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Healthy Diet, Walnuts May Help Fight Ageing Effects

Eating an overall healthy diet, including certain foods such as walnuts and other whole foods, may reduce the risk of physical function impairments throughout the ageing process in women, a new study at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in the US has revealed. For the study, the team looked at data from 54,762 women in the Nurses' Health Study, which tracked women for over 30 years.

Between 1992 and 2008, the team examined these participants' association between the dietary habits of the participants and subsequent impairment in physical function.

Women who consumed 1-2 servings of walnuts per week (1/4 cup per serving) showed reduced risk of developing impairments in physical functions, the study said.Walnuts are unique among nuts in that they are primarily composed of polyunsaturated fat (13 grams per ounce), which includes alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid. They are the only nut to contain a significant amount of ALA with 2.5 grams per one ounce serving, the study noted."There is a lot of research that looks at specific health conditions in ageing, such as diabetes and heart disease, but less attention to research on quality of life and ability to maintain independence with ageing," said Professor Francine Grodstein.Further, a higher intake of fruits and vegetables, lower intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, trans fat and sodium and moderate alcohol intake were diets most associated with reduced rates of incident physical impairment. Among food components, the strongest relations were found for increased intakes of oranges, orange juice, apples, pears, romaine or leaf lettuce and walnuts. Overall diet quality, rather than individual foods, may have a greater impact on reducing risk of physical function impairments, emphasised the paper published in the Journal of Nutrition.

Eating Nuts May Cut Mortality Risk From Prostate Cancer

Men suffering from prostate cancer may significantly reduce their risk of mortality by consuming nuts like almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios and walnuts, new research from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, US suggests.Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed and second most lethal cancer for men."Prostate cancer should be considered seriously as more men are prone to such diseases," said lead researcher Ying Bao.

The findings showed that people who consume nuts five or more times in a week had a 34 per cent decreased risk of mortality due to prostate cancer in comparison to those who consumed nuts less than once per month."Just 1.5 ounces of nuts per day (about 1/3 cup) can have a positive impact on health," added Maureen Ternus, Executive Director at the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research & Education Foundation -- a US based non-profit organisation. 'Insulin resistance', a condition in which the cells of the body become resistant to the hormone insulin, is involved in prostate cancer risk and progression.Tree nuts have also been associated with improved insulin sensitivity and reduced risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, thereby lowering the total mortality factor. In addition, nuts contain important nutrients such as unsaturated fats, high quality protein, vitamins, minerals and phyto-chemicals, all of which offer cardio-protective, anti- carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, the researchers said.For the study published online in the British Journal of Cancer, the team evaluated 47,299 men, for an overall period of 26 years. The participants were diagnosed with non-metastatic cancer. Only 10 per cent of them died from prostate cancer. Around one-third died from cardiovascular disease and other causes. "These findings add to the growing body of evidence showing that nuts should be part of a healthy diet," Ternus noted.

Coffee Itself Isn't Cancerous,

If you're like many Americans who enjoy a cup of Joe in the morning, you'll be happy to know that the World Health Organization released its long-anticipated report on coffee, and its findings bode well for your health.In reviewing the most recent scientific evidence over the past 25 years since its last analysis on the matter, the WHO concluded that coffee should no longer be considered a carcinogen and that it may actually have positive effects for your body when it comes to two types of cancers - liver and uterine cancers.Now before you start ordering that second steaming cup, it's important to know that the WHO report wasn't all good news. There was another significant finding: "Very hot" beverages "probably" cause cancer. This is mostly based on studies related to the consumption of a traditional drink called mate or cimarron in South America where the tea can be taken at temperatures around 158 degrees Fahrenheit (or 70 degrees Celsius). That's significantly hotter than people in North America or Europe usually consume their drinks.The findings were published in The Lancet Oncology on Wednesday.

