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How
Food Helps Us Fight Cancer-(WebMD-27/07/2005)
Eating broccoli or
drinking a glass of wine may send out a biochemical battle cry to your
body, prompting it to boost its defenses against cancer-causing DNA damage,
according to a new study. Researchers say the findings may explain how
the anticancer ingredients found in certain foods and drinks can help
our bodies fight cancer. "Compounds like sulforaphane in broccoli
and resveratrol in wine have been shown to prevent cancer," states
researcher Andrew Mesecar, in a press release. Mesecar is an associate
professor of pharmaceutical biotechnology at the University of Illinois
at Chicago College of Pharmacy. "They do that by signaling our bodies
to ramp up the production of proteins capable of preventing damage to
our DNA. We now have a good idea how that signal works," says Mesecar.
Previous studies
have shown that two key proteins, Keap1 and Nrf2, are involved in stimulating
the body's anticancer defenses when disease-fighting foods are eaten.
The first protein senses the presence of anticancer compounds like reservratrol
and then reacts with the second protein, which acts as a messenger to
turn on the genes responsible for boosting production of protective proteins.
Researchers say studies in mice show that the anticancer compounds found
in food and wine work by severing the ties between the two proteins and
allowing Nrf2 to go about its business boosting the body's defenses. But
researchers say this study indicates it doesn't work the same way in humans.
Their findings, which appear in this week's early edition of the Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences, show the connection between the two
proteins is not broken in humans when anticancer compounds are consumed.
Instead, researchers say these anticancer ingredients alter the composition
of Keap1. This change spurs higher levels of the Nrf2 and results in increased
production of the protective proteins. Therefore, researchers say Keap1
may be a prime target for drug development to fight cancer. "One
way of preventing cancer may be to eat certain foods rich in cancer-preventing
compounds. An alternative is identifying how these compounds work and
replicating their modes of action with drugs," says Mesecar.
[Top]
Food & Fitness: Diets high in red and
processed meats increase cancer risk-(USA News-20/06/2005)
Before
you fire up the grill and load on the hamburgers and hot dogs, consider
this piece of news on the link between diet and cancer. In
the largest study to date about the impact of food on the development
of colorectal cancer–the nation's second-leading cancer killer–researchers
in Europe have confirmed that a diet loaded with red and processed meats
increases the risk of developing cancers of the colon and rectum by 35
percent. Likewise, a diet high in fish–a serving once a day rather than
once a week–cuts the risk by 31 percent. Eating lots of red meat and almost
no fish bumped the risk of developing these lethal cancers up to 63 percent.
Previous
studies on diet and colorectal cancer have been less definitive and smaller.
Some have found that red or processed meats, such as bacon and hot dogs,
increase colon and rectal cancers, but others have turned up no connection.
The current
study involved nearly 500,000 men and women between the ages of 25 and
70, living in a number of European countries. The participants were followed
for nearly five years, in which time 1,329 cases of colorectal cancer
were diagnosed. The association of processed meats was stronger and more
significant than that of red meat, but there was an increase in colorectal
cancer cases among people who ate the largest amounts of both types of
meat. No link between chicken or poultry and these cancers was found.
A
possibility that red and processed meats might increase the risk of colon
cancer was first reported in the 1990 Nurses Health Study by a team at
the Harvard School of Public Health. In that study of some 76,400 women,
those eating a "western" diet high in red meat and refined grains
and low in fiber showed a 46 percent greater risk of developing colon
cancer. American Cancer Society researchers reviewing data on 148,000
adults, ages 50 to 74, in the Cancer Prevention Study II found a 50 percent
increase in colorectal cancer among those who ate the most red and processed
meats for the longest number of years, though the increase was not statistically
significant. However, in this ACS study, "high" consumption
was defined as eating 3 ounces of red meat per day for men and 2 ounces
per day for women. Many Americans eat more. According to this ACS study,
a diet rich in fish and poultry was also associated with lower colon cancer
risk.
The
current report, published last week in the Journal of the National
Cancer Institute, supports the American Cancer Society's recommendation
against heavy red and processed meat consumption, in favor of a diet made
up primarily of plant, fish, and poultry protein sources. Grilled
tuna and barbecued chicken have never sounded more appetizing, have they?
[Top]
Eating
lots of fruit and vegetables and limited amounts of red meat and sugary
foods is the way to protect against cancer, say researchers.-(Yahoo News-22/01/2005)
Three separate studies in the Journal of the American
Medical Association show the benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet. As
well as protecting against bowel cancer, eating a plant-based diet is
good for the heart, say experts. Such diets offered no extra protection
against breast cancer, however. But US research released days ago showed
adding olive oil to your diet can cut the risk of developing breast cancer.
The three new studies join thousands of research papers looking at the
effect of diet on cancer risk. Dr Steve Heggie, a scientist at World Cancer
Research Fund, said: "The best advice is still as it stands to eat
lots of fruit and vegetables." He said the research showing no effect
on breast cancer was important, but that it was vital to look at all available
evidence rather than the conclusions of one study.
He said the World Cancer Research Fund was currently
compiling all the available data on diet and cancer, involving some 10-20,000
studies in total, and would publish results in 2006.
What you eat
The first of the JAMA studies, conducted by researchers
at Johns Hopkins in the US and Yonsei University in Korea, followed more
than 1.2 million people for ten years. The people with higher blood sugar
levels, regardless of whether they were diabetic or not, were at increased
risk of developing and dying from cancer. The authors believe glucose
intolerance might be one way that obesity increases cancer risk, and that
rising obesity rates might increase future cancer rates.
The second study, by Dr Ann Choa and colleagues at
the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, looked at the relationship between
meat consumption and colorectal cancer risk among nearly 150,000 people.
People who ate the highest amounts of red meat (up to about a kg per week)
in the study were 50% more likely to get colon cancer than those who ate
the least amount of red meat.
In the third study, researchers at the University
Medical Centre in Utrecht, the Netherlands, found eating fruit and vegetables
or drinking juices had no effect on breast cancer risk among more than
250,000 women. But the authors said a modest benefit could still exist
for some women.
In an accompanying editorial, Dr Walter Willett of
the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, said the benefits of a
plant-rich diet were far reaching. "Reductions in blood pressure
and epidemiological evidence for lower risks of cardiovascular disease
provide sufficient reason to consume these foods in abundance. The relation
between red meat consumption and cancer may not be conclusive, but prudence
would suggest that red meat, and processed meats in particular, should
be eaten sparingly to minimise risk. When combined with other healthful
diet and lifestyle factors, it appears that approximately 70% of colon
cancer can potentially be avoided."
Obesity
Amanda Vezey, care advisor at Diabetes UK said the
blood sugar research was interesting. "The study indicates that obesity
may increase the risk of cancer and for people with Type 2 diabetes, being
the right weight is an important part of managing their condition."
Cancer Research UK's Professor Kay-Tee Khaw, said:
"These papers add to the growing evidence about the role of lifestyle
factors in cancer. For particular cancers such as breast cancer, other
factors such as reproductive history and hormonal status are a major risk,
but this study provides no good reason to change current general dietary
recommendations. Dietary patterns with high fruit and vegetable intake
and limited red and processed meat intake are those most consistent with
good health including lower overall cancer, cardiovascular disease and
mortality rates. Obesity is a well documented risk factor for many cancers.
The Korean study confirms previous reports that diabetes or a raised glucose
level may increase cancer risk and this may well be one of the mechanisms
through which obesity may influence cancer risk."
Could cabbage prevent
cancer?-(Yahoo News-25/01/2005)
Researchers at Cardiff University want to find out
if a substance found in vegetables like cabbage and sprouts could ward
off cervical cancer. They need 3,000 volunteers for the study on the effects
of the chemical- diindolylmethane (DIM) - which is sold as a food supplement.
Cancer Research UK is funding the trial. Cervical cancer affects 3,000
women every year. In Wales, women over 20 are offered a smear test every
three years. Women in Cardiff who have slightly abnormal smear test results
are being asked to take part in the study. The research is being led by
Professor Alison Fiander.
"The study is looking at whether a food supplement
called DIM is able to reverse minor or mild cervical smear abnormalities
and prevent the development of more serious abnormalities in the future,"
she explained. "DIM is formed in the body naturally during the digestion
of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, sprouts and cabbage. In fact
you'd need to eat more than two whole raw cabbages a day to obtain the
same amount of DIM as is present in the capsules we're using in the study."
If an abnormality is detected in a test, women are
checked again after six months. The research team want women to join their
study during that six-month gap. Sue Ashman, a research nurse involved
in the trials, has to explain the procedure to women who are considering
taking part. "We just try and give a detailed breakdown of the trial,
saying exactly what's involved, that the trial runs for six months and
that they'll be expected to take this supplement every day for six months.
