This is the week of the American Association for Cancer Research 100th Annual Meeting in Denver. One interesting piece of research that appeared at that meeting concerned the lowly walnut, and how it appears that walnut consumption may provide the body with essential omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols that reduce the risk of breast cancer.
While the study was done with laboratory animals rather than humans, "People should heed the recommendation to eat more walnuts," said lead author Elaine Hardman, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at Marshall University School of Medicine. “Walnuts are better than cookies, french fries or potato chips when you need a snack,” said Hardman. “We know that a healthy diet overall prevents all manner of chronic diseases.”
Mice were fed a diet that researchers estimated was the human equivalent of two ounces of walnuts per day. A separate group of mice were fed a control diet. Standard testing showed that walnut consumption significantly decreased breast tumor incidence, the number of glands with a tumor and tumor size.
Molecular analysis showed that increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids contributed to the decline in tumor incidence, but other parts of the walnut contributed as well. “With dietary interventions you see multiple mechanisms when working with the whole food,” said Hardman. “It is clear that walnuts contribute to a healthy diet that can reduce breast cancer.”
No supplementation can match the power of a whole food like walnuts.
Dave
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Herb Found to Kill Pancreatic Cancer Cells
New data was presented at the AACR 100th Annual Meeting in Denver describing an herb that kills pancreatic cancer cells. This same herb also appears to inhibit development of pancreatic cancer as a result of its anti-inflammatory properties, according to researchers from the Kimmel Cancer Center at the Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University.
Thymoquinone, the major constituent of the oil extracted from a plant called Nigella sativa (a Middle Eastern herbal seed also known as Black Onion Seed or Black Caraway) exhibited anti-inflammatory properties that reduced the release of inflammatory mediators in pancreatic cancer cells, according to Hwyda Arafat, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of Surgery at the Jefferson Medical College.
"Nigella sativa seeds and oil are used in traditional medicine by many Middle Eastern and Asian countries. It helps treat a broad array of diseases, including some immune and inflammatory disorders," Dr. Arafat said. Previous studies have also shown it to have anti-cancer effects on prostate and colon cancers. It is an herbal product that has had very little use, and interest to date, in the USA.
The herb also inhibited the activation and synthesis of a transcription factor that has been implicated in inflammation-associated cancer. Activation of this factor has been observed in pancreatic cancer and may be a factor in pancreatic cancer’s resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. When animal models of pancreatic cancer were treated with thymoquinone, 67 percent of the tumors were significantly shrunken, and the levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the tumors were significantly reduced.
Chronic pancreatitis is associated with the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, which seems to implicate inflammation in the development of solid tumor malignancies.
“Not only patients with chronic pancreatitis could benefit from this, but also several other groups with risk of development or recurrence of pancreatic cancer, such as high-risk family members and post-surgical patients," said Dr. Arafat. "These potent effects show promise for the herb as a potential preventive and therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer. More importantly, the herb and oil are safe when used moderately, and have been used for thousands of years without reported toxic effects.”
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with approximately 32,000 deaths a year. Only five percent of individuals with pancreatic cancer live for at least one year after diagnosis.
Dave
Thymoquinone, the major constituent of the oil extracted from a plant called Nigella sativa (a Middle Eastern herbal seed also known as Black Onion Seed or Black Caraway) exhibited anti-inflammatory properties that reduced the release of inflammatory mediators in pancreatic cancer cells, according to Hwyda Arafat, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of Surgery at the Jefferson Medical College.
"Nigella sativa seeds and oil are used in traditional medicine by many Middle Eastern and Asian countries. It helps treat a broad array of diseases, including some immune and inflammatory disorders," Dr. Arafat said. Previous studies have also shown it to have anti-cancer effects on prostate and colon cancers. It is an herbal product that has had very little use, and interest to date, in the USA.
The herb also inhibited the activation and synthesis of a transcription factor that has been implicated in inflammation-associated cancer. Activation of this factor has been observed in pancreatic cancer and may be a factor in pancreatic cancer’s resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. When animal models of pancreatic cancer were treated with thymoquinone, 67 percent of the tumors were significantly shrunken, and the levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the tumors were significantly reduced.
