It seems that most of us know the benefits of a carrot and the tomato, and we have blogged about the walnut, red apple and red grape; but what about the pumpkin?
Fresh pumpkin is the best, when available; but even canned pumpkin (no salt added, of course, and not pumpkin pie filling) is a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamins E, A, C and K, iron, magnesium, copper and magnesium. It is low in cholesterol, saturated fats and sodium and you can even eat it out of the can!
The next food, that you may not be eating enough or at all, is one I'm keen on: quinoa. It is considered by some to be the perfect food from a plant, certainly for protein. This whole grain provides all of the essential amino acids and lysine is one amino acid that is hard to find in plant sources. Quinoa is also a good source of fiber, folate, magnesium and manganese. It is also low in cholesterol, saturated fats and sodium.
For more on super foods check out http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/superfoods-everyone-needs.
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year.
This content is information and not personal medical advice.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Breaking News! More from yesterday's blog study.
Yesterday, we reviewed how calorie restriction and diet reduce harmful inflammatory biomarkers, but today, more from the same randomized control trial from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, lead by Dr Anne McTiernan. Today's publication online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology includes the response of sex hormones to exercise and diet in the aforementioned group of women
The report is of one year follow-up of 438 women, mean age 58 years, mean BMI 30.9. The groups:
The report is of one year follow-up of 438 women, mean age 58 years, mean BMI 30.9. The groups:
- caloric restriction
- regular exercise
- diet and exercise
- control
The data are as you might expect: sex hormone levels (estrone, estradiol, testosterone) all decreased with weight loss and exercise. They saw a modest decrease with exercise, more decrease with weight loss and the greatest decrease in the hormone levels with weight loss and exercise.
This study gives us more data on weight loss and exercise mechanisms for breast cancer risk reduction.
In summary, the study itself through separate publications, demonstrates that weight loss and exercise favorably decrease hormones and inflammatory biomarkers that are linked to more breast cancers.
Kind of makes you want to eat less and exercise more!
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This content is information and not personal medical advice.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Why the link between too much weight and cancer?
We have already seen in many blogs the relationship of too much weight and cancer. Remember the NHS results of women >50 years followed for 24 years? I invite you to review here http://drwinsett.blogspot.com/2011/04/breast-cancer-and-weight.html, but the long and short of it: for every one pound gained and kept there was 1% more breast cancer, but for every one pound lost and kept off there were 2% fewer breast cancers.
Now we may be closing in on the reason. A significant amount of research points toward inflammation as the mechanism causing overweight or obese and sedentary women to have more cancers, including breast cancer.
More information comes from a recent randomized controlled trial from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/72/9/2314.abstract?sid=3b3200b3-3ad5-4de1-81bc-7a09c30c19f8. They randomized >400 women for a one year study and amazingly only one woman dropped out. They measured C-reactive protein and other biomarkers of inflammation at the beginning and at one year. The four groups were:
Now we may be closing in on the reason. A significant amount of research points toward inflammation as the mechanism causing overweight or obese and sedentary women to have more cancers, including breast cancer.
More information comes from a recent randomized controlled trial from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/72/9/2314.abstract?sid=3b3200b3-3ad5-4de1-81bc-7a09c30c19f8. They randomized >400 women for a one year study and amazingly only one woman dropped out. They measured C-reactive protein and other biomarkers of inflammation at the beginning and at one year. The four groups were:
- caloric restriction with a goal of losing 10% of body weight
- moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise 225 minutes/week
- both diet and exercise
- control group
The results at one year were impressive for reduction in all inflammatory biomarkers in the diet and exercise groups. They saw the greatest reduction of C-reactive protein and the other markers in the the diet (lost and kept off 5%) and exercise group. Diet and exercise caused a 42% reduction in the inflammatory biomarkers. Caloric restriction alone was next in benefit.
Imagine, >40% reduction in inflammatory biomarkers with only 8 pounds lost and kept off for someone who weighed 160 pounds!
