The antioxidant compounds in two of summer's most colorful fruits appear to damage breast cancer cells but don't target normal cells. Researchers in Texas performing lab tests used extracts from "Rich Lady" peaches and "Black Splendor" plums and found that they destroyed even the most aggressive breast cancer cells. The investigators at Texas A&M AgriLife said certain phenols in the fruits were responsible for the effects they observed, and that the extracts used had five times the toxicity on cancer cells as on normal cells. In follow up tests, they also found that the compounds prevented cancer from growing in animals. The research team said that the phytonutrients in plums matched or exceeded those provided by blueberries, which had been considered to have the most potent antioxidants among fruits. The study was published last year in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.
My take? We know that antioxidants including anthocyanins in blueberries and other blue and purple fruits protect against carcinogens, and that the beta carotenes in yellow fruits, such as peaches, boost the immune system. These new laboratory findings are very interesting, and I look forward to hearing about future studies of these extracts. We need cancer treatments that are less toxic than our present chemotherapy agents. If these findings are confirmed, the fruit extracts might turn out to be a promising alternative.
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Fish Oil May Protect Against Breast Cancer
This new evidence about the benefits of omega 3s comes from a study involving more than 35,000 postmenopausal women who were taking non-vitamin, non-mineral dietary supplements. The women completed a 24-page questionnaire about their supplement use, and then were followed for six years, during which 880 cases of breast cancer were reported among them. After reviewing the participants' histories, Investigators from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found a 32 percent reduced risk of breast cancer among the women who reported taking fish oil supplements. No other supplement was linked to a reduced breast cancer risk in their investigation. While these results are encouraging, a recommendation to take fish oil to prevent breast cancer cannot be made on the basis of a single study, said lead investigator Emily White, Ph.D. We may learn more about whether fish oil is protective after completion of a vitamin D and omega-3 trial that is just getting started at Harvard. Researchers will look at the impact of fish oil supplements and vitamin D on cancer, heart disease and stroke on 20,000 men and women in their 60s and older. The Seattle fish oil study was published in the July 2010 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Lack of Sleep May Account for Weight Gain in Women
While there’s no direct proof that sleep deprivation is the only factor to blame, researchers in Finland have found that women who have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep tend to gain more weight over time than women who have no sleeping problems. The investigators followed more than 7,300 40- to 60-year-old men and women for seven years. During that time, they saw that about one third of the women who had trouble sleeping at the outset of the study generally gained at least 11 pounds by the study's end compared to a similar weight gain among only one fifth of the women who reported sleeping well. Some other contributors could be responsible for the weight gain but these findings raise the possibility that addressing sleeping problems might help some women with weight control. Earlier evidence suggested that sleep deprivation affects levels of appetite regulating hormones, which in turn might account for weight gain. The Finnish findings were reported online June 8, 2010 in the International Journal of Obesity. The researchers saw no connection between sleep deprivation and weight gain in men.
More information: Treating Insomnia and Obesity
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Healthy Recipe: Vegetable and Tofu Stir Fry
If tofu is prepared right, it's delicious. If not, it can taste like rubber. Tofu is curdled soy milk that has been pressed in a process similar to making cheese. You'll find tofu in natural food stores and many supermarkets these days. Several brands are available with varying texture from extra firm to soft (tofu's firmness depends on the amount of liquid that's been pressed out of it). In large cities with Asian markets you can often find tofu sold in bulk, usually stored in open barrels.
Food as Medicine: Despite sensational claims on the Internet and elsewhere that soy foods are not healthy, the weight of available evidence indicates that soy is safe and nutritious when eaten in relatively unrefined forms such as tofu.
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Healthy Aging Tip
Courtesy of Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging
Healthy Side Dish - Corn. Rich in vitamins and essential amino acids, corn is a summertime favorite that can add a little positive nutritional value to typically less-than-healthful BBQ fare. Corn has been cultivated for thousands of years and was (and still is) a staple in many parts of the world. A good source of vitamins B1, B5 and C, as well as fiber and folate, corn provides many health benefits: its fiber promotes gastrointestinal function, the folate it contains can help reduce the risk of birth defects and promote heart health, vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) supports the adrenal glands, and lutein helps promote healthy vision. Try corn on the cob grilled, boiled or steamed, on its own or brushed with a little olive oil for a healthy summertime side.
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