Monday April 20, 2009

Top 10 Ways to Manage Stress Naturally Through Diet and Hormones for Earth Day-BodyLogicMD blends Natural Bioidentical Hormone Therapy with a "Green" Approach
Business Wire 04-17-09
BOCA RATON, Fla., Apr 17, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Earth Day is April 22 and it's a great time to make the commitment to "go green" with a natural approach to bioidentical hormone therapy and diet. With its inception linked to a "rising concern about the environmental crisis ... sweeping the nation," Earth Day acts as a reflection of today's focus on our current economic crisis and how the stress of it all is hazardous to our health. BodyLogicMD bioidentical hormone therapy physicians, a national network of highly trained, anti-aging physicians, recommend one of the simplest ways to make a difference: Heed the call to return to natural solutions for the improvement of our health, including establishing a "green" diet.
"Faced with the news of stock decreases, climbing jobless rates and a non-stop online and offline barrage of the fallout, men and women experiencing the symptoms of perimenopause, menopause or andropause (the male menopause) are faced with a level of stress they certainly aren't prepared to handle all at one time," says Alicia Stanton, M.D., bioidentical hormone therapy expert and Chief Medical Officer with BodyLogicMD. "Although there is not much a single person can do to change the economy, setting the stage for a more positive response can make all the difference, especially if that means getting to the root of reduced energy, increased body fat, lower sex drive, irritability, mood swings and depression. My patients, men and women 35 and older, find relief through a customized program blending bioidentical hormone therapy with fitness and organic nutrition plans."
With such excessive and constant stress, not only do the symptoms of aging magnify, but also the adrenal glands lose their ability to function properly and adrenal fatigue can set in. BodyLogicMD recommends a custom prescription that includes the following:
1. Increasing nutrient intake by eating a diet that includes plenty of quality protein with regular meals of high nutritional value
2. Limiting or avoiding the intake of hydrogenated fats, excess caffeine, refined carbohydrates, alcohol and sugar
3. Supplementing with a good multi-vitamin, B-complex vitamin, vitamin C, magnesium, adaptogenic herbs, and DHEA supplements
4. Supporting local organic farmers and sustainable farming by purchasing pesticide-free produce
5. Avoiding genetically engineered foods, preservatives, dyes, as well as synthetic hormones, antibiotics, and drugs in animal products
6. Taking time to evaluate daily and situational stressors and practice stress management
7. Getting plenty of sleep so the adrenals can repair overnight
8. Adding the practice of gentle exercise, meditation or yoga
9. Undergoing diagnostic adrenal testing, including comprehensive saliva tests to determine cortisol levels and amounts produced to determine your body's reaction to adrenal stress
10. Adding bioidentical hormone therapy when necessary to help sustain adrenal function
"Earth Day is a great time to get more information about making healthy changes and learning about the direct connection between the quality of the food you eat, the care you take of your health and how well your body functions," says Dr. Stanton. "At BodyLogicMD, it is our goal to help men and women who experience the symptoms of hormonal imbalance return to health through "green" diets, exercise and natural bioidentical hormone therapy."
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8155&Section=Aging

Folate added to food may raise colon cancer risk
Last Updated: 2009-04-17 12:41:23 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Although fortifying food with folate as a public health measure reduces the number of children born with spina bifida, new research from Chile suggests that it may also increase the risk of bowel cancer.
"Our data provide new evidence that a folate fortification program could be associated with an additional risk of colon cancer," Dr. Sandra Hirsch said in a statement.
Hirsch and her colleagues at the University of Chile, Santiago, assessed the number of people hospitalized with colon cancer before and after a folate fortification program was implemented in Chile in January 2000. The program added 220 micrograms of folic acid to every 100 grams of wheat flour.
Compared with the 1992-1996 period, the number of patients with colon cancer during the 2001-2004 period was 2.61-fold higher in people 45 to 64 years of age and 2.90-times greater in those 65 to 79 years, the investigators report in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
For the most part, little change was seen in the occurrence of other diseases before and after folate fortification. The one exception was breast cancer, which appeared to occur twice as often during the period after fortification. However, the research team thinks that this may have been due to the implementation of programs designed to detect and treat breast cancer at an early stage.
Further research, the authors conclude, is needed to determine the amount of folate that prevents neural tube defects like spina bifida, but does not increase the risk of colon cancer or any other adverse events.
SOURCE: European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, March 2009.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/04/17/eline/
links/20090417elin022.html

