Carcinogens
from Meat Appear in the Breast
Cranberry
Blackberry
Spinach
Blueberries
Garlic
Chemical Exposure Warning
Cycling Improves
Sexual Performance
Contraceptive Skin Patch
Recipes
from Arthritis Foundation
Garlic
Mashed Potatoes
Pineapple
Carrots
Carcinogens
from Meat Appear in the Breast Milk
A report from the department of chemistry and biochemistry at the University
of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario that appears in the Nov. 19 print edition
(Oct. 16 Web version) of Chemical Research in Toxicology implicates
dietary meat in the appearance of carcinogens in the breast milk. This
is the first study that found the chemical PhIP in human breast milk.
PhIP is one of the few suspected mammary carcinogens found in breast milk
that is almost exclusively associated with grilled meat. In
the women who did not eat meat, no PhIP was detected. Since exposure
to [PhIP] is chiefly from dietary meat, reduction in the intake of
cooked meats and avoidance of meats might minimize exposure to these
compounds. A number of epidemiological studies have shown an increased
risk of breast cancer among women who eat meat. Some studies
have suggested that increased exposure to PhIP may be linked to an increased
risk of colon and prostate cancer in men. No PhIP is produced by the cooking
of vegetables and fruit, regardless of the process, studies show.
(However, breast feeding still remains the best and is preferred over formula-feeding.)
Cranberry
New study ranks cranberry number one in antioxidants - An antioxidant
comparison of some of the most common fruits found that the little red
berry - in its pure form - contained the highest quantity of disease-fighting
phenols, a type of antioxidant that is thought to reduce the risk of chronic
diseases such as cancer, stroke and heart disease. The study represents
the most comprehensive investigation to date of the quantity and quality
of antioxidants in fruits, says lead researcher Joe Vinson, Ph.D., a chemist
with the University of Scranton in Scranton, Penn. November 19 print
issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Blackberry
Consider filling your holiday pies with fresh berries, which can significantly
reduce the buildup of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, a culprit
that contributes to heart disease, stroke and atherosclerosis, a form of
arteriosclerosis. According to research published in the Journal of Agricultural
and Food Chemistry, blackberries have the highest LDL inhibitory effect,
followed by red raspberries, sweet cherries, blueberries and strawberries.
To keep pie crusts from getting too brown, cut the sugar in half, reduce
the amount of dairy products, and substitute lower-protein cake flour for
some of the regular flour.
Spinach
Rats, fed a diet rich in spinach, reversed a normal loss of learning
thatoccurs with age, according to a study by researchers at the University
of South Florida. The study was presented at the Society for Neuroscience's
annual meeting in San Diego. Spinach is rich in antioxidants, which scientists
say can block the effects of free radicals. Studies suggest the lifelong
accumulation of free radicals in the brain is linked to mental declines
in old age and is also a probable factor in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
diseases.
Blueberries
Blueberries are also rich in antioxidants. A study by researchers at
the University of Houston at Clear Lake and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma
de Mexico found that blueberries may help fight age-related declines in
rats' memories. Aging rats that were fed a blueberry-supplemented diet
for four months tested as well as younger rats in their abilities to recognize
objects after an hour. Aging rats fed a normal diet failed to recognize
the objects. Even before the recent discovery about the antioxidant properties
of cranberries, published on 19th in the peer-reviewed Journal of Agricultural
and Food Chemistry, cranberries had a lot going for them. Not the least
of which is the scientific confirmation of the old wives' tale about the
value of cranberries in reducing the risk of urinary tract infections.
Once established only anecdotally, there are now at least eight scientific
studies confirming that tale. Research has shown that cranberries keep
E. coli from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract. Eighty to 90 percent
of urinary tract infections are caused by E. coli. Recipe: Wash
the fresh cranberries and grind them in a grinder using a fine blade or
process in a food processor until the cranberries are finely chopped.
Cut the oranges into eighths and grind or process until finely chopped.
Combine fresh cranberries, oranges, pecans, dried cranberries, maple syrup,
Grand Marnier, sugar and nutmeg; stir well and refrigerate at least an
hour but up to 3 or 4 days.
Garlic
The compounds, called disulfides, occur naturally in garlic, onions
and mahogany trees and are known to have antifungal, anticancer and antibacterial
properties. These compounds commonly found in garlic are an effective treatment
for malaria. The mechanism by which they inhibit the infection appears
to be similar to the mechanism they use to fight cancer cells.
