- - European weblog on food, health and environment
The 21st century - time to wake
up….
Cancer to be the leading cause of death in
2010 through deadly cocktail of toxins ? We destroy our lungs with cigarettes, feed our
kids fast sugars. trans fats, salt, artificial flavors and colors, chemical sugars,
vaccines, etc. Then we wonder how it is that an increasing percentage of the population
develops chronic diseases such as asthma, allergies, diabetes, cancer, food intolerances,
skin problems and bowel problems. Mercury in fish and thermometers poses a problem for
most, but in tooth fillings or flu shots it doesn't seem to be a problem. Where's the
logic in that? We have the same ambivalence about antibiotics, the 'wonder drug' for
bacterial infections but also the great killer of your intestinal flora. Never mind that
friendly gut bacteria play a crucial role in maintaining long-term health. According to
ancient Chinese wisdom death resides in the bowels.
Blood clotting protein linked to
rheumatoid arthritis
Researchers at Cincinnati Children's have
issued the first study showing that a protein involved in blood clotting (fibrin), also
plays an important role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. Inflammatory joint
disease appears to be driven by the engagement of inflammatory cells with fibrin matrices
through a specific integrin receptor, aMD2. Researchers suggest that therapies designed to
interrupt the localized interaction of inflammatory cells and fibrin may help arthritis
patients.
Type 2 Diabetes Can Be Predicted in
Childhood, According to New Cincinnati Children's Study
New data from a study now in its 34th year
shows that the development of type 2 diabetes in adults can be predicted in childhood.
The Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center study, which has followed a group of
children and adults since 1973, demonstrates that metabolic syndrome in childhood is
strongly associated with type 2 diabetes in adulthood, particularly for African-American
men and women. Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of any three of the following
factors: high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high body mass, high blood glucose and
low HDL cholesterol – often referred to as "good" cholesterol.
Long-term pharmacotherapy for
obesity and overweight - updated meta-analysis
The study, which looked at the long-term
effectiveness of anti-obesity medications, found that three drugs recommended for
long-term use -- orlistat, sibutramine and rimonabant -- reduced weight by less than 5 kg
(11 pounds). This equated to a loss of less than 5 percent of total body weight.
Guidelines from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommend stopping the use
of anti-obesity drugs if 5 percent of total body weight is not lost after three months.
CT colonography detects wide-range
of extracolonic abnormalities in elderly patients
CT colonography, when used in elderly
patients, can detect a high number of new and significant abnormalities outside the colon
(including cirrhosis and tumors) and is well tolerated, according to a recent study
conducted by researchers at St. James' University Hospital in Leeds, United Kingdom.
French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis SA is
facing renewed challenges on its obesity drug Acomplia following the release Friday of two
negative studies and the recent launch of a lawsuit against the company in the U.S. for
allegedly making misleading statements about the drug.
Pipex test confirms copper
involvement in Alzheimer's disease
Pipex Pharmaceuticals has announced
positive clinical results of Alzheimer's disease test that used FreeBound, Pipex's
proprietary pharmacodiagnostic device for measurement of serum free and total copper. The
test demonstrated the significance of copper in Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers Reverse Key Symptom of
Muscular Dystrophy
Researchers at the University of Rochester
Medical Center (URMC) have identified a compound that eliminates myotonia – a symptom
of muscular dystrophy – in mice. The study was published today online in the Journal
of Clinical Investigation. Rochester scientists were able to design a synthetic RNA-based
molecule that, when injected into mice with myotonic dystrophy, restored a critical
cellular mechanism, or pathway, that controls electrical activity in muscles. In people
with the disease, this function is essentially disabled and muscle cells cannot relax
properly. The researchers found that once this pathway was re-established normal muscle
function returned.
Link Between Wireless Technology
and Autism Unveiled in New Scientific Report
A groundbreaking scientific study published
this week in the peer-reviewed Australasian Journal of Clinical Environmental Medicine
warns that wireless communication technology may be responsible for accelerating the rise
in autism among the world’s children. (J.Aust.Coll.Nutr.& Env.Med, 2007; Vol.26,
No.2 pages 3 – 7; report attached.)
Video - Sugar
- Organic or Not, It is Still Sugar!
Worldwide atmospheric measurements
will determine the role of atmospheric fine particles
The purpose of EUCAARI reserch project is
to significantly improve current knowledge of the impact of fine particles in the
atmosphere on climate and air quality. The first year of the project was dedicated to
developing state-of-the-art aerosol measuring equipment, establishing a global network of
measuring stations, and planning. The measuring period, beginning next spring, will
collect data on European air through both ground-based and airborne measurements
simultaneously.
Video - Why
The News Media Lies - And How We Can Stop It
Biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease
can be trusted in clinical trials
The best-established biomarkers for
Alzheimer's disease have a low natural variation over two years. The results speak for the
inclusion of these biomarkers in clinical trials of novel drugs against Alzheimer's
disease.
