November 20, 2016

Onion Compound Suppresses Cancer Cells

This pungent vegetable has previously been cited for its health benefits, including lowering risk of certain cancers and helping with depression. But now, a new study has found that a compound found in onions has anti-ovarian cancer effects. After examining the effects of ONA on a preclinical model of EOC in cells, the researchers found that the growth of EOCs slowed down after the team introduced ONA. They also discovered that ONA inhibited pro-tumor activities of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), which the researchers say are linked with the suppression of the anti-tumor immune response of host lymphocytes. Furthermore, they found […]
November 19, 2016

Latest Vitamin D Research Suggests Life Span Link

New understanding of vitamin D’s manifold benefits continues to expand. In an investigation published in the October 25, 2016 issue of Cell Reports, a team from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging found that the vitamin extended median lifespan by a third in the roundworm C. elegans and helped support protein homeostasis:  the ability of proteins to maintain shape and function. “Vitamin D3 reduced the age-dependent formation of insoluble proteins across a wide range of predicted functions and cellular compartments, supporting our hypothesis that decreasing protein insolubility can prolong lifespan,” reported research team leader Karla Mark, PhD. “Vitamin D […]
October 28, 2016

Can Green Tea Help Ease Tendinitis?

Study Data from State University of Campinas Provide New Insights into Tendinitis (Green Tea and Glycine Modulate the Activity of Metalloproteinases and Collagen in the Tendinitis of the Myotendinous Junction of the Achilles Tendon) By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health & Medicine Week — Investigators publish new report on Tendinitis. According to news reporting from Sao Paulo, Brazil, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “The myotendinous junction (MTJ) is the weakest element in the muscle-tendon unit of the heel, and thus the most susceptible to injuries. The scarcity of adequate treatments means that tendinitis is a major concern to […]
October 23, 2016

What’s ORAC & Why Is It in My Food?

When I ask my patients how many ORACs they take in a day, they give me a kind of lost look.  One patient humorously asked me once, “Is that some kind of fruit?” Well, yes and no.  ORACs are in fruit – but they’re not a food per se.  Let me share with you what I tell my patients about the ORAC value of foods and its importance to your health. What’s ORAC and Why Is It In My Food? ORAC is the acronym for Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity – an antioxidant measurement system developed by researchers at the National […]
October 3, 2016

Reduce Heart Attacks By Eating Dinner Earlier

Q: Our family tends to eat dinner later in the evening, but a friend who knows our habits told me she heard this increases the chances for a heart attack. Is she right or did she misunderstand something? Theresa Schulte, of O’Fallon A: Eating a major meal within two hours of bedtime could indeed have far worse consequences than a midnight run for the Rolaids, according to a new study recently released at the world’s largest heart conference. Blood pressure usually drops by at least 10 percent when a person goes to sleep, allowing the body to rest. But this […]
September 4, 2016

Mediterranean Diet May Help Maintain Brain Health

Elderly people who follow a Mediterranean-style diet may benefit from better brain health and a lower risk for cognitive impairment later in life, according to a new US study. “It suggests that a healthy dietary pattern and specific dietary components have impact on biomarkers of brain pathology,” senior researcher Rosebud Roberts of the Mayo Clinic’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in Rochester, Minnesota, told Reuters Health by email. A Mediterranean-style diet includes fish, lean meat, legumes, nuts, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats. The diet has been linked to better heart and bone health. Roberts and colleagues analyzed data from […]
August 8, 2016

The Ten “Super” Foods for a Well-stocked Kitchen

What is a “superfood”? Most doctors and nutritionists will say that there is no scientific definition of “superfood,” that it is a marketing buzzword applied to foods that are good for you. Functional medicine specialist Dr. Marsha Nunley, founder of H.E.A.L. Medical, agrees but says: “While it is true that there is no legal or medical specification for a ‘superfood,’ it is without question that there are foods that are high in healthful nutrients and adding them to your diet may reduce your risk of chronic disease and improve your overall health and well-being.” Superfoods are packed with combinations of […]
August 2, 2016

5 Nutrients to Fight Hearing Loss

Cars, planes, concerts, and fireworks.  What do these all have in common? (No, we’re not talking about traveling and the 4th of July). All of these are examples of things that lead to noise-induced hearing loss. There’s about 10 million U.S adults who suffer from noise-induced hearing loss, with around 40 million that are affected by tinnitus (chronic ringing in the ears). The scary part is that the number of people affected by hearing loss is increasing, and it’s developing at younger and younger ages. One of the reasons for these changes may be due to the rise in the […]
July 30, 2016

5 Foods to Prevent Alzheimer’s

This probably isn’t the first time you’ve seen information regarding foods and nutrients to support brain function. And if you Google this topic, you’re likely to wind up with a large number of suggestions. Are all of them accurate? Probably not. However, there is a common thread between of the types of foods that are recommended. Most suggestions include increasing plant-based foods, berries, and green leafy veggies while limiting animal foods and foods high in saturated fat. Since there are many foods that fall into the above categories, we won’t cover them all here. Instead, we’ll focus on a few […]