Pomegranate Extract May Lower Breast Cancer Risk

Compounds from pomegranate may reduce the incidence of hormone-dependent breast cancer, says a new study from California.

A metabolite of ellagic acid found in pomegranates may inhibit an enzyme called aromatase that converts androgen to oestrogen, and that also plays a key role in the development of breast cancer, according to findings published in Cancer Prevention Research.

Researchers from the City of Hope in Duarte, California and the
University of California, Los Angeles said they were surprised by
their findings. "We previously found other fruits, such as grapes,
to be capable of the inhibition of aromatase. But, phytochemicals
in pomegranates and in grapes are different," reported the
investigators.

Pomegranate, a rich source of antioxidants, has been linked to
improved heart health, but a growing body of science indicates
the fruit protect against prostate cancer. Studies have also
reported a role in joint health by slowing cartilage loss in arthritis.

It is these antioxidants, and particularly ellagitannin compounds
like punicalagins and punicalins, which accounts for about half
of the fruit's antioxidant ability, that are reportedly behind the
proposed health benefits.

They also said additional studies will be needed to confirm these
initial findings.

"The ingestion of pomegranate juice can lead to concentrations
of circulating urolithins reaching up to 18 micromoles per litre in
blood," said the researchers. "Taken together with the results of
current studies and reports of the presence of urolithin A and
urolithin B in the blood and urine of human subjects following
pomegranate ingestion, the results of these analyses suggest
that pomegranate intake may be a viable strategy for the
chemoprevention of breast cancer."

"More research on the individual components and the combination
of chemicals is needed to understand the potential risks and
benefits of using pomegranate juice or isolated compounds for
a health benefit or for cancer prevention," they explained. "This
study does suggest that studies of the ellagitannins from
pomegranates should be continued."

Until then people "might consider consuming more pomegranates
to protect against cancer development in the breast and perhaps
in other tissues and organs".

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Source: Cancer Prevention Research

Concord grape juice may enhance memory

Grape Juice May Boost
Memory in Elderly
According to New Study

More Important News About How
Antioxidants and Phytochemicals
Support Cognitive and Mental
Function

Daily consumption of Concord grape
juice may enhance memory in older
people with mild impairment in the brain
function, says a new study conducted by scientists from the University
of Cincinnati Academic Health Center

Improved verbal learning and enhanced verbal and spatial recall
were observed following a 12 week randomised, placebo-controlled,
double-blind trial with Concord grape juice.

The researchers from the University of Cincinnati Academic Health
Center, and the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging
and Tufts University report their findings in the British Journal of
Nutrition.

The researchers are careful to note that results from their small study,
only 12 older adults with memory decline but not dementia were
studied. It should "establish a basis for more comprehensive
investigations to evaluate potential benefit and assess mechanisms
of action."

Concord grape juice is a rich source of polyphenols, potent
antioxidants that act to "mop up" harmful reactive oxygen species
that have been identified as key to the aging process. Previous
research has linked polyphenols, such as catechins, epicatechins,
and anthocyanins to protecting against various cancers and heart
disease.

A previous study by Tufts researchers reported that Concord grape
juice appeared to reverse the course of neuronal and behavioural
aging in laboratory mice (Nutrition, 2006, Vol. 22, pp. 295-302).
The new study reports similar findings in ageing humans.

"We observed significant improvement in a measure of verbal
learning and non-significant enhancement of verbal and spatial
recall," reported the team of scientists.

"These preliminary findings suggest that supplementation with
Concord grape juice may enhance cognitive function for older
adults with early memory decline," they concluded.

Source: British Journal of Nutrition

Dietary Carotenoids Confirmed To Benefit
Eye Health According
To a New Study
Phytochemical - plant extracts... carotenoids: lutein
and zeaxanthin benefit eye health, according to a new
study published in the Journal of Food Science.

