Knowledge is Power

[feranaja]

Since many of us are keen on keeping healthy and building the physical temple, I thought I would use this thread to post information that may be useful for all. I run a small yahoogroup, an offshoot of my main list ThePossibleCanine, in whic we all talk anbout OUR health for a change, members post abstracts and information, which can range from home remedies to the latest scientific findings ( and these can refute home remedies, remember when we all put comfrey in everything - then we learned it casues liver damage?? Yowza...) So here are a couple of articles from peer -reviewed journals that support the idea we can take our health in our hands to a large extent sumply (or ont so simply) by altering our lifestyle and eating habits. I for one am not a sugar addict and avoid it like the plague, but I'm in a minority I think, and now it seems the stuff is even worse for us than we thought.

High Sugar Intake May Increase Risk for Pancreatic Cancer

News Author: Laurie Barclay, MD
CME Author: Désirée Lie, MD, MSEd

November 17, 2006 - Consumption of foods and drinks with high sugar content
were associated with increased risk for pancreatic cancer, according to the
results of a prospective, population-based cohort study of Swedish men and
women reported in the November issue of the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition.

"Emerging evidence indicates that hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia may be
implicated in the development of pancreatic cancer," write Susanna C.
Larsson, MD, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and
colleagues. "Frequent consumption of sugar and high-sugar foods may increase
the risk of pancreatic cancer by inducing frequent postprandial
hyperglycemia, increasing insulin demand, and decreasing insulin
sensitivity."

In 1997, a total of 77,797 women and men aged 45 to 83 years with no
previous diagnosis of cancer or history of diabetes completed a food
frequency questionnaire. Follow-up continued through June 2005.

During a mean follow-up of 7.2 years, there were 131 incident cases of
pancreatic cancer. Consumption of added sugar, soft drinks, and sweetened
fruit soups or stewed fruit was positively associated with pancreatic cancer
risk. For the highest compared with the lowest consumption categories, the
multivariate hazard ratios were 1.69 for sugar (95% confidence interval
[CI], 0.99 - 2.89; P for trend = .06), 1.93 for soft drinks (95% CI, 1.18 -
3.14; P for trend = .02), and 1.51 for sweetened fruit soups or stewed fruit
(95% CI, 0.97 - 2.36; P for trend = .05).

Study limitations include inability to distinguish between sugar-sweetened
and diet soft drinks, relatively short follow-up, small number of cases, and
use of a self-administered food frequency questionnaire.

"High consumption of sugar and high-sugar foods may be associated with a
greater risk of pancreatic cancer," the authors write. "Given the practical
implications of these findings and the poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer,
further research on sugar and high-sugar foods in relation to pancreatic
cancer risk is warranted.

The Swedish Research Council/Longitudinal Studies, the Swedish Cancer
Foundation, Västmanland County Research Fund against Cancer, Örebro County
Council Research Committee, and Örebro Medical Center Research Foundation
supported this study.

Am J Clin Nutr. 2006;84:1171-1176.

Learning Objectives for This Educational Activity
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
a.. Describe the profile of those who consume a high intake of sugar in
their diets.
b.. Describe the association between sugar intake and pancreatic cancer
risk.
Clinical Context
The overall 5-year survival of pancreatic cancer is less than 5%, and
abnormal glucose metabolism and hyperinsulinemia may be involved in the
development of pancreatic cancer with high sugar consumption as a possible
risk factor. Diabetes mellitus is linked with a 1.8 to 1.9 times increased
risk for pancreatic cancer, according to the current authors. Soft drinks
are the leading source of added sugar in the US diet, and consumption of
added sugar and soft drinks may increase pancreatic cancer risk. This is a
population-based study examining the relationship between sugar intake and
incidence of pancreatic cancer in healthy individuals.

