Articles by Michael Downey
Health News Briefs – May 2012
LOW LEVELS OF OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS LINKED TO MEMORY PROBLEMS
Scientists have determined that lower levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are associated with smaller brain volume; and lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids generally are associated with... Read more »
Health News Briefs – April 2012
ANTHOCYANIN-RICH FOODS LOWER RISK OF TYPE 2 DIABETES
Scientists have determined that plant compounds known as anthocyanins, and fruits rich in anthocyanins, reduce the risk of developing Type II diabetes. (Anthocyanins are flavonoid pigments that... Read more »
NEWS BRIEFS – March 2012
A study has reported that – compared to people with the lowest levels – those with the highest levels of selenium and nickel in their blood may lower their risk of the most common form of pancreatic cancer by between 33 and 95 percent.... Read more »
B VITAMINS
While herbal medicine has received considerable attention in regards to its important role in alleviating mood disorders and depression, few people realize that a single group of vitamins – the B family of vitamins – serves a similar purpose,... Read more »
Health News Briefs – February 2012
BISPHENOL A SPIKES AFTER EATING CANNED SOUP
After just five days of eating a 12-ounce serving of canned soup per day, subjects were found to have urine levels of bisphenol A (BPA) that were 1200 percent higher than the BPA levels in the urine of... Read more »
Health News Briefs – December 2011 /January 2012
CERTAIN VEGETABLES VITAL FOR IMMUNE AND REPAIR SYSTEM
A study has found that a diet lacking cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, kale, etc.) results in a poorly functioning immune and repair system by causing a 70 to 80 percent reduction in... Read more »
November 2011 News Briefs
BLUEBERRY POWDER CUTS CANCER TUMOUR SIZE, PROLIFERATION
A study has found that ingestion of whole blueberry powder results in smaller cancer tumours, and a reduced rate of metastases (spread of cancer to other locations). The diets of test mice... Read more »
News Briefs – October 2011
CURCUMIN HELPS ALLEVIATE TENDONITIS
Researchers have found that curcumin, the compound that gives the curry spice turmeric its trademark yellow colour, can suppress the biological signalling pathways involved in tendonitis that spark painful... Read more »
News Briefs – September 2011
GREEN TEA LOWERS CHOLESTEROL
Researchers have completed a comprehensive meta-analysis, or review of previously done studies, and have found that drinking green tea or taking green tea extract lowered blood levels of total cholesterol, reducing... Read more »
High Octane Nutrition
You can drop pounds without counting calories by treating the modern-day causes of obesity with these secret weight-slashing foods and supplements...
Conventional weight loss wisdom makes trimming the pounds sound so easy – just burn more energy... Read more »
News Briefs - July/August 2011
PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO BPA RAISES WHEEZING RISK IN CHILDHOOD
A study has found that when pregnant women, especially those in their first trimester, are exposed to bisphenol A (BPA), their children have twice the risk of suffering from wheezing at six... Read more »
News Briefs – June 2011
TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT AT RISK OF VITAMIN D INADEQUACY, GOVERNMENT REPORTS
About 25% of the population may be at risk for vitamin D inadequacy, 8% may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency, and 1% have vitamin D levels that could pose a health risk,... Read more »
Protecting the Environment Closest to Home
No matter how much care you take with diet and lifestyle, environmental factors at home will affect your health. Many cleaners and building materials contain toxins. In fact, indoor levels of air pollutants are two to five times higher (and... Read more »
News Briefs – May 2011
SUGAR AND SUGAR-SWEETENED DRINKS LINKED TO HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Researchers have found that those who consume more fructose and glucose (sugar) than the median have higher blood pressure, with a more pronounced spike among those who also consume more... Read more »
News Briefs – July 2005
Pyramid Flips On Side
After a five-year wait, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has finally updated its old food pyramid with food group bands running vertically across the pyramid instead of horizontally. The new version also has a... Read more »
News Briefs – September 2005
Perpetual Protein or Cloning Nightmare?
A research team is proposing a new technique that would allow meat to be grown in a laboratory for mass consumption, according to a report. Researchers in the U.S. say the technology now exists to produce... Read more »
News Briefs – October 2005
Veggie Pill for Lung Cancer?
A wide range of common vegetables contain a group of chemicals that appear to help slow the development of lung cancer, according to two new studies. Isothiocyanates are sulphur-containing chemicals that provide much... Read more »
News Briefs – November 2005
Cranberries Have “Novel” Bacteria-Blocker
Cranberries may be able to block bacteria in a unique way — a way that grape juice, apple juice, green tea, and dark chocolate cannot duplicate.