Carotenoids, a group of pigments found mainly in green
leafy vegetables and colored fruits, are deposited selectively
in different tissues. Lutein and Zeaxanthin, found in kale and
spinach, are deposited in the retina while Lycopene, for
example, found richly in tomatoes, is concentrated in
the prostate.

Scientists have long suspected a link between Lutein and
Zeaxanthin and improved eye function. IAs far back as 1866,
Schulze suggested that the yellow pigments of the macula led
to improvements in human vision. These pigments were later
found to be derived from dietary Lutein and Zeaxanthin.

In 1933, the scientists Walls and Judd suggested that these
yellow intraocular pigments could improve visual performance
by absorbing light scattered both within, by minimizing glare,
and outside of the eye. This resulted, they suggested, from
increasing visual range by absorbing blue light scattered in
the atmosphere and by improving spatial vision through
enhancing contrast and reducing chromatic blur.

The latest study concluded that: "It seems clear that MP
(macular pigment) does influence visual performance through,
at least, a few optical mechanisms. The most robust effects
appear to be related to its actions as an optical filter."

Macular pigment is thought to improve glare performance
through absorption of forward scattered short-wave (blue) light.
And there's preliminary data to suggest that it increases visual
range by absorbing short-wave scattered light in the atmosphere, according to the researchers.

The pigment also appears to enhance contrast by improving
the visibility of colored edges through differential absorption
across a color border

Lutein and Zeaxanthin could also improve vision through
biological means. There's much evidence to suggest that the pigments protect the retina and lens and prevent age-related
eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts.

But the ability of Lutein and Zeaxanthin to filter light depends
on individual differences in the dietary intake of these
carotenoids, said the researchers. One study specifically linked
low average levels of macular protein with low average intakes
of Lutein and Zeaxanthin, the equivalent of several tablespoons
of spinach.

According to the researchers, if amounts of macular pigment in
the eye vary so significantly, any function these pigments might
serve would vary equally significantly. And it is likely that a
healthier retina and lens, particularly in the elderly, is related
to improved visual performance.

Source: Journal of Food Science
"The Influence of Dietary Lutein and Zeaxanthin on Visual Performance "

Chocolate May Ease
Migraines According
To New Study

Dietary Supplements of Cocoa May Repress Inflammatory
Responses In The Brain linked To Migraines, Suggest Results
From a New Study.

Results from an animal study indicated that consuming a diet enriched with 10 percent cocoa increased levels of anti-inflammatory compounds in the brain as well as repressing levels of pro-inflammatory processes, scientists from Missouri State University have reported at the International Headache Society's (IHS) 14th International Headache Congress in Philadelphia.

"To our knowledge, this is first evidence for the use of cocoa as a dietary supplement to cause an up regulation of (anti-inflammatory proteins and cytokines) as well as repress expression of acute and chronic inflammatory responses within trigeminal ganglia," state the researchers in their conference abstract. The trigeminal ganglia which are thought to play a role in migraine.

"Importantly, our data also provide evidence that cocoa contains biologically active compounds that could be beneficial in the treatment of trigeminal-mediated diseases of the head and face."
Migraine Statistics
About 12 - 15 per cent of people in the United Kingdom, (nine million people), suffer from migraines, with twice as many women as men affected by the complaint. In the United States, about 36 million people suffer with it,more than eitherdiabetes or asthma, according to the HIS.

The headaches are sometimes preceded by flashes of light, blind spots,tingling in the arms or legs, or anxiety. Suffers generally experience a pounding sensation in one side of the head and many undergo nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and noise. The symptoms are often severe and debilitating, lasting anywhere between four and 72 hours.

"So much more research is needed in understanding this devastating disease that robs millions of Americans of a productive quality of life."

Controlled Laboratory Study...
The researchers fed laboratory subjects a control diet or isocaloric diets enriched with 1 or 10 per cent cocoa for 14 days. After two weeks of feeding, the subjects were given an injection of capsaicin to produce an acute inflammatory response, or complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), which produces a chronic inflammatory response.