Study Highlights
a.. 2 population-based cohorts (56,030 and 39,227 persons, respectively)
received a comprehensive questionnaire that included information on diet,
lifestyle, and medical history.
b.. Participants with implausible values for intakes and cancer or
diabetes at baseline were excluded.
c.. Dietary information was derived from a 96-item food frequency
questionnaire that asked, on average, how often participants had consumed
each food during the previous year.
d.. There were 8 predefined categories from never to 3 times or more per
day.
e.. The questionnaire included commonly consumed foods, including added
sugar and soft drinks.
f.. Commonly used portion sizes were included.
g.. Incident cases of pancreatic cancer using the International
Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code classification were
identified by linkage to the national and regional Swedish cancer
registries.
h.. Islet cell carcinomas were not included.
i.. Person-years of follow-up continued to the date of diagnosis of
pancreatic cancer, date of death or date of migration or June 30, 2005, or
whichever came first.
j.. Categories of frequency of consumption of added sugar and sweetened
foods were created.
k.. Risk for incidence pancreatic cancer was calculated adjusting for
education, body mass index, smoking, alcohol, and total energy intakes.
l.. Other potential confounders adjusted for included physical activity,
aspirin use, and intakes of coffee, tea, folate, and red meat.
m.. Cases of pancreatic cancer in the first 2 to 4 years of follow-up were
excluded.
n.. At baseline, 4% of women and 14% of men reported consumption of 5 or
more servings of added sugar per day, and 7% of women and 13% of men
reported 2 or more servings of soft drinks a day.
o.. Women and men in the highest category of sugar and soft drink
consumption were less likely to have postsecondary education and more likely
to smoke than those who never consumed sugar and soft drinks.
p.. Among 77,797 women and men followed up for a mean of 7.2 years, there
were 131 incident case of pancreatic cancer (61 women and 70 men).
q.. Participants with a high consumption of added sugar, soft drinks, and
sweetened fruit soups, or sweetened fruit had a risk for pancreatic cancer
1.5 to 1.9 times that of participants with low consumption of those items.
r.. The multivariate ratios for those in the highest vs the lowest
category were 1.95 (95% CI, 1.10 - 3.46) for sugar and 2.30 (95% CI, 1.35 -
3.92) for soft drinks after researchers excluded those diagnosed in the
first 2 years of follow-up.
s.. The positive association between sugar intake and pancreatic cancer
did not vary across body mass index or physical activity categories.
t.. No association was found between the consumption of jam or marmalade
and pancreatic cancer risk.
Pearls for Practice
a.. Those consuming a diet with a high sugar intake had a lower level of
education and were smokers.
b.. High intake of sugar and soft drinks is linked with increased risk for
pancreatic cancer during 7 years of follow-up.

[feranaja]

This is lengthy but worth reading in it's entirety. I for one do not like to place all the onus on the individual with regards to cancer, since many types are environmentally induced or genetic - that said, it seems obvious that poor diet, obesity and smoking are all contributing factors, This article discusses these and other issues that we DO have control over. I'm definitley cutting down alcohol, dammit.


More Than One Third of Cancer Deaths May Be Attributable to Nine Modifiable
Risk Factors

News Author: Laurie Barclay, MD
CME Author: Désirée Lie, MD, MSEd

Nov. 21, 2005 - More than one third of cancer deaths are attributable to
nine modifiable risk factors, according to the results of a study reported
in the Nov. 19 issue of The Lancet.

"With respect to reducing mortality, advances in cancer treatment have not
been as effective as those for other chronic diseases; effective screening
methods are available for only a few cancers," write Goodarz Danaei, MD, and
the Comparative Risk Assessment collaborating group (Cancers) from the
Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, and the Initiative
for Global Health at Harvard University in Cambridge. "Primary prevention
through lifestyle and environmental interventions remains the main way to
reduce the burden of cancers. In this report, we estimate mortality from 12
types of cancer attributable to nine risk factors in seven World Bank
regions for 2001."

To evaluate exposure to risk factors and relative risk by age, sex, and
region, the investigators analyzed data from the Comparative Risk Assessment
project and from new sources, and they applied population-attributable
fractions (PAFs) for individual and multiple risk factors to site-specific
cancer mortality provided by the World Health Organization.

Of the seven million deaths from cancer worldwide in 2001, approximately
2.43 million (35%) were attributable to nine potentially modifiable risk
factors. Of these deaths, 0.76 million were in high-income and 1.67 million
in low- and middle-income nations; 1.6 million were in men and 0.83 million
deaths were in women.

Smoking, alcohol use, and low consumption of fruits and vegetables were the
leading risk factors for death from cancer worldwide and in low- and
middle-income countries. In low- and middle-income regions, Europe and
Central Asia had the highest proportion (39%) of deaths from cancer
attributable to the nine risk factors studied.

For women in low- and middle-income countries, sexual transmission of human
papilloma virus (HPV) was also the leading risk factor for cervical cancer.
Smoking, alcohol use, and overweight and obesity were the most important
causes of cancer in high-income countries.

"Reduction of exposure to key behavioral and environmental risk factors
would prevent a substantial proportion of deaths from cancer," the authors
write.

Study limitations include several sources of uncertainty for exposure and
relative risks in these estimates and uncertainty in total site-specific
cancer mortality.

"Preventive, screening, and treatment interventions will only affect
population statistics if they are accessible and used, factors that are
highly dependent on cost and health system characteristics," the authors
conclude. "These factors limit large-scale application of these
interventions in resource-poor settings. These limitations further reinforce
the importance of our results for policies and programs that modify
behavioral and environmental factors to reduce the burden of cancers."

The authors have disclosed no conflict of interest.

