Cinnamon has long been used to add flavor to sweet and savory foods. Now, preliminary research suggests the spice may also help jump-start irregular menstrual cycles in women affected by a common infertility disorder.

A small study by researchers from Columbia University Medical Center in New York City found that women with polycystic ovary syndrome who took inexpensive daily cinnamon supplements experienced nearly twice the menstrual cycles over a six-month period as women with the syndrome given an inactive placebo. Two of the women in the treated group reported spontaneous pregnancies during the trial.

“There is a lot of interest in homeopathic or natural remedies for this condition,” said study author Dr. Daniel Kort, a postdoctoral fellow in reproductive endocrinology at the medical center. “This may be something we can do using a totally natural substance that can help a large group of patients.”

The study was scheduled for presentation Wednesday at a meeting of the International Federation of Fertility Societies and American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Boston.

An estimated 5 percent to 10 percent of women of childbearing age have polycystic ovary syndrome, with up to 5 million Americans affected. Polycystic ovary syndrome, which involves many of the body’s systems, is thought to be caused by insensitivity to the hormone insulin. Typical symptoms include menstrual irregularity, infertility, acne, excess hair growth on the face or body, and thinning scalp hair.

Treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome currently includes weight loss, ovulation-inducing drugs such as clomiphene (brand name Clomid) and diabetes medications such as metformin, said Dr. Avner Hershlag, chief of the Center for Human Reproduction at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.

Kort said that it’s not yet clear exactly why cinnamon may work to regulate menstrual cycles in those with polycystic ovary syndrome, but it may improve the body’s ability to process glucose and insulin. Prior research among diabetic patients suggested the spice can reduce insulin resistance.

Of the 16 patients who completed Kort’s trial, 11 were given daily 1,500-milligram cinnamon supplements and five were given placebo pills. Diet and activity levels were monitored, and patients completed monthly menstrual calendars.

After six months, women receiving cinnamon had significant improvement in menstrual cycle regularity, having an average of nearly four menstrual periods over that time compared to an average of 2.2 periods among the placebo group. Two women reported spontaneous pregnancies after three months of cinnamon treatment, meaning they became pregnant without additional help.

Polycystic ovary syndrome “is one of the most common causes why women don’t have regular menstrual cycles,” Kort said. “But the clinical consequences later in life are truly great — from an increased risk of diabetes and glucose intolerance to endometrial cancer. Many women can go their whole lives without regular menstrual cycles, and it doesn’t necessarily bother them until they want to have children.”

The 1,500-milligram cinnamon dose was chosen for this trial because it was between the 1,000 to 2,000 mg daily that seemed to have metabolic effects on diabetic patients in earlier research, Kort said. But all doses in that range are cheaply obtained, costing pennies per capsule.

“Compared to most medical therapies these days, the cost is very small,” he said.

Although the study suggests a link between cinnamon and improvement of polycystic ovary syndrome, it doesn’t establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

Still, Hershlag called the study “welcome and interesting” and said he sees no reason women with polycystic ovary syndrome shouldn’t use more cinnamon in their food or take cinnamon supplements.

“Any work that’s something nutritional in nature and seems to affect the abnormal physiology of polycystic ovaries is welcome,” Hershlag said. “If they want to spice up their life and take it, that’s fine . . . but I think the best thing to do when you have polycystic ovaries is to be under the control of a physician.”

Some women with polycystic ovary syndrome from Kort’s clinic are already trying cinnamon supplementation at home in the hopes of regulating their own menstrual cycles, he said, although he acknowledged the spice wasn’t likely to be a cure-all for the condition.

“It’s unlikely to be the sole source of improvement or to change entire (treatment) protocols,” he said. “It’s not going to regulate every patient who takes it, but a good percentage who take it may experience some benefit, and the side effects are low. It’s relatively cheap and well tolerated.”

Some day, Kort added, he hopes to organize a larger trial examining the issue.

