Friday March 13, 2009
Spoonfuls of Strawberries Help the Cholesterol Go Down---Evidence Continues to Mount For Strawberry Nutrition Benefits
PR Newswire 03-11-09
WATSONVILLE, Calif., March 10, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- For millions of Americans now in hot pursuit of super foods that improve health and longevity, the latest research results on strawberries are right on time. A new study published in the scientific journal, Metabolism, found that antioxidants in strawberries help lower "bad" cholesterol.
The study, conducted by David J.A. Jenkins, MD, PhD, backs existing evidence that touts strawberries as one of the world's most nutrient-rich foods. It showed that the antioxidant power in strawberries can improve and maintain the effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering diets. High cholesterol is known to contribute to heart disease which is the leading cause of death for women and men.
"As more Americans embrace healthy eating trends to promote their own health and guard against illness, these types of findings are important," said Dr. Jenkins. "Diet plays a crucial role in lowering cholesterol and including antioxidant-rich strawberries in a healthy diet is a behavior change that's simple and delicious to make."
Antioxidants Review
Antioxidants are the body's internal heroes that go to battle with harmful "free radicals" known to contribute to diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. According to a US Department of Agriculture study, strawberries rank third when compared to the top fresh fruits and vegetables.
The Ultimate "Super Fruit"
The good news from this study adds to the growing body of research that supports the importance of strawberries as a "super fruit." California strawberries are grown and available year-round in supermarkets across the country. Below are a few more reasons to say yes to the red berries:
Strawberries contain a powerful mix of antioxidants which are critical to warding off chronic diseases and promoting optimum health. They are low in sugar, containing only eight grams per serving. One serving, about eight strawberries (or one cup), has only 50 calories.An excellent source of vitamin C, one serving of strawberries provides more vitamin C than an orange!
About the Study
The 2.5-year University of Toronto study focused on 28 men and women with high cholesterol who were previously on a diet to lower cholesterol that included soy, oat bran, plant sterols and nuts. One half of the group was instructed to eat about 3 cups of strawberries per day while the other group consumed additional oat bran bread for one month.
Results showed that the subjects who ate strawberries had several positive effects. While continuing to maintain their lowered blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, the strawberries also reduced oxidative damage to LDL cholesterol. LDL is the 'bad' cholesterol, and it becomes even more damaging when it becomes oxidized. Furthermore, the strawberries improved the taste of the cholesterol-lowering diet. Overall, the research shows that strawberries can improve the effectiveness of diets designed to lower the risk of coronary heart disease.
For more information and a variety of healthy and delicious strawberry recipes, visit www.calstrawberry.com.
One In Seven U.S. Teens Is Vitamin D Deficient
ScienceDaily (Mar. 12, 2009) — One in seven American adolescents is vitamin D deficient, according to a new study by researchers in the Department of Public Health at Weill Cornell Medical College. The findings are published in the March issue of the journal Pediatrics and were presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies' Annual Meeting in May 2008.
In children, vitamin D deficiency can interfere with bone mineralization, leading to rickets. In adults, it is linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, immune dysfunction and hypertension.
The study employs a new definition of vitamin D deficiency recommended by a group of scientists attending the 13th Workshop Consensus for Vitamin D Nutritional Guidelines in 2007. These experts collectively proposed that the minimum acceptable serum vitamin D level be raised from 11 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) to at least 20 ng/mL.
Using the newer criteria, the study finds more than half of African-American teens are vitamin D deficient. Girls had more than twice the risk of deficiency compared with boys. And overweight teens had nearly double the risk of their normal-weight counterparts.
"These are alarming findings. We need to do a better job of educating the public on the importance of vitamin D, and the best ways to get it. To meet minimum nutritional requirements teens would need to consume at least four glasses of fortified milk daily or its dietary equivalent. Other foods rich in vitamin D include salmon, tuna, eggs and fortified cereals. A vitamin supplement containing 400 IU of vitamin D is another alternative," says Dr. Sandy Saintonge, assistant professor of clinical pediatrics and assistant professor of clinical public health at Weill Cornell Medical College, and a pediatric emergency physician at New York Hospital Queens, a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Healthcare System. "We should also consider a national fortification strategy, perhaps including routine supplementation and monitoring of serum levels, but more research is needed to determine optimal vitamin D levels."
Of the specific findings, the authors were particularly concerned about the role of weight in deficiency. "Because vitamin D is stored in body fat, simply increasing the dosage of vitamin D may not be effective in overweight adolescents," notes senior author Dr. Linda M. Gerber, professor of public health in the Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology and professor of epidemiology in medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. "As the prevalence of childhood obesity increases, vitamin D deficiency may increase as well. In this group, appropriate nutrition could solve both problems."
Another concern is the increased risk of deficiency in girls, some of whom may become pregnant during adolescence. The authors note that a lack of vitamin D may increase maternal risk of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes and may be associated with reduced bone mineralization in the offspring.
Data was obtained from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, a cross-sectional survey administered to a nationally representative sample of persons aged 2 months and older. Analyses were restricted to 2,955 participants aged 12 to 19.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090311124028.htm
Mint is an Ancient Healing Food
by Sheryl Walters, NaturalNews.com
(NaturalNews) The story of mint begins with an ancient Greek myth. When Pluto began showering a wood nymph named Minthe with his affections, Persephone, Pluto's wife, became enraged. She cast a spell on Minthe and turned her into a garden plant. Pluto could not undo the spell. The best he was able to come up with was a pleasant aroma, so that Minthe would always be noticed. A charming story that factually tells us mint has been used by humans since ancient times.
Mint has always been used as an aromatic. People rubbed it on their dining tables, spread it on the floor, burned it for incense, added it to their baths and served it in tea. The two primary types of mint include peppermint and spearmint, although orange, apple, water, curly, cat and Corsican also exist. All told, there are at least 25 different kinds of mint. Both peppermint and spearmint taste like a cross between pepper and chlorophyll, but spearmint is said to have a cooler, more subtle flavor.
Oil of peppermint has been proven to hinder growth of the stomach ulcer bacteria, heliobacter pylori. It helps control colon spasms as well. It can stop the growth of MRSA ([gram-negative] methicillin resistant staff aureus.) In animal trials, peppermint has been shown to inhibit pancreatic cancer and may lower the risk of colon cancer. Mint is beneficial for asthmatics because it blocks production of chemicals called leukotrienes, one of the major factors in upper respiratory allergies.
Considered nutrient-dense, mint contains good amounts of fiber, iron, copper, calcium, folic acid, omega-3 concentrates, and it is low in calories. It is also known as a good source of ascorbic acid, potassium and manganese.
Choose fresh mint over dried whenever possible. Fresh mint has a much better flavor and contains all the nutrients mint can offer. Fresh mint needs to be stored in the refrigerator, loosely wrapped in a wet paper towel and placed in a plastic bag. It will keep for five to seven days. If you do buy dried mint, be sure it is organically grown. Organic mint is not irradiated.
Two tablespoons of fresh mint contains about one calorie. Added to fruit salad or tomato-based soups, it provides a bright, new flavor experience. You can use peppermint oil in the bath for a calming soak. A cup of mint tea at the end of a meal is a good digestive aid. Just be sure to keep the tea covered while it steeps, to retain the oils.
Mint is easy to grow at home. In fact, it will soon take over your garden if not properly managed. It spreads by runners, so cutting three inches off a clean coffee can and planting that two inches into the earth around the plants will make it easy to keep the runners trim. Mint is delightful in the outdoor garden. Crushing a few leaves as you work in the garden will promote a pungent but pleasant fragrance for you to enjoy. Mint is a perennial, so it will return year after year. It can be grown indoors in a pot on a moderately sunny windowsill and you can enjoy its benefits year-round.
http://www.naturalnews.com/025823.html
Garlic Boosts Overall Antioxidant Levels and Blocks Cancer
by Barbara Minton, NaturalNews.com
(NaturalNews) Garlic is probably nature's most potent food. It is one of the reasons people who eat the Mediterranean diet live such long healthy lives. Garlic is also a powerful performer in the research lab. Several new studies have documented its ability to promote heart and cardiovascular health, prevent and treat cancer, and create a healthy lipid profile. Others have shown garlic prevents platelet aggregation and reduces high blood pressure. Garlic has strong anti-inflammatory properties. One of the most interesting of the recent findings is that garlic increases the overall antioxidant levels of the body.
