Heart Disease Prevention Should Start During Childhood
April 29, 2013 by admin
Filed under A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, Atherosclerosis, Atherosclerotic Plaques, Fitness, Fried Foods, HDL, Healthy Diet, Heart Disease Risk, Hypertension, Kids, LDL, Nutrition, Overweight, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Pre-teens, Red Meat, Saturated Fat, Toddlers, Tweens, Unsaturated Fat, Vigorous Exercise, Weekly Health Update, Weight Loss, Western Diet, adolescents, cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular disease risk, coronary artery disease, diet, exercise, fat, fruits, health, heart attack, heart disease, high blood pressure, lifestyle, meat, obesity, physical activity, prevention, risk, smoking, teenagers, tobacco, vegetables, whole grains
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A new study shows a heart-healthy lifestyle during childhood may prevent heart disease later in life.
HEART DISEASE PREVENTION SHOULD START DURING CHILDHOOD Heart disease remains the most common cause of death in the United States, and throughout much of the world. While most of us associate the development of cardiovascular disease with the bad diet and lifestyle habits that we adopt during adulthood, there is plenty of evidence showing that the underlying cause of coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis (also known as “hardening of the arteries”) may actually begin during childhood. Now, a newly published prospective clinical research study of adolescents in Finland reveals that a heart-healthy lifestyle, if adopted during childhood, can reduce the risk of atherosclerosis much earlier in life than was previously thought possible. This study is published in the current issue of the journal Circulation. Beginning in 1990, more than 1,000 infants were enrolled in this long-term prospective clinical study. These young research volunteers, who were 7 months of age when they entered into this research study, were randomly divided into two groups. The “intervention” group’s parents were intensively educated about heart-healthy diet and lifestyle factors, while the parents of the control group children received only the standard health information typically provided by pediatricians. These two groups of children were then closely followed through childhood, and into adolescence. A total of 7 cardiovascular health lifestyle factors were monitored throughout this research study. At ages 15, 17 and 19, the teenagers participating in this public health study underwent ultrasound measurements of the aorta (the largest artery in the body) to assess for thickening of the wall of this artery, which is a sign of early atherosclerosis. Ultrasound was also used to assess the elasticity of the aorta, which is reduced even at the earliest stages of atherosclerosis. The lifestyle factors that were closely monitored during this prospective study included food choices, cholesterol levels in the blood, obesity levels, smoking, and exercise levels. The results of this study confirmed the findings of earlier research studies that atherosclerosis, which leads to coronary artery (heart) disease does, indeed, begin early in life. The teenagers who followed only a few (or none) of the heart-healthy lifestyle recommendations throughout childhood were 78 percent more likely to have evidence, by ultrasound, of early atherosclerosis of the aorta when compared to the teens who had followed most of the recommended heart-healthy lifestyle strategies! The findings of this long-term prospective randomized clinical research study are enormously important, as they show that failing to adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle during childhood leads to a huge increase in the incidence of early atherosclerosis which, in turn, would be expected to progress to symptoms of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. As with prior clinical research studies, this study confirms that physical activity levels, diet, body weight, exposure to tobacco smoke, and other modifiable lifestyle factors play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis, even during childhood. Therefore, based upon this important study’s findings, it appears that it really is never too soon to adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle!Parents who wish to minimize the future risk of cardiovascular disease in their children should, therefore, take note of the findings of this innovative research study, even during the earliest years of their children’s lives.
As I discuss in my bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle not only reduces your risk of dying from cancer, but also reduces your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease at the same time.
For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books. Within three months of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list.
Additional Links for Robert A. Wascher, MD, FACS Profile of Dr. Wascher by Oncology Times Bio of Dr. Wascher at Cancer Treatment Centers of America Dr. Wascher Discusses Predictions of Decreased Cancer Risk on azfamily.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Environmental Risk Factors for Breast Cancer on Sharecare Dr. Wascher Answers Questions About Cancer on talkabouthealth.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Cancer Prevention Strategies on LIVESTRONG Dr. Wascher Discusses Cancer Prevention on Newsmax Dr. Wascher Answers Questions About Cancer Risk & Cancer Prevention on The Doctors Radio Show Dr. Wascher Discusses Lymphedema After Breast Surgery on cancerlynx.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Hormone Replacement Therapy & Breast Cancer Risk on cancerlynx.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Chronic Pain After Mastectomy for Breast Cancer on cancerlynx.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Cancer on cancersupportivecare.com Dr. Wascher Discusses the Role of Exercise in Cancer Prevention on Open Salon Dr. Wascher Discusses Aspirin as a Potential Preventive Agent for Pancreatic Cancer on eHealth Forum Dr. Wascher Discusses Obesity & Cancer Risk on eHealth Forum Dr. Wascher Discusses the Role of Radiation Therapy in the Treatment of Breast Cancer on Sharecare Dr. Wascher Discusses the Treatment of Stomach Cancer on Sharecare Dr. Wascher Discusses the Management of Metastatic Cancer of the Liver on Sharecare Dr. Wascher Discusses Obesity & Cancer Risk on hopenavigators.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Hormone Replacement Therapy & Breast Cancer Risk on interactmd.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Thyroid Cancer on health2fit.com
