Lifestyle & Well-being

Cancer, Heart Disease & Tea?

2011-01-23T01:16:00.000-08:00

Just reading an interesting book "User's guide to antioxidant supplements" and find the following information about tea interesting, so I share it here with friends:

Common balck & green tea varieties are 25%~30% flavonoids, and these flavonoids have demontrated heart protective effects. A forty year study of Japanese men found that those who drank more green tea had significantly lower cholosterol and triglycerides compared with men who drank less green tea. Tea flavonoids also show huge promise as cancer preventives.

In a study from Rutger university, researchers found that drinking black or green tea protects against skin cancer caused by ultraliolet (UV) light and hazardous chemicals. In mice that were given skin cancers through UV or chemical exposure, those that drank black tea had 93% less tumors than those taht drank water. Those that drank green tea had 88% fewer tumors than the water drinkers. Decaffeinated tea had slightly less antitumor power.

Here are some of the ways in which tea flavonoids support better health:

Green tea flavonoids inhibit cancinogen activation--the transformation of relatively harmless substances into carcinogens once they are in the body.

Tea flavonoids stimulate the action of detoxifying enzymes in the livern including the p450 detoxification system--an action that helps move carcinogens out of the body becore they have a chance to alter DNA activity.

In cancerous cells, the tumor suppressor gene is generally shut off. Green and black tea supplements have been found to turn this gene back on.

Tea polyphenols are natural inhibitors of angiogenesis, the process whereby tumors establish their own circulatory systems.

Tea also helps to flush excess heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and iron out of body, which in turn reduces free-radical stress.

Good news for beer drinkers by Dr. Erik Skovenborg (4)

2010-09-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

The health benefits of moderate beer consumption

In his capacity as a General Practitioner it was the task of the author of this paper to pass on the lectures of the symposium to the delegates in an understandable form. The key word for a physician outlining the health benefits of moderate beer consumption is moderation:

To drink moderately is to drink within the limits set by your health, your economy and your obligations towards your family and friends: 1-2 drinks (1 drink = 12 gms of alcohol) a day for most women and 1-3 drinks a day for most men. Bar-drinking may end up as binge-drinking - food in the stomach will help to protect you from alcohol intoxication.

One drink for a women is almost the equivalent of two drinks for a man as women have more fatty tissue per kg body weight than men; that leaves men with more body water (ca. 10 liters) to dilute their drinks than women. Males also have a more efficient "First-Pass Metabolism" of alcohol than females due to a larger concentration of alcohol dehydrogenase in the stomach.

Is beer a boon to old people? Beer improves appetite, promotes secretion of gastric juice, aids digestion and may reduce the risk of stomach ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori infection. Regular drinkers of beer (and wine) seem to be less prone to developing dementia. At bedtime beer is cherished as a mild sedative. Moderate beer consumption is likely to reduce the risk of maturity-onset diabetes and a recent investigation has shown a reduced risk of heart failure in light drinkers. The result of a moderate intake of beer for a group of elderly Australian beer drinkers was a 7.6 months increase in survival.

Is red wine better than beer? The results from recent research has directed attention to a link between beverage choice and lifestyle showing that beer drinkers in some countries tend to make unhealthier lifestyle choices than wine drinkers. Therefore the apparent good health of wine drinkers compared to beer drinkers in some studies seem to be a lifestyle effect and not a beverage effect. In Germany, where beer is the common alcoholic beverage, all research show that moderate consumption of beer protects against CHD.

In conclusion Beer is a well-balanced, low-alcohol beverage with significant levels of vitamins (in particular folates), minerals and silicon. Regular, moderate beer drinking may be a part of a healthy lifestyle together with wholesome food, exercise, keeping your weight down and not smoking.

Source

Good news for beer drinkers by Dr. Erik Skovenborg (3)

2010-09-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

Vitamins in beer

Beer, primarily an enjoyable drink, also contains important vitamins. The main ingredient of beer is malt - sprouting barley and during malting the vitamin content increases. One litre of beer supplies the body with the following percentage of its daily requirement:

B6 17% Niacin 13%
B2 (riboflavin) 17% Biotin 17%
Panthothenic acid 8% Folate 10-45%

Dr. Caroline Walker, a biochemist for Brewing Research International is investigating the healthful aspects and nutritional value of beer. In the last decade it has become clear that increasing folate intake may provide protection against cardiovascular disease and cancer:

High levels of homocysteine in the blood are linked with an increased risk of cardio-vascular disease. If folate supplies are adequate, homocysteine is converted to harmless methionine. Adequate folate intake could prevent 2-4% of cardiovascular deaths.
An adequate level of folate in the blood is essential to the normal function of the enzymes maintaining healthy DNA. Lack of folates due to an inadequate folate intake may lead to DNA damage and cancer.

