Garlic and Onions

Garlic and onions could help protect against stomach cancer, says a massive European-based study. The study, part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), followed 521,457 subjects in 10 European countries with an average age of 52. It is said to be the largest cohort study on fruit and vegetable intake and the incidence of stomach (gastric) cancer in Western countries and the first to look at adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus. After an average of 6.5 years of follow-up, 400 cases of gastric cancer and 188 cases of oesophagus cancer had been reported. While total vegetable intake was not associated with a decreased risk of gastric cancer, the researchers report that an increase in the intake of onions and garlic of 10 grams per day was associated with a 30 percent reduction in the risk of intestinal gastric cancer.

This is not the first time that onions have been linked to reduction in the risk of certain cancers. US researchers reported that onion extracts could inhibit the growth of liver and colon cancers in vitro. A large-scale epidemiological Iowa Women's Health Study looked at the garlic consumption in 41,000 middle-aged women. Results showed that women who regularly consumed garlic had 35% lower risk of developing colon cancer.


To Your Health!

John Hall NSCA-CPT

Raspberries

Raspberries are a delicious fruit, and according to the latest research, a very healthy fruit as well. Research published in the May 2005 issue of the journal Biofactors shows that Raspberries are loaded with powerful phytonutrients and antioxidants that can support your immune system and help your body to ward off disease.

The antioxidants in Raspberries include ellagic acid which protects your cells from becoming damaged. Other nutrients in Raspberries include quercetin, kaempferol, and the cyanidin-based molecules called cyanidin-3-glucosylrutinoside and cyanidin-3-rutinoside. These flavonoid molecules are also classified as anthocyanins, and they belong to the group of substances that give raspberries their rich red color.

The anthocyanins in Raspberries are very powerful antioxidants that have antimicrobial properties as well, including the ability to prevent overgrowth of certain bacteria and fungi in the body such as Candida. The biggest contribution to raspberries' antioxidant capacity is their ellagitannins, a family of compounds almost exclusive to the raspberry, which are reported to have anti-cancer activity.

In addition to their abundant phytonutrient and antioxidant content, raspberries are a rich source of manganese and vitamin C that help protect the body's tissue from oxygen-related damage. They are also a good source of important nutrients such as riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, potassium, B vitamins and copper.

To Your Health!

John Hall NSCA-CPT

Raw Power!

Some vegetables contain chemicals that appear to enhance DNA repair in cells, which could lead to protection against cancer development, say Georgetown University Medical Center researchers. In a study published in the "British Journal of Cancer" and by the journal "Nature" the researchers show that in laboratory tests, a compound called indole-3-carinol (I3C), found in broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, and a chemical called genistein, found in soy beans, can increase the levels of two specific proteins that repair damaged DNA.

This study is one of the first to provide a molecular explanation as to how eating vegetables could cut the risk of developing cancer, an association that some population studies have found, says the study's senior author, Eliot M. Rosen, MD, PhD, professor of oncology, cell biology, and radiation medicine at Georgetown 's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center . "It is now clear that the function of crucial cancer genes can be influenced by compounds in the things we eat," Rosen says.

"Our findings suggest a clear molecular process that would explain the connection between diet and cancer prevention." In this study, Rosen exposed breast and prostate cancer cells to increasing doses of I3C and genistein, and found that these chemicals boosted production of the repair proteins BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Since decreased amounts of the BRCA proteins are seen in cancer cells, higher levels might prevent cancer from developing, Rosen speculates, adding that the ability of I3C and genistein to increase production of BRCA proteins could explain their protective effects. The study was funded by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the National Cancer Institute and co-authors include Drs. Saijun Fan, MD, PhD, Qinghui Meng , MS , Karen Auborn, PhD, and Timothy Carter, PhD.

For many decades, science has been focused on understanding the mechanisms of disease so that drugs could be developed. But the closer they look at disease, the more they discover about the powerful and protective nature of whole foods. Have you had your veggies today?

To Your Health!

John Hall NSCA-CPT

Teens Eat More – Weigh Less

Research from the University Of Minnesota School Of Public Health shows that teenagers who eat breakfast on a regular basis tend to weigh less, exercise more, and eat a healthier diet than teens that usually skip breakfast. The research is published in the March, 2008, issue of the medical journal Pediatrics .

The study followed 2,216 adolescents and their lifestyle habits for five years beginning at age 14. The researchers were surprised to discover that the more regularly the teens ate breakfast, the lower their body mass index was. Body mass index, or BMI, is a ratio of height and weight. Those who always skipped breakfast on average had a higher BMI.

According to previous research, 12 to 34 percent of children and teens age 6 to 19 regularly skip breakfast and we also know that 25% of 6 to 19 year old are overweight or obese. The researchers also warned about rates of obesity, which have doubled in children and nearly tripled in adolescents over the past two decades, according to a 2007 report by the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office. Obesity has been clearly linked to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, asthma and diabetes.

To Your Health!

John Hall NSCA-CPT

Corn

Corn is a wonderful whole grain food that is a good source of vitamin B1, Vitamin B5, folate, fiber, vitamin C, Phosphorous, Manganese and a nutrient called beta-cryptoxanthin.

In addition to preventing birth defects, Folate can also help to lower your risk of heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease. It has been estimated that consumption of 100% of the daily value of folate would, by itself, reduce the number of heart attacks suffered by Americans each year by 10%. Folate-rich diets are also associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer.

Consuming foods rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, an orange-red carotenoid found in high amounts in corn, may significantly lower one's risk of developing lung cancer. A study published in the September, 2003 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention reviewed dietary and lifestyle data collected from over 63,000 adults in Shanghai, China, who were followed for 8 years. Those eating the most crytpoxanthin-rich foods showed a 27% reduction in lung cancer risk. When current smokers were evaluated, those who were also in the group consuming the most cryptoxanthin-rich foods were found to have a 37% lower risk of lung cancer compared to smokers who ate the least of these health-protective foods.