Just during the time that they would normally be waiting for their repeat
smear." Ms Ashman said recruitment to the trial had been a "little
bit slow" so far. "I think cervical screening is not a very
popular test among women and it may be difficult for them to come along,
although all the trial means is that you have one additional test. But
if the trial is successful, then this supplement could provide us with
a way of treating these minor abnormalities that doesn't involve any more
invasive treatment."
Oleic
acid in olive oil fights cancer-(Times of India-11/01/2005)
Scientists
have discovered why eating a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables
and particularly olive oil can help protect women from developing countries
from breast cancer. The key is oleic acid, the main componenet of olive
oil which blocks the action of a cancer causing oncogene called HER-2/neu
which is found in about 30% breast cancer patients. Breast cancer patients
with this oncogene suffer from an aggressive form of the disease and have
a poor prognosis.
They
found that oleic acid not only suppressed the action of the oncogene,
it also improved the effectiveness of the drug Herceptin, a targeted therapy
made by Swiss drug maker Roche Holding AG that works against the HER-2/neu
gene.
[Top]
Meeting
the needs of cancer survivors-Changes in diet, habits can help improve
quality of life-(Yahoo News-16/11/2004)
The number of cancer survivors
— anyone ever diagnosed with cancer and still alive — in the United
States has more than tripled in the past 30 years. There were 9.8 million
of them in 2001, the last year for which accurate numbers are available.
These survivors have special physical, psychological and economic effects
that need to be addressed. The improvement in survival rates is an
astonishing medical success. Only 50 percent of adults diagnosed with
cancer in 1974-76 could expect to be alive five years later. For those
diagnosed in 1995-2000, 64 percent are expected to live for five years.
The actual survival rate is much higher for some types of cancer. Among
children, 75 percent diagnosed with cancer in 1991-2000 are expected to
reach adulthood.
A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and
the National Cancer Institute attributes the increased cancer survival
rates to earlier diagnoses, better treatments, prevention of related
diseases and a drop in cancer recurrence. As a result of better survival
rates, long-term care for cancer survivors has grown in importance. The
need will further increase as Baby Boomers age, because 60 percent of all
newly diagnosed cancers occur in people at least 65 years old. The
increasing number of adults who survive childhood cancer will place more
demands on the nation’s health system.
Although researchers are trying to develop successful cancer treatments
that have fewer late effects, more work must be done. For example, late
effects seen in childhood cancer survivors include second cancers; damage
to the heart, lungs and kidneys; and loss of fertility. Testicular cancer,
the most common cancer in young men, now has a ten-year survival rate of
85 percent to 90 percent. But survivors of this cancer have an increased
tendency to develop heart risks like high blood pressure.
The most important thing that cancer
survivors — like everyone else — can do to help themselves is to take
better care of themselves. Although more research is urgently needed about
specific nutritional advice for cancer survivors, a healthy lifestyle is
the best place to start. The American
Institute for Cancer Research recommends eating a mainly plant-based diet
rich in a variety of vegetables and fruits, limiting or avoiding alcohol,
restricting fatty and high-sodium foods, steering clear of charred food,
maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly.
Many cancer survivors, however, turn to a
wide range of supplements. These may be ineffective or possibly damaging.
Antioxidants, which seem to help prevent cancer development when derived
from foods in a balanced diet, might actually work against cancer
treatments when taken as supplements. For the present, AICR advises cancer
survivors to eat a balanced diet and avoid supplements, except possibly a
multivitamin with no more than 100 percent Daily Value.
In addition to healthy eating, moderate exercise
seems likely to offer benefits during and after cancer treatment. Cancer
treatment often causes people to lose fitness and strength due to decreased
activity. When doctors say it’s safe, cancer survivors should start to
slowly rebuild fitness capacity. Research shows that exercise also offers
a variety of mental and emotional benefits and increases a survivor’s
sense of well being.
Related to exercise is a cancer survivor’s need for weight control. Overweight
and weight gain during treatment has been linked to lower survival rates.
Yet a recent study showed most breast cancer survivors are not getting
recommended levels of physical activity to help prevent or lose excess
weight. Survivors should make an effort to exercise upon a doctor’s recommendation.
[Top]
What
should I eat to reduce my risk of cancer?-(Yahoo News-
06/09/2004)
Eating a healthy, well-balanced
diet and maintaining a sensible body weight can reduce your risk of
cancer. In fact, between 30 to 40% of all cancers can be prevented through
a combination of a healthy diet, exercise, and a healthy body weight.
Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating recommends balancing your daily
meals with foods from the following four food groups:
-- Grain products: 5-12
servings per day
-- Fruit and vegetables: 5-10 servings per day
-- Milk products: 2-4 servings per day (for adults)
-- Meat and alternatives: 2-3 servings per day.
The Food Guide also recommends:
-- enjoying a variety of foods
-- emphasizing cereals, breads, other grain products, vegetables, and
fruits
-- choosing lower-fat dairy products, leaner meats, and foods prepared
with little or no fat
-- achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight by engaging in regular
physical activity and healthy eating (To determine what your healthy body
weight is, check out the Body Mass
Index on Health Canada's web site.)
-- limiting salt, alcohol, and caffeine.
Is there anything specific I
should or should not eat to lower my risk of cancer?
Eat 5 to 10 servings of
vegetables and fruit a day. According to the latest research in the area
of diet and cancer, vegetables and fruit are the most likely of all foods
to help reduce the risk of cancer. To find out more about how you can
increase the amount of vegetables and fruit in your diet.
Eat a diet rich in fibre.
Get lots of vegetables, fruits,
and whole grains. Eat enriched grains or whole grain products made with
wheat bran, oat bran, whole wheat, oats, rye, or flax.
Adopt a lower-fat diet.
Eat lower-fat dairy products,
leaner meats, and foods prepared with little or no fat. Limit fast foods,
convenience foods, and high-fat, baked foods.
Drink less alcohol.
If you don't drink, don't
start. If you choose to drink, do so in moderation. As described in
Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating, for most adults, moderate drinking
means no more than 1 drink a day, and no more than 7 drinks a week. More
than 4 drinks on one occasion, or more than 14 drinks a week is a risk to
health and safety. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, avoid alcohol.
Limit the amount of meats you
eat that are preserved in salt.
These meats include bacon and
beef jerky. Also, cut down on salt in other foods.
Limit the amount of smoked meat
you eat.
Also, watch for meat preserved
with nitrite. In Canada, vitamin C is added to reduce the cancer risk in
these foods.
Avoid charring or deep browning
your food.
Crispy surfaces contain
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). These are cancer-causing chemicals
that come from cooking at high temperatures. If you do want to barbecue
your food, cook it slowly, and keep food as far from hot coals as
possible.
What else can I do to protect
myself?
Include more of vitamins E, C,
A and beta-carotene in your diet. They are known as antioxidants. They
prevent and destroy compounds called free radicals. If free radicals are
not destroyed by an antioxidant, they can damage cells and start the
cancer process. To get more of these vitamins in your diet, eat a variety
of vegetables, fruits, and grain products.
[Top]
Combining
Foods Offers Greater Cancer Protection-(Yahoo News- 18/07/2004)
For a long time studies have
shown how broccoli and tomatoes worked as strong cancer-fighting
vegetables, but now research has revealed that they produce even more
powerful cancer-fighting benefits when eaten together. In a study
involving rats it was discovered that when they consumed broccoli and
tomatoes together the growth rate of the tumors was slower than when they
ate the vegetables individually. One researcher claimed that the
combination of these two vegetables complemented each other and resulted
in the production of maximum cancer-fighting agents. The researcher also
went on to say that the cancer-fighting effect wasn't limited to the
combination of broccoli and tomatoes, but could also be extended to any
kind of diet that was filled with various plant foods.
This study explains why taking
supplements is far less effective than
getting your nutrients from food. Isolated compounds simply cannot produce
the same results as whole foods and possibly even certain whole foods
combined. An easy way to combine your
vegetables is with vegetable juicing. I wrote about the benefits of
broccoli sprouts years ago, and now researchers are confirming that they
provide you with even more healthy cancer-fighting benefits when combined
with tomatoes. Although both of these vegetables contain many healthy
benefits, they might actually throw off your biochemistry if they don't
fit in with your metabolic type. To give you an idea of this, I am a
protein Metabolic Type and
broccoli pushes my biochemistry in an unhealthy direction so it helps me
to avoid it and that is what my body tells me to do. However,
the DIM found in broccoli is also in other cruciferous vegetables such as
cauliflower, which happens to be good for protein types.