Garlic decreased serum glucose and blood pressure while increasing antioxidants
The chain of events leading to vascular disease in people with diabetes and high blood pressure is characterized by free radical damage. Scientists at the University of Kuwait were interested in finding out whether garlic could reduce free radical damage. They measured total serum antioxidants in diabetic and hypertensive rats before and after treatment with garlic. An analogue of vitamin E, glutathione, and vitamin C were measured, and measurement was verified with reliability and reproducibility coefficients.
After three weeks of treatment with garlic extract, the serum levels of antioxidants were significantly higher than the pretreatment levels in both diabetic and hypertensive rats. The increased serum antioxidant levels were paralleled by a decrease in serum glucose in the garlic-treated diabetic rats, and lowered systolic blood pressure in the garlic-treated hypertensive rats, showing that treatment with garlic can increase total antioxidant status. This study was reported in the February 20th Evidenced Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Garlic has a long history as a healer
Scientifically known as Allium sativa, garlic has been famous throughout history for its ability to fight off viruses and bacteria. Louis Pasteur noted in 1858 that bacteria died when they were doused with garlic. From the Middle Ages on, garlic has been used to treat wounds, being ground or sliced and applied directly to wounds to inhibit the spread of infection. The Russians refer to garlic as Russian penicillin.
Since ancient times, garlic has been a popular remedy for intestinal disorders, flatulence, worms, respiratory infections, skin diseases, symptoms of aging, and many other ailments. Albert Schweitzer used it to treat cholera and typhus. In France, farmers even fed garlic and onions to their horses to dissolve clots in the animals' legs.
Garlic is a powerful cancer blocker
A number of the new studies on garlic that have recently appeared deal with garlic and cancer. One from the Republic of Korea cites diallyl disulfide (DADS) as the most prevalent oil-soluble sulfur compound in garlic, inhibiting cell proliferation in many cell lines. Scientists there examined DADS ability to kill cells in a process involving free radical production. They found that the famous tumor suppressor gene, p53, arrested the cell cycle when DADS treatment was present. Cancer cells died following 24 hour DADS treatment that activated the p53 gene. They also found that DADS induced cell death was prevented by treatment with a compound known to prevent p53 dependent cell death by reducing free radical levels in the mitochrondria, the cellular furnaces. Their results showed that mitochrondrial free radicals may serve as second messengers in DADS-induced cell death, which requires activation of p53. This study can be found in the January Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology.
Diallyl disulfide is not the most potent compound found in garlic, but it has an advantage because it is the less volatile of the compounds. DADS does not degrade as quickly and its health benefits survive cooking. Garlic needs to be chopped or crushed to produce the these sulfides. If it is cooked whole, it loses most of its medicinal value and health benefits.
DADS is a potent booster of the immune system, and improves blood quality and circulation. It has been shown in studies to lower LDL cholesterols levels, and through this action may help keep the heart and cardiovascular system healthy.
Another recent study, reported in the March Mutation Research, revealed the action through which garlic decreases genetic mutations and reduces the number of small and large papillary lung tumors.
And yet another new study involved lymphocytes which are responsible for the immune response. There are two main types of lymphocytes, B cells and T cells. While B cells make antibodies that attack bacteria and toxins, T cells attack body cells themselves when they have become cancerous. Scientists in the Republic of China studied the effects of garlic on the balance of two T helper cell subtypes. Th1 and Th2. Rats were given garlic oil or corn oil every other day for two weeks. Their cervical lymph nodes were collected to assay the lymphocyte proliferation rate and the production of cancer killing cytokines. Garlic oil enhanced the lymphocyte proliferation rate accompanied by an elevated production of all four cytokines when given at a dose of 100mg/kg.
Allicin is garlic's most potent compound
Allicin is the compound providing the largest range of garlic's health benefits. Allicin also does not occur in garlic cloves, but is produced when garlic is finely chopped or crushed. The finer the chopping and the more intense the crushing, the more allicin is produced and the stronger is the medicinal effect.
Allicin has both antibiotic and anti-fungal properties, and made garlic a favorite in folk medicine for treating skin infections such as athlete's foot. Allicin is potent stuff. Too much exposure to garlic can result in blistered skin.
Allicin starts to degrade immediately after it is produced, so a person seeking to reap its full medicinal benefits should use it immediately after crushing it. Cooking increases the degradation of allicin, and microwaving completely destroys allicin and eliminates any health benefits.
To gain the optimal in medicinal effects, garlic should be crushed and added to food immediately before serving.
Garlic is a beauty aid
The high sulfur content in garlic makes it able to tone up the skin and make hair more lustrous. Garlic helps make skin smooth and supple, and strengthens nails. The sulfur in garlic works with B complex vitamins to support body metabolism, helping to keep people looking trim. It helps keep youthful elasticity in tissues, and helps treat and prevent dandruff.
Garlic is an excellent source of the cancer fighting mineral selenium. Selenium works synergistically with vitamin E to boost antioxidant power and prevent or slow signs of aging and hardening of tissues through oxidation. Selenium is critical for the production of glutathione peroxidase, the body's primary antioxidant that is found in every cell. Males are especially sensitive to selenium levels. Almost half their body's supply concentrates in the testicles and portions of the seminal ducts adjacent to the prostate gland. Selenium is lost in the semen and should be replenished daily.
Always buy organic garlic when possible
When buying garlic, make sure the bulbs are dry with plenty of papery covering. If any green shoots are present, the garlic is old and its valuable compounds have degraded. Garlic sold in traditional outlets has been chemically treated to keep it from sprouting, so technically it is no longer a live food. Always buy organic garlic when possible.
The stronger the taste of the garlic, the more sulfur content it has and therefore the greater are the medicinal benefits. Organic garlic tends to have a stronger but finer flavor than conventionally produced garlic, suggesting a higher sulfur content.
Supplements are another way to get garlic's benefits
Many people who do not like the taste of garlic or who do not do much cooking rely on garlic supplements. Aged garlic extract is reported to have many of the benefits found in raw garlic, including liver protection, immune-enhancement, and cancer blocking actions. It also exhibits potent antioxidant activities.
As the name implies, the extract is aged for up to twenty months. Over this time period the harsh and irritating compounds in garlic are converted naturally into stable and safe sulfur compounds. Aged garlic extract contains primarily water-soluble sulfur compounds as well as a smaller amount of a variety of oil-soluble sulfur compounds. Aged garlic extract has been found safe in toxicological studies.
http://www.naturalnews.com/025821.html
Potassium-Sodium Ratio is Crucial for Heart Health
by Reuben Chow, NaturalNews.com
(NaturalNews) Excessive sodium intake can be damaging for heart health. On the other hand, eating more potassium gives cardiovascular wellbeing a boost. A recent groundbreaking study has revealed that it is not just about the quantities of these two nutrients which are important; instead, it is the ratio of their amounts which is a crucial factor. The study had found that a 2:1 intake of potassium to sodium may lower one's risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 50%.
Details and Findings of Study
For the study, which was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers had looked at data from two large trials which were originally carried out in the late 80s and early 90s to find out the link between blood pressure and several factors, for example diet and weight loss. During those studies, some of the study subjects were asked to reduce their sodium intake by up to 35%. A few times during the study period, urine samples over a 24-hour period were collected. These samples were then used by the researchers to assess the nutrient intake of each person. This procedure improved the accuracy of the experiment by not using self-reported information, which can be unreliable.
Results published earlier in 2007 had revealed that study subjects who ate less sodium, even for just a short period of a few years, had a 25% lower chance of dying from cardiovascular disease 10 to 15 years later, as compared to those who carried on eating large amounts of the mineral.
