Sticking to a full Mediterranean diet provides substantial protection against major chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer and Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published on bmj.com today. A 'score' based on adherence to the Mediterranean diet could be used as an effective preventive tool for reducing the risk of premature death in the general population, say the authors. The Mediterranean diet from populations bordering the Mediterranean Sea has a reputation for being a model of healthy eating and contributing to better health and quality of life. It is rich in olive oil, grains, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and fish, but low in meat, dairy products and alcohol. Previous research on the Mediterranean diet suggests that it has a protective role in cardiovascular disease and cancer, but no study has reviewed all the available data for a possible association between sticking to the Mediterranean diet, premature death, and the occurrence of chronic diseases in the general population. A team of researchers from the University of Florence assessed 12 international studies, which collectively included more than 1.5 million participants whose dietary habits and health were tracked for follow-up periods ranging from three to 18 years. All the studies examined the concept of using a numerical score to estimate how much people stuck to the diet, called an 'adherence score'. The researchers found that people who stuck strictly to a Mediterranean diet had significant improvements in their health, including a 9% drop in overall mortality, a 9% drop in mortality from cardiovascular disease, a 13% reduction in incidence of Parkinson and Alzheimer's disease, and a 6% reduction in cancer. The researchers suggestthat keeping an 'adherence score' based on "a theoretically defined Mediterranean diet could be an effective preventive tool for reducing the risk of mortality and morbidity in the general population." The results of this study have important implications for public health, particularly for reducing the risk of premature death in the general population, conclude the authors. The findings confirm the current guidelines and recommendations from all major scientific institutions that encourage a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern for the prevention of major chronic diseases. | ||
Learning God's Healthy way to a better Life!
Mediterranean Diet Lowers Chronic Disease Deaths
Flax: Is it healthy?
Filed under: Food and Nutrition
Flax is something we hear about often, and it's always praise -- in fact, health food nuts just can't get enough of it. So when one of my favourite bloggers asked the question Is Flax Bad? I was a little baffled. Bad? It's considered a superfood because of all those healthy Omega 3s! How can it be bad?
Here's the thing: Flax was recently linked to prostate cancer. It has nothing to do with Omega-3s; rather, it has to do with ALA, an organic compound in some vegetable oils that has been linked to cancer.
So what does this mean for you? Research is just in the preliminary stages, but nonethless, you might want to consider a different source of Omega-3s, such as fish oil. This goes for both men and women. For more information, head over to Mark's Daily Apple.
Gallery: Foods that fight cancer
Health Buzz: 9/11 Health Effects and Other Health News
An analysis of the health of 71,437 people enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry shows that many of them may have developed post-traumatic stress disorder after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Included in the registry—which was started in 2003 to track mental and physical health effects of 9/11—are rescue and recovery workers, commuters, area workers, Lower Manhattan residents, and passersby. Two to three years after 9/11, 3 percent of adults enrolled in the registry reported new onset of asthma since the attacks, 16 percent had likely experienced post-traumatic stress disorder, and 8 percent endured severe psychological distress. Rescue and recovery workers experienced the highest rate of asthma, and post-traumatic stress disorder was more common among those who were injured and in Hispanics and low-income registry participants. Overall, women, minorities, and low-income participants had higher rates of physical and mental problems.more....
Lung Cancer in Nonsmokers: Men Die More
Sept. 9, 2008 -- Researchers looking into lung cancers in nonsmokers have found that men seem to die from the disease more than women.
The reasons for this are not clear from the study results.
Researchers led by the American Cancer Society's Michael Thun, MD, looked at data to try to better understand how lung cancer affects men and women in different cultures and from different time periods.
They pooled information on lung cancer rates and deaths from 13 large groups representing about 2 million people around the world.
Researchers also abstracted data for women from 22 cancer registries and 10 countries in places where few women smoked.
All the participants were self-described nonsmokers.
Read More...Study: Blood-sugar control lowers diabetics' risks
Vitamin B12 Tied to Brain Shrinkage
Beef Feeding Research Studies Pasture Vs. Grain
Blacksburg, Va. – Does it make a difference whether beef cattle are pasture or grain fed?
Early research results at Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences indicate that pasture-fed beef has less fat and higher conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), indicating that it may be a healthier choice. CLA is a combination of different types of fatty acids.. Animals change the chemical structure of these acids that are found in plants, in their digestive system. Studies are continuing on the value of CLA in human health.
Research into pasture- vs. grain-fed beef is in preliminary stages. The goal is to develop innovative concepts and practices to enhance the efficiency, profitability, and sustainability of grassland-based beef production systems in the Appalachian Region, said Joseph P. Fontenot, the emeritus John W. Hancock Jr. Professor of animal science at Virginia Tech. The project, which includes eight Virginia Tech faculty members among 25 scientists, is in its fourth year of a 10-year study. It is partially supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Research Service along with funding from the universities involved, West Virginia University, the University of Georgia, and Virginia Tech.
Read More...Red Bull Can Give You a Stroke
The caffeine-loaded beverage causes blood to become sticky, a pre-cursor to cardiovascular problems such as stroke.
One hour after drinking Red Bull, your blood system becomes abnormal, as might be expected from a patient with cardiovascular disease.
Red Bull is banned in Norway, Uruguay and Denmark because of health risks.
Read More...FDA Post list of Problem Drugs
List of medications with potential safety problems
—R-Gene 10, a growth hormone, pediatric overdose due to labeling/packaging confusion.
—Suprane, an anesthetic, cardiac arrest.
—Cymbalta, for depression and other conditions, urinary retention.
—Intelence, an HIV medication, bleeding into joints.
—Carac and Kuric, creams for skin conditions and fungal infections, name confusion.
—Heparin, a blood-thinner, serious allergic reactions.
—Extraneal, used in kidney dialysis, low blood sugars.
—Humilin R, for diabetes, dosing confusion.
—Stromectol and Warfarin, an anti-parasite drug and a blood thinner, drug interaction.
—Tykerb, for advanced breast cancer, liver damage.
—Revlimid, for multiple myeloma, severe skin blistering and bleeding.
—Tysabri, for multiple sclerosis, skin melanomas.
—Nitrostat, for angina, overdose due to labeling confusion.
—Sandostatin LAR, for abnormal bone growth, bowel obstruction.
—Oxycontin, a pain killer, drug misuse, abuse and overdose.
—Definity, used in cardiac imaging, cardiopulmonary reactions.
—Dilantin injection, for epileptic seizures, serious skin reaction.
—Seroquel, for bipolar disorder, overdose due to sample pack labeling confusion.
—Tyzeka, for chronic hepatitis B, nerve damage.
—Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Blockers, for juvenile arthritis, cancers in children and young adults.
Heavy teens run risk of severe liver damage
TRENTON, N.J. - In a new and disturbing twist on the obesity epidemic, some overweight teenagers have severe liver damage caused by too much body fat, and a handful have needed liver transplants.
Many more may need a new liver by their 30s or 40s, say experts warning that pediatricians need to be more vigilant. The condition, which can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure or liver cancer, is being seen in kids in the United States, Europe, Australia and even some developing countries, according to a surge of recent medical studies and doctors interviewed by The Associated Press.
The American Liver Foundation and other experts estimate 2 percent to 5 percent of American children over age 5, nearly all of them obese or overweight, have the condition, called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.more..,.