Further Benefits Of Low-Fat Diet Supplemented With Fish Oil For Prostate Cancer Patients

A low-fat – less than 15 percent – diet combined with regular intake of fish oil supplements (five grams a day) lowered the levels of inflammation-causing substances in the blood of prostate cancer patients. The diet also lowered the cell cycle progression score, a measure used to predict the recurrence of the disease. The study is follows up earlier research that found a low-fat diet with fish oil supplements eaten for four to six weeks prior to prostate removal slowed the growth of cancer cells in human prostate cancer tissue compared to a traditional, high-fat Western diet.

"Effect of a Low-fat Fish Oil Diet on Pro-inflammatory Eicosanoids and Cell Cycle Progression Score in Men Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy", Cancer Prevention, November 18, 2013

To Maintain A Healthy Weight, Be Consistent When Going To Bed, Getting Up

Research has consistently found that sleep is critical to reaching or maintaining a healthy weight. New research among women, however, has found that it’s not just about getting enough sleep:  going to bed – and getting up – at roughly the same time also have an impact on weight. The research among 300 women at two Western U.S. universities found that participants who went to bed and woke up at, or around, the same time each day had lower body fat. In fact, those with more than 90 minutes of variation in sleep and wake time during the week had higher body fat than those with less than 60 minutes of variation.

"Objectively Measured Sleep Patterns in Young Adult Women and the Relationship to Adiposity", American Journal of Health Promotion, November 18, 2013

Head And Neck Cancers May Someday Be Treated By Asian Vegetable Extract

Laboratory animal experiments by U.S. researchers have found that an extract of an Asian vegetable may have the potential to treat head and neck cancer, a frequently aggressive form of cancer that accounts for six percent of all cancer cases. The researchers showed in mice that extract of bitter melon, a vegetable commonly used in Indian and Chinese diets, reduced the head and neck cancer cell and growth. People in Asia use the vegetable in stir fries, salads, and juices. Head and neck cancers often start in the mouth, nose, sinuses, voice box or throat. They tend to spread from one part of the head or neck to another.

"Bitter Melon Reduces Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Growth by Targeting c-Met Signaling", PLoS ONE, November 18, 2013

Posting Calorie Counts In Fast-Food Restaurants Doesn’t Change Eating Habits

Pres. Obama’s Affordable Care Act mandated that restaurant chains with more than 20 locations nationwide post the calorie content of all regular food and drink items on their menus. The idea, of course, was to encourage healthier food choices. Is the strategy working? Not according to a study by New York University researchers. Posting calorie content does not change purchasing habits or decrease the number of calories customers consume, especially among lower-income and less-educated consumers. The researchers said “more robust interventional policies” should be considered in neighborhoods where obesity is most prevalent.

"Mandatory Calorie Postings at Fast-Food Chains Do Not Influence Food Choice", News release, study presented at the Obesity Society's annual scientific meeting, November 15, 2013

Mediterranean Sauce Base Is Jam-Packed With Bioactive Micronutrients

A sauce used as a base in Mediterranean, especially Spanish, cooking is rich in bioactive compounds like polyphenols and carotenoids that help prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer, according to a study conducted in Spain. Researchers at the University of Barcelona identified the healthy antioxidants in sofrito –a blend of tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and onion –  using high resolution mass spectrometry. At least 40 polyphenols were found, including vitamin C, lycopene and beta-carotene. The researchers said eating 120 grams of sofrito a day, added to pasta for example, would provide a total intake of 16 to 24 milligrams of polyphenols per portion and 6 to 10 milligrams of carotenoids.

"Bioactive compounds present in the Mediterranean sofrito", Food Chemistry, November 15, 2013

Certain Herbs Improve Age-Related Cognitive Decline

A U.S. neuroscientist who tested the effect of different herbs on the brains of mice with age-related cognitive decline – a precursor of Alzheimer’s disease – compiled some interesting findings. She found, for example, that enhanced extracts from special antioxidants in spearmint and rosemary improved learning and memory in the test animals. There were also signs of reduced oxidative stress, a sign of age-related mental decline. The researcher acknowledged, however, that while spearmint and rosemary are probably beneficial for humans, there is still no way to tell how much would have to be consumed for people to see the same benefits. “In other words,” she said, “I’m not suggesting that people chew more gum at this point.”