Researchers from the University of Toronto reported these findings on November
15th at the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine
and Hygiene in Atlanta.
Chemical Exposure Warning
For more than fifteen years I used hexane and petroleum ether almost
everyday at my job as a chemist without a mask. I cann't believe
what CDC has to say about N-hexane. According to CDC, repeated exposure
to a chemical found in some car maintenance products can cause nerve problems,
including numbness in the hands, feet and forearms. In extreme cases, the
chemical solvent n-hexane, found in some products used to clean and de-grease
engines, can lead to loss of motor skills, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention said. The warning follows a study by health officials
in California, who found that three mechanics reported the numbness and
tingling after using some products with n-hexane, including a brake cleaner
that contained up to 60 percent n-hexane. Most of the car-cleaning products
come in aerosol form, and the nerve damage is likely caused by inhalation,
the CDC said. The condition of the nerves typically improves when the exposure
to n-hexane stops. N-hexane is also found in some glues, spray paints,
coatings, silicones and other products. It has been linked to nerve problems
among workers at printing plants and furniture factories in Europe, Asia
and the United States.
Cycling Improves Sexual Performance
Bicycling has a positive effect in treating sexual dysfunction in men
with chronic heart failure, according to a report presented at the American
Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2001 conference. "We found
that exercise can act as a medical therapy to improve both sexual function
and overall quality of life in these patients," says Romualdo Belardinelli,
M.D., director of the Lancisi Heart Institute in Ancona, Italy. Many heart
failure patients take prescription drugs containing nitrates. Individuals
taking these medicines are warned to avoid drugs such as Viagra, a prescription
drug used to treat erectile dysfunction, because of a potentially lethal
interaction between the two. Patients who exercise instead of taking drugs
to address sexual dysfunction avoid the problem of interaction with the
nitrate medicine that many heart failure patients take. Nitrates,
combined with Viagra, can cause very low blood pressure and cardiocirculatory
shock. The study indicates that patients who cycled had increased
sexual activity and better overall quality of life, which can be traced
to better cardiovascular function. Improvements measured in the brachial
artery (the artery that runs from the shoulder to the elbow) indicate that
blood vessels in other parts of the body also benefited from the exercise.
Contraceptive Skin Patch
The Food and Drug Administration approved on November 20 Ortho-Evra
(Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals), a patch that prevents pregnancy by emitting
the same hormones used in birth-control pills. Studies found it is as safe
and effective as the pill, but women must remember to use it just once
a week instead of daily. Ortho-Evra is the fourth new contraceptive option
to win FDA approval in the last year. The other new products include a
monthly injection, a hormone-emitting IUD, and a hormone-emitting contraceptive
ring slipped into the vagina once a month. They join other long-acting
methods including Norplant, a contraceptive implant that lasts for years,
and a once-every-three-months injection. With Ortho-Evra, women would use
one patch a week for three weeks, and then go patch-free for a week for
their menstrual period. Each patch should be applied to the lower abdomen,
buttocks or upper body and slightly different spot each week. FDA suggests
never to put it on the breasts.
Recipes from Arthritis Foundation
Ingredients
2 cups cubed, peeled baking potatoes
1/4 cup water
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon fresh clives
Preparation: Combine potatoes, water, garlic and salt in 2-quart microwave-safe dish. Microwave, covered, on High for 11 to 13 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring every 5 minutes. Mash potato mixture. Add milk. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Stir in chives.
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving: Calories, 73; Protein, 3 grams; Carbohydrates,
16 grams; Total Fat, <1 grams (2 percent of calories from fat); Cholesterol,
1 milligram; Fiber, 1 gram; Sodium, 154 milligrams.
Ingredients
8 medium carrots, cut into julienne strips
1 cup orange juice
1 (16-ounce) can juice-pack pineapple tidbits
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ginger
Preparation: Cook carrots in orange juice in covered saucepan just until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Blend reserved juice with cornstarch and ginger in small bowl. Add with pineapple to hot undrained carrots. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring occasionally.
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving: Calories, 84; Protein, 1 grams;
Carbohydrate, 21 grams; Total Fat, less than one gram; Caloeris from fat,
2 percent; Cholesterol, 0 milligrams; Fiber, 3 grams; Sodium, 26 milligrams
Sreenivasarao Vepachedu, November 30, 2001
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