Links to Other Breaking Health News Woman with Transplanted Uterus Becomes Pregnant Cutting Umbilical Cord Too Soon May Cause Anemia in Newborns Recent Advances in Prosthetic Limbs to Help Boston Marathon Bombing Victims Spiny New Bandage May Speed Healing of Skin Wounds Study Confirms that Men Really Do Have Trouble Reading the Thoughts of Women Deadly new Bird Flu Strain Cases Continue to Rise Abdominal Fat Increases Kidney Disease Risk Increasing Dietary Potassium & Decreasing Salt Intake Reduces Stroke Risk A New Explanation for the Link Between Red Meat & Cardiovascular Disease Deadly New Bird Flu Identified in China Infection Risk: Keeping an Eye on Your Dentist Couple Loses 500 Pounds in Two Years Coffee May Reduce Crash Risk for Long-Distance Drivers Tiny Implant Tells Your Smart Phone When You Are Having A Heart Attack Transplanted Kidney Causes Death Due to Rabies Eating While Distracted Increases Calorie Intake Resistant Bacteria are on the Rise High Levels of Stress Linked to an Increase in Heart Disease Risk Small Snacks Cut Hunger as Well as Big Snacks Poor Sleep May Increase the Risk of Heart Failure Ancient Mummies Found to Have Heart Disease by CT Scan Physically Fit Kids Do Better on Math & Reading Tests How Melanoma Skin Cancer Evades the Immune System Possible Link Between BPA and Asthma Baby Boomers Appear Less Healthy Than Their Parents The Biology of Love in the Brain Millennials May be the Most Stressed-Out Generation Even Modest Alcohol Intake Raises Cancer Risk Why Do Boys Receive Lower Grades than Girls? Negative Emotions and Feelings Can Damage Your Health Canker Sore Drug Cures Obesity (At Least in Mice…) How Technology is Changing the Practice of Medicine New Salt Intake Guidelines for Children High Levels of Distress in Childhood May Increase Risk of Heart Disease in Adulthood Quitting Tobacco by Age 40 Restores a Normal Lifespan in Smokers Cancer Death Rates Continue to Fall Self-Help Books Improve Depression Marines Try Mindfulness and Meditation to Reduce PTSD Dying Nurse Volunteers Herself to Teach Nursing Students about the Dying Falling Asleep While Driving More Common than Previously Thought Celebrity Health Fads Debunked Obesity Among Young Children May Be Declining Fresh Fruits & Vegetables May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk Satisfaction with Life May Actually Increase with Age Brain Changes in the Elderly May Increase Susceptibility to Being Scammed Dr. Wascher’s latest video:  Dark as Night, Part 1 At this time, more than 8 percent of Americans are unemployed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, however, the unemployment rate for veterans who served on active duty between September 2001 and December 2011 is more than 12 percent. A new website, Veterans in Healthcare, seeks to connect veterans with potential employers. If you are a veteran who works in the healthcare field, or if you are an employer who is looking for physicians, advanced practice professionals, nurses, corpsmen/medics, or other healthcare professionals, then please take a look at Veterans in Healthcare. As a retired veteran of the U.S. Army, I would also like to personally urge you to hire a veteran whenever possible. Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author
I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. Over the past 12 months, more than 3 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious readers. As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Folic Acid Supplements Reduce Autism Risk
February 17, 2013 by admin
Filed under A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, Asperger's Syndrome, Autism, Children, Folate, Folic Acid, Maternal, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Mother, Multivitamins, Neural Tube Defects, Nutrition, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Pregnancy, Robert Wascher, Vitamins, Weekly Health Update, health, prevention, risk
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A new study finds that taking folic acid supplements during early pregnancy can reduce the risk of autism by 39 percent.
FOLIC ACID SUPPLEMENTS REDUCE AUTISM RISK For reasons that remain unclear at this time, the number of children diagnosed with autism has skyrocketed in recent years. While many cases of autism appear to be linked to specific genetic abnormalities that can be inherited, or to other factors that are strongly associated with autism, in the majority of cases, no specific causes are apparent. One important focus of autism research is in the area of the “prenatal environment,” which is to say, the environment that the developing fetus experiences prior to delivery. For example, maternal infections with certain viruses during pregnancy have been linked with autism. In other cases, maternal exposure to specific environmental toxins during pregnancy has also been associated with an increased risk of autism. Due to growing evidence that the fetal environment during pregnancy may play an important role in the risk of developing autism, there has also been an interest in looking at nutritional factors that may play a role in either the prevention or development of autism during pregnancy. Folic acid (Vitamin B9) has previously been shown to play an important role in the development of the brain and spinal cord during early fetal development. For example, devastating abnormalities in brain and spinal cord development, collectively referred to as neural tube defects, have been specifically linked to inadequate folic acid intake during early pregnancy. Because folic acid supplementation during early pregnancy reduces the incidence of neural tube defects by almost 50 percent, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has mandated folic acid supplementation of all food products derived from grains and cereals in the United States. Now, a newly published clinical research study suggests that folic acid supplementation during early pregnancy may also significantly reduce the risk of autism. This study appears in the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. In this landmark study, more than 85,000 children born in Norway between 2002 and 2008 took part in the prospective Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. These children were closely followed in this study, until March 31, 2012. The use (or nonuse) of folic acid supplements by the mothers of these children, before and during pregnancy, was then assessed. The incidence of autism in this very large group of children was then correlated with their mothers’ use (or nonuse) of folic acid during early pregnancy. The findings of this study were rather dramatic. At the end of this study’s observation period, 270 children had been formally diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder, including 114 children with autistic disorder (autism), 56 with Asperger’s syndrome, and 100 with Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Although the risk of Asperger’s syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder did not appear to vary with respect to folic acid supplementation during early pregnancy, the use of folic acid supplements prior to and during pregnancy was associated with a 39 percent decrease in the risk of autistic disorder (autism), when compared to the children of mothers who did not take folic acids supplements. (The authors of this study also noted that the statistical power of this study was not strong enough to detect a subtle impact of folic acid supplementation on the risk of Asperger’s syndrome or Pervasive Developmental Disorder, and so a potential mildly beneficial effect of folic acid on the incidence of these two autistic spectrum disorders cannot be ruled out at this time.) Therefore, the findings of this large prospective clinical research study indicate that the incidence of autism can be significantly reduced by folic acid supplementation just prior to pregnancy, and during pregnancy, just as the incidence of neural tube defects has been reduced using this same strategy.