Lancet. 2005;366:1784-1793

Learning Objectives for This Educational Activity
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
a.. List the nine modifiable risk factors most likely to account for
cancer deaths worldwide.
b.. Describe the leading risk factors in high-income and low- to
middle-income countries for cancer.
Clinical Context
Between 1990 and 2001 mortality from cancer decreased by 17% in those aged
30 to 69 years and rose by 0.4% in those older than 70 years, according to
the authors, but this decline was lower than the decline in mortality rates
from cardiovascular disease for men and women. The decline in mortality in
men was largely due to reduction in mortality from lung, prostate, and
colorectal cancers, while in women, lung cancer increased in the 1990s, and
death rates for breast and colorectal cancer decreased. An article by Pisani
and colleagues, published in the June 1997 issue of Cancer Epidemiology,
Biomarkers, and Prevention, estimated the worldwide attributable risk for
cancer to infectious agents as 16%.

The current study examined the attributable risk from specific lifestyle
risk factors across site-specific cancers. Risk from occupational exposures,
including risk for Helicobacter pylori from food and exposure to
environmental smoke and ultraviolet light, was not examined because of the
limitations of deriving detailed exposure estimates from existing data.

Study Highlights
a.. The selection of the risk factors was based on likelihood of being
lead factors, causality, reasonably complete data available, and being
modifiable.
b.. The 9 factors were high body mass index, low fruit and vegetable
intake, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol use, unsafe sex, urban air
pollution, indoor use of solid fuels, and injections from healthcare
settings contaminated with hepatitis B or C virus.
c.. For every risk factor, an expert group undertook comprehensive review
of published sources and conducted reanalyses and meta-analyses for 8 age
groups in 14 epidemiologic subregions used in the Global Burden of Disease
study.
d.. To estimate the PAFs for the individual factors, a specific equation
was used.
e.. For every World Bank region, age, sex and cancer site, the PAF was
multiplied by total regional site-specific cancer mortality for the year
2001 to calculate deaths from site-specific cancer attributable to risk
factor(s).
f.. The contributions of factors to mortality for each cancer site were
analyzed separately for high- and low- to middle-income countries.
g.. Of 7 million global deaths from cancer in 2001, 35% were attributable
to the joint effect of the 9 factors.
h.. Cancers with the largest proportions (more than 60%) attributable to
these risk factors were cervix uteri cancer, lung cancer, and esophagus
cancer.
i.. The main risk factors for these cancers included sexual transmission
of HPV, persistent infection with oncogenic viruses, smoking, alcohol use,
and low fruit and vegetable intake.
j.. More than 37% of all risk-factor-attributable deaths were from lung
cancer, 12% from liver cancer, and 11% from esophageal cancer.
k.. High-income countries accounted for 29% of the 7 million deaths from
cancer worldwide, and 31% of the 2.43 million that was attributable to the
selected risks.
l.. Except for cervix uteri cancers, joint PAFs were greater in
high-income than low- to middle-income countries for all cancer sites.
m.. This is due to higher and longer population exposure to smoking and
alcohol use and is particularly evident for lung, mouth, and oropharynx and
esophageal cancers, especially in men.
n.. Lung, liver, and esophageal cancers had the largest number of
attributable deaths in low- and middle-income countries.
o.. In high-income countries, lung cancer accounted for 52% of all
risk-factor-attributable deaths from cancer and other cancers contributed to
less than 7%.
p.. Smoking was responsible for a higher fraction of deaths from cancer in
high-income countries (29%) than in low-income countries (19%).
q.. Smoking alone caused at least 21% of deaths from cancer worldwide.
r.. Alcohol use and low fruit and vegetable intake caused 5% each.
s.. Liver and esophageal cancers had the largest number of deaths
attributable to alcohol use.
t.. The risk factors studied caused twice as many deaths in men as women
(1.6 vs 0.83 million) in all regions.
u.. The fraction of deaths from cancer attributable to these risks was 41%
for men and 27% for women.
v.. The largest male-female difference in PAFs was for mouth or oropharynx
cancer, both strongly affected by alcohol use and smoking (66% for men and
23% for women).
w.. Mouth and oropharynx cancer had the largest sex difference in low- to
middle-income countries (63% for men and 17% for women).
x.. In high-income countries, liver cancer had the highest sex difference
(59% for men and 37% for women).
y.. HPV was the leading risk factor for cervical cancer women in low- and
middle-income countries.
z.. In the youngest age group (younger than 30 years), leukemia claimed
the largest total number of deaths.
Pearls for Practice
a.. The nine modifiable risk factors most likely to contribute to cancer
deaths worldwide in this study are high body mass index, low fruit and
vegetable intake, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol use, unsafe sex,
urban air pollution, indoor use of solid fuels, and contaminated injections
from healthcare settings.
b.. Lung, liver, and esophageal cancers have the largest number of
attributable deaths in low- and middle-income countries. In high-income
countries, lung cancer accounted for 52% of all risk-factor-attributable
deaths. HPV is the leading risk factor for cervical cancer in women in low-
to middle-income countries.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[feranaja]

Vitamin D and MS


Higher Vitamin D Levels Associated With Lower MS Risk
December 20, 2006 - High circulating serum levels of vitamin D have been
linked to a significantly lower risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study
suggests.