The subjects fed the control diet and injected with capsaicin or CFA expressed higher levels of the inflammatory proteins MAP kinases (MAPK), while supplementation with cocoa was found to suppress these increases, report the researchers.

Additionally, those fed cocoa-enriched diets were found to have increased levels of the anti-inflammatory proteins MAP k inase phosphatases (MKP), compared to the subjects on the control diet. The cocoa-fed subjectss also have higher levels of the anti-inflammatory molecule IL-10 in their neurons.

"Cocoa enriched diets are able to repress the stimulated expression of proteins associated with the promotion and maintenance of inflammatory responses," concluded the researchers.

Source... International Headache Society's 14th International Headache Congress "Repression of acute and chronic inflammatory changes in trigeminal ganglion neurons and glia in response to cocoa enriched diets"

Music Therapy... A Dose
of Mozart a Day Keeps
The Doctor Away

A new research from Tel Aviv
University finds that premature
babies who are exposed to
music by 18th-century composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart gain
weight faster...
And therefore become stronger
than those who don't.

A new study conducted at the Tel Aviv Medical Center affiliated
with Tel Aviv University's Sackler School of Medicine has found
that pre-term infants exposed to thirty minutes of Mozart's music
in one session, once per day expend less energy, and therefore
need fewer calories to grow rapidly, than when they are not
"listening" to the music. "It's not exactly clear how the music is
affecting them, but it makes them calmer and less likely to be
agitated," reported the researchers.

In the study, the team measured the physiological effects of music
by Mozart played to pre-term newborns for 30 minutes. After the
music was played, the researchers measured infants' energy
expenditure again, and compared it to the amount of energy
expended when the baby was at rest. After "hearing" the music,
the infant expended less energy, a process that can lead to
faster weight gain.

A "musical environment" for premature infants...
When it comes to preemies, one of the main priorities for doctors
is to get the baby up to an acceptable body weight so he or she
can be sent home. At the hospital, preterm babies may be
exposed to infections and other illnesses, and a healthy body
weight keeps them immune to other problems in the future.

While the scientists are not sure what determined the response,
they offer an interesting hypothesis. "The repetitive melodies in
Mozart's music may be affecting the organizational centers of the
brain's cortex," they say. "Unlike Beethoven, Bach or Bartok,
Mozart's music is composed with a melody that is highly repetitive.
This might be the musical explanation. For the scientific one, more
investigation is needed."

The study came about through an international project led by the
U.S.-based consortium NIDCAP, whose goal is to create a set
of standard practices to optimize the health and well-being of
neonates. A number of environmental effects, such as tactile
stimulation and room lighting, are already known to affect the
survival and health of these very susceptible babies.

The study is the first to quantify the effect of music, specifically
Mozart, on newly born children. "Medical practitioners are aware
that by changing the environment, we can create a whole new
treatment paradigm for babies in neonatal care," the researchers
explained. "That's our main goal, to improve their quality of life.

"The point of our research is to quantify these effects so that
standards and care-guides can be developed. We still don't know
the long-term effects of the music, or if other kinds of music will
work just as well."

Music for boosting brain power... Is music "brain food"
The research is based on 1993 study showing that college
students improved their IQs by listening to a Mozart sonata for
10 minutes. When the study was reported, parents started buying
Mozart CDs, hoping to boost their children's brainpower.

Soon the researchers will start exploring different kinds of music
to see if they can measure any similar effects on premature
babies.

The researchers will also survey mothers to discover what kind
of music their babies were exposed to in the womb. They will
then expose other neonates to the same music to scientifically
verify any effect. The pieces to be played to the preterm babies
will include ethnic music, rap music, pop music, and, of course,
classical music like Bach, Beethoven and Mozart.

Blueberries May Boost Memory in Older Adults, According to New Study

Naturally-rich source of key Antioxidants, Flavonoids and Phytonutrients beneficial
to cognitive and mental function...