Unfortunately folate is one of the vitamins most likely to be lacking in Western type diets typically low in fruit and vegetables. Caroline Walker pointed out that beer accounts for 10% of the total folate intake by adults in the UK. The folate content of 1l beer corresponds to the folate content of 300g tomatoes. A study of 2290 men from Wales found that alcohol consumption was linked to lower homocysteine levels. A similar population study from the Czech Republic found beer consumption linked to lower homocysteine levels and higher folate levels (European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2001;55:605-9).

Beer, bones and silicon

When the question is what beverage to drink in order to get strong bones, milk, as an important source of calcium, clearly has the upper hand. In his lecture Dr. Jonathan Powell, Senior Lecturer and head of a research group on mineral metabolism at the Dept. of Gastro-intestinal Research, St Thomas Hospital, London, drew attention to silicon - an essential element for growth and development, especially of bone and connective tissue.

Recent work has shown that a supply of low levels of soluble silicon promote bone fracture healing. Normal dietary silicon intake in adults is 20-50mgs/day. The content of 10-40 mgs silicon in a bioavailable form (orthosilicic acid) makes beer a major dietary source of silicon. In several population studies a moderate intake of alcohol was associated with a higher BMD (bone mineral density) = stronger bones. Whether dietary silicon and moderate beer drinking protects against reduced BMD in humans and therefore, protects against osteoporosis is presently under investigation.

In a paper published in the Lancet 1977, Klaus Schwarz presents a logical argument for the hypothesis that lack of silicon may be an important aetiological factor in atherosclerosis. Silicon is essential for growth of connective tissue and unusually high amounts of bound silicon are present in the arterial wall, especially the intima. In atherosclerotic arteries silicon levels are greatly reduced. Industrial refinement can greatly reduce the amount of silicon in foods. Hence the hypothesis that lack of bioavailable silicon in modern diets may play a part in the promotion of atherosclerosis, and silicon may exert a protective effect against CVD. Klaus Schwarz found an inverse relation between silisic acid in drinking-water and the prevalence of CHD in Finland. They never investigated the silicon content of beer and, therefore, they missed the opportunity to look for an inverse relation between the silicon intake of beer drinkers and CHD in beer drinking countries like Germany and the Czech Republic.

Good news for beer drinkers by Dr. Erik Skovenborg (2)

2010-09-30T08:09:00.000-07:00

The antioxidant activity of beer

Whether you would order a pint of lager or a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale in the pub used to be a matter of taste. These days you might also choose to consider the antioxidant activity of your favourite beer. Cereal grains are a good source of antioxidants and not surprisingly beer, which is made from malted barley, also contains antioxidants. Beers with a high antioxidant score generally have a high content of polyphenols which have been shown to have useful antioxidant properties. A research group from UMDS, Guys Hospital, London, has measured the total antioxidant activity (TAA) of 21 beer samples (Walters M et al. BRFI Quarterly, April 1997:18-20). The lagers had a TAA in the range of 1.00-1.50 mM while the stouts and dark ales - due to a higher content of polyphenols - led the antioxidant contest with TAAs in the range of 1.50-2.00 mM.

Dr. Pilar Codoñer Frach, University of Valencia, has studied the polyphenol content of 80 different beers. Basically, the final content of phenolic components of a beer depends on both the raw materials (malted barley and hops) and the brewing process. Dr. Frachs results confirmed previous reports of a higher polyphenol content of dark beers. "Bitter" style beers showed the highest levels of phenolic components. However, when moving from in vitro (test tubes) to in vivo (liver cell cultures) investigations Pilar Frach found no difference in antioxidant activity between light beer and dark beer samples. In conclusion her results show that beer is a product with an important antioxidant capacity - and you may feel free to choose between lager, ale and stout entirely according to your own taste.

Hop constituents - the spice in beer

Hops - an essential and unique ingredient of beer - contribute to the characteristic aroma and bitterness that makes beer the thirst quenching drink enjoyed by the consumer. Hops also act as a natural antibiotic, ensuring that the beer remains fresh to drink. Many hop constituents, however, also add health properties to beer, according to the research of Prof. Denis de Keukeleire, director of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry at Ghent University, Belgium. He has carried out research on hops and beer for 35 years.