For the current study, the team zoomed in on the latter group and discovered that even among those who continued eating a lot of sodium, the subjects who consumed more potassium generally had a lower long-term risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Further, they found, too, that those with the highest potassium-sodium intake ratio (about 2:1) had only half the risk of cardiovascular disease death as compared to those with the lowest ratio (about 1:4). According to the study's findings, the said ratio actually mattered more than the actual quantities eaten.
Potassium, Sodium and Their Ratio
Indeed, potassium and sodium play a key role together in the body in maintaining water balance and blood pressure. Current dietary patterns are, however, heavily skewed in favor of sodium. Most Americans in fact consume a lot more than the American daily recommended maximum amount of 2,300 milligrams. This trend is highly undesirable as numerous studies have shown that too much sodium can cause fluid retention, elevating blood pressure and the risk of heart disease death.
On the flip side, potassium has been shown in studies to help regulate blood pressure; elevated blood pressure, of course, greatly increases one's risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack. Current American guidelines suggest a minimum of 4,700 mg of daily potassium, which is incidentally about double the recommended maximum amount of sodium. Surveys, however, have suggested that Americans are on average eating 4,000 mg of sodium and only 2,600 mg of potassium each day. This is certainly an alarmingly lopsided ratio.
The realization of the importance of the potassium-sodium ratio is a crucial one. At the same time, it is also a reminder to us of the intricate and often complex interactions between different nutrients and compounds in our bodies. This lends some weight to the belief that it is better to obtain our nutrition from a balanced diet containing largely whole foods and whole food supplements, as opposed to loading up on specific nutrients with the hope of achieving a specific purpose.
Boosting Your Potassium-Sodium Ratio
A great way to boost your potassium-sodium ratio is to eat more fruits and vegetables, which are rich in potassium, and to lower your intake of salty, refined and processed foods, which are common features of the typical modern day diet. Besides helping to boost cardiovascular health, fruits and vegetables, of course, also come with a host of other beneficial nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins and antioxidants, to name a few.
Indeed, a study conducted in the 1990s found that men who ate more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, poultry and fish had 30% less chance of suffering heart attacks, as compared to those who ate less of these foods. On the other hand, those who ate more refined grains, sweet foods, processed meat and red meat had a 64% elevated risk of heart attacks, as compared to men who ate the least of such foods. Further, another study carried out on women revealed a 15% lower risk of cardiovascular issues in those who ate a lot of fruits and vegetables, as compared to those who ate low amounts of these foods.
Speaking about the recent study's findings, Eva Obarzanek, a registered dietitian and research nutritionist at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and a member of the study team, said: "This provides further proof that sodium is bad and potassium is good."
That is perhaps a rather simplistic generalization, as both nutrients are actually necessary for good health. However, in view of the fact that typical modern day diets are heavily skewed in favor of the "wrong" mineral, so to speak, that statement then makes a lot of sense when taken in the right context. The overall moral of the story is actually quite simple - consume less (or no) salty processed foods, and more fruits and vegetables. You can't go far wrong with that.
http://www.naturalnews.com/025820.html
Vitamin B12 Effective Against Canker Sores
by Reuben Chow, NaturalNews.com
(NaturalNews) Canker sores are painful ulcers which appear in our mouths from time to time. And researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have found that taking vitamin B12 every night is a useful way to prevent the occurrence of this problem.
About Canker Sores
Also known as Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS), canker sores can form on the inside of the lips, on the inside of the cheeks, on the gums and even on the tongue. They may look red or covered by a white layer. Women, teenagers and people in their 20s are said to be more susceptible to such sores.
Broadly speaking, conventional medicine has very little to offer for this condition, both in terms of understanding its cause and providing a viable solution. Doctors often prescribe antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs, although the truth is that such treatments do not help much. Some possible contributory factors of canker sores include stress, poor nutrition, food allergies as well as hormonal imbalances. Physical trauma, such as through accidental biting of one's own lips, may also be a cause.
Details and Findings of Study
The researchers for the said study had randomly chosen 58 RAS sufferers. For a period of six months, before going to bed, the study subjects either took a 1,000 mcg oral dose of vitamin B12, or they consumed a placebo. They were tested once per month.
It was found that almost three-quarters, or 74% of the intervention group obtained remission from the condition at the end of the study. On the other hand, only 32% of the placebo group experienced the same outcome. This is a significant difference.
Initially, the results seemed to be similar in both groups, with the average duration of canker sore outbreak and the average number of sores each month going down during the first four months. It was, however, in the last two months of the study where the difference in outcome became apparent.
Those who consumed the vitamin reported feeling more comfortable, less pain, fewer outbreaks as well as shorter outbreak durations throughout the study period. Even in the fifth and sixth months of the experiment, the outbreak duration and number of ulcers in this group were significantly lowered, a finding which was independent of the initial levels of vitamin B12 in the blood of the study subjects. Their pain levels dropped significantly, too. However, for the placebo group, while their pain levels dropped in the initial months, they actually felt more pain in the latter months of the study.
Some Suggested Natural Remedies for Canker Sores
According to Dr Ilia Volkov, a primary care physician in the Clalit Health Services, a lecturer in Ben-Gurion University's Department of Family Medicine and the leader of the study, RAS affects as much as 25% of the general population. Some sources even suggest up to half of the population may be affected by the condition.
With canker sores being such a common problem, one or two tips for everyone may be helpful. While the exact causes of canker sores are unclear, it is believed that deficiency in nutrients such as zinc, iron and folic acid (as well as vitamin B12) may be a contributory factor. Green leafy vegetables and whole grains may help.
Many different home remedies are suggested by various sources. Frequently rinsing one's mouth with warm salt water or aloe juice are two suggested remedies. Another touted mouthwash includes the use of sage and chamomile. Baking powder or a paste made from baking powder may also be applied on the sores. The application of raw onions or tea tree oil may help, too.
In addition, herbs like cankerroot and licorice are known folk remedies for canker sores. Further, sucking on zinc lozenges or consuming vitamin C or vitamin B complex supplements may provide relief and hasten healing. Finally, perhaps the simplest way to relieve the pain of such ulcers is through the application of ice.
http://www.naturalnews.com/025814.html
Prince Charles accused of 'outright quackery' over detox food supplement
Last updated at 10:47 PM on 10th March 2009
Prince Charles has been accused of ‘ exploiting a gullible public’ by putting his name to a detox treatment.
Professor Edzard Ernst, Britain’s top expert on complementary medicine, said the £10 Duchy Herbals Detox Tincture relied on ‘ superstition and quackery’ rather than science.
Nicknaming the range ‘Dodgy Originals’ after the Prince’s Duchy Originals brand, Prof Ernst said that using herbal potions to detoxify the body was ‘implausible, unproven and dangerous’.
The £10 tincture was launched last month as part of the Prince’s range of luxury organic products.
Customers are advised to add a few drops of the dandelion and artichoke solution to a glass of water twice a day.
Combined with a balanced diet, it is claimed, the product will help the body cleanse itself of ‘toxins’ and aid digestion.
But Prof Ernst, a complementary medicine researcher at Exeter University and a former homeopathic doctor, said there is no evidence that the tincture works.
He said: ‘I know everything about artichoke that there is to know. There is a hint it might lower cholesterol to a very minor degree, but that’s all.
‘And there is nothing to know about dandelion. They say they have produced it to the highest standards, and that may be so. But high quality nonsense is still nonsense.’
The professor warned that detox products could be dangerous if they were viewed as a ‘quick fix’ to unhealthy habits.
He said yesterday: ‘Prince Charles contributes to the ill-health of the nation by pretending we can all over-indulge and then take his tincture and be fine again.
'Under the banner of holistic and integrative healthcare he promotes a “quick fix” and outright quackery.
‘Prince Charles and his advisors seem to deliberately ignore science and prefer to rely on makebelieve and superstition.
‘Prince Charles thus financially exploits a gullible public in a time of financial hardship.This comes from somebody who should know better and from somebody who arguably should not be deluding the nation and contributing to its ill-health.’
Prof Ernst added that those who do over-indulge should simply drink lots of water, take exercise and get some rest.