In the first large-scale prospective study to investigate the relationship
between vitamin D levels and MS, researchers at the Harvard School of Public
Health found that healthy young adults with the highest 25-hydroxyvitamin D
levels had a 62% reduction in MS risk compared with their counterparts with
the lowest levels.

"This study provides very encouraging results. For the first time we can
envision the possibility of MS prevention," principal investigator Alberto
Ascherio, MD, DrPH, told Medscape.

The study is published in the December 20 issue of JAMA.

Racial Paradox in African Americans

The study population included more than 7 million active-duty US military
personnel with at least 1 serum sample stored in the US Department of
Defense Serum Repository (DoDSR).

The purpose of DoDSR is to routinely screen military personnel for human
immunodeficiency virus and other worldwide deployment-related blood tests.
The samples are then catalogued and stored. Typically military personnel
provide 1 sample at service entry and, on average, every 2 years thereafter.

Between 1992 and 2004, a total of 257 US Army and Navy personnel with at
least 2 serum samples stored in the repository were diagnosed with MS. Study
participants were matched with control subjects by age, sex, race/ethnicity,
date of sample collection, and branch of military service. Each case was
matched with 2 control subjects.

To guard against potential confounding due to race, its influence on MS
risk, and the effect of skin color on vitamin D levels, separate analyses
were conducted in whites, blacks, and Hispanics.

Dr. Ascherio pointed out that African Americans have a lower MS risk than
whites, which is largely attributed to genetic factors. Paradoxically, they
also have lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, mostly because of darker skin
pigmentation, which decreases UV-B-induced subcutaneous production of
vitamin D.

Vitamin D status was estimated by averaging 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of 2
or more serum samples collected before the date of initial MS symptoms.
Individuals were divided into quintiles according to average levels.

Age May Play a Role

The investigators found that among whites, MS risk declined with increasing
vitamin D levels, which was 62% lower among individuals in the top quintile
of vitamin D concentration (approximately 100 nmol/L) than those in the
lowest quintile (approximately 63 nmol/L).

Furthermore, they report this association was strongest among individuals
who were younger than 20 years at study entry. This finding, said Dr.
Ascherio, suggests that vitamin D levels earlier in life may be critical in
providing protection against MS.

"Most MS literature suggests vitamin D in adolescents and young adults may
be particularly important. Our study certainly suggests vitamin D levels
before age 20 is important in MS prevention. If this is true, any potential
intervention to prevent MS would likely be most effective if targeted
towards young people under age 20," he said.

No significant association between vitamin D levels and MS was found among
blacks or Hispanics, possibly because of the smaller sample size and lower
vitamin D levels in these groups. In addition, no significant differences
were found between men and women.

Clinical Recommendations Premature

While this study demonstrates a strong association between increased MS risk
and low vitamin D levels, Dr. Ascherio said any recommendations advising
patients to use vitamin D supplementation to reduce their risk would be
"premature."

"Before we can recommend vitamin D supplementation, we need to conduct a
large-scale trial to confirm a protective effect and to determine whether
supplementation is the optimal way of increasing vitamin D levels," Dr.
Ascherio said. "A logical target group would be individuals with a strong
family history of the disease. Such individuals have a 20- to 30-fold
increased risk of MS compared to individuals with no family history."

Nevertheless, Dr. Ascherio added, this study reinforces the importance of
guarding against vitamin D deficiency. "This is a very common condition and
we would certainly recommend physicians screen their patients to make sure
they are not vitamin D-deficient," he said.

Excellent Research

Asked by Medscape to comment on the study, John Noseworthy, MD, professor
and former chair of the department of neurology at the Mayo Clinic College
of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota, said it is an "extremely well done
piece of research that provides the research community with an important
observation."

"This study provides strong support that vitamin D deficiency may indeed
play a contributing role in either causing or triggering MS," Dr. Noseworthy
said. "If [this finding is] confirmed, it may afford physicians the
opportunity to modify MS risk for the first time. You can't do anything
about your patients' genetic profile, but relative low levels of vitamin D
are something we can influence."

JAMA. 2006;296:2832-2838.

Clinical Context
According to the authors, MS is one of the most common neurologic diseases
in young adults. It affects 350,000 individuals in the United States and 2
million people worldwide. There is a multifold increase in incidence with
increasing latitude with an associated genetic predisposition. Environmental
factors such as sunlight and vitamin D have been proposed as etiologic
mechanisms, according to the authors.