2-4 grams of hops are needed for every litre of beer leading to ca. 100 mgs per litre hop-derived constituents which account for various medicinal properties:

Sedative compounds with stress combating and sleep inducing properties.
Flavonoids with potent antioxidant activity protecting against reactive oxygen species.
Compounds with bacteriostatic, fungistatic and antiinflammatory action.
Estrogenic compounds counteracting complaints related to the menopause.
Bitter compunds which stimulates the digestive tract.
Compounds with diuretic activity and beneficial effect against bladder complaints.

Most prominent among the bioactive hop constituents are the prenylated flavonoids that are transferred to a significant extent (up to 4 milligrams per litre) from hops to beer. According to research in progress at Ghent University prenylated hop flavonoids have an effect on enzymes that affect the ratio of androgenic and estrogenic hormones in prostate cells with an inhibition of BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) as a possible result. The interesting finding from the test tubes of Ghent University is in accordance with recent results from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study: moderate alcohol consumption almost halved the American Health Professionals risk of BPH (Am J Epidemiol 1999;149:106-15).

Among the 20 compounds, which have been identified to date, 8-prenylnaringenin (hopein) appears to be the most intriguing compound with possible chemopreventive power:

Inhibition of cytochrome P450 enzymes which mediate metabolic conversion of procarcinogens to carcinogens.
Inhibition of human aromatase and 5a -reductase = a possible inhibition of prostate cancer.
Inhibition of angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels) = a possible inhibition of metastasis (spread of cancer from one organ to another part of the body).

Working with a screening program for chemo-preventive action of natural compounds Dr. Norbert Frank, senior scientist in the division of Toxicology and Cancer Risk Factors at Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum in Heidelberg, found xanthohumol (XN) from hops to be a very promising agent. Laboratory experiments have shown that XN is protective at all levels of the carcinogenic process. Going from laboratory to animal experiments Dr. Frank could demonstrate that XN at very low concentrations prevented the early stages of carcinogenesis in cultured mouse mammary glands providing a first direct proof for its chemopreventive potential.

Source

Good news for beer drinkers by Dr. Erik Skovenborg (1)

2010-09-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

I came across this interesting article in researching about the medicinal benefits of Hops and I thinking it is worth sharing with our friends. Here it is:

The latest scientific evidence on the benefits of moderate beer consumption was presented to members of the European Parliament, the press and the public at the 2nd Beer & Health Symposium in Brussels 18 October 2001. In her opening speech Mrs Marianne Thyssen, Member of the European Parliament, stressed the importance of moderation as the condition of the positive contribution of beer to a healthy lifestyle.

Some old news

The first record of brewing is to be found in the Sumerian civilisation in Mesopotamia about 6,000 years ago. In his review of the history of beer and its medicinal properties Antonio Gasbarrini, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Rome, outlined how the consumption of beer had increased health and longevity in ancient civilisations because of the vitamins and calories it contained. Many medical books contain references to beers properties as a diuretic, laxative and sedative drink. In agreement with Dr. Mack Mitchell, President of the Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, professor Gasbarrini found strong evidence from observational studies that all alcoholic drinks are linked with lower risk of CHD (coronary heart disease). Thus a substantial portion of the benefit is due to the alcohol content of the drink. Here are some of the known mechanisms of effects of alcohol on risk of CHD:

Alcohol increases serum level of HDL - the beneficial cholesterol.
Alcohol decreases serum fibrinogen and increases serum TPA, thus thinning the blood.
Alcohol decreases platelet adhesion making the blood less sticky.
Low dose alcohol consumption protects the heart from future ischemia/reperfusion injury.

The same protective effects of alcohol are supposed to bring about the decrease in risk of ischemic stroke in moderate drinkers. The mechanisms, however, of the finding of a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes in moderate drinkers in several large population studies remain uncertain. An improvement of the moderate drinkers sensitivity to insulin seems to be the most likely explanation.

