Jume 1 - 3, 2009

Green tea: Seeking hope in a dose of nature: Green tea shows potential, and limits, of natural cancer treatment.
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services -- 06-01-09
Once a day, Matthew Hudson takes a square of chocolate mixed with green-tea extract and lets it dissolve in his mouth.
Hudson, who has leukemia, is skeptical of natural therapies. But he has been taking the concoction for more than three years, ever since his doctor at the Mayo Clinic suggested it. "My disease has not progressed since I've been taking it," said Hudson, a retired lawyer and investor from northern Virginia. "What does that mean? I don't know. It means I'm not going to stop taking it."
A study by Mayo Clinic researchers last week provided more reason for hope. They found that high doses of green-tea extract can have a positive effect on Hudson's type of cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
The saga of Daniel Hauser, the 13-year-old Minnesota boy with Hodgkin's lymphoma, has sparked public debate over the value of natural medicine, especially in cancer treatment. In labs at Mayo and elsewhere, scientists are putting those same questions to the test, training their microscopes on everything from shark cartilage to mistletoe and finding some surprising answers.
At last count, the National Institutes of Health's center for complementary medicine had sponsored 47 cancer-related studies -- on macrobiotic diets, soy, Reiki-energy healing, yoga, flaxseed, self-hypnosis, fish oil, massage, acupuncture and more.
So far, most have focused on how alternative therapies can help ease the pain or side effects of cancer treatment, says Mary Jo Kreitzer, director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Spirituality and Healing.
Studies that have looked for cancer-fighting properties have been disappointing, she said. "There have just not been good vigorous studies that have found these natural remedies to cure cancer," said Kreitzer, who is both a scientist and a supporter of complementary medicine.
The green-tea study shows the promise, she said, as well as the difficulties in trying to tap nature's curing powers.
It was, by all accounts, a modest study, and the results fell short of a major breakthrough. Just one of 33 patients improved enough to be classified "in remission." Yet of the dozen patients with enlarged lymph nodes (one of the hallmarks of the disease), 11 saw them shrink by more than half in six months, according to the study.
"That was obviously encouraging," said Dr. Tait Shanafelt, a Mayo Clinic cancer specialist who led the study, which was published online in the prestigious Journal of Clinical Oncology. "There was a suggestion of some benefit to these patients."
Intrigued by possibilities
As a scientist, Shanafelt became intrigued several years ago about the possibilities in green tea. For centuries, it had been touted for its supposed health benefits, including preventing cancer. So he and his colleagues decided to test it. They put leukemia cells in a test tube and exposed them to an extract from green tea, called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). Most of the cells were wiped out.
When the results became known, several of his leukemia patients started taking over-the-counter products with EGCG; Shanafelt and his colleagues found they showed "an objective improvement" in their medical tests.
At that point, they decided to do a formal test, giving concentrated doses of the extract to 33 patients. None of the patients was receiving chemotherapy at the time, because they were in early stages of the illness. The goal was to see if the green tea could keep the disease from progressing.
The patients couldn't drink enough tea to get the proper doses, which ranged up to 2,000 milligrams twice a day -- the equivalent of "probably over 100 cups a day," Shanafelt said. Instead, they took it in capsule form.
Because no drug company was interested in funding the studies, Shanafelt turned to a patient group, called CLL Topics, which raised nearly $400,000 for this and other research.
Putting it to the test
Dr. Chaya Venkat, who founded the group with her late husband, said she was eager to put the theories about green tea to the test. Her husband, P.C. Venkat of Sedona, Ariz., had been taking green tea extract for several years before he died last summer at 59. While she believed it may have helped rein in his leukemia, she was cautious. "I'm a scientist. You don't pre-guess what the answer is going to be before you do the experiment," she said.
The results of the Mayo study were encouraging, if not perfect, she said. "Mayo showed that it works in a subset of patients," she said. "It has a chance of slowing things down, giving people more time." At the same time, she said, "it also proves that it doesn't cure CLL."
Shanafelt said most of the patients had only mild side effects, such as low-grade nausea. He and his research team are now working on a followup study.
Even if that's a success, he said, that doesn't mean cancer patients should start guzzling green tea. "Even though we think of them as benign because we think that they have a natural origin, these are chemicals, like any other medication."
Which is about the way Matthew Hudson, the leukemia patient, sees it. "I think some of the things we make up in the laboratories are magic," he said, "and I think there are some things out there in nature that are also good, too."
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8329&Section=Disease

Too stressed? Take a walk, have an orange
United Press International 06-01-09
DALLAS, May 29, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Reducing stress is important because numerous studies have shown that people constantly stressed are more at risk of illness or disease, a U.S. expert says.
Bernadette Latson, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at University of Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, says the best way to address stress, particularly for office workers, is to get away from the computer monitor and take a brief walk or stretch break.
Incorporating stress-fighting foods into your daily diet can also help, Latson advises.
"A bowl of warm oatmeal will boost a calming brain chemical known as serotonin, while foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids will help keep the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline in check," Latson, a registered dietitian, says in a statement.
Other stress-fighting foods suggestions include:
-- A glass of skim or low-fat milk before bed can help reduce tension and anxiety.
-- Oranges, rich in vitamin C, strengthen the immune system and reduce stress hormone levels.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8328&Section=Nutrition

