Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Monday, December 1, 2008

FOODS HIGH IN ANTIOXIDANTS

FOODS HIGH IN ANTIOXIDANTS

• The risk of heart disease is 3 times more in diabetics.
• Hence, they should be extra careful and eat foods rich in antioxidants, beta-carotene and Vitamin C and E.
• The LDL (bad cholesterol) is more susceptible to oxidation, can become toxic and clog arteries.

• High levels of sugar in the blood lead to dangerous oxidation.
• Oxygen free radicals are released (during metabolism of sugar) and make cholesterol toxic. The bad effects can be reduced by constant supply of antioxidants.
• Antioxidants or free radical scavengers clean up the destructive reaction.

• Antioxidants are the best bet against high blood cholesterol, heart disease and cancer.

Good sources of antioxidants are:

• Beta-carotene: Yellow and orange vegetables and fruits and dark green leafy vegetables, carrots, tomatoes, asparagus, sweet potatoes, mangoes, peaches, melons, apricot, cherries, peas, spinach and broccoli.

• Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, Indian gooseberries, tomatoes, green peppers, green leafy vegetables, raw cabbage, potatoes, strawberries, kiwi fruit, black currant.

• Vitamin E: Seeds, whole-grains, nuts, almonds, soybeans, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oils especially sunflower oil and fish liver oils.

Antioxidant-rich foods

Which Foods Contain the Most Antioxidants?

One of the most important steps you can take to prevent heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease is to eat plenty of antioxidant-rich foods. As discussed in a previous article on free radicals, antioxidants protect your health by preventing and repairing damage caused to your cells by excessive free radicals.

Antioxidants are plentiful in plant foods, particularly those that have bright colours. As of May, 2005, the most comprehensive study of the antioxidant content of common foods that I know of was published in the June 2004 edition of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. According to this study, the 20 most antioxidant-rich foods are as follows:

Rank Food Serving Size Antioxidant Capacity per Serving
1 Small red beans, dried 1/2 cup 13727
2 Wild blueberries 1 cup 13427
3 Red kidney beans, dried 1/2 cup 13259
4 Pinto beans 1/2 cup 11864
5 Blueberries, cultivated 1 cup 9019
6 Cranberries 1 cup 8983
7 Artichoke hearts, cooked 1 cup 7904
8 Blackberries 1 cup 7701
9 Dried prunes 1/2 cup 7291
10 Raspberries 1 cup 6058
11 Strawberries 1 cup 5938
12 Red delicious apple One 5900
13 Granny Smith apple One 5381
14 Pecans 1 ounce 5095
15 Sweet cherries 1 cup 4873
16 Black plum One 4844
17 Russet potato, cooked One 4649
18 Black beans 1/2 cup 4181
19 Plum One 4118
20 Gala apple One 3903

The highest ranked foods in four major categories are as follows:

Fruits: blueberries, cranberries, and blackberries.

Vegetables: beans, artichoke hearts, and surprisingly, russet potatoes.

Nuts: pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts.

Spices: cinnamon, oregano, and ground cloves.

Here are a few points to keep in mind when choosing antioxidant-rich foods:

  1. Because there are many different types of antioxidants that can protect your tissues from different types of damage, it is best to eat a wide range of antioxidant-rich foods.
  2. How much you benefit from the antioxidants found in the foods you eat depends on how well you breakdown and absorb these foods.
  3. One of the best ways of making sure that you are getting plenty of antioxidants in your diet is to strive to eat lots of fresh vegetables. If you just don't have the time to eat a large green salad every day, consider buying a good juicer and drinking a fresh vegetable juice on a daily basis. Another more convenient option is to use a high quality super green food product.
  4. It is best to limit the amount of sweet fruits that you eat according to your dental health and blood sugar and insulin levels. If you haven't already, please read my article on the dangers of eating too much fruit.
  5. When washing and preparing vegetables and fruits, be sure to wash non-organic varieties with extra care to help remove pesticide residues. This is especially important for vegetables and fruits that are known to be heavily contaminated with pesticides.

Raw chocolate and goji berries are two foods that are extremely rich in antioxidants but were not evaluated for the study cited above.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Decrease Cancer-suppressing Protein Activity, Increase Life Span

ScienceDaily (Nov. 23, 2005) — Fruit flies can live significantly longer, and remain healthy, when activity of the fly version of the tumor-suppressing protein p53 is reduced in nerve cells. Published in Current Biology, the results shed important new light on the role this "protector of the genome" plays in aging and point to p53 as a viable target for anti-aging drugs.