So, it is very important to
understand your body at a deeper level because if you were to eat broccoli
and you were a protein type, the other effects of broccoli might push your
metabolic biochemistry in the wrong direction and thus override the
benefits of the DHT inhibition. The best way to understand specifically
what foods are ideal for your body in particular is to learn your metabolic type which
is explained in detail in my new book, TOTAL
HEALTH Cookbook & Program.
Properly eating for your
particular metabolic type will lead to increased daily energy, improved
emotional well being, a feeling of satisfaction and, of course, optimized
health and weight so you live longer. It is important to be aware of your
tomato intake as they will adversely influence one' insulin levels which
can have significant negative influences on health.
[Top]
Study:
Casseroles May Offer Best Cancer Protection- (Reuters-16/07/2004)
Eating broccoli and
tomatoes together may offer better protection against prostate cancer
than eating either vegetable alone, cancer researchers reported. They
said their study, done in rats, supports the idea that the mixtures of
compounds in foods work together to preserve health. It also suggests
that supplements alone will not work to prevent cancer, the team at the
University of Illinois at Urbana said. "We decided to look at these foods
in combination because we believed it was a way to learn more about real
diets eaten by real people," said John Erdman, a professor of food science
and nutrition, who led the study. "Of course, it's important to analyze
how specific food components influence our health, but such findings provide
only the tools for further study. They should open the debate, not close
it down," Erdman told a news conference sponsored by the American Institute
for Cancer Research.
Tomatoes are especially
hailed as protective against prostate cancer, and scientists believe the
lycopene that makes them red may be responsible. But Erdman and colleagues
found last year that lycopene supplements did little to prevent cancer
in rats. Broccoli is also believed to help prevent cancer, because it
contains compounds called glucosinolates and perhaps other healthful molecules.
For the latest study
the researchers fed rats dried, powdered tomato, dried broccoli, or a
combination of both. A fourth group of rats was fed finasteride, a drug
shown to reduce the benign growth of the prostate and also being tested
for its potential to prevent prostate cancer. The rats were all injected
with human prostate tumors. This mimics human cancer to a certain degree,
although not perfectly. The rats developed tumors, but in those given
the food supplements the tumors grew more slowly and stayed smaller than
in those given finasteride, Erdman found. The rats given both broccoli
and tomato had the smallest tumors. The study, which will be published
in the December 2004 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, shows tomatoes
and broccoli may act synergistically, Erdman said. "Separately, these
two foods appear to have enormous cancer-fighting potential. Together,
they bring out the best in each other and maximize the cancer-fighting
effect," Erdman said.
[Top]
Regimens:
Stopping Cancer Before It Starts-(Yahoo News-13/07/2004)
Older women who follow
a series of diet and exercise guidelines are less likely to develop cancer,
a new study reports, and the better they are about complying with the
recommendations, the less likely they are to develop the disease. The
guidelines were published in 1997 by the American Institute for Cancer
Research as a way to try to reduce the incidence of cancer. Among the
14 recommendations, people were advised to keep their weight down, take
part in regular exercise, eat five or more servings of vegetables and
fruit a day, and limit their intake of alcohol, red meat and sodium.
Writing in the journal
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, researchers narrowed the
recommendations to nine and then reviewed the histories of almost 30,000
postmenopausal women in the Midwest whose health and lifestyles had been
followed over a 13-year period. The study was led by Dr. James R. Cerhan
of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minn. One of out
three American women will develop cancer; that number could be significantly
reduced by adhering to the recommendations, the researchers said. But
among the women studied, most fell short. A majority followed only three
of them, and none of the women followed all of them. Compliance with the
suggestions for fruit and vegetable consumption was the worst, with only
11 percent of women meeting the guidelines. The women who followed only
one or none of the guidelines had a 35 percent higher cancer risk than
the women who followed six or more guidelines. The researchers described
their estimates as conservative, and said that if the guidelines were
better followed, there would be a "substantial public health impact.''
[Top]
Aloo
-broccoli?-The day may not be far off. Green gobi gives cauliflower a
scare in Himachal hills-(Times of India-04/03/2004)
Move over gobi, the
green gobi is here. Farmers in Himachal are taking to this `alien' cash
crop in a big way. First introduced in the hills as an import substitution
farm product by the scientists of the Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture
and Forestry, Nauni, in the late'80s, the broccoli is finally in full
bloom. So much so that the vegetable that once commanded fancy prices
because of its exotic label is now much more accessible. Even then, the
current prices are much higher than its sister crop the cauliflower. This
broccoli, which is particularly suitable for the mid- and high hills of
the state, is not too disease-prone, making for high savings on insecticides
and pesticides. The cauliflower, on the other hand, has to be dosed heavily
to fight against these malefactors. Because of these factors, a large
number of farmers in Shimla, Sirmour, Solan, Mandi and Kullu districts
have taken up the broccoli. The vegetable is currently cultivated over
3,000 bighas of land, and is sold for prices between Rs 15 and Rs 30/kg
in the wholesale market. The broccoli is a crop of European origin and
is mainly grown in the US, Italy and the UK. Closely related to the cabbage
and the cauliflower, the broccoli is low in calories and high in nutrition
and lends itself to both western and inriovative Indian cooking. It can
also be consumed raw or steamed as a salad ingredient.
According to professor
and head of the department of vegetables U K Kohli, broccoli contains
sulphoraphane-A compound, which is an anticarcinogenic compound. Broccoli
also holds promise for the growers as an off season vegetable, particularly
in the high hills. 'The crop may also play a significant role in much
needed crop diversification to sustain the leadership of Himachal as a
high value off season vegetable produce state.
CHEW ON THIS: Nutritional
value per 100 gm Vitamin A-BROCCOLI 3150 I.U./CABBAGE 126 I.U./CAULIFLOWER
79 I.U. Vitamin C-BROCCOLI 109 mg/CABBAGE 54 mg/CAULIFLOWER 53 mg
[Top]
For
Survivors of Cancer, All Calories Are Not Equal-(06/07/2004)
After her third battle
with cancer, Diana Dyer decided she needed something more than surgery
and chemotherapy to keep the disease at bay. During treatment, she ate
whatever she could tolerate to get the calories her body needed. But afterward,
her goal was to use diet to minimize the risk of recurrence. She searched
the scientific literature for guidance and developed a plan based, she
recognized, on "very little clinical evidence" but on the best science
available. She increased her exercise; reduced her alcohol intake; avoided
saturated fats in animal foods and the trans and hydrogenated fats in
processed foods; switched to olive and canola oils; gave up red meats
and poultry but ate more soy foods, fatty fish and eggs, rich in omega-3
fatty acids; doubled her fiber intake through whole grains, legumes and
nine or more servings a day of fruits and vegetables; replaced diet sodas
with tomato and orange juice, and green tea; stuck to low-fat dairy products;
and added nuts and flax seeds to her diet.
She describes her
plan, including what to do when eating out, in a book, "A Dietitian's
Cancer Story" (Swan Press, $15.95), and offers two weeks of menus and
recipes on her Web site, www.cancerrd.com. Part of the sales of the book
benefit the American Institute for Cancer Research. The book can be ordered
through the institute at (800) 843-8114.Also
helpful on the subject is the American Cancer Society's publication "Nutrition
for the Person With Cancer: A Guide for Patients and Families," available
by calling (800) ACS-2345.
Will Ms. Dyer's approach
help keep her free of cancer? So far she has been healthy. And the diet
will lower her risk of heart disease. A diagnosis of cancer is a wake-up
call for many people. Hoping to maximize their chances of survival, however,
many patients turn to strange diets, supplements and herbal remedies with
little or no scientific evidence to establish their worth. Some may be
harmful. To help health care providers and their patients make the best
choices based on the best available evidence, three years ago the American
Cancer Society published in the journal CA a guide on nutrition during
and after cancer treatment. It was designed to help the more than 1.2
million people who each year receive cancer diagnoses and the more than
nine million Americans who have thus far survived cancer.The
article is online (caonline.amcancersoc .org) or can be found in the May/June
2001 issue.
In addition to the
nutritional advantages gained from the suggested dietary measures, making
improvements in living habits has important psychological benefits by
helping patients regain a sense of control over their lives. During Treatment
Current approaches to cancer treatment - surgery, radiation and chemotherapy
- may not only change a person's nutritional needs but also interfere
with the ability to consume, digest, absorb and assimilate food. In most
cases, cancer treatment increases a person's caloric needs while making
it more challenging to meet them. Small, frequent meals and snacks and
foods that are easy to chew, swallow, digest and absorb - and that are
appealing - are recommended, even if they are high in calories or fat.