Currently, the Institute of Medicine recommendation for vitamin D
supplementation is 200 U/day for adults younger than 50 years; highest dose
considered safe is 2000 U/day. Levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D higher than 25
nnmol/L have traditionally been considered adequate, according to the
authors, and almost half of whites and two thirds of blacks in the United
States have levels less than 70 nmol/L. However, a review by
Bischooff-Ferrari and colleagues published in the July 2006 issue of the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that levels of 90 to 100
nmol/L are optimal for bone mineralization and fracture prevention.

This prospective, nested case-control study of more than 7 million US
military personnel who have serum stored examines the association between
vitamin D levels and risk of MS over a mean of 4.4 years.

Study Highlights
a.. Samples were from more than 7 million US military personnel who have
at least 1 serum sample stored.
b.. Serum was collected an average of every 2 years from personnel.
c.. Included were active personnel in the US Army and Navy who were
evaluated by the Physical Evaluation Boards for a diagnosis of MS (coded)
between 1992 and 2004.
d.. Medical records were extracted and reviewed by 2 trained personnel.
e.. Cases were classified as definite or probable MS.
f.. Definite MS was diagnosed if determined by a neurologist or if there
was a history of 2 or more attacks and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
study consistent with MS and a neurologist diagnosis.
g.. Probable MS was diagnosed if the diagnosis was made by a neurologist
or laboratory confirmation, or if at least 2 of the following were present:
2 or more clinical attacks, MRI consistent with MS, or neurologist diagnosis
of probable MS.
h.. 515 MS cases were reviewed, and 315 were determined to be definite and
78 probable.
i.. Two control subjects without MS diagnosis, matched for each MS case,
were randomly selected from the same population and matched by age, sex,
ethnicity, dates of collection, and Army vs Navy.
j.. Information was collected on place of residence by latitude.
k.. Vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) level was extracted and measured using
radioimmunoassay. The laboratory was blinded to case/control status.
l.. MS cases were, on average, 28.5 years old at symptom onset.
m.. Disease course was relapsing-remitting in 73%, primary progressive in
7%, and uncertain in the remaining 20%.
n.. Average time between collection of first and last serum samples and
onset of first MS symptoms was 4.4 years. Between first sample collection
and symptom onset, the average time was 5.3 years.
o.. The average serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was 29.7 nmol/L higher
among whites (75.2 nmo/L) than blacks and 8.6 nmol/L higher among whites
than Hispanics. This was consistent with known levels in the US general
population.
p.. Among whites there was a 41% decrease in MS risk for every 50 nmol/L
increase in 25-hydroxyvitamin D (odds ratio [OR], 0.59; 95% confidence
interval [CI], 0.36 - 0.97; P = .04).
q.. There was no significant difference by sex, with an OR of 0.60 for men
and 0.53 for women, P = .90.
r.. MS risk was highest among those in the bottom quintile of
25-hydroxyvitamin D level, with an OR of 0.38 for the top vs the bottom
quintile (P = .006).
s.. There was a significant 51% reduction in risk among those with
25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of 100 nmol/L of higher (17 cases and 58
controls: OR, 0.49; P = .02).
t.. Serum levels of hydroxyvitamin D in adolescence (available for 39
cases) significantly predicted MS risk with an OR of 0.09 for those whose
25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were more than 100 nmol/L compared with less than
100 nmol/L.
u.. Among blacks (77 cases and 154 controls), the overall association
between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and MS was not significant.
v.. Among Hispanics (32 cases and 64 controls), the OR for every 0.50
nmol/L increase in 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was 0.97 (not significant).
Pearls for Practice
a.. Higher levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are associated with lower
risk of MS among whites, independent of sex.
b.. The protective effect of higher 25-hydroxyvitamin D level for MS is
greatest among those with serum levels higher than 100 nmol/L and greater if
levels are higher than 100 nmo/L in adolescence.
**********

[Amur]

Turmeric powder is excellent for treating diabetes / lowering sugar symptoms along with a bunch of other stuff. I usually eat 1 teaspoon / day to when I intake much sugar to keep the body at a balance. For diabetics 2 teaspoons /day is recommended.

I believe that it's important to keep somewhat of a balance between the tastes available on the tongue. This in turn stimulates other areas of the body.

[feranaja]

Turmeric powder is excellent for treating diabetes / lowering sugar symptoms along with a bunch of other stuff. I usually eat 1 teaspoon / day to when I intake much sugar to keep the body at a balance. For diabetics 2 teaspoons /day is recommended.

I believe that it's important to keep somewhat of a balance between the tastes available on the tongue. This in turn stimulates other areas of the body.


Turmeric/curcumin has many important uses, notably in cancer prevention/natural therapy:
http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69401.cfm
NOTE CONTRAINDICATIONS

I wasnt aware of it's glucose regulating properties - can you send me some links on this Amur?

PS - I love your signature - ain't that the truth?
fera

[feranaja]

...on the topic of diabetes and peripheral neuropathy...this just in. Anyone wants the nutro-babble decoded, let me know.




