According to new a new study conducted by Ohio State University researchers that was presented at the March 2007 national meeting of the American Chemical Society, black raspberries may be a good choice in preventing the development of tumors in the esophagus and colon.
 
The study, which was led by Gary Stoner, Ph.D., a professor of internal medicine at Ohio State University, involved a powdered, freeze-dried extract from black raspberries that was given to rats that had been exposed to a cancer-causing substance to measure the effect it had them. When compared to a control group, the rats that were fed black raspberry extract showed a 60 percent reduction in tumors of the esophagus. A reduction in colon tumors up to 80 percent was also visible.
 
“That’s a much higher reduction than I thought we’d see,” Stoner said, “This suggests that berries bind up a good portion of free radicals, preventing them from causing damage in the body.”
 
Vitamins A, C, E, folic acid and the minerals selenium, zinc, and calcium can all be found in black raspberries. Aside from that, a higher content of anthocyanins can be found in black rasberries when compared to other berries. The same is true of phenols, such as ellagic, coumaric and ferulic acid. According to Stoner all of these substances are recognized as “chemopreventive agents”.
 
“We do know from epidemiologic studies that vegetable and fruit consumption is protective against cancer and, from our work, we would suggest that berries be one of those helpings, at least two or three times a week,” said Stoner.
 
There are current clinical trials being held to examine the effectiveness of black raspberries on preventing esophageal and colon cancer in humans. The first test involves Stoner and his team analyzing the effects of the fruit in people with Barrett’s esophagus (a condition known as a precursor to esophageal cancer) and precancerous colon polyps. Preliminary results indicate the berries are well tolerated at doses similar to those used in animals.
 
Frank Mangano’s commentary:

Aside from tasting great, black raspberries are jam packed with anthocyanins. These chemicals not only give some fruits their deep, purple color but they are also believed to be one of the active ingredients that can help prevent or slow the growth of some forms of cancer. Many fruits contain anthocyanins including blackberries, blueberries, elderberries, raisins and plums, but black raspberries are by far the best choice for abundance.

A new poll reveals that many dieters count calories rather than exercising to lose weight. In the recent study of the 2,000 people surveyed, only 59 percent claimed that exercise made a greater contribution to personal health that counting calories alone.

According to the study, when trying to lose weight, women count calories more than men do.

There are many low-calorie choices of food available on the market, which are causing people to just cut back on food intake rather than exercising.

A sports scientist who conducted the study said, “The trend of people swapping the gym for a low calorie meal is very worrying. Consuming fewer calories is no substitute for exercise. We cannot afford to become a nation of calorie-counting couch potatoes — the benefits of leading active lives are enormous.”

“I’m not surprised by the results. A lot of people find the idea of going to the gym quite daunting and so reducing calorie intake seems to be an easier option. We promote physical activity as opposed to going to the gym per se. Things like taking the stairs instead of using the lift and walking when ever possible to increase your energy expenditure throughout the day. The recommendation is 60 minutes of activity a day. That can be done in smaller slots,” said Charlene Shoneye, research dietician at Weight Concern.

Frank Mangano’s commentary:

The fact of the matter is this. Exercise can never be substituted for anything, especially reduced food intake. Reason being is this. Aside from aiding weight loss, exercise has countless other benefits including building strength in both muscles and bones as well as lowering blood pressure and reducing stress.

Cutting back on food intake and counting calories may help you temporarily lose weight but it does nothing for your heart and mind.

Eating the right type of foods is what people should be more concerned with as certain diets aimed at aiding weight loss can be extremely unhealthy.

If you’re serious about losing weight and more importantly achieving optimal health, maintain a diet low in bad fats while increasing your intake of healthy fats, avoid refined carbohydrates and by all means, start doing some type of exercise on a daily basis as a sedentary lifestyle causes more deaths than smoking.

If you’re just beginning, start with 30 minutes of continuous exercise per day, such as walking. Gradually work your way up to longer durations. Although smaller slots of exercise is better than not exercising at all, continuous exercise will yield substanically more health benefits.

A study published in “Cell” suggests there is a connection amidst the process in which the body tans and how it protects itself from skin cancer. Tanning has actually been found to halt cancer tumors.

Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute discovered that the body – when exposed to sunlight – releases a protein which is a well-known tumor suppressor called p53.

The same scientists conducted a prior study which revealed that when the skin is struck by ultraviolet solar radiation, the breakdown of the protein POMC is triggered. This breakdown in turn initiates the release of a hormone that produces melanin and causes the skin to darken or become tanned.