Study links asthma and
post-traumatic stress disorder
For the first time, a study has linked
asthma with post-traumatic stress disorder among adults in the community. The study of
male twins who were veterans of the Vietnam era suggests that the association between
asthma and PTSD is not primarily explained by common genetic influences.
In 2006, Italy got illicit funding from the
European Union, then it swindled it for 318,104,000 euro with 1,221 cases denounced. In a
single year it has improved its performance by 90 million euro. We are the top in Europe.
First in football. First in fraud. Italy is fraudulent with agricultural funding. It is
fraudulent with structural funds for the development of areas that are getting left
behind.
Global view shows link between
endometrial cancer and vitamin D status
Using newly available data on worldwide
cancer incidence, researchers at the Moores Cancer Center at University of California, San
Diego have shown a clear association between deficiency in exposure to sunlight,
specifically ultraviolet B, and endometrial cancer.
UCSD Researchers Discover
Inflammation, Not Obesity, Cause of Insulin Resistance
Researchers at the University of
California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have discovered that inflammation provoked
by immune cells called macrophages leads to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. Their
discovery may pave the way to novel drug development to fight the epidemic of Type 2
diabetes associated with obesity, the most prevalent metabolic disease worldwide.
Low doses of freeze-dried grape powder
inhibit genes linked to the development of sporadic colorectal cancer, University of
California, Irvine, cancer researchers found.
Effects of social isolation traced
to brain hormone
The anxiety and aggression that result from
social isolation have been traced to altered levels of an enzyme that controls production
of a brain hormone, according to a mouse study reported online in the Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences.
Hormone links sleep, hunger and
metabolism, researchers find
While investigating how the hormone orexin
might control sleep and hunger, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have
discovered, to their surprise, that it activates a protein, HIF-1, long known to stimulate
cancerous tumor growth.
Scientific evidence of the
significant anti-cancer effect of milk thistle
A research team led by Dr. Ke-Qin Hu at the
University of California, Irvine, demonstrated the significant anti-cancer effects of milk
thistle. They found that the major biologically active compound of this plant, silibinin,
could suppress the growth of cancerous liver cells. These scientists further studied the
mechanisms of the anti-cancer effects of silibinin.
Experts Report Progress in Food
Allergy Prevention and Diet
Dr. Wood has the following recommendations
for children at high risk of allergic diseases - avoidance of peanut and tree nuts in
pregnancy and while breast feeding, supplement breast feeding with a hypoallergenic
formula (extensively or partially hydrolyzed), delay solid foods until age six months,
delay introduction of milk and egg until age 1 and peanut and tree nuts until age 3, early
intervention when signs of food allergy appear (secondary prevention).
Doctors being paid millions to
prescribe high doses of anemia drugs; "rebate" loophole is legalized bribery
Doctors in the United States are being paid
hundreds of millions of dollars a year to prescribe drugs for anemia produced by the
pharmaceutical companies Amgen Inc. and Johnson & Johnson, the New York Times reports.
These payments come in the form of substantial rebates, by which the companies cover a
significant part of the doctors' cost for purchasing those particular pills (called EPOs)
and dispensing them in their offices. Such payments are legal, and the companies insist
that they are completely proper. According to Johnson & Johnson, the rebates
"reflect intense competition," and are not intended to encourage doctors to
prescribe the drugs. But critics have charged that the rebates amount to bribery, and may
encourage doctors to prescribe EPOs at unsafe levels or when they are not really required.
Whose records? Does medical privacy
law hinder privacy?
A Journal Times editor went to the dentist,
and when she picked her medical records folder off a reception desk to look at it, the
office manager publicly and loudly rebuked her. Perhaps the manager was incensed over a
violation of procedure, or was venting anger from something else, but the editor was
confused about her rights to look at her own health records.
Following confirmation of an outbreak of
highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in a flock of turkeys at the border of Suffolk and
Norfolk in the UK, the Commission has today adopted a Decision defining the risk area and
confirming the control measures in place. The UK authorities informed the Commission of a
suspicion of the virus yesterday and, following laboratory tests on samples from the
flock, have confirmed that it is the H5N1 strain. The affected farm held 5 000 fattening
turkeys, 1180 ducks and 400 geese, although only the turkeys showed any clinical signs of
the disease.
Upon suspicion of the virus, the UK
authorities responded rapidly, immediately applying the precautionary measures laid down
in the EU Avian Influenza Control Directive and the additional measures for the H5N1
virus, including culling all of the poultry on the holding and establishing a 3km
protection zone and 10km surveillance zone around the outbreak as the area A and a further
buffer zone as area B. In the restricted zone, all domestic birds must be kept indoors,
and all gatherings of poultry and other captive birds are prohibited in England. Poultry
cannot be moved (except directly to the slaughterhouse) and meat cannot be dispatched from
the zone unless very stringent conditions are met.
On-farm biosecurity measures must be
strengthened and the authorities are ensuring that all poultry owners are fully aware of
the procedures to stop the spread of the virus. Investigation into the possible source of
the outbreak is ongoing, and the disease situation will be reviewed at the Standing
Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health on 20 November.