For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books. Within three months of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list.
Links to Other Breaking Health News Baby Boomers Appear Less Healthy Than Their Parents The Biology of Love in the Brain Millennials May be the Most Stressed-Out Generation Even Modest Alcohol Intake Raises Cancer Risk Horse Meat Scandal Rocks Britain Why Do Boys Receive Lower Grades than Girls? Negative Emotions and Feelings Can Damage Your Health Canker Sore Drug Cures Obesity (At Least in Mice…) How Technology is Changing the Practice of Medicine New Salt Intake Guidelines for Children High Levels of Distress in Childhood May Increase Risk of Heart Disease in Adulthood Quitting Tobacco by Age 40 Restores a Normal Lifespan in Smokers Cancer Death Rates Continue to Fall Self-Help Books Improve Depression Marines Try Mindfulness and Meditation to Reduce PTSD Dying Nurse Volunteers Herself to Teach Nursing Students about the Dying Falling Asleep While Driving More Common than Previously Thought Growing Immune Cells to Fight Cancer Celebrity Health Fads Debunked Thousands of Surgery Mistakes Are Still Happening Each Year New Graphic Antismoking Ads Debut in England Kids with Food Allergies May Become Targets of Bullies Obesity Among Young Children May Be Declining Tamoxifen for 10 Years (Instead of 5 Years) Significantly Improves Breast Cancer Survival Rate Fresh Fruits & Vegetables May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk Satisfaction with Life May Actually Increase with Age Brain Changes in the Elderly May Increase Susceptibility to Being Scammed “Talking” Therapy May Help Depression When Antidepressant Medications Fail Graphic Cigarette Labels in Australia Predicting Childhood Obesity at Birth
Dr. Wascher’s latest video: Dark as Night, Part 1 At this time, more than 8 percent of Americans are unemployed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, however, the unemployment rate for veterans who served on active duty between September 2001 and December 2011 is now more than 12 percent. A new website, Veterans in Healthcare, seeks to connect veterans with potential employers. If you are a veteran who works in the healthcare field, or if you are an employer who is looking for physicians, advanced practice professionals, nurses, corpsmen/medics, or other healthcare professionals, then please take a look at Veterans in Healthcare. As a retired veteran of the U.S. Army, I would also like to personally urge you to hire a veteran whenever possible. For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books. Within three months of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list. Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity
Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author
I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. Over the past 12 months, more than 2.5 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious readers. As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Fitness in Middle Age Lowers Dementia Risk
February 10, 2013 by admin
Filed under A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, Alzheimer's disease, Cognition, Fitness, HDL, Hypertension, LDL, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Robert Wascher, Weekly Health Update, aging, brain health, cardiovascular disease, cholesterol, cognitive function, dementia, diabetes, exercise, health, heart disease, high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, lifestyle, memory, physical activity, prevention, risk
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A new study finds that being physically fit in middle age may protect against Alzheimer’s disease later in life.
FITNESS IN MIDDLE AGE LOWERS DEMENTIA RISK The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are predicted to rise significantly as our population continues to age. At the present time, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease and most other forms of dementia. While the primary cause (or causes) of Alzheimer’s disease remains unclear at this time, it is clear that advancing age, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels all appear to be linked with this debilitating and irreversible form of dementia. At the same time, it is also well known that regular exercise can reduce the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and elevated high cholesterol levels. Now, a newly published research study, which appears in the Annals of Internal Medicine, strongly suggests that being physically fit during mid-life may also help to protect against Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia later in life. In this study, 19,458 middle-aged adults were assessed for their level of physical fitness between 1971 and 2009. After an average of 25 years of follow-up, 1,659 of these research volunteers went on to be diagnosed with dementia. When researchers correlated levels of physical fitness during mid-life with the incidence of dementia later in life, they found that higher levels of physical fitness in middle age appeared to be protective against Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia later in life. In fact, the research volunteers with the highest levels of physical fitness during their middle age years were 36 percent less likely to develop dementia during the course of this study, when compared with volunteers who were at the lowest levels of physical fitness during mid-life. In addition to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, the findings of this newly published clinical study strongly suggest that regular exercise during middle age is also associated with a significant reduction in the risk of developing dementia later in life. In view of the many health benefits associated with regular exercise, if you are not currently getting 3 to 4 hours of at least moderate exercise per week, then please see your physician and a personal trainer, and begin your own personal exercise program! Links to Other Breaking Health News Horse Meat Scandal Rocks Britain Why Do Boys Receive Lower Grades than Girls? Negative Emotions and Feelings Can Damage Your Health Canker Sore Drug Cures Obesity (At Least in Mice…) How Technology is Changing the Practice of Medicine New Salt Intake Guidelines for Children High Levels of Distress in Childhood May Increase Risk of Heart Disease in Adulthood Quitting Tobacco by Age 40 Restores a Normal Lifespan in Smokers Cancer Death Rates Continue to Fall Self-Help Books Improve Depression Marines Try Mindfulness and Meditation to Reduce PTSD Dying Nurse Volunteers Herself to Teach Nursing Students about the Dying Falling Asleep While Driving More Common than Previously Thought Growing Immune Cells to Fight Cancer Celebrity Health Fads Debunked Thousands of Surgery Mistakes Are Still Happening Each Year New Graphic Antismoking Ads Debut in England Kids with Food Allergies May Become Targets of Bullies Obesity Among Young Children May Be Declining Tamoxifen for 10 Years (Instead of 5 Years) Significantly Improves Breast Cancer Survival Rate Fresh Fruits & Vegetables May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk Satisfaction with Life May Actually Increase with Age Brain Changes in the Elderly May Increase Susceptibility to Being Scammed “Talking” Therapy May Help Depression When Antidepressant Medications Fail Graphic Cigarette Labels in Australia Predicting Childhood Obesity at Birth
Dr. Wascher’s latest video: Dark as Night, Part 1 At this time, more than 8 percent of Americans are unemployed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, however, the unemployment rate for veterans who served on active duty between September 2001 and December 2011 is now more than 12 percent. A new website, Veterans in Healthcare, seeks to connect veterans with potential employers. If you are a veteran who works in the healthcare field, or if you are an employer who is looking for physicians, advanced practice professionals, nurses, corpsmen/medics, or other healthcare professionals, then please take a look at Veterans in Healthcare. As a retired veteran of the U.S. Army, I would also like to personally urge you to hire a veteran whenever possible.
