Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Cancer Patients Should Follow Lance Armstrong's Lead
Lance Armstrong, famous cyclist and cancer survivor, is proof that exercise can help people beat cancer, and now there’s research to back it up. After reviewing over sixty studies, researchers found that people undergoing chemotherapy or radiation could benefit greatly from regular exercise. Although cancer patients may not feel strong enough to jog or cycle, the findings support the idea that boosting physical activity will improve mental and physical health, strengthen the patient’s quality of life and help monitor body weight. The findings of the research say it all. Among women with breast cancer, those who exercise for 150 minutes a week at moderate intensity have more than a 40% lower risk of dying compared with those who don’t exercise. Additionally, studies on bowel cancer prove the risk of dying is cut by about 50% in patients who exercise for six hours a week. Also, prostate cancer patients have a 57% lower rate of disease progression if they exercise regularly. Instead of instructing patients to “rest up”, doctors should be urging them to get up and move. Although not a proven cure for cancer, exercise is definitely a step in the right direction.
HPV Linked to Lung Cancer
A new study by researchers at the International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common sexually transmitted virus that accounts for most cases of cervical cancer, may also play a role in lung cancer. According to research of those with lung cancer, the chances of having eight types of serious HPV are significantly higher. But don't jump to the conclusion that HPV causes lung cancer or vice versa. “We know that HPV can reach the lung, but whether HPV can cause malignancies is a question we hope to answer,” says study author, Professor Devasena Anantharaman.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Sweet Deceit
According to testing done for Food Safety News, more than three quarters of the honey sold in grocery stores across the United States isn't what the bees produce. The results show that, more often than not, the pollen has been filtered out of products labeled "honey." The removal of these microscopic particles from deep within a flower would make the nectar fail the quality standards set by most of the world's food safety agencies.
The food safety divisions of the World Health Organization, the European Commission and dozens of others have ruled that without pollen there is no way to determine whether the honey came from a safe source. The FDA says any product that's been ultra-filtered and no longer contains pollen is not honey. But the FDA isn't checking honey sold in the U.S. to see if it contains pollen.
Ultra filtering is a high-tech procedure where honey is heated, watered down and then forced at high pressure through very small filters to remove pollen, which is the only foolproof sign identifying the source of the honey. It is a spin-off of a technique developed by the Chinese, who have been illegally dumping tons of their honey (some containing illegal antibiotics) on the U.S. market for years.
Food Safety News purchased more than 60 containers of honey in 10 states and the District of Columbia. The contents were then analyzed for pollen.
The findings were as follows:
•76 percent of honey samples from grocery stores had all the pollen removed. These were stores like Safeway, Kroger, A&P, and Stop & Shop.
•100 percent of the honey sampled from drugstores like Walgreens, Rite-Aid and CVS Pharmacy had no pollen.
•77 percent of the honey sampled from big box stores like Costco, Sam's Club, Walmart, and Target contained no pollen.
•100 percent of the honey packaged in the small individual service portions from Smucker's, McDonald's and KFC had no pollen.
•100 percent of the samples from farmers markets, co-ops and "natural" stores like PCC and Trader Joe's had the full amount of pollen.
Most people never stop to think about where their honey comes from and what it contains. But in our modern age of bigger and cheaper, it's more crucial than ever to examine our food sources. It might cost a few more dollars, but that jar of raw organic honey is actually honey that contains pollen, not an ultra-filtered pollen-less antibiotic-full substance from China that's being packaged in a cute little plastic bear and labeled as "honey."
The food safety divisions of the World Health Organization, the European Commission and dozens of others have ruled that without pollen there is no way to determine whether the honey came from a safe source. The FDA says any product that's been ultra-filtered and no longer contains pollen is not honey. But the FDA isn't checking honey sold in the U.S. to see if it contains pollen.
Ultra filtering is a high-tech procedure where honey is heated, watered down and then forced at high pressure through very small filters to remove pollen, which is the only foolproof sign identifying the source of the honey. It is a spin-off of a technique developed by the Chinese, who have been illegally dumping tons of their honey (some containing illegal antibiotics) on the U.S. market for years.
Food Safety News purchased more than 60 containers of honey in 10 states and the District of Columbia. The contents were then analyzed for pollen.
The findings were as follows:
•76 percent of honey samples from grocery stores had all the pollen removed. These were stores like Safeway, Kroger, A&P, and Stop & Shop.
•100 percent of the honey sampled from drugstores like Walgreens, Rite-Aid and CVS Pharmacy had no pollen.
•77 percent of the honey sampled from big box stores like Costco, Sam's Club, Walmart, and Target contained no pollen.
•100 percent of the honey packaged in the small individual service portions from Smucker's, McDonald's and KFC had no pollen.