This is not a time to try to lose weight or worry about how healthful
foods might be. Meeting one's caloric needs is the primary goal; during
treatment, it is often helpful to add beverages like Ensure or Boost as
temporary aids.
Cancer patients are
also urged to engage in light, regular physical activity to counter fatigue;
to stimulate appetite and digestion; to prevent constipation; to maintain
energy and muscle mass; to provide relaxation; and to reduce stress. But
the cancer society's experts warn against consuming high levels of certain
supplements that may do more harm than good. Folic acid, for example,
can interfere with the action of some chemotherapeutic drugs, like methotrexate,
that act as folic acid antagonists. And high doses of antioxidants, like
vitamins C and E, which patients sometimes take in hope of protecting
normal cells, may reduce the effectiveness of therapies that work by causing
oxidative damage to cancer cells.
[Top]
Berries,
Beans Top 'Best Antioxidants List' Look for color when searching for these
cancer fighters, experts say-(HealthDayNews-28/06/2004)
A variety of veggies,
fruits and nuts battled it out this month for the top spot on a new list
of the 20 most antioxidant-rich foods, ranked by nutrition scientists
at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In the end, small red beans
won the day, narrowly beating out wild blueberries as the food with the
highest concentration of disease-fighting compounds per serving. Antioxidants
fight damage to cells from rogue molecules called "free radicals." Experts
believe this assault on cells may fuel killer diseases such as heart disease
and cancer, and even aging itself. The new Top 20 list, published in the
June issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, "is a relative
ranking of the capacity of foods to interfere with or prevent oxidative
processes and to scavenge free radicals," explained list co-creator Ronald
L. Prior, a USDA nutritionist and research chemist based in Little Rock,
Ark.Prior and
his colleagues used the most advanced technologies available to tabulate
antioxidant levels in more than 100 different types of fruits, vegetables,
berries, nuts and spices.
Their Top 20: Small
red beans (dried). Wild blueberries. Red Kidney beans. Pinto beans. Blueberries
(cultivated). Cranberries. Artichokes (cooked). Blackberries. Prunes.
Raspberries. Strawberries. Red Delicious apples. Granny Smith apples.
Pecans. Sweet cherries. Black plums. Russet potatoes (cooked). Black beans
(dried). Plums. Gala apples. There's "still a lot we haven't learned"
about why some foods are richer in antioxidants than others, Prior said.
Even though the small red bean came out on top, "we don't have a lot of
information on beans," he added. Berries are better understood. "The components
that contribute a lot of the antioxidant activity are what are called
anthocyanins, the compounds that give many berries their dark blue color,"
he said.
In fact, color may
be key to spotting foods that fight free radicals, said Roberta Anding,
an American Dietetic Association spokeswoman and a nutritionist at Texas
Children's Hospital in Houston. "If you're looking for the best places
to get antioxidants, I will usually tell folks to look at the colors of
the rainbow," she added. For example, "you'll find lutein with some of
the yellow pigments found in corn; orange can be the pigments from the
carotenoid family that are found in cantaloupe, butternut squash and mango;
red could come from things like lycopene, found in tomatoes and watermelon.
And then the darker colors -- the purples, blues, in berries," she said.
But Prior cautioned
that just because a food has proven to be antioxidant-rich in the USDA's
lab, that doesn't mean all those nutrients will be successfully absorbed
by the human digestive tract. "As we learn more and more, we're finding
that, depending on the chemical makeup of antioxidants in different foods,
some of them aren't apparently absorbed as well, or else they are metabolized
in a form where they are no longer antioxidants," he said. Whether a food
is eaten fresh, frozen, processed or cooked can also affect its antioxidant
potency -- for good or ill, he said. Blueberries are best when eaten fresh
rather than cooked in a pie, for example. On the other hand, research
has shown that gentle cooking raises the antioxidant power of tomatoes,
he noted.
Although experts
are working hard on the project, ongoing efforts to come up with daily
dietary guidelines for antioxidant consumption will be "a long process,"
Prior said. "How antioxidants behave, how they act within the body, the
dose-response -- we just don't know enough about it," he said. For her
part, Anding said people shouldn't get too hung up on gorging on one particular
food, but "cast your net widely," eating generous daily servings of a
variety of fruits, vegetables and other wholesome foods. Looking over
the USDA's list, Anding suggested creating what she called an antioxidant
"power salad." First, she said, "put together a salad with a variety of
mixed greens. Then I'd throw in some dried cranberries or blueberries
from the health food store, toss in a few nuts, with a low-fat salad.
Again -- choosing from the colors of the rainbow."
[Top]
Yo-yo
dieting may have a long-term negative effect on immune function-(Yahoo
News-01/06/2004)
Yo-yo dieting, in
which a person repeatedly loses and regains weight, may have a lasting
negative impact on immune function, according to new findings by researchers
at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Conversely, maintaining the
same weight over time appears to have a positive effect on the immune
system, report Cornelia Ulrich, Ph.D., and colleagues in the June issue
of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Ulrich and colleagues
at Fred Hutchinson and the University of Washington found that long-term
immune function decreases in proportion to how many times a woman reportedly
intentionally loses weight. They also found that immune function - as
measured by natural-killer-cell activity - was higher among women who
had been fairly weight stable over several years. ''To our knowledge,
this is the first study to show potential long-term effects of yo-yo dieting
on health,'' said Ulrich, senior author of the paper and an assistant
member of Fred Hutchinson's Public Health Sciences Division.
For the study, the
researchers interviewed 114 overweight but otherwise healthy sedentary,
postmenopausal women about their weight-loss history during the past 20
years. Participants had to be weight-stable for at least three months
before joining the study, which was funded by the National Cancer Institute.
''While one weight-loss episode of 10 pounds or more in the previous 20
years was not associated with current natural-killer-cell activity, more
frequent weight loss episodes were associated with significantly decreased
natural-killer-cell activity,'' said Ulrich, also a research assistant
professor in epidemiology at the UW School of Public Health and Community
Medicine. ''Those who reported losing weight more than five times had
about a third lower natural-killer-cell function.'' In contrast, women
who maintained the same weight for five or more years had 40 percent greater
natural-killer-cell activity as compared to those whose weight had remained
stable for fewer than two years.
Natural-killer cells,
or NK cells, are a vital part of the immune system. In addition to killing
viruses, they have been shown to kill cancer cells in laboratory tests.
Depressed NK activity has been associated with increased cancer incidence
as well as an increased susceptibility to colds and infections. Tests
to measure this marker of immune function are costly, and so very few
studies have been conducted to measure the impact of weight loss on the
immune system. Consequently, little has been known about possible negative
health consequences of weight fluctuation. While the findings are intriguing,
they are preliminary, Ulrich cautioned. One limitation of the study is
its reliance on self-reporting of weight-loss history. Another limitation
is the study's cross-sectional design; the analysis was based on blood
samples collected from study participants at a single point in time, representing
an isolated snapshot of biological activity. ''Following people over time
would give us a stronger understanding of how weight cycling impacts long-term
immune function,'' Ulrich said. ''If the results of our cross-sectional
study could be confirmed in an ongoing longitudinal study, the public-health
impact could be substantial for the estimated 50 percent of American women
who are currently dieting or recently have attempted to lose weight, often
without long-term success.''
If long-term studies
replicate these results, what are the implications for the millions of
Americans who constantly battle the bulge? Would it be safer to carry
around a few extra pounds rather than risk the health effects of yo-yo
dieting? ''There are indisputable health benefits to reducing body weight
among those who are overweight and obese. Our concern is really the pattern
of weight cycling or yo-yo dieting that many Americans go through,'' Ulrich
said. Study co-author Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., a Fred Hutchinson epidemiologist
and internist who studies the impact of weight loss and exercise on cancer
prevention, echoed Ulrich's sentiments. ''The overwhelming evidence is
that weight loss among the overweight or obese improves various aspects
of health such as risk for diabetes, coronary disease and perhaps cancer,''
she said. ''Therefore, it is still recommended that overweight and obese
people try to lose weight but preferably avoid weight regain.''
Ulrich and colleagues
suggest that people who want to lose weight and keep it off take a sensible
approach that combines positive dietary changes with regular exercise.
''A sensible diet is one that works for the individual,'' McTiernan said.
''General guidelines would include consuming an abundant array of non-starchy
vegetables and fruits, moderate amounts of lean protein and dairy products,
moderate amounts of legumes and whole grains, and few or no refined carbohydrates
and saturated fats,'' she said. ''A diet high in vegetables, for example,
helps reduce calories while providing most vitamins and minerals.'' When
it comes to exercise for weight loss and maintenance, 60 minutes of daily
aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, is optimal, but any amount is
better than none, said McTiernan, a member of Fred Hutchinson's Public
Health Sciences Division. In addition to helping lose weight and keep
it off, exercise helps boost immune function in the process of shedding
pounds, Ulrich said. ''Previous studies have shown that exercise appears
to blunt the negative effects of weight loss on immune function,'' she
said. ''Because exercise in combination with dietary change can be effective
for promoting weight loss and maintenance, it can help prevent weight
cycling and potentially lessen any detrimental effects of weight loss
on the immune system.''