Poor health prior to combat linked to later PTSD
Last Updated: 2009-04-17 16:02:54 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after deployment is more likely to affect soldiers who have relatively poor physical or mental health before they enter combat situations, according to findings from the US military's Millennium Cohort Study.
"More vulnerable members of a population could be identified and benefit from interventions targeted to prevent new onset post-traumatic stress disorder," the research team, led by Dr. Cynthia A. LeardMann at the Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, states in an Online First issue of the British Medical Journal.
Their study included 5410 military personnel who completed a health survey before and after deployment to combat duty in Iraq or Afghanistan.
"The largest risk factor for developing new onset PTSD in this study was low mental health scores at baseline before deployment," the authors report.
The team found that those in the lowest strata for mental health before deployment were three times more likely than the rest of the group to develop PTSD subsequently.
"Nearly as surprising," the report adds, there was two-fold increase in risk among those in the lowest ranking for physical health.
In fact, 58 percent of those with PTSD fell into the lower levels for mental or physical health at baseline.
"In theory," LeardMann and her group suggest, soldiers predicted to be at high risk for PTSD "could be targeted for PTSD prevention programmes, early intervention after exposure to stress, or even protection from stressful exposures, when possible."
SOURCE: BMJ Online First, April 17, 2009.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/04/17/eline/
links/20090417elin027.html

Curcumin’s immune-boosting powers pin-pointed

Nutraingredients.com, 20-Apr-2009

The health boosting activity of curcumin may be due to the molecule’s ability to stabilise cell membranes and increase the cell’s resistance to infection, suggests a new study.
The research, published in the prestigious Journal of the American Chemical Society, may help scientists understand how curcumin works inside the body.
Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy and colleagues at the University of Michigan used solid-state NMR spectroscopy to show that curcumin physically alters the cell membrane at an atomic level.
History of use
Curcumin, the natural pigment that gives the spice turmeric its yellow colour, has increasingly come under the scientific spotlight in recent years, with studies investigating its potential benefits for reducing cholesterol levels, improving cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of Alzheimer's, and potential protection against cancer.
Turmeric has a long history of use in folk medicine for the treatment of wounds, infections, and other health problems, said the Michigan researchers.
Some experts recommend however that consumers wishing to make use of curcumin's properties consume it in supplement form rather than eating more curries, which tend to be rather high in fat in their Western form.
According to Ramamoorthy, curcumin can induce a negative curvature of the membrane, which would explain the potential anti-cancer activity of the compound, since other studies have shown that such changes may increase the activity of proteins such as tBid, which play an important role in apoptosis, or programmed cell death.
Atomic levels
Using solid-state NMR spectroscopy, the Ramamoorthy and his co-workers report that molecules of curcumin insert themselves into cell membranes and make the membranes more stable and orderly. This makes the cells more resistant to infection by disease-causing microbes, they added.
The study also revealed that curcumin exerts this strong effect on the membrane structure at low concentrations.
This research was supported by funds from the NIH.
Curcumin’s benefits
Over the last couple of years, curcumin has been linked to a range of health benefits, including potential protection against prostate cancer (Clinical Cancer Research, 2008:14 - using Sabinsa's Curcumin C3 Complex), Alzheimer’s (Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 2006, Vol. 10, pp. 1-7; American Journal of Epidemiology, 2006, Vol. 164, pp. 898-906), protection against heart failure (Journal of Clinical Investigation, doi: 10.1172/JCI32865); diabetes (Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 2008, doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200700184); and arthritis (Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2006, Vol. 54, pp. 3452-3464).
Source: Journal of the American Chemical Society
2009, Volume 131, Number 12, Pages 4490-4498, doi: 10.1021/ja809217u
“Determining the Effects of Lipophilic Drugs on Membrane Structure by Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy: The Case of the Antioxidant Curcumin”
Authors: J. Barry, M. Fritz, J.R. Brender, P.E.S. Smith, D.-K. Lee, A. Ramamoorthy
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/
Curcumin-s-immune-boosting-powers-pin-pointed