For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books. Within three months of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list. Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity
Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author
I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. Over the past 12 months, more than 2.5 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious readers. As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Fish Oil Improves Memory, Reduces Diabetes and Heart Disease Risk Factors
January 27, 2013 by admin
Filed under Arterial Function, Atherosclerosis, Blood Sugar, Cognition, Fish, Fish Oil, Fitness, Hypertension, Lipids, Mental Health, Nutrition, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Supplements, Weekly Health Update, brain health, cardiovascular disease, cognitive function, dementia, diabetes, fat, health, heart disease, high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, lifestyle, memory, prevention, triglycerides
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Fish Oil Improves Memory, Reduces Diabetes and Heart Disease Risk Factors
FISH OIL IMPROVES MEMORY, REDUCES DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE RISK FACTORS Fish oil, which is rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, can play an important role in maintaining cardiovascular health. There is also research data available to suggest that regular supplements of fish oil may improve brain function, including memory, in older patients. Now, a recently published research paper, which appears in the Nutrition Journal, provides strong evidence that fish oil supplements can indeed improve cognitive function, while simultaneously reducing risk factors for cardiovascular disease. In this study, 40 healthy middle-aged and elderly research volunteers underwent initial evaluation, including blood tests and cognitive function testing. In this “placebo-controlled crossover” study, the volunteers were randomly divided into two groups. One group received 3 grams of fish oil per day, while the other group received a placebo (sugar) pill. After 5 weeks, the two groups of research volunteers were retested, and were then switched, or “crossed over,” with respect to the fish oil supplements and placebo pills. After 5 additional weeks, the research volunteers were all once again retested. Retesting of these research volunteers showed a significant improvement in memory function after taking fish oil for 5 weeks (when compared to the volunteers who were taking placebo pills). Moreover, fish oil supplementation was also associated with a lower level of fat (triglycerides) in the blood, lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar levels, and a decrease in the level of the inflammatory protein TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor-alpha). Taken together, the findings of this clinical study identified several apparent health benefits associated with daily fish oil supplements in middle-aged and elderly research volunteers, including improved memory function and improvements in multiple known risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Links to Other Breaking Health News Flu Now in All 50 States, but New Cases Are Leveling Off Quitting Tobacco by Age 40 Restores a Normal Lifespan in Smokers Cancer Death Rates Continue to Fall Self-Help Books Improve Depression Marines Try Mindfulness and Meditation to Reduce PTSD Dying Nurse Volunteers Herself to Teach Nursing Students about the Dying Falling Asleep While Driving More Common than Previously Thought Growing Immune Cells to Fight Cancer Celebrity Health Fads Debunked Thousands of Surgery Mistakes Are Still Happening Each Year New Graphic Antismoking Ads Debut in England Kids with Food Allergies May Become Targets of Bullies Obesity Among Young Children May Be Declining Tamoxifen for 10 Years (Instead of 5 Years) Significantly Improves Breast Cancer Survival Rate Fresh Fruits & Vegetables May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk Satisfaction with Life May Actually Increase with Age Brain Changes in the Elderly May Increase Susceptibility to Being Scammed “Talking” Therapy May Help Depression When Antidepressant Medications Fail Graphic Cigarette Labels in Australia Predicting Childhood Obesity at Birth Dr. Wascher’s latest video: Dark as Night, Part 1 At this time, more than 8 percent of Americans are unemployed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, however, the unemployment rate for veterans who served on active duty between September 2001 and December 2011 is now more than 12 percent. A new website, Veterans in Healthcare, seeks to connect veterans with potential employers. If you are a veteran who works in the healthcare field, or if you are an employer who is looking for physicians, advanced practice professionals, nurses, corpsmen/medics, or other healthcare professionals, then please take a look at Veterans in Healthcare. As a retired veteran of the U.S. Army, I would also like to personally urge you to hire a veteran whenever possible. For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books. Within three months of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list. Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity
Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author
I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. Over the past 12 months, more than 2.4 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious readers. As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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New Vaccine and Antibodies May Prevent Heart Disease
April 1, 2012 by admin
Filed under A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, Arterial Function, Atherosclerosis, Atherosclerotic Plaques, Hypertension, LDL, Lipids, Metabolic Syndrome, Monoclonal Antibody, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Risk of Death, Saturated Fat, Statin Drugs, Statins, Vaccine, Weekly Health Update, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, diet, health, heart attack, heart disease, lifestyle, myocardial infarction, obesity, risk, stroke
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New studies suggest that heart disease may someday become preventable with vaccine and antibody therapy.