Think of the potential significance for cancer reduction!
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Overweight and younger!
More overweight and obese teenagers is the finding in a recent US study of youths aged 12-19 years. This study, published in the journal Pediatrics, analyzed data from over 3000 teenagers and compared 1999 to 2008. They found that in that 10 year period that Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes increased from 9% to 23%. An increase of 2.5x in just 10 years is "shockingly high" according to Dr. David Ludwig, a childhood obesity expert at Chirldren's Hospital in Boston. The obesity epidemic has lead to an epidemic of Type 2 diabetes in teenagers.
Not only do we need to work on this from the standpoint of diabetes-related risks, like kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes and blindness, but as we have seen in this blog, cancer.
For more information http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/projects/cda2.htm.
The American Diabetes Association http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/prevention/?loc=DropDownDB-prevention recommends:
Not only do we need to work on this from the standpoint of diabetes-related risks, like kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes and blindness, but as we have seen in this blog, cancer.
For more information http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/projects/cda2.htm.
The American Diabetes Association http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/prevention/?loc=DropDownDB-prevention recommends:
- choose a variety of lean meats, fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains and non-fat dairy products
- limit portion size
- avoid too much of the same food type
- eat meals regularly throughout the day
- don't skip meals
And, of course, DAILY EXERCISE!!!
We can set an example for these teenagers and have fewer cancers by doing all these things.
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This medical content is information and not personal medical advice.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Lifting heavier weights is not the only way to build muscle.
According to research from McMaster University, the amount of weight is not the only factor in the building of muscles. Light weights with more repetitions may be just as good as heavy weights with fewer repetitions. In a series of papers, they have demonstrated that exercising until you can not lift the weight again or what they call volitional fatigue is what is important. See http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cameron_Mitchell2.
They found that muscle growth and strength were increased equally effectively by heavy and light weights.
They tested people for the maximum weight lifted, then backed off some. One group of 8-12 repetitions lifted 80% of maximum and another group lifted 30% of maximum but did it 25-30 times in each of three sets. They studied muscle volume by MRI and muscle protein synthesis by biopsy and found equal increases.
Their conclusion, "lower load lifted to failure resulted in similar hypertrophy as a heavy load lifted to failure".
What does this mean for all of us? We can all get benefits form lifting what our joints allow. One doesn't have to lift the biggest weight on the rack, but a lighter load, lifted to when it becomes difficult to maintain good form, works just as well!
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This content is informational and not personal medical advice.
They found that muscle growth and strength were increased equally effectively by heavy and light weights.
They tested people for the maximum weight lifted, then backed off some. One group of 8-12 repetitions lifted 80% of maximum and another group lifted 30% of maximum but did it 25-30 times in each of three sets. They studied muscle volume by MRI and muscle protein synthesis by biopsy and found equal increases.
Their conclusion, "lower load lifted to failure resulted in similar hypertrophy as a heavy load lifted to failure".
What does this mean for all of us? We can all get benefits form lifting what our joints allow. One doesn't have to lift the biggest weight on the rack, but a lighter load, lifted to when it becomes difficult to maintain good form, works just as well!
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This content is informational and not personal medical advice.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Want to save money? Try being fit!
That's right. A recent study showed that men and women that were fit in middle age had significantly lower health care costs later. Imagine saving almost $2000.00 every year!
That is what a study presented at the American Heart Association's Quality of Care and Outcomes Reasearch meeting last week showed http://newsroom.heart.org/pr/aha/midlife-fitness-means-lower-healthcare-233183.aspx. The lead author, Dr. Justin Bachman, from UT Southwestern in Dallas collaborating with the Cooper Clinic reported that "physically fit, healthy middle-aged adults have significantly lower health care costs as they age, compared to their less physically fit counterparts.
The study followed 20,489 healthy people from 1999-2009. They controlled for smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and body-mass index (BMI). Fitness was determined by measuring metabolic equivalents (METs) on a treadmill. The higher the METs, the more fit.