Nicotine addiction slashed in test
of new cigarette smoking strategy
Scientists are reporting the first
successful strategy to reduce smokerS' nicotine dependence while allowing them to continue
smoking. The study provides strong support for proposals now being considered in Congress
to authorize FDA regulation of cigarette smoking, according to the research team.
Cellular response to stress signals
predicts future tumor formation in women diagnosed with common type of pre-breast cancer
A specific biological response to cellular
stress may predict the likelihood of future tumor formation of the most common,
non-invasive form of pre-malignant breast cancer-- ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS.
Glucose Restriction Extends
Caenorhabditis elegans Life Span by Inducing Mitochondrial Respiration and Increasing
Oxidative Stress
Accordingly, treatment of nematodes with
different antioxidants and vitamins prevents extension of life span. In summary, these
data indicate that glucose restriction promotes mitochondrial metabolism, causing
increased ROS formation and cumulating in hormetic extension of life span, questioning
current treatments of type 2 diabetes as well as the widespread use of antioxidant
supplements.
Citrus juice, vitamin C give
staying power to green tea antioxidants
To get more out of your next cup of tea,
just add juice. A Purdue University 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.
Cranberry sauce is not the star of the
traditional Thanksgiving Day meal, but when it comes to health benefits, the lowly
condiment takes center stage. In fact, researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute have
found that compounds in cranberries are able to alter E. coli bacteria, which are
responsible for a host of human illnesses, in ways that render them unable to initiate an
infection.
M. D. Anderson researchers identify
tumor-suppressor gene for lung cancer
The GPRC5A gene, which is under-expressed
in human lung cancer cells, suppresses lung tumors in mouse models and could provide a key
to attacking lung cancer in humans, researchers at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson
Cancer Center report in the Nov. 21 edition of the Journal of the National Cancer
Institute.
63 percent of diabetics risk
serious foot problems by wearing the wrong-sized shoes
Diabetics are risking foot amputation,
impaired quality of life and even elevated death rates by wearing the wrong-sized shoes,
according to research just published.
Practicing Zen Meditation In
Psychotherapists. Controlled Study Suggest It Matters
An investigation by German researchers
headed by Professor Nickel which was published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and
Psychosomatics indicates the practicing Zen meditation by psychotherapists matters. All
therapists direct their attention in some manner during psychotherapy. A special form of
directing attention, 'mindfulness', is recommended. This study aimed to examine whether,
and to what extent, promoting mindfulness in psychotherapists in training (PiT) influences
the treatment results of their patients. The therapeutic course and treatment results of
124 inpatients, who were treated for 9 weeks by 18 PiTs, were compared. The PiTs were
randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: (i) those practicing Zen meditation (MED; n = 9 or
(ii) control group, which did not perform meditation (noMED; n = 9). The results of
treatment (according to the intent-to-treat principle) were examined using the Session
Questionnaire for General and Differen-tial Individual Psychotherapy (STEP), the
Questionnaire of Changes in Experience and Behavior (VEV) and the Symptom Checklist
(SCL-90-R).Compared to the noMED group (n = 61), the patients of PiTs from the MED group
(n = 63) had significantly higher evaluations (according to the intent-to-treat principle)
for individual therapy on 2 STEP scales, clarification and problem-solving perspectives.
Their evaluations were also significantly higher for the entire therapeutic result on the
VEV. Furthermore, the MED group showed greater symptom reduction than the noMED group on
the Global Severity Index and 8 SCL-90-R scales, including Somatization, Insecurity in
Social Contact, Obsessiveness, Anxiety, Anger/Hostility, Phobic Anxiety, Paranoid Thinking
and Psychoticism. This study indicates that promoting mindfulness in PiTs could positively
influence the therapeutic course and treatment results in their patients.
Dubai World Trade Centre and Jumeirah Group
Join together as Part of Global Fight Against Diabetes
Burj Al Arab - one of the most recognisable
landmarks on the UAE's skyline - will light up in blue to mark the first United Nations
World Diabetes Day on Wednesday. The iconic hotel will join over 160 of the world's most
famous sites in lighting up in the blue colour of the diabetes circle, the global symbol
for diabetes. Jumeirah Group and Dubai World Trade Centre are working together as part of
the global fight against this major public health menace. The light-up ceremony sees Dubai
join a community of nations publicly marking World Diabetes Day. The Sydney Opera House,
one of the world's most famous landmarks, was one of the first buildings to join the World
Diabetes Day campaign and agree to light up in blue.
Since then the campaign has been joined by
a host of global landmarks, including the Sears Tower, Tokyo Tower, Niagara Falls, the
Aleppo Citadel in Syria, the Obelisk in Buenos Aires, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the
building currently considered the world's tallest: the Taipei 101 Tower in Taiwan.
