Resveratrol May Help Prevent Breast Cancer

Newsmax Health

Early laboratory research has shown that resveratrol, a common dietary supplement, suppresses the abnormal cell formation that leads to most types of breast cancer, suggesting a potential role for the agent in breast cancer prevention. Resveratrol is a natural substance found in red wine and red grapes. It is sold in extract form as a dietary supplement at most major drug stores.

"Resveratrol has the ability to prevent the first step that occurs when estrogen starts the process that leads to cancer by blocking the formation of the estrogen DNA adducts. We believe that this could stop the whole progression that leads to breast cancer down the road," said Eleanor G. Rogan, Ph.D., a professor in the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Rogan was the lead author of the report that was published in the July 2008 issue of Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

For the current study, Rogan and colleagues measured the effect of resveratrol on cellular functions known to contribute to breast cancer.

The formation of breast cancer is a multi-step process which differs depending on type of disease, a patient's genetic makeup and other factors. However, scientists know that many breast cancers are fueled by increased estrogen, which collects and reacts with DNA molecules to form adducts. Rogan and colleagues found that resveratrol was able to suppress the formation of these DNA adducts.

"This is dramatic because it was able to be done with fairly low concentrations of resveratrol to stop the formation of these DNA adducts in the cells we studied," said Rogan. Although researchers experimented with up to 100 µmol/L of resveratrol, the suppression of DNA adducts was seen with 10 µmol/L. A glass of red wine contains between 9 and 28 µmol/L of resveratrol.

The researchers also found that resveratrol suppressed the expression of CYP1B1 and the formation of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, two known risk factors for breast cancer.

Rogan said resveratrol works by inducing an enzyme called quinone reductase, which reduces the estrogen metabolite back to inactive form. By making estrogen inactive, resveratrol decreases the associated risk.


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Is Ted Kennedy’s Cancer Linked to Cell Phone Use?

By: Sylvia Booth Hubbard
© 2008 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


Senator Ted Kennedy’s diagnosis of a malignant brain tumor is, once again, stirring debate over the safety of cell phones. Kennedy’s brain tumor, called a glioma, is the type critics have associated for years with the use of cell phones.

Prominent neurosurgeons have stated they do not use cell phones held next to their ears. “I use it on the speaker-phone mode,” said Dr. Vini Khurana, a prominent researcher and an associate professor of neurosurgery at the Australian National University. “I do not hold it to my ear.” Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent and a neurosurgeon at Emory University Hospital admitted that, he too, used an earpiece.

CTIA – the Wireless Association and the FDA both say that studies show cell phones are not a health risk. Other experts disagree. They point to research that indicates a link between cell phones and three types of tumors: glioma (the type Senator Kennedy has); cancer of a salivary gland near the ear called the parotid; and acoustic neuroma, which is a tumor found near the ear. An Israeli study published last year found a 58 percent increase in risk for parotid tumors among people who relied heavily on their cell phones. And a Swedish study found the risk for glioma and acoustic neuroma doubled after ten years of heavy use.

Since cell phones are relatively new, there hasn’t been a chance for long-term studies that will settle the question of whether there is truly a link between cell phone use and brain tumors. Some critics express particular concern for children who begin using cell phones as kids and continue throughout their lives. “More and more kids are using cell phones,” said Dr. Paul Rosch, clinical professor of medicine and psychiatry at New York Medical College. “They may be much more affected. Their brains are growing rapidly and their skulls are thinner.”

Dr. Khurana admits that cell phones are convenient and can save lives in an emergency, but he says that “there is a significant and increasing body of evidence for a link between mobile phone usage and certain brain tumors,” adding that malignant brain tumors are “a life-ending diagnosis.

“It is anticipated that this danger has far broader public health ramifications than asbestos and smoking,” he said.

Lactose Intake May Increase Ovarian Cancer Risk in Postmenopausal Women

Lyle Loughry, February 2008


One of the very best ways to get plenty of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and bovine growth hormones in your diet is to drink pasteurized and homogenized commercial milk every day. Postmenopausal women may be getting all that, and a whole lot more: A higher risk of developing a serious form of ovarian cancer!

Previous studies have established the link between Lactose, a milk sugar that contains galactose; a sugar component, with ovarian cancer. Now, a major study done by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Medicine in Stockholm, Sweden, have confirmed the earlier studies.

The Stockholm team used data collected from the Swedish Mammography Cohort to review dietary and medical records of more than 61,000 women, aged 38 to 76 years who were cancer-free at the outset of the study. Over a follow up period of about 13 years, more than 260 subjects were diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer, and 125 of those cases were considered "serious." This type of cancer originates in the surface cells of the ovaries and frequently spreads to other organs in the abdomen.

After analyzing their data, the Stockholm researchers came to these conclusions:

* Lactose intake was associated with serious ovarian cancer risk.

* Women who consumed approximately four daily servings of dairy products had twice the risk of developing serious ovarian cancer compared to women who consumed less than two daily servings of dairy.

* The dairy product most strongly associated with serious ovarian cancer was milk.

Dr. Jonathan Wright, noted physician and researcher, has said it before and a new study from the University of Liverpool warrants him saying it again: "Milk is for baby cows, not for baby humans" -- or adult humans, for that matter. Dr. Jonathan Wright operates the Tahoma Clinic, one of the finest nutritional medical clinics in the world. Milk has already been linked to numerous other health concerns including prostate problems and (ironically) bone fractures. Now, this recent research adds yet another item to the growing list of reasons to stay away from dairy: It may contain bacteria that can cause Crohn's disease.