Chronic pancreatitis is associated with the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, which seems to implicate inflammation in the development of solid tumor malignancies.
“Not only patients with chronic pancreatitis could benefit from this, but also several other groups with risk of development or recurrence of pancreatic cancer, such as high-risk family members and post-surgical patients," said Dr. Arafat. "These potent effects show promise for the herb as a potential preventive and therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer. More importantly, the herb and oil are safe when used moderately, and have been used for thousands of years without reported toxic effects.”
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with approximately 32,000 deaths a year. Only five percent of individuals with pancreatic cancer live for at least one year after diagnosis.
Dave
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Oral Contraceptives Inhibit Muscle Gains and Affect Hormone Levels in Younger Women
Another interesting study has been reported at the American Physiological Society meeting held in New Orleans. A team of researchers has now examined the effects of oral contraceptives on female muscle mass, and found that oral contraceptive use impairs muscle gains in young women, and is associated with lower hormone levels. Many active young women use oral contraceptives (OC) yet this is the first time its effect on their body composition and exercise performance has been studied.
Dr. Chang-Woock Lee and Steven E. Riechman of Texas A&M University did this work, along with Mark A. Newman at the University of Pittsburgh. They studied seventy-three generally healthy women between the ages of 18-31 who completed a 10-week whole-body resistance exercise training program in two groups. Group 1 consisted of 34 women who used oral contraceptives (OC). Group 2 consisted of 39 women who did not take birth control pills (non-OC). The women were encouraged to consume at least 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day (a third more than is called for by the U.S. government nutritional guidelines) to make sure they consumed enough calories and protein to promote muscle growth.
The young women were on a very aggressive muscle-building campaign; participants exercised three times per week for ten weeks under the supervision of exercise physiologists. They performed a variety of exercises to include chest press, lat pull down, leg extension, triceps extension, arm curl and abdominal crunch. Exercise was done using standard exercise machines and each volunteer performed three sets of 6-10 repetitions per exercise at 75 percent of their maximum strength. Body composition was determined using hydrostatic weighing.
At the conclusion, researchers found that there were significant differences in lean mass gains. However, other muscle responses such as strength gains and arm/leg circumferences were similar between the OC and non-OC users. Resting/fasting blood concentrations of the anabolic hormones were significantly lower in women taking OC vs. non-OC users throughout the study period. At the same time, plasma concentrations of cortisol (catabolic hormone) were elevated. In addition, those OC users had reduced DHEA hormone at the end of the training period. By contrast, the other participants’ levels did not change.
According to the researchers, “We were surprised at the magnitude of differences in muscle gains between the two groups, with the non-OC women gaining more than 60% greater muscle mass than their OC counterpart.”
Dave
Dr. Chang-Woock Lee and Steven E. Riechman of Texas A&M University did this work, along with Mark A. Newman at the University of Pittsburgh. They studied seventy-three generally healthy women between the ages of 18-31 who completed a 10-week whole-body resistance exercise training program in two groups. Group 1 consisted of 34 women who used oral contraceptives (OC). Group 2 consisted of 39 women who did not take birth control pills (non-OC). The women were encouraged to consume at least 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day (a third more than is called for by the U.S. government nutritional guidelines) to make sure they consumed enough calories and protein to promote muscle growth.
The young women were on a very aggressive muscle-building campaign; participants exercised three times per week for ten weeks under the supervision of exercise physiologists. They performed a variety of exercises to include chest press, lat pull down, leg extension, triceps extension, arm curl and abdominal crunch. Exercise was done using standard exercise machines and each volunteer performed three sets of 6-10 repetitions per exercise at 75 percent of their maximum strength. Body composition was determined using hydrostatic weighing.
At the conclusion, researchers found that there were significant differences in lean mass gains. However, other muscle responses such as strength gains and arm/leg circumferences were similar between the OC and non-OC users. Resting/fasting blood concentrations of the anabolic hormones were significantly lower in women taking OC vs. non-OC users throughout the study period. At the same time, plasma concentrations of cortisol (catabolic hormone) were elevated. In addition, those OC users had reduced DHEA hormone at the end of the training period. By contrast, the other participants’ levels did not change.