NEW VACCINE AND ANTIBODIES MAY PREVENT HEART DISEASE As I discuss in my bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, cancer has recently surpassed cardiovascular disease to become the #1 cause of death in many areas of the world. However, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease and stroke continue to kill millions of people around the world every year. In general, atherosclerotic artery disease arises when thick “plaques” develop on the inner walls of arteries. These plaques can rupture, thus exposing their inner surfaces, which can then activate the components of the blood responsible for forming blood clots. The progression of blood clots on the surface “atheromatous” plaques within the arteries of the heart and brain can directly cause blockage of affected arteries, leading to a heart attack or stroke, respectively. Even more commonly, however, clumps of clot and atheromatous plaque can break off and travel downstream, where they block coronary artery and brain artery branches, causing heart attacks (myocardial infarction) and strokes, respectively. As inflammation, caused by our bodies’ white blood cells and antibodies, plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis, scientists have been testing both vaccines and blocking antibodies in laboratory animals in an effort to prevent (or even reverse) the development of atherosclerosis, in the hope that heart attacks and strokes (and limb loss, in the case of peripheral vascular disease) can be prevented. Two experimental new approaches to preventing and treating cardiovascular disease were unveiled at the Frontiers in Cardiovascular Biology conference this past week in London, and they have generated a great deal of interest among cardiovascular disease experts around the world. In one recent study, which was performed using laboratory mice, an experimental vaccine (“CVX-210”) that reprograms inflammatory white bloods cells into inflammation-fighting white blood cells was evaluated. In this mouse study, the CVX-210 vaccine was able to reduce the extent of arterial atherosclerosis by 60 to 70 percent! While treatments that are effective in laboratory mice do not always work in humans, the manufacturer of the CVX-210 vaccine, CardioVax, is currently awaiting FDA approval to begin preliminary human clinical trials. A second immunological approach to the prevention and treatment of arterial atherosclerosis involves the use of blocking antibodies that are designed to target oxidized LDL cholesterol (the “bad cholesterol,” which is a major component of atherosclerotic plaques, and which also participates in the inflammatory cascade that leads directly to plaque formation.) When injected into a patient, these antibodies attack oxidized LDL particles and, theoretically, block the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. At this time, there is an ongoing human clinical trial that is evaluating this “BI-204” human monoclonal antibody. (In preclinical studies, BI-204 has already been shown to decrease the extent of existing arterial atherosclerotic plaques in laboratory animals by as much as 50 percent!) In addition to the potential of the CVX-210 vaccine and the BI-204 human monoclonal antibody to significantly reduce, and possibly prevent, arterial atherosclerosis, these two still experimental therapies, if proven to be safe and effective in humans, would also be available for use in combination with current cardiovascular disease prevention therapies, including the cholesterol blocking statin drugs, high blood pressure medications, and diabetes medications. (When considered together, these three current, conventional treatments for the most common risk factors for cardiovascular disease are estimated to reduce the risk of heart attack by about 40 percent.) Because all of these therapies target different risk factors for cardiovascular disease, combining CVX-210 and/or BI-204 with current conventional cardiovascular disease prevention therapies could dramatically further reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease and significantly prolong our lives in the future. As a disease prevention expert, I consider these two new developments to be of potentially enormous importance in the area of cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment. Given that inflammation is known to play an important role in the development of both cardiovascular disease and cancer, I will be very interested to see if these two new experimental approaches to cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment also have a beneficial risk on cancer risk as well! For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books. Within three months of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list. Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author For a lighthearted perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link: I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.3 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious people who visited Weekly Health Update in 2011!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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The Four Critical Cardiovascular Disease Risks That You Can Change
January 29, 2012 by admin
Filed under Cancer Prevention, Healthy Diet, Hypertension, LDL, Lipids, Metabolic Syndrome, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Risk of Death, Weekly Health Update, Weight Loss, cardiovascular disease, cholesterol, coronary artery disease, death, diabetes, diet, exercise, health, heart attack, heart disease, high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, lifestyle, mortality, myocardial infarction, obesity, smoking, stroke, tobacco, triglycerides
Welcome to Weekly Health UpdateNew research shows that high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking account for the vast majority of all deaths caused by cardiovascular disease.