BBC NEWS
1970s lifestyle 'protects planet'
Getting back to the relatively slim, trim days of the 1970s would help to tackle climate change, researchers say.
The rising numbers of people who are overweight and obese in the UK means the nation uses 19% more food than 40 years ago, a study suggests.
That could equate to an extra 60 mega tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year, the team calculated.
Transport costs of a fatter population were also included in the International Journal of Epidemiology study.
Dr Phil Edwards, study leader and researcher at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said they had set out to calculate what the UK energy consumption would be if the weight of the population was put back a few decades.
“ Staying slim is good for health and for the environment ”
Dr Phil Edwards
A "normal" adult population, where only 3.5% are classed as obese, was compared with a population where 40% are obese.
These populations reflect the proportions of overweight and obese people living in the UK in the 1970s - and what is predicted for the UK in 2010, the researchers said.
In addition to calculating the increased food costs of the heavier population, the team worked out how much additional fuel would be needed for transportation of modern-day UK compared with the 1970s version.
Greenhouse gas emissions from food production and car travel in the fatter population would be between 0.4 to 1 giga tonnes higher per 1bn people, they estimated.
Heavier
And people are generally bigger than they were three decades ago.
Between 1994 and 2004, the average male body mass index (BMI) in England increased from 26 to 27.3, with the average female BMI rising from 25.8 to 26.9 which equates to about 3 kg - or half a stone - heavier.
"This is not really just about obese people, the distribution of the whole population is what's important," said Dr Edwards.
"Everybody is getting a bit fatter."
"Staying slim is good for health and for the environment.
"We need to be doing a lot more to reverse the global trend towards fatness, and recognise it as a key factor in the battle to reduce emissions and slow climate change."
It is not just a UK issue - in nearly every country in the world, the average BMI is rising.
Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, president of the Faculty of Public Health said shifting the population weight distribution back to that of the 1970s would do quite a lot to help the planet.
"In the 1970s we had bigger portions of vegetables and smaller portions of meat and there's been a shift in the amount of exercise we do.
"All these things are combining to hurt the planet and this is a calculation that deserves a bit more attention," he said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8004257.stm

Western Diet Responsible for One-Third of Heart Attacks

David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com

(NaturalNews) One-third of heart attacks worldwide may be attributable to diets high in fat, salt, eggs and meat, according to a groundbreaking new study published in the journal Circulation.

"Thirty percent of the risk of heart disease in a population could be related to poor diet," lead author Romania Iqbal said.

In the INTERHEART study, researchers from Canada's McMaster University compared diet and heart attack risk among 16,000 people in 52 countries -- 5,561 people who had survived a heart attack, and 10,646 who had no history of heart disease.

Using responses to a detailed dietary questionnaire, researchers assigned each participant a dietary risk score based on their consumption of 19 foods including eggs, grains, fish, red or white meat, dairy, raw fruits and vegetables, and fried and salty foods. The researchers then sorted respondents into three general dietary categories: "Western," "prudent" and "Oriental [sic]".

A Western dietary pattern was high in fried foods, eggs, meat and salt. The prudent pattern was high in fruits and vegetables, while the "Oriental" pattern was high in tofu and sauces such as soy sauce.

The researchers then compared the heart attack risk of people who fell into each dietary category with those who did not, adjusting for other cardiovascular risk factors such as age, body mass index, exercise, geographical location, sex and smoking status.

People who ate lots of foods in the Western category had a 35 percent higher heart attack risk than those who ate less meat, eggs, and fried and salty foods. Conversely, those with a prudent diet had a 30 percent lower heart attack risk than those who ate fewer fruits and vegetables.

"What we found was that the prudent diet, which is very simple -- lots of fruits and vegetables, less fried food and red meat -- was protective," senior author Salim Yusuf said. "It was protective in every part of the world, in men and women, old and young -- everybody. And the degree of protection was quite substantial."

There was no significant difference in heart attack risk between those who ate foods characteristic of the "Oriental" diet and those who did not.

The researchers noted that the study's design was unique in zeroing in on the cardiovascular effects of specific foods, and in examining the "Oriental" eating pattern, as well as the more well-studied Western and prudent patterns.

Significantly, the study showed that the issue is not necessarily the specific dishes that are more traditionally eaten by Western cultures -- such as meat and potatoes -- but rather the presence of meat, eggs, fat and salt in the diet as a whole. Thus, replacing traditional Western foods with fatty foods from other parts of the world will have little health benefit.

"Most people in North America would think of French fries, pizza and potato chips as the big offenders here," researcher Sonia Anand said "That's true, but we also include into that things like samosas and pakoras and fried won ton so that this message applies generally to people from India, people from China -- that deep frying is not good for you."

"This study shows that it doesn't matter whether you live in Bolton or Bombay, or whether you like to eat British, African Caribbean or Asian foods," agreed Ellen Mason of the British Heart Foundation. "The vital thing is to reduce your intake of salty, fried, fatty food to a minimum but increase the amount of fruit and vegetables you eat."

The researchers speculated that the "Oriental" diet had no effect because it contains both heart-positive and heart-negative foods -- such as salty sauces.