Data and conclusions presented at scientific conferences are typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

Source: http://news.health.com

Stomach acid is very important for digestion but it should not become very high, says a food expert. Avoiding spicy food is the best way to keep it under control.

According to Geeta Sidhu-Robb, raw food pioneer and creator of the Nosh Detox- a diet that helps in removing toxins from the body, one should avoid spicy food that causes such a problem.

She also shares other tips to reduce stomach acid, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Eat smaller and lighter meals regularly.
Avoid eating late in the night, also sleep with your head in a raised position.

Avoid peppermint tea.

Losing weight provides a long term solution to stomach acid.

Medications like aspirin and Ibuprofen make it worse.

Avoid smoking as this makes the occurrence of acid reflux more likely.
Source: http://wonderwoman.intoday.in

Researchers have revealed that spraying a plant hormone on broccoli boosts its cancer-fighting potential.

John Juvik and colleagues explained that diet is one of the most important factors influencing a person’s chances of developing cancer.

One of the most helpful food families includes cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, kale and cabbage.

In fact, eating broccoli regularly has been linked to lower rates of prostate, colon, breast, lung and skin cancers.

In that super food, glucosinolates (GSs) and the substances that are left when GSs are broken down can boost the levels of a broccoli enzyme that helps rid the body of carcinogens.

The team, which wanted to determine which GSs and their products actually boost the enzyme levels when broccoli is treated, found that one way to increase GSs is to spray a plant hormone called methyl jasmonate on broccoli. This natural hormone protects the plants against pests.

They tested five commercial types of broccoli by spraying them in the field with the hormone and found that, of the GS break-down products, sulforaphane is the major contributor toward enhanced cancer-fighting enzyme levels, although other substances also likely contribute, the researchers said.

The study is published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Source:

It is heartening news for those people who are unable to resist pigging out.

Pomegranates could reverse some of the hurt carried out by junk food items, analysis indicates.

A nutritional supplement designed from the fruit helped keep blood vessels nutritious, a important phase in trying to keep coronary heart attacks and strokes at bay.

In the initial examine of its form, Spanish researchers seemed at the influence of a tablet packed with pomegranate plant substances termed polyphenols on the circulation of pigs.

Pigs were being decided on due to the fact their cardiovascular process is comparable to ours.

Not surprisingly, feeding them fatty food harmed their blood vessels and, in specific, their delicate lining.

This lining, or endothelium, is significant as it releases substances that control the enlargement and contraction of blood vessels.

Damage to it can be a 1st phase in atherosclerosis – the hardening of the arteries that can lead to coronary heart assaults and strokes.

The blood vessels of the pigs fed fatty food items were much less elastic. The animals also created significantly less nitric oxide, a blood vessel widening-gas and experienced other indicators of coronary heart issues.

Even so, a day by day dose of Pomanex, a complement with 200mg of polyphenols identified as punicalagins, cancelled out numerous of the effects, the Congress of the European Society of Cardiology listened to.

Researcher Dr Lina Badimon, of the Catalan Institute for Cardiovascular Sciences in Spain, claimed: ‘Enriching a diet with pomegranate polyphenols can enable in stopping and retarding endothelial dysfunctions, which are among the 1st signs of atherosclerosis and strokes.’

 

Source: dailynewsen.com

 

Exposure to high levels of aircraft noise near busy international airports has been linked to a higher risk of heart disease and strokes in two separate studies from Britain and the United States.

Researchers in London studied noise and hospital admissions around London Heathrow airport, while a separate team analyzed data on 6 million Americans living near 89 U.S. airports. Both studies, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ)on Wednesday, found that people living with the highest levels of aircraft noise had increased risks of stroke, coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases.

In the Heathrow study, the risks were around 10 to 20 percent higher in areas with highest levels of aircraft noise compared with the areas with least noise.

