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, 2006 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). Researchers found three documented cases of patients […]

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 practice of adding fluoride to drinking water. About 60% of Americans and 40% of Canadians […]

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 benefits from a low-fat diet. However, critics of the study said […]

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 study is needed to draw hard conclusions. However, over 14,000 subjects were […]

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 ppm selenium in volunteers’ bodies, there was a 15-20% decrease in their risk of knee osteoarthritis. This work is […]

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 Phytochemistry found that cranberry juice cocktail shows novel bacteria-blocking benefits, even following a single serving. […]

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 of the flavour found in cruciferous vegetables, the family that includes cabbage and broccoli. Other cruciferous veggies […]

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 staircase up one side representing the need for about 30 minutes of exercise daily. The new-look […]