1: Altern Med Rev. 2006 Dec;11(4):294-9.

Peripheral neuropathy: pathogenic mechanisms and alternative therapies.

Head KA.

Technical Advisor, Thorne Research, Inc.; Editor-In-Chief, Alternative
Medicine
Review. Correspondence address: Thorne Research, PO Box 25, Dover, ID 83825.

Peripheral neuropathy (PN), associated with diabetes, neurotoxic
chemotherapy,
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/antiretroviral drugs, alcoholism,
nutrient
deficiencies, heavy metal toxicity, and other etiologies, results in
significant
morbidity. Conventional pain medications primarily mask symptoms and have
significant side effects and addiction profiles. However, a widening body of
research indicates alternative medicine may offer significant benefit to
this
patient population. Alpha-lipoic acid, acetyl-L-carnitine, benfotiamine,
methylcobalamin, and topical capsaicin are among the most well-researched
alternative options for the treatment of PN. Other potential nutrient or
botanical therapies include vitamin E, glutathione, folate, pyridoxine,
biotin,
myo-inositol, omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, L-arginine, L-glutamine, taurine,
N-acetylcysteine, zinc, magnesium, chromium, and St. John's wort. In the
realm
of physical medicine, acupuncture, magnetic therapy, and yoga have been
found to
provide benefit. New cutting-edge conventional therapies, including
dual-action
peptides, may also hold promise.

PMID: 17176168 [PubMed - in process]

[feranaja]

for those into TCM:


Welcome to Chinese Medicine
An online journal published by BioMed Central

http://www.cmjournal.org/home/ (http://www.cmjournal.org/home/)

[feranaja]

This website might be of interest:
http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Home/0,4082,,00.html (http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Home/0,4082,,00.html)
" DrugDigest is a noncommercial, evidence-based, consumer health and drug
information site dedicated to empowering consumers to make informed choices
about drugs and treatment options."

Common Herbs and Supplements:
http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/DVH/Herbs/0,3913,,00.html (http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/DVH/Herbs/0,3913,,00.html)

This is supposed to be drugs and vitamins, but my quick look seemed like
it's mostly drugs:
http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/DVH/Drugs/0,3912,,00.html (http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/DVH/Drugs/0,3912,,00.html)

You're supposed to be able to check on drug interactions here, but it didn't
work for me. I have an old browser, so maybe it was my browser that wasn't
working.
http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Interaction/ChooseDrugs/1,4109,,00.html (http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Interaction/ChooseDrugs/1,4109,,00.html)

[Amur]

I wasnt aware of it's glucose regulating properties - can you send me some links on this Amur?

PS - I love your signature - ain't that the truth?
fera

I would advice to check into ayurveda. There are some good books by Vasant Lad with alot of ayurvedic remedies and information. I would recommend you check into those. Googling on ayurveda and some spice will probably give somewhat of information. But I really recommend some of his books, some of them have really good recipes also :)

Not sure about the signature yet, some evidences and experiences support this. Yet many would be shocked to acknowledge that it was a design from the first place. I do believe in a balanced God-form/egregore/Being that benefits everyone. But perhaps it should be more in experiences rather than belief.

[feranaja]

ahh, ok this is an Ayurevedic perspective - thank you. Im my work with dogs I have to more or less stick with Western medicine - allopathic and complementary - as this is the system most vets work with. BUt thank you, I'm always interested in looking into other systems.


I just see so much idiocy with people and dogs I cant believe some think they're the inferior species. But that's a whole other story. :)
fera

[Talkingfox]

Great links you guys...thank you very much!

[feranaja]

On my canine nutrition list today we've been discussing naturally occurring carcinogens...it surprises some people to know that carcinogens occur in many "natural" sources and not just chemicals.

That said, I am not giving up wine or latte...lol...EVER.

Just some interesting reading:
http://interactive.usask.ca/ski/agriculture/food/foodnut/constit/constit_add5.html

[feranaja]

Tomato plus broccoli - added benefits for prostates?
By Stephen Daniells


1/16/2007 - Tomatoes and broccoli, independently known for their
anti-cancer benefits, may have an extra effect against prostate cancer when
both are part of the daily diet than when they're eaten alone, if results
from an animal study can be replicated in humans.

"When tomatoes and broccoli are eaten together, we see an additive effect.
We think it's because different bioactive compounds in each food work on
different anti-cancer pathways," said lead researcher, John Erdman from the
University of Illinois.

Writing in the January 15 issue of Cancer Research, Erdman and his
co-workers report that lab rats with implanted prostate cancer cells fed a
diet containing 10 per cent tomato powder and 10 per cent broccoli powder,
the cancers had shrunk significantly more than the cancers in rats fed a
control diet or a diet containing only broccoli or tomato powder, or
supplemented with lycopene.

