Health Byte  

Tea for the best of reason

If you down a soft drink in the morning to get yourself ready for your day, you're making a big health mistake. It's time to switch to a beverage that improves your cancer defences and doesn't make you more cancer-prone.

Research at the University of East Anglia Medical School shows that, for women, drinking tea or orange juice in the morning can significantly reduce the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.

That type of cancer is the fifth-leading cause of cancer death among all women.

The scientists found that women who are steady consumers of drinks and food high in natural plant chemicals called flavonols and flavones have less chance of developing this kind of cancer. About 20,000 women in the US are found to have ovarian cancer every year.

"We found that women who consume foods high in two sub-groups of powerful substances called flavonoids - flavonols and flavanones - had a significantly lower risk of developing epithelial ovarian cancer," says researcher Aedin Cassidy. "The main sources of these compounds include tea and citrus fruits and juices, which are readily incorporated into the diet, suggesting that simple changes in food intake could have an impact on reducing ovarian cancer risk."

To get the benefit of these natural chemicals, you don't have to buy unusual types of tea. The ordinary type of tea in teabags available at the supermarket is beneficial.

"In particular," says Cassidy, "just a couple of cups of black tea every day was associated with a 31 per cent reduction in risk."

-Easy Health Options

Cancer vaccine a step closer

Vaccines work. Their widespread use has saved millions of lives. With an ageing population that is increasingly becoming a victim to cancer, a vaccine to treat it would do wonders. In a study published in Nature, scientists have taken a step in that direction.

Few attempts to develop a cancer vaccine have been made, but the side effects have been overwhelming, such as the immune system turning against not just diseased but also healthy cells. Researchers need to understand how to activate our immune system such that it kills only cancer cells, and does not have any side effects.

In a new study, Josef Penninger at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and his colleagues have identified the molecular mechanism underlying this strategy.

The immune system protects human beings from diseases caused by viruses or parasites, and it even tries to fight cancer. It has the ability to distinguish external agents from our own healthy tissue, and kill them.

Natural killer (NK) cells in our immune system are like the soldiers of an army, they mediate a rapid response to an infection or a growing tumor. They constitute the first line of body's defence mechanism. These cells can also inhibit the spread of cancer to different parts of the body, which is not only beyond the scope of current treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but also accounts for more than 90% of deaths due to cancer.

Penninger has now shown, using mice that act as proxy for humans, that natural killer cells can be activated to inhibit the spread of cancer, and thus the survival of cancer patients can be prolonged, without any side effects.

First they showed that natural killer cells where a specific enzyme was not active killed target tumour cells more efficiently than natural killer cells that had normal enzyme activity. They also showed that cancer-bearing mice in which the enzyme, known as Cbl-b, had been deleted had fewer sites to which the cancer had spread, and a longer survival rate. What's more is that the loss of Clb-b did not lead to any side effects as seen with previous attempts to boost the immune system against cancer. The usual function of the enzyme is to help inhibit the immune response by preventing many lines of defence becoming active, including natural killer cells.

-The Conversation

Health benefits of avocados

Healthy fats support immunity, cognitive function, healthy immune response, hormone balance, the cardiovascular system and numerous other areas of health. Bad fats, quite often, do just the opposite.

So let's start with the good kinds of fat. There's one particular food, high in fat and calories, may actually help you lose weight, improve your diet, reduce your sugar intake and help your cholesterol.

All hail the mighty avocado.

Below are some of our favorite articles on the health benefits of avocados: The yummy fatty food that improves cholesterol

The medical establishment often obsesses over statin drugs and a low-fat diet for better heart health. But a little fatty treat, the avocado, turns out to be one of the best things you can consume for your heart and arteries.

Avocado with your burger improves health

Next time you down a burger, try putting some avocado on the bun. Research at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), shows that avocado on your beef may curb the production of compounds that contribute to inflammation. Inflammation is a risk factor that may be associated with heart disease and cancer.

Feel full, keep your weight down

Feeling satisfied after a meal is an important way not to overeat and keep your weight under control. Scientists at Loma Linda University have identified an easy trick to help you achieve just that. Just add avocado.

The fatty food that may help you lose weight

The kind of fatty foods you find at fast food joints (like fries) have been linked to weight gain. But there's another fatty food, the avocado, that may actually help you lose pounds and keep your blood sugar under control.

The vegetable that could save your life

An analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) shows that one particular food, high in fat and calories, may actually help you lose weight, improve your diet, reduce your sugar intake and help your cholesterol.

The food that makes your vitamins work harder

Just because you consume vitamins doesn't mean they do you any good. But there's an important food you should be eating that can help your vitamins keep you healthier.

Best vegetables for sexual health

It's no news that fruits and vegetables are important for your health. What you may not know, though, is that they're crucial for your sexual health too. Here's how to get the most helpful nutrients into your meals.

Natural ways to boost testosterone

If you're a man who is worried about low testosterone, you should know about the natural ways to coax your body into producing more of this invaluable hormone. Discover how the right supplements and lifestyle can banish low T to give you a new boost in your daily life.

-Today Health