Green tea is once again in news, this time for its promise shown as cancer prevention agent in oral cancer patients diagnosed with a pre-malignant condition known as oral leukoplakia.
The researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, who examined the effectiveness of green tea as a chemo-preventative agent in high-risk patient population, for their study on Cancer Prevention Research, found that more than half of the oral leukoplakia patients who consumed the extract showed promising results.
Being rich in polyphenols, green tea exhibits carcinogenesis in preclinical models. Although it is still very early to confirm this fact, and there is no definite proof that green tea is an effective preventive agent, the results are a definite encouragement to study more about patients at highest risk for oral cancer, says Vassiliki Papadimitrakopoulou, M.D., Professor in Anderson’s Department.
The main attraction about green tea is the lack of toxicity in prevention trials, and the trials were performed on otherwise healthy individuals, Vassiliki said.
In the phase II of the study carried out between August 2002 and March 2008, the participants were given either green tea or placebo. The participants took the extract, an oral agent for three months at one of three doses – 500 mg/m2, 750 mg/m2 or 1000 mg/m2 thrice a day. The participants underwent baseline and 12-week biopsy, an important component in the design of the study.
It was found that among those taking green tea at two highest doses, 58.8 percent showed a clinical response, compared to 36.4 percent in the lowest extract dose, and only 18.2 percent in the placebo.
The other significant findings were that the green tea extract improved histology and helped in improving the number of biomarkers that could play a lead role in predicting cancer development. The extract was well tolerated, although mild symptoms of insomnia and nervousness were seen in high-dose group, but with no toxicity.
According to the American Cancer Society, about 35,720 or more people are likely to be diagnosed with oral and/or pharynx cancer and the five-year survival rate is less than 50 percent.
A good night’s sleep is as important to good health, as a healthy diet and regular exercise. Insomnia can take its toll on people both physically and mentally. People with insomnia generally lead a low overall quality of life, compared to people who sleep well.
Therefore, when given the option of a good alternative, majority of us would rather do away with prescription medication, due to the various negative effects associated with regular popping of sleeping pills. There are plenty of natural herbs that are non-addictive and safe and a gentle alternative to prescription drugs.
Valerian Root: Valerian is well-known for its ability to induce sleep. Traditional Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic medicine recommend valerian as cure for insomnia. Valerian is much in demand all over the world, and holds the eighth rank on the list of most purchased herbs, and is approved for treatment of certain sleep disorders in Germany. Valerian doesn’t cause feelings of grogginess on waking up and doesn’t lead to chemical dependency.
Chamomile: The dried chamomile flower is an ancient medicine used in Greece, Egypt and Rome. It has been used for centuries in tea as mild, relaxing sleep aid. Chamomile is widely popular and has been included as a medicinal substance in the pharmacopoeia of 26 countries.
Passion Flower: This flower extract is a good relaxant and has a mild sedative action. It is believed to work by increasing levels of neurotransmitter, known as GABA which creates relaxing effect by lowering activity of some brain cells. The flavonoids and Chrysin active compounds in the extract mimic the effects of sleeping medication benzodiazepine and produce a calming effect. It promotes sleep and relieves nervous irritability.
Hops Flower: The extract of this herb has been long used as traditional medicine to promote restful sleep. A clinical study with hops revealed that it reduced sleep disturbances when given in combination with valerian, while another study found that hops and valerian combination demonstrated equivalent results of fitness, sleep quality and quality of life, in comparison to benzodiazepine drug.
Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) and Shatavri (Asparagus racemosus): These herbs react to body’s needs, increasing stamina and strength during the day, while also helping to remain calm and focused for better sleep at night.
California Poppy: Is a sedative, sleep promoting herb, helping one to relax and ease mild anxiety, while also promoting sleep. Due to its mild sedative and analgesic properties, it is very safe and improves both sleep latency and quality.