[Top]
Omega
Protein Supports Efforts of the American Institute for Cancer Research
to Promote the Cancer-Fighting Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Foods Fortified
With OmegaPure(R) Provide a Convenient Way to Incorporate Omega-3s Into
Diets - PRNewswire-FirstCall-01/06/2004)
Omega Protein Corporation
announced that
it supports the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) in its efforts
to educate consumers about links between Omega- 3 fatty acids and reduced
risks of some cancers. The AICR has reported that Omega-3 fatty acids
-- which include both EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic
acid) -- have displayed a range of anti-cancer activities in the laboratory
and have been repeatedly associated with lower cancer risks in population
studies. AICR researchers have expressed concern that American diets are
overloaded with Omega-6 fats, which generally are found in vegetable oils,
and are deficient in Omega-3 fats, the best source of which is fish. Omega-6
fats are often used in processed snacks, baked products and fried foods.
The AICR has reported that studies comparing diets and disease rates of
large populations show that the risk for breast cancer, prostate cancer
and colon cancer is lower when the Omega-6 versus Omega-3 fats are in
better balance. Because the human body does not produce Omega-3s, consumers
need to incorporate foods rich in these essential fatty acids into their
diets and need to do so even when following strict eating plans.
In fact, popular
diet regimens such as The Atkins Diet and The South Beach Diet make a
point to remind dieters to include healthy Omega-3s in these diets on
a regular basis. Omega Protein produces OmegaPure(R), an odorless, taste-free
Omega-3 rich fish oil approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) for inclusion in several food categories.
"The benefits of Omega-3s on heart health have been well known for a long
time," said Joe von Rosenberg, President and CEO of Omega Protein. "We
are not surprised that Omega-3s now are being linked with lowering the
risk of various cancers, and we are optimistic that food companies will
see the attractiveness of offering food products fortified with OmegaPure(R)."
Diet,
Alcohol Linked to Nearly 1/3 of Cancer Cases-(Reuters-18/05/2004)
Diet is second only
to tobacco as a leading cause of cancer and, along with alcohol, is responsible
for nearly a third of cases of the disease in developed countries. Dr
Tim Key, of the University of Oxford, told a cancer conference that scientists
are still discovering how certain foods contribute to cancer but they
know that diet, alcohol and obesity play a major role. "Five percent of
cancers could be avoided if nobody was obese," he said. While tobacco
is linked to about 30 percent of cancer cases, diet is involved in an
estimated 25 percent and alcohol in about six percent. "We know that obesity
and alcohol are important," said Key. Obesity raises the risk of breast,
womb, bowel and kidney cancer while alcohol is known to cause cancers
of the mouth, throat and liver. Its dangerous impact is increased when
combined with smoking.
Both alcohol consumption
and obesity rates are rising in many countries. Key told the meeting of
the charity Cancer Research UK that other elements of diet linked to cancer
are still unknown but scientists are hoping that the EPIC study, which
is comparing the diets of 500,000 people in 10 countries and their risk
of cancer, will provide some answers. Early results of the study have
revealed that Norway, Sweden and Denmark have the lowest consumption of
fruit and vegetables among European countries while Italy and Spain have
the highest. Eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day
is recommended to reduce the risk of cancer. Key, principal scientist
on the EPIC study, said it is looking at dietary links to some of the
most common cancers including colorectal, breast and prostate. So far
it has shown that obesity is linked to an increased risk of colorectal
cancer, while processed and red meat also probably raise the chances of
developing the disease and eating lots of fruit and vegetables decrease
the odds. "Hormones are the key factor in breast cancer. There is currently
about a five-fold variation in breast cancer rates around the world. Much
of that variation is due to parity, the number of children (a woman has)
and breast feeding," Key said. But he added that obesity and alcohol can
also raise the risk of the disease. Scientists working on the study have
not positively identified any dietary factors associated with prostate
cancer.
[Top]
More
Evidence Vegetarian Diet May Cut Cancer Risk- (Reuters Health-16/02/2004)
Eating a meat-free,
vegetarian diet may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, new research
suggests. After following more than 10,000 people for 17 years, investigators
found that vegetarians were 15 percent less likely to develop colorectal
cancer than meat-eaters. This study adds to the "increasing scientific
evidence" that a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and fiber and low in meat-especially
red and processed meat-can prevent colorectal cancer, study author Dr.
Miguel Sanjoaquin of the University of Oxford, UK, told Reuters Health.
However, Sanjoaquin cautioned that only a small number of study participants
-95--developed colorectal cancer, making it impossible to determine if
fewer vegetarians developed cancer simply due to chance. However, Sanjoaquin
noted that a previous study featuring more cases of colorectal cancer
confirmed these findings, and he added that it makes sense that eating
vegetarian could cut cancer risk.
The fat in red meat
increases the excretion of substances called bile acids, he explained,
which in turn produce other substances that encourage tumor growth. Furthermore,
meat contains natural compounds and substances formed during processing
and high-temperature cooking that can disrupt the normal balance of cell
growth in the colon, potentially triggering the cancer, Sanjoaquin noted.
Alternatively, substances
in fruits and vegetables-staples of the vegetarian diet-"may inhibit these
adverse effects," he added. During the current study, Sanjoaquin and his
colleagues asked 10,998 adults about their eating habits and other health
parameters, then noted who developed colorectal cancer. People were classified
as non-vegetarians if they ate meat or fish. Vegetarians included vegans,
who avoid all dairy and meat products. Along with a decreased risk of
cancer from eating vegetarian, the investigators found that frequent fruit
eaters - consuming more than 5 servings of fruit per week-were over 40
percent less likely to develop colorectal cancer.
Smoking, drinking
alcohol and eating more than 15 slices of white bread per week appeared
to increase the risk of colorectal cancer, according to the British Journal
of Cancer report. Sanjoaquin said the fact that white bread appeared to
reduce cancer risk was "unexpected," and suggested that people who ate
large amounts of white bread might have simply had a less healthy diet
overall. Alternatively, he added researchers have noted that eating large
quantities of refined carbohydrates, such as those found in white bread,
may raise colorectal cancer risk, suggesting that white bread itself may
also play a role. "More research will be needed to clarify this," Sanjoaquin
said
[Top]
Childhood
Consumption of Fruit Lowers Risk of Cancer as an Adult-(Cancer.com-08/05/2003)
According
to an article recently published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community
Health, adults who consumed large quantities of fruit during childhood
years appeared to have significantly lower rates of cancer than those
consuming small quantities of fruit as children. One important goal of
cancer research is to identify environmental risk factors for different
types of cancer. Some factors such as diet, exercise, and pollution have
been associated with a higher incidence of specific cancers. Conversely,
other factors have been associated with a lower incidence of certain cancers.
Researchers continue to evaluate environmental factors that may either
increase or decrease the risk of developing certain types of cancer so
that better strategies for prevention and/or screening can be produced
and implemented.
Diet is often investigated
by researchers looking for strategies to prevent cancer. Many studies
have suggested that diet may influence the development of cancer, and
most studies suggest that diets including fruit, vegetables, and whole
grains appear beneficial. However, little research has explored whether
the diet of children affects cancer risk in adulthood. Between 1937 and
1939, a study known as the Boyd Orr cohort interviewed nearly 5,000 individuals
from working class backgrounds living in England and Scotland. Dietary
questionnaires documented household food inventories for evaluation of
family diet and health. Consumption of fruit, vegetables, vitamin C, vitamin
E, and beta carotene were recorded during this two year period. After
over 60 years of follow-up, 483 people had been diagnosed with cancer.
The study reported that adults who had eaten large quantities of fruit
as children were 38% less likely to develop cancer than those who ate
little fruit in childhood. None of the other dietary factors, including
consumption of high quantities of vegetables, appeared to affect cancer
risk. These researchers hypothesized that cooking techniques of the 1930s,
which included cooking food for long periods of time, may be responsible
for the apparent lack of long-term protection from vegetables. In conclusion,
these researchers suggested that consumption of fruit during childhood
appears to confer long-term protection against the development of cancer
in adults.