"Chinese people tend to have lower rates of heart disease, but it's because they don't have a Western diet," Yusuf said. "Their diet is avoiding the bad things in the Western diet, but it could be even better if they increased the amounts of fruits and vegetables they consumed."
http://www.naturalnews.com/026077.html

An herbal extract inhibits the development of pancreatic cancer

Public release date: 19-Apr-2009
Thomas Jefferson University
PHILADELPHIA) An herb recently found to kill pancreatic cancer cells also appears to inhibit development of pancreatic cancer as a result of its anti-inflammatory properties, according to researchers from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson. The data were presented at the AACR 100th Annual Meeting 2009 in Denver. (Abstract #494)
Thymoquinone, the major constituent of the oil extract from a Middle Eastern herbal seed called Nigella sativa, exhibited anti-inflammatory properties that reduced the release of inflammatory mediators in pancreatic cancer cells, according to Hwyda Arafat, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of Surgery at the Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and a member of the Jefferson Pancreatic, Biliary & Related Cancers Center.
Nigella sativa seeds and oil are used in traditional medicine by many Middle Eastern and Asian countries. It helps treat a broad array of diseases, including some immune and inflammatory disorders, Dr. Arafat said. Previous studies have also shown it to have anti-cancer effects on prostate and colon cancers.
Based upon their previously published findings that thymoquinone inhibits histone deacetylases (HDACs), Dr. Arafat and her colleagues compared the anti-inflammatory properties of thymoquinone and trichostatin A, an HDAC inhibitor that has previously shown to ameliorate inflammation-associated cancers.
The researchers used pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) cells, some of which were pretreated with the cytokine TNF-alpha to induce inflammation. Thymoquinone almost completely abolished the expression of several inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-alpha, interleukin-1beta, interleukin-8, Cox-2 and MCP-1, an effect that was more superior to the effect of trichostatin A.
The herb also inhibited the activation and synthesis of NF-kappaB, a transcription factor that has been implicated in inflammation-associated cancer. Activation of NF-kappaB has been observed in pancreatic cancer and may be a factor in pancreatic cancer's resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. When animal models of pancreatic cancer were treated with thymoquinone, 67 percent of the tumors were significantly shrunken, and the levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the tumors were significantly reduced.
Inflammation has been implicated in the development of several solid tumor malignancies. Chronic pancreatitis, both hereditary and sporadic, is associated with the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
"These are very exciting and novel results," Dr. Arafat said. "Not only patients with chronic pancreatitis could benefit from this, but also several other groups with risk of development or recurrence of pancreatic cancer, such as high-risk family members and post-surgical patients. These potent effects show promise for the herb as a potential preventive and therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer. More importantly, the herb and oil are safe when used moderately, and have been used for thousands of years without reported toxic effects."
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with approximately 32,000 deaths a year. Only five percent of individuals with pancreatic cancer live for at least one year after diagnosis.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/tju-ahe041709.php

New human study reinforces antioxidant benefits of tart cherries

Scientists discover eating cherries may elevate antioxidant activity in the body

Weber Shandwick Worldwide
April 19, 2009, NEW ORLEANS --- Eating just one and a half servings of tart cherries could significantly boost antioxidant activity in the body, according to new University of Michigan research reported at the 2009 Experimental Biology meeting in New Orleans.1 In the study, healthy adults who ate a cup and a half of frozen cherries had increased levels of antioxidants, specifically five different anthocyanins – the natural antioxidants that give cherries their red color.
Twelve healthy adults, aged 18 to 25 years, were randomly assigned to eat either one and a half cups or three cups of frozen tart cherries. Researchers analyzed participants' blood and urine at regular intervals after they ate the cherries and found increased antioxidant activity for up to 12 hours after eating cherries.
"This study documents for the first time that the antioxidants in tart cherries do make it into the human bloodstream and is coupled with increased antioxidant activity that could have a positive impact," said Sara L. Warber, MD, Co-Director of University of Michigan Integrative Medicine and principal investigator of the study. "And, while more research is needed, what's really great is that a reasonable amount of cherries could potentially deliver benefits, like reducing risk factors for heart disease and inflammation."
Previous animal studies have linked cherries and cherry compounds to important benefits, including helping to lower risk factors for heart disease and impacting inflammation. Dr. Warber's colleagues at the University of Michigan have previously shown in animals that cherry-enriched diets can lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce triglycerides, an unhealthy type of blood fat.2 Other benefits of cherries found in animal studies include a 14 percent lower body weight and less "belly fat," the type linked with increased heart disease risk and type 2 diabetes.3
"It's encouraging when research like ours finds that great-tasting fruit can lead to real-life benefits, continuing to underscore the importance of whole foods in the diet," said Dr. Warber.
It's Easy to Enjoy "America's Super Fruit"
Cherries are not only good for you, but they're also a homegrown "Super Fruit." According to recent data, more than 9 out of 10 Americans want to know where their food comes from, nearly 80 percent say they're purchasing "locally produced" products, and the majority are defining "local" as made in America.4,5
About 95% percent of cherries consumed in the U.S. are grown here, with most coming from Michigan, Wisconsin, Utah, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania and New York.
This homegrown advantage, coupled with potential health benefits, make cherries "America's Super Fruit." Tart cherries come in dried, frozen and juice forms so they're readily available to enjoy all year long.
Funding for the study was provided by the Cherry Marketing Institute, an organization funded by North American tart cherry growers and processors. CMI's mission is to increase the demand for tart cherries through promotion, market expansion, product development and research. For more information on the science supporting the unique health benefits of cherries and for cherry recipes and menu ideas, visit www.choosecherries.com.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/wsw-nhs041709.php