A U.S. study published in the October 2005 issue of... Read more »
News Briefs – December 2005
MINERAL DEFICIENCY LINKED TO ARTHRITIS
Insufficient levels of selenium may raise the risk of knee osteoarthritis, according to new research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Scientists found that for every additional 1/10th... Read more »
News Briefs – February 2006
VITAMIN D LINKED TO HEALTHY LUNGS
A study by researchers from the University of Auckland has shown that vitamin D may play a role in keeping lungs healthy. The exact connection between the vitamin and lung health is unclear. For that reason, more... Read more »
News Briefs – March 2006
SOME FATS BAD — BUT FAT STUDY WORSE
A recent study showed that eating less fat late in life failed to lower the risk of cancer and heart disease among older women, which at first sounds like disappointing news for those who expected greater... Read more »
News Briefs – April 2006
NEW FLUORIDE RISK: STUDY
Federal standards fail to guard against damage to bones and teeth from fluoride in drinking water, says a new study by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).
Released March 22, 2006, the report assesses the controversial... Read more »
News Briefs – May 2006
VITAMIN C MAY BE REASSESSED FOR CANCER
Mega-doses of vitamin C — regularly suggested and repeatedly dismissed as an alternative therapy for people with cancer — could be a plausible treatment after all, according to a study published March 28,... Read more »
News Briefs – June 2006
Saturated Fat: More Risks Uncovered
Recent studies serve as a reminder to eat less saturated fat. Previously, experts warned against saturated fat because of its direct relationship to LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and heart disease risk. But now... Read more »
News Briefs – July 2006
ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH
While a recently-announced study on mice at the University of Toronto suggests a sugar-derived drug may yet prove effective in humans against Alzheimer's disease (AD), fish oil has been found in a recent less-publicized study to... Read more »
News Briefs – September 2006
Baked Fish Good for the Heart
A study conducted by several American universities and published in the August 2006 issue of Journal of the American College of Cardiology has concluded: “These findings in this large, population-based study suggest... Read more »
News Briefs – October 2006
KELP BREAKTHROUGH FOR OBESITY?
Scientists have made a discovery that may lead to a supplement to remove excess weight from the body. And the source of that pill would be brown kelp.
Rats given fucoxanthin—a pigment in brown kelp—lost up to 10... Read more »
News Briefs – April 2011
MODERATE AEROBIC EXERCISE LINKED TO IMPROVED MEMORY
Researchers have found an association between moderate levels of aerobic exercise and increased size of the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in memory. This is the first study to focus on... Read more »
News Briefs – November 2006
PAIR CERTAIN FOODS TO BEAT CANCER
Evidence announced by the American Institute for Cancer Research on October 23, 2006 seems to suggest that phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables may work synergistically. That is, the combined effect of some... Read more »
News Briefs – December 2006
AIR FRESHENERS POSE ASTHMA RISK
A recent study by the US National Institutes of Health looked at 11 chemical compounds given off by household products such as air fresheners, toilet deodorizers and mothballs and found no connection with health... Read more »
News Briefs – February 2007
FOLATE AND ALZHEIMER’S
Higher intake of the nutrient folate may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 did not yield the same benefit, found a study published January 8. The study, led by Jose... Read more »
News Briefs – March 2007
FOLIC ACID: BENEFIT MAY DEPEND ON B12
The effects of increased folic acid intake among the elderly may be a double-edged sword – with either benefits or harm, depending on the person’s vitamin B12 levels, says a new study.
“In this study of older... Read more »
News Briefs – April 2007
POSSIBLE TREE BARK CANCER CURE
Writing in the March 15, 2007 issue of the journal Eye, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, reported on a study that found a rainforest tree bark extract may cure cancer.
Retinoblastoma... Read more »
News Briefs – May 2007
DAIRY-PARKINSON’S LINK?
According to a new study, there appears to be a relationship between consuming large amounts of dairy products and an increase in the rate of Parkinson’s disease in men. The research does not necessarily equate to a... Read more »
News Briefs – June 2007
PRENATAL LINK TO IMMUNE DYSFUNCTION
Two researchers have conducted the first comprehensive review of the various later-life diseases that develop specifically in people who were exposed to environmental toxins or drugs either in the womb or as... Read more »
News Briefs – July 2007
A ‘GROWING’ RISK FROM CHINA – AND WAL-MART?