Supplemental blueberries for only 12 weeks
may boost memory in older people with early memory problems, says a new study from the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form
of dementia and currently affects over 13 million
people worldwide. The direct and indirect cost of Alzheimer care
is over $100 billion in the US alone.

"These preliminary memory findings are encouraging and suggest
that consistent supplementation with blueberries may offer an
approach to forestall or mitigate neurodegeneration" reported the
researchers from the University of Cincinnati Academic Health
Center.

Blueberry consumption has previously been linked to reduced risk
of Alzheimer's, with reports leading to a boom in sales.

The beneficial effects of the blueberries are thought to be linked
to their flavonoid content... In particular anthocyanins and flavanols.
The exact way in which flavonoids affect the brain are unknown,
but they have previously been shown to cross the blood brain
barrier after dietary intake.

It is believed that blueberries may exert their effects on learning
and memory by enhancing existing neuronal connections,
improving cellular communications and stimulating neuronal
regeneration.

Study details:
The researchers recruited nine older people (average age of
76.2 ) and an average educational level of 15-16 years. Subjects
were assigned to receive a daily dose of blueberry juice
equivalent to between 6 and 9 mL per kilogram of body weight
per day.

Results showed significant improvements in improved learning
and word list recall. There was also a trend towards reduced
depressive symptoms and lower glucose levels. The researchers
further expressed that it would be interesting in future studies to
examine if changes in cognitive function are associated with
metabolic improvements.

"Replication of the findings in a larger, controlled trial will be
important to corroborate and amplify these data," wrote the
researchers. "On balance, this initial study establishes a basis
for further human research of blueberry supplementation as a
preventive intervention with respect to cognitive aging," they
concluded.

The other researchers were affiliated with Agriculture and
Agri-Food Canada and the USDA Human Nutrition Research
Center on Aging and Tufts University.

Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Published online "Blueberry Supplementation Improves
Memory in Older Adults"

Omega-3 May Prevent Age-Related Sight Loss

Omega-3 May Prevent Age-Related Sight Loss

Highly Beneficial For Supporting Eye Health...

Increased Intakes of Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Reduce The Risk of Developing Age-Related Blindness by 30 Per Cent, Says a New Study From The US National Eye Institute.

A subsection of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) supported the beneficial effects of omega-3 consumption for preventing age-related macular
degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the over 50s.

"These results may guide the development of low-cost and easily implemented preventive interventions for progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration," reported the researchers.

Eyes on AMD

AMD (age-related Macular Degeneration) is a degenerative retinal disease that causes central vision loss and leaves only peripheral vision. It is the leading cause of legal blindness for people over 55 years of age in the Western world, according to AMD Alliance International.

Despite the fact that approximately 25 to 30 million people worldwide are affected by AMD, awareness of the condition is low, says the Alliance. And as the generation of Baby Boomers gets older, the Alliance expects incidence to
be on the rise and triple by 2025.

There are two types of AMD - wet and dry. Wet AMD occurs when blood vessels grow abnormally beneath the macular (neovascular AMD). The blood vessels eventually leaks and the macular is scarred, obscuring vision.

Dry AMD occurs when normal tissue in the macula slowly disappears. This results in a pale area of the macular called central geographic atrophy.

Increased intakes of omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of both wet and dry AMD by 35 and 32 per cent, espectively, according to findings published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Valuable Healthy Eye Benefits of Omega-3's

It is known that omega-3 fatty acids, and particularly DHA, play an important role in the layer of nerve cells in the retina, and studies have already reported that omega-3 may protect against the onset of AMD.

Indeed, a meta-analysis published in the June 2008 issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology found that a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids and fish may reduce the risk of AMD by up to 38 per cent. Scientists from the University of Melbourne in Australia reported that the benefits were most pronounced against late (more advanced) AMD, while eating fish twice a week was associated with a reduced risk of both early and late AMD.

