The “wonder herb” Oregano is widely known for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, but now scientists at Long Island University (LIU) say it might also kill prostate cancer cells.

Prostate cancer usually affects men later in life, with an estimated 240,000 new cases and 28,000 deaths each year.  Most current treatment options such as surgery, radiation, hormone therapy and chemotherapy involve likely complications and the possibility of severe side effects.

Dr. Supriya Bavadekar, PhD, RPh, and Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at LIU, feels carvacrol has potential as an anti-cancer weapon, explaining, “We know that oregano possesses anti-bacterial as well as anti-inflammatory properties, but its effects on cancer cells really elevate the spice to the level of a super-spice like turmeric.”

In the LIU study, carvacrol, an active component of oregano, was found to cause apoptosis, or ‘cell suicide’ when it came into contact with prostate cancer cells.

Strangely enough, these new findings back existing research showing that eating pizza – yes pizza – might actually cut cancer risk.

“Some researchers have previously shown that eating pizza may cut down cancer risk.  This effect has been mostly attributed to lycopene, a substance found in tomato sauce, but we now feel that even the oregano seasoning may play a role,” continues Dr. Bavadekar.

“If the study continues to yield positive results, this super-spice may represent a very promising therapy for patients with prostate cancer.”

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of the term ‘gluten sensitivity’.

To give you a quick rundown, gluten is one of the proteins found in wheat, barley, rye and wheat products.  If you are gluten sensitive, the gluten protein is treated like a foreign invader and when it’s detected your body mounts an attack, starting a domino-effect wave of inflammation that can affect many areas of the body including the intestines, thyroid and adrenal glands, nerve tissue, joints, and more.

Some of the most common symptoms of gluten sensitivity are migraine headaches, vertigo, alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation, gas and bloating, chronic fatigue, depression and/or mood swings, and stubborn ‘belly’ fat.

Many who suspect they are gluten sensitive greatly try to restrict gluten in their diet or cut it out completely, which greatly reduces their symptoms.  But if you suspect you are gluten sensitive and a restricted diet isn’t helping as much as it should, there could be another, unsuspected culprit…

Recent findings show that the same antibodies your body makes to fight against gluten may also mistake certain other foods for gluten, attacking them and setting off the dreaded inflammation response.  Surprisingly, the most common gluten-imposter is coffee!

Although only 10% of coffee consists of the protein that cross-reacts with gluten antibodies, it can still wreak havoc and cause gluten-sensitivity-like symptoms.

So if you are being careful about gluten in your diet but just aren’t noticing the effects you desire, try cutting out your morning cup of Joe – it may do you good!

Feelings of confusion, loss of focus and memory loss are often written off as a part of getting older, but if you or a loved one is suffering from symptoms like these, a simple test for Vitamin B12 Deficiency might do you a world of good!

Without Vitamin B12, your body is unable to form new red blood cells, or even produce DNA.  B12 is also vital for a healthy nervous system, which is why a lack of B12 can be connected to decline in mental function, memory and mood.

It’s well-known that B12 deficiency causes measurable conditions like anemia, but there are often less-obvious symptoms of deficiency such as muscle weakness, unexplained fatigue, shakiness, low blood pressure, depression, and poor memory and concentration.

Although B12 is water soluble, your body is able to store excess supplies in your liver and other tissues throughout your body.  You are officially considered deficient when your blood serum levels drop below 250 picograms/ml, but an actual serum deficiency may take years to show up even though you are suffering from all the symptoms of a B12 deficiency.  If you don’t have much B12 stored, deficiency will show up much sooner in blood tests.

It’s important to supplement with B12, because as you age, your ability to get this crucial vitamin from the food you eat declines.  It’s unfortunate that the decrease in your body’s ability to obtain adequate B12 coincides with aging, because often the symptoms of deficiency are just chalked up to the aging process.

Natural sources of B12 include animal protein like red meat, turkey, fish and shellfish.  Liver is an excellent source of Vitamin B12, providing the taste suits your palate.  It’s often difficult to get B12 from plant sources, which is why many vegetarians and vegans must supplement with this vital nutrient.

Frequent consumption of alcohol, undergoing stomach surgery, taking the diabetes drug metformin, or taking anticonvulsants like phenytoin, phenobarbital or primidone can also put you at risk for a B12 deficiency.

Others with a higher-than-average risk of deficiency include those who use ant-acids like Prilosec, Prevacid and Nexium, as B12 needs adequate amounts of stomach acid to be released from the food you eat.