China is rapidly becoming the world’s greatest exporter of vegetables, other foods, medicines, food additives, pet foods and other consumables. And in view of China’s recent history of shoddy quality... Read more »
News Briefs – September 2007
VITAMIN DEFICIENCY LINKED TO DIABETES PROBLEMS
A simple vitamin deficiency may be the cause of many of the side effects of diabetes, new research suggests. It is the first time a deficiency of the vitamin – which is found in meat, yeast and... Read more »
News Briefs – November 2007
WHEAT GERM EXTRACT BEATS ANTI-CANCER DRUGS
A Hungarian study has found that a fermented wheat germ extract inhibits human breast cancer cells more effectively than the top three breast cancer drugs. The study adds weight to earlier research... Read more »
News Briefs – December 2007
CAN THIS VITAMIN SLOW AGING?
New research has suggested a possible link between vitamin D and a slowing down in the aging of cells and tissues in women.
A King’s College London study involving 2,160 women found fewer age-related changes in the DNA... Read more »
News Briefs – February 2008
PLANT REMEDIES FACING EXTINCTION
Hundreds of medicinal and herbal supplement plants are at risk of extinction, threatening the discovery of future cures for disease, according to a report released in January 2008 by Botanic Gardens Conservation... Read more »
News Briefs – March 2008
INSTANT BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION
Drinking 500 ml of beetroot juice a day can significantly reduce blood pressure, UK research suggests. The key beneficial ingredient appears to be nitrate, which is also found in green, leafy vegetables. The... Read more »
News Briefs – April 2008
Ginkgo Protects Memory
Taking the herbal supplement ginkgo biloba may delay the onset of cognitive impairment in elderly adults, according to a three-year Oregon study posted, ahead of print publication, on the website of the journal Neurology.
... Read more »News Briefs – May 2008
CANCER’S SECRETS REVEALED
Canadian scientists say they’ve discovered that cancer cells spread by releasing protein “bubbles,” a finding that might alter our concept of how cancer works.
Janusz Rak, PhD, and colleagues at the Research Institute of... Read more »
News Briefs – March 2011
MEDITERRANEAN DIET LOWERS DIABETES RISK
A study has determined that either of two different versions of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) results in a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes among those at high risk of cardiovascular disease, compared to a... Read more »
News Briefs – June 2008
ANTIOXIDANT VALUES POSTED
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has posted online its 2007 report on the antioxidant ratings for various fruit juices and foods. The research places blueberry juice at the top of the list of juices, above more... Read more »
News Briefs – July 2008
PRODUCE (NOT PROTEIN) MAINTAINS MUSCLE
While many people associate protein intake with maintaining muscle size, a newly released study by US Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-funded scientists suggests that it is fruits and vegetables – not... Read more »
News Briefs – September 2008
MEDITERRANEAN DIET — WHAT FOODS CUT CANCER
You’ve heard previously that the so-called Mediterranean diet seems to lower the risk of cancer. But a new study is one of the largest yet to look at the potential impact on cancer of the various... Read more »
News Briefs – October 2008
VITAMIN K2 CUTS HEART RISK
According to a study that has been accepted by, and will be published soon in, the journal Atherosclerosis, a higher intake of vitamin K2 is associated with less calcification of coronary arteries. For vitamin K1, no such... Read more »
News Briefs – November 2008
FRIENDLY BACTERIA A CURE FOR CROHN’S DISEASE?
A simple cure for Crohn’s disease could become available soon, suggests a study published in the October 20, 2008 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (Crohn’s disease... Read more »
News Briefs – December 2008
COPPER KILLS SUPER-BUGS
A UK study has found that copper fittings – copper door handles, toilet seats, door push plates, taps and light switches – rapidly kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria, succeeding where other infection control measures... Read more »
News Briefs – March 2009
VITAMIN C LINKED TO LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE
A study in young adult women links high blood levels of vitamin C with lower blood pressure. This “strongly suggests that vitamin C is specifically important in maintaining a healthy blood pressure,” said... Read more »
News Briefs – April 2009
VITAMIN D PREVENTS COLDS AND INFLUENZA
In the largest study yet of the association between vitamin D and respiratory infections, people with the lowest blood vitamin D levels reported having significantly more recent colds or cases of influenza.... Read more »
News Briefs – May 2009
BEANS FIGHT OFF PERIPHERAL ARTERY DISEASE
A new clinical study by researchers at the Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM) shows that daily consumption of pulses – beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas – leads to major... Read more »
News Briefs – June 2009
VITAMIN D BOOSTS BRAIN POWER?