Research suggests vegetable juice may help people with metabolic syndrome lose weight

Weber Shandwick Worldwide
NEW ORLEANS, April 19, 2009 – Drinking at least one glass of low sodium vegetable juice daily may help overweight people with metabolic syndrome achieve better weight loss results. A study, conducted at the Baylor College of Medicine and presented at this week's Experimental Biology Meeting, found that participants who drank at least 8-ounces of low sodium vegetable juice as part of a calorie-controlled DASH diet lost four pounds over 12 weeks, while those who followed the same diet but drank no juice lost one pound.
Metabolic syndrome is defined by a cluster of risk factors including excess body fat in the midsection, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and abnormal blood lipids. If left uncontrolled, metabolic syndrome increases risk for chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke or diabetes. An estimated 47 million Americans have some combination of these risk factors and are often overweight or obese as well.
Participants in the study were primarily African-American and Hispanic adults, populations that typically have a higher incidence of metabolic syndrome. Each group followed a DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet that emphasized eating lean meat, lower fat dairy, whole grains, vegetables and fruit daily and keeping saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol and sodium in check. Two of the groups were given Low Sodium V8® 100% vegetable juice and instructed to drink 1 or 2 cups every day for 12 weeks, while the third group was not given any vegetable juice.
The key study findings include:

• On average, the vegetable juice drinkers lost four pounds over 12 weeks, while those who did not drink juice lost one pound
• Vegetable juice drinkers were more likely to meet the daily government recommendations of 3-5 servings of vegetables (1 ½ to 2 ½ cups)
• Seven out of 10 American adults fall short of recommendations
• Vegetable juice drinkers significantly increased their intake of vitamin C and potassium, while decreasing their overall carbohydrate intake

"Diet and body weight are key modifiable factors in changing the course of metabolic syndrome," said John Foreyt, PhD, study author and Director, Behavioral Medicine Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine. "What this study shows is that by taking simple, proactive steps such as drinking low sodium vegetable juice while watching calorie intake, people can begin to control their weight, which helps reduce the risk of long-term health implications."
The study, conducted by the Baylor College of Medicine, was a randomized, controlled trial (RCT) that lasted 12 weeks and enrolled 81 adults with metabolic syndrome (59 female, 22 male; 57% African American, 22.8% Mexican American, 3.7% Other and 16.5% White). Participants were given Low Sodium V8 100% vegetable juice which has 140 mg sodium and 820 mg potassium per serving. Research funding was provided in part by Campbell Soup Company, and supported by resources from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of California-Davis.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/wsw-rsv041709.php

LSUHSC research shows fish oil protects against diseases like Parkinson's

Public release date: 19-Apr-2009
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
New Orleans, LA – Dr. Nicolas Bazan, Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence, Boyd Professor, and Ernest C. and Yvette C. Villere Chair of Retinal Degenerative Diseases Research at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, will present new research findings showing that an omega three fatty acid in the diet protects brain cells by preventing the misfolding of a protein resulting from a gene mutation in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Huntington's. He will present these findings for the first time on Sunday, April 19, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Nouvelle C Room, at the American Society for Nutrition, Experimental Biology 2009 Annual Meeting.
With funding from the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Bazan and his colleagues developed a cell model with a mutation of the Ataxin-1 gene. The defective Ataxin-1 gene induces the misfolding of the protein produced by the gene. These misshapened proteins cannot be properly processed by the cell machinery, resulting in tangled clumps of toxic protein that eventually kill the cell. Spinocerebellar Ataxia, a disabling disorder that affects speech, eye movement, and hand coordination at early ages of life, is one disorder resulting from the Ataxin-1 misfolding defect. The research team led by Dr. Bazan found that the omega three fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), protects cells from this defect.
Dr. Bazan's laboratory discovered earlier that neuroprotectin D1 (NPD1), a naturally-occurring molecule in the human brain that is derived from DHA also promotes brain cell survival. In this system NPD1 is capable of rescue the dying cells with the pathological type of Ataxin-1, keeping their integrity intact.
"These experiments provide proof of principle that neuroprotectin D1 can be applied therapeutically to combat various neurodegenerative diseases," says Dr. Bazan. "Furthermore, this study provides the basis of new therapeutic approaches to manipulate retinal pigment epithelial cells to be used as a source of NPD1 to treat patients with disorders characterized by this mutation like Parkinson's, Retinitis Pigmentosa and some forms of Alzheimer's Disease."
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/lsuh-lrs041709.php

What is the effect of tea polyphenols on hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes?