According to the researchers, “We were surprised at the magnitude of differences in muscle gains between the two groups, with the non-OC women gaining more than 60% greater muscle mass than their OC counterpart.”
Dave
Friday, April 17, 2009
Smoke Puts the Cardiovascular System into Overdrive -- And it's Not Just Cigarettes
Hey, campers, here's something that will really drive you crazy. One of your favorite things, sitting around a campfire getting smoke blown in your face, is terribly unhealthy.
According to a new study from University of Kentucky researchers,second hand tobacco smoke and smoke from cooking oil and wood fires affected cardiovascular function of men and women who were exposed to small doses of the smoke for as little as 10 minutes. It turns out that previous findings are correct -- that second hand tobacco smoke can indeed harm cardiovascular function. But some new information came to light as well. Here are the high points:
1) Cardiovascular responses during brief exposures were similar to those found during longer or higher-level exposures That second hand smoke on a short bus ride can indeed have a negative effect.
2) The response occurs with different types of smoke, whether it be from tobacco, cooking oil or even wood smoke from a campfire.
3) Men respond to tobacco smoke with a greater intensity than do women.
The problem with inhalation of smoke is that the sympathetic nervous system produces the “fight or flight” response in humans, which drives the heart and blood pressure and may cause damage if activated too long. (Women have a different type of response, which makes the problem much more dangerous in men.)
Accumulating evidence indicates that an increase in air pollution is associated with an increase in heart attacks and deaths. Researchers say that many of these pollutants, including that which originates from tobacco and cooking oil smoke, contain fine particles that evoke responses from heart and blood vessels indicating effects on their function.
The study found that exposure to smoke changed breathing patterns, raised blood pressure oscillations in peripheral arteries and changed heart rates. The sympathetic nervous system becomes active during times of stress, but can cause harm to the heart and blood vessels if activated too often or too long.
Dave
According to a new study from University of Kentucky researchers,second hand tobacco smoke and smoke from cooking oil and wood fires affected cardiovascular function of men and women who were exposed to small doses of the smoke for as little as 10 minutes. It turns out that previous findings are correct -- that second hand tobacco smoke can indeed harm cardiovascular function. But some new information came to light as well. Here are the high points:
1) Cardiovascular responses during brief exposures were similar to those found during longer or higher-level exposures That second hand smoke on a short bus ride can indeed have a negative effect.
2) The response occurs with different types of smoke, whether it be from tobacco, cooking oil or even wood smoke from a campfire.
3) Men respond to tobacco smoke with a greater intensity than do women.
The problem with inhalation of smoke is that the sympathetic nervous system produces the “fight or flight” response in humans, which drives the heart and blood pressure and may cause damage if activated too long. (Women have a different type of response, which makes the problem much more dangerous in men.)
Accumulating evidence indicates that an increase in air pollution is associated with an increase in heart attacks and deaths. Researchers say that many of these pollutants, including that which originates from tobacco and cooking oil smoke, contain fine particles that evoke responses from heart and blood vessels indicating effects on their function.
The study found that exposure to smoke changed breathing patterns, raised blood pressure oscillations in peripheral arteries and changed heart rates. The sympathetic nervous system becomes active during times of stress, but can cause harm to the heart and blood vessels if activated too often or too long.
Dave
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Drinking Wine Increases Survival for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Patients
According to a new epidemiology study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 100th Annual Meeting this week, wine consumption may reduce the risk of death and relapse among non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients.
Researcher Xuesong Han, first author (Yale School of Public Health) said these findings would need to be replicated before any public health recommendations are made, but the evidence is becoming clearer that moderate consumption of wine has numerous health benefits. Han believes this is a very controversial subject, because drinking can have a negative social impact.
“It is difficult to define what is moderate and what is excessive,” said Han. “However, we are continually seeing a link between wine and positive outcomes in many cancers.”
This study was the first to examine the link among patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Han and her colleagues analyzed data about 546 women with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and found that those who drank wine had a 76 percent five-year survival compared with 68 percent for non-wine drinkers. Further research found five-year, disease-free survival was 70 percent among those who drank wine compared with 65 percent among non-wine drinkers.