"As an icon of Dubai, the illumination of Burj Al Arab will provide a highly visible
landmark for World Diabetes Day, helping to highlight the increasingly prevalent issue of
this medical condition. We are delighted to lend our support to such a worthwhile cause
which will increase awareness of diabetes in the UAE and around the globe," said Luc
Delafosse, General Manger, Burj Al Arab. It will be followed on November 17th with a
walkathon and family entertainment day, set to take place at Safa Park in Dubai, under the
patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of
Finance and Industry UAE, and endorsed by His Excellency Mr. Qadai Al Murooshid, Head of
Department of Health & Medical Services (DOHMS), in association with the Emirates
Diabetes Society.
The UN-recognition of World Diabetes Day
follows the passage of Resolution 61/225 in December 2006. The resolution was the first
milestone of an ambitious campaign led by the International Diabetes Federation to raise
awareness of diabetes and its serious complications. Dr. Abdulrazzaq Ali Al Madani,
Director, Dubai Hospital, said: "This campaign is of enormous public importance,
given the scale of the challenge we face in managing diabetes in the UAE. Diabetes is a
serious disease, which requires a unified response from doctors, organisations and the
general public." The World Diabetes Day Resolution recognizes diabetes as a chronic,
debilitating and costly disease that poses severe risks for families, countries and the
entire world. The UN has thrown its support behind World Diabetes Day and encourages
countries to act now to reverse the diabetes epidemic. Today, 246 million people live with
diabetes globally and if nothing is done, this figure will reach 380 million within 20
years. According to the Global Prevalence of Diabetes report from the World Health
Organization, the UAE currently has the world's third highest per capita rate of diabetes
in the adult population.
Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General,
Dubai World Trade Centre, said: "We are proud to be part of this global campaign,
which aims to tackle one of the most serious health issues of our time. Dubai World Trade
Centre firmly supports all efforts to help the community to reduce the burden of this
disease." Dubai has successfully will host the 21st World Diabetes Congress organised
by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) for 2011. With over 12,000 delegates and
500 invited speakers set to participate, the congress will be one of the largest
international congresses ever held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and will bring many
of the world's leading experts on diabetes to the country. To mark the importance of World
Diabetes Day, individuals are encouraged to wear the diabetes pin, which incorporates the
blue circle - the global symbol for diabetes. Further details of the campaign and how
people can show their support can be found at www.worlddiabetesday.org
The walkathon and family entertainment day
will start at 10:00am at Safa Park and the day will see entertainment activities for the
whole family. An ambulance staffed with nurses, provided by DoHMS, will be at the park
providing free diabetes testing.
Researchers investigate ways to
detect lupus-associated kidney disease
High urinary levels of certain molecules
might have the potential to serve as biomarkers for a potentially life-shortening kidney
ailment caused by the autoimmune disease lupus, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers
have found.
Synthetic compound promotes death
of lung-cancer cells, tumors
Human lung-cancer tumors grown in mice have
been shown to regress or disappear when treated with a synthetic compound that mimics the
action of a naturally occurring “death-promoting” protein found in cells,
researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center report. The findings, appearing in
today’s issue of Cancer Cell, suggest that the compound might one day be used in
targeted therapies for lung and possibly other cancers, the researchers said.
A diet low in carbohydrates may help stunt
the growth of prostate tumors, according to a new study led by Duke Prostate Center
researchers. The study, in mice, suggests that a reduction in insulin production possibly
caused by fewer carbohydrates may stall tumor growth.
Clues To Wrinkles May Be Found In
Facial Bone Structure
There's a new wrinkle in the battle against
looking old: doctors have discovered it's not gravity that's pulling your skin down -- it
may be your shifting bone structure. While many thought the Earth's gravitational pull was
to blame for sagging facial features, researchers at Duke University Medical Center have
discovered changes in the face's underlying bony structure may be the culprit. And, those
changes appear to occur more dramatically in women than in men. "This paradigm shift
may have big implications for cosmetic eye and facial surgery," explains Michael
Richard, MD, an oculoplastic surgeon at the Duke Eye Center, who presented his research at
the annual meeting of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgeons in New Orleans today. "Our focus has always been on tightening and lifting
the soft tissues, skin and muscle in an attempt to cosmetically restore patients' youthful
appearance. Based on this information, it might actually be better to restore the
underlying bony framework of the face to its youthful proportions."
Jefferson scientists uncover key
pathway, potential drug targets in autoinflammatory disease
Molecular biologists at Jefferson's Kimmel
Cancer Center in Philadelphia have detailed the cascade of cellular events behind some
potentially dangerous autoinflammatory diseases. In doing so, they not only have gained a
greater understanding of the disease process, but have also identified new potential drug
targets for diseases ranging from arthritis to cancer.
Jefferson Neuroscientists Show
Anti-Inflammation Molecule Helps Fight MS-Like Disease
An immune system messenger molecule that
normally helps quiet inflammation could be an effective tool against multiple sclerosis
(MS). Neurology researchers led by Abdolmohamad Rostami, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair
of the Department of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University
and the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience in Philadelphia, have found that the protein
interkeukin-27 (IL-27) helped block the onset or reverse symptoms in animals with an
MS-like disease.