Public release date: 18-Apr-2009
World Journal of Gastroenterology
Paracetamol is one of the most widely used, studied, and arguably the most notorious hepatotoxic drugs, which is safe at therapeutic doses but causes liver failure when overdosed. When administered at normal doses, paracetamol is metabolized extensively by conjugation with sulphate and glucuronic acid. Exposure to high doses of paracetamol results in increased levels of N-acetyl-p-benzo-quinoneimine (NAPQI), a highly electrophilic metabolite that is considered to be responsible for triggering the ensuing liver damage.
The research, lead by Dr. Sun and his colleagues in Dalian Medical University, has recently been published on April 21,2009 in World Journal of Gastroenterology, investigated the effect of tea polyphenols (TPs) on paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity. TPs are a large and diverse class of compounds extracted from tea. Recent studies indicate that TPs prevent from oxidative stress-related diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, degenerative diseases and other bioactive properties. In recent years there has been a mounting interest in understanding the metabolic benefits of TPs. Liver is the main organ responsible for the metabolism of TPs. And some works have been done in the field of TPs modulated or interacted with drug metabolizing enzymes. However, until now, no one could give a clear explanation about this. Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes play a pivotal role not only in the metabolism of xenobiotics, and both induction and suppression of several CYP450s may lead to the cellular oxidative stress and tissue injury in response to xenobiotics. Early investigations identified the important roles of CYP2E1, CYP1A2 and intracellular GSH in paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity. But the effect of TPs on paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity remain unclear. This research gave a clear explanation of TPs' effect on hepatic CYP450 along with CYP2E1 and CYP1A2 expression at both protein and mRNA levels. The results showed that the contents of hepatic CYP450 and CYPb5 were dose-dependently decreased by TPs. Also, TPs reduced CYP2E1 and CYP1A2 expression at both protein and mRNA levels dose dependently, indicating that TPs possessed potential hepatoprotective properties and this effect was closely related with their suppression on CYP450 expression. These results provided new information of TPs about their metabolism and the effect of TPs on hepatic drug metabolizing enzyme. This will be important in developing clinically safe and efficient medications related to TPs.
Reference: Chen X, Sun CK, Han GZ, Peng JY, Li Y, Liu YX, Lv YY, Liu KX, Zhou Q, Sun HJ. Protective effect of tea polyphenols against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in mice is significanly correlated with cytochrome P450 suppression. World J Gastroenterol 2009; 15(15): 1829-1835
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/wjog-wit041809.php

Vegan Buddhist nuns have same bone density as non-vegetarians

The Garvin Institute, April 18, 2009
A study comparing the bone health of 105 post-menopausal vegan Buddhist nuns and 105 non-vegetarian women, matched in every other physical respect, has produced a surprising result. Their bone density was identical.

The study was led by Professor Tuan Nguyen from Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research. He collaborated with Dr Ho-Pham Thuc Lan from the Pham Ngoc Thach Medical University in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Their findings are now published online in Osteoporosis International.

“For the 5% of people in Western countries who choose to be vegetarians, this is very good news,” said Professor Nguyen. “Even vegans, who eat only plant-based foods, appear to have bones as healthy as everyone else.”

“Bone health in vegetarians, particularly vegans, has been a concern for some time, because as a group they tend to have a lower protein and calcium intake than the population at large.”

“In this work we showed that although the vegans studied do indeed have lower protein and calcium intakes, their bone density is virtually identical to that of people who eat a wide variety of foods, including animal protein.”

“The nuns’ calcium intake was very low, only about 370 mg a day, where the recommended level is 1,000 mg. Their protein intake was also very low at around 35 g a day, compared with the non-vegetarian group, which was 65 g.”

Professor Nguyen and Dr Thuc Lan chose to study Buddhist nuns because their faith requires them to observe strict vegan diets all their lives.

“We didn’t study vegetarians from the West because many are lacto-vegetarians, so could have considerable calcium in their diets. It would have compromised the results,” Nguyen explained.

“The Buddhist nuns came from 20 temples and monasteries in Ho Chi Minh City. The control group, 105 non-vegetarian women of exactly the same age, were recruited from the same localities.”

Although Professor Nguyen and Dr Thuc Lan do not advocate a vegan diet, they note that fruits and vegetables are likely to have positive effects on bone health.

