Health & Medical Advice and Information - UK Medical Health

Scientists at Ohio State University have found that the black raspberry appears to slow or stop the growth of tumours in the mouth and oesophagus. They gave the berries in gel or freeze-dried to 40 patients with pre-cancerous legions. The malignant cell growth was significantly reduced.

The researchers think that the benefit may come from anthocyanidins in the fruit. Anthocyanidins have already been found helpful for water retention, where they work to strengthen the capillaries so that water can be more effectively removed from the body. People with inelastic and sagging skin can also often benefit from taking anthocyanidins. For most people it is difficult to get enough from th diet so a high quality anthocyanidin supplement may be the thing to take.

 We are constantly being told we should eat more healthily, but it doesn’t always seem that easy. Here are 10 simple easy-to-apply tips to get you started on a healthy eating life style.

1. Eating processed meat products such as bacon, sausages and smoked ham increases your risk of getting stomach cancer. Vitamin C and other antioxidants protect against stomach cancer.

2. Eat garlic, leeks and onions for the probiotics they contain. These feed the healthy bacteria in our guts.

3. Want to drink fewer sodas/fizzy drinks? Try half sparkling water and half fruit juice. Ring the changes with different fruit juices. Freeze peices of fruit in ice cubes and add to the drinks too. Make it something really special.

4. Beans are good for you, but if you find they give you gas/wind, start with split peas and lentils. Also make sure the beans are really well cooked. Eating beans can reduce your risk of heart disease and strokes, help prevent cancer, and save money.

5. Bad Breath? Some research suggests that a high-fat diet can contribute to bad breath. Fats in meat, cheese and milk seem to be a particular problem. Yet another reason to reduce your meat and dairy intake. Bad breath isn’t sexy!

6. Bought a pizza to cook at home? Add extra veggies (e.g. tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, peppers, corn) to make it healthier.

7. Porridge/oatmeal is a great breakfast food - with a low GI value it helps to sustain you to lunch time without snacking. Research has shown that you don’t lose weight by missing breakfast - it just encourages you to binge later in the day.

8. Organic milk has higher levels of vitamin E, beta carotene, omega 3 essential fatty acids and antioxidants. Antioxidants protect against cancer, and omega 3 fats protect against heart disease.

9. Keep healthy snacks at the front of the fridge or cupboard. Put unhealthy snacks at the back of the cupboard or fridge. Put them in plain dark containers.

10. The British Medical Association say that some pesticides can be stored in our body’s fatty tissues for years. We just do not know the long-term effects of this, so buy certified organic products.

Nutritional supplements cost money and you’ve got to remember to take them, so are they really necessary? It would be great to think we can get all the nutrition we need from our food, but sadly this doesn’t seem to be the case. Taking nutritional supplements can help a whole range of problems. Here are 10 reasons to take nutritional supplements to improve your health:

1. Vitamin B complex and magnesium can help counteract stress problems, allowing you to feel calmer and better able to tackle the problems whether they are at work or at home. (Studies in the UK have shown that 7 out of 10 women are short of magnesium.) These nutritional supplements work as a natural form of stress relief.
2. Take vitamin D and live longer. An article in the Archives Of Internal Medicine (2007) reviewing studies involving more than 57,000 people shows that vitamin D supplements can reduce death rates from heart disease, diabetes and cancer by 7%. The UK Foods Standard Agency recommends that older people, those who always cover their skin or rarely go outdoors, those who eat no meat or oily fish, and those of Asian origin should take a 10 micrograms of vitamin D each day. The Canadian Cancer Society recommends that adults take a vitamin D supplement in fall and winter.
3. Female hair loss is a distressing problem. Many women with this problem benefit from taking a nutritional supplement containing iron, l-lysine, vitamins C and B12. This doesn’t work for patches of baldness, but has been shown to be highly successful for women whose hair is thinning all over their head.
4. Take vitamin E to help your heart stay healthy and protect the membranes and linings of the lungs and blood vessels. Look out for natural vitamin E that is more expensive, but is 50% more effective than synthetic vitamin E.
5. Chromium is a very important trace mineral that can help stabilise blood sugar and reduce cravings. Many people find it is helpful as a nutritional supplement in a weight loss programme, particularly when the tablet includes vitamin C and niacin to aid absorption.
6. Selenium is a mineral that protects the body against pollution and radiation. Sadly UK crops are low in selenium because it isn’t in the soil for the plants to take up. If you live in the UK particularly in the cities, a selenium nutritional supplement might be just the thing for you. Selenium deficiencies have been linked to cancer, premature ageing and heart problems.
7. Many teenagers, particularly boys, benefit from taking a zinc supplement. It helps counteract teenage acne and can improve moods too. I recommend looking for a zinc citrate supplement because it’s an easily absorbed form.
8. Cranberry extract is great for people who are prone to cystitis. Cranberries stimulate the production of hippuric acid that works as a natural antibiotic in the urinary tract against bacteria such as E Coli. More importantly, cranberries have been shown to reduce the ease with which bacteria can cling on to the walls of the bladder, so making it much more difficult for infection to start or survive. Many people take cranberry juice, but this usually contains a lot of sugar to make it taste better, and sugar can make cystitis worse. A better alternative is to take cranberry extract as a powder.
9. Gum problems such as gingivitis have been associated with heart disease, so need to be taken seriously. Visit your dentist regularly and pay attention to good daily dental hygiene. If that doesn’t do the trick, try taking two nutritional supplements: vitamin C and co-enzyme Q10.
10. Probiotic drinks are very popular but they tend to be full of sugar. A better alternative is acidophilus capsules. The gut contains billions of friendly bacteria that are vital for health. These bacteria can become depleted by stress, antibiotics and the contraceptive pill. When you buy this nutritional supplement, look for 10 billion bacteria in each capsule, preferably of Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5 and Bifidobacterium. This is the type and strength that have been shown to be effective in clinical trials.

Copyright 2007 Jane Thurnell-Read - HealthandGoodness.com