Mediterranean magic

It’s not up to date news, just a reminder of something that will substantially improve your health – and is enjoyable as well. I am off on a Mediterranean cruise calling near to Florence in a few weeks, so when a piece of research from that area came in it caught my attention. The British Medical Journal this week published a study from the University of Florence that showed that people who followed an authentic Mediterranean diet lived longer and suffered few serious diseases.

The so-called Mediterranean Diet had great favour a few years ago, but sadly it is no longer followed as strictly or by as many people – even in the Mediterranean itself. So what are the benefits? Well research done on an extremely large scale and across Mediterranean populations and others in the U.S., Northern Europe, and a group of Europeans living in Australia gave impressive results.

Dr Sofi of the University of Florence and colleagues followed the diets of 1,574,299 individuals for intervals of three to 18 years, and showed that those who followed the dietary rules got all this:

** a 9% lower overall death rate

** a 9% lower risk of dying from heart disease

** a 6% lower incidence of contracting, or dying from cancer

** a 13% lower risk of contracting Parkinson’s disease

** a 13% lower risk of contracting Alzheimer’s disease

And what do you have to suffer to achieve these impressive improvements in your health and longevity? The Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, cereals, fish, nuts, olive oil, and a moderate intake of red wine during meals. So that’s no hardship is it? On the downside the diet is also low in red meat, dairy products, and alcohol in large quantities BUT the key word is low. You don’t have to give them up altogether just eat moderately in comparison to the other elements of the diet – we may not have much Mediterranean sunshine at the moment, but we can at least benefit from their dietary habits!

Birth defects – How men can help

Women are encouraged in pregnancy to have a reasonably high intake of folic acid as it is known to help prevent neural tube birth defects, but now an important groundbreaking study shows that a father’s intake of the nutrient might also be just as important.

Men with a high intake of folic acid are significantly less likely to produce sperm with the chromosomal abnormalities that can lead to birth defects.

Researchers from the University of California at Berkeley analyzed sperm from 89 healthy, non-smoking men for a condition called aneuploidy, in which a sperm cell carries the wrong number of chromosomes. While in most cases, aneuploidy leads to either a failure to conceive or to miscarriage, sometimes the foetus can be carried to full term where conditions such as Down’s, Klinefelter’s or Turner’s syndrome (sexual chromosome abnormalities) occur.

Men who want to make the best contribution to having a healthy child should start making changes at least 3 months before they want to start a family as it takes that time to produce sperm. Although you can take folic acid supplements, a good place to start would be to make sure you are a non-smoker, and include plenty of folic acid rich foods such as liver, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, peas and brussel sprouts.

Another chinese breakthrough in diabetes treatment

Nothing to do with the Olympics, but Chinese medicine is known to be a very rich source for finding new therapies for diseases and for over 500 years have used bitter melon as a treatment for diabetes. However, anecdotal evidence – that is when you have seen hundreds of years with thousands of people taking some natural remedy that is effective – is anathema to the scientific and medical community. Herbal medicine has stepped up to the challenge to ‘prove’ their remedies work and, in a collaboration with an Australian research institute, the scientists have isolated four compounds in bitter melon that may account for why this treatment is so effective.

In addition to relieving the symptoms of diabetes, bitter melon is used in traditional Chinese medicine to promote digestion, brighten the eyes and cool the body. A spokesman for the Australian Chinese Medicine Association further claims that it helps people keep slim, lose weight and regulate cholesterol levels.

The researchers identified four compounds that appeared to stimulate the activity of a chemical known as AMPK, which is known to help regulate blood sugar levels.

In people with diabetes, the body is not able to move enough sugar from the blood and into the cells where it can be burned for energy, and exercise is normally prescribed as a part of diabetes treatment. This is because it activates AMPK, which is known to help move glucose transporters to the surface of cells, where they can then grab the sugar out of the blood..

In the current study, if bitter melon was taken before a meal, it helped by more efficiently removing glucose from the blood and had the same effect on AMPK as exercise.

As type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases in the world, with an estimated 171 million people currently so diagnosed, then anything that can help stem this could be invaluable and the researchers are planning on full scale trials on people next year.

The researchers want to develop new drugs based on these compounds, but if you want to stay with the natural route – and there isn’t much bitter melon in my local supermarket – then talk it over with your doctor if you already are on diabetes medication, then either consult a traditional Chinese herbalist, or consider taking it in supplement form as several companies now market it in this way.

Cut heart disease – Put on the kettle

I was giving a talk on alternative medicine on a cruise recently and mentioned the many health benefits of green tea – a substance I am very fond of. So, imagine my surprise when I went to the buffet to get a cup and couldn’t find a green tea bag anywhere. I spoke to the catering manager who couldn’t understand it either, but told me suddenly everyone was drinking green tea! So for all those converts, and those who aren’t here is another good reason to head for the green stuff – it can cut your heart disease and stroke risk in HALF! New studies on green tea (or epigallocatechin gallate to give it the proper name) show it has all these benefits:

* Lower your cholesterol counts by 9 points
* Prevent cancer cells from ever forming
* Protect DNA from mutating
* Boost production of disease-fighting T-cells
* Even prevent tooth decay

It has been called the ultimate antioxidant, and to enjoy it at its best let it steep for a couple of minutes then drink without milk or sugar. I often add some fresh mint leaves for taste although you can now buy several different flavoured varieties, and sweeten with honey if it’s not to your taste. However you drink it, try to get one or two cups a day into your routine – your health really will benefit.

