Saturday, August 3, 2013

Latest Health Research

Good and bad news re: fish and fish oil

Good news:


Omega-3 fatty acids could aid cancer prevention and treatment


Omega-3 fatty acids, contained in oily fish such as salmon and trout, selectively inhibit growth and induce cell death in early and late-stage oral and skin cancers, according to new research published online in the journal Carcinogenesis. While previous research has linked omega-3 fatty acids with the prevention of a number of cancers, there has been very little work done on oral cancers or normal cells.


Bad news for me (I eat a ton of salmon, almost all farmed):

Norway Issues Warnings on Farmed Salmon's Health Dangers<


A Norwegian researcher has raised serious concerns about high levels of contaminants in farm-raised salmon. She claims the type of contaminants detected in farmed salmon have a negative effect on brain development and is associated with autism, ADD / ADHD and reduced IQ. They can also affect your immune system and metabolism.


I'm glad I get plenty of exercise

Exercise May be the Best Medicine for Alzheimer's


Two groups of physically inactive older adults (ranging from 60-88 years old) were put on a 12-week exercise program that focused on regular treadmill walking and was guided by a personal trainer. Both groups – one which included adults with MCI and the other with healthy brain function – improved their cardiovascular fitness by about ten percent at the end of the intervention. More notably, both groups also improved their memory performance and showed enhanced neural efficiency while engaged in memory retrieval tasks.

Vigorous exercise = lower stroke risk

Exercise Reorganizes the Brain to Be More Resilient to Stress


I've started to take these again in an effort to keep the weight I lost after surgery of:

Green Coffee Beans = Weight Loss


A new review article evaluates if clinical data support the use of green coffee for weight loss. A literature search was conducted that yielded 5 clinical trials and 1 meta-analysis. Studies were evaluated for quality in accordance to clinical practice and US Food and Drug Administration guidelines.

The amount of weight loss ranged from approximately 1 to 8 kg, with the meta-analysis finding a statistically significant difference in body weight, with a mean difference of −2.47 kg between green coffee and placebo (95% confidence interval = −4.23 to −0.72).

The duration of trials varied between 4 and 12 weeks, and the dose of chlorogenic acid varied from 81 to 400 mg.


I eat a good breakfast 6 days a week (and don't eat in the middle of the night!)

Skipping breakfast may increase coronary heart disease risk



Men who reported they skipped breakfast had a 27 percent higher risk of heart attack or death from coronary heart disease than those who reported they didn't.

Men who reported eating eating after going to bed had a 55 percent higher coronary heart disease risk than those who didn't.

I continue to take Vitamin D and a few other supplements

Vitamin D supplements could help prevent mobility problems

Vitamin D-deficient older individuals are more likely to struggle with everyday tasks such as dressing or climbing stairs, according to a recent study.

>Vitamin D deficiency reduces bone quality

Low vitamin D blood levels = greater risk of heart disease


Vitamins and minerals can boost energy and enhance mood< /strong>


I'm big on high fiber snacks:

High-fiber Snacks May Aid Satiety, Weight Loss<



Some snacks, such as peanuts, nuts and other high-fiber snacks, may limit overall daily food consumption.

I take aspirin religiously:

Aspirin Every Other Day = Lower Women's Colon Cancer Risk


Aspirin has been long known for its protective effects on heart health, but the protective effect of aspirin on colon and rectal cancer has only been found more recently. In the past three years, analyses of trials conducted for cardiovascular health have begun to show an effect on colon cancer as well.


This is pretty good news for me - I eat only a few desserts a week, and no fizzy drinks or potato chips:

Dietary risk factors for colorectal cancer


Fizzy drinks, cakes, biscuits, crisps (potato chips) and desserts have all been identified as risk factors for bowel cancer, according to new research.

The study is the first of its kind to find a positive link between the disease and a diet high in foods that contain a lot of sugar and fat.

Researchers looked at risk factors including diet, levels of physical activity and smoking in a large Scottish study.

A team from the University of Edinburgh examined more than 170 foods. These included fruit, vegetables, fish and meat, as well as high-energy snack foods like chocolates, nuts and crisps and fruit drinks including fruit squash.

Scientists reported links with some established risk factors of colorectal cancer – such as family history of cancer, physical activity and smoking. They also identified new factors including high intake of high energy snacks and sugar-sweetened drinks.

The study – which used data from the Scottish Colorectal Cancer Study – carried out in 2012, builds on previous research into the link between bowel cancer and diet. Those studies identified two distinct eating patterns – one, high in fruit, vegetables and other healthy foods and the other – known as the western pattern, which is high in meat, fat and sugar.

The healthy dietary pattern was found to be associated with a decreased colorectal cancer risk, while the western dietary pattern was found to be associated with an increased risk.

Good news for me as a statin user:

Statin use linked to few side effects

I'm afraid this isn't good news for me:

Positive outlook = reduction in cardiac events such as heart attacks


People with cheerful temperaments are significantly less likely to suffer a coronary event such as a heart attack or sudden cardiac death, new Johns Hopkins research suggests.

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