Anti-Aging developments - November 2011

The Cancer Prevention Study II, a new study from researchers at The Siteman Cancer Center (USA)* has found that regular exercise over time can reduce the risk of colon cancer-related death.

The study followed over 150,000 people, comparing their physical activity levels between 1982 and 1997 and the number of colon cancer cases diagnosed between the years 1998 and 2005 and the number of colon cancer related deaths. Results showed that participants who performed continuous exercises for a minimum of 10 years had less risk of dying of colon cancer.

Kathleen Y. Wolin, ScD, An Assistant Professor of Surgery associated with the US Division of Public Health Sciences, and one of the study’s authors, says that people who lived actively through their adult lives had a reduced risk of dying from colon cancer, compared to those who lived sedentary lifestyles.

Wolin emphasized that a regular exercise program also helps lower a person’s risk of other forms of cancer and additionally their risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. While those who exercise all their lives have the least risk, she explained, a 30-minute walk each days if sufficient to prevent many age-related diseases as well as to increase mental and physical well-being. Exercise can also help improve the survival rate of people who have been diagnosed with cancer and guard against the recurrence of the disease in those in remission, according to Wolin, making it an excellent tool to manage the disease as well as to prevent it.

The authors stress that it is never too late to exercises and encourage couch potatoes to get more active.

*The Siteman Center is a Comprehensive Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri

(Source: Natural Health on the Web)

A new study published this October in Cell Metabolism reports that scientists at the Clinical Research Institute in Montreal have discovered a gene which might predispose certain people to developing Osteoporosis. The gene has an impact on the bone mass of the subjects in which it is found.

The study was funded by the Natural Sciences and engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR).

Bone is formed by the production of cells called osteoblasts and is dissolved by the manufacture of cells called osteoclasts in a process know as resorption. The two types of cells work together to maintain the skeleton. The study examined the role of the newly identified gene and it’s influence on both osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

Dr. Jean Vacher, Director of the unit involved in the research said that the gene had been shown to effect bone density in both mice and humans. The discovery will help to identify people who might be susceptible to developing osteoporosis and would therefore benefit from preventative measures.

According to Osteoporosis Canada, 25% of women and one in eight men over the age of 50 have osteoporosis, which is responsible for 80% of all hip fractures. Twenty percent of people with hip fractures die and 50 of the people who survive them are disabled.

(SOURCES: Algaical Newsletter November 2011; Institute de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, October 2011; Facts and Statistics, Osteoporosis Canada, October 2011)

The authors of a study published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, believe that Coriander Oil may prevent food-borne illnesses and possibly be used to fight antibiotic-resistant infections. The researchers from the University of Beira Interior in Portugal tested the oil against 12 bacterial strains, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Bacillus cereus and meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and found it to be toxic to a broad range of harmful bacteria. Of the 12 strains tested many were killed off and the others all showed reduced growth.

This research appears to show that Coriander Oil damages the membrane around the bacteria cell, which inhibits respiration and other essential processes thereby damaging or killing the cell outright. Dr. Fernanda Domingue, leader of the study, says that the oil could be used as a natural alternative to antibiotics and could be used in lotions, mouthwashes and pills to fight bacteria and could be helpful in the fight against antibiotic resistant disease.

These results should lead to further study into the properties of this well-known aromatic plant. Coriander has been widely used in Mediterranean and Asian cuisine. Produced from the seeds of the coriander plant and associated with numerous health benefits, this is one of the most used essential oils and is known to cure fungal infections, help ease cramps and convulsions, ease pain, cure nausea and aid digestion.

(Source: Physorg.com, Society for General Microbiology)

Health Tip From Dr. Marilyn GlenvilleExperts say that housework could be bad for you if you are using commercially manufactured cleaning products, according to Dr. Marilyn Glenville. Sprays which include harsh chemicals can increase your risk of asthma by up to seventy percent.

Housework is necessary and can help burn off extra calories. Having a clean and orderly home is good for your mental health if you don't let it become an obsession.

Dr. Marilyn Glenville suggests ditching the commercial products and replacing with lemon juice with vinegar.

I've been meaning to write a section about using alternative, non-harmful products for cleaning and also for personal cleanliness and minor ailments.This blog has spurred me on so this will be a project for next year. It may help us save money in these economically hard times, as well as being better for your health.

(Source: Dr. Marilyn Glenville Newsletter)