Corn is also a good source of Thiamin which is a nutrient essential to good brain cell health and mental function. The brain uses Thiamin to make a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine which is essential for good memory. In addition, maintaining healthy acetylcholine levels may help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Research reported at the 2004 American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) International Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer, by Rui Hai Liu, M.D., Ph.D., and his colleagues at Cornell University shows that whole grains, such as corn, contain many powerful phytonutrients whose activity has gone unrecognized because common research methods have overlooked them. Dr. Liu’s team measured the antioxidant activity of various foods, assigning each a rating based on a formula. Broccoli measured 80, Spinach 81, Apples 98, Bananas 65, but Corn topped them all measuring a whopping 181!

To Your Health!

John Hall NSCA-CPT

An Apple A Day

“An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away” - Is it just nursery rhyme? Scientific research shows that this old nursery rhyme is more fact than fiction.

WHOLE-BODY HEALTH BENEFITS OF APPLES
The disease-fighting profile of apples provides a multitude of health benefits, including a potential decreased risk of cancer and heart disease. Several recent studies suggest apples may provide a "whole-body" health benefit which include Lower blood cholesterol, improved bowel function, reduced risk of stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma.

A number of components in apples, most notably fiber and phytonutrients have been found in studies to lower blood cholesterol and improve bowel function, and may be associated with a reduced risk of ischemic heart disease, stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma. Preliminary research from Finland indicates diets with the highest intake of apple phytonutrients were associated with a 46 percent reduction in the incidence of lung cancer. Findings indicate that two apples a day or 12 ounces of 100% apple juice reduced the damaging effects of the “bad” LDL cholesterol. (Interpoma 2002 Conference, Bolzano , Italy / Dianne Hyson, Ph.D., M.S., R.D., University of California-Davis )

CANCER PREVENTION
Over the past four years, apple consumption has been linked with reduced cancer risk in several studies. A 2001 Mayo Clinic study indicated that quercetin, a flavonoid abundant in apples, helps prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells. A Cornell University study indicated phytochemicals in the skin of an apple inhibited the reproduction of colon cancer cells by 43 percent. The National Cancer Institute has reported that foods containing flavonoids like those found in apples may reduce the risk of lung cancer by as much as 50 percent. (Carcinogenesis March, 2001 / Nature June, 2000 /Journal of the National Cancer Institute January, 2000)

HEALTHY LUNGS
Two recent British studies indicated that eating apples can improve lung health. A study of Welsh men indicated that people who ate at least five apples per week experience better lung function. Researchers at the University of Nottingham reported that those who ate five apples per week also had a lower risk for respiratory disease. In the Netherlands at the University of Groningen , apples were singled out as a fruit that could cut smokers’ risk of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in half. Scientists believe antioxidants found in apples may ward off disease by countering oxygen’s damaging effects on the body. (American Thoracic Society Meeting May, 2001 - Thorax January, 2000)

HEART DISEASE & STROKE PREVENTION
A Finnish study published in 1996 showed that people who eat a diet rich in flavonoids have a lower incidence of heart disease. Other studies indicate that flavonoids may help prevent strokes. (The British Medical Journal 1996)

WEIGHT LOSS
Apples are a delicious source of dietary fiber, and dietary fiber helps aid digestion and promotes weight loss. A medium apple contains about five grams of fiber, more than most cereals. Also, apples contain almost zero fat and cholesterol, so they are a delicious snack and dessert food that’s good for you.

UC-DAVIS: APPLES ARE HEART-HEALTHY
Researchers at the University of California-Davis recently reported that apples and apple juice may help protect arteries from harmful plaque build-up. In the first study conducted in humans, adults who added two apples, or 12 ounces of 100% apple juice, to their daily diet demonstrated a significant slowing of the cholesterol oxidation process that leads to plaque build-up - thereby giving the body more time to rid itself of cholesterol before it can cause harm.

To Your Health!

John Hall NSCA-CPT

Sunny Facts

A study by researchers at the University of California found that solar ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation can significantly reduce the risk of 16 different types of cancer by naturally stimulating the production of vitamin D in the skin. The study's authors are Cedric F. Garland, Dr.P.H., from the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of California, San Diego, and William B. Grant, Ph.D., director of the Sunlight, Nutrition and Health Research Center (SUNARC).

"Enhancing vitamin D status appears to be the single most important simple thing people can do to reduce their risk of cancer, apart from avoiding tobacco and moderation in the intake of alcohol," say Cedric Garland and William Grant.

It has been frequently reported that those who work outdoors have a reduced risk of developing melanoma [Garland et al., 1990; Kennedy et al., 2004]. The reasons appear to be twofold:

* They develop a tan that blocks the penetration of ultraviolet radiation so it can't produce the free radicals that can lead to melanoma.

* They produce lots of vitamin D

The researchers recommend that people get their vitamin D from exposure to natural sunlight. Fair-skinned people who live in sunny regions of the country can prod uce about 1,500 IU of vitamin D in 20 minutes of exposure at noon if only 10 to 20 percent of their body is exposed -- such as chest, back and arms. People should try to expose more of their skin surface for a shorter amount of time, rather than stay in the sun longer with minimal skin exposure, the study says. Darker-skinned people may need up to four times as long to make the same amount of vitamin D as fair-skinned people.

The study recommends wearing hats to avoid prolonged sun exposure on more sensitive parts of the body, such as the face, and to keep moving when in the sun. Garland and Grant caution fair-skinned people to avoid over-exposure, since the skin produces sufficient vitamin D in just 20 minutes a day.

To Your Health!

John Hall NSCA-CPT