In an article published online on October 11, 2011 in the journal PLoS Medicine, Dr Jamie Engert at McGill University in Montreal and his associates report that the risk conferred by a gene variant known to be a strong marker for cardiovascular disease is minimized by consuming a diet rich in fruit and vegetables. It is known that 9p21 genetic variants increase the risk of heart disease for those that carry it.

The researchers genotyped four variants in the 9p21 chromosome region of 8,114 participants in the INTERHEART study, a case-control study of men and women of varying ethnic backgrounds that compared those who had had an acute non-fatal heart attack to similar subjects without heart disease. Additionally, 9p21 variants were analyzed in 19,129 participants in the FINRISK study, of whom 1,014 had cardiovascular disease. Dietary questionnaires ascertained the frequency of intake of vegetables, fruits and other foods.

What this research shows is that the effect of a high-risk genotype can be mitigated by consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables. Another reference  supporting the public health recommendation to consume more than five servings of fruits or vegetables per day as a way to promote good health.

Subjects whose intake of vegetables and fruit was low had the greatest risk of cardiovascular disease in association with a 9p21 variant compared to those whose intake was high. Among INTERHEART participants who consumed a diet rich in fruit and raw vegetables, the risk of heart attack was similar between carriers and non-carriers of a specific single nucleotide polymorphism in the 9p21 region. In the FINRISK study, having a high risk genotype was associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease among those with low or average intake of fruit, vegetables and berries, yet among those whose intake of these foods was high, the variant appeared to have no effect.

This research suggests there may be an important interplay between genes and diet in cardiovascular disease.

 

EXERCISE is a “wonder drug” for cancer survivors and may even prevent the disease coming back, according to a report published today.

Macmillan Cancer Support said physical activity should be “prescribed” by doctors after “hard evidence” showed it can significantly help recovery and prevent other long-term illnesses. Rather than patients being told to “rest up” as in the past, doctors must encourage people to get moving as soon as they feel able.

A review of more than 60 studies for the charity found people undergoing treatment for cancer – as well as survivors – could benefit from exercise.

Women with breast cancer who exercise for 150 minutes a week at moderate intensity have a more than 40% lower risk of dying and recurrence of disease compared to women who are active for less than one hour a week.

During treatment, being active does not worsen people’s fatigue and has positive effects on mood and wellbeing, the study said.

Results of two studies on bowel cancer also show the risk of dying or the disease coming back is cut by about 50% in patients taking six hours a week of moderate intensity exercise.

Once treatment has finished, exercise can reduce the impact of side effects, such as swelling around the arm, anxiety, depression, fatigue, impaired mobility and changes to weight. “Long term, it is an effective way to help recover physical function, manage fatigue, improve quality of life and mental health, and control body weight,” the report said. The research also showed exercise had an impact on preventing recurrence of a few specific cancers.

Prostate cancer patients have around a 30% lower risk of dying from the disease and a 57% lower rate of disease progression if they do three hours of moderate intensity exercise a week.

Researchers in Denmark say cholesterol deposits on eyelids — xanthelasmata — may predict a greater chance of heart disease.

The Copenhagen University Hospital and University of Copenhagen researchers point out half of the people with the deposits have normal blood cholesterol levels so the lesions may be an important independent marker of underlying artery disease.

The study established either the presence or absence of xanthelasmata in 12,939 people. Of these, 1,903 developed heart attacks, 3,761 developed ischemic heart disease and 8,663 died during up to 33 years of follow-up.

Xanthelasmata predicted 51 percent increased risk of heart attack and 40 percent increased risk of ischemic heart disease. Those with xanthelasmata also had a 17 percent increased risk of death after adjustments for well-known cardiovascular risk factors, including blood cholesterol levels.

In an article to be published in the November 15th issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, researchers have found that mercury is likely to be one of the multiple causes of Alzheimer’s disease. Mercury is one of the most toxic natural substances. It poses a danger to humans and may lead to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Researchers found that the symptoms and features of Alzheimer’s disease were reproduced or accelerated when mercury was introduced.

The experimental research literature indicates that animal and cell models reproduce all the features of Alzheimer’s disease when mercury is given. For instance, one of the more widely known uses of mercury is in amalgam dental fillings, the most common type of fillings used by dentists. Studies of low-dose human exposure, such as to dentists and their staff, show that exposure to mercury is significantly correlated with neurological or psychological harm, or both.

Mercury can be introduced to the body in several ways because it evaporates at room temperatures. It can be taken up as a gas, reaching the brain directly, via the nose, or indirectly via the blood. It then crosses the blood-brain barrier and gets trapped inside the brain, where it can accumulate over long periods of time.

“The situation is similar to the early 1970’s regarding smoking: enough experimental evidence existed, but human studies were inconclusive at the time and were under attack by groups with a vested interest,” said Professor Harald Walach, PhD, Viadrina European University and Samueli Institute Fellow. “To wait until irrefutable evidence has accumulated is not the best option in view of what we already know about the toxicity of mercury.

Prophetic words ….Luke