HealingPoints HealthBlog

Traditional Chinese Medicinal Herbs May Help Women With Breast Cancer

Dr. Grossman — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:42:18 -0500

Traditional Chinese Medicinal Herbs May Help Women With Breast Cancer: "Using Chinese herbs either alone or in conjunction with chemotherapy may help protect a breast cancer patient's bone marrow and immune system, as well as improving the woman's overall quality of life.

Sixty per cent of women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer experience a range of significant short term side effects. These include nausea, vomiting and fatigue, as well as inflammation of the gut lining, decreased numbers of red and white blood cells and decreased numbers of blood platelets.

Chinese medicinal herbs include mixtures of herbal compounds or extracts from herbs, and they are prescribed to counteract the side effects of chemotherapy. This Cochrane Systematic Review set out to see if there is conventional evidence indicating that these medicines are safe and whether there is evidence that the medicines are effective.

The researchers identified seven randomised studies involving 542 patients with breast cancer. By analysing these data, the researchers concluded that there was no evidence that the Chinese medicinal herbal treatment caused harm, and some evidence that it might reduce side effects."

Omega-3 Fatty Acid May Help Prevent Alzheimer's Brain Lesions

Dr. Grossman — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:39:31 -0500

Omega-3 Fatty Acid May Help Prevent Alzheimer's Brain Lesions: "A type of omega-3 fatty acid may slow the growth of two brain lesions that are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, UC Irvine scientists have discovered. The finding suggests that diets rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can help prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease later in life.

This study with genetically modified mice is the first to show that DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, can slow the accumulation of tau, a protein that leads to the development of neurofibrillary tangles. Such tangles are one of two signature brain lesions of Alzheimer's disease. DHA also was found to reduce levels of the protein beta amyloid, which can clump in the brain and form plaques, the other Alzheimer's lesion.

Previous studies have shown that DHA may have therapeutic value for Alzheimer's patients, but this research is among the first to show that it may delay the onset of the disease. DHA is found in fish, eggs, organ meats, micro-algae, fortified foods and food supplements."

Popular Herbal Supplement Hinders Growth Of Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Dr. Grossman — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:34:55 -0500

Herbal Supplement Hinders Growth Of Pancreatic Cancer Cells: "A new study from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute suggests that a commonly used herbal supplement, triphala, has cancer-fighting properties that prevent or slow the growth of pancreatic cancer tumors implanted in mice. The study found that an extract of triphala, the dried and powdered fruits of three plants, caused pancreatic cancer cells to die through a process called apoptosis -- the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted or unneeded cells. This process often is faulty in cancer cells. Results of the study, are being presented in a late-breaking session at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, April 14-18, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Triphala, one of the most popular herbal preparations in the world, is used for the treatment of intestinal-related disorders. It is typically taken with water and thought to promote appetite and digestion and to increase the number of red blood cells.

'We discovered that triphala fed orally to mice with human pancreatic tumors was an extremely effective inhibitor of the cancer process, inducing apoptosis in cancer cells,' said Sanjay K. Srivastava, Ph.D., lead investigator and assistant professor, department of pharmacology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. 'Triphala triggered the cancerous cells to die off . . . "

Breastfeeding Reduces Risk Of Breast Cancer For Women Who Delay Childbirth

Dr. Grossman — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:30:46 -0500

Breastfeeding Reduces Risk Of Breast Cancer For Women Who Delay Childbirth: "Breastfeeding can offset the increased risk of invasive breast cancer for women who had their first full-term pregnancy after the age of 25, a study led by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) suggests.

'Breastfeeding may have a protective effect that negates the increased risk of breast cancer associated with late pregnancies,' says Giske Ursin, M.D., Ph.D, associate professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. 'As more women may choose to delay pregnancy until after 25, it is important to note that breastfeeding provides protection against both estrogen and progesterone receptor positive and negative tumors.'

Breastfeeding appears to have a protective effect regardless of when women started giving birth, Ursin says. This is important since having many children was only protective among women who gave birth early, she says. Giving birth after age 25--the average age that women in the U.S. first give birth, according to Census data--was associated with increased risk of hormone receptor negative breast cancer."

Red Meat Linked To Breast Cancer

Dr. Grossman — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 18:29:30 -0500

Red Meat Linked To Breast Cancer: "Eating red meat increases a woman’s chance of developing breast cancer, according to new research from the University of Leeds.

The findings are most striking for post-menopausal women – those with the highest intake of red meat, the equivalent to one portion a day (more than 57 grams) - run a 56 per cent greater risk of breast cancer than those who eat none.