When the skin cells were injected with p53, production of POMC increased drastically.

This evidence correlates to the method in which age spots develop as they typically are triggered by stress and the body also produces p53 as a response to stress-induced DNA damage.

Evidence that p53 may trigger the release of endorphins, which are associated with feelings of pleasure was also discovered by the scientists which may explain why so many people yearn for sunlight.

“The number one risk factor for melanoma is an inability to tan.” – Senior Author David E. Fisher.

Frank Mangano’s commentary:

When will people finally realize that exposure to sunlight does not cause cancer. The only information circulating that suggests it does, is nothing but a bunch of malarkey being spread around by the skin cancer industry in an effort to prevent sun screen manufactures from going out of business.

As long as you’re not spending excessive amounts of time in the sun and you’re not deficient in the proper antioxidants, sunburn and DNA damage are two things you don’t need to worry about.

It’s actually the sun screen that should be on your list of things to keep away from as most of them contain cancer-causing chemicals.

Researchers at the Complutense University of Madrid and Danone Vitapole conducted a study on mice, which indicates that foods rich in antioxidants improve immune function and increase lifespan. These results may be applicable to humans as well.
 
The study, which was published in the journal Nutrition, involved two groups of both non-prematurely aging mice (NPAM) and prematurely aging mice (PAM) that were divided into control and experimental groups. The mice in the experimental group had diets that were supplemented with either 5 or 20 percent antioxidant-enriched biscuits. 15 weeks later, these mice experienced leukocyte functions, antioxidant defenses, and lipid and DNA oxidative damage levels that were markedly improved when compared to the mice in the control group. In the supplemented PAM group the antioxidants were more effective than the supplemented NPAM group and antioxidant supplements of 20 percent were more effective than those of 5 percent.
 
Lead author Carmen Alvarado wrote “In the present study, ingestion of a diet supplemented with two different doses, 5 percent and 20 percent, of biscuits enriched with nutritional amounts of several antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, zinc, and selenium improved the investigated immune functions in non-prematurely ageing mice and especially in prematurely aging mice.”
 
These results could be applicable to humans as well because the function of white blood cells (which is the body’s initial form of defense against disease and infections) is strongly influenced by the antioxidant/oxidant level in the body. Plus, oxidative stress is increased with aging meaning as the human body gets older, the ability to fight infections becomes weakened. This process leads to an increased risk of diseases which are infectious and degenerative thus decreasing one’s lifespan. For these reasons, maintaining antioxidant levels is important, as this report indicates.
 
The authors of this research say the biscuits used in the study contain antioxidants that have previously been shown to enhance the immune system function of both human and animal study participants.
 
“Because the immune function is a marker of health and several of the immune parameters studied are predictors of longevity,” Alvarado concluded, “our data strongly indicate, on the one hand, the importance of maintaining a proper regulation of redox homeostasis in immune cells to preserve their functions and, on the other hand, that the biscuits enriched with nutritional doses of several antioxidants used in the present work appear to be a functional food that allows improvement of leukocyte function through restoration of the redox balance of these cells.”

Frank Mangano’s commentary:
 
Simply put, antioxidants are vital to preservation of health. This study is just another example of that fact. They are natural compounds that shield the body from harmful free radicals, which cause cell damage and weaken the immune system.

Although consuming sprouted grains and fresh fruits and veggies is an excellent way of obtaining antioxidants, it may not be enough due to our polluted environment. I recommend taking a high-quality combination formula that provides a mix of antioxidants.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid, bilberry, carotenoids, coenzyme Q10, garlic, ginkgo biloba, green tea, selenium and Vitamins C and E are just some of the antioxidants that provide a beneficial role in the prevention of disease.

According to a new Canadian animal study published in the journal Cell, mice were rapidly cured of Type 1 diabetes when injected with capsaicin. Capsaicin is the chemical in chili peppers that makes them hot.

Type 1 diabetes is the most serious form of the disease that usually appears in childhood. Researchers from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto believe that the disease is the result of pain nerves that surround cells in the pancreas becoming malfunctioned.
 
In people with Type 1 diabetes, insufficient levels of insulin are produced by the pancreas, which results in inflammation and death of islet cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. For many years, experts believed that the condition was caused by a malfunction in the body’s immune system causing it to turning against itself. Immunologist Dr. Hans Michael Dosch and pain expert Dr. Michael Salter however suggest that faulty pancreatic pain neurons could actually be the cause.
 
