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Herbal Remedies Natural Health Newsletter, December 2008, Issue 286

Herbal Remedies December 2008 Natural Health Newsletter Issue 286 Sponsored by www.HerbalRemedies.com Toll Free for orders 1-866-467-6444 Issue Editor - Heather Bowman

Herbs - Vitamins - Minerals - Magnetics - Candles - Aromatherapy - Holiday Gifts - Bath & Beauty - Essential Oils - Natural Pet Care - Condition & Ailment Guide - Women's Health - Men's Health - Weight Loss - Health Books Niacin May Benefit Mental Health - Click here for full story. Chamomile Tea Helps Deal with Diabetes Complications - Click here for full story. Flaxseed Found to Benefit Skin Health - Click here for full story. Major Review Finds St. John’s Wort Effective for Mental Health - Click here for full story. Fiber Improves Cell Health in Postmenopausal Women - Click here for full story. Herbal Remedies has 2 partner sites be sure to check them out as well: Magnetic Therapy Magnets , and Natural Hair Loss Remedies Be sure to check out our Overstocked clearance items! OVERSTOCKED Give your skin a natural glow with Burt's Bees Products. We are your #1 Headquarters for your complete line of Burt’s Bees Products for that all around natural glow!! Herbal Remedies has four new vendors be sure to check them out: MacroLife Naturals, Inc. , Del Mar Nutrition, LLC / Clue Bar, Sante Active , and Planetary Herbals Products Spotlight – Want to Blend and Juice Your Way Into The New Year in Style Plus the Most Nutrition for Your Money? L’Equip L'Equip is dedicated to health and well-being. With many years of experience in health-related appliances, the company was founded with a mission to create products that have true advantages over other appliances – products that function well and look good. L'Equip designs products that have a unique look and feel to them. Tired of boring selections, the company is committed to creating a look that will complement any kitchen and be unique enough to stand out in the marketplace. At the same time, the company is committed to manufacturing the highest-quality, most user-friendly health appliances on the market. You’ll love the new L'Equip VISOR 509 Natural Processor and Juicer because it's quiet, easy to clean and most importantly gives you the best nutrition and more juice. Also be sure to check out the $20.00 off all L’Equip products in our coupon section. Current Event News: Gift giving made easy. Just think gift baskets. How do you shop for the hard-to-buy-for-ones on your list - like your child’s teacher, daycare provider, co-workers? You could can get them a gift certificate – but maybe you want to give something a little bit more personal? Consider giving gift baskets. The holiday season is the perfect time to say “thank you” to those who have been there for you throughout the year - to let them know you're pleased with what they do for you. A monetary gift or gifts that you have selected personally are both appropriate. According to Emily Post’s holiday rules of etiquette, gift baskets are proper and generally appreciated gifts. They come in a wide variety of themes, elegant and unique. They also come in all types of price ranges – giving the sender a number of options. Nowadays, thanks to the Internet and online shopping, it is easy to shop for hard-to-buy-for persons. And shopping for gift baskets is even easier since you can customize any basket and see what you are buying. You can even have gift baskets gift wrapped and delivered directly to one’s door or office. Check Out our Back to School Wellness Savings with our Coupon Savings and with these kind of prices you can afford to stock up! QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q: Subject: Hello Hi My husband has the opposite problem than I. He has runny stools - many per day. Colonoscopy all clear. The DR. said he needed more fiber. That has been hard for us to do. Last question, my 5 year old grand son has constipation problems as I do. When I was at the Herb store last week getting the cleanse product, the clerk said he needed Magnesium and they had a liquid that he said tasted pretty good, that would be ok for a child to take. As I was reading on your web sight I saw the oil that was to be rubbed on the stomach, would that be better for a child? I don't think his constipation is just occasional, it is constant, like mine is. Thanks for you time. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your time. A: Dear Customer, Here is a great informational link on Probiotics which are great for both constipation and diarrhea as to regulate our digestive system: Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria (intestinal flora) normally present in the digestive tract. These bacteria are required for proper digestion, the synthesis of Vitamin K, and the prevention of yeast infections and pathogen growth. If our intestinal flora becomes unbalanced due to the depletion of friendly bacteria it can result in a weakened immune system. Probiotic bacteria produces substances called bacteriocins which act as natural antibiotics, killing potentially harmful microorganisms. Two probiotics, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum, help maintain a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria by producing organic compounds such as lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and acetic acid. During bouts of diarrhea or for those with Crohn's disease, the gastrointestinal tract becomes depleted of beneficial bacteria but taking Probiotic supplements on a regular basis will help replenish the beneficial bacteria and help prevent new infections. Probiotics can improve digestion, help treat ulcerative colitis, and help heal canker sores. It can also help reduce food allergies and is used in treating eczema. Now I give my 9 month old baby Peter Gillham’s Natural Calm Magnesium for babies for her constipation due to special formula and if I skip a day she lets me know by her pain with a very hard stool. Now this formula is for babies but he makes a Natural Calm Anti-Stress Drink for kids that you may like to try. Thank you and All my best, Thank you for your interest in Herbal Remedies.com and the opportunity to serve you. Heather * The statements regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The information on this Web site or in emails is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding you or your child's condition. Informational material and representations have been provided by the manufacturers of the listed products. Our Sponsors Enter coupon code "NL120908" when checking out to obtain discounts on your next purchase from http://www.HerbalRemedies.com. How would you like to save $10.49 or more off your next order? You CAN by using your 5% off coupon in conjunction with our $5.49 automatic shipping discount for orders over $95. The more you order the more you save!!! All previous sales and previous sale items excluded , only one coupon code per order

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Niacin May Benefit Mental Health By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, November 12, 2008, abstracted from “Nicotinamide Restores Cognition in Alzheimer's Disease Transgenic Mice via a Mechanism Involving Sirtuin Inhibition and Selective Reduction of Thr231-Phosphotau” printed online November 5, 2008 in the Journal of Neuroscience Alzheimer Disease (AD) is a condition that has doubled since 1980, currently affecting just under 5 million Americans but expected to affect 16 million by 2050(1). AD currently costs our healthcare system over $100 billion each year(2). Fortunately, there are some simple ways to help maintain mental health , including eating apples(3), drinking green tea (4) fish oil (5) vitamin E (6), grape seed extract (7), and maintaining normal levels of Homocysteine(8). Now a new study in mice(9) has found that vitamin B3, also known as Niacin, with a recommended daily intake of 16 mg per day in men and 14 mg per day in women(11), may help with mental health. Niacin is found in foods such as yeast, meat, fish, milk, eggs, green vegetables, and cereal grains(10). In the study, researchers fed 4-month old mice 200 mg of Niacin per kg of bodyweight through their drinking water for 4 months. During this time, the mice completed a Morris Water Maze (MWM) that requires and includes finding a hidden platform in a maze. The MWM requires use of a part of the brain called the hippocampus(12) which deteriorates during AD(13). The mice in the niacin group performed 33% better than the control group, finding the platform in 4 days compared to 6 days for the control group. Nicacin also “rescued both short- and long-term memory” compared to the control group “as determined by the marked increase in the number of platform crosses and reduced [time needed] to cross the platform.” The researchers suggested that Niacin elicited these benefits by targeting two enzymes called HATs and HDACs whose decreased function has been linked to several human diseases including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders(13). For the researchers, “the results presented here suggest that [Niacin] has potential as a novel, safe, and inexpensive AD therapy.” Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Danville, CA. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at mailto:PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.CompleteChiropracticHealthcare.com Reference: 1 Hebert, LE; Scherr, PA; Bienias, JL; Bennett, DA; Evans, DA. “Alzheimer Disease in the U.S. Population: Prevalence Estimates Using the 2000 Census.” Archives of Neurology August 2003; 60 (8): 1119 – 1122 2 Ernst, RL; Hay, JW. “The U.S. Economic and Social Costs of Alzheimer’s Disease Revisited.” American Journal of Public Health 1994; 84(8): 1261 – 1264 3 Lee, C. Y. (2004). "Protective Effects of Quercetin and Vitamin C against Oxidative Stress-Induced Neurodegeneration." Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 52: 7514-7517 4 Tan J. Green Tea Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG) Modulates Amyloid Precursor Protein Cleavage and Reduces Cerebral Amyloidosis in Alzheimer Transgenic Mice J. Neurosci. 2005 25: 8807-8814 5 Wurtman RJ. Synaptic proteins and phospholipids are increased in gerbil brain by administering uridine plus docosahexaenoic acid orally. In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 21 April 2006 in Brain Research 6 American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting 15 April 2008, Poster Sessions III: Aging and Dementia: Clinical II [P03.076] Vitamin E Use Is Associated with Improved Survival in an AD Cohort Authors: V. Pavlik, R. Doody, S. Rountree, E. Darby 7 Wang J. Grape-Derived Polyphenolics Prevent Aâ Oligomerization and Attenuate Cognitive Deterioration in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Journal of Neurosci 2008; 28(25):6388-6392; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0364-08.2008 8 Seshadri S. Association of Plasma Total Homocysteine Levels With Subclinical Brain Injury. Arch Neurol.2008; 65: 642-49 9 Green KN. Nicotinamide Restores Cognition in Alzheimer's Disease Transgenic Mice via a Mechanism Involving Sirtuin Inhibition and Selective Reduction of Thr231-Phosphotau. J. Neurosci., Nov 2008; 28: 11500 - 11510 ; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3203-08.2008 10 “Niacin” posted on www.mayoclinic.com/health/niacin/NS_patient-niacin 11 “Niacin” posted on www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/DRI//DRI_Thiamin/123-149_150.pdf 12 Timmermann S, Lehrmann H, Polesskaya A, Harel-Bellan A (2001) Histone acetylation and disease. Cell Mol Life Sci 58:728–736 13 Oddo S, Caccamo A, Shepherd JD, Murphy MP, Golde TE, Kayed R, Metherate R, Mattson MP, Akbari Y, LaFerla FM (2003) Triple-transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease with plaques and tangles: intracellular Abeta and synaptic dysfunction. Neuron 39:409–421

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Chamomile Tea Helps Deal with Diabetes Complications By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, October 3, 2008, abstracted from “Protective Effects of Dietary Chamomile Tea on Diabetic Complications” in the September 10, 2008 issue of The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. and costs our healthcare system $174 billion each year. Diabetics have a 200-400% increased risk of stroke and overall risk of death for diabetics is twice that of people without diabetes of similar age. Diabetes can lead to permanent disability and debilitation, as well as numerous serious complications, including heart disease and stroke , blindness, chronic kidney disease, and amputations. Diabetics account for more than 60% of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations(1). Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20–74 years, with diabetic retinopathy causing 12,000 to 24,000 new cases of blindness each year. Diabetes is also the leading cause of kidney failure, accounting for 44% of new cases in 2005. Yet despite all of these known risk factors and complications, the number of people with diabetes continues to increase and now stands at 24 million Americans(1). Now a new study(2) has shown that Chamomile tea may help with complications of diabetes. Chamomile tea has been found previously to have antioxidant activity(3), help with inflammation (4), skin diseases, wounds, eczema , ulcers , gout , neuralgia, and rheumatic pains(5, 6), possess anti-bacterial properties, and possibly help muscle health(7). In the new study, researchers induced diabetes in a group of rats over the course of two weeks. They were fed a diet that was supplemented with either placebo, an aqueous extract of chamomile (500 mg/kg bodyweight/day), two plant antioxidants in Chamomile called esculetin(8) (50 mg/kg bodyweight/day) or quercetin (50 mg/kg bodyweight/day) for 21 days. During this period, the researchers took blood samples every seven days. The researchers found that over the 21-day supplement period, both the chamomile and quercetin extracts significantly suppressed blood glucose levels compared to placebo. This was due to chamomile’s and quercetin’s ability to help the liver not break down glycogen to produce glucose. Specifically, there were 238% and 429% increases in liver glycogen in the chamomile and quercetin group, respectively, compared to placebo. Regarding levels of sorbitol, a sugar known to increase in diabetics(9) and possibly play a role in blindness from diabetes(10, 11), esculetin and quercetin inhibited sorbitol accumulation by 79.2% and 68.4%, respectively. For the researchers, “these results clearly suggested that daily consumption of chamomile tea with meals could contribute to the prevention of the progress of hyperglycemia and diabetic complications.” Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Danville, CA. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at mailto:PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.CompleteChiropracticHealthcare.com Reference 1 “Number of People with Diabetes Continues to Increase” from the CDC Website www.cdc.gov/Features/DiabetesFactSheet/ 2 Kato A. Protective Effects of Dietary Chamomile Tea on Diabetic Complications. J. Agric. Food Chem., 56 (17), 8206–8211, 2008. 10.1021/jf8014365 3 Bandoniene, D.; Pukalskas, A.; Venskutonis, P. R.; Gruzdiene, D. Preliminary screening of antioxidant activity of some plant extracts in rapeseed oil. Food Res. Int. 2000, 33, 785-791 4 Safayhi, H.; Sabieraj, J.; Sailer, E. R.; Ammon, H. P. T. Chamazulene-an antioxidant-type inhibitor of leukotriene B-4 formation. Planta Med. 1994, 60, 410-413 5 McKay, D. L.; Blumberg, J. B. A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of chamomile tea (Matricaria recutita L.). Phytother. Res. 2006, 20, 519–530 6 Srivastava, J. K.; Gupta, S. Antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of chamomile extract in various human cancer cells. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2007, 55, 9470–9478 7 Wang, Y., H. Tang, et al. (2005). "A metabonomic strategy for the detection of the metabolic effects of chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) ingestion." J Agric Food Chem 53(2): 191-6 8 Kaneko, T.; Tahara, S.; Takabayashi, F. Inhibitory effect of natural coumarin compounds, esculetin and esculin, on oxidative DNA damage and formation of aberrant crypt foci and tumors induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in rat colons. Biol. Pharm. Bull. 2007, 30, 2052–2057 9 Hamada, Y.; Kitoh, R.; Raskin, P. Crucial role of aldose reductase activity and plasma glucose level in sorbitol accumulation in erythrocytes from diabetic patients. Diabetes 1991, 40, 1233–1240 10 Malone, J. I.; Leavengood, H.; Peterson, M. J.; O’brien, M. M.; Page, M. G.; Aldinger, C. E. Red blood cell sorbitol as an indicator of polyol pathway activity. Inhibition by sorbinil in insulin-dependent diabetic subjects. Diabetes 1984, 33, 45–49 11 Hotta, N.; Kakuta, H.; Fukasawa, H.; Kimura, M.; Koh, N.; Iida, M.; Terashima, H.; Morimura, T.; Sakumoto, N. Effect of a fructose-rich diet and the aldose reductase inhibitor, ONO-2235, on the development of diabetic neuropathy in streptozotocin-treated rats. Diabetologia 1985, 28, 176–180

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Flaxseed Found to Benefit Skin Health By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, October 6, 2008, abstracted from “Intervention with flaxseed and borage oil supplements modulates skin condition in women” printed online in the British Journal of Nutrition It is estimated that the cosmetics industry generates $160 billion each year(1 )to help improve the appearance of our skin. This comes in the form of creams, ointments, surgery, and health spa treatments. Fortunately, natural ways, including maintaining adequate intakes of vitamin K (2), cocoa (3), omega-3 fatty acids (4), and antioxidants (5) are known to benefit skin health. Now a new study(6) has found that omega-3 fats in the form of flaxseed are beneficial to skin health. In the study, 45 non-smoking, healthy women between the ages of 18 and 65 received flaxseed (2.2 grams per day, mostly omega-6 fatty acids), borage oil (2.2 grams per day, mostly omega-6 fatty acids), or placebo for 12 weeks. During this time, skin irritation was simulated by applying nicotinate to the skin, which induced inflammation and reddening(7). By the end of 12 weeks, those in the flaxseed and borage oil groups had 45% and 35% decreases in reddening of the skin, respectively. No decreases were seen in the placebo group. Measurements of water loss from the skin showed that both flaxseed and borage oil decreased water loss by 10% at six weeks. However, only the flaxseed group continued to show prevention of water loss, reaching 25% by 12 weeks. Finally, roughness and scaling of skin in both groups “also decreased significantly”, with no changes seen in the placebo group. For the researchers, “The present data provide evidence that skin properties can be modulated by an intervention with dietary lipids.” Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Danville, CA. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at mailto:PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.CompleteChiropracticHealthcare.com Reference: 1 “The Beauty Business” posted May 22, 2003 on The Economist Website www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=1795852 2 Gheduzzi D. Matrix Gla protein is involved in elastic fiber calcification in the dermis of pseudoxanthoma elasticum patients. 87: 998-1008; advance online publication, August 27, 2007; doi:10.1038/labinvest.3700667 3 Heinrich U. Long-Term Ingestion of High Flavanol Cocoa Provides Photoprotection against UV-Induced Erythema and Improves Skin Condition in Women. J. Nutr. 2006 136: 1565-1569 4 Koch C. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation in atopic eczema: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Journal of Dermatology 2008; 158(4):786-792 5 Heinrich U. Antioxidant supplements improve parameters related to skin structure in humans. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2006;19(4):224-31 6 De Sprit S. Intervention with flaxseed and borage oil supplements modulates skin condition in women. Journal of Nutrition 2008; 136:1565-1569 7 Papaliodis D. Niacin-induced "flush" Involves Release of PGD2 from Mast Cells and Serotonin from Platelets: Evidence from Human Cells In Vitro and an Animal Model. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2008 Sep 10

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Major Review Finds St. John’s Wort Effective for Mental Health By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, October 16, 2008, abstracted from “St. John’s Wort for Depression” in the April 18, 2008 issue of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews It is estimated that one in six Americans will have some form of depression in their lifetime(1). Depression afflicts nearly 10 million Americans and is the leading cause of disability worldwide(2). Research has put the cost of depression in the U.S. along to be $53 billion with reduction in work productivity due to depression accounting for $33 billion, direct treatment costs to be $12 billion, increased mortality at $8 billion due to suicide(3). While the primary methods of treating depression are two classes of prescription medications: SSRI’s (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) like prozac and celexa and SNRI’s (selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) like Effexor and Cymbalta(4), a 2005 study in the British Medical Journal5 found St. John’s Wort (SJW) to be “effective…in [patients] with moderate or severe unipolar depression.” Now a new study(6) out of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews has found SJW to indeed be beneficial for mental health . Self-proclaimed as “the best single source of reliable evidence about the effects of healthcare”, the Cochrane Database Systemic Reviews “explores the evidence for and against the effectiveness and appropriateness of treatments (medications, surgery, education, etc) in specific circumstances”(7). In the review, the researchers looked at 37 trials, including 26 comparisons with placebo and 14 comparisons with synthetic standard antidepressants. Rating the overall quality of the trials as “reasonably good” and with doses ranging from 300 to 1500 mg per day, the researchers found that SJW “improved symptoms more than placebo, and similarly to synthetic antidepressants in adults with mild to moderate depression”. However, they warned that results from six of the larger and most recent trials looking at patients only with major depression “showed only minimal benefits” of SJW compared to placebo. To measure the benefits of SJW, the researchers looked at the response rate ratio (RR) which is the ratio of the number of patients in the treatment group with improved symptoms divided by the patients in the placebo group with improved symptoms. Statistical significance was not reached in SJW in the six larger recent trials restricted to major depression (RR = 1.15). However, the six smaller trials did have a significant RR (2.06), and six large trials and five smaller trials not restricted to major depression also reached significance at 1.71 and 6.13, respectively. SJW did cause fewer side effects than older antidepressants “and may have caused slightly fewer adverse effects than SSRI’s.” The researchers also cited the possible wide-ranging supplement quality to explain the results. “It has to be emphasized that the quality of [SJW] preparations can differ considerably. The composition of a product depends on the raw plant material used, the extraction process, and the solvents” and “the amounts of bioactive constituents in different products can vary enormously. They went on to cite a 2003 study(8) showing that “a number of products available on the German market contain only minor amounts of bioactive constituents.” Nevertheless, extracts of St. John’s Wort “seem more effective than placebo and similarly effective as standard antidepressants for treating mild to moderate depressive symptoms.” Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Danville, CA. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at mailto:PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.CompleteChiropracticHealthcare.com Reference: 1 Kessler RC, et al. The epidemiology ofmajor depressive disorder. Results from the national comorbidity survey replication (NCS-R). JAMA 2003;289: 3095–105 2 Wang PS. The economic burden of depression and the cost-effectiveness of treatment. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res 2003;12(1):22-33 3 Szegedi A. Acute treatment of moderate to severe depression with hypericum extract WS 5570 (St John's wort): randomised controlled double blind non-inferiority trial versus paroxetine. British Medical Journal Online February 11, 2005 4 “Depression” posted on the National Mental Health Institute Website www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/complete-publication.shtml#pub10 5 Szegedi A. Acute treatment of moderate to severe depression with hypericum extract WS 5570 (St John's wort): randomised controlled double blind non-inferiority trial versus paroxetine. BMJ 2005 Mar 5;330(7490):503. Epub 2005 Feb 11 6 Mulrow LK. St John's wort for depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005 Apr 18;(2):CD000448. Review 7 “An introduction to Cochrane Reviews and The Cochrane Library” posted on www.cochrane.org/reviews/clibintro.htm 8 Wurglics M, Schulte-Löbbert S, Dingermann T, Schubert-Zsilavecs M. Rational and traditional hypericum preparations [Rationale und traditionelle Johanniskraut-Präparate]. Deutsche Apotheker Zeitung 2003;143:1454–8

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Fiber Improves Cell Health in Postmenopausal Women By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, October 29, 2008, abstracted from “Dietary fiber is associated with serum sex hormones and insulin-related peptides in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors” in the 2008 issue of Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Dietary fiber has been found to elicit a number of health benefits, including blood pressure health(1), heart health in both diabetics (2) and non-diabetics(3) by helping with inflammation (4), lung health (5), colon health (6), uterine health(7), weight loss (8), blood sugar health(9) and cholesterol health(10). Now a new study(11) has found that fiber may also improve cell health in postmenopausal women. Breast cancer is second only to lung cancer as the biggest cancer killer of American women with an estimated 40,580 deaths in 2004(12). It is estimated that breast cancer accounted for up to 25% of the $156.7 billion in cancer costs in the U.S. in 2001(13). Research has shown that fiber influences both estrogen and testosterone levels(14, 15) as well as insulin-like growth factor (IGF)(16) and the hunger hormone leptin(17), all of which have been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer(18, 19, 20). In the study, researchers analyzed data from The Health, Eating, Activity and Lifestyle (HEAL) Study. This was a multi-center, multi-ethnic prospective cohort study of 1,183 breast cancer survivors who were followed to determine whether weight, physical activity, diet, sex hormones, and other exposures affect breast cancer prognosis(21). With an average age of 61 years and nearly 1 in 5 women taking fiber supplements (19%), women with the highest dietary fiber intake (>12.96 g/cal) had estrogen and leptin levels that were lower by 29% and 20%, respectively. SHBG, a hormone that lowers estrogen levels, was 22% higher in the highest intake group, compared to the lowest intake group (< 8.05 g/cal). For the researchers, “Based on the results of our study, we suggest that postmenopausal breast cancer survivors may benefit from consuming a high fiber diet.” Beyond dietary fiber, other ways to help breast cell health include folic acid (22), resveratrol (23), kelp (24), vitamin E (25), black cohosh (26), soy (27), curcumin (28), and lignan (studies in 2006(29) and 2007)(30). Even exercise can help breast cell health, with a 2005 study(31) finding that “physical activity after a breast cancer diagnosis may reduce the risk of death from this disease” and a 2007 study(32) found that exercise even helps patients undergoing breast cancer treatment. Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Danville, CA. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at mailto:PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.CompleteChiropracticHealthcare.com Reference: 1 Whelton, SP. Effect of dietary fiber intake on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled clinical trials. J Hypertens. 