Women who eat the most processed meat, such as bacon, sausages, ham or pies, run a 64 per cent greater risk of breast cancer than those who eat none.

Researchers at the University’s Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics have been tracking the eating habits and health of more than 35,000 women for the past seven years, and their latest findings are published in the British Journal of Cancer. Earlier findings, widely reported in January, showed that pre-menopausal women who have the greatest intake of fibre have cut their risk of breast cancer in half.

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by University of Leeds."

Red Meat Linked To Breast Cancer

Dr. Grossman — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 18:28:56 -0500

Treatment may fuel cancer's spread

Dr. Grossman — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 08:47:53 -0500

Treatment may fuel cancer's spread: "Treating cancer with surgery, chemotherapy or radiation may sometimes cause tumors to spread and U.S. researchers said on Thursday they may have nailed down one of the causes -- a compound called TGF-beta.

Tests in mice show that using the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin or radiation both raised levels of TGF-beta, which in turn helped breast cancer tumors spread to the lung.

But using an antibody to block TGF-beta stopped the process, Dr. Carlos Arteaga and colleagues at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee reported."

Violent Video Games And Hostile Personalities Go Together

Dr. Grossman — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 08:36:33 -0500

Violent Video Games And Hostile Personalities Go Together: "New research by Iowa State University psychologists provides more concrete evidence of the adverse effects of violent video game exposure on the behavior of children and adolescents.

ISU Distinguished Professor of Psychology Craig Anderson, Assistant Professor of Psychology Douglas Gentile, and doctoral student Katherine Buckley share the results of three new studies in their book, 'Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents' (Oxford University Press, 2007). It is the first book to unite empirical research and public policy related to violent video games."

Mediterranean Diet Wards Off Childhood Respiratory Allergies

Dr. Grossman — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 08:32:34 -0500

Mediterranean Diet Wards Off Childhood Respiratory Allergies: "A 'Mediterranean' diet rich in fruits, vegetables and nuts protects against allergic rhinitis and asthma symptoms, suggests research published ahead of print in Thorax. The researchers assessed the dietary habits, respiratory symptoms, and allergic reactions of almost 700 children living in four rural areas on the Greek island of Crete.

The children were all aged between 7 and 18 years of age. Skin allergies are relatively common in Crete, but respiratory allergies, such as asthma and allergic rhinitis are relatively rare. Parents completed detailed questionnaires on their children's allergic and respiratory symptoms and dietary habits.

Whether the children ate a 'Mediterranean' diet was measured against a set of 12 foodstuffs, including fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, legumes, nuts, and olive oil. Eight out of 10 children ate fresh fruit, and over two thirds of them ate fresh vegetables, at least twice a day."

New Sustainable Plant Source Of Omega-3

Dr. Grossman — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 01:10:15 -0500

New Sustainable Plant Source Of Omega-3: "A study by scientists from King's College London has found that relatively small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from algae can lower blood pressure and could ultimately reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. This form of omega-3, unlike fish oil, has the advantage of being both sustainable and acceptable to vegetarians.

The research, which is published in the April issue of the Journal of Nutrition, made measurements of cardiovascular function in healthy middle-aged men and women before and after three months supplementation with a placebo or a purified oil rich in the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The DHA was extracted from the marine algae crypthecodinium cohnii. Each subject received both DHA and placebo with a four month break between treatments. The study was conducted ‘double-blind' so that neither the investigators nor the subjects knew which treatment was which.

Results showed that a daily intake of 0.7g DHA lowered diastolic blood pressure by 3mm of Hg. Diastolic blood pressure (resting or background pressure) is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular events. A 3mm reduction in the average population blood pressure could help to prevent thousands of heart attacks and strokes.

Previous studies which have used fish oil have found in excess of 2-3g of omega-3 fatty acids are needed to lower blood pressure; fish"

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Affect Risk Of Depression, Inflammation

Dr. Grossman — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 08:45:52 -0500

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Affect Risk Of Depression, Inflammation: "A new study suggests that people whose diets contain dramatically more of one kind of polyunsaturated fatty acid than another may be at greater risk for both clinical depression and certain inflammatory diseases.

The report, published online in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, suggests that we need to balance out our intake of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. The current typical American diet contains 20 times more omega-6 than omega-3, a ratio that researchers say should be lowered to 4-to-1, or even 2-to-1.

This is the most recent in a long series of experiments Ohio State University researchers have conducted on the links between psychological stress and immunity. The addition of dietary questions to studies that have previously focused solely on emotional and biochemical markers may yield important new clues about the immune system.