Ohio scientists develop
blue-blocking glasses to improve sleep and ADHD symptoms
Scientists at John Carroll University in
Cleveland, Ohio have developed glasses, nightlights and light bulbs designed to block blue
light, therefore altering a person's circadian rhythm, which leads to improvement in ADHD
symptoms and sleep disorders.
Scientists discover record-breaking
hydrogen storage materials for use in fuel cells
Scientists at the University of Virginia
have discovered a new class of hydrogen storage materials that could make the storage and
transportation of energy much more efficient -- and affordable -- through
higher-performing hydrogen fuel cells.
Eating your greens could prove
life-saving if a heart attack strikes
A diet rich in leafy vegetables may
minimize the tissue damage caused by heart attacks, according to researchers at the Albert
Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Their findings, published in the Nov.
12 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest that the chemical nitrite,
found in many vegetables, could be the secret ingredient in the heart-healthy
Mediterranean diet.
Study says nitrite/nitrate-rich
foods may help in heart attack survival
Nitrite/nitrate found in vegetables, cured
meats and drinking water may help you survive a heart attack and recover quicker,
according to a pre-clinical study led by a cardiovascular physiologist at the University
of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Findings appear in the Nov. 12 early online
edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Fat-cell biologist Perry Bickel
Joins UT’s fight against obesity
Bickel is particularly interested in an
intriguing relationship between elevated fat stores in muscles cells and the body’s
ability to utilize insulin, a blood-sugar regulating hormone. While elevated fat stores
can be found in the muscle cells of both endurance athletes and of people with type 2
diabetes, the athletes are sensitive to insulin and those with type 2 diabetes are
resistant to insulin. “This paradox has not been explained,” he said. “And,
I predict that we’ll find the lipid droplets within muscles of such athletes will
have different coat proteins than those that coat the lipid droplets of people with type 2
diabetes.”
Zinc, an important trace element for
healthy growth and development, can be related to pancreatic cancer. Too much ZIP4, a
molecule that enables the transport of zinc into cells, promotes the growth and spread of
pancreatic tumors cells, said a group of researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in
Houston, the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and the University of Florida
in Gainesville, in a report which appears online today in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences.
Long-term beta carotene
supplementation may help prevent cognitive decline
Men who take beta carotene supplements for
15 years or longer may have less cognitive decline, according to a report in the Nov. 12
issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Brain matures a few years late in
ADHD, but follows normal pattern
In youth with attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder, the brain matures in a normal pattern but is delayed three years
in some regions, on average, compared to youth without the disorder, MRI scans reveal. The
delay in ADHD was most prominent in regions at the front of the brain’s outer mantle
important for thinking and attention. Both groups showed a similar back-to-front wave of
brain maturation with different areas peaking in thickness at different times.
Eating fish, omega-3 oils, fruits
and veggies lowers risk of memory problems
A diet rich in fish, omega-3 oils, fruits
and vegetables may lower your risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, whereas consuming
omega-6 rich oils could increase chances of developing memory problems, according to a
study published in the Nov. 13, 2007, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the
American Academy of Neurology.
Biomarkers predict risk for
invasive breast cancer years before the tumor develops
A team of scientists from the University of
California San Francisco has identified distinct molecular markers that predict whether or
not a woman is likely to develop subsequent invasive cancer after initial diagnosis with a
noninvasive form of early breast cancer. The research, published by Cell Press in the
November issue of Cancer Cell, provides critical information that can be used to determine
whether a woman should receive more or less aggressive therapy.
A team of American scientists conducting
the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA) has found that while drugs such
as Ritalin and Concerta can work well in the short term, over a three-year period they
brought about no demonstrable improvement in children's behaviour. They also found the
drugs could stunt growth.
A new showed that most children who had a
milk allergy as infants did not outgrow the disease before entering elementary school,
according to Dr. Robert Wood, chief of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at the Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Wood, one of the study's
authors, said that finding was contrary to previous research.
Thermography - A Safer Option for
Breast Cancer Detection
The occurrence of breast cancer has
dramatically increased in the past 50 years and the medical establishment encourages the
use of annual mammogram screenings as a woman’s best option for early detection. In
fact, for more than 30 years it’s been the unquestioned, standard screening device
used by the medical community. While mammography may be useful in certain situations, it
has many disturbing drawbacks.
In a study published in the journal Science
in 2004, researchers discovered that farm-raised salmon had more dioxins and other
chemicals like PCBs—polychlorinated biphenyls, which the Department of Health and
Human Services has determined are carcinogens—than in wild salmon. Not just more, but
11 times more! Another study published in a 2005 edition of the journal Nutrition found
similar results, theirs showing PCBs were ten times higher in farm-raised salmon than in
wild salmon.