[Top]
More
Evidence Curry Ingredient May Fight Cancer-(Reuters Health-13/05/03)
An ingredient in
the curry spice turmeric may help suppress and destroy a blood cancer,
early lab research shows--suggesting yet another health benefit from this
long-heralded substance. Turmeric is a common ingredient in Indian food
and yellow mustard. Its active ingredient is curcumin, which gives turmeric
its yellow color. Adding curcumin to human cells with the blood cancer
multiple myeloma, Dr. Bharat B. Aggarwal of the University of Texas MD
Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and his colleagues found, stopped the
cells from replicating. And the cells that were left died.
Although the study
did not test the benefits of curcumin in patients, previous research has
shown the substance may fight other types of cancers, Aggarwal told Reuters
Health. Studies have also shown that curcumin, even in large quantities,
does not produce any known side effects in humans, the researcher noted.
Based on this evidence, Aggarwal recommended that people with cancer should
try to eat more curcumin, if possible. "Whichever way you can take it,
as much as possible," he said. Aggarwal added, however, that further research
is needed to determine how much curcumin people need to get the most benefits.
Previous laboratory research has shown that curcumin may have antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as treat and prevent cancer.
Studies in the lab and in animals also suggest that the compound might
help heal wounds and fight Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis.
Patients with multiple
myeloma are in particular need of new treatments, Aggarwal and his colleagues
point out in their report in the journal Blood. Once diagnosed with this
blood cancer, patients typically live between two and three years. During
the current study, the researchers added curcumin to a sample of human
cells with multiple myeloma, and observed how the substance influenced
the progression of the cancer.
In an interview,
Aggarwal explained that curcumin appears to block the activity of a "light
switch" called nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kappaB). When turned on, he
said, NF-kappaB appears to then turn on many genes linked to cancer. Examining
the multiple myeloma cells before adding the curcumin, the authors found
that virtually all contained activated forms of NF-kappaB. After adding
curcumin, however, NF-kappaB activity was inhibited, the multiple myeloma
cells no longer replicated and the remaining cells died, Aggarwal said.
Aggarwal explained
that it is somewhat difficult to study the effects of curcumin in a large
number of patients because these experiments cost a lot of money. Funding
for similar research is often provided by a company that stands to benefit
if the tested treatment works; however, in the case of curcumin, a natural
compound, no company can reap the benefits if turmeric shows itself to
be an effective anti-cancer drug, he said. However, Aggarwal said that
he hopes the new findings and previous research suggesting curcumin's
benefits inspire other researchers to continue investigating its properties.
If curcumin is, in fact, an effective and safe treatment for cancer, studying
it further can only be a "win-win situation," Aggarwal predicted.
[Top]
Lots
of Fruit in Childhood Cuts Adult Cancer Risk-(Reuters-19/02/03)
Adults who had been
fed plenty of fruit when they were children are less likely to suffer
from certain types of cancer, British scientists said. A medical study
of nearly 4,000 men and women showed that fruit consumption in childhood
was inversely associated with cancer in adulthood. The more fruits the
adults had eaten when they were young the less likely they were to suffer
from lung, bowel and breast cancer. "This study shows that childhood fruit
consumption may have a long term protective effect on cancer risk in adulthood,"
Dr. Maria Maynard, of the Medical Research Council in London, said in
a report in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
All of the adults
in the study had filled in a food inventory during the 1930s for a research
study looking into the eating habits of families in rural and urban areas
of England and Scotland. Maynard and her colleagues studied the medical
records of the group up to July 2000, by which time 483 cases of cancer
had been diagnosed. In addition to fewer cases of cancer, a high consumption
of fruit was associated with a lower death rate from all causes. Fruits
are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and other nutrients, which can
help to prevent genetic damage that can lead to the development of cancer.
The scientists also studied the impact of vitamins C, E and beta carotene
on cancer but they did not find any evidence that individual antioxidants
were as protective as fruit. There was also no link between vegetable
consumption and reduced cancer risk but the scientists said prolonged
boiling of vegetables, which was common in the 1930s, can deplete the
micronutrients in food. "This study is the first to examine associations
between fruit, vegetables and antioxidants measured during childhood and
subsequent cancer risk," Maynard added.
[Top]
New
research on Atkins diet challenges 30 years of nutritional dogma-(Associated
Press-14/02/03)
Is it just possible
that Dr. Robert C. Atkins was right? That his high-fat, low-carb plan,
ridiculed for 30 years as dangerous nonsense, actually is a good, safe
way to lose weight? The dietary elite are not ready to change their collective
mind, but a half-dozen or so new studies have taken an objective look
at the presumed evils of Atkins, and the results have been little short
of astonishing: During a few months on the Atkins diet, people lose about
twice as much as on the standard low-fat, high-carbohydrate approach recommended
by most health organizations. They do so without seeming to drive up their
risk of heart disease. Rather than going kaflooey, their cholesterol,
triglycerides, blood pressure and ominous bloodstream inflammation generally
improve, perhaps even more than on the standard diet. They appear to lose
more weight even while actually consuming more calories than people on
a so-called healthy diet.
All of the experiments
were short and small. None by itself would make a big stir. But taken
together, they undermine much of what mainstream medicine has long assumed
about the Atkins diet. "Some scientists are dismayed by the data and a
little incredulous about it," says Gary Foster, who runs the weight-loss
program at the University of Pennsylvania. "But the consistency of the
results across studies is compelling in a way that makes us think we should
investigate this further."
Until now, the opinion
of the medical world on this subject has been essentially unanimous: Any
diet that emphasizes meat, eggs and cheese and discourages bread, rice
and fruit is nutritional folly. The American Medical Association set that
tone a year after the book, "Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution," came out in
1972. Its sarcastically worded critique dismissed the diet as "potentially
dangerous." It called its scientific underpinning "naive" and "biochemically
incorrect." And it scolded book publishers for promoting "bizarre concepts
of nutrition and dieting."
On the Atkins diet,
up to two-thirds of calories may come from fat - more than double the
usual recommendation - and that violates everything medical professionals
believe about healthy eating. Carbohydrates are the foundation of a good
diet, most say. Eating calorie-dense fat is what makes people fat, and
eating saturated fat is what kills them. Despite this, Atkins' books have
sold 15 million copies, uncounted millions have tried the diet, and practically
everybody has heard of someone who dropped a ton of weight on the Atkins
plan. Finally, several research teams around the country have put Atkins
to the test, driven largely by weariness at having nothing solid to tell
patients and, in some cases, a desire to prove Atkins wrong.
One study was even
sponsored by the American Heart Association, long an Atkins skeptic. None
has been published yet, but summaries have been given at medical conferences.
"They all show pretty convincingly that people will lose more weight on
an Atkins diet, and their cardiovascular risk factors, if anything, get
better," says Dr. Kevin O'Brien, a University of Washington cardiologist
involved with one of the studies. This is not the end of the story. The
studies say nothing about how much people lose when they stay on Atkins
more than a few months, whether they keep the weight off for good and
whether their cholesterol rebounds when they stop losing weight. Nevertheless,
three decades of dietary gospel are in doubt, and those questioning it
include some of the most prominent names in obesity research.
For instance, one
of the new studies was conducted by Foster with Drs. Samuel Klein and
James Hill, the current and past presidents of the North American Association
for the Study of Obesity, the premier professional group. "I'm part of
the obesity establishment," says Foster, who has published more than 50
scientific papers on the subject. "I've spent my life researching ways
to treat obesity, and 100 percent of them have been low-fat and high-carb.
Now I'm beginning to think, it isn't as it has appeared." His Atkins study
was intended to "show it doesn't work," yet after three months, the overweight
men and women had lost an average of 19 pounds (8.55 kilograms), 10 pounds
(4.5 kilograms) more than people on the standard high-carb approach.
The big surprise
was cholesterol. The Atkins dieters' overall profile changed for the better.
Although their bad cholesterol went up seven points, their good cholesterol
rose almost 12. (Changes in the high-carb dieters were less dramatic.
Their bad cholesterol went down slightly while their good cholesterol
remained unchanged.) The largest difference was in triglycerides. The
Atkins dieters' dropped 22 points. The low-carb dieters' didn't budge.
"It was unexpected, to put it mildly," Foster said. "It made us think
maybe there is something to this."
Despite the professions'
unease at the findings so far, some of the researchers involved expect
that if the Atkins approach proves safe and effective in larger, longer
studies, those opinions will eventually change. "It's difficult to swallow,"
says O'Brien, "but the data are the data, even if they go against 30 years
of dogma
[Top]
Nutrients
Are Key to Preventing Cancer-(AP-03/12/2002)
Can a diet rich in
a particular nutrient really prevent cancer? The government is recruiting
32,000 middle-aged men to see if selenium or vitamin E can prevent prostate
cancer, the biggest clinical trial yet to address such dietary questions.