They also note that the study did not measure Vitamin D levels  (as important to healthy bone as calcium) and factors such as lifestyle and physical activity. These variables may affect the outcomes for vegetarians elsewhere.
http://www.garvan.org.au/news-events/news/
vegan-buddhist-nuns-have-same-bone-density-as-non-vegetarians.html

BBC NEWS
Homeopathy 'no cancer care harm'
Some homeopathic medicines may ease the side-effects of cancer treatments without interfering in how they work, a scientific review has concluded.
The Cochrane Collaboration said, while there were few studies, it did appear that some effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy could be alleviated.
It highlighted in particular calendula to prevent dermatitis, and what is known as Traummel S for mouth sores.
But it said further work was needed to confirm these findings.
Eight studies with a total of 664 participants were considered by the group, led by Dr Sosie Kassab, a specialist in complementary cancer therapies at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital.
Three studies looked at preparations to counter the skin reactions of radiotherapy, but only one was deemed to be high quality.
This, from France, suggested that calendula - from marigolds - reduced acute dermatitis in breast cancer patients more effectively than the more conventional treatment trolamine. It involved 254 patients.
No interference
One of three studies on treating the side-effects of chemotherapy was deemed high quality.
This found that Traumeel S, a mixture which includes belladonna, arnica, St John's wort and echinacea, was effective in reducing stomatisis - painful mouth sores - when used as a mouthwash.
“ Overall, this new piece of evidence simply confirms plenty of previous research demonstrating the unproven nature of homeopathy ”
Edzard Ernst Peninsula Medical School
Two other studies of homeopathic treatments on menopausal symptoms brought on by cancer treatments were declared to be of high quality but did not provide any evidence that the treatments worked.
There was no evidence to show that any of these treatments interfered with cancer therapies, and indeed one study showed that radiotherapy was less frequently interrupted in the group receiving homeopathic care.
But the Cochrane team acknowledged: "The review found few studies, and most were small."
Edzard Ernst, professor of complementary medicine at the Peninsula Medical School, said there were "several problems with the body of evidence examined by this review.
"First, independent replications are lacking completely but would be necessary before we can accept any of these treatments in routine healthcare.
"Second, nobody doubts that undiluted remedies can have effects; and interestingly, the positive studies here seem to be on such medicines rather than on the highly diluted treatments which are a hallmark of homeopathy.
"In fact, the calendula cream found to be effective in one study is not diluted at all and thus it cannot, to all intents and purposes, be considered to be a typical homeopathic remedy.
"Finally, this review found hardly any high quality studies in the first place. So overall, this new piece of evidence simply confirms plenty of previous research demonstrating the unproven nature of homeopathy."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7998884.stm

Blueberries May Help Reduce Belly Fat, Diabetes Risk

ScienceDaily (Apr. 20, 2009) — Could eating blueberries help get rid of belly fat? And could a blueberry-enriched diet stem the conditions that lead to diabetes? A new University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center study suggests so.
The new research, presented April 19 at the Experimental Biology convention in New Orleans, gives tantalizing clues to the potential of blueberries in reducing risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. The effect is thought to be due to the high level of phytochemicals – naturally occurring antioxidants – that blueberries contain.
The study was performed in laboratory rats. While the animal findings suggest blueberries may be protective against two health conditions that affect millions of Americans, more research should be done.
The researchers studied the effect of blueberries (freeze dried blueberries crushed into a powder) that were mixed into the rat diet, as part of either a low- or high-fat diet. They performed many comparisons between the rats consuming the test diets and the control rats receiving no blueberry powder. All the rats were from a research breed that is prone to being severely overweight. 
In all, after 90 days, the rats that received the blueberry-enriched powder, measured as 2 percent of their diet, had less abdominal fat, lower triglycerides, lower cholesterol, and improved fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity, which are measures of how well the body processes glucose for energy.
While regular blueberry intake reduced these risks for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, the health benefits were even better when combined with a low-fat diet.
In addition to all the other health benefits, the group that consumed a low-fat diet had lower body weight, lower total fat mass and reduced liver mass, than those who ate a high fat diet. An enlarged liver is linked to obesity and insulin resistance, a hallmark of diabetes.
The rats in the study were similar to Americans who suffer fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome as a result of high-fat diets and obesity. Metabolic syndrome is a group of health problems that include too much fat around the waist, elevated blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, high triglycerides, and together these conditions increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and diabetes.
But were the health benefits seen in rats a result of losing abdominal fat, or something else?
“Some measurements were changed by blueberry even if the rats were on a high fat diet,” says E. Mitchell Seymour, M.S., lead researcher and manager of the U-M Cardioprotection Research Laboratory. “We found by looking at fat muscle tissue, that blueberry intake affected genes related to fat-burning and storage. Looking at muscle tissue, we saw altered genes related to glucose uptake.”  
Steven Bolling, M.D., a U-M heart surgeon and head of the Cardioprotection Laboratory, says: “The benefits of eating fruits and vegetables has been well-researched, but our findings in regard to blueberries shows the naturally occurring chemicals they contain, such as anthocyanins, show promise in mitigating these health conditions.”
Although the current study was supported by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, which also supplied the blueberry powder, the council did not play a role in the study’s conduct, analysis or the preparation of the poster presentation.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090419170112.htm