When they compared the least fit group of men to the most fit, they found a savings of $1857.00 in medical costs per year ($5134 vs $3277 spent per year!). A savings of 36%
For women the savings were 40% (they do most things better!) from $4565 per year for the least fit to $2755 per year for the most fit.
To quote Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a preventive cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital NYC, "exercise is the best medicine we have!"
Need I say more?
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This blog is informational and not personal medical advice. Check with your doctor to assure that you are healthy enough to exercise. Then do it!
That is what a study presented at the American Heart Association's Quality of Care and Outcomes Reasearch meeting last week showed http://newsroom.heart.org/pr/aha/midlife-fitness-means-lower-healthcare-233183.aspx. The lead author, Dr. Justin Bachman, from UT Southwestern in Dallas collaborating with the Cooper Clinic reported that "physically fit, healthy middle-aged adults have significantly lower health care costs as they age, compared to their less physically fit counterparts.
The study followed 20,489 healthy people from 1999-2009. They controlled for smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and body-mass index (BMI). Fitness was determined by measuring metabolic equivalents (METs) on a treadmill. The higher the METs, the more fit.
When they compared the least fit group of men to the most fit, they found a savings of $1857.00 in medical costs per year ($5134 vs $3277 spent per year!). A savings of 36%
For women the savings were 40% (they do most things better!) from $4565 per year for the least fit to $2755 per year for the most fit.
To quote Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a preventive cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital NYC, "exercise is the best medicine we have!"
Need I say more?
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This blog is informational and not personal medical advice. Check with your doctor to assure that you are healthy enough to exercise. Then do it!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Please pass the piperine; I'm on a diet!
Black pepper comes from the Piper nigrum vine (Piperaceae family) that is native to southern Asia. Usually, the peppercorns are harvested green and dried in the sun until black. They may be used in pepper mills or ground into various grades of what we use as a seasoning.
Piperine is the pungent tasting alkaloid in the black pepper that gives it the characteristic taste. Alkaloids are basic organic compounds, containing nitrogen, most often of plant origin, that may have profound human physiologic effects. Other examples are nicotine and opium.
Piperine has been isolated from the black pepper and studied for its effects in humans from reducing inflammation to promoting healthy digestion and from preventing cancer to interfering with normal reproduction. The mechanisms of action are not well understood, but a recent paper in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01542.x/abstract, suggests a potential benefit as treatment for obesity.
The formation of the mature fat cell or adipocyte has been the subject of many studies and is a very complex process. Researchers in Korea have shown that piperine decreases the activity of transcription factors necessary to from the mature adipocyte from its precursor cells. In their in vitro or laboratory study, piperine down-regulates the activity of genes that control the formation of fat. They suggest that this finding might lead to potential treatments for obesity-related diseases.
Maybe they are on to something, but for now, we just need to eat less, exercise more and be active.
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This content is intended as information and not personal medical advise.
Piperine is the pungent tasting alkaloid in the black pepper that gives it the characteristic taste. Alkaloids are basic organic compounds, containing nitrogen, most often of plant origin, that may have profound human physiologic effects. Other examples are nicotine and opium.
Piperine has been isolated from the black pepper and studied for its effects in humans from reducing inflammation to promoting healthy digestion and from preventing cancer to interfering with normal reproduction. The mechanisms of action are not well understood, but a recent paper in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01542.x/abstract, suggests a potential benefit as treatment for obesity.
The formation of the mature fat cell or adipocyte has been the subject of many studies and is a very complex process. Researchers in Korea have shown that piperine decreases the activity of transcription factors necessary to from the mature adipocyte from its precursor cells. In their in vitro or laboratory study, piperine down-regulates the activity of genes that control the formation of fat. They suggest that this finding might lead to potential treatments for obesity-related diseases.
Maybe they are on to something, but for now, we just need to eat less, exercise more and be active.
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This content is intended as information and not personal medical advise.
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