The Duchy Originals website states: ‘HRH The Prince of Wales… believes poor health does not exist in isolation, but is in fact a direct consequence of our lifestyles, cultures, communities and how we interact with our environments.
‘He is passionate about adopting an integrated approach to health, as well as exploring how safe, proven complementary therapies can work in conjunction with mainstream medicine.’
A Duchy Originals spokesman said the tincture satisfied ‘all of the relevant sections of both UK and European food laws’.
Andrew Baker, the firm’s chief executive officer said: ‘It is a natural aid to digestion and supports the body’s natural elimination processes.
‘It is not – and has never been described as – a medicine, remedy or cure for any disease.’
He added: ‘Duchy Herbals Detox Tincture contains globe artichoke and dandelion which both have a long history of traditional use for aiding digestion.
‘We find it unfortunate that Professor Ernst should chase sensationalist headlines in this way rather than concentrating on accuracy and objectivity.’
Nelsons Organic Pharmacy, which makes the tincture for Duchy Originals, said that artichoke and dandelion had been used for hundreds of years to aid digestion.
Its chairman, Robert Wilson, said: We do not believe this product encourages ill-health through over-indulgence.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1160916/Prince-Charles-accused-outright-quackery-detox-food-supplement.html#
Top Pain Scientist Fabricated Data in Studies, Hospital Says
A prominent Massachusetts anesthesiologist allegedly fabricated 21 medical studies that claimed to show benefits from painkillers like Vioxx and Celebrex, according to the hospital where he worked.
Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, Mass., said that its former chief of acute pain, Scott S. Reuben, had faked data used in the studies, which were published in several anesthesiology journals between 1996 and 2008.
The anesthesiologist allegedly faked data in 21 studies on the use of various painkillers, including Vioxx.
The hospital has asked the medical journals to retract the 21 studies, some of which reported favorable results from the use of painkillers like Pfizer Inc.'s Bextra and Merck & Co.'s Vioxx -- both since withdrawn -- as well as Pfizer's Celebrex and Lyrica. Dr. Reuben's research work also claimed positive findings for Wyeth's antidepressant Effexor XR as a pain killer. And he wrote to the Food and Drug Administration, urging the agency not to restrict the use of many of the painkillers he studied, citing his own data on their safety and effectiveness.
"Dr. Reuben deeply regrets that this happened," said the doctor's attorney, Ingrid Martin. "Dr. Reuben cooperated fully with the peer review committee. There were extenuating circumstances that the committee fairly and justly considered." She declined to explain the extenuating circumstances. Dr. Reuben didn't respond to requests for comment sent through Ms. Martin and left at his former office.
The retractions, first reported in Anesthesiology News, have caused anesthesiologists to reconsider the use of certain practices adopted as a result of Dr. Reuben's research, doctors said. His work is considered important in encouraging doctors to combine the use of painkillers like Celebrex and Lyrica for patients undergoing common procedures such as knee and hip replacements.
Last month, the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia retracted 10 of Dr. Reuben's studies and posted a list of the 11 published in other journals on its Web site. The journal Anesthesiology said it has retracted three of Dr. Reuben's articles.
Dr. Reuben had been a paid speaker on behalf of Pfizer's medicines, and it paid for some of his research. "It is very disappointing to learn about Dr. Scott Reuben's alleged actions," Pfizer said in a statement. "When we decided to support Dr. Reuben's research, he worked for a credible academic medical center and appeared to be a reputable investigator."
Wyeth said it isn't aware of any financial relationship between the company and Dr. Reuben.
An FDA spokeswoman said late Tuesday she wasn't aware of the matter. Merck had no immediate comment.
Hal Jenson, the chief academic officer at Baystate Medical, said a routine audit last spring flagged discrepancies in Dr. Reuben's work. That led to a larger investigation in which Dr. Reuben cooperated, Dr. Jenson said. "The conclusions are not in dispute," he added.
Dr. Reuben is on an indefinite leave from his post at Baystate, the hospital said. He no longer holds an appointment as a professor at Tufts University's medical school, according to the university.
Baystate concluded that "Dr. Reuben was solely responsible for the fabrication of data," Dr. Jenson said.
Jeffrey Kroin, who co-wrote four papers with Dr. Reuben, said he was dumbfounded to receive a letter earlier this year from Baystate, retracting the studies.
"We analyzed it and made figures and graphs, and sent it back, and wrote papers, and everything seemed fine," said Dr. Kroin of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. "If someone has a good reputation, has 10 years of papers and has a very high position within their medical school, generally you assume they have a lot of integrity."
Jacques E. Chelly, the head of acute interventional postoperative pain service at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, said he was "shocked" by the news of the retractions. Dr. Reuben "was very well respected," Dr. Chelly said.
He added that the situation has prompted his hospital to review the protocols it uses to treat patients for pain, because Dr. Reuben's work was so influential in establishing them. He said the hospital was now conducting its own study to verify the efficacy of drugs that Dr. Reuben claimed were effective painkillers.
In an editorial in the journal Anesthesiology, editor James C. Eisenach warned that "these retractions clearly raise the possibility that we might be heading in wrong directions or toward blind ends in attempts to improve pain therapy."
The retracted studies aren't expected to affect the drugs' regulatory status because Dr. Reuben's studies weren't part of the packages that manufacturers submitted to the FDA or European authorities.
Vegetables may reduce prostate cancer risk
United Press International 03-12-09
HONG KONG, Mar 11, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- A diet high in vegetables can reduce the risk of prostate cancer, researchers in China suggest.
Ruth Chan of The Chinese University of Hong Kong and colleagues examined more than 100 studies and concluded that the primary mechanism of this positive vegetable effect is antioxidant protection against DNA and cell damage.
The researchers said tomatoes and their byproducts contain the carotenoid antioxidant lycopene. Overall, studies for tomatoes and lycopenes show inconsistent results on decreasing cancer prostate risk, but lycopene based foods are probably protective, UroToday.com reported.
Yellow orange vegetables contain the antioxidant beta-carotene. Data on beta-carotene and prostate risk from cohort and case-control studies were inconclusive.
Flavonoids are a carbon structure compound ubiquitously present in plant foods and have antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Overall there is some evidence suggesting that consumption of legumes, including soy and soy products, is protective against prostate cancer.
Data on allium vegetables -- garlic, onions, leeks, chives, scallions and shallots -- suggest a protective benefit, but population based studies are limited. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, bok choy, collard greens and kale have anticarcinogenic properties, but population-based studies are limited, the researchers said.
The findings are published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8000&Section=Disease
New clue on why cancer spread is linked to diet
Agence France-Presse 03-12-09
Investigators on Wednesday said there could be a clue to explain why dietary restriction succeeds or fails in braking the growth of cancer.
Scientists spotted a century ago the link between calorie intake and the progression of certain kinds of tumour.
But how this works at the molecular level has been unclear. In addition, tumours may remain puzzlingly immune to fasting among some individuals but not among others, which is partly why the practice has not been incorporated into cancer treatment.
Nada Kalaany and David Sabatini of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) looked at the impact of food curbs on six types of human cancers that had been grafted onto mice which had been genetically modified to lack immune resistance.
The mice were then split into two groups, with one batch able to tuck into a standard rodent diet for two to three weeks. The others received daily meals that amounted to a 40 percent reduction in calories compared to their counterparts, which led to a fall of between 20 and 30 percent in body weight.
The researchers conclude that tumours' sensitivity to fasting depends on a key pathway -- activation of an enzyme called phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, also called PI3K, which plays an important role in the proliferation of cancer cells.
If the PI3K pathway is closed, tumours respond to dietary restriction, and vice versa.
The study is important because it helps drug designers who are working hard on prototype treatments that mimic the effects of dietary curbs on cancer.
As several cancer types carry mutations that could cause the PI3K mechanism to open up, the paper suggests that the approach will not work in certain cases.
The paper is published by the British-based journal Nature.
Previous research on lab rodents suggests that a calorie decrease of 10 to 50 percent leads to a reduction in the incidence of certain cancers and brakes the speed at which they spread.