The researchers implanted Dunning R3327-H prostate tumours into 206 male
Copenhagen rats and then assigned them to one of six dietary groups: 10 per
cent broccoli powder plus 10 per cent tomato powder (10:10 combination); 5
per cent broccoli powder plus 5 per cent tomato powder (5:5 combination);
only 10 per cent broccoli; only 10 per cent tomato; or lycopene
supplementation (23 or 224 nanomoles per gram of diet - DSM lycopene
beadlets).

After 22 weeks of feeding on the diets, the researchers reported that the
lycopene supplements were associated with a seven and 18 per cent reduction
in prostate size for the 23 or 224 nmol/g doses, respectively, while tomato
only and broccoli only were associated with 34 and 42 per cent,
respectively.

The 10:10 combination of broccoli and tomato was associated with a 52 per
cent reduction in tumour weight, said the researchers."The combination of
tomato and broccoli was more effective at slowing tumour growth that either
tomato or broccoli alone and supports the public health recommendations to
increase the intake of a variety of plant components," wrote the
researchers.

The mechanism behind the apparent benefits, they said, is that the
phytochemicals present in the vegetables, like lycopene in tomatoes and
glucosinolates in broccoli, could induce apoptosis, or programmed cell
death, in the cancer cells.Further studies are needed to verify these
findings, with a particular need for human studies: "These findings provide
support for future human prevention trials based on dietary interventions,"
they said.

The researchers suggested that, based on the current results, a
55-year-old man concerned about prostate health could benefit by increasing
their intake of the vegetables."To get these effects, men should consume
daily 1.4 cups of raw broccoli and 2.5 cups of fresh tomato, or 1 cup of
tomato sauce, or half a cup of tomato paste. I think it's very doable for a
man to eat a cup and a half of broccoli per day or put broccoli on a pizza
with half a cup of tomato paste," said lead author Kirstie Canene-Adams in a
release.

Prof. Erdman said the study showed that eating whole foods is better than
consuming their components: "It's better to eat tomatoes than to take a
lycopene supplement. And cooked tomatoes may be better than raw tomatoes.
Chopping and heating make the cancer-fighting constituents of tomatoes and
broccoli more bioavailable."

"When tomatoes are cooked, for example, the water is removed and the
healthful parts become more concentrated. That doesn't mean you should stay
away from fresh produce. The lesson here, I think, is to eat a variety of
fruits and vegetables prepared in a variety of ways," added Canene-Adams.

Commenting indepently on the research, Dr Julie Sharp, cancer information
manager at British charity, Cancer Research UK, said: "While this work
supports previous suggestions that both broccoli and tomatoes may contain
chemicals with anticancer properties, their effects in humans are still
unclear. This research has been done in the laboratory but studies of these
vegetables in large numbers of people have produced conflicting
results."However we do know that a healthy balanced diet can help to reduce
the risk of cancer and should include plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit.
Eating tomatoes and broccoli could help people get their five portions a
day.

"Over half a million news cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every
year world wide, and the cancer is the direct cause of over 200,000 deaths.
More worryingly, the incidence of the disease is increasing with a rise of
1.7 per cent over 15 years.

Source: Cancer Research
January 15, 2007, Volume 67, Pages 836-843
"Combinations of tomato and broccoli enhance antitumor activity in Dunning
R3327-H prostate adenocarcinomas"
Authors: K. Canene-Adams, B.L. Lindshield, E.H. Jeffery, and J.W. Erdman

[feranaja]

More on the Power of Diet

Source: Dr. Rath Education Services USA, BVScientists Confirm That the
Spread of Melanoma Cancer to the Lungs Can be Halted With a Combination of
Micronutrients

In Vivo Study Confirms That a Specific Combination of Ascorbic Acid,
Proline, Arginine, Lysine, and Green Tea Extract Can Inhibit the Spread of
Melanoma Cells to the Lungs

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 12, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) (PRIMEZONE) --
The Dr. Rath Research Institute, a leader in the study of scientific
approaches to control cancer by natural means, has recently published a
study in the Experimental Lung Research (32:517-530) journal confirming the
anti-metastatic effectiveness of this synergistic micronutrient mixture.

The study, entitled "Inhibition of pulmonary metastasis of melanoma B16FO
cells in C57BL/6 mice by a nutrient mixture consisting of ascorbic acid,
lysine, proline, arginine, and green tea extract" demonstrates that the
administration of these micronutrients resulted in the reduction of melanoma
cancer metastasis to the lungs by up to 86%. Higher anti-metastatic activity
was observed when this nutrient synergy was delivered directly to the blood
stream (iv injection), but its dietary intake also significantly suppressed
lung metastases (by 63%).

"These in vivo studies prove that the research strategy to control cancer
growth and spread by increasing the natural stability and strength of the
connective tissue developed by Dr. Rath more than 10 years ago is the most
effective approach to control cancer. All cancer types spread to other
bodily organs by digesting the surrounding connective tissue, which
otherwise constrains their movement and expansion in the body. Our earlier
studies documented that a specific combination of several micronutrients can
inhibit the enzymes that destroy connective tissue and block cancer cells
spread.