Increased levels of vitamin D – synthesized in the skin following sun exposure and found in certain foods, such as oily fish, as well as supplements – are linked to improved cognitive function in middle-aged and older... Read more »
News Briefs – July 2009
Vitamin D Suggested for Cancer Patients
Vitamin D deficiency was found to be prevalent in cancer patients regardless of nutritional status, according to the results of a recent study conducted at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), a... Read more »
News Briefs – February 2011
US GOVERNMENT REVERSES STAND ON FLUORIDATION LEVELS
In a surprising reversal of decades of fluoridation policy, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) – supported by the CDC – announced January 7, 2011, that Americans are getting... Read more »
News Briefs - October 2010
SELENIUM SUPPLEMENTS REDUCE BLADDER CANCER RISK
A study has found that, depending on a person’s individual characteristics, increasing his/her selenium intake can lower the risk of bladder cancer by as much as 39 percent. (Selenium is an essential... Read more »
News Briefs - November 2010
MULTIVITAMIN USE MAY PREVENT HEART ATTACKS IN WOMEN
A study of 31,671 women has found that, compared to taking no supplements at all, regular daily use of multivitamins over a minimum ten-year period reduced the incidence of myocardial infarction... Read more »
News Briefs – September 2009
Asparagus Extract Relieves Hangovers
The amino acids and minerals found in asparagus extract may alleviate alcohol hangover and protect liver cells against toxins, according to a study in the Aug. 14, 2009 issue of the Journal of Food Science,... Read more »
News Briefs – October 2009
Showers Spray Harmful Bacteria
A disturbing study reported in the Sept. 15, 2009 edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that the showers people enjoy everyday are actually spraying them with bacteria.
This news should not... Read more »
News Briefs – November 2009
High-Fat Diets Damage Muscle
A new Canadian study on mice suggests that high-fat diets significantly impair skeletal muscle – long before other pre-diabetic changes appear, such as insulin resistance, weight gain and greater fat mass. Initially,... Read more »
News Briefs – December 2009
Vitamin D Alleviates Multiple Sclerosis
Australian scientists have found that vitamin D may slow the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). Previously, figures had shown that people living in Tasmania – the state furthest from the equator which... Read more »
News Briefs – February 2010
BPA AFFECTS CHILDREN, ADMITS FDA
After earlier statements that declared bisphenol A (BPA) safe for all uses, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) admitted on January 17 that BPA affects human development and said it is working to take the... Read more »
News Briefs – March 2010
NEW SUPPLEMENT FORMULA OFFSETS SYMPTOMS OF AGING
Researchers at McMaster University have developed a cocktail of ingredients that forestalls major aspects of the aging process, at least in mice. The formula maintained youthful levels of locomotor... Read more »
News Briefs – May 2010
THIS DIET PROTECTS AGAINST ALZHEIMER’S
A study has identified a combination of foods that reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Scientists defined various dietary patterns among 2,148 persons. One diet type stood out as effective against... Read more »
News Briefs – April 2010
WALNUTS MAY FIGHT PROSTATE CANCER
For the first time, a study has found that walnuts, previously shown to help prevent heart disease, might fight prostate cancer. After two months, the equivalent for humans of 14 shelled walnuts, or 2.5 ounces,... Read more »
News Briefs – June 2010
OBESITY LINKED TO FIBROMYALGIA
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have found an association between the level of leisure time physical exercise and a future risk of developing fibromyalgia. The research team also... Read more »
News Briefs – July 2010
VITAMIN D MAY PREVENT SENIOR DEMENTIA
Cognitive performance is much improved among the elderly who are not deficient in vitamin D, and vitamin D deficiency may be common among shut-in seniors due to limited access to sunshine and other factors,... Read more »
News Briefs – September 2010
ARTIFICIALLY SWEETENED DRINKS RAISE RISK OF PRE-TERM BIRTHS
Sugar-sweetened drinks have been linked to health problems such as weight gain; as a result, artificially sweetened soft drinks have often been promoted as an alternative. However, the... Read more »
News Briefs – December 2010
DIABETES CASES COULD TRIPLE BY 2050
A new U.S. federal government study warns that the number of American adults with diabetes could double or triple by 2050 if current trends continue. Among the reasons provided for the projected steep rise are... Read more »
