Consuming cruciferous vegetables may have a positive impact on survival in breast cancer patients, according to the results of a new study.
The Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study, a large population-based study of Chinese breast cancer survivors, revealed that the consumption of cruciferous vegetables after a diagnosis of breast cancer was associated with improved survival in Chinese women.
The researchers, led by Sarah J. Nechuta, MPH, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, discovered that cruciferous vegetable intake during the first 36 months after diagnosis boosted survival by reducing risk for total mortality, breast-cancer-specific mortality, and recurrence.
They observed that across increasing quartiles of cruciferous vegetable consumption, the risk for total mortality decreased by 27% (to 62%), the risk for breast-cancer-specific mortality decreased by 22% (to 62%), and the risk for recurrence decreased by 21% (to 35%).
Lifestyle differences
Dr. Nechuta cautioned that population differences must be considered in this recent study. "First, commonly consumed cruciferous vegetables in China include turnip, Chinese cabbage/bok choy, and greens, whereas broccoli and brussels sprouts are the most commonly consumed cruciferous vegetables in the United States and other Western countries," she said.
"Second, the amount of intake among Chinese women is much higher than that of American women," she continued. "The level of bioactive compounds, such as isothiocyanates and indoles, suspected of playing a role in the anticancer effects of cruciferous vegetables, depend on the amount and type of cruciferous vegetables consumed."
She suggested that breast cancer survivors in the United States follow the general nutrition guidelines of eating vegetables daily, and consider increasing their intake of cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli, as part of a healthy diet.
Anti-cancer properties
The protective effect of cruciferous vegetables is already well-known. Previous studies have reported that the intake of raw cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower, was associated with a reduced risk for bladder cancer (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008;17:938-944). The consumption of cruciferous vegetables might also help protect smokers from lung cancer, according to some data.
Preliminary research has shown that the consumption of broccoli sprouts can interfere with the development of gastritis and gastric cancer. In addition, consuming broccoli sprouts appears to enhance antioxidant and anti-inflammatory enzymes in the stomach.
"In our 2002 study, sulforaphane killed helicobacter directly in the test tube," said Jed W. Fahey, MS, ScD, a nutritional biochemist in the Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Cancer Chemoprotection Center at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, in an interview at that time, referring to a previous study (Cancer Prev Res [Phila]. 2009;2:353-360). "It also reduced the rate of gastric cancer in mice."
"The key take-home message harkens back to the old message — eat veggies," said Dr. Fahey. "We're now giving people the science that shows why eating fruits and vegetables are good for your health."
Source: American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 103rd Annual Meeting: Abstract LB-322. Presented April 3, 2012.
Welcome to my collection of health articles. Most of them contain little nuggets of health wisdom that we can easily apply to our daily lives. As you can gather, I've been consuming all sorts of supplements over the years, most of them from iherb. They deliver on time (DHL), and prices are good. If you're a first-time buyer, use my code 'pot089' to enjoy up to $10 off.
Thursday 12 April 2012
Wednesday 4 April 2012
Chocolate: a healthy nibble
Chocolate is increasingly shedding its reputation as a sweet treat only. More research is uncovering health benefits when the dark stuff is eaten in moderation.
At the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society here, a three-hour symposium was devoted to cocoa science and technology. Cocoa researchers from around the world gathered to share their latest findings, passing chocolate bars around the audience as they talked science.
Here is an update on questions chocolate lovers may have.
What Can Chocolate Do for Your Heart Health?
While some heart benefits of chocolate are solid, others are still under debate, says Eric Ding, PhD, instructor of medicine and nutritional epidemiologist at Harvard Medical School. At the symposium, he discussed his review of 24 published studies on chocolate.
The studies included more than 1,100 people. Researchers looked at how their chocolate-eating habits affected their heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure.
"The blood pressure-lowering effect is well known," he says. His team found that, on average, systolic blood pressure declined slightly, less than two points on average, in chocolate eaters. Systolic blood pressure is the top number of a blood pressure measurement, and in people older than 50, this can be a stronger risk factor for heart disease than the lower, or diastolic, measurement.
