Selenium, a trace mineral found in grains, nuts and meats, may aid in the prevention of high-risk bladder cancer.
A recently published comparing the blood selenium levels of 767 recently diagnosed bladder cancer patients with 1,108 individuals from the general population indicates that selenium levels in the blood is inversely related to bladder cancer incidence among women, some smokers and those with p53 positive bladder cancer.
The data are still preliminary, and there is no causative relationship established indicating that selenium does have chemo-preventive properties, but the data are promising.
“Ultimately, if it is true that selenium can prevent a certain subset of …read more

Here’s another study that justifies that “Heart Healthy” label you see in some whole grain foods: a new study of over 14,000 participants for more than 13 years found that whole grain consumption lowered hear failure risk.
“Although risk estimates were modest (7% lower risk per 1-serving increase in whole grain intake; 8% greater risk per 1-serving increase in high-fat dairy intake; 23% greater risk per 1-serving increase in egg intake), the totality of literature in this area suggests it would be prudent to recommend that those at high risk of HF increase their intake of whole grains and reduce intake …read more

You just have to type “fiber” in the search box on the upper right side of this blog to find all the good reasons why you should incorporate more fiber in your diet. It just not good for your digestive system, it’s also documented to help reduce heart disease.
Quaker, a trusted name for anything oatmeal, has come up with Oatmeal To Go, a snack bar that provides 40% of the Daily Value of fiber (10g of dietary fiber)!

It’s like having a bowl of oatmeal in a snap! It’s the convenient choice, especially for you busy bees, snacking on the go… …read more

Temperatures are dropping, leaves are falling, here’s a new healthy snack that’s just right for the season:

These leaf-shaped World of Grains cookies are made from 8 types of whole grains and omega-3 fatty acids from flax seed (remember my post of the health benefits of flax?). Perfect source of fiber and good fats you can easily munch on for breakfast, snacks or as dessert! Available nationwide at Whole Foods stores.
Image used with permission from WOG.

On the heels of my post on the health benefits of flax not so long ago…
How would you like to cakes, bread, dressings and sauces, rolls and pasta… with the all the goodness of flax in it? Wouldn’t that make incorporating flax in your daily diet easier and more convenient?
Research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV have isolated the valuable components of linseed and lupin seeds and are already conducting experiments on incorporating these extracts into foodstuffs. They say in about 3 years time, we may already see flax-enriched food products in the supermarket shelves.
Photo …read more

Lately, it’s becoming more and more difficult for me to get a decent breakfast. I’m already on the go, without even having had some fuel!
But as September is designated as the Better Breakfast Month, I’m making a mental note to start preparing better breakfasts for myself even when there doesn’t seem to be enough time to sit down and eat, much less chop and cook. For those of you who are also always on the run, especially in the mornings, here are some tips I’ve unearthed, courtesy of Salisbury University (pdf file), which includes breakfast options you can whip up …read more

I’ve blogged a number of entries on the various health benefits of flaxseed before, although most of them mention flax only in passing, except for one that focuses on the potential of flaxseed in prostate cancer treatment.
But there’s more to flax than these. I’ve received permission to reprint this from the Flax Council of Canada:
Flax is an ideal, functional food ingredient. It is added to many products on today’s grocery shelves because of the omega-3 fats, lignans, and fiber found in the seed, which all help deliver a extra health boost to food’s original nutrient content. Flax also adds a …read more

Here’s a snippet from the July/August Issue of Health Magazine: the Head-to-Toe Guide to Natural Health:

Eyes: Keep your vision sharp with bilberries, which are packed with antioxidants—even more than their blueberry cousins.
Sinuses: Research shows that oils from dill, bishop’s weed, and cumin work as well as or better than antibiotics against eight types of common bacterial infections.
Breasts: Flaxseed reduces inflammation and tumor growth.
Tummy: Get rid of your burping and bloating with digestive-enzyme supplements which are available in capsule form. Mint has also long been considered a tummy soother.
Feet: To ease the chronic pain of plantar fasciitis (an inflammatory condition), try …read more

A high-fiber barley variety developed by CSIRO called BARLEYmax® will soon find its way in the Australian market.

Photo Credit: CSIRO
BARLEYmax® contains more than twice the amount of insoluble and soluble fibre found in wheat or oats, as well as resistant starch, which helps promote healthy digestive bacteria.
BARLEYmax Business Manager, CSIRO’s Geoff Ball, says clinical testing by CSIRO Human Nutrition has shown that products made with BARLEYmax – such as breakfast cereals, muffins and breads – have a low Glycaemic Index and strong bowel health attributes.
“Further testing showed BARLEYmax has excellent processing properties and foods made with the new grain have …read more

According to this report:
A clinical study on patients who have suffered a heart attack found that a partially purified extract of Chinese red yeast rice, Xuezhikang (XZK), reduced the risk of repeat heart attacks by 45%, revascularization (bypass surgery/angioplasty), cardiovascular mortality and total mortality by one-third and cancer mortality by two-thirds.
The researchers however haven’t determined the mechanism how Chinese red yeast rice confer this benefit.
Hm. This is embrassing, being currently based in Asia, but I have to admit, I have no idea what Chinese red yeast rice is. Good thing there’s the web. From Medicine.net:
Red yeast rice is rice that …read more