'In this study, we're looking at the intersection of behavior, immune function and diet. In past experiments, we concentrated only on the first two,' explained Jan Kiecolt-Glaser, professor of psychiatry and psychology at Ohio State and lead author on the paper.

'It now appears that diet is a very important variable in the equation as to how people respond to depression and stress.'"

Fruit Juice/Drink Link To Children's Weight Gain

Dr. Grossman — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 08:45:01 -0500

Fruit Juice/Drink Link To Children's Weight Gain: "In a study of children aged four to 12 years from the Barwon South Western region researchers Andrea Sanigorski, Colin Bell and Boyd Swinburn from the University's Faculty of Health, Medicine, Nursing and Behavioural Sciences found that children who had drank more than two glasses (500ml) of fruit juice/drink per day were more likely to be overweight or obese.

'These odds increased as the amounts of fruit juice/drink consumed increased,' Dr Sanigorski said.

'Children who drank more than three glasses of soft drink (three quarters of a litre/750ml) or 4 glasses of fruit juice/drinks (1 litre) on the day in question were more than twice as likely to be overweight or obese compared with children who did not drink these drinks.'"

Higher Trans Fat Levels In Blood Associated With Elevated Risk Of Heart Disease

Dr. Grossman — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 11:12:20 -0500

Higher Trans Fat Levels In Blood Associated With Elevated Risk Of Heart Disease: "High consumption of trans fat, found mainly in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and widely used by the food industry, has been linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). New York and Philadelphia have passed measures eliminating its use in restaurants, and other cities are considering similar bans. A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) provides the strongest association to date between trans fat and heart disease. It found that women in the U.S. with the highest levels of trans fat in their blood had three times the risk of CHD as those with the lowest levels. The study will appear in the April 10, 2007 print issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

“The strength of this study is that the amount of trans fatty acid levels was measured in blood samples from the study population. Because humans cannot synthesize trans fatty acids, the amount of trans fat in red blood cells is an excellent biomarker of trans fat intake,” said senior author Frank Hu, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at HSPH."

Owner says dog saved her with 'Heimlich'

Dr. Grossman — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 10:05:36 -0500

Owner says dog saved her with 'Heimlich': "Toby, a 2-year-old golden retriever, saw his owner choking on a piece of fruit and began jumping up and down on the woman's chest. The dog's owner believes the dog was trying to perform the Heimlich maneuver and saved her life.

Debbie Parkhurst, 45, of Calvert told the Cecil Whig she was eating an apple at her home Friday when a piece lodged in her throat. She attempted to perform the Heimlich maneuver on herself but it didn't work. After she began beating on her chest, she said Toby noticed and got involved.

'The next think I know, Toby's up on his hind feet and he's got his front paws on my shoulders,' she recalled. 'He pushed me to the ground, and once I was on my back, he began jumping up and down on my chest.'

That's when the apple dislodged and Toby started licking her face to keep her from passing out, she said.

'I literally have pawprint-shaped bruises on my chest. I'm still a little hoarse, but otherwise, I'm OK,' Parkhurst said.

'The doctor said I probably wouldn't be here without Toby,' said Parkhurst, a jewelry artist. 'I keep looking at him and saying 'You're amazing.''"

Herbal Extract Extends Life For Heart Failure Patients

Dr. Grossman — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:36:20 -0500

Herbal Extract Extends Life For Heart Failure Patients: "An herbal medicinal substance, Crataegus Extract WS?1442, safely extends the lives of congestive heart failure patients already receiving pharmacological treatment for the disease, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 56th Annual Scientific Session. Crataegus Extract WS?1442 is an extract of leaves of the Crataegus tree, and is a natural antioxidant. The herb is currently approved for use in some European countries to treat early congestive heart failure, a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to the body's other organs."

ScienceDaily: Zinc Supplementation Found To Reduce Mortality In Older Children

Dr. Grossman — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 11:18:48 -0500

Note: Far better to give children a multi-vitamin, multi-mineral supplement that contains zinc than to just give zinc.

Zinc Supplementation Found To Reduce Mortality In Older Children: "A clinical trial conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public concluded that daily zinc supplements reduced the risk of death among children aged 12 to 48 months by 18 percent. However, the researchers did not find any significant reduction in mortality among children 1 to 11 months of age. The study is published in the March 17, 2007, edition of The Lancet.

Zinc is one of the most plentiful trace elements in the body, second only to iron. It mediates many physiological functions and is believed to be essential for maintaining a healthy immune system. The trial examined whether zinc supplementation would benefit children living in areas where malaria is prevalent. Pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria account for 45 percent of the 10 million child deaths worldwide each year.

