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 individuals, like women, from developing bladder cancer, or prevent certain types of tumors, such as those evolving through the p53 pathway, from developing, it gives us clues about how the tumors could be prevented in the future and potentially lead to chemopreventive efforts,” Karagas said.

This study is published in the January 2009 issue of Cancer Prevention Research.

Post from: Blisstree

Selenium May Help Prevent Bladder Cancer

“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 of high-fat dairy and eggs, along with following other healthful dietary practices consistent with those recommended by the American Heart Association.”

Arrgh, this reminds me, I still need to write a review of some fiber-rich whole grain products! Bear with me! Time is a little bit scarce these days!

Post from: Blisstree

Whole Grains Reduce Heart Failure Risk

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… or on your desks!

Post from: Blisstree

New in the Market: Quaker Oatmeal-To-Go

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.

Post from: Blisstree

New in the Market: World of Grains Cookies

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 Credit: Bdevel via Wikipedia

Post from: Blisstree

Flax-Enriched Food?

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 in a New York minute:

• Whole grain cereal (pick one with lots of fiber and not too much sugar), sliced banana and milk.
• Yogurt with fruit.
• Peanut butter on whole grain bread.
• A smoothie with fruit and yogurt.
• Hot oatmeal is great for a crisp fall morning. Add chopped nuts and dried fruit or spice it up with cinnamon and cloves.

Perhaps I can manage to have more than just coffee for breakfast for the entire month of September, at least!

Photo Credit: rizkapb via flickr

Post from: Blisstree

Better Breakfast Month Coming Up

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 mild, nutty flavor and provides a powerful health punch to your favorite foods. Its primary health benefits include the following:

Flax’s healthy fatty acid profile is one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids, ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), a polyunsaturated fat that offers unique heart health benefits including lowering cholesterol level
• Flax is one the best plant sources of lignans, natural antioxidants that helps prevent cancer and may reduce the activity of cell-damaging free radicals that slow the aging process
• Flax is an excellent source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, providing three grams of fiber per tablespoon. The fiber in flax is good for heart, colon, and digestive health, and can ease the effects of type-2 diabetes

Flax is an easy ingredient to add to your recipes. It’s also already an ingredient in many packaged products, such as snack or energy bars, cookies, crackers, breads, muffins, butter, on today’s grocery shelves. It’s also easy to add to foods you already eat every day. Sprinkle it on your morning cereal, in your smoothie, and over salads or fruit. It also can be added to soups, pasta sauces, or your favorite baked goods.

Want to know more about flax– its health benefits and how to incorporate it into your lifestyle? HealthyFlax has all the info you need!

Post from: Blisstree

Health Benefits of Flax

• 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 acupuncture or natural anti-inflammatories such as ginger, turmeric, or boswellia.

There’s more here for just about every part of teh body, but take note, though, that there’s no scientific backing referenced for these claims (if you have leads, I’d be glad to receive them!)!

Photo from PR received via email.

Post from: Blisstree

Health Magazine’s Head-to-Toe Guide to Natural Health

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 a naturally sweet, slightly nutty taste,” Mr Ball says. “With large volumes to be produced soon by Austgrains, healthy foods made with BARLEYmax are likely to be on Australian breakfast tables in the near future.”

Source: CSIRO

Post from: Blisstree

High-Fibre BARLEYmax® Soon to Be Available in Australia

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 has been fermented by the red yeast, Monascus purpureus. It has been used by the Chinese for many centuries as a food preservative, food colorant (it is responsible for the red color of Peking duck), spice, and ingredient in rice wine.

And from the same article, it seems that the red yeast rice’s effect on cardiovascular health is already widely recognized. There’s even a book about it as well as dietary supplements based on it.

Post from: Blisstree

Chinese Red Yeast Rice Reduces Heart Attack Rates