The new study supports these earlier findings. The researchers looked at a sub-section of 1,837 people participating in the phase 3 Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). All the participants were considered to be at a
moderate-to-high risk of advanced AMD.

Over 12 years of study, the researchers found that intakes of omega-3, estimated using a food-frequency questionnaire, were related to both wet and dry AMD risk.

Significantly, the participants with the highest omega-3 intakes, had a 30 per cent lower risk of developing both types than people with the lowest intakes.

"The 12-year incidence of central geographic atrophy and neovascular AMD in participants at moderate-to-high-risk of these outcomes was lowest for those reporting the highest consumption of omega-3 fatty acids," concluded the researchers.

An earlier study partly funded by the National Eye Institute noted lower levels of inflammatory molecules, such as prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene B4, and higher
levels of anti-inflammatory molecules, such as prostaglandin D2 (American Journal of Pathology, Vol. 175, pp.799-807).

Blueberries May Boost Memory in Older Adults

Blueberries May Boost Memory in Older Adults, According to New Study

Naturally-rich source of key Antioxidants, Flavonoids and Phytonutrients beneficial
to cognitive and mental function...

Supplemental blueberries for only 12 weeks
may boost memory in older people with early memory problems, says a new study from the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form
of dementia and currently affects over 13 million
people worldwide. The direct and indirect cost of Alzheimer care
is over $100 billion in the US alone.

"These preliminary memory findings are encouraging and suggest
that consistent supplementation with blueberries may offer an
approach to forestall or mitigate neurodegeneration" reported the
researchers from the University of Cincinnati Academic Health
Center.

Blueberry consumption has previously been linked to reduced risk
of Alzheimer's, with reports leading to a boom in sales.

The beneficial effects of the blueberries are thought to be linked
to their flavonoid content... In particular anthocyanins and flavanols.
The exact way in which flavonoids affect the brain are unknown,
but they have previously been shown to cross the blood brain
barrier after dietary intake.

It is believed that blueberries may exert their effects on learning
and memory by enhancing existing neuronal connections,
improving cellular communications and stimulating neuronal
regeneration.

Study details:
The researchers recruited nine older people (average age of
76.2 ) and an average educational level of 15-16 years. Subjects
were assigned to receive a daily dose of blueberry juice
equivalent to between 6 and 9 mL per kilogram of body weight
per day.

Results showed significant improvements in improved learning
and word list recall. There was also a trend towards reduced
depressive symptoms and lower glucose levels. The researchers
further expressed that it would be interesting in future studies to
examine if changes in cognitive function are associated with
metabolic improvements.

"Replication of the findings in a larger, controlled trial will be
important to corroborate and amplify these data," wrote the
researchers. "On balance, this initial study establishes a basis
for further human research of blueberry supplementation as a
preventive intervention with respect to cognitive aging," they
concluded.

The other researchers were affiliated with Agriculture and
Agri-Food Canada and the USDA Human Nutrition Research
Center on Aging and Tufts University.

Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Published online "Blueberry Supplementation Improves
Memory in Older Adults"

Coffee, Tea May Reduce Diabetes Risk... According To a New Report From Australia

Coffee, Tea May Reduce Diabetes Risk...
According To a New Report From Australia

Drinking three to four cups of coffee or tea may reduce the risk of
developing diabetes, says a new review and meta-analysis of the data.

A review of prospective studies of regular or decaffeinated coffee and tea
revealed that for each additional daily cup of coffee was associated with a
7 per cent reduction in the excess risk of diabetes, according to findings
published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

"If such beneficial effects were observed in interventional trials to be real,
the implications for the millions of individuals who have diabetes mellitus,
or who are at future risk of developing it, would be substantial," wrote the
reviewers from the University of Sydney, Australia.

The beverage, and its constituent ingredients, has come under increasing
study with research linking it to reduced risk of diabetes, and improved
liver health.

Coffee, one of the world's largest traded commodities produced in more
than 60 countries and generating more than $70 billion in retail sales a year,
continues to generate new research and scientific interest, and has been
linked to reduced risks of certain diseases, especially of the liver and diabetes.