THE FOUR CRITICAL CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISKS THAT YOU CAN CHANGE As I mention in my recent bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, many of the very same lifestyle and dietary habits that increase our risk of developing cancer also increase our risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including coronary artery disease, heart attacks (myocardial infarction), peripheral vascular disease, and stroke. Likewise, adopting an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle can not only cut your cancer risk in half, but can also significantly reduce your risk of developing life-threatening cardiovascular disease as well. A newly published research study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, provides, for the first time, a comprehensive assessment of the lifetime risks of developing cardiovascular disease based upon the following four health-related factors: blood pressure, cholesterol (lipid) levels in the blood, smoking status, and diabetes status. Importantly, this huge meta-analysis study, which appears in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, comprehensively analyzes the data from 18 different prior clinical research studies, which included 257,384 adult black and white men and women. These research volunteers were assessed for these four critical cardiovascular risk factors every 10 years, beginning at age 45 and ending at age 75. This enormous group of research volunteers was then closely followed, and the incidence of cardiovascular disease and death rates due to cardiovascular disease were then carefully evaluated and analyzed. When looking at cardiovascular risks factors at age 55 as predictors of future cardiovascular disease risk, and the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease, the findings of this extremely large clinical study were striking. In this study, a low-risk profile for cardiovascular disease was defined as total blood cholesterol less than 180 milligrams per deciliter (4.7 mmol per liter), average blood pressure less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), nonsmoker status, and nondiabetic status. Among the 55 year-old men and women who met all of the criteria for a low-risk profile for cardiovascular disease, their lifetime incidence of cardiovascular disease, through age 80, was remarkably lower than for the 55 year-olds who failed to meet two or more of the four low-risk criteria. In fact, the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease, through age 80, was only 5 percent among the men who met all four low-risk criteria at age 55, while the men who met only two or fewer low-risk criteria faced a dramatic six-fold increase in the risk (30 percent) of dying of cardiovascular disease by age 80. Among the women volunteers, only 6 percent of the women who met all four low-risk criteria went on to die of cardiovascular disease by age 80, while 21 percent of the women who failed to meet two or more of the four low-risk criteria died of cardiovascular disease between age 55 and age 80 (for a nearly four-fold increase in the risk of death). Fatal and nonfatal coronary artery disease occurred in only 4 percent of the men who met all four low-risk criteria, but occurred in nearly 10 times as many of the men (38 percent) who failed to meet two or more of these four criteria. The women who met all four low-risk criteria faced a less than 1 percent risk of fatal and nonfatal coronary artery disease, while the women who met two or fewer low-risk criteria experienced an 18 percent incidence of fatal and nonfatal coronary artery disease (for a more than 18-fold increase in risk). The risk of fatal and nonfatal stroke was also significantly lower among men and women who met all four low-risk criteria for cardiovascular disease. Among the men who met all four low-risk criteria, the incidence of stroke through age 80 was only about 2 percent, but quadrupled, to more than 8 percent, among the men who failed to meet two or more of the four low-risk criteria. Among the women who met all four low-risk criteria, the incidence of stroke was about 5 percent, but more than doubled, to nearly 11 percent, among the women who failed to meet at least two of the low-risk criteria. The findings of this very large study cannot be overstated in terms of its public health importance, as this is the only study that has prospectively assessed very large numbers of men and women, including both black and white adults, over long periods of time, and that has analyzed the long-term impact of the four most common risk factors for cardiovascular disease on incidence and death rates associated with cardiovascular disease. As with the studies that I discuss in A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, the impact of lifestyle, diet, and other modifiable health-related factors on both cardiovascular disease risk and cancer risk is enormous, particularly when measured over the lifespan of the average adult. The findings of this epic public health research study also add further weight to my strong belief, based upon my review of thousands of research studies, that we, as individuals, hold the key to improving our health, and to significantly reducing our risk of serious illness and premature death, by living evidence-based healthy lifestyles. If your blood pressure is high, change your diet and increase your level of exercise, with the support of your doctor. If diet and physical activity interventions alone do not correct your hypertension, then ask your doctor about medications for high blood pressure. If you have diabetes, you also need to change your diet, increase your levels of physical activity, and safely lose any excess weight. If these lifestyle changes do not completely resolve your high blood sugars, then you may also need to ask your doctor about medications for diabetes. If you smoke, or use smokeless tobacco, stop immediately. Finally, if your LDL and total cholesterol levels are high, then, once again, you need to be more careful about what you eat. (The cancer-preventing foods and diets that I discuss in my book have also been linked to lower levels of blood cholesterol, as well as a much lower risk of cardiovascular disease.) You may also need to increase your physical activity levels, and get your weight down to a healthy level, to improve your LDL and total cholesterol levels. Once again, if these prudent lifestyle measures are not enough, by themselves, to bring your cholesterol levels down into the normal range, then your doctor may need to add a cholesterol-lowering medication as well. The striking results of this important cardiovascular disease prevention study provide all of us with the key to maximally reducing our risk of developing—and dying from—largely preventable cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke. Better long-term health (and a longer and more vigorous life) is within your grasp, and this study, in addition to my book, can show you the way forward. For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! On Thanksgiving Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books! On Christmas Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list! Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link: I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.3 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious people who visited Weekly Health Update in 2011!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Mammograms Save Lives in Women with Family History of Breast Cancer
November 28, 2010 by admin
Filed under Breast Cancer, Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Family History of Breast Cancer, Mammograms, Weekly Health Update, health
Welcome to Weekly Health Update“A critical weekly review of important new research findings for health-conscious readers”
MAMMOGRAMS SAVE LIVES IN WOMEN WITH FAMILY HISTORY OF BREAST CANCER
While the debate about whether or not routine screening mammograms can save lives continues in some circles, the clinical research evidence supporting mammograms as a lifesaving cancer screening exam continues to accumulate. Now, a newly published public health study, which appears in The Lancet Oncology, examines the survival benefit associated with routine screening mammograms in women who have a family history of breast cancer. In this large multicenter prospective clinical research study, which was performed in the UK, 6,710 women between the ages of 40 and 42 were enrolled in this study, and were followed for an average of about 4 years. These women, who had at least some family history of breast cancer, underwent annual screening mammograms as part of this clinical research study. This study used two important control groups to assess the impact of regular annual screening mammograms on the risk of mortality in these young women. The first control group consisted of women who were at average risk for breast cancer (these women, themselves, served as the control group for the enormous UK Age Trial, which included more than 106,000 patient volunteers, and which recently reported a 10-year follow-up of its results). The second control group, against which these 6,710 women with an intermediate familial risk of breast cancer were compared, included young women from another large public health study that was performed in the Netherlands. Among the 136 women who were diagnosed with breast cancer during the relatively brief course of this ongoing study, 77 percent were diagnosed by screening mammography, while 21 percent were diagnosed when they presented with a new breast lump (or with other clinical signs or symptoms of breast cancer). (Another 2 percent of patients failed to attend their scheduled screening mammograms, and subsequently developed clinical signs or symptoms of breast cancer.) In this study (and as other studies have shown, even among women who are at average risk of developing breast cancer), breast cancers that were detected by annual screening mammograms were significantly smaller in size, and significantly less likely to be associated with the spread of cancer to the lymph nodes. In addition to these very important breast cancer prognostic factors, women who were diagnosed with breast cancer as a result of annual screening mammograms had much less aggressive appearing tumors under the microscope when compared to women who were diagnosed with breast cancer only after a lump, or other signs of breast cancer, appeared. Based upon the findings of this newly published study, young women with even an intermediate risk of breast cancer, based upon having one or more relatives with breast cancer, were 20 percent less likely to die within 10 years when compared with a poorly screened, or unscreened, average-risk population of young women. Moreover, this survival advantage appeared to be directly related to annual screening mammograms, once all other breast cancer risk factors among these three populations of women had been considered.