Lavender: Acts as a gentle strengthening tonic for nervous system. Few drops of lavender oil when added to bath water at bedtime, helps alleviate sleep disorders. It can also be used as a compress or massage oil or even simply inhaled to alleviate insomnia.
Wild Lettuce: Is a mild sedative and nervine, used in treating restlessness and insomnia. It can be found in variety of formulas for treatment of chronic and acute insomnia.
The organic movement needn’t necessarily be restricted to diets. Even beauty brands are trying to extract the natural goodness from foods for more naturalized skincare.
With the growing awareness about organic products, there are more alternatives. In fact, you could create your own organic natural beauty products so that you could rest assured about the quality and safety of the ingredients. There are several inexpensive resources available which could be used as natural body lotions, body scrubs, shea butter cream and organic sunscreens.
Here are the organic products commonly used in most well-known organic brands. Let us take a look at the benefits our skin could derive from these nature’s bounties during the organic beautification process.
Milk: Milk is generally used for its mild cleansing properties and soothing action on the skin. The milk derivatives such as lactic acid could be used to improve skin texture. Being highly rich in emollients, it helps in retaining skin suppleness, apart from nourishing and moisturizing skin. Goat’s milk in particular, is rich in antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin E. Milk contains vitamins that could destroy free radicals generated in the skin by pollutants. Caprylic acid, for instance, helps in balancing skin’s PH levels. Milk includes abundant amino acids and proteins that help the body in rebuilding damaged tissues to keep the skin youthful and glowing.
Yoghurt: Apart from softening aged skin cells, it improves skin elasticity. It is an excellent source of calcium, zinc, lactic acid, protein, and vitamin B1 B2 B6 and B12 that are essential for the skin. The presence of zinc reduces blemishes offering clear skin. Yoghurt acts as a natural moisturizer adding oils to the skin, reduces pore size and has excellent anti-fungal properties.
Avocado: Avocado skincare products get easily absorbed by the skin, leaving the skin smooth and moisturized. Avocado contains 60 percent more potassium than a banana. Avocado is the right ingredient for dry, under-nourished, dehydrated and mature skin types, as its rich nutrients helps the skin glow. Being a rich source of vitamin A, B, D and E, it also helps promote healthy hair.
Rice: Few rice preparations are used in Asian cultures to smoothen and whiten complexion. When used regularly, it protects skin from several skin conditions pertaining to old age and some infections. Rice contains properties that help in skin lightening by considerably decreasing skin’s ability to form age spots and freckles. Rice is usually recommended for those with hypersensitive skin. Red rice in particular, is recommended for combination and oily skin, as it helps in rebalance of the skin.
Almond: Being rich in proteins and vitamins, Almond has excellent therapeutic values. It is particularly good for sensitive, dry skin, as it offers excellent nourishment, moisturization, and hydration. Sweet almond oil is rich in vitamins B1, A, B2, B6 and E, and in essential fatty acids. Almond proteins have firming properties, while almond butter offers skin nourishment and softness.
Oats: Oats are not just meant for breakfast anymore. They are incredibly nourishing, softening to the skin, possess anti-inflammatory properties, is hypoallergenic, and is the best scrub available for all skin types. It is particularly used to help heal dry, itchy skin.
Honey: Organic milk and honey baths have been well-known since the times of Queen Cleopatra. They help in keeping the skin visibly smooth and soft. You could also consider adding pure organic essential oils such as lavender, sage, chamomile, ylang-ylang etc for relaxation.
A recent study has confirmed that yoga could be just the right exercise to reduce age-related curve of the upper spine (known as dowager’s hump).
A group of elderly volunteers, who participated in study, were asked to do yoga for six months. It was noticed that they upper spine curve lowered by 5 percent, compared to those who did not do yoga, says Dr. Gail Greendale, University of California, Los Angelles.
Those with better spinal flexibility showed 6 percent improvement in their upper spine curve, which suggests that yoga could be most effective when the spine is comparatively more malleable, Dr. Greendale said.