•100 percent of the samples from farmers markets, co-ops and "natural" stores like PCC and Trader Joe's had the full amount of pollen.
Most people never stop to think about where their honey comes from and what it contains. But in our modern age of bigger and cheaper, it's more crucial than ever to examine our food sources. It might cost a few more dollars, but that jar of raw organic honey is actually honey that contains pollen, not an ultra-filtered pollen-less antibiotic-full substance from China that's being packaged in a cute little plastic bear and labeled as "honey."
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Healthy Recipes for a Happy Thanksgiving!
Garlic Brussels Sprouts:
Serves 4
This flavorful side dish is loaded with vitamin K (crucial for blood clotting) and manganese (vital for skin and bone health), as well as vitamin C, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.
1 pound Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts
salt and pepper to taste
1.) Cut the stem end off the Brussels sprouts and slice each in half.
2.) Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, add the Brussels sprouts and minced garlic, and cook several minutes until the sprouts are well browned. Reduce the heat to medium. Add walnuts, salt, and pepper, and cook several minutes more until the sprouts are tender. Remover from heat and serve.
Per serving: 240 calories, 70% fat (20g; 2.4g saturated), 20% carbs (13g), 10% protein (6g), 5g fiber, 67mg calcium, 2mg iron, 29mg sodium.
Even people who cringe at the thought of Brussels sprouts will love these! They're delicious and nutritious.
Sweet Potato Mash:
Serves 8
Prep time: 5 min
Cooking time: 65 to 80 min
8 medium sweet potatoes
2 cups coconut milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon, or more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1.) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
2.) Set the sweet potatoes in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. After 20 minutes, pierce the potatoes with a fork in several places to prevent bursting. They are done when they can be easily pierced all the way through their thickest part.
3.) Let cook, then peel. Cut them into pieces and process two or three at a time until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan. (If you have an immersion blender, you can simply blend them in the saucepan.)
4.) Bring the coconut milk to a boil, reduce heat, add the cinnamon and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and whisk into the sweet potato puree. Add the coconut milk a cup at a time until you get the consistency you desire.
5.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and reheat just before serving.
Yum! So smooth and creamy. A healthy alternative to the classic butter-rich mashed potatoes.
Serves 4
This flavorful side dish is loaded with vitamin K (crucial for blood clotting) and manganese (vital for skin and bone health), as well as vitamin C, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.
1 pound Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts
salt and pepper to taste
1.) Cut the stem end off the Brussels sprouts and slice each in half.
2.) Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, add the Brussels sprouts and minced garlic, and cook several minutes until the sprouts are well browned. Reduce the heat to medium. Add walnuts, salt, and pepper, and cook several minutes more until the sprouts are tender. Remover from heat and serve.
Per serving: 240 calories, 70% fat (20g; 2.4g saturated), 20% carbs (13g), 10% protein (6g), 5g fiber, 67mg calcium, 2mg iron, 29mg sodium.
Even people who cringe at the thought of Brussels sprouts will love these! They're delicious and nutritious.
Sweet Potato Mash:
Serves 8
Prep time: 5 min
Cooking time: 65 to 80 min
8 medium sweet potatoes
2 cups coconut milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon, or more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1.) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
2.) Set the sweet potatoes in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. After 20 minutes, pierce the potatoes with a fork in several places to prevent bursting. They are done when they can be easily pierced all the way through their thickest part.
3.) Let cook, then peel. Cut them into pieces and process two or three at a time until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan. (If you have an immersion blender, you can simply blend them in the saucepan.)
4.) Bring the coconut milk to a boil, reduce heat, add the cinnamon and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and whisk into the sweet potato puree. Add the coconut milk a cup at a time until you get the consistency you desire.
5.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and reheat just before serving.
Yum! So smooth and creamy. A healthy alternative to the classic butter-rich mashed potatoes.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Pregnant Women Should Eat Wild Salmon
In a recent pregnancy study, it was found that mothers who ate salmon reduced their infants' inflammation. The soon-to-be published study produced revolutionary findings about the influence of omega-3 fatty acid intake in pregnant women on the immune responses of infants.
In the study, half of the pregnant women ate a diet rich in salmon, while the other half consumed a typical Western diet low in omega-3s and high in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids found in vegetable oils. The salmon-diet mothers' umbilical cord cells showed an immune and inflammation response about 50 percent lower than in the Western-diet group. Thus, the cells of mothers who eat salmon are less likely to produce allergies and related immune-system disorders.
Dr. Van der Beek, who led the Salmon in Pregnancy Study, concluded that expectant mothers should be eating "...a balanced diet with sufficient vegetables and fruits, and perhaps not cook everything in oil. And there should be one to two portions of fatty fish a week, and other sources of the omega-3 DHA."
A NOTE: Unlike wild salmon, farmed salmon, although equally high in omega-3s, is also high in pro-inflammatory omega-6s found in the most commonly used vegetable oils.