"In addition, we have shown that these nutrients affect other key mechanisms
of cancer: they inhibit the growth of tumors, induce their natural death
(apoptosis), and block angiogenesis -- the formation of new blood vessels
providing nourishment to tumors. Now, with the in vivo confirmation that
this powerful nutrient combination can control metastasis, we finally have
an answer to how to fight cancer effectively and safely," said Executive
Research Director Dr. Aleksandra Niedzwiecki.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death for both men and women
worldwide. Approximately 90% of cancer deaths result from metastasis -- the
invasion of cancer to various organs in the body. Despite this fact, less
than 100 laboratories in the world focus on understanding how metastasis
works.

Dr. Niedzwiecki continued, "With the proper nutritional support, many cancer
deaths could be avoided. Dr. Rath and our research team are proud to be at
the forefront of such important research, combating cancer with safe,
effective, natural compounds."


For more information, visit www.drrathresearch.org (http://www.drrathresearch.org).

About the Dr. Rath Research Institute Scientists at the Dr. Rath Research
Institute conduct cutting-edge research in natural health based on Dr.
Rath's scientific discoveries and the understanding of the critical role of
essential nutrients in restoring and maintaining health at the deepest and
most important level in the human body -- the cellular level.

[Zaii]

http://www.foodalive.org/

This is the website of a woman who lived through a death sentence from her own terminal cancer through dietary means, has put it into remission, and as an additional little tid bit, still enters national powerlifting competition.

[feranaja]

I saw what nutrition and lifestyle changes did for me (I was on Disability for seven years, and now workout regularly, hike the Gatineaus weekly, and work 14 hour days sometimes) and my dog Lila (given 18 months to live in November 2000) - I'm a firm believer in the power of nutrition combined with various other techniques.
Thanks for sharing this zaii. :)

[Talkingfox]

It's the GIGO thing is it not? Humans were NOT designed to live on chemicals.
I did a bit of research on where people live the longest and there seemed to be NOTHNG in common with them...some of them smoked , some did not. Some ate a ton of animal products, some did not.

What I DID find is that all of them ate NO processed food and that there was some source of heavy concentrations of minerals either from coral sands or from glacial runoff. These mineral rich waters are what was being used to water gardens.
The other similarity was a level of physical activity even at advanced age that far outstrips the activity level of the average young person in the Western World.
Hmmmmm use it or lose it indeed.

[feranaja]

Of special interest to anyone at risk for this all too common cancer. Thats anyone with a close relative who's had it, or who eats a low fiber diet, or smokes...more reasons to pack in the lignans. lol.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nutritional Epidemiology
Dietary Phytoestrogen Intake Is Associated with Reduced Colorectal Cancer
Risk1

2 Division of Preventive Oncology, Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto, Ontario M5G
2L7, Canada; 3 Department of Public Health Sciences and 4 Department of
Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3M7, Canada; 5
Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario
M5G 1X5, Canada; and 6 Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8,
Canada




Evidence suggests dietary phytoestrogens may reduce the risk of certain
hormonal cancers (e.g. breast and prostate). There is a paucity of data
regarding phytoestrogens and colorectal cancer risk. Phytoestrogens are
plant compounds with estrogen-like activities. Main classes include
isoflavones (found in legumes such as soy) and lignans (found in grains,
seeds, nuts, fruits, and vegetables). Although isoflavones have dominated
phytoestrogen cancer research, lignans may be more relevant to North
American diets. Food questionnaires and analytic databases have recently
been modified to incorporate some lignan information. We conducted a
case-control study to evaluate the association between phytoestrogen intake
and colorectal cancer risk. Colorectal cancer cases were diagnosed in
1997-2000, aged 20-74 y, identified through the population-based Ontario
Cancer Registry, and recruited by the Ontario Familial Colorectal Cancer
Registry. Controls were a sex and age-group matched random sample of the
population of Ontario. Epidemiologic and food frequency questionnaires were
completed by 1095 cases and 1890 control subjects. Multivariate logistic
regression analysis was used to obtain adjusted odds ratio (OR) estimates.
Dietary lignan intake was associated with a significant reduction in
colorectal cancer risk [OR (T3 vs. T1) = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.56, 0.94], as was
isoflavone intake [OR (T3 vs. T1) = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.58, 0.86]. We evaluated
interactions between polymorphic genes that encode enzymes possibly involved
in metabolism of phytoestrogens (CYPs, catechol O-methyl transferase, GSTs,
and UGTs) and found no significant effect modification with respect to
phytoestrogen intake. This finding that phytoestrogen intake may reduce
colorectal cancer risk is important, because dietary intake is potentially
modifiable.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------