Lower Your Cholesterol with Spirulina

Did you know that using spirulina can help lower your cholesterol? And that's a good thing too:

Managing your cholesterol may also help you manage your prostate- specific antigen (PSA) level. Data presented at the 103rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association explored the relationship between low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and PSA prior to beginning statin therapy. Data collected from a study of 1,214 men prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) between 1990 and 2006 at the Durham Veteran Affairs Medical Center in North Carolina shows that PSA levels were reduced after starting statin medications and that this decline was proportional to the decline in LDL cholesterol. Researchers present their findings to reporters in a special press conference on May 21, 2008 at 1:00 p.m.

In 2007, a retrospective study showed that men taking statins to lower their cholesterol also experienced a proportional decline in their PSA levels. This new study confirms that evidence and highlights the fact that cholesterol may play a role in prostate cancer development and progression. Data was collected from men who were free of prostate cancer, had not undergone prostate surgery or taken medicine to alter androgen levels, and whose PSA was between 0.1 and 10.0 ng/ml. The outcome of this study, if confirmed by additional research, could provide further evidence for the role cholesterol plays in prostate biology.

The results of this study indicate that cholesterol and PSA are valuable indicators of overall health for men and should continue to be monitored together. It remains to be seen whether or not lowering your PSA through statin medications could potentially mask the presence of prostate disease.

Selling Discount Gold Jewelry

Gold has long been a precious metal that has been transformed into beautiful gifts to wear. There are millions of men and women around the world that have taken to selling gold jewelry so they can make a living for themselves.

In today’s market, there is a very large calling for gold jewelry -- and with the economy people are looking for a good deal with discount gold jewelry. Gold scraps are in high demand, as there are many people that are selling their broken gold jewelry for a marginal profit. In many instances, the gold jewelry is melted down and created into something of much more sustenance. This is important for anyone that may need additional money and they are trying to get rid of any jewelry that they can no longer wear.

There are various routes that one can take when they are trying to sell gold jewelry. One of the most common places to sell gold jewelry is through a pawn shop. There are many people that are requesting additional money than what they had original expected to receive from selling their goods. In most instances, they are capable of receiving the additional monies requested, as they there is such a large calling for eh gold jewelry.

Vintage gold jewelry is another hot commodity when it comes to selling. This is because there are many people that are interested in selling their gold items for a large profit, especially since they have been around for many years. As the maturity of the gold becomes more pronounced, there is a higher demand for the gold items.

Selling gold jewelry to reputable companies is the best way to receive the most money for the goods. This is because many of the larger businesses have to pass a rigorous background before they can purchase items from the public. Selling gold jewelry is an essential way to make quick money while cleaning out a jewelry box.

Spirulina is Good for the Immune System? Yeah -- Old News

As many of you know I've been building and working on a spirulina website for a while now. Recently I was doing research and came across and old article about the healing benefits of spirulina. I've copied it here for your use:

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New York (MedscapeWire) Dec 8 — Spirulina significantly increases cytokine production in cultured immune system cells, according to a study published in the Fall issue of the Journal of Medicinal Food.
To evaluate the effects of spirulina on the immune system, immunologists at UC Davis School of Medicine and Medical Center collected blood samples from 12 healthy volunteers, separating out the peripheral blood mononuclear cells, including macrophages, monocytes, and lymphocytes. The researchers incubated these cell cultures with dilutions of spirulina made from 429 mg capsules of dried, powdered spirulina. They added phytohemoglutanin, a known stimulator of lymphoid cells, to half of cell cultures to assess spirulina's effect on the immune system at rest and when stimulated to mount an allergic response. After 72 hours, they measured changes in cytokine levels in all samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analysis.

"We found that nutrient-rich spirulina is a potent inducer of interferon-gamma (13.6-fold increase) and a moderate stimulator of both interleukin-4 and interleukin-1beta (3.3-fold increase)," says Eric Gershwin, professor and chief of the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology at UC Davis. "Together, increases in these cytokines suggest that spirulina is a strong proponent for protecting against intracellular pathogens and parasites and can potentially increase the expression of agents that stimulate inflammation, which also helps to protect the body against infectious and potentially harmful micro-organisms. Additional studies with individuals consuming spirulina are needed to determine whether these dramatic effects extend beyond the laboratory."

A number of animal studies have shown spirulina to be an effective immunomodulator. In rats spirulina inhibited allergic reactions by suppressing the release of histamine in a dose-dependent fashion. In cats, spirulina enhanced the ability of macrophages to engulf bacteria, and in chickens spirulina increased antibody responses and the activity of natural killer cells.

"People have used foods like yogurt and spirulina throughout history," says Judy van de Water, associate professor of rheumatology, allergy and clinical immunology at UC Davis. "Through research, we are learning exactly how these foods improve immune system function and how they are a beneficial addition to our diet."

J Med Food. 2000;3135-140