In earlier research Dosch observed in diabetics, islet cells were surrounded by an usually large amount of pain nerves that signaled the brain that the pancreatic tissue was damaged.
 
Dosch and Salter conducted a study on mice with Type 1 diabetes, which involved killing the animals’ pancreatic pain nerves to test their theory. The researchers said they were shocked when they discovered the islet cells in the injected mice began producing insulin normally almost instantly.
 
“I couldn’t believe it,” Salter said. “Mice with diabetes suddenly didn’t have diabetes anymore.”

Upon further research, Dosch and Salter discovered that by secreting neuropeptides that tell the islets to release insulin, pancreatic nerve cells play a crucial role in the functioning of islet cells. The nerves weren’t secreting insufficient neuropeptides, causing a “vicious cycle” of stress on the islets.
 
The researchers then injected the neuropeptide (substance P) into the pancreases of the diabetic mice. The islet inflammation in the mice cleared up quickly and the animals’ diabetes disappeared. Dosch and Salter say some mice have remained “cured” for up to four months with a single injection. And they also found that their capsaicin/neuropeptide treatments helped curb the insulin resistance that causes Type 2 diabetes as well.

Dosch and Salter are expecting results from human studies within a year or so.

Frank Mangano’s commentary:
 
In my opinion, diabetes can be reversed without the use of harmful medications. The disease however is a huge cash cow, which is why the conventional medical community wants to keep studies like this a secret.

Capsaicin is known for its ability to relieve pain and is a component found naturally in plants of the same family as red peppers. Capsaicin also provides relief for arthritis, back pain, joint pain, muscle pain and itching when applied topically to the skin.

It has also been shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells, according to a study published in Cancer Research.

According to a study published in The Lancet, the risk of death in children between the ages of one and four years was significantly reduced through zinc supplementation.

The study, which was conducted in Zanzibar by scientists from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, involved more than 42,500 children that were divided into two groups. Group one was given zinc supplements on a daily basis while group two was given placebo pill.

When given the zinc supplements, children between one and four years of age were 8 percent less likely to die than children who received the placebo. When compared to children of all ages, the children given the supplements were 7 percent less likely to die.

A 5 milligram daily zinc dose was given to infants that were part of the study and 10 milligrams was administered to children over the age of one.

Zinc plays a crucial role in promoting the function of certain biological processes including the immune and nervous systems. Deficiencies in this essential mineral during pregnancy can result in a child’s brain development becoming stunted.

“This large trial demonstrates that the benefits of zinc supplementation include mortality reduction in addition to the reduction in cases of pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria that we found in previous trials.” said Senior Author Dr. Robert Black.

Frank Mangano’s commentary:

There it is in black and white folks. This African study proved that supplementing with zinc reduced infant mortality.

The problem is that in America, most people are deficient in zinc, which is why they heal at a slower rate than normal and their immune systems are constantly suppressed leading to constant sicknesses.

Other possible signs of a dificiency in this essential mineral include the loss of the senses of taste and smell, acne, recurrent colds and flu, hair loss, impaired night vision, impotence and memory impairment.

A daily intake of under 100 milligrams enhances the immune response. However a dose of more than 100 milligrams can have the opposite effect.

Some good food sources of zinc include brewer’s yeast, fish, legumes, lima beans, mushrooms, seafood, soybeans and whole grains.

The past few years have been pretty good for the alternative health community. With more and more people taking the necessary steps to educate themselves on how they can treat & prevent diseases and ailments safely & naturally, the need for harmful medications has become much smaller.

While this improves the overall health of Americans, a few groups of individuals actually suffer loses from this kind of eye opening. Two of those groups are the FDA and Big Pharma. The reason is very simple. In the multi billion dollar pharmaceutical industry, drug manufactures make money in one way, through people taking medication. Any time an alternative to medication is presented as an option to someone; this causes Big Pharma to lose money.

At this point, the FDA (a government agency designed to protect Big Pharma from any losses that approved drugs like Vioxx which killed nearly 50,000 Americans), gets involved on some level.

In the past, the FDA has taken drastic measures to both deter people from treating themselves with natural alternatives while simultaneously taking action to get people to use prescription medications which are can be extremely harmful and in some cases fatal.

With the awareness of the public with regard to alternative treatments and the risks of prescription drugs growing to the point that it is currently at, the FDA has now decided to take the most drastic step to date to stop Big Pharma from losing money regardless of how deadly the products they manufacture are.