Beer and/or liquor consumption did not show a benefit.
While these are small differences in percentages, they would make the difference of many, many lives if this kind of information becomes a part of our public information routine.
The study team at Yale also looked at subgroups of lymphoma patients, and found the strongest link between wine consumption and favorable outcomes among patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. These patients had a 40 to 50 percent reduced risk of death, relapse or secondary cancer.
Dave
Researcher Xuesong Han, first author (Yale School of Public Health) said these findings would need to be replicated before any public health recommendations are made, but the evidence is becoming clearer that moderate consumption of wine has numerous health benefits. Han believes this is a very controversial subject, because drinking can have a negative social impact.
“It is difficult to define what is moderate and what is excessive,” said Han. “However, we are continually seeing a link between wine and positive outcomes in many cancers.”
This study was the first to examine the link among patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Han and her colleagues analyzed data about 546 women with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and found that those who drank wine had a 76 percent five-year survival compared with 68 percent for non-wine drinkers. Further research found five-year, disease-free survival was 70 percent among those who drank wine compared with 65 percent among non-wine drinkers.
Beer and/or liquor consumption did not show a benefit.
While these are small differences in percentages, they would make the difference of many, many lives if this kind of information becomes a part of our public information routine.
The study team at Yale also looked at subgroups of lymphoma patients, and found the strongest link between wine consumption and favorable outcomes among patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. These patients had a 40 to 50 percent reduced risk of death, relapse or secondary cancer.
Dave
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Carbohydrates are the Secret Behind True Energy Drinks
Recently, new research was published which sheds a fascinating light on how energy drinks work. This research shows us, quite clearly, that there are some benefits to these sugary drinks even if they are spat out and not swallowed. Who would have thought that just the taste of an energy drink in the mouth is all that is necessary to light that fire for extra performance?
Writing in the latest issue of The Journal of Physiology, Ed Chambers and his colleagues not only show that sugary drinks can significantly boost performance in an endurance event without being ingested, but so can a tasteless carbohydrate – and they do so in unexpected ways.
It has long been known that sugary drinks and sweets can significantly improve athletes' performance in endurance events. But the question has always been, how? Clearly, 'sports' drinks and tablets contain calories. But this alone is not enough to explain the boost, and the benefits are felt even if the drink is not consumed. Nor does the sugary taste solve the riddle, as artificial sweeteners do not boost performance even when they are indistinguishable from real sugars.
Chambers and his fellow researchers prepared drinks that contained either glucose (a sugar), maltodextrin (a tasteless carbohydrate) or neither, and then carefully laced them with artificial sweeteners until they tasted identical. Trained athletes were then asked to complete a challenging time-trial, during which they rinsed their mouths with one of the three concoctions. That's right, they did not drink these beverages.
The results were striking. Athletes given the glucose or maltodextrin drinks outperformed those on 'disguised' water by 2 - 3% and sustained a higher average power output and pulse rate, even though didn't feel they were working any harder. The authors conclude that as-yet unidentified receptors in the mouth independent from the usual 'sweet' taste buds must be responsible. “Much of the benefit from carbohydrate in sports drinks is provided by signalling directly from mouth to brain rather than providing energy for the working muscles,” explained Dr Chambers.
The working theory now is that it is not the muscles, heart or lungs that ultimately limits performance, but the brain itself, based on the information it receives from the body. Stimulating the brain in certain ways – such as swilling sugary drinks – can boost output, perhaps giving athletes that all-important edge over their rivals.
Dave
Writing in the latest issue of The Journal of Physiology, Ed Chambers and his colleagues not only show that sugary drinks can significantly boost performance in an endurance event without being ingested, but so can a tasteless carbohydrate – and they do so in unexpected ways.
It has long been known that sugary drinks and sweets can significantly improve athletes' performance in endurance events. But the question has always been, how? Clearly, 'sports' drinks and tablets contain calories. But this alone is not enough to explain the boost, and the benefits are felt even if the drink is not consumed. Nor does the sugary taste solve the riddle, as artificial sweeteners do not boost performance even when they are indistinguishable from real sugars.