Stephen Stansfeld, a professor at Queen Mary University of London who was not part of either research team but provided a commentary on their findings, said the results suggested that “aircraft noise exposure is not just a cause of annoyance, sleep disturbance, and reduced quality of life” but may also increase sickness and death from heart disease.

City and town planners “need to take this into account when extending airports in heavily populated areas or planning new airports,” he said. Other experts said the studies raised important issues about aircraft noise and health, but did not establish a causal link.

“Both of these studies are thorough and well-conducted. But, even taken together, they don’t prove that aircraft noise actually causes heart disease and strokes,” said Kevin McConway, a professor of applied statistics at Britain’s Open University.

The British research team set out to investigate the risks of stroke and heart disease in relation to aircraft noise among 3.6 million people living near Heathrow, one of the busiest airports in the world.

They compared hospital admissions and death rates due to stroke and heart disease from 2001 to 2005 in 12 areas of London and nine further districts to the west of London. Levels of aircraft noise for each area were obtained from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and factors that could have affected the results, such as age, sex, ethnicity, social deprivation, smoking, air pollution and road traffic noise were also taken into account.

Their results showed increased risks of stroke, coronary heart disease, and cardiovascular disease – especially among the 2.0 percent of the study population exposed to the highest levels of daytime and night time aircraft noise.

“The exact role that noise exposure may play in ill health is not well established,” said Anna Hansell of Imperial College London, who led the British study. “However, it is plausible that it might be contributing, for example by raising blood pressure or by disturbing people’s sleep.”

The researchers noted that discussions on possible expansion plans for London’s airport capacity have been on and off the table for many decades, with demand for air travel expected to double in Britain to 300 million passengers per year by 2030.

“Policy decisions need to take account of potential health related concerns, including possible effects of environmental noise on cardiovascular health,” they wrote. In a second study also published in the BMJ, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and Boston University School of Public Health looked at data for more than 6 million Americans aged 65 or over living near 89 U.S. airports in 2009.

The research – the first to analyze a very large population across multiple airports – found that, on average, zip codes with 10 decibel (dB) higher aircraft noise had a 3.5 percent higher cardiovascular hospital admission rate. The results showed that people exposed to the highest noise levels – more than 55 dB – had the strongest link with hospitalizations for heart disease, and the link also remained after adjustment for socioeconomic status, demographic factors, air pollution, and proximity to roads.

Conway said that because of the kind of data used, the studies could only “suggest very strongly that we should find out much more about aircraft noise and circulatory disease”.

Source: http://www.euronews.com

1. Research found 86 per cent of slimmers who ate their favourite treats during diet lost weight
2. Survey proves diets ‘centred around food elimination’ are more likely to fail
3. Other research found eating chocolate could also help you live longer

It seems dieters have got it all wrong – cutting out chocolate is likely to make you put on weight rather than lose it, according to a survey.

In fact, the poll found that 86 per cent of slimmers who carried on enjoying their favourite treats successfully lost weight.

And of the 2,100 men and women questioned, those who lost the most weight had – in 91 per cent of cases – continued to eat the same amount of chocolate they normally ate before going on a weight-loss plan.

Janet Aylott, a nutrition scientist with online calorie-counting plan Nutracheck, commissioned the YouGov survey, which is published today.

She said: ‘Extensive research has proven that diets centred around food elimination are much more likely to fail.

‘The key is to take a more relaxed approach and to have a little of what you like.’

Previous research has shown that dieters who completely eliminate treats such as chocolate, wine and biscuits are often more likely to put on weight as they ‘compensate’ by eating more of other foods.

One study even showed that as many as 65 per cent of those who give up all treats actually end up ballooning in weight.

And there’s more good news for chocoholics, as separate research has also suggested that eating chocolate may help you live longer.

A Harvard University team studied 8,000 men for 65 years and found that those who ate modest amounts of chocolate up to three times a month lived almost a year longer than those who ate none.

 

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

 

Scientists have developed a simple new blood test that can detect early-stage lung and prostate cancers as well as their recurrence.