One theory is that the change in caloric intake beefs up cell repair mechanisms against destructive agents called free radicals.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=7999&Section=Disease
Antioxidants: The rise of polyphenols
Nutraingredients.com, 13-Mar-2009
For many consumers, antioxidant doesn’t go beyond vitamins C and E, and beta-carotene, but as understanding of the antioxidant compounds in fruit and vegetables increases, more research is pointing towards the potential of polyphenols.
In the final part of its series on antioxidants, NutraIngredients looks at the rise of polyphenols and flavonoids, and what still needs to be done.
Data from Leatherhead Food International (LFI) shows that the world functional antioxidants market is increasing year on year by around 3 per cent, and was valued at US$ 400 million in 2004, and US$ 438 million in 2007. Europe, the US, and Japan account for 90 per cent of this market.
With flavonoids and polyphenols reported to be 45 per cent of this functional antioxidant market, equivalent to almost US$ 200 million, it is no wonder that many companies are already offering such ingredients, including Naturex, Burgundy, Chr. Hansen, DSM, Futureceuticals, Danisco, Indena, Frutarom, Genosa, Natraceutical, Cognis, and ADM.
However, while the science is beginning to point to the significant potential and benefits of polyphenols, Ming Hu from the University of Houston recently issued "a call to arms" for more relevant research into the bioavailability and utilisation of the antioxidants, particularly polyphenols, in order to help "the successful development of polyphenols as chemopreventive agents in the future".
Definitions
Polyphenols are receiving extensive research due to their potent antioxidant activity, their ability to mop-up harmful free radicals, and the associated health benefits. Many have also been implicated in possible protection against diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, while some have been reported to potentially offer protection from Alzheimer's.
A recent study by French researchers using a series of antioxidant assays, including DPPH, ABTS, ORAC, SOD, FRAP of extracts from 30 plants found a “significant relationship between antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content […], indicating that phenolic compounds are the major contributors to the antioxidant properties of these plants” (J. Agric. Food Chem., 2009, Vol. 57, pp. 1768-1774).
Furthermore, according to an editorial in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (July 2008, Vol. 88, pp. 12-13), Johanna Geleijnse and Peter Hollman from Wageningen University in the Netherlands stated that the contribution of flavonones to a person's antioxidant capacity was significant.
"More than 6000 different flavonoids in plants have been described, and their total intake could amount to 1 g/d, whereas combined intakes of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E from food most often are less than 100 mg/d," they said.
The chemical class refers to compounds called phenylpropanoids, which includes flavonoids, and hydrolyzable tannins such as the gallic acid esters of glucose,
Flavonoids can be split into a number of sub-classes, including anthocyanins found in berries, flavonols from a variety of fruit and vegetables, flavones from parsley and thyme, for example, flavanones from citrus, isoflavones from soy, mono- and poly-meric flavonols like the catechins in tea, and proanthocyanidins from berries, wine and chocolate. The non-flavonoids include phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes such as resveratrol.
Structure is key
Polyphenols, and flavonoids in particular, are not all created equal. For example, scientists from The Ohio State University reported that the structure of anthocyanins, the antioxidant pigments from a range of fruit and vegetables, is key to the cancer fighting abilities.
According to findings published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (doi: 10.1021/jf8005917), certain types of anthocyanins have greater activity against colon cancer than others.
“The chemical structures of anthocyanins do have a significant impact on their biological activity, and data suggest that non-acylated monoglycosylated anthocyanins are more potent inhibitors of colon cancer cell growth proliferation,” wrote lead author Pu Jing.
The researchers cautioned that more research is necessary to explore the role of anthocyanin structure and the chemo-protective effects.
Much work left to do…
In addition to the potential benefits for reducing the risk of cancer, the most science has pointed towards a protective role in cardiovascular health. Geleijnse and Geleijnse added, however, that significant study was still needed in this area.
"Substantial evidence for a vasoprotective effect of specific flavonoids is, however, still lacking. Optimal doses of specific flavonoids for cardiovascular protection […] are still beyond the horizon,” they wrote in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
“Flavonoid research has made large progress since the [early days], but, to really advance the field, the step to individual flavonoids must be made now."
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Antioxidants-The-rise-of-polyphenols
Too little sleep may raise diabetes risk: U.S. study
Last Updated: 2009-03-12 9:43:38 -0400 (Reuters Health)
CHICAGO (Reuters) - People who get fewer than six hours of sleep at night are prone to abnormal blood sugar levels, possibly putting them at risk for diabetes, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.
They said people in a study who slept less than six hours were 4.5 times more likely to develop abnormal blood sugar readings in six years compared with those who slept longer.
"This study supports growing evidence of the association of inadequate sleep with adverse health issues," said Lisa Rafalson of the University at Buffalo in New York, who presented her findings at the Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention in Palm Harbor, Florida.
Several studies have shown negative health consequences related to getting too little sleep. In children, studies showed it raises the risk of obesity, depression and high blood pressure. In older adults, it increases the risk of falls. And in the middle aged, it raises the risk of infections, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Adults typically need between seven and nine hours of nightly sleep, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Rafalson and colleagues wanted to see if lack of sleep might be raising the risk for type 2 diabetes, the kind that is being driven by rising rates of obesity and sedentary lifestyles. It develops when the body makes too much insulin and does not efficiently use the insulin it makes, a condition known as insulin resistance.
Using data from a large, six-year study, they identified 91 people whose blood sugar rose during the study period and compared them to 273 people whose glucose levels remained in the normal range.
They found the short sleepers were far more likely to develop impaired fasting glucose -- a condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes -- during the study period than those who slept six to eight hours.
That difference held even after adjusting for age, obesity, heart rate, high blood pressure, family history of diabetes and symptoms of depression.
"Our findings will hopefully spur additional research into this very complex area of sleep and illness," Rafalson said in a statement.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/03/12/eline/links/20090312elin006.html
Broccoli sprouts may soothe airway inflammation
Last Updated: 2009-03-10 12:34:22 -0400 (Reuters Health)
By Amy Norton
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with nasal allergies or asthma may want to add broccoli sprouts to their diets, if early research findings pan out.
In a study of 65 healthy volunteers, researchers found that an oral preparation made from broccoli sprouts trigger an increase in inflammation-fighting enzymes in the upper airways.
The credit appears to go to a compound called sulforaphane, which is found naturally in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage.
Sulforaphane triggers an increase in antioxidant enzymes that help counter cell damage and inflammation brought on by oxidative stress -- from sources like air pollution and environmental allergens.
"Based on this study, compounds in broccoli sprouts have a very potent effect in boosting the airway's self-defense system against oxidative stress," explained lead researcher Dr. Marc A. Riedl, an assistant professor at the University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine.
Whether broccoli sprouts can actually alleviate allergy and asthma symptoms is not yet known, Riedl told Reuters Health.
"Further studies will be needed to investigate the clinical significance, and so it's too early to give advice on a beneficial 'dose' of cruciferous vegetables," he said.
He noted, however, that broccoli sprouts contain 20 to 50 times the concentration of sulforaphane that mature broccoli does. So a person would have to eat large amounts of broccoli to get the sulforaphane dose that young broccoli sprouts provide.
The study, published in the journal Clinical Immunology, included 65 healthy men and women who were given various doses of the broccoli sprout preparation or a "placebo" made from alfalfa sprouts over three days.
The researchers took samples of the volunteers' nasal fluids to measure the activity of so-called Phase II enzymes, which control oxidative stress. They found that the broccoli sprout preparation sparked an increase in the protective enzymes, whereas the alfalfa-derived placebo did not.
The findings, Riedl said, show that "induction of protective enzymes can be accomplished using well-tolerated, readily available food sources."
This diet-based approach, he said, "may add another weapon to our fight against the increasing health burden of allergy and asthma."
SOURCE: Clinical Immunology, March 2009.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/03/10/eline/links/20090310elin001.html
Economic gloom hits men harder than women: study
Last Updated: 2009-03-10 16:41:53 -0400 (Reuters Health)
LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Recessions gripping economies around the world will hit men harder than women as job insecurity threatens an inherent sense of masculinity, damaging mental health, a British researcher said this month.
