Another benefit found for the sunshine vitamin!

As if protecting your bones, your heart, your immune function and longevity were not enough...now we learn that vitamin D reduces risk of age related macular degeneration!

BUFFALO, NY—A study of data collected form the Carotenoids in Age-Related Eye Disease Study (CAREDS) showed high serum vitamin D concentrations may protect against early age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in women under the age of 75. Researchers from the University of Buffalo published their findings in the April issue of Archives of Ophthalmology (129(4):481-489).

Tell the EPA: No more methyl Iodide! Comment Deadline is Friday April 29.

Dear Friend,

Methyl iodide is a nasty chemical. It is a known neurotoxin and endocrine disruptor, and scientists in labs handle only small amounts using special protective equipment because it is so toxic. But do you know where else it is used? As a pesticide on strawberries and other food crops.

The battle against methyl iodide is being fought on several fronts. Last summer, Washington state banned the use of the pesticide. Unfortunately, the pendulum swung the other way in California, when despite more than 53,000 public comments submitted by CREDO activists and our allies, the state's Department of Pesticide Regulation approved the chemical for agricultural use last December.

But the ultimate power to regulate pesticides lies with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which has just decided to reconsider its approval of methyl iodide — approval that was granted during George W. Bush's administration.

This is our chance to finally ban this toxic chemical from being used as a pesticide on our food. But we must act quickly. Friday April 29, 2011 is the deadline!

Click Here to Submit a Comment

Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Reduce Effectiveness of SSRI Antidepressants.

Scientists at the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research at The Rockefeller University, led by Paul Greengard, Ph.D., and Jennifer Warner-Schmidt, Ph.D., have shown that anti-inflammatory drugs, which include ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen, reduce the effectiveness of the most widely used class of antidepressant medications, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, taken for depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders. This surprising discovery, published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, may explain why so many depressed patients taking SSRIs do not respond to antidepressant treatment and suggests that this lack of effectiveness may be preventable. The study may be especially significant in the case of Alzheimer's disease. Such patients commonly suffer from depression and unless this can be treated successfully, the course of the illness is likely to be more severe. Depression in the elderly is also a risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease and researchers have suggested that treating depression in the elderly might reduce the risk of developing the disease.

This research was supported in part by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute on Aging, both parts of the federal government's National Institutes of Health, and The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation.

Source: Newwise http://www.newswise.com/articles/anti-inflammatory-drugs-reduce-effectiveness-of-ssri-antidepressants

Know the signs of a stroke..and call 911... fast!

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Watch for these signs and symptoms if you think you or someone else may be having a stroke. Note when signs and symptoms begin, because the length of time they have been present may guide treatment decisions.

• Trouble with walking. You may stumble or experience sudden dizziness, loss of balance or loss of coordination.
• Trouble with speaking and understanding. You may experience confusion. You may slur your words or be unable to find the right words to explain what is happening to you (aphasia). Try to repeat a simple sentence. If you can't, you may be having a stroke.
• Paralysis or numbness on one side of your body or face. You may develop sudden numbness, weakness or paralysis on one side of your body. Try to raise both your arms over your head at the same time. If one arm begins to fall, you may be having a stroke. Similarly, one side of your mouth may droop when you try to smile.
• Trouble with seeing in one or both eyes. You may suddenly have blurred or blackened vision, or you may see double.
• Headache. A sudden, severe "bolt out of the blue" headache, which may be accompanied by vomiting, dizziness or altered consciousness, may indicate you're having a stroke.

When to see a doctor. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any signs or symptoms of a stroke, even if they seem to fluctuate or disappear. Call 911 or your local emergency number right away. Every minute counts. Don't wait to see if symptoms go away. The longer a stroke goes untreated, the greater the potential for brain damage and disability. To maximize the effectiveness of evaluation and treatment, it's best that you get to the emergency room within 60 minutes of your first symptoms.

If you're with someone you suspect is having a stroke, watch the person carefully while waiting for emergency assistance. You may need to:

• Begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if the person stops breathing
• Turn the person's head to the side if vomiting occurs, which can prevent choking
• Keep the person from eating or drinking