Adding Walnuts To Good Diet May Help Older People Improve Motor And Behavioral Skills

ScienceDaily (Apr. 19, 2009) — Adding a moderate, but not high, amount of walnuts to an otherwise healthy diet may help older individuals improve performance on tasks that require motor and behavioral skills, according to an animal model study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-funded scientists. Walnuts contain polyphenols and other antioxidants and essential fatty acids.
The study was conducted by researchers with the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University in Boston, Mass.
Neuroscientist James Joseph, psychologist Barbara Shukitt-Hale and coauthors Lauren Willis and Vivian Cheng reported the study in the British Journal of Nutrition. They are with the HNRCA's Neuroscience Laboratory. ARS is the principal intramural scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The aging brain undergoes many changes that can result in altered or impaired neuronal functioning. Such disruption can be attributed in part to alterations in "synaptic plasticity," or the ability of the connections between neurons to change in strength and function, and also by increased oxidative damage to neural tissue. In aged rodents, these impairments are seen as poor performance on age-sensitive tests of balance, coordination, and "spatial" working memory.
For the study, weight-matched, aged rats were randomly assigned to one of four diet groups. For eight weeks, the rats were fed special chow mixes that contained either 2 percent, 6 percent or 9 percent walnuts-or no walnuts-before undergoing motor and memory tests. For comparison, the 6 percent walnut study diet is equivalent to a human eating 1 ounce, or about 7 to 9 walnuts, a day. That counts as both a 2-ounce equivalent from the "meat and beans group" and 2 teaspoons toward a daily allowance of dietary oil, as described at MyPyramid.gov.
The study found that in aged rats, the diets containing 2 percent or 6 percent walnuts were able to improve age-related motor and cognitive shortfalls, while the 9 percent walnut diet impaired reference memory. Walnuts, eaten in moderation, appear to be among other foods containing polyphenols and bioactive substances that exhibit multiple effects on neural tissue, according to the researchers.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090419201207.htm

Kyoto Treaty Is ‘Failing The World’s Poor’, Say Scientists

ScienceDaily (Apr. 18, 2009) — Initiatives aimed at cutting emissions while encouraging economic development are failing the world’s poorest countries, leading scientists from Oxford University are warning.
They say that payments from rich countries to fund development schemes in poor nations are unequally distributed because investors choose stronger, more stable states like China, India and Brazil instead of much poorer nations such as Chad, Nigeria and Sudan.
In their new paper published in the first issue of the journal Climate and Development, Dr Chuks Okereke and Dr Heike Schroeder analyse the links between carbon cuts, economic development and justice for developing countries.
The paper assesses the existing initiatives for greenhouse gas reductions, such as the ‘Clean Development Mechanism’ (CDM). The CDM is part of the Kyoto climate change treaty and allows industrialised nations with emissions reduction commitments to invest in projects that reduce emissions in developing countries as an alternative to their own countries. These certified emission reduction (CER) credits, are traded and sold, and used by industrialised countries to a meet a part of their emission reduction targets.
The paper calls into question the effectiveness of these initiatives and is calling for a ‘climate justice development’ fund to be established to pay for climate change adaptation and low carbon development in poor countries, and provide insurance for investors. The scientists add that the post-Kyoto climate change agreement should be more closely tied to world trade and other international treaties. 
Dr Okereke, from the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, said: ‘The current system isn’t working because it lumps too many countries together and ignores the socio-economic gulfs between them. Measures that were intended for all developing countries have ended up helping only a few. Investors only invest where they know they’ll get a return and in many cases, rich governments and private investors have been put off by political turbulence in the countries that most need help.
‘This new fund would help solve that problem. It would target the poorest and most vulnerable nations and provide insurance against political turbulence and misuse. The post-Kyoto treaty must emphasise low carbon development without neglecting adaptation; at the moment, the reverse is the case,' said Dr Schroeder, from the Environmental Change Institute.
‘Developed countries have failed the developing world on climate change. We are now looking to key developing countries like China, Mexico and Brazil to demonstrate leadership on this important issue. And they are.’
Okereke et al. How can justice, development and climate change mitigation be reconciled for developing countries in a post-Kyoto settlement? Climate and Development, 2009; 1 (1): 10 DOI: 10.3763/cdev.2009.0008

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090418083952.htm