For a complete discussion of the compelling scientific evidence linking routine screening mammograms with a decreased risk of death due to breast cancer, please see the extended clinical section on breast cancer in my new book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race.
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GIVE THE GIFT OF HEALTH THIS HOLIDAY SEASON! For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! On Thanksgiving Day, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com Top 100 Bestseller’s List for Kindle e-books! Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity
Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, a professor of surgery, a cancer researcher, an oncology consultant, and a widely published author
For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link:
I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people, from around the world, who visit this premier global health information website every month. (As of 9/16/2010, more than 1,000,000 health-conscious people have logged onto Weekly Health Update so far this year!) As always, I enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can. |
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Soy, Curcumin & Prostate Cancer Risk
June 27, 2010 by admin
Filed under Isoflavones, Soy, Weekly Health Update, curcumin, prostate cancer
Welcome to Weekly Health Update“A critical weekly review of important new research findings for health-conscious readers” SOY, CURCUMIN & PROSTATE CANCER RISK Because chronic inflammation within the prostate gland is through to be an important risk factor for prostate cancer, anti-inflammatory dietary supplements and medications may be able to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by reducing inflammation. Isoflavones from soy-based foods are known to act as a weak form of estrogen (the dominant female sex hormone). Based upon this estrogen-like behavior, as well as potential anti-inflammatory properties, soy isoflavones are being studied as possible prevention and treatment agents for prostate cancer, and other types of cancer. Curcumin, which is present in the Indian curry spice turmeric, is also known to have potent anti-inflammatory properties, and has also been the subject of considerable cancer prevention and cancer treatment research. A newly published prospective, randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled research study, published in the current issue of the journal Prostate, suggests that the combination of soy isoflavones and curcumin may have important potential prostate cancer prevention properties. In the first part of this study, human prostate cancer cells were treated with a combination of soy isoflavones and curcumin. Treatment of these human cancer cells with soy isoflavones and curcumin resulted in a significant reduction of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) production by these malignant cells (PSA is a marker of both prostate gland inflammation and prostate gland cancer). As regular readers of this column are already aware, treatments performed in the laboratory that have beneficial effects on cancer cells, or on mice or rats, do not always have the same positive effects on living, breathing human beings. Therefore, the findings of the second part of this study are of particular interest. A total of 85 men with elevated PSA levels, but without prostate cancer (as confirmed by prostate biopsy), were enrolled in the second phase of this intriguing small study. These 85 men were divided into two groups, and one group received daily supplements containing both soy isoflavones and curcumin, while the second (control) group of men received placebo (sugar) pills that were identical in appearance to the supplement pills (neither the 85 men, nor the nurses who dispensed the supplement pills and placebo pills, were aware of which pills each study volunteer was receiving until after the research study had been completed). PSA blood levels were tested at the beginning of the clinical portion of this study, and once again 6 months later. As was observed in the prostate cancer cells during the first part of this study, men with a PSA level of 10, or higher, experienced a significant reduction in their blood PSA levels 6 months after starting daily supplementation with soy isoflavones and curcumin. Although this brief study cannot definitively confirm that soy isoflavone and curcumin supplements reduce the risk of prostate cancer, their ability to reduce elevated PSA levels in men with chronic prostate inflammation, but without evidence of prostate cancer, at least suggests a potential role in the prevention of prostate cancer (presumably through a reduction in prostate gland inflammation). While there are multiple human research studies underway that are evaluating the effectiveness of soy isoflavones as cancer prevention agents, currently, there are no major human studies looking at the effects of curcumin on prostate cancer risk. Based upon the findings of this small, interesting study of soy isoflavones and curcumin, which suggest a potential additive effect on PSA reduction when both of these dietary supplements are taken together, human research trials should be developed to look at the long-term impact, if any, of combined soy isoflavone and curcumin supplementation on prostate cancer risk.
For additional research information on soy isoflavones and curcumin in cancer prevention and cancer treatment, please review the following previous columns: Soy Foods & Stomach Cancer Risk Cruciferous Vegetables, Soy & Breast Cancer Risk Soy Isoflavones & Recurrent Prostate Cancer Soy Isoflavones Decrease Breast Cancer Recurrence Risk Genistein (Soy Isoflavone) & Prostate Cancer Diet, Soy & Breast Cancer Risk To learn more about the role of soy isoflavones and curcumin in the prevention of cancer, look for the publication of my new landmark book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” in the summer of this year.
Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, a professor of surgery, a cancer researcher, an oncology consultant, and a widely published author For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Tdv7XW0qg I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 new and returning readers who visit our premier global health information website every month. As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can. |
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Soy Foods & Stomach Cancer Risk
May 9, 2010 by admin
Filed under Weekly Health Update
Welcome to Weekly Health Update“A critical weekly review of important new research findings for health-conscious readers”
SOY FOODS & STOMACH CANCER RISK There is a great deal of interest regarding the potential effects of soy-based foods (like tofu and soy beverages) on cancer risk. As discussed in my forthcoming book (“A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race”), there is a growing body of laboratory and human research data suggesting that dietary soy isoflavones might be able to reduce the risk of prostate and breast cancer. Now, a newly published clinical research study from Korea suggests that high levels of soy isoflavones in the blood may also be linked to a reduced risk of stomach cancer, as well. (Korea has one of the highest incidences of stomach cancer in the world.) This study appears in the current issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. As most of the published research in the area of cancer prevention is based upon the subjective recall of patient volunteers regarding their diet (and other habits), the authors of this study chose, instead, to directly measure the levels of soy isoflavones in the blood of patient volunteers. This study included 131 patients with recently diagnosed stomach cancer, and 393 “control” patients who did not have stomach (gastric) cancer. Blood levels of the two major dietary soy isoflavones (genistein and daidzein) were directly measured in all 524 of these research volunteers, and these results were compared between the patients with stomach cancer and the “control” patients without gastric cancer. Study volunteers with the highest levels of genistein in their blood, when compared with those with the lowest levels, were found to be 46 percent less likely to be diagnosed with stomach cancer. Even more impressive was the finding that study volunteers with the highest daidzein blood levels were 79 percent less likely to be diagnosed with stomach cancer when compared to the volunteers with the lowest levels of daidzen in their blood While there may be other health-related factors at work among the study volunteers with high levels of soy isoflavones in their blood that could explain the much lower stomach cancer risk observed in these same patients, this study’s results are nonetheless intriguing enough to justify a large scale, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled soy isoflavone clinical research study to confirm the findings of this relatively small Korean public health study.
To learn more about the role of soy isoflavones as potential cancer prevention nutrients, look for the publication of my new landmark evidence-based book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” in the summer of this year.
Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, a professor of surgery, a cancer researcher, an oncology consultant, and a widely published author For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Tdv7XW0qg I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would like to take this opportunity to thank the nearly 120,000 new and returning readers who visited our premier global health information website last month. As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can. |
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Cruciferous Vegetables, Soy & Breast Cancer Risk
April 11, 2010 by admin
Filed under Weekly Health Update
Welcome to Weekly Health Update“A critical weekly review of important new research findings for health-conscious readers”
CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES, SOY & BREAST CANCER RISK
The role of soybean-derived isoflavones in cancer prevention is not entirely clear at this time. However, there has been intense interest in tofu, and other soy-derived foods, as potential breast cancer prevention agents. At the same time, because genistein, and other soy isoflavones, are known to variably act as both inhibitors and mimics of estrogen (the primary female sex hormone), cancer experts remain divided regarding the safety of regularly consuming soy isoflavones by women who are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer (chronic estrogen stimulation of the breast is a known risk factor for breast cancer). Meanwhile, the high level of tofu consumption among women in the Far East, coupled with the much lower incidence of breast cancer in those countries when compared to the United States and other western countries, has fuelled speculation that tofu and other soy-derived foods may actually be associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. In addition to soy isoflavones, there is also research data available suggesting that the frequent consumption of cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower, may also be associated with a decreased risk of at least some types of cancer, including breast cancer. A newly published public health study from Singapore evaluated the impact of the regular intake of vegetables, fruit, and soy-derived foods on the risk of breast cancer within the large Chinese population in that country. This enormous prospective epidemiological study, which began in 1993, and which appears in the current issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, included more than 34,000 women volunteers. All of the 34,018 women in this study underwent detailed evaluation of their diets when they entered into this prospective public health study. Among this very large group of women, 629 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed during the course of this ongoing study. Based upon their self-reported dietary patterns, the women participating in this large epidemiological study were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of women who regularly consumed cruciferous vegetables, fruit, and tofu. The second group of women generally favored meat and starchy foods (such as dim sum), and consumed far fewer portions of vegetables, fruit, and tofu when compared to the first group. The results of this study indicated that increasing levels of vegetable, fruit and tofu intake were associated with a significant decrease in breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women. Among the women reporting the highest levels of intake of these foods, there was, on average, a 30 percent reduction in the risk of breast cancer when compared to the women who rarely ate these healthy foods. Moreover, among the postmenopausal women who frequently consumed vegetables, fruit, and tofu, and who were observed for 5 or more years in this study, the apparent reduction in the risk of breast cancer grew even stronger, and these women were found to be 43 percent less likely to develop breast cancer when compared to women who rarely consumed vegetables, fruit, and tofu in their diets. Therefore, in this large diet survey-based, prospective public health study, a diet rich in vegetables (and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower, in particular), fruit, and tofu was strongly associated with a significant reduction in breast cancer risk in postmenopausal Chinese women living in Singapore. Although there remains some concern that soy isoflavones may, under some conditions, actually stimulate the growth of either new or previous breast cancers (or cancers of the ovary or uterus), this public health study’s favorable findings are additive to a growing body of research data suggesting that both cruciferous vegetables and soy-derived isoflavones may be associated with a substantial decrease in the risk of breast cancer in women.
To learn more about the potential role of cruciferous vegetables and soy isoflavones as part of a cancer prevention lifestyle, look for the publication of my new landmark evidence-based book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” in the summer of this year. Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, a professor of surgery, a cancer researcher, an oncology consultant, and a widely published author For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Tdv7XW0qg I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would like to take this opportunity to thank the nearly 120,000 new and returning readers who visited our premier global health information website last month. As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can. In view of the extreme devastation and human misery brought about in Haiti and Chile by the recent earthquakes, Weekly Health Update asks our tens of thousands of caring readers to give generously to established charities that are currently working in those countries to assist the injured, the ill, and the homeless. There are many such legitimate charities, including the following two: http://www.imcworldwide.org/haiti |
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