On April 30th 2007 (less than a week away) the FDA will begin reclassifying almost every single vitamin, supplement, herb and even vegetable juice as FDA-regulated drugs. Massage oils and massage rocks will be classified as “medical devices” and require approval from the FDA. The document is called Docket No. 2006D-0480 - Draft Guidance for Industry on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Products and Their Regulation by the Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA is accepting feedback from the public on this issue until April 30th so it is crucial for all of us including myself to take whatever action we possibly can. I have found two courses of immediate action we can take. 

First, you can write your opinion to the FDA on their website by clicking here.

Then, you can sign a petition provided by the Natural Solutions Foundation that states you want Complementary and Alternative Modalities (“CAM”) to be freely available. Sign the petition by clicking here.

We can also write to our local government representatives with actual letters (not e-mails) voicing our opinions on the attempt to destroy our means of healing ourselves naturally without harmful drugs and outright rob us of our freedom.

I personally invite you to post your thoughts, feedback and opinion on this topic by leaving your reply below…

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study in the April 09, 2007 issue which indicates a correlation exists between the presence of omega-3 fatty acids in young men and “peak bone mass” or bone mineral density.

The study, which was headed by Dr. Magnus Hogstrom and colleagues from Umea University in Sweden, concluded that 22-year-old men with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids had the greatest bone density in the body and spine two years later.

The study included 78 healthy young men that were monitored from their mid-teens to early adulthood. To see whether a link between the levels of omega-3 fatty acids and bone density existed, the BMD (bone mineral density) of the total body, hip and spine of the men were measured by the researchers when the study began and then again when the participants were 22 and 24 years old.

According to the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “The results showed that Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, are positively associated with bone mineral accrual and, thus, with peak BMD in young men.” Higher bone density in youth can reduce the risk of brittle bones or osteoporosis later in life. The Journal also reported that omega-3 fatty acids lead to a decrease in “total mortality and cardiovascular incidents.”

Many people associate osteoporosis with women as they are more likely to suffer from it at some point in their lives. According to the American Osteoporosis Foundation however, two million men in the U.S. have osteoporosis. You can reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis by exercising regularly and avoiding both smoking and antacids that contain aluminum.

Frank Mangano’s commentary:

And now folks as we have learned taking in Omega-3 fatty acids is another preventive step you can take to lower your risk of developing osteoporosis.

While Omega-3′s are essential to human health, the body cannot produce them. You must obtain them from nutrition sources, which include fresh deepwater fish such as salmon.  Some other excellent sources that are rich in Omega-3′s include fish oil, flax seeds, flax seed oil, walnut oil and my personal favorite, chia seeds.

Chia seeds contain an extremely high level of Omega-3′s and I just found (in my opinion) a top resource that provides them. The company Good Cause Wellness offers a great source of fresh and high-quality chia seeds. I personally evaluated their chia seeds and I highly recommend them.

Acupuncture can be an effective treatment for the pain and disability associated with arthritis, according to a study by researchers at Charite University of Medicine in Berlin.

Arthritis & Rheumatism published the study, which involved 712 patients that were divided two groups. In the first group of 357, immediate acupuncture treatment was administered while the remaining 355 began having treatment administered three months later. Using the WOMAC osteoarthritis index, which is used by many to measure the severity of pain, stiffness and joint performance in patients the researchers also applied traditional arthritis treatments consisting of anti-inflammatory drugs along with the acupuncture.

A score of about 50 was apparent on the scale by all patients at the beginning of the treatment. After 3 months, the group that had undergone 15 acupuncture sessions had a score of around 30, which was an improvement of 36 percent after other factors were considered. In the group that was untreated, scores remained around 50. After a three-month treatment, the group that was once untreated showed the same level of improvement.

While some issues that may question the results in the eyes of some skeptics were apparent during the study, such as the fact that it was not double-blind, and the inexperienced acupuncturists were found to be just as effective as experienced practitioners, the scientists still maintain the study results indicate that acupuncture is in fact an effective treatment for pain associated with arthritis.

These study results have prompted the German Ministry of Health to consider including acupuncture in medical coverage, a move partly inspired by the study results.

Frank Mangano’s commentary:

This traditional Chinese Medicine has been used for over 2,000 years and has been found to reduce pain associated with arthritis as well as improve mobility and circulation. As a matter of fact, arthritis is just one of hundreds of ailments that can be improved by using acupuncture therapy.

While drugs were a part of the study, acupuncture is an effective alternative option worth trying before resorting to conventional drug treatment.  Also, most people don’t experience any side effects from acupuncture therapy. Read more about the benefits of acupuncture here.