Therapeutic Uses, Benefits and Claims of the Tea Plant

2010-09-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

It is rich in catechins polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a powerful antioxidant, reduces the risk of all cancers and inhibits the growth of cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.
The use of tea can naturally lower total cholesterol levels, improves the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.
Green tea is used for weight loss because of its thermogenic properties that promote fat oxidation.
The tea plant can be effective as a herbal treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, infection and impaired immune function associated with HIV.
It effectively inhibits the abnormal formation of blood clots (thrombosis), the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke. EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, the polyphenol found in red wine.
It prevents strep throat and influenza when used as a mouthwash.
The tea plant contains natural fluorine and the catechin glucosyl transferase which stops cavities, destroying the cariogenic bacteria that cause plaque and oral bacteria which produce bad breath.
It acts as a sterilizing agent for many types of bacteria that cause food poisoning without harm to the helpful bacteria necessary for proper functioning of the intestinal tract including: Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus
It has less caffeine than coffee; it refreshes the body particularly the central nervous system, skeletal muscles, heart and liver.
It restrict the increase of harmful forms of blood cholesterol; LDL and VLDL deposits on blood vessels walls lead to atherosclerosis, which in conjunction with high blood pressure can cause myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction. Green tea helps maintain the necessary balance between HDL healthy cholesterol and LDL.
Tea impedes the activity of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) which converts the chemical angiotensin I to angiotensin II, an extremely strong vascular constrictor, leading to high blood pressure overloading the vascular system and contributing to atherosclerosis, which precipitates heart disease and stroke.
The tea plant is effective in lowering the blood sugar levels. High concentrations of blood sugar affect the vascular system and can lead to atherosclerosis and retinal hemorrhages.
It reduces inflammation associated with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the two types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
Tea protects the liver from the damaging effects of toxic substances such as alcohol, including viral inflammation of the liver (hepatitis).

Sleep & health

2009-05-11T14:24:00.000-07:00

I found this article (newsletter) from Bastyr Magazine ( Fall 2004 Vol 2, Number 1) about sleep and health very interesting, it truly reflects the wisdom in the ancient Chinese proverb "Work after sunrise and rest after sunset (日出而作, 日落而息)". Another interesting example about how our lifestyle influences our health.

Can’t Sleep? Blame Thomas Edison

Humans and a good night’s rest parted ways when light bulbs replaced the sun.

According to Bastyr University professor John Hibbs, ND, the human body was designed to awaken near dawn and go to sleep soon after dark. “The introduction of artificial light took us away from the natural cycle,” he says, “and our bodies have been trying to cope with it ever since.”

While Dr. Hibbs isn’t suggesting we hit the sack right after the six o’clock news, he does recommend going to bed at 9:30 or 10:00. Since studies have shown that the body’s sleep (diurnal) cycle is biochemically programmed to kick in at this time, forcing the body to remain awake beyond this point puts stress on the whole system. And don’t think you can make up for it by sleeping in late the next morning. Hibbs warns that, while you may ultimately end up with your six to eight hours of sleep, your body’s internal clock can still end up out of whack.

“When you ignore the natural sleep cycle, the body goes into stress compensation mode,” says Hibbs. “The stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline are produced in an effort to keep the body awake. You know the expression ‘getting a second wind’? That’s actually stress adaptation.”

Hibbs explains that these stress hormones not only stick around for a few hours interfering with your ability to sleep, but once you finally do nod off, they won’t allow you to go into the deeper states of sleep, which are necessary for bodily repair and rejuvenation. “This literally shortens the life of tissues and organs,” he says.

The real challenge lies in the body becoming habituated to abnormal sleep cycles. It begins maladapting to the anticipated stress by automatically secreting stress-coping hormones every night, no matter what time you go to bed. Not only does this lead to insomnia, but ultimately the excess cortisol secreted during these hours can shorten the lifespan of brain cells, pull protein out of muscle and bone tissues and increase the probability of developing type 2 diabetes.

Regular sleep loss leads to sleep deprivation, the signs of which go beyond heavy eyelids and yawning. They may include depression, memory problems, headaches, poor hand-to-eye coordination, heart palpitations, vision problems, infections, blood-pressure and blood-sugar irregularities, low resistance to flu and colds, eczema and any number of allergies. Says Hibbs, “When the body’s energy is low, it gets conservative. It may decrease the energy allowance for some physiological processes.”

Insomnia may be a symptom itself of other ills, including low iron stores, food allergy or sensitivity, liver disease or blood-sugar problems. “One of the common triggers for waking up in the middle of the night and not getting back to sleep is a hypoglycemic reaction,” says Hibbs. “Food reactions can stimulate elevations of the stress hormone cortisol, having the same effect on sleep that any chronic emotional stress does.”