"Can Certain Herbs Stave Off Alzheimer's Disease?", News release, study presented at the Neuroscience 2013 meeting, November 15, 2013

Protein-Rich Breakfasts Curb Hunger Throughout The Morning

A study involving women (aged 18-55) found that the type of breakfast eaten has a lot to do with whether hunger pangs are experienced sooner or later in the day. High-protein breakfasts (e.g., sausage and eggs) stave off hunger longer, the U.S. researchers found, compared to low-protein (pancakes and syrup) breakfasts or no breakfast at all. Breakfasts in the tests all had the same number of calories (about 300), but the protein breakfasts contained 30 to 39 grams of protein. Protein eaters reported lower hunger, more fullness and less desire to eat after breakfast, and ate fewer calories at lunch.

"Protein Rich Breakfast Helps Curb Appetite Throughout The Morning", News release, study presented at the Obesity Society's annual scientific meeting, November 14, 2013

Coffee Reduces Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes, According To Studies

A report summarizing the latest research on the health effects of coffee says basically that drinking a few cups of coffee a day does reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, although there is conflicting evidence on benefits of caffeinated versus decaffeinated coffee. The report said a couple of recent studies showed that drinking three to four cups of coffee a day lowered type 2 diabetes by 25 percent, compared to drinking none or fewer than two cups a day. One study said caffeine was probably not  responsible for the protective effect of coffee, while another found that regular but not decaffeinated coffee was much more protective against type 2 diabetes in women of all ethnic groups than in men.

"Good things in life: Can coffee help in type 2 diabetes risk reduction?", coffee&health, November 14, 2013

Make Healthful Snacks Available To Students, And Their Diets Will Improve

Students offered healthful, nutritious snacks in school – whether in vending machines or a la carte – tend to improve their overall dietary intake, according to new research. Michigan State University scientists tested standards similar to the USDA’s new Smart Snacks requirements scheduled to take effect in the summer of 2014. They found that schools that offered healthful snacks at lunchtime boosted students' overall daily consumption of fruit by 26 percent, vegetables by 14 percent and whole grains by 30 percent. Students also increased their consumption of fiber, calcium, and vitamins A and C.

"Effects of Changes in Lunch-Time Competitive Foods, Nutrition Practices, and Nutrition Policies on Low-Income Middle-School Children's Diets", Childhood Obesity, November 13, 2013

Aerobic Exercise Improves Cerebral Blood Flow, Cognition, In Older Adults

It’s no secret that aging decreases mental efficiency and speeds memory decline, a major complaint of older adults. But new U.S. research confirms there is a tremendous benefit from aerobic exercise on memory and “can reduce the biological and cognitive consequences of aging”. For the study, men and women between 57-75 years old who were generally sedentary were assigned to either a physical training or a “wait-list” control group. The exercise group worked out on a stationary bike or treadmill for one hour three times a week for 12 weeks. Measuring cognition, resting cerebral blood flow, and cardiovascular fitness, researchers found that exercisers improved memory performance and had greater increases in brain blood flow to the hippocampus, the key brain region affected by Alzheimer's disease.

"Shorter term aerobic exercise improves brain, cognition, and cardiovascular fitness in aging", Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, November 12, 2013

Artificial Trans Fats Are No Longer Necessary, Should Be Banned

Advanced technological societies no longer need synthetically produced trans fats, nutrition experts say, and the U.S. FDA was correct in urging that they be removed from the American diet. Trans fatty acids, made by infusing vegetable oils with hydrogen, were helpful at one time because the process increases shelf life and makes products like margarine more like butter. But now, because eliminating trans fats from the Western diet would prevent 10,000 to 20,000 heart attacks and as many as 7,000 heart disease deaths a year, they should be banned.

"New FDA Proposal Trying to Eliminate Trans Fat", News release, Houston Methodist , November 11, 2013