ending the nations nearly century-long experiment with marijuana prohibition and replacing it with regulation.

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