Healthy Gums and a Healthy Heart: The Perio-Cardio Connection---Newly released clinical recommendations encourage cardiologists to examine the mouth and periodontists to ask questions about heart health
PR Newswire 06-01-09
CHICAGO, June 1, 2009 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Cardiovascular disease, the leading killer of men and women in the United States, is a major public health issue contributing to 2,400 deaths each day. Periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory disease that destroys bone and gum tissues that support the teeth affects nearly 75 percent of Americans and is the major cause of adult tooth loss. And while the prevalence rates of these disease states seems grim, research suggests that managing one disease may reduce the risk for the other.
A consensus paper on the relationship between heart disease and gum disease was recently published concurrently in the online versions of two leading publications, the American Journal of Cardiology (AJC), a publication circulated to 30,000 cardiologists, and the Journal of Periodontology (JOP), the official publication of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP). Developed in concert by cardiologists, the physicians specialized in treating diseases of the heart, and periodontists, the dentists with advanced training in the treatment and prevention of periodontal disease, the paper contains clinical recommendations for both medical and dental professionals to use in managing patients living with, or who are at risk for, either disease. As a result of the paper, cardiologists may now examine a patient's mouth, and periodontists may begin asking questions about heart health and family history of heart disease.
The clinical recommendations were developed at a meeting held earlier this year of top opinion-leaders in both cardiology and periodontology. In addition to the clinical recommendations, the consensus paper summarizes the scientific evidence that links periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease and explains the underlying biologic and inflammatory mechanisms that may be the basis for the connection.
According to Kenneth Kornman, DDS, PhD, Editor of the Journal of Periodontology and a co-author of the consensus report, the cooperation between the cardiology and periodontal communities is an important first step in helping patients reduce their risk of these associated diseases. "Inflammation is a major risk factor for heart disease, and periodontal disease may increase the inflammation level throughout the body. Since several studies have shown that patients with periodontal disease have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, we felt it was important to develop clinical recommendations for our respective specialties. Therefore, you will now see cardiologists and periodontists joining forces to help our patients."
For patients, this may mean receiving some unconventional advice from their periodontist or cardiologist. The clinical recommendations outlined in the consensus paper advise that periodontists not only inform their patients of the increased risk of cardiovascular disease associated with periodontal disease, but also assess their risk for future cardiovascular disease and guide them to be evaluated for the major risk factors. The paper also recommends that physicians managing patients with cardiovascular disease evaluate the mouth for the basic signs of periodontal disease such as significant tooth loss, visual signs of oral inflammation, and receding gums.
While additional research will help identify the precise relationship between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease, recent emphasis has been placed on the role of inflammation - the body's reaction to fight off infection, guard against injury or shield against irritation. While inflammation initially intends to have a protective effect, untreated chronic inflammation can lead to dysfunction of the affected tissues, and therefore to more severe health complications.
"Both periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease are inflammatory diseases, and inflammation is the common mechanism that connects them," says Dr. David Cochran, DDS, PhD, President of the AAP and Chair of the Department of Periodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. "The clinical recommendations included in the consensus paper will help periodontists and cardiologists control the inflammatory burden in the body as a result of gum disease or heart disease, thereby helping to reduce further disease progression, and ultimately to improve our patients' overall health. That is our common goal."
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8330&Section=Disease

Mushrooms: Unearthing a Nutritional Treasure
Vibrant Life 06-01-09
Mushrooms are well known for their taste, texture, and versatility. During cooking the flavor normally intensifies, so they are a savory addition to anything from soups and salads to sandwiches and pizza. In fact, mushroom extracts are increasingly being added to food supplements and health beverages.
Great Nutritional Profile
While mushrooms are commonly thought to have little nutritional value, they are actually rich in fiber (8 to 10 percent of their dry weight) and are a good source of the mineral copper and a number of B vitamins, such as riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid.
Mushrooms are ideal for people wanting to lose weight or lower their blood pressure, because they are about 80 to 90 percent water, fat free, and low in calories and sodium.
Mushrooms could also be an unexpected source of an important vitamin. Growers have discovered that exposing mushrooms to UV light for a few minutes can produce high levels of vitamin D from the ergosterol present in the mushrooms. One serving of white mushrooms would be able to provide 100 percent of the daily need of vitamin D. Humans generally lack vitamin D, especially during the winter months. This vitamin is only added to cereal, milk, soy, and other beverages.
Health Promoting
Mushrooms have been revered by the Chinese for thousands of years both as a health food and for medicinal purposes. Recently, researchers in Japan have been studying the medicinal effects of mushrooms on the immune system, cancer, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
The food is an excellent source of potassium, a mineral that helps reduce elevated blood pressure and the risk of stroke. A serving of mushrooms provides about 20 to 30 percent of the daily need of selenium, which forms part of an antioxidant system that protects cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. Research found that male health professionals who consumed twice the recom- mended dairy intake of selenium cut their risk of prostate cancer by 65 percent. Ergothioneine, another natural antioxidant found in mushrooms, provides about 3 to 4 milligrams per serving.
Cancer Protection
The most commonly consumed mushroom in the United States is the white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus). Similar forms are crimini mushrooms, which have a firmer texture, and portobello mushrooms, which have a meaty flavor. All three of these types of mushrooms possess anticancer substances. White button mushrooms were recently shown to reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancers, and an extract of white button mushrooms decreased cell proliferation and tumor size in a dosedependent manner.
Many health-food stores are now selling shiitake, maitake, and reishi mushrooms. Shiitake mushrooms have been used for centuries by the Chinese to treat colds and flu. Lentinan isolated from shiitake mushrooms helps fight infections and demonstrates antitumor activity. An extract of maitake mushrooms boosts the immune system and activates white blood cells and interleukins that inhibit the growth of breast and liver tumors, while reishi mushrooms also improve immune function and suppress the growth of highly invasive breast and prostate cancer cells.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8327&Section=Nutrition