“This large trial demonstrates that the benefits of zinc supplementation include mortality reduction in addition to the reduction in cases of pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria that we found in previous trials,” said Robert Black, MD, the study’s senior author and professor and chair of the Bloomberg School’s Department of International Health."

Increased Breast Cancer Risk Associated With Greater Fat Intake

Dr. Grossman — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 11:14:12 -0500

Increased Breast Cancer Risk Associated With Greater Fat Intake: "Eating a high-fat diet may lead to an increased risk of invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women, according to a study in the March 21 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Although environmental and animal studies have suggested that greater fat consumption may increase the likelihood of developing breast cancer, the results of epidemiologic studies have been inconclusive.

The researchers found that doubling fat intake, from 20 percent to 40 percent, was associated with a 15 percent increase in breast cancer risk. The increase in risk was similar for all types of fat—saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated."

Tea Reduces Bacteria In Meats

Dr. Grossman — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 01:50:56 -0500

Tea Reduces Bacteria In Meats: "Take a serving of extracts from green tea or Jasmine tea, mix in some wildflower dark honey and you have something more useful than a drink. It’s actually a scientific mixture that can be used to reduce pathogenic bacteria in meats.

“Our results indicated that Jasmine tea with honey and green tea with honey had the highest antimicrobial activity,” said Daniel Fung, the Kansas State University food science professor who supervised the research for the Food Safety Consortium.

The tests were first conducted in a liquid medium and found that the tea extract and honey treatments caused significant reductions of Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 bacteria. “That’s not surprising,” Fung said. “In liquid medium, it’s easier for the compounds to interact with the organisms in liquid.”"

Quick walks may help smokers quit

Dr. Grossman — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:36:50 -0500

Quick walks may help smokers quit: "As little as five minutes of exercise could help smokers quit, says a new study. Research published in the international medical journal Addiction showed that moderate exercise, such as walking, significantly reduced the intensity of smokers' nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

'If we found the same effects in a drug, it would immediately be sold as an aid to help people quit smoking,' said Dr. Adrian Taylor, the study's lead author and professor of exercise and health psychology at the University of Exeter.

Taylor and colleagues reviewed 12 papers looking at the connection between exercise and nicotine deprivation. They focused on exercises that could be done outside a gym, such as walking and isometrics, or the flexing and tensing of muscles. According to their research, just five-minutes of exercise was often enough to help smokers overcome their immediate need for a nicotine fix.

After various types of moderate physical exertion, researchers asked people to rate their need for a cigarette. People who had exercised reported reduced a desire.

'What's surprising is the strength of the effect,' said Dr. Robert West, professor of health psychology at University College London. West was not involved in the review. 'They found that the acute effects of exercise were as effective"

Belly Fat May Drive Inflammatory Processes Associated With Disease

Dr. Grossman — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:34:14 -0500

Belly Fat May Drive Inflammatory Processes Associated With Disease: "As scientists learn more about the key role of inflammation in diabetes, heart disease and other disorders, new research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that fat in the belly may be an important promoter of that inflammation.

In this abdominal MRI scan, it is possible to see subcutaneous fat around the abdomen, surrounding abdominal muscles. Visceral fat is deeper inside the abdomen, surrounding internal organs.It is the visceral fat that secretes IL-6, strongly suggesting a mechanistic link to systemic inflammation. (Credit: Image courtesy of Washington University School of Medicine)

Excess fat is known to be associated with disease, but now the researchers have confirmed that fat cells inside the abdomen are secreting molecules that increase inflammation. It's the first evidence of a potential mechanistic link between abdominal fat and systemic inflammation.

For years, scientists have been aware of a relationship between disease risk and excess belly fat. 'Apple-shaped' people, who carry fat in the abdomen, have a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and other problems than 'pear-shaped' people, who tend to store fat in the hips and thighs. Too much abdominal fat is associated with a defect in the body's response to insulin. During medical exams, some physicians measure"

Sleep Disorders Can Impair Children's IQs As Much As Lead Exposure

Dr. Grossman — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:33:21 -0500

Sleep Disorders Can Impair Children's IQs As Much As Lead Exposure: "Three decades ago, medical investigators began sounding the alarm about how lead exposure causes IQ deficits in children. Today, researchers at the University of Virginia Health System say children with sleep disorders can face similar risks of intellectual impairment.

UVa researchers have been studying sleep disturbances in children with enlarged tonsils and adenoids for the past seven years. In a recent study, they discovered that youngsters who snore nightly scored significantly lower on vocabulary tests than those who snore less often.