Analysis of the sun’s varying activity
in the last two millennia indicates that contrary to the IPCC’s speculation about
man-made global warming as high as 5.8° C within the next hundred years, a long period of
cool climate with its coldest phase around 2030 is to be expected. It is shown that minima
in the 80 to 90-year Gleissberg cycle of solar activity, coinciding with periods of cool
climate on Earth, are consistently linked to an 83-year cycle in the change of the rotary
force driving the sun’s oscillatory motion about the centre of mass of the solar
system. As the future course of this cycle and its amplitudes can be computed, it can be
seen that the Gleissberg minimum around 2030 and another one around 2200 will be of the
Maunder minimum type accompanied by severe cooling on Earth. This forecast should prove
skillful as other long-range forecasts of climate phenomena, based on cycles in the
sun’s orbital motion, have turned out correct as for instance the prediction of the
last three El Niños years before the respective event.
Video - Nutrient Density is the Key
to Good health
Child Safety Report Cards: A review
of performance in 18 countries
The results of a major European project on
child safety will be released at a press conference in the European Parliament on Tuesday,
20 November, the International Day of the Child. Child Safety Report Cards score the
performance of participating European countries on their adoption implementation and
enforcement of policies related to child and adolescent safety and quantify how many
deaths could potentially be avoided.
Arlene McCarthy, MEP, Chair of the Internal
Market and Consumer Protection Committee, will host the November 20 event when she will
initiate a discussion on how leadership by the EU could improve the implementation of
"good practice" measures. Although child deaths from accidents have been falling
over the past 20-30 years, they are still the number one killer of children in every
country of the European Union.
The Child Safety Report Cards are part of
the Child Safety Action Plan initiative led by the European Child Safety Alliance of
EuroSafe in partnership with the European Commission, the Health & Environment
Alliance (HEAL), UNICEF Innocenti Centre, the Universities of Keele and the West of
England, the World Health Organization (WHO) and partner organisations in 18 countries.
Effects of a Flaxseed-Derived
Lignan Supplement in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Daily lignan supplementation resulted in
modest, yet statistically significant improvements in glycemic control in type 2 diabetic
patients without apparently affecting fasting glucose, lipid profiles and insulin
sensitivity. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and explore the
efficacy of lignans on type 2 diabetes.
Cholesterol Lowering Medication
Associated with Sleep Problems
Some patients have reported sleep pattern
disruptions after taking cholesterol lowering medications. The lead author, Beatrice
Golomb, M.D., from the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine reported
the results of their findings at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions
2007.
Video - The Store Wars - Organic
food versus chemicals and GMOs
Study Questions Statin Benefits For
Older Heart Patients
A Swedish study released this week
questions the effectiveness of statin therapy for older patients who have heart failure.
According to the study, rosuvastatin (Crestor) did not significantly improve the combined
rate of cardiovascular death and nonfatal MI in heart failure patients.
Researchers had people apply a 100-percent
tea tree oil solution on their nail twice a day for six months. This cured 18 percent of
participants and improved the appearance of the nail in 60 percent.
Breastfeeding is a way to reduce the risk
of breast cancer, even if women first become mothers at a relatively old age, according to
a new American-European meta-analysis of clinical studies disclosed at a Israel Cancer
Association (ICA) workshop.
When a person becomes stressed, the level
of the body's stress hormone (cortisol) rises. This in turn causes an increase in oil
production, which can lead to oily skin, acne and other related skin problems.
Cow milk not only stimulates sebaceous
glands and induces acne; it is also a leading cause of excessive weight gain in girls.
Androgen helps build and maintain male and female characteristics, thus, intake of
pregnant cow milk causes high weight, and teenagers are more sexually excited and girls
may develop enlarged breasts. Too large amounts of androgen may cause breast cancer,
studies show; however, further research is still needed.
Copper Damages Protein that Defends
Against Alzheimer’s
Copper can damage a molecule that escorts
out of the brain a substance called amyloid beta that builds up in toxic quantities in the
brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. The new findings demonstrate one way in
which copper might contribute to the development of the disease, though scientists say
much more research needs to be done to clarify what role, if any, copper ultimately plays.
Zinc is critical to the entire body's
immune and repair processes. The study of skin injuries has shown a skin injury site
becomes saturated with zinc within 90 minutes of the injury.
A whopping 78 per cent of Canadians between
the ages of 35 and 65 years are concerned about the impact chronic disease could have on
the quality of their life and how it might compromise their future.
Medical Journal backs call for
trans-fat labelling
Green Party Health Spokesperson Sue Kedgley
is urging the Government to rethink its policies on trans-fatty acids, in the wake of the
New Zealand Medical Journal today highlighting the dangers of trans-fatty acids and
recommending labelling regulations.
Scientists Complete Genome Sequence
of Fungus Responsible for Dandruff, Skin Disorders
Today, scientists from P&G Beauty
announced that they successfully sequenced the complete genome for Malassezia globosa (M.
globosa), a naturally occurring fungus responsible for the onset of dandruff and other
skin conditions in humans.
Eating just a few meals loaded with fat --
think holiday food -- could be enough to throw off the body's internal clock, starting a
vicious cycle that could lead to obesity and diabetes
Research has demonstrated that diets rich
in soluble fibre (pectins from fruit, and hemicellulose from fruit, oats, legumes and
psyllium) are capable of lowering raised blood cholesterol levels.