A sedentary lifestyle may also contribute to insomnia. “Exercise is not just beneficial to good health,” says Hibbs, “it’s absolutely essential. It’s one of the primary regulators of the body’s ‘endocrine clock.’” He points out that, as men and women age, their testosterone and estrogen levels drop along with other hormones, which are integral regulators of the sleep cycle. Resistance exercise, like working out with weights, actually increases testosterone and growth hormones in men and women.

In addition to good exercise, a natural approach to addressing insomnia includes a healthy diet filled with vegetables, fruits and fiber. Hibbs, however, warns poor sleepers away from ingesting stimulating herbs and spices and especially caffeine in all its forms—that nighttime cup of hot chocolate or green tea could be filled with it. And be careful about a “night cap.” According to Hibbs, alcohol decreases the quality of sleep.

While Hibbs feels that no one dietary supplement is ideal for correcting a lifetime of sleep abuse, a few have been shown to be helpful. Valerian, passion flower, lemon balm, poppy and chamomile are relaxing, sleep-inducing herbs. Melatonin often works for people deficient in this hormone, and a drop of lavender essential oil on wrists and temples before bed can be calming. Hibbs also recommends that insomniacs check out acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, a combination that has brought relief to many of his patients.

Source: Bastyr Magazine ( Fall 2004 Vol 2, Number 1)

A Nice book: "Vital Energy : The 7 Keys to Invigorate Body, Mind, and Soul"

2009-05-08T00:51:00.000-07:00

I am reading the wonderful book of Simon David "Vital Energy : The 7 Keys to Invigorate Body, Mind, and Soul" (John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 9780471398592, 2000), the following words touched me very deeply:

Concepts of health and disease are intimately interwoven into the myths and beliefs a society holds about the natural and supernatural worlds. In most cultures, individuals were viewed as part of a cosmic web with illness representing a misalignment between personal and universal intent. The doctor's role was to identify the point of departure from balance and guide the patient back into the healthy stream of life. With an unshakable trust in the recuperative power of nature, the shaman's role was to teachthrough ritual, word, and deedthe process of harmonizing the individual's body with the body of nature, the individual's mind with the mind of nature, the individual's spirit with the spirit of nature.

I learned that health and illness were the consequence of the thoughts and choices people made.

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Western medicine, which views human beings as physical entities, knowable through an understanding of biochemistry and physiology. Awareness, thoughts, memories, desires, emotions, passion, creativity, ecstasy, and vitality are explained as byproducts of molecular and electrical interactions. In short, I learned that people are essentially physical machines that think. Peace, harmony, happiness, and love . . . grief, loneliness, alienation, and despair . . . these human experiences did not play a role in medicine, because they were not reducible to measurable elements.

This physical model of contemporary medicine is not wrong; it is merely incomplete. It has led to the phenomenal medical advances that we take for grantedcoronary artery bypass surgery, cancer chemotherapy, H-2 gastric acid blockers, fourth generation antibiotics, and psychoactive medications. And yet, despite these remarkable breakthroughs in the understanding of the mechanisms of illness, modern medicine has had little impact on the expansion of well being, happiness, or vitality. We have replaced epidemics of smallpox, polio, tuberculosis, and the plague with epidemics of AIDS, heart disease, drug addiction, and cancer. We have learned a lot about how to treat illness but not much about how to create health.

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The first evidence of a decline in health is often a diminishing sense of vitality. Lack of energy, reduced enthusiasm for life, and nagging fatigue are signs that the integration between body, mind, and spirit is precarious. These days, if you go to your doctor with these complaints, you may have a series of blood tests to rule out the diseases that can sometimes cause them. Chances are very high that the tests will return normal and your physician will not be able to diagnose your problem......

It was not until I began fully exploring the role of body, mind, and spirit in the pursuit of optimal health that I realized the most powerful healing pharmacy on earth is the human body, and there are many subtle and profound ways to enliven this inner healing system. A core message of this book is that every degradation in well being is an opportunity to identify what is missing from life so we can begin making the choices to recover the health and vitality we all deserve.

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I cannot agree more with what he said: "health and illness were the consequence of the thoughts and choices people made. " Our health and well-being are in our own hands, we need only to change our view on health and well-being and take responsibility for our own wellness, i.e. to choose a healthy and wise lifestyle, to view our body, mind and spirit as an unity and take care of all the three aspects at the same time.