In the study, half of the pregnant women ate a diet rich in salmon, while the other half consumed a typical Western diet low in omega-3s and high in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids found in vegetable oils. The salmon-diet mothers' umbilical cord cells showed an immune and inflammation response about 50 percent lower than in the Western-diet group. Thus, the cells of mothers who eat salmon are less likely to produce allergies and related immune-system disorders.
Dr. Van der Beek, who led the Salmon in Pregnancy Study, concluded that expectant mothers should be eating "...a balanced diet with sufficient vegetables and fruits, and perhaps not cook everything in oil. And there should be one to two portions of fatty fish a week, and other sources of the omega-3 DHA."
A NOTE: Unlike wild salmon, farmed salmon, although equally high in omega-3s, is also high in pro-inflammatory omega-6s found in the most commonly used vegetable oils.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Think Before You Drink: Moderate drinking linked to a higher risk of breast cancer
A recent study suggests that women who routinely have even small amounts of alcohol, as few as three drinks a week, have a higher risk of breast cancer. This news may come as a shock to those who routinely "drink to their health."
The study, which examined the habits of more than 100,000 women over 30 years, adds to a long line of research linking alcohol consumption to an increased risk of breast cancer. However, whereas the bulk of the research in the past largely focused on higher levels of alcohol intake, this latest study is among the first to assess the effect of relatively small amounts of alcohol over long periods of time.
Dr. Wendy Y. Chen, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and the lead author of the study, says, “We’re not recommending that women stop drinking altogether. For an individual woman to make the best decision it would depend on what her own breast cancer risk factors are, as well as her cardiovascular risk factors."
The question for many women remains whether cutting back on alcohol to reduce breast cancer risk is worth losing out on the reduction in heart disease that is associated with moderate drinking. Dr. Susan Love, a clinical professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, says, “If you do drink, you have to weigh the risks and benefits. But obviously if you don’t drink and you’re worried about breast cancer, don’t start.”
The study, which examined the habits of more than 100,000 women over 30 years, adds to a long line of research linking alcohol consumption to an increased risk of breast cancer. However, whereas the bulk of the research in the past largely focused on higher levels of alcohol intake, this latest study is among the first to assess the effect of relatively small amounts of alcohol over long periods of time.
Dr. Wendy Y. Chen, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and the lead author of the study, says, “We’re not recommending that women stop drinking altogether. For an individual woman to make the best decision it would depend on what her own breast cancer risk factors are, as well as her cardiovascular risk factors."
The question for many women remains whether cutting back on alcohol to reduce breast cancer risk is worth losing out on the reduction in heart disease that is associated with moderate drinking. Dr. Susan Love, a clinical professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, says, “If you do drink, you have to weigh the risks and benefits. But obviously if you don’t drink and you’re worried about breast cancer, don’t start.”
Forget your troubles, come on, get happy!
A recent study suggests that happiness in older people may lead to longer lives. The five-year study provides data that supports the notion that happiness may not only improve the quality of one's life, but also the quantity of one's life.
The study found that:
* Older people who report feeling happy are up to 35% less likely to die.
* The presence of negative emotions may be less important than the absence of happiness when it comes to longevity of life.
* The regions of the brain that are involved in happiness are also integral to healthy blood-vessel function.
Older studies on happiness and longevity relied primarily on the participants' ability to recall their emotions during a specific period of time in the past. However, collecting data through recollections is not always accurate. To achieve greater accuracy in this most recent study, Andrew Steptoe, PhD (lead author of the study and a professor of psychology at University College London) and his colleagues asked more than 3,800 people to record their levels of happiness, anxiety, and other emotions at four specific times over the course of a single day.
The participants were between the ages of 52 and 79, and were divided into three groups according to how happy and positive they felt. Five years later, 7% of people in the least happy group had died, compared with just 4% in the happiest group, and 5% in the middle group.
The study found that:
* Older people who report feeling happy are up to 35% less likely to die.
* The presence of negative emotions may be less important than the absence of happiness when it comes to longevity of life.
* The regions of the brain that are involved in happiness are also integral to healthy blood-vessel function.
Older studies on happiness and longevity relied primarily on the participants' ability to recall their emotions during a specific period of time in the past. However, collecting data through recollections is not always accurate. To achieve greater accuracy in this most recent study, Andrew Steptoe, PhD (lead author of the study and a professor of psychology at University College London) and his colleagues asked more than 3,800 people to record their levels of happiness, anxiety, and other emotions at four specific times over the course of a single day.
The participants were between the ages of 52 and 79, and were divided into three groups according to how happy and positive they felt. Five years later, 7% of people in the least happy group had died, compared with just 4% in the happiest group, and 5% in the middle group.
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