Chambers and his fellow researchers prepared drinks that contained either glucose (a sugar), maltodextrin (a tasteless carbohydrate) or neither, and then carefully laced them with artificial sweeteners until they tasted identical. Trained athletes were then asked to complete a challenging time-trial, during which they rinsed their mouths with one of the three concoctions. That's right, they did not drink these beverages.
The results were striking. Athletes given the glucose or maltodextrin drinks outperformed those on 'disguised' water by 2 - 3% and sustained a higher average power output and pulse rate, even though didn't feel they were working any harder. The authors conclude that as-yet unidentified receptors in the mouth independent from the usual 'sweet' taste buds must be responsible. “Much of the benefit from carbohydrate in sports drinks is provided by signalling directly from mouth to brain rather than providing energy for the working muscles,” explained Dr Chambers.
The working theory now is that it is not the muscles, heart or lungs that ultimately limits performance, but the brain itself, based on the information it receives from the body. Stimulating the brain in certain ways – such as swilling sugary drinks – can boost output, perhaps giving athletes that all-important edge over their rivals.
Dave
Monday, April 13, 2009
Top Five Functional Foods Highlighted by Dietetic Association
The New York State Dietetic Association has just released a list of their top five recommended "functional foods."
It's worth nothing that you'll hear this term a lot more in the future. More and more doctors and health writers are picking it up, a term invented by marketers, to describe the benefits of certain types of foods that actually have valid medical claims behind them.
I'm not agreeing 100% with the list below . . . I believe that the inclusion of too much dairy into the diet is a bad thing, not a good thing. My family has noticed that whenever we drink a lot of cow's milk or eat a lot of yogurt, we become full of congestion and mucous. Anyone else notice this? Write in a comment, please.
Here's the NY State list:
Dave
It's worth nothing that you'll hear this term a lot more in the future. More and more doctors and health writers are picking it up, a term invented by marketers, to describe the benefits of certain types of foods that actually have valid medical claims behind them.
I'm not agreeing 100% with the list below . . . I believe that the inclusion of too much dairy into the diet is a bad thing, not a good thing. My family has noticed that whenever we drink a lot of cow's milk or eat a lot of yogurt, we become full of congestion and mucous. Anyone else notice this? Write in a comment, please.
Here's the NY State list:
Top Five Functional Foods
1. Salmon: Nutrition experts chose salmon as the top function food for omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids not only raise good HDL cholesterol and lower bad LDL cholesterol, they may also lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The American Heart Association suggests that people with coronary heart disease consume about 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids daily. They do not recommend supplements for healthy people; instead, they recommend eating fish twice a week.
2. Oats: Second on the list, oats were chosen for their fiber content. This powerhouse nutrient, known for aiding with digestion, also helps fight disease, and may lower risk for high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Most Americans get about 15 grams of fiber daily, but to fight disease and keep digestion in check, you should aim to get at least 30 grams, which is equivalent to about two cups of oats.
3. Blueberries: Coming in third, blueberries where chosen for antioxidants. Antioxidants are thought to help protect the body against the damaging effects of free radicals and the chronic diseases associated with the aging process. Blueberries are among the fruits with the highest antioxidant activity containing 14 mg of vitamin C and 0.8 mg vitamin E per cup.
4. Low-Fat Milk: Low-fat milk came in fourth for both its calcium and vitamin D content. Instrumental in lowering high blood pressure, helping with regular heart beat, and building strong bones, calcium is a nutrient most Americans are not getting enough of. The same is true for vitamin D, a nutrient receiving a substantial amount of attention and found to have numerous health benefits including prevention of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The current recommendation for low-fat milk and dairy products is three servings per day, which is equal to three 8-oz cups of milk.
5. Low-Fat Yogurt: Rounding out the top five functional food list is low-fat yogurt with probiotics. Probiotic, which literally means ''for life,'' refers to living organisms that can aid in digestion and immune function when eaten in adequate amounts. Look for brands that say "live and active cultures" on the label.
Dave
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