Many doctors recommend B12 injections if you’re deficient, but you can also get the B12 you need in one of the many tablet- or liquid-form supplements on the market today.

When supplementing with Vitamin B12, it’s often recommended that you start with 2,000 micrograms daily for about a month, and then drop your dosage down to 1,000 micrograms daily for the following month.  After that, you can lower your intake to 1,000 micrograms weekly for maintenance.

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A new Penn State study finds that going gluten- and casein-free can improve both behavioral and psychological symptoms in children with ASD (autism spectrum disorder), implicating that autism may not simply be a neurological disease.

It’s long been observed that many children with ASD also suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms.  This new study suggests it’s possible that peptides in proteins like gluten and casein could trigger certain immune responses, gastrointestinal symptoms and even behavioral problems.

In the first study of its kind to incorporate survey data from parents and caregivers, researchers administered a 90-item online survey covering details about gastrointestinal symptoms, suspected food sensitivities and diagnosed food allergies as well as the child’s degree of adherence to a gluten-free, casein-free diet.

The conclusion:  For children with a history of gastrointestinal and/or allergy symptoms, a gluten- and casein-free diet helped improve gastrointestinal symptoms while also increasing social behavior and interaction.

Laura Cousino Klein, associate professor of biobehavioral health and human development and family studies at Penn State explains, “There are strong connections between the immune system and the brain, which are mediated through multiple physiological symptoms…”

She continues, “Gluten and casein seem to be the most immuno-reactive (proteins)…A child’s skin and blood tests for gluten and casein allergies can be negative, but the child still can have a localized immune response in the gut that can lead to behavioral and psychological symptoms.”

Researchers report that the best results were obtained when both gluten and casein were completely eliminated from the diet for at least six months. Laura Klein states, “If parents are going to try a gluten-free, casein-free diet with their children, they really need to stick to it in order to receive the possible benefits.”

All in all though, researchers agree that the data clearly shows putting children with ASD on a strict gluten-free, casein-free diet might offer some relief.

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The past year hasn’t been kind for diet soda, with multiple studies associating it with everything from an increased risk of heart attack and stroke to weight gain.

Two of these studies, presented earlier this year at the American Diabetes Association, link drinking diet soda with a wider waistline, and associate aspartame (found in many diet drinks) with unhealthy increases in blood sugar.

Another study by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, recently reported in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, suggests that drinking diet soda every day might actually  increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Study researcher Helen P. Hezuda, Ph.D. warns, “Data from this and other prospective studies suggest that the promotion of diet sodas and artificial sweeteners as healthy alternatives may be ill-advised.”

In the study linking diet soda with a bigger waistline, it was found that diet soda drinkers’ waistlines increased 70% more than non-diet soda drinkers over the course of the 9.5-year study.  Additionally, those who drank two or more diet sodas daily had an average waist circumference nearly 500% larger than participants who didn’t drink any diet soda

The University of Miami study followed 2,600 adults for ten years, ultimately finding that those who drank diet soda every day were 44% more likely to suffer from a heart attack or stroke than non-diet soda drinkers.

University of Miami lead researcher Hannah Gardener cautions, “What we saw was an association.  These people may tend to have more unhealthy habits.” Although, admittedly, she and her colleagues did try to account for those factors in the study.

When it comes to diet sodas and soft drinks, Helen P. Hezuda, Ph.D. sums it up nicely:  “They may be free of calories but not of consequences.”

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Can a small, inexpensive, odorless and colorless molecule be the much-sought-after cure for cancer?  It sure seems possible!

A group of researchers at the University of Alberta led by Dr. Evangelos Michelakis have discovered that DCA (dichloroacetate), a substance commonly used to treat mitochondrial diseases in children, also works to activate a mitochondrial enzyme in cancer cells, slowing down tumor growth.

To date, the researchers have found that DCA effectively slows the growth of multiple cancers, including lung cancer, breast cancer, and brain tumors.

For over 70 years, medical science has been aware of the mitochondria/cancer connection.  In a nutshell, when cancer is present, a cell’s mitochondria (the cell’s energy producers) malfunction, preventing the cancer cells from dying like normal cells.

Previously, it was thought that this malfunction was the result of permanent damage to the mitochondria caused by the cancer.  Dr. Michelakis was not so sure, and lo and behold, found that the damaged mitochondria can be effectively ”revived’ by DCA.

