In this issue:
Dear Readers,
Welcome to the August 2008 issue of True North's Tune-Up. We continue to emphasize "up stream" strategies for health in the areas of nutrition, mind-body, and lifestyle. Studies are from peer-reviewed scientific journals. View archived prior issues of the Tune-Up.
Once again I want to bring attention to our annual health care conference, "Relationship: Integrating the Science and Spirit of Healing." For information on the True North conference, which is approved for 19.5 CME and nursing contact hours, visit our website.
To your health,
B. Joseph Semmes, MD
Director of Research, True North
Diplomate, American Boards of Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine (ABIM) and Emergency Medicine
bjsemmes@truenorthhealthcenter.org
Intensive nutritional and lifestyle intervention changes gene expression in men with early prostate cancer
Published in the eminently respectable Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, June 2008, scientists looked at the microarray "fingerprints" in prostate tissues. Human Genome project guru Craig Venter collaborated. Certain cancer promoting genes are slowed or turned off by vegetarian diet, stress reduction, exercise and other interventions. This is an important, but still small (pilot) study. Of note, many men were not able to participate in the study because they chose aggressive interventions-surgery, radiation etc. Some experts fear the morbidity of the treatment might actually be greater than the morbidity of the disease itself. Some prostate cancers may be very slow growing or "smoldering".
Read nutritional and lifestyle intervention study
Omega 3 fish oil lowers the risk of colon cancer
This 22 year study of physicians' health looked at food frequency questionnaires. Investigators compared the highest vs lowest quartile (1/4th) consumers of omega 3 fish oils. Those in the group that were high consumers had a 26% lower rate of colon cancer. While this finding is intriguing, keep in mind that studies based on food questionnaires do not provide evidence as strong as do prospective (moving forward in time) interventionist studies.
Read about Omega 3 fish oil
Shamanic healing appears promising in an HMO study of temperomandibular joint pain
23 women in the Kaiser-Permanente health system with temperomandibular (jaw) pain were treated by shamanic practitioners. Pain scores and disability were reduced. In this pilot study, shamanic healing was acceptable to patients and proved feasible for a clinical trial.
Learn about HMO shamanic healing study
Coffee may reduce cardiovascular deaths
This large study of 120,000 men and women over twenty years found that consuming even large amounts of coffee did not increase mortality, and coffee consumption may be associated with lower total and cardiovascular mortality.
Read about the coffee study
A clove of garlic a day reduces high blood pressure significantly
This metaanalysis found 11 of 25 studies of sufficiently high quality to include. For patients with elevated blood pressure (>140 systolic or >90 diastolic), consumption of the equivalent of 1 clove of garlic per day had as beneficial an effect as conventional blood pressure medications. The authors thought there was enough of an effect to translate to an 8-20% reduction in cardiovascular death risk.
Read study linking garlic to reductions in high blood pressure
STAY "TUNED"!
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Disclaimer:
Information provided in the True North Tune-Up is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The information and links in this e-publication are intended to provide general education on the topics listed, but you should not use the information or links to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare practitioner. True North advises you to always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health practitioner prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