A study by Cambridge University showed that despite more women than men losing their jobs in Britain due to the credit crunch, men who think they may be fired or made redundant are likely to become more stressed and depressed than women.
As the economic slowdown wears on, the effects of job insecurity will take a greater toll on men's health than that of their female counterparts, the study found.
"In part there is a macho issue about men being the breadwinner," said Dr Brendan Burchell from the University of Cambridge's sociology department, who compiled the study.
"Men, unlike women, have few positive ways of defining themselves outside of the workplace between when they leave school and when they retire."
He said that despite several decades of more equal employment opportunities for men and women, men retain traditional beliefs that their masculinity is threatened if their employment is threatened."
The study cited a Populus poll released earlier this year which showed that women, more than men, say they are worried about the possibility of losing their jobs.
But the Cambridge study found that while men may put on a braver face, job insecurity causes more symptoms of anxiety and depression in men than in women.
Analyzing data from 300 current British employees, combined with a survey of thousands of people by the Economic and Social Research Council charting the effects of social and economic change since 1991, it found that when unemployed men move into insecure jobs, they showed no improvement in psychological health.
For unemployed women, even finding an insecure job helped to restore psychological health.
Burchell said the long-term decline in mental well-being can also be worse for people who are under threat of losing their jobs than for those who are actually made redundant.
"Given that most economic forecasts predict that the recession will be long with a slow recovery, the results mean that many people -- and men in particular -- could be entering into a period of prolonged and growing misery."
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/03/10/eline/links/20090310elin018.html
American Adults Flunk Basic Science
ScienceDaily (Mar. 13, 2009) — Are Americans flunking science? A new national survey commissioned by the California Academy of Sciences and conducted by Harris Interactive® reveals that the U.S. public is unable to pass even a basic scientific literacy test.
Over the past few months, the American government has allocated hundreds of billions of dollars for economic bailout plans. While this spending may provide a short-term solution to the country's economic woes, most analysts agree that the long-term solution must include a transition to a more knowledge-based economy, including a focus on science, which is now widely recognized as a major driver of innovation and industry.
Despite its importance to economic growth, environmental protection, and global health and energy issues, scientific literacy is currently low among American adults. According to the national survey commissioned by the California Academy of Sciences:
- Only 53% of adults know how long it takes for the Earth to revolve around the Sun.
- Only 59% of adults know that the earliest humans and dinosaurs did not live at the same time.
- Only 47% of adults can roughly approximate the percent of the Earth's surface that is covered with water.*
- Only 21% of adults answered all three questions correctly.
Knowledge about some key scientific issues is also low. Despite the fact that access to fresh water is likely to be one of the most pressing environmental issues over the coming years, less than 1% of U.S. adults know what percent of the planet's water is fresh (the correct answer is 3%). Nearly half didn't even hazard a guess. Additionally, 40% of U.S. adults say they are "not at all knowledgeable" about sustainability.
Despite this lack of knowledge, U.S. adults do believe that scientific research and education are important. About 4 in 5 adults think science education is "absolutely essential" or "very important" to the U.S. healthcare system (86%), the U.S. global reputation (79%), and the U.S. economy (77%).
"There has never been a greater need for investment in scientific research and education," said Academy Executive Director Dr. Gregory Farrington. "Many of the most pressing issues of our time—from global climate change to resource management and disease—can only be addressed with the help of science."
To test your own scientific knowledge, please visit the California Academy of Sciences' website at http://www.calacademy.org.
Methodology
This survey was conducted by telephone within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of the California Academy of Science between December 17 and December 21, 2008 among 1,002 adults ages 18+.
* The approximately correct answer range for this question was defined as anything between 65% and 75%. Only 15% of respondents answered this question with the exactly correct answer of 70%.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312115133.htm
How Cranberry Products Prevent Urinary Tract Infections
ScienceDaily (Mar. 12, 2009) — Chemicals present in cranberries—and not the acidity of cranberry juice, as previously thought—prevent infection-causing bacteria from attaching to the cells that line the urinary tract, as documented in a report published in Journal of Medicinal Food.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) burden the healthcare system with more than $2 billion in treatment costs each year and are a common problem in patients with a urinary catheter in place. Adhesion of E. coli bacteria to cells lining the urinary tract is the first step in the development of a UTI. Chemicals found in cranberry products called proanthocyanidins (PACs) prevent E. coli, which is the cause of about 85% of UTIs and 90% of cases of acute pyelonephritis, from adhering to these urinary tract epithelial cells by affecting the surface properties of the bacteria.
Paola Pinzón-Arango, Yatao Liu, and Terri Camesano, from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, in Massachusetts, exposed E. coli grown in culture to either light cranberry juice cocktail or cranberry PACs and measured the adhesion forces between the bacteria and a silicon surface using atomic force microscopy. They demonstrated that the longer the bacteria were exposed to either the cranberry juice or the PACS the greater the decrease in bacterial attachment. In the article entitled, "Role of Cranberry on Bacterial Adhesion Forces and Implications for Escherichia coli—Uroepithelial Cell Attachment," the authors also concluded that this effect was reversible, and that bacteria regrown in an environment without cranberry juice or PACS regained the ability to attach to the model surface.
"Cranberries, one of only three species of fruits native to North America, has a long history of medicinal food use. Native Americans used the fruit for the treatment of bladder and kidney ailments hundreds of years ago. The article by Camesano and co-workers is a milestone in the understanding of its mechanism of action," says Sheldon S. Hendler, PhD, MD, Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal, and Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Diego.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090309121937.htm
Diabetes Linked To Cognitive Deterioration
ScienceDaily (Mar. 12, 2009) — Blindness, renal failure, stroke and heart disease are potential complications of type 2 diabetes, which currently afflicts more than 15 million Americans. Now research from Tel Aviv University has found more worrying news ― type 2 diabetes can be a risk factor accelerating cognitive decline and dementia.
Dr. Tali Cukierman-Yaffe, a physician and researcher from TAU’s Sackler School of Medicine, found that people with diabetes were 1.5 more likely to experience cognitive decline, and 1.6 more likely to suffer from dementia than people without diabetes. Her recent publication in the journal Diabetes Care suggests that higher-than-average levels of blood glucose (blood sugar) may have a role in this relationship.
Her work is part of the ongoing Memory in Diabetes (MIND) project, a sub-study of the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial.
First Step Towards New Treatments
“Our results send an important message to the public,” says Dr. Cukierman-Yaffe. “We have shown conclusively that there is a relationship between diabetes and cognitive dysfunction. This should be known by diabetics and their doctors. Knowledge is the first step towards action.
“Intact thinking is essential for managing the disease,” Dr. Cukierman-Yaffe adds.
Clinicians today work with the patient to prevent complications of diabetes. Early detection of visual problems, for example, can be treated with laser surgery if diagnosed early enough, and blindness can be avoided in some cases.
“Today, diabetes cannot be cured. We can however delay or prevent many of its complications,” says Dr. Cukierman-Yaffe. “Diagnosing cognitive dysfunction at a pre-clinical stage is the first step in finding new treatment options."
A New Association with Poor Cognitive Performance
Dr. Cukierman-Yaffe’s work opens a new opportunity for researchers to better understand the cognitive risks associated with diabetes and dysglycemia. She points out that diabetes, unlike other chronic disease states, is a complex disease to manage and one that requires intact cognition in the patient. As the mind starts deteriorating, so does the patient’s ability to treat the diabetes effectively. Disease management can then spiral out of control.
Findings in her recent study show that in people with type 2 diabetes, higher levels of haemoglobin A1C (a measure of average blood glucose) are significantly associated with poorer performance on three cognitive tasks which require memory, speed and ability to manage multiple tasks at the same time. A higher A1C level was also associated with a lower score on a test of global cognitive function.
The results of the study suggest that lowering A1C levels could slow the accelerated rate of cognitive decline experienced by people with diabetes. However prospective studies and clinical trials are needed in order to prove this. The ongoing ACCORD-MIND study, in which study patients are followed over time and are tested three times during the trial will test the hypothesis that lowering A1C could result in improved cognitive function.
