Disease Proof : Disease Proof : Health & Nutrition News & Commentary : Dr. Joel Fuhrman

Published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research scientists have determined omega-3 fatty acids found in fish offer protection against advanced prostate cancer. The team studied 466 men with prostate cancer and 478 healthy men. Participants with the highest intake of omega-3’s had 63% less risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer compared to men with limited consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, even men with genetic predisposition to prostate cancer had a decreased risk of disease; via HealthDay News.

Earlier this month, omega-3’s were shown to lower inflammation in men with elevated levels of triglycerides, which improves heart health. Also, omega-3 fatty acids were found to shield the liver against insulin resistance linked to obesity, boost brain power and intelligence in girls, and help reduce the risk of type-1 diabetes. Not too shabby.

Dr. Fuhrman is big on omega-3, associating them with good neurological health. Oh, and if you’re not into fish, don’t worries, micro algae-derived fatty acids are just as good.

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Most people think vitamins are healthy. No questions asked. Not always the case. According to new research in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute daily folic acid supplementation may increase men’s risk of prostate cancer. The study showed men taking 1 mg of folic acid everyday had more than twice the risk of developing prostate cancer than participants taking a placebo. Experts examined data on 643 men, with an average age of 57.4. After ten years the cancer risk among supplement-takers was 9.7%, but only 3.3% for men taking the placebo; Med News Today reports.

Isolated beta-carotene isn’t the only thing that can increase men’s risk of prostate cancer. Eating too much meat messes with a hormones resulting in more prostate cancer, while foods like broccoli provide protect against prostate cancer. And in the past, a study of 300,000 men revealed men taking more than seven vitamins a week had double the risk of getting fatal prostate cancer, compared to men who never took pills.

Now, I’m not into hocking products, but this is relevant. Dr. Fuhrman has known about link between folic acid and prostate cancer for a long time, that’s why his daily vitamin supplement Gentle Care has no folic acid and no isolated beta-carotene. Isolated beta-carotene was recently found to raise lung cancer risk. Eek!

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• First lady Michelle Obama loves steamed broccoli and is emerging as a champion of healthy eating, praising community vegetable gardens and unprocessed and locally raised food and recently opening up the White House kitchen to show onlookers her chefs’ prowess with vegetables; The New York Times reports.

• Next time you’re feeling blue. Keep this in mind. Presented at this year’s American Psychosomatic Society's annual meeting, researchers believe optimists live longer. Optimists were 14% less likely to die from any cause and 30% less likely to die from heart disease than pessimists; via Reuters.

• Don’t have neck fat either. This study, reported at the American Heart Association's Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention annual conference, claim larger neck circumference, i.e. a fat neck, is closely associated with known risk factors of disease, such as cholesterol and diabetes; from HealthDay News.

• Teenagers need more vitamin D! Discussed at an American Heart Association conference, findings reveal adolescents with low levels of vitamin D had increased risk of high blood pressure and high blood sugar and are 4 times more likely to develop metabolic syndrome; the Associated Press explains.

• Reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, some experts believe we’re over-diagnosing prostate cancer, suggesting that standard PSA screening tests indentify too slow-growing tumors that’ll never develop into a cancer threat; via The Washington Post.

• The ozone layer keeps us from burning up in the sun, but when it makes landfall it can kill you. New research in the New England Journal of Medicine has determined people exposed to ozone are 25% to 30% more likely to die from lung disease than individuals living in areas with cleaner air; Reuters reports.

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Some mushrooms will kill you! But others will make you big and strong. A new study in the journal BMC Immunology reveals eating mushrooms bolstered the immune system of mice. To investigate, experts fed mice white button, crimini, maitake, oyster and shiitake mushrooms. Libratory mice eating a diet consisting of 2% white buttons mushrooms were more protected against colon inflammation and related symptoms, such as weight-loss and colon injury, known risk factors for the development of colon tumors. Researchers expect similar beneficial effects in humans; Reuters reports.

Dr. Fuhrman considers mushrooms an excellent substitute for meat and some scientists believe mushrooms’ low energy content, i.e. low calories, can combat obesity, satisfying people but not overstuffing them with extra calories. Mushrooms fight prostate cancer too.

But many people dislike mushrooms. In the United Kingdom, mushrooms are one the healthy foods Britons force themselves to choke down and the United States hates mushrooms.

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I love broccoli! This is great awesome. A new study in the journal Clinical Immunology claims consuming broccoli sprouts contributed to a significant boosting antioxidant which protect airways against inflammation and asthma. Researchers gave test subjects varying does of oral sulforaphane, an anti-cancer agent found in green vegetables like broccoli, for three days and rinses of nasal passages revealed high doses result in a 101% to 199% increase in GSTP1 and NQO1 antioxidant enzymes; Food Navigator reports.

Previous studies show broccoli protects blood vessels against heart disease and stroke, especially good for diabetics, who are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Eating broccoli also helps fight prostate cancer and skin cancer.

Wow, asthma has been all over the news lately, this week we’ve seen reports link asthma risk with traffic pollution and watching too much television. Eek!

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