The p53 gene plays a critical role in the body. It protects human cells by producing a protein that triggers apoptosis, or cell suicide, when DNA is badly damaged. This prevents the spread of genetic mutations and the formation of cancer. When the p53 gene is damaged or missing, cancer may result. In fact, more than 50 percent of human cancers carry p53 mutations.

There is, however, a flip side to this guardian gene. When p53 is hyperactive - pumping out higher-than-normal levels of tumor-suppressing protein - it accelerates aging and shortens life span in mice.

"What this new work shows is that there is a 'golden mean' with p53," said Stephen Helfand, a Brown University biologist who served as senior scientist for the study. "By targeting a decrease in p53 protein, specifically in neurons, we can extend healthy life span in fruit flies. This is an important conceptual shift. Decreasing the activity of p53 can have positive effects on aging."

Helfand, now a professor in Brown's Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Bio-chemistry, oversaw the project while at the University of Connecticut Health Center. To test speculation that tinkering with p53 could produce life-extending results, Helfand and colleagues designed an experiment using fruit flies - which share thousands of genes with humans and also express a version of the p53 gene.

The team engineered a line of flies that carried a mutant version of p53. When flies had the altered gene switched on, they produced a mutant form of the p53 protein that deactivated normal p53 protein. But the affect was targeted to occur only in neurons. Why single out neurons? Because adult nerve cells don't divide - making them much less prone to cancer.

Results showed that adult mutant flies lived up to 58 percent longer - an average of 60 days, up from the average of 38 days. At the same time, the flies appeared healthy, continuing to feed, move and reproduce normally.

The experiment does not explain why targeted, decreased p53 activity extends healthy life span. But it suggests a mechanism - caloric restriction, a biochemical cascade proven to slow aging. To test the hypothesis, the specially engineered flies were fed a calorie-diluted diet. But the flies didn't live any longer, suggesting that this pathway was, indeed, already in play.

"We believe that p53 is part of the caloric restriction life span extension pathway," Helfand said. "It's not the entire explanation, but it appears to play a major role."

The research team includes Brown post-doctorate research fellow Johannes Bauer and graduate student Peter Poon, as well as Heather Glatt-Deeley, a research assistant at the University of Connecticut. John Abrams, an associate professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, also contributed.

The National Institute on Aging, The Donaghue Foundation, the American Federation for Aging Research, The Glenn Foundation for Medical Research, and the Ellison Medical Foundation funded the work.


Adapted from materials provided by Brown University.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Calcium-rich Foods strenghten Bones better than Pills and Supplements - HealthJockey.com

Calcium-rich Foods strenghten Bones better than Pills and Supplements - HealthJockey.com

Issue #28-- Stay Healthy With These Immune Boosting Foods

Issue #28-- Stay Healthy With These Immune Boosting Foods
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Issue #28-- Stay Healthy With These Immune Boosting Foods
December 12, 2005

Healthy Eating Tips!
The World's Most Practical
Healthy Eating E-zine



If you like this e-zine, please do a friend a big favor and pass it on to them.

If you've gotten this copy from a friend, sign up for your own subscription by visiting the Healthy Eating Tips sign-up page.



December 12, 2005 Issue #028

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) Stay Healthy With These Immune Boosting Foods
2) Are You Eating Teflon in Your Popcorn?
3) What You Put On Your Body Is As Important As What You Put In Your Body
4) Healthy Products and Services



Stay Healthy With These Immune Boosting Foods

  • Garlic is antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal and increases immune function. It’s also a good source of selenium, an important trace element, and sulfur, which is important for healthy liver function.
  • Onions are also a good source of sulfur and contain the same properties as garlic
  • Cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, are good sources of betacarotene and help protect against free-radical damage. They also contain vitamin C and calcium.
  • Spinach and other leafy greens also contain beta carotene, the precursor to vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium.
  • Orange vegetables, like sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin and squash are a good source of vitamin A
  • Raisins, kiwi fruit, blueberries and oranges are good sources of vitamin C. To increase the amount of vitamin C from your oranges, thinly peel the skin off with a knife, leaving the white bioflavonoid rich inner peel.
  • Chinese cabbage is a good source of vitamin A
  • California avocados are rich in vitamin A and potassium and also contain folic acid and magnesium.
  • Shiitake and maitake mushrooms increase the body’s production of white blood cells, which are part of the immune system
  • Ginger helps the body fight off infection and has traditionally been used in treating colds and flu
  • Turmeric enhances the immune system and has a detoxifying effect
  • Horseradish contains oils that have demonstrated antibiotic properties and has been effective against infections

The best way to keep your immune system strong is to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, including several immune boosting foods every day. Eat at least 50% raw. Don’t overcook your cooked food, it destroys the immune enhancing properties. Buy organic or pesticide-free foods and season with immune boosting herbs and spices.