Hyperbaric Treatment For Autism Reports Significant Clinical Improvements
ScienceDaily (Mar. 12, 2009) — Hyperbaric treatment for children with autism has reportedly led to improvements in the condition, though previous studies were uncontrolled. Now, a new study is the first controlled trial to report clinical improvements.
Hyperbaric therapy traditionally involves inhaling up to 100% oxygen at a pressure greater than 1 atmosphere (atm) in a pressurized chamber. In the first randomized, controlled, double-blind multicenter trial, Dan Rossignol and colleagues, from six centers in the USA, studied 62 children, aged 2-7 years, to assess the efficacy of hyperbaric treatment in children with autism.
The children were randomly assigned to either 40 hours of hyperbaric treatment at 1.3 atm and 24% oxygen (treatment group) or slightly pressurized room air at 1.03 atm and 21% oxygen (non-treatment group). Clinical outcomes were evaluated by three different scales: the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), and the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC).
The study found that children with autism in the treatment group had significant improvements in overall functioning, receptive language, social interaction, eye contact, and sensory/cognitive awareness compared to children in the non-treatment group.
Rossignol wrote "Hyperbaric treatment is a safe treatment modality at 1.3 atm and ... appears to be a promising treatment for children with autism".
Daniel A Rossignol, Lanier W Rossignol, Scott Smith, Cindy Schneider, Sally Logerquist, Anju Usman, Jim Neubrander, Eric M Madren, Gregg Hintz, Barry Grushkin and Elizabeth A Mumper. Hyperbaric treatment for children with autism: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. BMC Pediatrics, (in press)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312205226.htm
Medical Care For Children With Autism Using Complementary Alternative Medicine
ScienceDaily (Mar. 12, 2009) — In a national survey conducted by the University of Minnesota, primary care physicians report that they are more likely to ask patients with autism about complementary alternative medicine (CAM) use. These physicians also desire more CAM education for this population.
The study¹ of 539 U.S. physicians, published recently in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, explores the attitudes and practices of primary care physicians caring for children with autism using CAM treatments.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 1 in 150 children in the U.S. is affected by autism, and one-half to three-quarters of these children are being treated with complementary alternative therapies. The National Center for Complementary Alternative Medicine within the National Institutes of Health describes CAM as, “a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine.”
Physicians in this survey were more likely to ask patients with autism about CAM use compared with children with other chronic conditions. “In light of the high prevalence of CAM used to treat children with autism, it is important that physicians ask about CAM use in the context of routine primary care,” said Dr. Allison Golnik, the study’s author. While past surveys indicate that physicians desire more CAM education, this survey indicates they desire CAM education specifically for children with autism. “Physicians need access to balanced education that will inform their own recommendations for specific CAM therapies and adequate information to care for families who elect their use,” Golnik said.
The study explores physician recommendations when caring for children with autism using CAM. The subset of physicians responding to the survey reported integrating some CAM modalities that may be supported by emerging evidence, but need further research. Physicians also reported actively discouraging some forms of CAM that have been refuted by evidence or carry significant risks.
For children with autism, the combination of standard medical therapies, CAM, and the complex health care system requires a significant level of engagement by the primary care physician. “With the high prevalence of CAM use by children with autism, asking all patients about CAM, establishing an infrastructure to monitor CAM use, and developing CAM education are important goals,” Golnik said. “It is important that families be involved in this process.”
Golnik AE, Ireland M. Complementary Alternative Medicine for Children with Autism: A Physician Survey. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, DOI: 10.1007/s10803-009-0714-7
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312125401.htm
Rock Rose Leaves And Olive And Date Pits Make Up New Anti-pesticide Formula
ScienceDaily (Mar. 12, 2009) — A Spanish-Moroccan research team has developed an ecological means of reducing pesticide-related water pollution by using natural organic waste materials, such as olive and date stones, and the leaves of plants such as the rock rose and radish. This new formula could help to reduce this problem that causes damage to health and the environment.
A group of experts in Analytical and Environmental Chemistry from the University of Seville (US), working with researchers from the University of Abdelmalek Essaadi in Morocco, has shown that date and olive stones, as well as the leaves of certain Mediterranean plants, can act to absorb pesticides.
The scientists studied the absorption of 22 different types of pesticides by 10 natural substances - five of which were organic waste materials (peanut shells, bamboo, and olive, avocado and date stones), and five of which were the leaves of plants (eucalyptus, radish, oregano, oleander and rock rose), which had been previously crushed.
The results of this study, published in the Journal of Hydrology, show that date and olive stones had the greatest absorption capacity, at 93% and 90% respectively, while the values for rock rose and radish leaves stood at 80%.
"Directly applying natural organic absorbents to cultivated soil not only helps to stop the pesticides leaching away and thus reduce their use, but also helps to improve soil fertility," Hicham El Bakouri, one of the study's co-authors and a researcher in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the US, told SINC.
El Bakouri said that using this crushed organic matter on the soil also helps pollutants to biodegrade by increasing levels of microbiological activity and reducing the vertical movement of pesticides from the surface down into the groundwater - which is used for irrigation and human consumption.
Cooperation between Spain and Morocco
The analytical studies during this research project were carried out in the laboratories of the University of Abdelmalek Essaadi and the Higher School of Engineers of the US, and the samples were taken in Loukkos, in the north west of Morocco. The researchers tested the decontamination techniques in a number of fields throughout the region, and also carried out an information and awareness-raising campaign among the local population.
A large part of the groundwater in the Loukkos region suffers from pesticide pollution, with an average contaminant load per cultivated hectare of 6kg - a very similar figure to that in some Spanish autonomous regions, such as Extremadura, the Balearic Islands and Madrid.
El Bakouri stressed that the contamination of water resources by pesticides used in agriculture or harmful substances from industry is a problem worldwide.
"In many countries around the world, especially those with fewer resources, this type of water contamination represents a serious problem, and we need to find economical, environmentally-sustainable solutions, which are easy to put into use, such as the method we have proposed," said the researcher.
The project was financed by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).
Elbakouri et al. Natural attenuation of pesticide water contamination by using ecological adsorbents: Application for chlorinated pesticides included in European Water Framework Directive. Journal of Hydrology, 2009; 364 (1-2): 175 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2008.10.012
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312153328.htm
Children Living Near Green Spaces Are More Active
ScienceDaily (Mar. 12, 2009) — Children at high risk of obesity who live near parks and recreation areas are apt to participate in walking activities more often, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Conference on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism.
In a Canadian study, the presence of nearby parks was strongly associated with girls walking to school and boys engaging in leisure walking. For every additional park located within a half mile of their home, the likelihood of walking to school more than doubled among girls and leisure walking by boys increased by 60 percent. Results were similar even after taking into account family income and the average level of education in the neighborhood, an indicator of area disadvantage.
"There was a strong association between walking and the number of nearby public open recreational spaces, including neighborhood parks, playgrounds and sports fields," said Tracie A. Barnett, Ph.D., lead author of the study and a researcher at Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center and Université de Montréal in Montreal, Canada. "We were able to relate the proximity and number of parks to how often children aged 8-10 years walked. This is important because active transportation is a promising public health strategy for increasing overall physical activity, and for helping to curb the obesity epidemic. We know that walking to school has been decreasing steadily for the past 30 years; concurrent increases in overweight and obesity suggest that these two phenomena may be linked."
The results are based on the first 300 families enrolled into the Quebec Adipose and Lifestyle Investigation in Youth (QUALITY) study in which researchers are following over 600 children and both biological parents to study the natural history of excess weight and cardiometabolic risk in children.
"Obesity in children and adolescents has tripled in the past 20 or so years," Barnett said. "Although obesity has many causes, this relatively sudden and steep increase suggests that the drivers of the obesity epidemic are largely environmental rather than biological or genetic in nature."