Serum-free fatty acids and their metabolites in the blood can be used as screening biomarkers to help diagnose early stages of cancer and identify the probability of recovery and recurrence after tumour removal, researchers found.

“While cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, diagnosis at the early stages of cancer remains challenging,” said Jinbo Liu, researcher at Cleveland Clinic, and lead study author.

“In this study, we identified compounds that appear to be new screening biomarkers in cancer diagnosis and prognosis,” Liu added.

The study looked at blood samples from 55 patients with lung cancer and 40 patients with prostate cancer and compared them to blood samples of people without cancer.

In a second phase of the study, blood was examined preoperatively from 24 patients scheduled for curative lung cancer surgery and again at six and 24 hours after the surgery.

The cancer patients had one- to six-times greater concentrations of serum-free fatty acids and their metabolites (the biomarker) in their blood than patients without cancer.

In the second phase, the serum-free fatty acid concentrations decreased by three to 10 times within 24 hours after tumour removal surgery.

While there is a blood test for prostate cancer, the prostate-specific antigen test, or PSA, has a high false-positive rate that results in many unnecessary biopsies and complications, according to Liu.

The test developed in this study could be a helpful additional blood test for prostate cancer.

“This is an exciting first step to having an uncomplicated way to detect early stages of lung, prostate and perhaps other cancers,” said Daniel I Sessler, chair of the Outcomes Research Department at Cleveland Clinic.

“It could also be used to measure the success of tumour resection surgery, immediately after surgery and long-term for recurrence screening,” Sessler added.

The study was presented at a meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) in San Francisco

Source: Zeenews

Scientists have not found a conclusive link between weather and body pain, Beck writes, but a leading theory suggests that the falling barometric pressure preceding a storm alters the pressure inside joints.

“Think of a balloon that has as much air pressure on the outside pushing in as on the inside pushing out,” Harvard’s Robert Jamison says, adding that as the outside pressure drops, the balloon—or joint—expands, pressing against surrounding nerves and other tissues.

“That’s probably the effect that people are feeling, particularly if those nerves are irritated in the first place,” Jamison says, adding that research has shown that changes in barometric pressure has been linked to everything from tooth aches and scar pain to pelvic pain and fibromyalgia.

Patience White—vice president of the Arthritis Foundation and George Washington University rheumatologist—notes that arthritis is “more common in people with some sort of effusion” or a buildup of fluid in or around a joint. She adds that not every arthritic patient experiences such weather-related pain.

Still, “there are certain days where practically every patient complains of increased pain,” says Aviva Wolff, an occupational therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery.  “The more dramatic the weather change, the more obvious it is,” she adds.

Such pain is so common that the Weather Channel and AccuWeather have “ache” and “pain” indexes for the nation, based on barometric pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind.

Not just joint pain

The link between weather and pain is not limited to arthritis and storms, according to research released in September in the International Journal of Biometerology and presented at the European Society of Cardiology.

According to the research, cold weather may raise the risk of stroke, heart attack, and sudden cardiac death, including:

• A 7% increase in risk of heart attack for every 18-degree drop in temperature; and
• A 1.2% increase in sudden cardiac death for every 1.8-degree drop in temperature.

Other researchers believe that the cold-related increased heart risk may be due to thickening blood and constricting blood vessels, Beck writes. Some researchers maintain that there is no link between weather and physical pain.

Is it all in my head?

After comparing the pain reports of 18 rheumatoid-arthritis patients with local weather conditions for a year, Stanford psychologist Amos Tversky came up with a different theory. “People’s beliefs about arthritis pain and the weather may tell more about the workings of the mind than of the body,” he said.

Research has found that even slight changes in the weather can aggravate sensory nerve cells that relay pain signals to the brain. Some health experts believe the phenomenon explains why some people with neuropathic pain and phantom-limb pain also report weather-related flare-ups

Source: http://www.advisory.com

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that men who eat lots of processed meat like bacon and sausage have lower sperm quality than men who don’t. Men who have a diet heavy in fish have better sperm and more of it.