Dr. Greendale and his team took regular measurements of the upper spine curvature of 118 otherwise healthy individuals with dowager’s hump. Men and women with more flexible spines got maximum benefit from the yoga.
The yoga group individuals took yoga classes with breathing techniques and poses, to increase flexibility and strength of their back muscles, while the remaining (the control group) attended six monthly informational luncheons.
After six months, the yoga group showed a definite decrease in spinal curvature, while the control group had increased curvature.
The study conducted by Dr. Greendale and his team was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Also, new research by the National Institute of Health has revealed that those suffering from chronic back pain can just head to their nearest yoga studio, as it has been found that taking regular yoga classes can reduce back pain and enhance flexibility.
A 12-week study conducted by the researchers to demonstrate this fact, revealed that, volunteers who took 90-minute yoga classes twice a week showed 42 percent reduction in pain and therefore reduced their dependency on pain medication.
Yoga increases mobility, flexibility, improves posture, and strengthens core muscles, apart from reducing stress, and improving self confidence. For those of you who suffer from back pain and have found no luck with medications and chiropractors, it is time to give yoga a try, on consultation with your doctor.
Few Hong Kong researchers have reported evidence that green tea, the most popular beverage worldwide, now considered to be the best dietary supplement, can improve bone health.
The researchers noticed that the tea contains a group of chemicals that stimulate bone development and reduces breakdown.
The beverage has the ability to prevent and treat osteoporosis and other bone diseases affecting millions worldwide, the researchers suggest.
The study lead, Ping Chung Leung and his team noted that several studies have been associated with the beneficial effects of green tea in preventing heart diseases, cancer and other health conditions. Recent studies in human and cell cultures have suggested that the tea may also be beneficial to bone health.
The scientists exposed a group of cultured bone-forming cells to three major components present in green tea. They found that one particular component Epigallocatechin (EGC) boosted the activity of a main enzyme that promotes bone health by 79 percent. The component was also found to have considerably boosted levels of bone mineralization in the cells, which contributes to strengthening of the bone. High concentrations of ECG also blocked the activity of a particular cell that weakens bones. There were no toxic side effects to the bone cells reported by the study.
Meanwhile, recent news also carried information that green tea could be a potential new treatment for facial wrinkles, which could serve as an alternative to Botox and cosmetic surgery. This was the result of a study carried out by few German scientists, whose non-invasive technique has proven that this lotion made of green tea extract works ten times faster than a similar anti-wrinkle treatment which uses LED alone. Moreover the promising results achieved in this experiment took only one-tenth of the time it took for LED therapy in reduction of wrinkles.
Men who regularly practice heart-pounding exercises are less likely to develop Cancer, reveals a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
The main reason behind this was the higher rate of oxygen consumption among people who exercised.
Researchers in the Universities of Oulu and Kuopio in Finland studied the leisure-time physical activity, over a one-year period on 2560 men in the age group 42 and 61, with no history of cancer.
Following a period of 16 years, 181 of the subjects died from cancer, mainly pertaining to stomach, intestine, lungs, brain and prostate.
The scientists measured the metabolic units of oxygen consumption using an intensity scale or exercise, and found that men who exercised for a minimum of 30 minutes a day, were half as likely to get cancer, when compared to those who did not.
Maximum reduction was found in gastrointestinal and lung cancers, and was true even when other factors such as alcohol consumption, age, weight, smoking, were all taken into account.
The researchers concluded that the intensity of leisure-time and physical activity should be moderate, so that, beneficial effects for reducing overall cancer mortality can be achieved.
Longer and more intense physical activity can also help in maintaining cognitive skills among people as they age, the researchers pointed out.
We would have heard umpteen number of tips to beat insomnia, and would have followed quite a few of them, such as enjoying a cup of warm milk at bedtime, reading books, counting numbers, listening to soothing music, and what not. However, very few of us know that our daily diet could be the cause of poor quality sleep.