In this study, researchers examined the relationship between park availability and proximity, and walking. All the children were considered at high risk for future obesity because at least one of their parents was obese. Clinic visits determined body fat distribution, fitness, metabolic, genetic/familial, and behavioral factors that could lead to obesity. Both parents and children completed questionnaires during the clinic visit, and children provided a seven-day recall of walking for leisure and their usual methods of getting to and from school. Location of parks was obtained using a geographic information system.
In this sample, researchers found:
- One-third of the children walked to and from school.
- Parks located within approximately one half mile had the strongest association with walking in this age group.
- A greater number of parks were associated more with purpose-driven walking in girls and with leisure walking in boys.
"Parks may benefit girls and boys differently, but are associated with increased overall walking for both," said Barnett, who is also assistant professor of Social and Preventive Medicine at the Université de Montréal.
"In the past few decades we have become more sedentary due to the increased use of labor-saving devices, motorized transportation, television and computers," she said. "In addition, children are spending more time inside, yet we know that spending time outdoors is an important determinant of activity.
In future urban improvements, consideration must be given to parks, outdoor recreational areas and walking or cycling infrastructure in order to increase active living. Equally important is that the parks and recreational areas are well maintained and are safe."
The cross-sectional study provided a "snapshot" look at the environment, but researchers will be following these families over the next 10 years. The researchers plan to follow the children until age 18 to determine the effects of their environments on the development of obesity.
While this study does not provide specific information on the mechanism by which the presence of parks might affect activity in other places, it does provide useful data on how differences in urban environments may translate into differences in lifestyle activities, researchers said.
As the children become teenagers, the environment will evolve, especially as they attain more freedom and become more independent, Barnett said. "Factors that influence their health and lifestyle behaviors will change and these will need to be reassessed."
An American Heart Association statement released in June of 2008 says, "walkable" neighborhoods, with adequate sidewalks and areas for physical activity, can play an important role in combating the rise in obesity rates by making it easier to get daily exercise.
Co-authors are: Marie Lambert, M.D.; Yan Kestens, Ph.D.; Lise Gauvin, Ph.D.; Andraea Van Hulst, M.Sc.; and Mark Daniel, Ph.D. Individual author disclosures are available on the abstract.
The QUALITY cohort is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec. This research was conducted by members of TEAM PRODIGY, an inter-university research team including Université de Montréal, Concordia University, Université Laval, McGill University and INRS-Institut Armand Frappier.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312114757.htm
Oh, My Aching Back: Give Me A Shot Of Ozone
ScienceDaily (Mar. 11, 2009) — A minimally invasive interventional radiology treatment—that safely and effectively uses oxygen/ozone to relieve the pain of herniated disks—will become standard in the United States in the next few years, predict researchers at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 34th Annual Scientific Meeting. In a related study, the interventional radiologists examined just how ozone relieves the pain associated with herniated disks.
Back pain is the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed work. While the pain of herniated disks can be severe, it can ease over time, and many people may no longer feel the need for medical care. However, in some, the pain from herniated (or ruptured or slipped) disks is intolerable or persists. "Having a herniated disk can affect how you perform everyday activities and can cause severe pain that influences almost everything you do; however, you don't have to undergo invasive surgery," noted Kieran J. Murphy, M.D., interventional neuroradiologist and vice chair and chief of medical imaging at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Oxygen/ozone therapy involves injecting a gas mixture of oxygen and ozone into a herniated disk. The treatment can limit pain and inflammation by reducing the disk's volume. Currently, open diskectomy and microdiskectomy (both involving removal of disk material through an incision) are the standards in surgical treatment for herniated disk.
"Oxygen/ozone treatment of herniated disks is an effective and extremely safe procedure; interventional radiologists use imaging to guide a needle to inject oxygen/ozone into injured disks. The estimated improvement in pain and function is impressive when we looked at patients who ranged in age from 13 to 94 years with all types of disk herniations," explained Murphy. "Equally important, pain and function outcomes are similar to the outcomes for lumbar disks treated with surgical diskectomy, but the complication rate is much less (less than 0.1 percent)," he added. "In addition, the recovery time is significantly shorter for the oxygen/ozone injection than for the diskectomy," said Murphy. "The spine is a stunningly beautiful piece of engineering, or, as our engineers say, the spine is like a complex electromechanical system. And the interventional radiology oxygen/ozone treatment takes a minimalist approach. It's all about being gentle," said Murphy.
"Ozone shrinks disk volume; this is why it provides pain relief," said Murphy, whose second study explored the mechanism of why oxygen/ozone treatment works. The bones (vertebrae) that form the spine in the back are cushioned by small, spongy disks. When these disks are healthy, they act as shock absorbers for the spine and keep the spine flexible. But when a disk is damaged, it may bulge or break open. "There are millions of people with back pain who suffer and who can't work because of their pain. Undergoing invasive surgical diskectomy puts you on a path where you may be left with too little disk. Taking out a protruding disk may lose the shock absorption that naturally resides between them in the spine," said Murphy, who predicts this procedure will become standard in the United States within the next five years.
Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of various results published for oxygen/ozone treatment in regards to pain relief, reduction of disability and risk of complications. More than 8,000 patients from multiple centers in multiple locations were included in the study. The estimated mean improvement for patients after treatment based on the 10-point visual analog scale (VAS), a standard tool for rating the disabling effects of back pain, was a change of 3.9 (with 0 being no pain and 10 representing worst pain experienced). The estimated mean improvement was 25.7 percent for the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), which measures one's ability to manage everyday life—such as washing, dressing or standing (with 61 percent or higher representing back pain that has an impact on all aspects of daily living. The improvement scores for VAS and ODI outcomes are well above both the minimum clinically important difference and the minimum (statistically significant) detectable change, indicating that the improvement in pain and function is a real change that can be felt by the patient.
Much research in oxygen/ozone treatments has been done by interventional radiologists in Italy, said Murphy, indicating that as many as 14,000 individuals have received this treatment abroad over the past five years. The mechanism of action in relieving low back pain is complex; however, the primary effect is a volume reduction due to ozone oxidation. Researchers discovered that a simple incompressible fluid model predicted that reducing disk volume by 0.6 percent results in an intradiscal pressure reduction of 1 psi (pounds per square inch). Thus a very small change in volume creates a large change in disc pressure, which reduces the applied pressure on the nerve and relieves pain. This model confirmed that a minimalistic alternative to a diskectomy, such as oxygen/ozone treatment, is capable of relieving the pain caused by a herniated disk without causing irreparable damage.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090309092832.htm
New clue on why cancer spread is linked to diet
Agence France-Presse 03-12-09
Investigators on Wednesday said there could be a clue to explain why dietary restriction succeeds or fails in braking the growth of cancer.
Scientists spotted a century ago the link between calorie intake and the progression of certain kinds of tumour.
But how this works at the molecular level has been unclear. In addition, tumours may remain puzzlingly immune to fasting among some individuals but not among others, which is partly why the practice has not been incorporated into cancer treatment.
Nada Kalaany and David Sabatini of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) looked at the impact of food curbs on six types of human cancers that had been grafted onto mice which had been genetically modified to lack immune resistance.
The mice were then split into two groups, with one batch able to tuck into a standard rodent diet for two to three weeks. The others received daily meals that amounted to a 40 percent reduction in calories compared to their counterparts, which led to a fall of between 20 and 30 percent in body weight.
The researchers conclude that tumours' sensitivity to fasting depends on a key pathway -- activation of an enzyme called phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, also called PI3K, which plays an important role in the proliferation of cancer cells.
If the PI3K pathway is closed, tumours respond to dietary restriction, and vice versa.
The study is important because it helps drug designers who are working hard on prototype treatments that mimic the effects of dietary curbs on cancer.
As several cancer types carry mutations that could cause the PI3K mechanism to open up, the paper suggests that the approach will not work in certain cases.
The paper is published by the British-based journal Nature.
Previous research on lab rodents suggests that a calorie decrease of 10 to 50 percent leads to a reduction in the incidence of certain cancers and brakes the speed at which they spread.
One theory is that the change in caloric intake beefs up cell repair mechanisms against destructive agents called free radicals.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=7999&Section=DISEASE |