It's just a first step toward what could become a major change in nutrition:
Preliminary but intriguing genetic research suggests certain nutrients
may prove more cancer-protective for one person than the next - suggesting
that one day doctors might write prescriptions for diets to prevent tumors
in certain people. "The future is tailored recommendations," John Milner
of the National Cancer Institute says about this fledgling new science,
"nutrigenomics." "That's the excitement."
Cancer doesn't just
arise overnight. A few tiny cells gone wrong slowly grow over decades.
Whether the result is a life-threatening tumor depends on genes and environment
- including food. Up to 35 percent of cancers are related to dietary habits,
says Milner, chief of NCI's research into nutrition and cancer prevention.
That doesn't mean an occasional cheeseburger or doughnut is dooming. But
study after study links lifelong diets high in plant foods to lower cancer
rates. Also, people who eat lots of fruits and vegetables generally are
skinnier. Obesity increases risks of cancers of the uterus, gallbladder
and possibly colon and prostate, while a large weight gain after reaching
adulthood is linked to breast cancer. Armed with such provocative evidence,
scientists now are trying to tease out which of the myriad nutrients and
chemicals in different foods are most protective - and why, at a genetic
level, they do the job.
It's exceedingly
complex research. Not everybody gets equal benefit from nutrient-rich
diets, a discrepancy that probably points to genetic variability. For
example, scientists studying lung cancer rates in part of China found
people with the lowest cancer risks also were genetically deficient in
an enzyme that metabolizes certain nutrients in cruciferous vegetables.
In other words, those lucky people's genes seemed to make broccoli better
for them. Similar links to cancer are being explored with genes that metabolize
alcohol, folate from grains and other food chemicals. "In five years,
we'll have a lot of information on how your gene profiles influence your
response" to different foods, Milner predicts. But first, scientists need
hard proof of which of the many nutrients commonly considered protective
truly are, and at what levels.
Small studies promoting
12 cups a day of tea or three whole garlic cloves daily aren't too practical
for many people. Until now, most food and cancer research has focused
on animals or merely monitoring people's diets and their later health,
which gives only clues, not proof. Plus, too much of some nutrients can
be dangerous. Top of the federal research list: selenium, a trace element
found in grains and meat. Previous studies suggest that eating 200 micrograms
of selenium a day, about twice the national average, might lower the risk
of prostate, lung and colorectal cancer, perhaps by slowing abnormal cell
growth or activating tumor suppressor genes. To prove the prostate benefit,
NCI is recruiting 32,400 healthy men in their 50s to take for the next
seven years either selenium; 400 milligrams of vitamin E, another nutrient
linked to lower prostate risk; both; or a dummy pill. Too much is toxic,
so don't pop lots of selenium supplements, cautions NCI researcher Cindy
Davis.
Lycopene, the chemical
that makes tomatoes and watermelon red, is another top prospect. Cooking
tomatoes with a little oil - think spaghetti sauce - significantly increases
lycopene absorption. In one study, it decreased prostate cancer by 35
percent. The NCI has begun small clinical trials to find lycopene's maximum
safe dose and see if giving it to prostate cancer patients before surgery
helps stem their disease. Despite lots of hype, research is much more
mixed on other foods. Soy, for instance, is widely touted as protective
against breast cancer, but women seem to get the benefit only if they
eat soy before puberty, says NCI researcher Harold Seifried. It will take
years to sort out what are truly anticancer diets. For now, the American
Cancer Society's best advice: Eat a wide variety of foods, including at
least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, and slim down.
[Top]
Experts
Outline Cancer, Diet Evidence (AP-12/09/2002)
Wading through 30
years of confusing and sometimes contradictory studies on cancer and diet,
experts have summarized the state of scientific knowledge: alcohol is
bad, obesity is bad and lots of fruits and vegetables are good. Poor diet
is thought to account for about 30 percent of cancer in the developed
world and about 20 percent in poor countries, and scientists have long
sought to determine what foods cause or ward off cancer. A review of the
evidence, published in The Lancet medical journal, concludes that studies
so far have confirmed little. "Because the public is so bombarded and
confused by stories that broccoli is the answer, or whatever, we wanted
to get away from that and report what we know is really important," said
the study's lead investigator, Dr. Tim Key, a diet expert at Oxford University's
cancer epidemiology unit. "The problem is you keep getting stories, and
the more bizarre the connection, the more press coverage it gets."
There have been few
studies that have tested the link between cancer and specific foods by
randomly giving some people specific foods and comparing their cancer
rates with people who got no intervention. A positive result in such a
study is considered real proof. The few such studies show a diet rich
in fruits and vegetables reduces the chance of cancer, while alcohol and
obesity increase the risk. "The results ... that have been published have
been important in suggesting that some previous observations were misleading,"
the study said. Two prominent examples are beta-carotene and vitamin E.
Both looked promising as anti-cancer nutrients, but showed no effect on
lung cancer rates when tested in rigorous experiments. Studies have suggested
that such dietary components as red meat, broccoli, garlic, fiber, folic
acid, vitamin C and soya can either encourage or prevent certain cancers,
but the links have not been proven. The study also identified aspects
of nutrition where further research might soon clarify the issues. For
red meat, it looks as though the important thing could be how the meat
is prepared. Recent studies have suggested that preserved meats such as
cured ham, bacon and sausages could increase cancer risk, but that fresh
red meat may not.
The idea that high
intake of calcium and vitamin D might reduce the chance of colorectal
cancer looks promising, the study said. However, the evidence does not
support the theory that dietary fat increases the risk of breast cancer,
and findings on other foods such as dairy products and meat are inconclusive,
the study said. "This is a good update of the situation," said Dr. Elio
Riboli, chief of the nutrition and cancer unit at the World Health Organization's
cancer research agency, the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Riboli was not involved with the study. Riboli said emerging evidence
suggests many of the factors that contribute to heart disease are also
involved in cancer, such as lack of exercise, being even moderately overweight
and problems with insulin, the hormone that goes wrong in diabetes. "I
think it's possible that we will realize that some of the benefits which
were in the past attributed to the diet in itself should actually be attributed
to the global balance between how we eat, how we move and our body shape,
where we are actually pointing more to the energy balance," Riboli said.
"This is a major change in the intellectual view of the problem," he said.
"Within the World Health Organization there's been a clear understanding
that obesity is the real worrying epidemic around the world. There is
a strong movement in the direction of 'yes, we have to do something.'"
Earlier this year,
WHO officials said obesity has reached such epidemic proportions worldwide
that a more aggressive approach is needed to try to head off a global
explosion of fat-related diseases. Experts are also starting to advocate
a tougher strategy. "The individual awareness approach has been shown
repeatedly to have failed," experts said in a report presented at a European
Union summit on obesity. In its report, the International Obesity Task
Force called for European restrictions on the advertising of junk food.
Other measures mentioned in the report were: redesigning roads to accommodate
networks of bicycle tracks, removing junk food vending machines from schools,
reintroducing cooking skills into the school curriculum and the establishment
of a new medical specialty that takes a comprehensive approach to obesity.
[Top]
Teaspoon
of turmeric a day keeps cancer at bay –(Times of India Online-29/06/2001)
A teaspoon of turmeric
a day can keep cancers at bay, according to a senior nutrition expert.
The good old grandmother's practice of putting a pinch of turmeric to
spice and spruce up curries has now proved to be also protecting the human
body. Presenting the outcome of decade-long studies to senior doctors,
who constitute college of general practitioners here, Prof Kamala Krishnaswamy,
director of Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), said
turmeric has anti-cancer properties and is known to protect the body from
developing cancers.
Delivering the Dr G K Kirloskar Memorial oration to the college on "Role
of dietary factors in preventing cancers", Prof Krishnaswamy said curcumin,
the active ingredient in turmeric, has been able to work miracles in even
reversing cancers. Studies in NIN and elsewhere in the world have shown
that curcumin is a powerful anti-oxidant and can prevent cell damage that
leads to cancers. Based on its anti-inflammatory properties, curcumin
is commonly recommended as a natural treatment for arthritis as well,
she said.
In a study in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh conducted by NIN,
painting turmeric in the inner cheeks has led to preventing mouth cancers
in women who have the habit of reverse smoking. Prof Krishnaswamy also
faulted the change in lifestyle to the growing incidence of cancer worldwide
saying, "there has been a sharp increase in cancers all over the world,
especially in developing countries like India. The burden of cancer is
going to be enormous in the coming decades."
Blaming drastic changes in food habits, Prof Krishnaswamy said intake
of fruits and vegetables in the Indian context is extremely poor when
compared to world standards.
This opens up the human body to cancers of all types by just increasing
the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, the cancer burden can be lightened
to a large extent, she said.