If you find it just too difficult to include an abundance of fresh whole immune boosting foods, or would just like to add a little extra antioxidant protection, I recommend GreensFirst which is an antioxidant rich whole food powder that contains the equivalent of 10 servings of fruits and vegetables in one scoop. It tastes so good that it’s guaranteed you’ll love the taste or your money back.

Send me
your comments or questions about this discussion. I cannot answer each question individually, but I will attempt to address questions in the next newsletter.



Are You Eating Teflon in Your Popcorn?

You may be if you eat microwave popcorn. A grease-resistant coating used in microwave popcorn breaks down into perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a possible carcinogen.

If you’ve read my page on Healthy Cooking you already know that I’m not a fan of microwave cooking.

A better way to enjoy popcorn is to make it in a hot air popper and drizzle some melted butter over it, sprinkle it with Celtic Sea salt and a little parmesan cheese.



What You Put On Your Body Is As Important As
What You Put In Your Body

If you’re reading this newsletter, chances are that you’re conscious about eating healthy food, or are in the process of making the transition to healthy eating.

However, did you know that what you put on your skin can be absorbed directly into your blood stream? And did you know that many of the ingredients in your soap, shampoo, shaving cream, lotions, baby products, to name a few, contain harmful ingredients? Some even cause cancer. Some of the products that contain cancer-causing ingredients also contain ingredients that are penetration enhancers – they increase the absorption of these harmful ingredients into your bloodstream.

If you’re eating healthy foods to improve your health and you’re using products on your skin with health destroying ingredients, you’re diluting the beneficial effect of the healthy foods, maybe even nullifying it. To make sure that you’re not cancelling out the beneficial effect of the healthy foods you’re eating, you also need to pay attention to the ingredients in your cosmetics and personal care products. I’ve made it easy for you in the new revised edition of my book, DYING TO LOOK GOOD. If you haven’t already picked up your copy, you can get it for the special holiday price of $9.95 only until 9 p.m. PST. This is a $3.00 discount off the regular $12.95 price.

Do yourself a favor. Give yourself and those you love the gift of health. More information.



Healthy Products and Services

The 2004 Edition of FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide To What's Safe & What's Not lists 800 food additives classified according to safety, whether they may cause allergic reactions and if they are GRAS Generally Recognized As Safe) by the FDA. New to this edition is information on how to identify genetically modified produce in the grocery store. It's a handy pocket-sized book that you can carry with you when you shop to help you read food labels and make sure the food you're buying has only healthy ingredients. It will help you choose healthy foods when you shop and keep harmful chemicals out of the food you feed your family.

If the above link doesn't work, copy http://www.healthyeatingadvisor.com/foodadditives.html into the address line on your browser.

HEALTHY EATING: For Extremely Busy People Who Don't Have Time For It tells you what's healthy and what's not in a clear, concise and easy-to-use format. It gives you a system so easy to use that you can't help but succeed at eating healthfully. In less than 15 minutes, you will know how to choose healthy food and be on the right track to eating healthfully.

If the above link doesn't work, copy "http://www.healthyeatingadvisor.com/healthyeating.html" into the address line on your browser.

Healthy Eating Coaching
If you would like personal, one-on-one help to get yourself eating healthfully, I offer healthy eating coaching/nutritional consulting services by telephone. The first session is free. You just have to pay for the call.

To schedule your no charge evaluation, send me an e-mail with NO CHARGE EVALUATION in the subject line. Tell me what your concerns are, what times you are available, and what time zone you're in. I will send you an e-mail with your appointment date and time, and the phone number for you to call.




Written by Christine H. Farlow, D.C.
Your Personal Online Healthy Eating Coach
(c) copyright 2004 HealthyEatingAdvisor.com

Back to Back Issues Page

Scientists turbo-charge immune cells to fight cancer - Yahoo! Canada News

Scientists turbo-charge immune cells to fight cancer - Yahoo! Canada News: "Sun Nov 2, 2:02 PM

0

* What's this

PARIS (AFP) - Scientists in the United States have created super-charged immune cells that helped beat back cancer tumours in half of a small group of patients tested, according to a study released Sunday.
ADVERTISEMENT

Adding an artificial receptor to T-lymphocytes immune cells boosted their ability to fight a deadly form of cancer called neuroblastoma, the researchers reported.

Neuroblastoma attacks the nervous system. While fairly rare, it accounts for seven percent of all childhood cancers, and 15 percent of non-adult cancer deaths.

In two-thirds of cases, it is not diagnosed until it has already spread to other parts of the body.