Statins update

A new trial has shown that taking an omega-3 fish oil capsule outperforms a statin drug in reducing mortality and hospital admissions for chronic heart failure.

The results of the recent Italian study were given at the European Society of Cardiology meeting and published online by The Lancet on 31 August 2008. The patients on omega-3 supplements showed a lowered risk of mortality compared to those heart failure patients who received 10 mg/day of a potent statin drug and others given a placebo. The patients given the statin showed no benefit and in fact had the same outcome as taking the placebo.

What this study suggests is that a daily intake of omega-3 fatty acid supplement for close to four years may provide a slight reduction in mortality or hospitalizations for patients with chronic heart failure and that treatment with statins does not appear to be beneficial in patients with chronic heart failure. The American College of Cardiology has predicted that the results would soon be rapidly incorporated into their guidelines on heart failure. This is the second trial to demonstrate benefit for omega-3 in cardiovascular disease: the first trial found that omega-3 reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events following a heart attack whereas the second appears to lower the risk of mortality from heart disease.

If you are concerned about your risk for heart disease and want to take preventive measures, the suggested supplemental daily dose of omega-3 is equivalent to a gram day, taken for at least four years continuously – or seriously increase your intake of sardines and other oily fish!

Natural medicines – Take care with drugs

Natural does not mean it can’t harm you – some of the most deadly poisons are ‘natural’ such as nutmeg. The odd bit grated on your rice pudding won’t harm you, but if you were to ingest 2-3 whole ones in a day it could kill you. If you enjoy apples, please don’t eat the pips as they can cause mild cyanide poisoning and if you are fond of caraway seeds – as I am on my rye bread – then be aware that again large quantities can cause headaches and giddiness. Let’s look at just three common supplements and see what their effect on drugs can be:

ST. JOHN’S WORT – in trials it has performed better than a placebo and as well as the commonly prescribed antidepressant, imipramine. This herbal remedy had fewer side effects and the researchers concluded it showed promise for the long-term treatment of moderate depression. However, it does interact with some drugs, causing them to metabolise through the body too quickly. Two groups who need to be cautious about taking this natural remedy for depression are women on the on the contraceptive pill or anyone on the blood-thinning drug warfarin, who are at risk of a stroke. There may also be implications for people on medication for asthma, epilepsy, depression, migraine and heart problems. You may think there would be little point in taking a natural medicine for depression if you are on a drug like Prozac, but people do – however taking it with antidepressants like Prozac means a risk of developing serious side effects–including delirium. The FDA issued a warning in February 2000 that the herb could interfere with drugs used to treat HIV-infected patients and there have also been some reports from America that St John’s wort can cause nerve damage or cataracts when combined with bright sunlight. Herbalists have always known that when St John’s wort is used externally, you have to keep out of the sun because hypericin, the active ingredient in St John’s wort, does react with sunlight.

GINKGO BILOBA – many ‘seniors’ take this supplement to help with memory and mental sharpness as it helps improve blood supply to the brain, and many people have reported good results from using it. However, if you are also taking a daily ‘preventive’ aspirin it can potentially be harmful in two areas: gingko and aspirin in combination can lead to hemorrhagic stroke that involves bleeding within the brain, damaging nearby brain tissue, and people who are taking blood thinners need to be cautious as both the drug and gingko have anti-clotting properties so the ‘double whammy’ effect could be very dangerous. FOLIC ACID – often recommended in pregnancy and you will find it in virtually every multivitamin combination as it is essential for many functions in the body. However, it can interfere with the effectiveness of some anticancer drugs so not recommended for anyone on chemotherapy. Conversely, some drugs like anticonvulants actually deplete the body of folic acid and in pregnant women can lead to birth defects, which is why it is often recommended as a supplement at that time. Anyone who has been taking Phenobarbital over a long period should be aware that it results in dramatic reductions in folic acid blood levels, and again you might be recommended to take supplemental folic acid.

My advice? Whatever medication you are on, if you are also taking natural supplements it pays to do your research. First ask your doctor or pharmacist about any possible interactions and also go on the web and through a reputable site – such as www.netdoctor.co.uk – and see what else you can find out. It’s your health – and your responsibility.

Cancer, chillis and peppers

Cancer cells can be adversely affected by compounds in chilli and peppers and show promise for treatment according to new research at the University of Pittsburgh. Researchers there have discovered that capsaicin (the compound that gives chilli peppers their heat) caused pancreatic cancer cells to die through a process called apoptosis. Another US study conducted at the University of California, found that capsaicin stopped the spread of prostate cancer cells. We know that many spices such as ginger, are beneficial in fighting infection and stimulating the immune system, so for good preventive care put chilli on the menu and spice up your diet, and your health.

