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

Unless it’s a big bag of money, no one likes carrying around extra weight. Even cute little love handles can be bad.

And having too much abdominal fat has been linked to stroke and heart failure, but losing weight can work wonders.

A new study in the journal The Lancet Oncology claims women who underwent weight-loss surgery had a lower risk of cancer. Great news?

Losing weight is a fantastic idea, but weight-loss surgery is a bad idea. Dr. Fuhrman lists depression, malnutrition, gastritis and vitamin B12 deficiency, as potential side-effects of bariatric surgery.

Instead, try fruits and vegetables. Plant foods are low in calories and high in fiber, which means you can eat until you're stuffed, protect yourself against cancer and still lose weight!

Via Journal Watch.

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Omega-3 fatty acids, the good fats recently found to improve heart health and help prevent prostate cancer, are now being associated with lower bodyweight.

Published in the British Journal of Nutrition, scientists observed that overweight or obese people had blood levels of omega-3s roughly 1% lower than healthy people.

For the study, 124 people of varying bodyweights—21 were classified as healthy weight, 40 overweight and 63 obese—had blood samples taken, with results showing an inverse relationship between omega-3 levels and participants’ waist size and hip circumference.

Obese people had omega-3 levels of 4.53%, but healthy people had levels of 5.25%.

Sure, it’s only a small difference, but healthy bodyweight is just one perk of omega-3s. Other reports have shown omega-3 fatty acids offer protection from stroke, depression linked to pregnancy and help lower young children’s risk of type-1diabetes.

Good sources of omega-3 include flaxseed, walnuts and micro algae-derived supplements.

Via Food Navigator.

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Geez, I know people who do all three—in one sitting! If you know someone like this too, show them this.

New research in the International Journal of Cancer suggests lifestyle changes—such as eating less red meat, not smoking, avoiding alcohol and exercising—may lower your risk of colon cancer.

Scientists analyzed 100 studies on colon cancer risk, finding that high intake of red and processed meats, smoking, obesity and diabetes were associated with a 20% increased in the risk.

As for alcohol, people averaging one drink or more each day had a 60% higher risk of cancer. However, people who exercised regularly were 20% less likely to develop colorectal cancer.

Makes sense! Especially since last week a report came out saying vegetarians—i.e. people who don’t eat meat—have less cancer than meat eaters.

And previous findings reveal smoking and drinking heighten risk of bowel cancer, but eating fruits and vegetables, protect against cancer. Sweet!

Via Reuters.

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In college, the only citrus I got was the lime in my beer bottle, but now I know better. Citrus fruits are loaded with health-promoting nutrients, like vitamin C.

Kiwi fruit, watermelon, strawberries, mangos and raspberries are all packed with vitamin C. And in May, vitamin C was found to stave off age-related vision loss.

Now, new findings in the journal Diabetes claims another fruit nutrient, naringenin—a flavonoid in citrus fruits—halts the development of metabolic syndrome, which leads to diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

For the study, scientists fed mice a high-fat diet—to simulate a western diet—in order to induce symptoms of metabolic syndrome and discovered mice fed a fatty diet plus naringenin had “corrected” levels of triglycerides and cholesterol.

Naringenin also protected against insulin resistance. Experts say naringenin reprogrammed the liver to burn up excess fat, instead of storing it. However, more research is needed to determined naringenin’s exact effect on heart disease.

In related news, pomegranates were found to reduce inflammation associated with cardiovascular disease.

Via EurekAlert!

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Published in the journal Cell Metabolism, researchers have determined fat cells in obese people release a protein, called pigment epithelium-derived factor or PEDF, and when let into the blood stream PEDF causes muscles and the liver to become desensitized to insulin. In response, the pancreas produces more and more insulin to counteract the problem, but eventually the pancreas craps out, leading to the development of type-2 diabetes; ScienceDaily reports.

Diabetes and obesity are major problems in the United States. In January, a report revealed 24 million Americans now have diabetes. But don’t despair! You don’t have to be another statistic. A diet based on fruits and vegetables offers amazing protection against type-2 diabetes and keeps you thin.

In related news, obesity was found to increase the risk of endometrial cancer—adding nearly 22 times more risk—and obesity has also been linked to poor ovary health and impaired fertility.

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