Dr. Michelakis observes, “I think DCA can be selective for cancer because it attacks a fundamental process in cancer development that is unique to cancer cells.”

Restoring the mitochondria’s functions resets the normal life cycle of the cancer cells, allowing these cells to die which keeps cancerous cells from spreading and results in a decrease in tumor growth.

To date, DCA has slowed tumor growth in both in-vitro (test tube) and animal studies.  Because its molecules are so small, DCA can be easily-absorbed by the body and travel to many areas certain cancer-fighting drugs can’t reach.

DCA is relatively non-toxic, and is inexpensive because it’s not patented or owned by a big pharmaceutical company.  In an unfortunate catch-22, the very fact that this wonder compound is not patented makes it hard for researchers to obtain private funding for further clinical trials on actual cancer patients.

Keep your eyes and ears open for more news on this potential ‘magic bullet’, it may be just what the doctor ordered.

You can read more about DCA at The DCA Site.  If you’re interested in finding out more about other alternative cancer therapies, check out Alternative-Cancer.net.

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Can catching a glimpse of something green really unleash your creativity?  A recent study says “YES!”

In the past, researchers have shown that certain colors have psychological links, for example red with romance or anger, and blue with calmness.  Now it has also been shown that just a quick glance at the color green before embarking on a creative endeavor boosts creativity more than looking at something white, grey, red, or blue.

In a German study, half of a group of men and women were shown a green rectangle (the same shade of green seen in nature), while the other half were shown a white rectangle.  Then each group was given two minutes to write down as many uses for a tin can as possible.  Answers were then rated based on creativity and cleverness.

As a whole, more creativity was shown by those who looked at the green rectangle before beginning the task than those who were shown the white rectangle.  Further tests using other colors, like grey, red, and blue produced similar results.

Does this so-called ‘green effect’ occur because our minds relate green to money, and this subconsciously increases our effort and creative output?

Not the case.  Dr. Stephanie Lichtenfeld, an assistant professor of Psychology at Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich, feels it’s more likely that our minds link green to both physical and psychological growth, causing the jump in creativity.

She states, “Even very subtle stimuli, such as color, can influence our motivation, cognition, and behavior…Green may serve as a cue that evokes the motivation to strive for improvement and task mastery, which in turn may facilitate growth.”

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Three studies published on Wednesday added to growing scientific evidence suggesting that taking a daily dose of aspirin can help prevent, and possibly even treat, cancer.

Previous studies found that taking aspirin daily reduces the long-term risk of death due to cancer, but until now the shorter-term effects have been less certain, along with the medicine’s potential in patients already diagnosed with cancer.

The studies, led by Peter Rothwell of Britain’s Oxford University, found that aspirin also has a short-term benefit in preventing cancer, and that it reduces the likelihood that cancers will spread to other organs by about 40 to 50 percent.

“These findings add to the case for use of aspirin to prevent cancer, particularly if people are at increased risk,” Rothwell said.

“Perhaps more importantly, they also raise the distinct possibility that aspirin will be effective as an additional treatment for cancer by preventing distant spread of the disease.”

This is particularly important because it is the process of the spreading of cancer, or “metastasis”, which most often kills people with the disease, he added.

Aspirin reduces the risk of clots forming in blood vessels and can therefore protect against heart attacks and strokes, so is often prescribed for people who suffer from heart disease and have already had one or several attacks.

Aspirin also increases the risk of bleeding in the stomach for around one patient in every thousand per year, a factor which has fueled an intense debate about whether doctors should advise patients to take it as regularly as every day.

Last year, a study by British researchers questioned the wisdom of daily aspirin for reducing the risk of early death from a heart attack or stroke because they said the increased risk of internal bleeding outweighed the potential benefit.

Other studies, including some by Rothwell in 2007, 2010 and 2011, found that an aspirin a day, even at a low dose of around 75 milligrams, reduces the long-term risk of developing some cancers, particularly bowel and oesophageal cancer, but the effects don’t show until eight to 10 years after the start of treatment.

Rothwell, whose new studies were published in The Lancet and The Lancet Oncology journals on Wednesday, said this delay was because aspirin was preventing the very early development of cancers so there was a long time lag between this stage and a patient exhibiting clinical signs or symptoms of cancer.

Rothwell and others said deeper research was now needed into aspirin as a potential treatment for cancer in patients whose disease has not yet spread.