Soft drinks & gout

MEN who drink five or six sweetened soft drinks a week have a 29% higher chance of developing gout (a form of arthritis), when compared with men who have less than one soft drink a month. If a daily soft drink is on the menu then the risk increases to 45%, and thirsty chaps who have two or more a day have a staggering 85% higher risk of developing gout. The study was reported in the British Medical Journal and pointed out that gout particularly tends to affect men over the age of 39 – so if you are past that birthday it might be time to switch drinks, and don’t switch to low calorie drinks as they use artificial sweeteners which are known to aggravate gout.

Warning on fruit juice and drug interactions

Sorry to be still on the fruit juice trail, but news this week had a real deja-vu quality about it for me. In the 1980′s, I was involved with a naturopath in the writing of a book called ‘The Medicine Chest’ which looked at the relationship and interaction between foods, vitamins and medicines. One of the things we flagged up then was how food can affect your medication. One example of this is the drug warfarin which interacts with vitamin K, which we get from food, and from the bacteria in our gut. Vitamin K is involved in the formation of special liver proteins, known as coagulation factors, which reduce the risk of haemorrhage or bleeding. Conversely, if you are susceptible to blood clotting, warfarin (because of how it interferes with the formation of these vitamin-K-dependent factors) may be prescribed for you. So you can see that if you increase the amount of vitamin K-rich foods then you can alter the effect that the warfarin will have in your body. Such foods include everyday items like spinach, lettuce, beef, broccoli and soy beans – good foods in themselves but to be discussed with your doctor if you are on warfarin.

Now the scientific world seems to have caught up with the research done by naturopaths over the years, which has always treated food as ‘medicine’ and been much more aware of its effects. Recent research presented at a US conference has now suggested that a chemical in grapefruit, orange, and possibly also apple juice, could stop anti-allergy drugs being absorbed properly. Grapefruit juice is already known to interfere with blood pressure drugs and indeed some medicines carry a warning that taking them alongside grapefruit juice could cause an overdose and normally your pharmacist will point this out to you. However, the latest finding shows that grapefruit juice had the reverse effect on fexofenadine, an antihistamine drug, making it less rather than more potent. Volunteers took the drug with either a single glass of grapefruit juice, or just water.

When it was taken with juice, only half the drug was absorbed, potentially reducing its effectiveness. The active ingredient of the juice, naringin, appears to block a mechanism which moves drug molecules out of the small intestine into the bloodstream and this substantially decreases the absorption of certain drugs.

The three juices mentioned have also been found to affect etoposide, a chemotherapy drug, some beta-blocker drugs used to treat high blood pressure, and cyclosporine, taken by transplant patients to prevent rejection of their new organs. Dr David Bailey of the University of Western Ontario, the study’s author, said: “This is just the tip of the iceberg – I’m sure we’ll find more and more drugs that are affected this way.”

Genes are the reason for middle aged spread

Staying with the theme of unwanted weight, it seems almost inevitable, middle aged spread is something we associate with getting older and we either accept it or take action to prevent it. Often thought of as being a result of being less active, it now seems that it is a result of the key appetite control cells in the human brain degenerating over time. This causes increased hunger and the potential for putting on weight, but read on and see how you can slow down this process.

Dr Zane Andrews, a neuroendocrinologist with Monash University’s Department of Physiology in Australia, has published his research in Nature magazine which indicates that what you eat has a great effect on how much the cells decay. He found that appetite-suppressing cells are attacked by free radicals after eating, and that the degeneration is more significant following meals rich in carbohydrates and sugars. So a Big Mac with large fries and a coke – for example – is one of the worst offenders as a meal loaded with carbohydrates and sugars attacks the appetite suppressing cells, which in turn creates a cellular imbalance between our need to eat and the message to the brain to stop eating.

WHO IS AT RISK?
People in the age group of 25 to 50 are most at risk because the neurons that tell people in the crucial age range not to over-eat are being killed-off. When the stomach is empty, it triggers the ghrelin hormone that notifies the brain that we are hungry. When we are full, a set of neurons known as POMC’s (which are produced in the hypothalamus) kick in. However, free radicals created naturally in the body attack the POMC neurons and this process causes them to degenerate overt time, and this in turn affects our judgement about when our hunger is satisfied.

Dr Andrews believes that the reduction in the appetite-suppressing cells could be one explanation for the complex condition of adult-onset obesity. Our diets have changed radically over the last 30 years as we now do consume far more sugars and complex carbohydrates than ever before and this has placed so much strain on our bodies that it’s leading to premature cell deterioration. The answer? Cut down on carbohydrates and sugars as much as you can, otherwise that slice of ‘Death by Chocolate’ cake might prove all too apt when applied to your waistline.

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