By paying a little more attention to the our daily food, such as including few herbs, vegetables, vitamins and minerals, which functions more like sleep-promoting supplements,The best part is that these are least addictive, and are natural, safe and effective solution to sleeplessness and disturbed sleep.
Our body mainly depends on the following major nutrients for restful sleep. However, before trying out these herbs, it is important to discuss with the doctor regarding any specific health conditions that one may have.
Herbs such as anise, California poppy, bergamot, chamomile, catnip, gentian root, guta kola, fennel, hops, Hawthorne berries, lavender, kava kava, marjoram, lemon balm, orange, oat, mullein, Melissa, primrose, passion flower, skullcap, rosemary, vervain, valerian root and verbena could be of much help.
Valerian root, particularly, is a popular and safe sleep aid, although it should only be used to suit individual needs.
Deficiency of calcium and magnesium could be the main reason for disturbed sleep among women. While calcium when present in right amount helps in calming the nervous system and in promoting high quality sleep, magnesium has a calming effect on the brain and nervous system which are essential for good sleep. Even insufficient iron levels and imbalanced copper levels could be the reason for poor sleep.
Some good sources of calcium are diary products, nuts (particularly almonds), soya milk, tangerines, lemons and onions. Magnesium is found in plenty in seafood, dark green vegetables, nuts, whole grains, dairy products, legumes, seeds, and fruits. Few excellent sources of copper and iron are seafood, molasses, nuts and eggs.
Further, whole grains such as brown rice, whole wheat, and oats have a calming and soothing effect on the nervous system and in the mind. Carbohydrates also boost serotonin promoting better sleep. Foods such as crackers, bread, and bagels are high in complex carbohydrates and have sleep-inducing effect.
A glass of warm milk with honey is one of the oldest and best remedies for insomnia. Lettuce could be made an integral part of evening diet, to gain relief from disturbed sleep.
Follow the meal plan which promotes eating more at breakfast and lunch, and little at dinner.
Although on an experimental basis, once the body begins to gain the right combination of nutrients for proper functioning, a good night’s sleep will no longer be a distant dream.
With India reporting a total of 36 A(H1N1) influenza deaths, and with the total positive Swine Flu cases in the country standing at 2,401, the Central Ministry in India said that Ayurveda and Unani interventions could be used to bolster immunity to combat several flu-like conditions.
The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry at New Delhi, arrived at this decision, after taking into account the expert opinion received by the Department of AYUSH. The department has formed group of experts for suggesting interventions through Indian systems of medicine, which could be used in the prevention/treatment of flu-like diseases. The group includes Ayurveda experts, physicians from government hospitals and private sector, and from research councils.
The experts are of the opinion that viral epidemics are classified under the Vaata Kaphaja Jwara category, as mentioned in Charak Samhita and such other Ayurvedic text books, and that several types of flu and viral fevers fall under this category.
As a preventive measure and for building immunity and to protect from Vaata-Kaphaja diseases, Ayurveda has advised avoiding kapha-provocative diet such as cold food, cold drinks, curd, fruit juices, particularly citrus fruits, fermented food and ice-cream.
People are advised to drink warm water, decoction made of any one, or combination of tulsi, ginger, black pepper, guduchi and long pepper in the morning. Also Ayurvedic medications such as Sudershana Churna, Sudershanghanavati, Samshamani Vati (Guduchi Ghanavati) have been advised, as they work by improving host defence mechanism.
Vamana (Emesis) procedure of Panchakarma may also be used under observation of an expert, if required.
The Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine has also come out with suggestions of preventive measures. Unani experts have suggested drinking a decoction or tea of Unnab, Sapistan, Bahidana and Dal-chini.
These interventions could be adopted by normal healthy people, and those with mild symptoms such as cold, cough and body pain. However, those with severe symptoms have been advised to visit the designated screening centers for clinical diagnosis and take specific drugs advised by doctors.