Women taking the birth control pill have a
slightly higher risk of cervical cancer, but that risk disappears a decade after they stop
taking it, scientists say.
Studies reveal that some of these
heart medications aren't perfect
European researchers found that the statin
Crestor did not reduce deaths in older patients with systolic heart failure. The drug did,
however, reduce hospitalizations from cardiovascular causes.
The Sudden Switch From Sucrose To
Fructose Made Us Fat And Sick
Prior to switch from sucrose to fructose in
the 1970s, the average American consumed about 1/2 pound of fructose, mostly in the form
of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), annually. In 1997, wanna know how much fructose people
in the United States were eating? Hold on to your hat because this is a SHOCKER--60 POUNDS
A YEAR!!!
Scientists at Rice University and the M.D.
Anderson Cancer Center in Houston are injecting carbon nanotubes into tumors, then hitting
the tumors with radio waves.
Virus-Related Muscle Damage Tied to
Chronic Fatigue
Chronic fatigue syndrome seems to occur
sometimes after a virus infection. Now, researchers have shown that some patients with the
syndrome have evidence of virus in their muscles, and this in turn is linked to abnormal
muscle function.
Generations of studies on vitamin E may be
largely meaningless, scientists say, because new research has demonstrated that the levels
of this micronutrient necessary to reduce oxidative stress are far higher than those that
have been commonly used in clinical trials.
A preventative medicine team led by Prof.
Choi Jae-wook of Korea University surveyed 177 brain cancer patients admitted to the
hospital in 2005. In 137 or 77.4 percent of the patients the cancer was located near the
spot where the patient held their mobile phone.
After about five years of research, Thomas
and Newell, 33, determined that the flavor component of garlic is the key ingredient in
preventing breast cancer. Thomas said studies also have shown that garlic inhibits
carcinogens related to colon cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Omega-3 Lowers Risk of Type 1
Diabetes by 55 Percent in High Risk Group
Old-fashioned cod liver oil supplements in
infancy have already been associated with a decreased risk of type 1 diabetes among
Norwegian children, who are apparently given the omega-3-rich, albeit nauseating, tonic on
a regular basis.
Did Diet Politics Corrupt World
Cancer Research Fund Recommendations?
Antibiotics are so widely used by Americans
that scientists have begun to find the products in waterways, raising concerns about
whether the medications are reaching drinking supplies.
Analysis of breast cancer cases by
researchers at the University of Munich showed that patients with this type of cancer were
significantly more likely to have kept a dog than a cat.
UR reports findings on antibiotics
and tooth extraction
Researchers at the University of
Rochester's Eastman Dental Center have concluded that patients who take antibiotics before
having wisdom teeth extracted rather than afterward are less likely to have infections as
complications.
Research suggests mechanism for
acne drug’s link to depression
New research has found that a drug used to
treat severe forms of acne reduces the availability of the chemical serotonin, low levels
of which have been linked to aggression and clinical depression. In a study published in
the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine, scientists reveal a potential mechanism
that might link the drug Roaccutane (Accutane in the US) to reported cases of depression
in some patients taking the medication. The researchers had previously reported that the
drug caused depressive behaviour in mice but, until now, the mechanism by which this might
happen was unknown.
Research suggests targeted
treatment strategies for lupus
New research provides clues about the
causes of lupus symptoms and suggests specific new targeted treatment strategies,
according to Nilamadham Mishra, MD, from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, in
presentations this week at the American College of Rheumatology in Boston.
Too much sugar turns off gene that
controls the effects of sex steroids
Eating too much fructose and glucose can
turn off the gene that regulates the levels of active testosterone and estrogen in the
body, shows a new study in mice and human cell cultures that's published this month in the
Journal of Clinical Investigation. This discovery reinforces public health advice to eat
complex carbohydrates and avoid sugar.
Chronic kidney disease rises while
most people with the condition remain unaware
A growing number of Americans have chronic
kidney disease, but most remain unaware of it, hampering efforts to prevent irreversible
kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant, according to a study funded by the
National Institutes of Health and published Nov. 7 in the Journal of the American Medical
Association.
As levels of binge drinking in the UK rise,
doctors in this week's BMJ report three cases of bladder rupture in women who attended
hospital with lower abdominal pain.
Interferon does not slow or stop
hepatitis C from worsening, study finds
Interferon does not slow or halt the
progression of chronic hepatitis C and advanced liver disease in patients who haven't
responded to previous attempts to eradicate the disease, a national study has found.
Patients who were treated with interferon did experience a significant decrease in viral
levels and liver inflammation, but the trial unequivocally demonstrated that treatment
with interferon does not prevent the worsening of liver disease in patients who've failed
prior treatments.
Researchers' discovery may lead to
hypertension treatment
Researchers at Cornell University and the
Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research have identified a hormone from human urine
that opens the door to developing novel medications to control sodium levels and treat
hypertension.