Lose weight with green tea

2009-05-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

Studies show that intake of green tea, or green tea extracts burns extra calories. Also, green tea with caffeine can increase fat burning by up to 40% thereby reducing fat.

This is one good option for those who want to lose weight. In a study done, people who took green tea were found to lose 2 to 3 times more weight than those who did not drink green tea.

These results show that green tea is a natural product for the treatment of obesity. Thus, it also makes for a healthier dietary option, not to mention the good effects that it has on the body as compared to caffeine. A cup of tea gives an immediate energy lift without the side effects of caffeine.

Tea Impacts Bcl-2 gene

2009-01-13T01:42:00.000-08:00

I came accross this article from the web. Although there are a lot of controversy about the benefitting effects of tea on cancer, it's generally accepted that the tea has many preventive effects for healthy people from cancer and many other diseases. So why not integrating a tea-drinking habit into our lifestyle?

Fresh evidence claimed for how tea protects against cancer Dec 2003. LA JOLLA, CA. Researchers at The Burnham Institute have identified ingredients in green and black teas that are potent inhibitors of a family of proteins implicated in many types of cancer, and discovered how these ingredients, called polyphenols, work to prevent the growth of cancer cells.

Cancer occurs less often among populations that drink tea, the world's second most commonly consumed liquid. This "population based" (epidemiological) evidence has been supported by "in vitro" laboratory studies, which indicate that green tea and certain black teas prevent cancer when applied to cells in a dish.

The critical question of "how" consumption of green or black tea might prevent cancer has eluded researchers until now.

A team led by Drs. Maurizio Pellecchia and distinguished cancer researcher John Reed has discovered that polyphenols act upon certain so-called "anti-death" proteins known as Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, which are overproduced in most human cancers. These are dubbed anti-death proteins because they disrupt a critical pathway programmed into cells that acts as a culling mechanism to eradicate defective cells and to maintain a balance in cell numbers in the body.

Defective cells are supposed to do "apoptosis," i.e. commit cell suicide. Cancer starts to become a threat to the body when defective cells keep right on growing and dividing. So, failure of the cell death program is one of the hallmarks of cancer, and according to Reed explains much of the current difficulty in effectively eliminating cancer cells using available anti-cancer drugs or radiation therapy.

Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, the subject of intensive investigation in Reed’s laboratory, make desirable targets for drugs and other therapie: they interfere with tumor cell death induced by chemotherapy and radiation and are highly correlated with tumor resistance to chemotherapy.

Dr. Pellecchia, a medicinal chemist, uses sophisticated instrumentation called nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in combination with in silico molecular modeling as drug discovery tools. Looking for chemicals in a collection of molecules derived from Chinese herbal medicine, Dr. Pellecchia used NMR and computer animation to determine the 3-dimensional structure of certain tea polyphenols docked into the binding pocket of Bcl-xL.

Drs. Pellecchia and Reed are using the information made available through these studies to design semi-synthetic versions of chemical compounds found in green tea extracts to provide more potent inhibitors of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL than the naturally occurring chemicals found in tea.

Dr. Reed, inventor of a DNA-based therapy for suppressing Bcl-2 in cancer stated, "this discovery is very exciting because the natural products found in tea are already more potent than other existing anti-Bcl-2 therapies in clinical trials. By using structure-based drug optimization technologies, we can take what Mother Nature has provided and make it better and safer."

How much green tea is required to suppress Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL activity in cells in a dish (in vitro)? "Surprisingly, very low amounts", according to Dr. Pellecchia. "The level required for inhibition of these proteins was very small--in the nanomolar range. Unlike previously proposed mechanisms for similar tea extracts against other protein targets, this tight inhibition correlates with the low concentrations of tea polyphenols present in the bloodstream after tea consumption. We expect that the anti-Bcl-2/xL activity of certain green and black tea extracts could be effective in vivo also after consumption of moderate amounts of tea. We believe this inhibition could play a major role in the cancer prevention properties of tea."

These results, published in the December issue of Cancer Research, the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, also point to novel clinical uses of tea extracts as chemo-sensitizers, which could overcome chemoresistance to conventional chemotherapy.

What's next? Dr. Pellecchia points out that "much work needs to be done experimentally in vitro, then in vivo starting with rodents before we move to human clinical trials, but we are very encouraged by these findings."