There is also solid evidence that chocolate can increase HDL or "good" cholesterol, Ding and his colleagues found. In general, the lower your LDL and the higher your HDL, the better your chances of preventing heart disease and other chronic conditions.
With chocolate, insulin resistance improved, a benefit if you have diabetes or want to avoid it, Ding says.
Blood flow also improved with a bit of chocolate, another benefit, he says.
"Altogether the results suggest strong benefits against cardiovascular disease," Ding tells WebMD.
The report is published in The Journal of Nutrition.
What Else Can Chocolate Do?
Other studies on the health benefits of chocolate are in earlier phases and are preliminary.
Chocolate may help those with type 2 diabetes minimize the ill effects of high blood sugar levels after eating, says Stephen L. Atkin, MD, a researcher at the Hull York Medical School in the U.K. He gave 10 patients with type 2 diabetes small amounts of chocolate an hour before he gave them glucose to simulate a meal.
He found improvements in their blood vessel functioning, which in turn could help reduce heart disease risk.
Chocolate may help patients with congestive heart failure, says Francisco Villarreal, MD, PhD, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, who also spoke at the symposium. In congestive heart failure, the heart doesn't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.
In a small study with five patients, he gave them about 100 milligrams of a flavonol called epicatechin, found in chocolate, every day for three months.
He measured a substance called nitric oxide, which regulates the contractibility of the blood vessels and affects blood pressure. He found "a very significant increase" in nitric oxide levels.
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and The Hershey Company. Villarreal is co-founder of a company developing epicatechin as a treatment.
Other research, which has not yet progressed to people, is looking at the potential of chocolate to treat migraine as well as inhibit colon cancer.
What Is the ''Magic'' Ingredient in Chocolate?
A flavonol called epicatechin, an antioxidant, turns up in much chocolate research.
"The flavonol epicatechin warrants further study,'' Villarreal says. It seems to have an effect on the powerhouse of the cell, known as the mitochondria. "Many diseases, including Alzheimer's, seem to have a mitochondrial component," he says.
He suspects the antioxidant properties aren't the whole reason epicatechin has benefits.
Reality Check: How Much Chocolate Is Enough?
The doses used in studies are all over the place. However, scientists involved in cocoa research seem to love the words "in moderation." At this point, there is no established serving size of chocolate for heart health. A moderate portion size of chocolate is about 1 ounce.
In his studies, Villarreal has found that half a square is the ''sweet spot" for good effects.
Dark chocolate is most often studied and found to have health effects.
A serving a day would be considered moderate, says Rene D. Massengale, PhD, a food chemist in Bloomington, Ind., and a spokesperson for the Institute for Food Technologists. She reviewed the findings but was not involved in the research. She has consulted in the past for Hershey's.
Perspective is crucial, she says. "Eating a lot of chocolate because you think you are going to get the health benefit, but having a 3,000-calorie diet, is not going to do you any good," she tells WebMD.
Eating chocolate definitely won't lower your body mass index (BMI), Ding tells WebMD. He disputes the conclusion of a research letter published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine, finding that regular chocolate eaters have lower BMIs.
His review of 24 rigorous studies, he says, finds no effect. "The cocoa flavonoids absolutely yield no BMI or weight change," he says.
And those chocolate bars that were passed around at the meeting?
By any chocolate lover's standard, they would have to be described as teeny.
Source: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/761340?sssdmh=dm1.772780&src=nldne
Check out these chocolate products:
At the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society here, a three-hour symposium was devoted to cocoa science and technology. Cocoa researchers from around the world gathered to share their latest findings, passing chocolate bars around the audience as they talked science.
Here is an update on questions chocolate lovers may have.
What Can Chocolate Do for Your Heart Health?
While some heart benefits of chocolate are solid, others are still under debate, says Eric Ding, PhD, instructor of medicine and nutritional epidemiologist at Harvard Medical School. At the symposium, he discussed his review of 24 published studies on chocolate.
