Until my next post.  Have a nice Ash Wednesday!

To enter this lottery you do not have to buy a ticket, all you have to do is submit a comment to this post explaining what you plan to do this year to live a more healthy life.  The lottery will run until Wednesday, January 31st at midnight, at which time I will select a winner at random from the submitted comments.  The winner will be announced on this blog, and also notified via email.  The only requirement that must be met in order for the lottery to take place is that I must receive 100 submissions before February 1st.

So what do you have to loose?  Take a few moments to share what you plan to do to become more healthy, and you will be entered for a chance to win.  Good Luck!!

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are assessing whether there is a possible connection between Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria known to cause stomach ulcers.  The bacterial infection is thought to be a precursor to gastric cancer and heart disease.  The study, which will look at H. pylori and the incidence of heart disease in African-Americans, should have implications for the population at large.

Scientists have found that fucoidan inhibits the adhesion of H. pylori in the gut, again, giving it a potential role in cardiovascular-disease prevention.  In studies, fucoidan’s anti-viral activity was shown to be effective against herpes simplex and HIV.

One of the most intriguing characteristics of limu is its ability to bind heavy metal and radioactive pollutants.  Alginate, another limu component, naturally absorbs radioactive elements, heavy metals and free radicals.  It has the unique ability to bind hevy metals and radioactive elements to its own molecules.  Because the alginate cannot be broken down by bile or saliva and cannot be absorbed by the body, it is secreted from the body with the heavy metals and radioative substances.

Researchers at the Gastrointestinal Research Lab at McGill University in Montreal demonstrated that limu has chelating abilities, meaning it can inhibit the absorption of lead, cadmium and radioactive strontium, one of the most hazardous pollutants.

Researchers say 80 to 90 percent of strontium 90′s radioisotopes could be removed from the intestinal tract in the presence of seaweed.  So much strontium 90 has been released by nuclear explosions, power plants and nuclear weapons facilities that it is believed that every person has detectable levels in their bone tissue, and many cancers are attributed to this contamination.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is considered another major risk factor for heart attack or stroke, especially when coupled with other risk fators, including elevated cholesterol and diabetes (blood-sugar disorders).  A study from the University of Goteborg, Sweden, noting a dietary approach is often recommended for mild hypertension, found that a seaweed preparation was effective in decreasing sodium and increasing potassium intake in 62 middle-aged patients with mild hypertension.  This is a significant finding.  One of the drugs that is often prescribed for high blood pressure is a potassium-sparing diuretic.  Adding limu to your diet could help keep your blood pressure stabilized, according to this research, and could help lower it if you have mild hypertension.

Limu has also been found to help in weight control as it is high in fiber and low in calories, meaning it can satisfy your hunger pangs without being a pain to your waistline.

Limu’s health benefits clearly extend to heart health.  Incorporated into your daily diet as a major component of your fruit and vegetable choices can keep your ticker working by lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure, maintaining optimal blood-sugar levels, bolstering your immune system against invading viruses and bacteria and helping control your weight.

Heart attacks can be avoided, but once you have one your life is considerably changed.  This major muscle needs tender loving care with high nutrition and regular workouts, because once it fails, recuperation is not easy, if attainable at all.  Patients living with heart failure must endure constant monitoring, treatment with anti-coagulants, and constant fear of another heart attack or sudden death.

Scientists have found that fucoidan helps inhibit smooth-muscle cell activation.  This is important for the prevention of restenosis- plaque buildup that renarrows an artery previously cleared by a procedure like angioplasty.

Original Limu will last up to a year if stored unopened at room temperature. If opened, the product should be refrigerated and will last for a few months.

Keep those questions coming!

With that being said, yesterday I received an email containing a link to a very interesting site about Glyconutrients. Since Limu has glyconutrient implications, I think the site is very informative.

Saccharides – Glyconutrients (Essential Sugars)

• Alginic Acid
• Fucoidan
• Galactose
• L-Fuctose
• Mannose
• Sulfate
• Uronic Acid
• Xylose

Amino Acids

• Alanine
• Arginine
• Asparagine
• Aspartic Acid
• Cysteine
• Glutamic Acid
• Glutamine
• Glycine
• Histidine
• Isoleucine
• Leucine
• Lysine
• Methionine
• Phenylalanine
• Proline
• Serine
• Threonine
• Tryptophan
• Tyrosine
• Valine

Sterols

• 24-Methylene Cholesterol
• Fuco-sterol

Minerals

• Boron
• Calcium
• Chlorides
• Chromium
• Copper
• Iodine
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Manganese
• Phosphorus
• Potassium
• Selenium
• Sodium
• Zinc

Vitamins

• A
• B1 (Thiamin)
• B2 (Riboflavin)
• B3 (Niacin)
• B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
• B6
• B12
• B9 (Folic Acid)
• Beta Carotene
• C
• D
• E