Vitamin E and lung cancer risk

Vitamin E, when used in its four tocopherol form, was shown to significantly reduce lung cancer risk in a recent study, as opposed to the alpha-tocopherol form, which is the form most studies have used.

The Institute for Progressive Medicine’s Natural Vitamin E and Mixed Tocopherols contains all four tocopherols as found in nature. (more…)

Ginkgo may prevent brain damage against stroke

Working with genetically engineered mice, researchers at Johns Hopkins have shown that daily doses of a standardized extract from the leaves of the ginkgo tree can prevent or reduce brain damage after an induced stroke. Said lead researcher Sylvain Doré, Ph.D., an associate professor in the department of anesthesiology and critical care medicine, “if further work confirms what we’ve seen, we could theoretically recommend a daily regimen of ginkgo to people at high risk of stroke as a preventive measure against brain damage.” (more…)

LDL-Cholesterol: How Low Should We Go?

The current pharmaceutical-influenced guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program are already focused on LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) as a measure of risk and targets for therapy. These guidelines suggest that therapy should begin in everyone with an LDL-cholesterol level above 160 and should reach targets as low as 100 for secondary prevention or in diabetics. And even while these guidelines discuss the use of therapeutic lifestyle changes, along with recommendations of diet, exercise and the increased use of soluble fiber and plant sterols; most clinicians choose a lipid-lowering pharmaceutical drug to accomplish the target. Statins are often used because they have the most profound effect on LDL-Cholesterol. (more…)

If you’re having a difficult time quitting smoking make sure to use this powerful antioxidant.
People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could one day benefit from an antioxidant compound in broccoli, researchers report. “In COPD, there is critical loss of antioxidant systems, which protect against oxidative stress and inflammation,” explained lead researcher Shyam Biswal, an associate professor in the department of environmental health sciences and the division of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, in Baltimore.

“Even though there is a loss of this system, you can substantially restore it with an activator for this pathway,” Biswal said. A compound in broccoli called sulforaphane has been shown effective in restoring antioxidant gene activity. “So this could be a new way of doing therapy,” Biswal theorized. Make sure to get plenty of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts in your diet. (more…)

Pectin May Help Prevent Spread of Cancer

Scientists have found a new possible explanation for why people who eat more fruit and vegetables may gain protection against the spread of cancers. They have shown that a fragment released from pectin, found in all fruits and vegetables, binds to and is believed to inhibit galectin 3 (Gal3), a protein that plays a role in all stages of cancer progression. Pectin is better known for its jam-setting qualities and as being a component of dietary fiber. (more…)