The studies included more than 1,100 people. Researchers looked at how their chocolate-eating habits affected their heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure.
"The blood pressure-lowering effect is well known," he says. His team found that, on average, systolic blood pressure declined slightly, less than two points on average, in chocolate eaters. Systolic blood pressure is the top number of a blood pressure measurement, and in people older than 50, this can be a stronger risk factor for heart disease than the lower, or diastolic, measurement.
There is also solid evidence that chocolate can increase HDL or "good" cholesterol, Ding and his colleagues found. In general, the lower your LDL and the higher your HDL, the better your chances of preventing heart disease and other chronic conditions.
With chocolate, insulin resistance improved, a benefit if you have diabetes or want to avoid it, Ding says.
Blood flow also improved with a bit of chocolate, another benefit, he says.
"Altogether the results suggest strong benefits against cardiovascular disease," Ding tells WebMD.
The report is published in The Journal of Nutrition.
What Else Can Chocolate Do?
Other studies on the health benefits of chocolate are in earlier phases and are preliminary.
Chocolate may help those with type 2 diabetes minimize the ill effects of high blood sugar levels after eating, says Stephen L. Atkin, MD, a researcher at the Hull York Medical School in the U.K. He gave 10 patients with type 2 diabetes small amounts of chocolate an hour before he gave them glucose to simulate a meal.
He found improvements in their blood vessel functioning, which in turn could help reduce heart disease risk.
Chocolate may help patients with congestive heart failure, says Francisco Villarreal, MD, PhD, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, who also spoke at the symposium. In congestive heart failure, the heart doesn't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.
In a small study with five patients, he gave them about 100 milligrams of a flavonol called epicatechin, found in chocolate, every day for three months.
He measured a substance called nitric oxide, which regulates the contractibility of the blood vessels and affects blood pressure. He found "a very significant increase" in nitric oxide levels.
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and The Hershey Company. Villarreal is co-founder of a company developing epicatechin as a treatment.
Other research, which has not yet progressed to people, is looking at the potential of chocolate to treat migraine as well as inhibit colon cancer.
What Is the ''Magic'' Ingredient in Chocolate?
A flavonol called epicatechin, an antioxidant, turns up in much chocolate research.
"The flavonol epicatechin warrants further study,'' Villarreal says. It seems to have an effect on the powerhouse of the cell, known as the mitochondria. "Many diseases, including Alzheimer's, seem to have a mitochondrial component," he says.
He suspects the antioxidant properties aren't the whole reason epicatechin has benefits.
Reality Check: How Much Chocolate Is Enough?
The doses used in studies are all over the place. However, scientists involved in cocoa research seem to love the words "in moderation." At this point, there is no established serving size of chocolate for heart health. A moderate portion size of chocolate is about 1 ounce.
In his studies, Villarreal has found that half a square is the ''sweet spot" for good effects.
Dark chocolate is most often studied and found to have health effects.
A serving a day would be considered moderate, says Rene D. Massengale, PhD, a food chemist in Bloomington, Ind., and a spokesperson for the Institute for Food Technologists. She reviewed the findings but was not involved in the research. She has consulted in the past for Hershey's.
Perspective is crucial, she says. "Eating a lot of chocolate because you think you are going to get the health benefit, but having a 3,000-calorie diet, is not going to do you any good," she tells WebMD.
Eating chocolate definitely won't lower your body mass index (BMI), Ding tells WebMD. He disputes the conclusion of a research letter published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine, finding that regular chocolate eaters have lower BMIs.
His review of 24 rigorous studies, he says, finds no effect. "The cocoa flavonoids absolutely yield no BMI or weight change," he says.
And those chocolate bars that were passed around at the meeting?
By any chocolate lover's standard, they would have to be described as teeny.
Source: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/761340?sssdmh=dm1.772780&src=nldne
Check out these chocolate products:
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