Acrylamide linked again to female cancer risks

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A high dietary intake of acrylamide may increase the risk of breast cancer, according to new research published this week. "Ours in the first epidemiological study using biological markers for measuring acrylamide exposure, and the first to report a positive association between acrylamide and breast cancer ," said Henrik Frandsen, a senior scientist at the National Food Institute.

Researchers at the National Food Institute, the Technical Univeristy of Denmark and the Danish Cancer Society studied 374 postmenopausal women who had developed breast cancer, with 374 healthy women as controls.

The findings, published in the International Journal of Cancer, show a positive association between an increased acrylamide haemoglobin level and the development of breast cancer.

Acrylamide is a carcinogen created when starchy foods are baked, roasted, fried or toasted. It first hit the headlines in 2002, when scientists at the Swedish Food Administration first reported unexpectedly high levels of acrylamide, found to cause cancer in laboratory rats, in carbohydrate-rich foods.

You may have heard of the term "acrylamide" from Dr De Villa (it's quite catchy!). And he frequently says that it comes from French Fries and fried chicken, 2 yummy foods. Better avoid those food and take Lifepak and/or g3 to defend against acrylamides and other free radicals!

To Your Health!
Jason Estimado

PS: Acrylamide is a carcinogen created when starchy foods are baked, roasted, fried or toasted. Does that mean bread is also filled with the nasty stuff? Oh noes!

Honey is better than cough syrup?

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Conclusions In a comparison of honey, DM, and no treatment, parents rated honey most favorably for symptomatic relief of their child's nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty due to upper respiratory tract infection. Honey may be a preferable treatment for the cough and sleep difficulty associated with childhood upper respiratory tract infection.

Looks like an ages-old remedy is still better than chemicals concocted in a lab.

Vitamin C Gives Staying Power to Antioxidants

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To get more out of your next cup of tea, just add juice.

A study found that citrus juices enable more of green tea's unique antioxidants to remain after simulated digestion, making the pairing even healthier than previously thought.

The study compared the effect of various beverage additives on catechins, naturally occurring antioxidants found in tea. Results suggest that complementing green tea with either citrus juices or vitamin C likely increases the amount of catechins available for the body to absorb.

Interesting. It was found out that many nutrients work in synergy -- that is, they complement each other. This is another example. Which makes taking in a variety of fruits, vegetables and multivitamins and minerals all the more important of deciding what to take for your health.

Drugs for ADHD 'not the answer'

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Treating children who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with drugs is not effective in the long-term, research has shown.

A study obtained by the BBC's Panorama programme says drugs such as Ritalin and Concerta work no better than therapy after three years of treatment.

The findings by an influential US study also suggested long-term use of the drugs could stunt children's growth.

It said that the benefits of drugs had previously been exaggerated.

The Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD has been monitoring the treatment of 600 children across the US since the 1990s.

Well, bad news for Big Pharma, good news for the rest of us. I don't really get why perfectly rational doctors prescribe drugs that can harm the patient. Perhaps it's their training? Were they hardened to the point that side effects (or no-effects) are part or treatment? I have to interview a fresh graduate for this.

Fish for brain health supported by trio of studies

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Omega-3-rich fish consumption may improve brain function across a broad demographic spectrum, suggest three new studies from around the world.

The studies pull together data from New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Norway, and all suggest significant benefits of fish consumption, specifically the omega-3 fatty acid content, and cognitive health.

The majority of science for the health benefits of fish and omega-3 consumption has focused on cardiovascular health, but the science for cognitive benefits is growing and almost as compelling as the heart health data.

Moreover, the number of studies reporting potential risk reduction of certain cancers, improved development of a baby during pregnancy, joint health, and improved behaviour and mood, are also growing.

Good news for people who are taking Omega-3. Surely, the benefits extend beyond just good cardiovascular health.

For those who are not yet taking omega-3, or are dissatisfied with their current brand, you may want to take a look at one of the products I carry: Marine Omega.

For more information on availability and how to order, just send me an email.

Long-term beta-carotene may slow mental decline

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Men taking beta-carotene supplements for 15 years or more may experience a slower rate of age-related cognitive decline, according to a new study from Harvard.

The study highlights the benefits of long-term nutritional support, noting that no short-term benefits were observed in the 1,904 men taking the supplements for less than ten years.

"In this generally healthy population, the extent of protection conferred by long-term treatment appeared modest; nonetheless, studies have established that very modest differences in cognition, especially verbal memory, predict substantial differences in eventual risk of dementia; thus, the public health impact of long-term beta carotene use could be large," wrote the authors in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

With growing concern over cognitive decline, this news is welcome news.

AstraZeneca's Crestor fails in heart-failure study

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Heart-failure patients given AstraZeneca Plc's Crestor and standard drugs are just as likely to have heart attacks and strokes or die of cardiovascular problems as those on standard therapy alone, researchers said on Monday.

The news is a blow for Britain's second-biggest drug company, which had hoped to establish Crestor as the first cholesterol-lowering statin to show clear benefits in treating elderly patients with the chronic heart condition.

Why these benefits did not translate into better outcomes is not clear but could be due to the nature of heart failure, John Kjekshus of the University of Oslo and colleagues told the annual meeting of the American Heart Association (AHA) in Orlando, Florida.

"Our findings suggest the major cause of death in these patients was likely not to be related to atherosclerotic events, where benefit with statins in non-heart failure patients has been demonstrated, but instead may have been caused by the deterioration of failing heart muscle damaged beyond repair," he said in a statement.

For those who are familiar with the real deal between cholesterol lowering drugs (i.e. statins) this news is no surprise.

Taking statin could lower your cholesterol, but it could also deplete the muscles of a vital compound called CoEnzyme Q10. The heart, which is an organ mainly composed of muscles, is of course also affected. But it does make me wonder why the researchers didn't speculate on this. Supplementing patients with CoEnzyme Q10 should have been a recommendation for future study. Instead, based on the last paragraph I quoted above, no explanation was given on why the heart muscle deteriorate.

It could have been due to degeneration of heart tissue that resulted from heart failure. But I feel that it's more likely because of the depletion of CoEnzyme Q10.

On the other hand, it could save patients money if doctors realize the uselessness of the drug. But doubt this will happen anytime soon. Not with the highly effective Big Pharma propaganda machines (med reps and advertisements) still rolling.