In their natural state, T-lymphocytes do not survive very long and lack the molecules that would target cancer cells in tumours.

To overcome this double deficiency, a team of researchers led by Malcolm Brenner at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas first selected immune cells naturally stimulated by a common but harmless virus called Epstein-Barr.

They then modified these cells to express a receptor keyed to specific proteins found in human neuroblastoma cells.

'In effect, the T-lymphocytes trampoline off the virus and onto the tumor,' said Brenner."

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Cancer: Prostate Disorders: Merck Manual Home Edition

Cancer: Prostate Disorders: Merck Manual Home Edition

Prostate Cancer: Nursing Assessment ... - Google Book Search

Prostate Cancer: Nursing Assessment ... - Google Book Search

Bilateral orchiectomy with or without flutamide fo...[N Engl J Med. 1998] - PubMed Result

Bilateral orchiectomy with or without flutamide fo...[N Engl J Med. 1998] - PubMed Result\

Bilateral orchiectomy with or without flutamide for metastatic prostate cancer.

Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA.

BACKGROUND: Combined androgen blockade for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer consists of an antiandrogen drug plus castration. In a previous trial, we found that adding the antiandrogen flutamide to leuprolide acetate (a synthetic gonadotropin-releasing hormone that results in medical ablation of testicular function) significantly improved survival as compared with that achieved with placebo plus leuprolide acetate. In the current trial, we compared flutamide plus bilateral orchiectomy with placebo plus orchiectomy. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients who had never received antiandrogen therapy and who had distant metastases from adenocarcinoma of the prostate to treatment with bilateral orchiectomy and either flutamide or placebo. Patients were stratified according to the extent of disease and according to performance status. RESULTS: Of the 1387 patients who were enrolled in the trial, 700 were randomly assigned to the flutamide group and 687 to the placebo group. Overall, the incidence of toxic effects was minimal; the only notable differences between the groups were the greater rates of diarrhea and anemia with flutamide. There was no significant difference between the two groups in overall survival (P=0.14). The estimated risk of death (hazard ratio) for flutamide as compared with placebo was 0.91 (90 percent confidence interval, 0.81 to 1.01). Flutamide was not associated with enhanced benefit in patients with minimal disease. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of flutamide to bilateral orchiectomy does not result in a clinically meaningful improvement in survival among patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

PMID: 9761805 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles

Quality of life in advanced prostate cancer: results

Friday, September 5, 2008

Test Reports

History & PSA monitoring:

12.07.07 USG abdomen revealed slight enlargement of prostrate (14gms)

14.07.07 Tested PSA blood test-Value reported 92.19n.g/mL.
18.0707 Bone scan done at Madras Medical Mission revealed hotspots with metastatic deposits?
19.07.07 Trucut needle biopsy done by Prof.R.P.Rajan at PHC.
24.07.07 Apollo hospital HPE report confirmed Acinar Adenocarcinoma (Gleasons score 3+4) Prostate. (4th.stage)
27.07.07 Prof.R.P.Rajan performed bilateral orchidectomy at J.V.Hospital to arrest Androgen activity(90%).

01.08.07 HPE report revealed section showing seminiferous tubules showing hypospermatogenesisus/ no evidence of malignancy in the testicular parenchyma seen.

18.08.07 –Prescribed Calutide-50 for 100% androgen blockade.

04.01.08 -*Calcium-shellcal-1000mg/day suggested.

Calutide-50 temporarily stopped from 08.1.08 & my urologist suggested that if PSA level goes up calutide may be re administered.

Test reports

Normal Range 0.0-4.0 8.4-11.0

Date

Lab

PSA

LFT

S.Cal

H.globin

Creati

Uricacid

Bloodurea

Pl.Glucose

TC

Neu

Lym

Eos

Mono

Bas

AS

RA

14.07.07

Bha

92.19

Normal

N

15.6

0.9

17.08.07

Vsh

N

13.7

1.0

06.09.07

Vsh

N

12.4

1.0

01.10.07

Bha

0.30

N

04.01.08

Bha

0.17

N

7.6 *

27.02.08

Eliza

84(F)121(PP)

29.02.08

Lis

0.20

14.3

15.04.08

Bha

9.5

13.8

1.1

5.3

23

86(F)

7,800

56

44

00

00

00

<25-ve

<20-ve




























































10.06.08

JVH

0.2ng

N

10.4

13.8

1.3

Urine S-Nil

22

79F 94PP

5,900

48

46

02

00

LDL-170mg

Tonmt tab

20.07.08

Bone Density report: T-Score: -1.22 Osteopenic Medi:Adtrol plus/Osteonuron

05.09.08

Bha

0.208

8.2