2005 Mar;23(3):475-81 2 “Fiber supplements may lower cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetics” posted on the American Heart Association website April 30, 2005 www.americanheart.org/ 3 Lairon D. Dietary fiber intake and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in French adults. Am J Clin Nutr 2005;82 1185-1194 4 Ma J. Association between dietary fiber and serum C-reactive protein. Am J Clin Nutr 2006;83 760-766 5 Kan H. Dietary Fiber, Lung Function, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. American Journal of Epidemiology Advance Access published on December 5, 2007. doi:10.1093/aje/kwm343 6 Jacobs ET. Fiber, sex, and colorectal adenoma: results of a pooled analysis. Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, Feb 2006; 83: 343 – 349 7 Elisa V Bandera, Lawrence H Kushi, Dirk F Moore, Dina M Gifkins, and Marjorie L McCullough. Association between dietary fiber and endometrial cancer: a dose-response meta-analysis. Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, Dec 2007; 86: 1730 – 1737 8 Howarth NC. Dietary Fiber and Fat Are Associated with Excess Weight in Young and Middle-Aged US Adults. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005 Sep;105(9):1365-72 9 McCarty MF. Glucomannan minimizes the postprandial insulin surge: a potential adjuvant for hepatothermic therapy. Medical Hypotheses 2002; 58(6): 487-90 10 Moreyra, A. E., A. C. Wilson, et al. (2005). "Effect of combining psyllium fiber with simvastatin in lowering cholesterol." Arch Intern Med 165(10): 1161-6 11 Wayne SJ. Dietary fiber is associated with serum sex hormones and insulinrelated peptides in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors. Breast Cancer Res Treat (2008) 112:149–158 12 "2004/2005 Fact Sheet Cancer Registries: The Foundation for Cancer Prevention and Control" posted on the CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/cancer 13 Radice D. Breast cancer management: quality-of-life and cost considerations. Pharmacoeconomics 2003;21(6):383-96 14 Adlercruetz H (1990) Western diet and western diseases: some hormonal and biochemical mechanisms and associations. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 201:3–23 15 Arts CJ, Govers CA, van den Berg H, Wolters MG, van Leeuwen P, Thijssen JH (1991) In vitro binding of estrogens by dietary fiber and the in vivo apparent digestibility tested in pigs. J Steroid Biochem 38:621–628 16 Ludwig DS, Pereira MA, Kroenke CH, Hilner JE, Van Horn L, Slattery ML, Jacobs DR (1999) Dietary fiber, weight gain, and cardiovascular disease risk factors in young adults. JAMA 282:1539–1546 17 Koh-Banerjee P, Rimm EB (2003) Whole grain consumption and weight gain: a review of the epidemiological evidence, potential mechanisms and opportunities for future research. Proc Nutr Soc 62:25–29 18 Catalano MG, Frairia R, Boccuzzi G, Fortunati N (2005) Sex hormone-binding globulin antagonizes the anti-apoptotic effect of estradiol in breast cancer cells. Mol Cell Endocrinol 230:31–37 19 Yu H, Rohan T (2000) Role of the insulin-like growth factor family in cancer development and progression. J Natl Cancer Inst 92:1472–1489 20 Han C, Zhang HT, Du L, Liu X, Jing J, Zhao X, Yang X, Tian B (2005) Serum levels of leptin, insulin, and lipids in relation to breast cancer in China. Endocrine 26:19–24 21 “The Health, Eating, Activity, and Lifestyle (HEAL) Study” posted on http://appliedresearch.cancer.gov/surveys/heal/ 22 Ericson U. High folate intake is associated with lower breast cancer incidence in postmenopausal women in the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, Aug 2007; 86: 434 – 443 23 Tang FY. Resveratrol inhibits heregulin-â1-mediated matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression and cell invasion in human breast ancer cells. Jou Nutr Biochem 2007. In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 24 July 2007 24 Skibola CF. Brown kelp modulates endocrine hormones in female sprague-dawley rats and in human luteinized granulosa cells. J Nutr 2005; 135(2): 296-300 25 Dorigochoo T. Vitamin supplement use and risk for breast cancer: the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study. Breast Cancer Res Treatment 2007. Printed online DOI 10.1007/s10549-007-9772-8 26 Einbond LS. Growth inhibitory activity of extracts and compounds from Cimicifuga species on human breast cancer cells. Phytomedicine 2007. In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 5 November 2007 27 Lampe JW. Plasma Isoflavones and Fibrocystic Breast Conditions and Breast Cancer Among Women in Shanghai, China. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007 16: 2579-2586 doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-07-0368 28 Rattanamongkolgul, S., K. Muir, et al. (2002). "Diet, energy intake and breast cancer risk in an Asian country." IARC Sci Publ 156: 543-5 29 Piller R. 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