'Vocabulary scores are known to be the best single predictor of a child's IQ and the strongest predictor of academic success,' explains Dr. Paul M. Suratt, a pulmonologist who directs the UVa Sleep Laboratory.

According to Dr. Suratt, the vocabulary differences associated with nightly snoring are equivalent to the IQ dissimilarities attributed to lead exposure. 'Studies show that, even at nontoxic levels, lead exposure can reduce a child's IQ by more than seven points,' he notes."

Obesity Surgery Can Lead To Memory Loss, Other Problems

Dr. Grossman — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:29:46 -0500

Obesity Surgery Can Lead To Memory Loss, Other Problems: "Weight loss surgery, such as gastric bypass surgery, can lead to a vitamin deficiency that can cause memory loss and confusion, inability to coordinate movement, and other problems, according to a study published in the March 13, 2007, issue of Neurology®, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The syndrome, called Wernicke encephalopathy, affects the brain and nervous system when the body doesn't get enough vitamin B1, or thiamine. It can also cause vision problems, such as rapid eye movements.

The study found that the syndrome occurs most often in people who have frequent vomiting after the surgery. It usually occurs within one to three months after the surgery, although one case occurred 18 months after surgery.

The study reviewed the scientific literature for all reported cases of the syndrome occurring after obesity surgery. A total of 32 cases had been reported. Many of the people also had neurological symptoms that are not typical of Wernicke encephalopathy, such as seizures, deafness, psychosis, muscle weakness, and pain or numbness in the feet or hands."

Cocoa 'Vitamin' Health Benefits Could Outshine Penicillin

Dr. Grossman — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 21:29:39 -0500

Cocoa 'Vitamin' Health Benefits Could Outshine Penicillin: "The health benefits of epicatechin, a compound found in cocoa, are so striking that it may rival penicillin and anaesthesia in terms of importance to public health, reports Marina Murphy in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI. Norman Hollenberg, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, told C&I that epicatechin is so important that it should be considered a vitamin.

Hollenberg has spent years studying the benefits of cocoa drinking on the Kuna people in Panama. He found that the risk of 4 of the 5 most common killer diseases: stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes, is reduced to less then 10% in the Kuna. They can drink up to 40 cups of cocoa a week. Natural cocoa has high levels of epicatechin.

'If these observations predict the future, then we can say without blushing that they are among the most important observations in the history of medicine,' Hollenberg says. 'We all agree that penicillin and anaesthesia are enormously important. But epicatechin could potentially get rid of 4 of the 5 most common diseases in the western world, how important does that make epicatechin?... I would say very important'"

Research Strengthens Link Between Smoking, Pancreatic Cancer

Dr. Grossman — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 23:39:03 -0600

Research Strengthens Link Between Smoking, Pancreatic Cancer: "Researchers at Michigan State University have added yet another piece to the puzzle that links cigarette smoking with cancer of the pancreas, one of the deadliest forms of cancer.

In research published in the recent issue of the International Journal of Cancer, MSU’s James Trosko and colleagues zeroed in on the mechanism by which a healthy cell turns cancerous.

Specifically, they found that the chemicals produced by the burning of tobacco products – polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs – interfere with communication between the body’s cells. More importantly, the work showed that some of these chemicals don’t necessarily initiate the cancer, but rather contribute to the promotion of it."

Vitamin D Deficiency Widespread During Pregnancy

Dr. Grossman — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 13:57:45 -0600

Vitamin D Deficiency Widespread During Pregnancy: "Even regular use of prenatal multivitamin supplements is not adequate to prevent vitamin D insufficiency, University of Pittsburgh researchers report in the current issue of the Journal of Nutrition, the publication of the American Society for Nutrition. A condition linked to rickets and other musculoskeletal and health complications, vitamin D insufficiency was found to be widespread among women during pregnancy, particularly in the northern latitudes.

'In our study, more than 80 percent of African-American women and nearly half of white women tested at delivery had levels of vitamin D that were too low, even though more than 90 percent of them used prenatal vitamins during pregnancy,' said Lisa Bodnar, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH) and lead author of the study. 'The numbers also were striking for their newborns -- 92.4 percent of African-American babies and 66.1 percent of white infants were found to have insufficient vitamin D at birth.'

A vitamin closely associated with bone health, vitamin D deficiency early in life is associated with rickets -- a disorder characterized by soft bones and thought to have been eradicated in the United States more than 50 years ago -- as well as increased risk for type 1 diabetes, asthma and s"