The new review reinforces the link between coffee consumption and a reduced
risk of developing diabetes, a condition that affects millions of people worldwide,
affecting a large percentage of the total population. This figure is projected to
increase significantly, unless effective nutritional - dietary measures are taken.

In the US, there are almost 24 million people with diabetes, equal to 8 per cent
of the population. The total costs are estimated to be as much as $174 billion,
with $116 billion being direct costs from medication, according to 2005-2007
American Diabetes Association figures.

Scientists reviewed data of over 500,000 individuals with over 21,000 cases
of type-2 diabetes from prospective studies. Eighteen studies looked at coffee,
six studies also included information about decaffeinated coffee, and seven
studies reported on tea consumption.

In addition to risk-lowering effects of additional regular coffee consumption,
three to four cups of decaffeinated coffee were associated with a 33 per cent
lower risk of diabetes, compared to drinking no decaf.

Tea drinkers also benefited, with three to four cups associated with a one-fifth
lower risk, added the researchers. "That the apparent protective effect of tea
and coffee consumption appears to be independent of a number of potential
confounding variables raises the possibility of direct biological effects," wrote
the reviewers.

Beneficial bio-active antioxidant constituents...
Commenting on the possible bioactives and mechanism of action, the
researchers noted that because of risk reductions associated with
decaffeinated coffee, the effects were unlikely to be due solely to caffeine.
Other compounds in coffee and tea, such as magnesium, antioxidant lignans
or chlorogenic acids, may also be involved.

"It could also be considered that we will advise our patients most at risk for
diabetes mellitus to increase their consumption of tea and coffee in addition
to increasing their levels of physical activity and weight loss," they concluded.

Commenting independently on the results, diabetes specialists and researchers
noted: The principle is that if you drink coffee whether it is decaffeinated or not,
you have less chance of developing diabetes. The data has been strengthened
by bringing several studies together.

Source: Archives of Internal Medicine
Volume 169, Issue 22
"Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, and Tea Consumption in
Relation to Incident Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus:
A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis"

Fatty Food Weakens
The Immune System

Nutrient-rich, Low-Fat Diets
Help Build The Immune
System.

More New Evidence That Fatty
Foods Are Bad For Health Has
Been Further Emphasized
With This New Study From
Sweden...

Laboratory subjects fed a fat-based diet over a long period got
worse at fighting bacteria in the blood, reveals a thesis from the
Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

The subjects fed the diet derived 60 per cent of their total calories
from fat. They were compared with subjects fed a low-fat diet, where
no more than ten per cent of their calories came from fat.

As expected, those on the high-fat diet got fatter. A more surprising
result was that their immune system was less active. The white blood
cells got worse at dealing with bacteria in the blood, which could have
contributed to many contracting infections.

"Obesity is usually associated with inflammation that does not result
from an infection, which simply means that the immune defenses are
activated unnecessarily," explained the researchers. "Ironically, the
subjects on the high-fat diet seem to have a less active immune
system when they really need it."

Fat people are at a greater risk of acquiring infection, for example in
connection with an operation. In a controlled-laboratory environment,
the study shows that it is fatty food rather than obesity in itself which
affects the ability to fight off sepsis caused by bacteria.

The researchers have also investigated different variants of three
genes that are important for the immune system and noted that
several of the gene variants that strengthen immunity also result
in less obesity.

"There are all kinds of links between the immune system on the
one hand and obesity and diet on the other," they concluded.

In 2003 an AASM task force of sleep experts examined the use
of medications to treat insomnia in children. A consensus meeting
summary was published in 2005 in the Journal of Clinical Sleep
Medicine. The task force emphasized that behavioral treatment
approaches to bedtime struggles and night waking in children
have a well-documented empirical basis and are the mainstay of
treatment, and that pharmacologic approaches should be largely
considered adjuncts in the treatment of pediatric insomnia.