Low Dose of Serotonin-Acting
Chemical Improves Blood Sugar Tolerance
An appetite-suppressing chemical also
improves glucose tolerance and lowers insulin levels in obese and diabetic mice,
researchers report in the November issue of Cell Metabolism, a publication of Cell Press.
Importantly, the researchers found, those effects of the drug occurred at a low dose that
had no influence on feeding behavior, body weight, activity level, or energy expenditure.
A new study suggests that a holistic
approach is needed in assessing the potential environmental and health effects of toxic
effluent from industry. The study is published today in the Inderscience publication the
International Journal of Environment and Pollution. Studies of industrial effluent
toxicity usually focus on a single contaminant, such as an environmental or marine
pollutant, a potential carcinogen, or a toxic heavy metal. However, according to Tatjana
Tišler of the National Institute of Chemistry, in Ljubljana, and Jana Zagorc-Koncan
of the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, toxicity tests of effluent using bacteria
generally underestimate the total toxicity.
Obesity research boosted by
watching hunger in the brain
Scientists can now measure how full or
hungry a mouse feels, thanks to a new technique which uses imaging to reveal how neurons
behave in the part of the brain which regulates appetite.
Researchers hope the technique, which uses magnetic resonance imaging, will enable a far
greater understanding of why certain people become obese when others do not, and why
different people have different appetites. The new study, led by researchers from Imperial
College London, is described in a paper published today in the Journal of Neuroscience. It
had previously been very difficult to measure satiety, which is the psychological feeling
of being full and satisfied rather than physical fullness. To judge satiety scientists
have relied on asking volunteers in trials how full they feel, or watching how much
food is eaten, rather than using more objective measures.
Does soy prevent breast cancer or increase
the risk? The debate heats up this month as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
“It's a myth that soy prevents breast cancer,” says Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD,
author of The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food.
“Numerous studies show that soy can cause, contribute to or even accelerate the
growth of cancer.”
Choose Your Lipstick Wisely - Lead
Contamination Widespread
Have you ever thought about what’s in
that pretty red stuff you’re putting on your lips? Could it be collagen, beeswax,
strawberries, or lead perhaps? Reports about lipstick containing lead are flooding
the media, since the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics conducted a study of 33 lipsticks from
store shelves among four U.S. cities and found that over 61% contained lead. Tests
revealed levels ranging from 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million. The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) limits lead levels in candy to be less than 0.1 ppm, but does not
regulate the level of lead in lipstick.
Caveman diet found to be the best
choice to control diabetes
If you watch television, you’re a
modern homo sapiens, with at least one sedentary habit. Despite its unhealthy drawbacks,
T.V. can be very informative, especially when keeping abreast of pop-culture. The phrase,
“It’s so simple a caveman can do it,” is one such example. If you pay
attention to this advertisement, you’ll also know how the caveman feels about being
labeled a simpleton. Now, in the first controlled study of a Paleolithic (stone age) diet
in humans, Lund University, Sweden, heralds the simple diet of the caveman as the
“best choice to control diabetes 2”.
Cold medicine scam finally exposed
after decades of harming children
Another example of outright quackery by
pharmaceutical companies has finally gathered enough steam to achieve mainstream news
coverage: Cold medicines are useless, say pediatricians
Age Gracefully With Healthy Vision
– Limit Your Refined Carbs
Who doesn’t want to age gracefully? As
the first wave of Baby Boomers reached 60 years old in 2006, and as the rest of the 76
million get older, age related problems are being dissected in order to turn back the
hands of time. An article in Science Daily reports a great way to prevent a problematic
age related medical issue - macular degeneration. Men and women over 55 have an increased
risk of early and late stage macular degeneration if they eat a diet full of high glycemic
index foods.
Diesel pollution clogs arteries,
raises risk of heart disease
Diesel fumes interact with fatty acids
found in LDL ("bad") cholesterol to raise the risk of heart disease, according
to a study published in the online journal "Genome Biology."
On their own, both diesel fumes and certain fatty acids contained in LDL cholesterol
create free radicals in the body. These free radicals damage cells and tissue, leading to
the inflammation that can cause cardiovascular disease.
A New Understanding Of The Effect
Of Vitamin C On Cancer Cells
More than thirty years ago Linus Pauling
and coworkers pioneered the therapeutic use of high doses of vitamin C (ascorbate) on
terminal cancer patients, with promising results. Attempts by mainstream medicine to
confirm Pauling’s results failed, largely because patients were given vitamin C
orally, whereas Pauling’s group had gone the intravenous route. Intravenous
administration achieves ascorbate concentrations that are orders of magnitude higher.
Millions of Americans suffer from some
degree of energy-depleting thyroid problem. You may be one of the many whose sluggish
thyroid problem did not show up on a lab test. This is partly because thyroid lab tests do
not accurately measure the activity of thyroid hormone inside cells. Testing can catch
more flagrant problems relating to the thyroid gland itself, but it often leaves you with
a long list of hypothyroid symptoms and “normal” lab test results. Like many lab
tests, thyroid testing is mostly an indirect estimate of what is happening. They are
better than nothing, but far from perfect.