From PSA Rising: Prostate Cancer Survivor Support & News

Green tea 'can block cancer'

2009-01-11T23:12:00.000-08:00

Green tea's ability to fight cancer is even more potent and varied than scientists suspected, research suggests.

Scientists already know that green tea contains anti-oxidants which may have a protective effect against cancer.

But now they have discovered that chemicals in the tea also shut down a key molecule which can play a significant role in the development of cancer.

The molecule, known as the aryl hydrocarbon (AH) receptor, has the ability to activate genes - but not always in a positive way.

Tobacco smoke and dioxins, in particular, disrupt the functioning of the molecule and cause it to trigger potentially harmful gene activity.

The researchers, from Rochester University, found that two chemicals in green tea inhibit AH activity.

Source: BBC News

Tea & health

2008-11-08T13:02:00.000-08:00

Connoisseurs of tea proclaim its health benefits to be many. Tea stimulates the brain and the nervous system. The drinker feels wakeful and mentally alert. Most people start their day with a cup of tea because of this temporary 'kick' that it delivers. A cup of tea is often referred to as the cup that cheers. Tea is often resorted to by people when they have to stay awake or do mentally demanding work like study. Hot tea has the effect of loosening the bowels.

The Chinese have used tea to treat conditions like tumors, abscesses, bladder ailments, lethargy among others for centuries. Some kinds of teas have been claimed to be helpful for atherosclerosis, LDL cholesterol, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, liver disease, weight loss, neurodegenerative diseases, and even halitosis.

The health benefits of tea are often associated to the tannins it contains. Tannins also act as antioxidants thus slowing down ageing.

Lifestyle according to Huang Di Nei Jing

2008-10-15T13:59:00.000-07:00

Dao is untranslatable but it is best rendered as the ‘way’ or ‘way of life’. To live in harmony with the Dao was regarded as essential if the human being was to realise her full potential during her time on Earth.

Qi Bo continued:

“There was temperance in eating and drinking. Their hours of rising and retiring were regular and not disorderly and wild. By these means the ancients kept their bodies united with their souls, so as to fulfil their allotted span completely, measuring unto a hundred years before they passed away. Nowadays people are not like this; they use wine as beverage and they adopt recklessness as usual behaviour. They enter the chamber of love in an intoxicated condition; their passions exhaust their vital forces … they do not know how to find contentment within themselves; they are not skilled in the control of their spirits … For these reasons they reach only one half of the hundred years and then they degenerate.”

What is lifestyle?

2008-10-15T13:53:00.000-07:00

There are many talks about lifestyle today, it is becoming a fashion word. It may have different meanings for different people. But what is lifestyle anyway?

A definition from Wikipedia states that:

“The term lifestyle was originally coined by Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler in 1929. The current broader sense of the word dates from 1961.

In sociology, a lifestyle is the way a person lives. A lifestyle is a characteristic bundle of behaviors that makes sense to both others and oneself in a given time and place, including social relations, consumption, entertainment, and dress. The behaviors and practices within lifestyles are a mixture of habits, conventional ways of doing things, and reasoned actions. A lifestyle typically also reflects an individual’s attitudes, values or worldview. Therefore, a lifestyle is a means of forging a sense of self and to create cultural symbols that resonate with personal identity. Not all aspects of a lifestyle are entirely voluntaristic. Surrounding social and technical systems can constrain the lifestyle choices available to the individual and the symbols she/he is able to project to others and the self.

The lines between personal identity and the everyday doings that signal a particular lifestyle become blurred in modern society. For example, “green lifestyle” means holding beliefs and engaging in activities that consume fewer resources and produce less harmful waste (i.e. a smaller carbon footprint), and deriving a sense of self from holding these beliefs and engaging in these activities. Some commentators argue that, in Modernity, the cornerstone of lifestyle construction is consumption behavior, which offers the possibility to create and further individualize the self with different products or services that signal different ways of life.”

So lifestyle is not only a bundle of behaviours, but also a reflection of our belief systems, i.e., our concept about who we are, what is our relationship with our society and with our environment (nature), etc. It’s our belief systems which shape our behaviour. Lifestyle influences every aspect of our life, includeing our health, our well-being, our social relationship etc.

About this blog

2008-10-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

This blog is about lifestyle and well-being. It’s about how lifestyle influences our well-being and how we can achive physical, emotional and spiritual well-being by keeping an eye on our lifestyle. In short, it’s about the art of living and living as an art.