The only way to protect
the human body against cancers is the three "N" formula-- nature, nurture
and nutrition. Eating natural foods rich in riboflavin, selenium and vitamin
a can reduce the incidence of cancers. Micronutrients present in fruits
and vegetables too play a major role in checking the incidence she added.
[Top]
Diet
can tackle deadly disease-Cancer info-30/07/2001)
Many people miss out
on anti-cancer nutrition because they prefer foods that come with a barcode,
according to Australian nutrition expert Rosemary Stanton. She said people
are what they eat - and that can mean cancer. Eating only food that comes
packaged with a barcode means missing the anti-cancer properties of fresh
produce, particularly fruit and vegetables.
Dr Stanton, who is
in Perth for a Cancer Foundation lecture, said consumers had been conned
into thinking that they had no time to cook or eat and this had turned
them into snack food and fast food junkies. Many young people in their
20s and 30s lived on snack foods rather than eating well-rounded meals
and rarely cooked at home. Instead, they relied on ready prepared meals
that had little or no vegetables. They put themselves at higher risk of
cancer because a big percentage of cancers were related to diet.
Each year in Australia
more than 6000 deaths from cancer are attributable to the lifestyle factors
of poor diet, lack of exercise and being overweight. "There are foods
which are causative such as high fats, high salt, and then there are foods
which are protective against cancer such as fruit and vegetables," Dr
Stanton said. "While it has been shown to be beneficial to eat certain
types of fruits and vegetables, such as cruciferous vegetables and those
rich in vitamins A and C, the most important thing is to eat a variety
of foods, which is something we don't do. Too many young people just eat
processed snack foods all day long and don't sit down and eat real food."
[Top]
Milk
could be a super-medicine –(Cancer Info-30/07/2001)
Scientists are testing
the theory that drinking milk can help the body fight viral infections
and diseases including cancer. There is growing evidence that conjugated
linoleic acid (CLA), a type of fat found in cow's milk, can improve the
immune system. In the first trial of its kind on humans, scientists at
the Universities of Southampton and Reading are investigating whether
CLA can help the body to fight off bacterial infection, and even reduce
the growth of tumours.
Previous research
in the United States on rats and mice has revealed that this form of fat
does have immune enhancing and anti-cancer properties. If the health benefits
of CLA are proven it could lead to the development of a new range of milk,
butter and cheese products marketed as a way to reduce the risk of contracting
cancer as part of a healthy diet.
Diet Project leader
Dr Philip Calder, of the University of Southampton, said: "We want to
find out what happens to the immune system if we give people an increased
amount of CLA in their diet. "One of the reasons CLA might protect against
cancer is it improves the ability of the immune system to seek out and
destroy tumours. We will be testing out two different forms of CLA, which
we believe are the most important, giving people three increasing doses
over a six-month period to find the type and dose that produces health
benefits."
During the three-year
trial scientists will also work with the dairy industry on modifying feeding
practices to produce cow's milk with the right form and level of CLA.
There have already been studies showing that the best way to increase
overall CLA content is to feed cows fresh grass. The 'super milk' could
also have other health benefits. Research suggests that CLA can decrease
the amount of fat in the blood the amount stored in the body. These effects
could help in the fight against two other major killers, heart disease
and obesity.
[Top]
Go
Green-(Times of India Online-24/07/2001)
People who smoke and
knock back large quantities of alcohol may be able to offset some of the
worst effects by eating greens. Eating large amounts of vegetables can
protect heavy smokers and drinkers from mouth and throat cancer, Italian
scientists suggest. In a study of 148 patients who drank alcohol and/or
smoked, the ones who ate green vegetables more than 13 times a week were
at least risk of developing those particular types of cancer. Now only
if you wanted to get rid of those dreadful cancers.
[Top]
Cancer
Fighters in your Spice Rack-(Bombay Times-07/09/2000)
Fruits and vegetables
high in antioxidants and other cancer fighting compounds have long been
thought to curb one’s cancer risks. It now appears that another group
of foods- including turmeric, red grapes, rosemary and green tea have
joined the ranks of these potent anti-cancer nutrients. These foods have
properties resembling those of the COX-2 inhibitors, popular new arthritis
drugs dubbed "superaspirins".
Optimal doses of COX-2
foods or supplements are unknown, but it seems reasonable to consume these
foods as part of a healthy cancer-fighting diet along with plenty of fruits
and vegetables. So spread a little curry-rosemary dip on your cracker,
sip some green tea and pour yourself a glass of Cabernet.
[Top]
Facts
on Fiber-(Time, 15/05/00)
Maybe they don’t prevent colon cancer, but
fruits, vegetables and bran are still good for you. Many people have hear
about the study linking a diet high in fibre-found in grains, fruits and
vegetables-to the prevention of heart disease and colon cancer. Now two
new studies report that fibre may not inhibit polyps in the colon.
However, early detection certainly saves
lives. Everyone should get screened starting at least by age 50, earlier
if you have a family history of the cancer. The simplest test looks for
blood in the stool. The more involved tests examine the entire length
of the colon for suspect lesions. As for fruits and vegetables, keep eating
them. Mom told you they were good for you, and maybe some day researchers
will be able to tell you why.
[Top]
Nutrition-(Times
of India-13/05/00)
In a study conducted by researchers from
Johns Hopkins University, data was collected from 42,254 women half of
whom were over the age of 61, involved in a breast cancer screening study.
The women’s overall diet quality was measured by asking them if they consumed
at least once a week any foods from a list of 23 that conform to current
dietary guidelines, including fruits, vegetables, grains, low fat dairy
and lean meat or poultry.
When researchers followed up five to six
years later, 2065 of them had died of a variety of causes. These women
generally had the lowest recommended food score in the earlier questionnaire.
The bottom line is that women may lower their risk of mortality from cancer,
heart disease and stroke by choosing a proper diet.
[Top]
Nature
Cure-Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Diet for Cancer-(Observer-12/09/99)
The article by Dr. H. K. Bakru, a Mumbai
based Naturopathy expert, recommends a diet for cancer patients. He recommends
beet juice, cabbage, carrot, citrus fruits, curd, garlic, milk, olive
oil, rice (brown), soya beans, tomato, watermelon, and wheat bran.
Other measures include breathing fresh
air and undertaking light exercise, adequate sleep, relaxation and meditation
as also avoiding mental stress.
[Top]
Prostate
Cancer and Green Tea-(Cancer Information and Support-12/01/00)
Prostate cancer is
the most common cancer among U.S. males. It is the second leading cause
of cancer death - trailing only lung cancer - in that group. Researchers
have known for years that the incidence of prostate cancer is considerably
lower in Asian countries. One possible explanation advanced by scientists
is the high consumption of plant foods among Asian populations. Another
is the growing number of laboratory studies indicating that green tea
- the most popular tea in China, Japan and other Asian countries - has
anti-tumor effects.
Black tea is more popular in Western countries. Worldwide, about 80 percent
of the tea consumed is black tea. Both teas come from the same plant (Camellia
sinensis). Black tea is fermented; green tea is not. Green tea contains
more polyphenols - chemicals that act as powerful antioxidants and nontoxic,
cancer preventive agents - than black tea. It has been speculated that
the low lung cancer rate in Japan - despite the high rate of smoking -
is due to green tea consumption.
Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a plant substance in green tea
that is a potent killer of prostate cancer cells. Charles Y-F. Young,
Ph.D., and colleagues tested four common components of green tea on cell
cultures of three different lines of prostate cancer. One of the tea components,
called EGCG, was found to be most potent in inhibiting the growth of prostate
cancer cells. Young says the chemical structure of EGCG is similar to
substances found in red wine and vegetables.
The Mayo Clinic study, published in Aug. 14, 1998, issue of the journal
Cancer Letters, found that green tea not only inhibited cell growth, it
also produced fragmented nuclei and other signs of apoptosis, or programmed
cell death.
The researchers, however, caution that tea's composition is very complex
and that other compounds might contribute to the cancer-fighting properties
of green tea. Mayo researchers now are testing whether EGCG can reduce
the rate of cancer in a special strain of mice that develops prostate
cancer. Young says that human trials could follow if the results are promising.
[Top]
Vitamin
E and Prostate Cancer-(Cancer Information and Support-12/01/00)
A daily vitamin E
pill substantially reduces the risk of prostate cancer among smokers,
according to a study published in the March 18, 1998, issue of the Journal
of the National Cancer Institute. The study followed more than 29,000
male Finnish smokers, ages 50 to 69, for 5 to 8 years. The study participants
were divided into four groups. One group took 50 milligrams (mg) of alpha
tocopherol (a type of Vitamin E). The second group took 20 mg of beta
carotene (a precursor to vitamin A). The third group took both vitamin
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