Men should back away from the bacon if they want to make babies.

New research from the Harvard School of Public Health shows men who eat lots of processed meats have poorer quality sperm than those who don’t. Men whose diets include fish — especially white fish like cod or halibut — had the highest level of quality sperm, according to the study, presented Monday in Boston, at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s annual meeting.

“What brought up our concern is how meat is produced in the United States,” Dr. Jorge Chavarro, one of the researchers, told the Daily News. “Many beef producers give cattle natural or synthetic hormones to stimulate growth, a few days or weeks before the animals are killed. We wanted to examine how these hormones might affect people who consume them.”

Researchers analyzed more than 350 semen samples from 156 men who visited a local fertility center and answered questions about their diet. They found that eating processed red meat has a negative effect on “sperm morphology” — the size and shape of sperm’s cell structures. Having abnormal sperm can contribute to infertility.

Men who eat just one slice of bacon or sausage link a day have 30% fewer normal sperm than men who don’t, according to the study.

Eating white fish had a positive effect on sperm shape, while eating dark meat fish like salmon and tuna upped sperm count.

Researchers explained that it’s been known that healthy diets contribute to healthy sperm.

Previous studies have linked dairy products and carbohydrate-heavy diets with sperm decline.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/bacon-bad-sperm-study-article-1.1487256#ixzz2hx9YgC7h

You probably know whole wheat is the best type of wheat, but just because your bread is brown doesn’t mean it’s whole wheat. Even if the label proudly boasts “wheat” bread and lists “wheat flour” as the first ingredient, your bread may still not be whole wheat. Confused?

“Wheat” simply refers to the grain the flour comes from. Anything made with the flour from wheat — even refined white bread — can be called “wheat” and can list “wheat flour” as an ingredient. (The brown color often comes from caramel coloring.)

Are manufacturers lying to consumers? No. But are their labeling practices misleading? We think so. Being informed will guard you from being misled. Learning the facts will help you choose the right bread.

Mistakenly, many people still think bread is fattening. On the contrary, bread can be the best fat-fighting friend in your diet. Bread is naturally low in fat and can be high in fiber. Because it is so versatile, you can easily eat many servings a day in place of other higher-calorie foods. As long as you don’t pile on fatty spreads or fillings, bread can help you lose weight. In fact, studies have proved that people who eat 8 to 12 slices of bread a day still lose weight as long as their total diet is low in calories. The trick is keeping yourself from slathering that hearty bread with butter or margarine. Use a little olive oil instead for a taste treat and your heart health.

Health Benefits

Whole-wheat bread, in particular, is good for you for a number of reasons. It’s high in complex carbohydrates, low in saturated fat, a source of protein, and a storehouse of nutrients and fiber–a microcosm of what your diet should be.

To understand what’s so special about whole wheat in particular, you need to understand the structure of wheat grain. There are three layers to the grain — endosperm, germ, and bran. When whole-wheat flour is milled (refined) to make white bread, the inner germ and outer bran layer are removed, leaving only the starchy endosperm. Unfortunately, more than half the fiber of wheat is in that bran, along with almost three-quarters of the vitamins and minerals in the germ. Besides nutrients, the milling process also removes nonnutrient components — phytoestrogens, phenolic acids, oryzanol, and lignans — that may have health benefits, like reducing your risk of cancer and heart disease. A study of more than 74,000 women over a 12-year period showed that women who ate more whole-grain foods weighed less than those who ate fewer whole grains.

What milling removes, manufacturers try to put back in. Lost B vitamins — thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid — and iron are added back to form enriched bread products. Many other nutrients, especially minerals and fiber, don’t get added back. So if you eat white bread, you’re definitely missing a nutrient-rich and fiber opportunity.

Source: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/natural-foods/natural-weight-loss-food-whole-wheat-bread-ga.htm