“No drug has been shown before to prevent distant metastasis and so these findings should focus future research on this crucial aspect of treatment,” he said.

Peter Johnson, chief clinician at the charity Cancer Research UK, said his group was already investigating the anti-cancer properties of aspirin. “These findings show we’re on the right track,” he said.

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Seems simple:  eat less, exercise more.  We all know it by heart. So why can’t we do it?

Commitment isn’t just important, it’s essential. But it’s only the beginning. The key to successful dieting is bridging the gap between what you want to do and actually doing it. The desire is there – you just need a plan.

Strategy #1: Be very specific
Do not make vague goals like “I want to lose weight”. You are setting yourself up to fail. Motivation happens when your brain detects a difference between where you are and where you want to be.

When you are specific about your goal (I want to lose 15 pounds), that difference is clear, and your brain starts throwing resources (attention, memory, effort, willpower) at the problem.

Here is an example of a clear target: “I want to weigh 125 pounds. I weigh 145 now, so that’s a difference of 20 pounds.”

Being specific gives you clarity because you’ve spelled out exactly what success looks like. That means more motivation and increased odds for success.

Strategy #2: Create an “OK-to-eat” plan
Faced with unexpected temptations like the dessert menu or the catered work lunch we end up eating things that sabotage our weight-loss goals.

The best way to guarantee you make the right choices is to create an “execution” plan.

For example:

“If the dessert menu arrives, I’ll order coffee.”

“If I am at a business lunch, I’ll have a salad.”

Studies suggest that coming up with safe-to-eat plans make you two to three times more likely to reach your diet goals.

Strategy #3: Track your success
Monitor your progress. Be clear about the gap between where you want to go and where you are now. Keep getting on that scale; mark the days you exercise on a calendar.

When you think about the progress you’ve made, stay focused on how far you have to go, rather than how far you’ve come. If you want to drop 20 pounds, and you’ve lost 5 so far, keep your thoughts on the 15 that remain.

When we dwell too much on how much progress we’ve made, it’s easy to feel a premature sense of accomplishment and start to slack off.

Strategy #4: Be a realistic optimist
Losing weight isn’t easy. It turns out that it’s important to accept this. Believing you will succeed is key, but believing you will succeed easily (what I call “unrealistic optimism”) is a recipe for failure. Take it from the women, all obese, who enrolled in a weight-loss program in one study.

Those who thought they could lose weight easily lost 24 pounds less than those who knew it would be hard. The successful dieters put in more effort, planned in advance how to deal with problems, and persisted when it became difficult. So don’t try to tamp down your worries, they can help prepare you for shape-up challenges.

Strategy #5: Strengthen your willpower
The capacity for self-control is like a muscle: It varies in strength from person to person and moment to moment. Just as your biceps can feel like jelly after a workout, your willpower “muscle” gets tired when you overtax it.

To strengthen it, pick any activity that requires you to override an impulse (such as sitting up straight when your impulse is to slouch), and add that to your daily routine. And take baby steps. Instead of going junk-free overnight, begin by eliminating, say, those chips you eat by the bag, and substitute them with a fruit or vegetable.

Hang in there, and sticking to your diet will become easier because your capacity for self-control will grow.

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Green Tea seems like the cure all for everything.  And believe it or not there’s yet another thing it’s good for – killing bacteria.

About Tonsillitis
When a bacteria or virus affects your tonsils, they can become sore. This soreness is often accompanied by irritation, redness, inflammation and a scratchy throat. These symptoms are commonly known as Tonsillitis.

Other conditions causing soreness of the tonsils include strep throat, mononucleosis and allergies. Green tea consumption may help prevent and treat sore tonsils. However, talk to your doctor before beginning a regimen of green tea, as it may adversely interact with some medications.

Immune System
Green tea contains catechins, a type of antioxidant that improves your immune system response by releasing specific proteins that attack viruses and bacteria.

The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends using caffeine-free green tea for your immune-boosting remedy. Mix 1 teaspoon of green tea leaves with 1 cup of boiling water, and steep for 10 minutes. Drink 2 to 4 cups of green tea daily for maximum immune-boosting benefits.

Anti-Inflammatory
Epigallocatechin gallate, also known as EGCG, is a primary antioxidant in green tea that helps decrease inflammation in the body. Additionally, gargling and drinking hot beverages, like green tea, may help soothe your sore throat and tonsils.

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