For those of you who may not be familiar with it, Crohn's disease involves chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract that typically leads to frequent bouts of pain and diarrhea. It has typically been regarded as an autoimmune disease, but this new study suggests there may be another factor at work.

The researchers found that a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, which causes a wasting disease in cattle called Johne's disease, can make its way into humans via milk and dairy products. Once inside the body, the Mycobacteria release a molecule that prevents white blood cells from killing E. coli bacteria. Previous research has shown that people suffering from Crohn's disease have higher-than-normal levels of E.coli in their bodies.

Cows' milk is one of the European Union's 'big eight' allergy-inducing foods alongside gluten, eggs, fish, peanuts, soya, treenuts and shellfish. More serious than lactose intolerance, a true milk allergy presents in one or more of three organ systems:

- Gastrointestinal (vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, bloating) affecting 50-60% of those with Cow's milk allergy (CMA)
- Skin (rashes, including eczema and atopic dermatitis) 50-70%
- Respiratory (wheeze, cough, runny nose) 20-30%

Dr Martin Brueton, an Act Against Allergy Advisory Board Member and Emeritus Paediatric Gastroenterologist at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK, commented: "Cows' milk is the most common cause of food allergy in infants and children," The average baby with Cows' milk allergy (CMA) may suffer from an array of symptoms; from skin rashes to gastric problems, wheezing, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, excessive crying, and often shows problems with weight gain.

Having a child with Cows' milk allergy can be very stressful for parents. In addition to coping with the disturbing physical effects of the condition on the child, 70% of parents of children with CMA said that it makes them feel guilty and distressed, and 82% said that it has caused them to lose sleep. Until the child is properly diagnosed and put onto a suitable milk substitute, the impact on the parents and the family as a whole is considerable."

A new book, What's In Your Milk?, by Dr. Samuel Epstein, M.D., one of the world's leading scientific authorities on genetically engineered rBGH milk, offers readers an air-tight case against the use of Monsanto's synthetic hormone. Epstein's previous works have played a major role in influencing other nations to ban rBGH milk, including all of Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Is it time for the U.S. to finally acknowledge the dangers of this product?

Some misinformed moms are even feeding their vulnerable babies soy instant formula, which exposes their child to the equivalent of five birth control pills’ worth of estrogen every day, at least partly responsible for almost half of African Americans and 15 percent of whites to begin breast development by age 8. For this same reason, it’s also important for pregnant women to avoid eating soy, as a high estrogenic environment in utero may increase their child’s subsequent breast cancer risk.

In this book, Epstein offers significant evidence of interlocking conflicts of interest between Monsanto and the White House, regulatory agencies, and the American Medical Association and American Cancer Society. He also details evidence of Monsanto's white collar crime; the suppression and manipulation of information on the veterinary and public health dangers of rBGH milk.

Recommendation: Women who feel they need to drink milk or use milk in other ways would be better served to switch to rice or almond milk, and the same would be true for men, children and infants. Soy milk is no longer recommended, because soy has its own set of problems.

For years, soy milk was recommended by some as a natural, healthy alternative to cow's milk. Recently, more information has appeared regarding the environmental impact of soybean farming (the Amazon rainforest is being devastated by clear cutting to create soybean agricultural lands) as well as the frightening fact that most soybeans grown today are genetically modified (GMO) varieties. Additionally, most popular soy milk brands have been bought out by big, profit-seeking food and beverage corporations, and as a result, they've been sugared up and made nutritionally inferior. Check the ingredients on "plain" soy milk the next time you're at the store: It's loaded with sugar!

According to Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, who has done extensive research on a number of digestive-related topics, and is author of IBS for Dummies (Wiley), "The wide varieties of soy-based foods require extensive processing to get them to the state in which they can be used as the foods now on our shelves -- they are far from 'natural.' The beans are cooked, crushed and heated to high temperatures and then put through a solvent extraction process to remove the oil.

The now defatted meal is mixed with sugars and an alkaline solution to remove the fiber and the resulting curds are spray dried at high temperatures, which does two things -- produces high-protein powder... and peroxides the oils making them pro-inflammatory. The end result is food that is bereft of vitamins and likely minerals," she says, "and far removed from being a natural wholesome food." And there are other problems.

According to Dean, "Because soy has a high level of phytic acid, it blocks digestion of grains, which are an important source of minerals. Additionally, soy contains trypsin inhibitors and these interfere with protein digestion. Adding to these problems, the body does not absorb the B-12 in soy, which in turn creates a nutritional void for vegetarians who consume soy protein as a way of providing themselves with this important B vitamin."

The only exception to this disturbing development would be soy products that have been fermented. Dr. Dean, who also studied Chinese medicine, says that the Chinese did not eat soy until they discovered that fermenting would turn it into a useful food. In fact, fermented soy is largely the type of soy that Asians consume today. Fermenting involves treating soy with a mold for a day or so. Fermented foods include tempeh (not to be confused with tofu, which is not fermented), which has a nutty mushroom taste... miso... natto... and tamari sauce.

However, because soy exists in so many foods today as vegetable oil, binders and the like, even people who are wary of soy probably consume some of it almost daily. Consequently, Dr. Dean advises limiting fermented soy product consumption to not more than every third day.

Virtually no credible, objective research (that not paid for by the milk or soy industry) supports either product as a healthy choice for adults or children, today.

Women, do yourselves a big, healthy favor. Stop drinking and using pasteurized and homogenized milk, and unfermented soy products. Find a good source for rice or almond milk, and those soy products specifically recommended by Dr. Dean, and get used to something really good for your body, and possibly avoid a plethora of serious health issues in the future.