These results suggest that drinking very hot beveragesis one probable cause of esophageal cancer and that it is the temperature, rather than the drinks themselves, that appears to be responsible," said Christopher Wild, director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer.In a conference call with reporters, Wild and other officials were unable to quantify the risk - "We can't put a number on it at this stage," they said - but they had some practical advice for people who consume hot beverages."Certainly wait a few minutes more before drinking your drink," the IARC said.The decision to reclassify coffee is a major victory for the industry, which has been aggressively lobbying for such an action. For organizations, such as the WHO, that are charged with protecting the public's health, it's often politically trickier to say a product causes no harm than to say a product causes harm - even for one as beloved as coffee. In the United States, when a federal advisory committee issued recommendations regarding the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in 2015 and said coffee could be part of a "healthy diet," there was a significant backlash. The new U.S. recommendations, officially issued in January, say that up to five eight-ounce cups a day is fine.The National Coffee Association cheered the WHO finding, pointing out that it's the first time a foodstuff or beverage has ever been positively reclassified by the scientists."Coffee drinkers have known for a long time that their go-to beverage is a super food," association president President Bill Murray said in a statement. "Today we can brew or buy a cup with even more confidence thanks to science.""More confidence" are the key words here as science is a moving target, especially in terms of food, as bodies making recommendations about what people consume have tended to flip-flop in recent years.The WHO working group said that it reviewed more than 1,000 studies in humans and animals in making its decision, and that there was "inadequate evidence" for the carcinogenicity of coffee drinking overall. It noted that epidemiological studies mentioned no impact of coffee drinking, specifically on cancers of the pancreas, prostate and female breast. Reduced risks were seen for cancers of the liver and uterine endometrium. For more than 20 other types of cancer, the evidence was inconclusive.Although the WHO's coffee decision was carefully thought out and involved countless hours of research by some of the top minds in nutrition science, you should keep in mind that it's just a snapshot in time in terms of what we know. Remember that meat was once thought to be good and important for your health, but the WHO told us last year that it now thinks hot dogs and bacon cause cancer and red meat "probably does," too. Many other changes have taken place over just the past few months: Cholesterol, the boogieman of our diets since the 1960s, suddenly became less harmful in January when the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans came out - as did salt.The coffee issue is also far from definitively resolved. Early work shows that there may be at least one location in your genes that may determine whether you process caffeine quickly or slowly, and that there is a roughly 50-50 split among humans. That has led some experts to wonder whether a general rule about the good or ill effects of a food means anything to individuals."A one-size-fits-all recommendation for coffee won't work. Some people just can't tolerate it," Marilyn Cornelis, a Northwestern medical school professor, said at the time.

Drink Cranberry Juice Daily to Ward Off Urinary Infection

The findings showed that daily consumption of an 8-ounce glass of cranberry juice can reduce symptomatic UTIs by nearly 40 per cent in women with recurrent UTIs. Also, it will help decrease the antibiotic use associated with treating recurrent UTIs.

"Currently the primary approach to reducing symptomatic events of UTI is the use of chronic antibiotics for suppression, an approach associated with side effects and development of antibiotic resistance," said Professor Kalpana Gupta.

UTIs are among the most common bacterial infections in women worldwide. Some 150 million UTIs occur annually worldwide, according to the American Urological Association. Up to 60 per cent of all women suffer a UTI in their lifetime and up to 25 per cent experience a recurrence within six months. Antibiotics are usually the first line of treatment for urinary tract infections, and women who have frequent UTIs may be prescribed low-dose antibiotics. Unfortunately, chronic overuse of these drugs has increased antibiotic resistance at an alarming rate globally, the researchers said.

Cranberries contain multiple, unique elements and compounds including Type-A PACs (or proanthocyanidins) that prevents bacteria from sticking and causing infection as well as other anti-bacterial properties against E. coli -- a type of bacteria commonly found in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and a the major cause of UTI. "The key to cranberry's benefit is consuming a glass daily to help avoid the infection altogether. Most people wait to drink cranberry juice until they have a UTI, but once the symptoms start they'll likely need a course of antibiotics," added Gupta in the paper published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Want to Live Longer? Eat More Whole Grains

Whole grains contain all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed in their original proportions. Whole grains are packed with nutrients, including protein, fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants, and trace minerals (iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium).

Consuming nearly four servings of whole grains such as bran, oatmeal and quinoa a day can reduce the risk of premature death, says a new study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the US.The findings showed that the multiple bio-active compounds in the whole grains contribute to various health benefits. Also, whole grains contain high fiber that is likely to lower cholesterol production, glucose response and increase satiety.For the study, the team conducted a meta-analysis of 12 published studies and which included 786,076 people in US, Britain and the Scandinavian countries between 1970 and 2010.Further, people who consume around 70 grams of whole grains a day showed 22 per cent lower risk of total mortality, 23 per cent lower risk of heart diseases mortality as well as a 20 per cent lower risk of cancer mortality in comparison to those who ate little or no whole grains. "These findings further support current dietary guidelines that recommend at least three daily servings (or 48 grams) of whole grains to improve long-term health and prevent premature death," said Qi Sun, Assistant Professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in the US.The results were published online in the journal Circulation.People should choose foods that are high in whole grain ingredients and reduce the consumption of unhealthy refined carbohydrates, the researchers suggested.Delhi based Anshul Jaibharat says, "First of all whole grain is good for your stomach, they contain high fiber keeping you full for longer and also away from unwanted cravings. It helps in lowering the cholesterol level. They are a good source of vitamins and minerals. Whole grains are also complex carbohydrates which helps in keeping you eneraform of Multi grain Roti, Veg Daliya or Oat pan cake."

Flavor Turmeric

Peppery, warm and bitter flavor Turmeric comes from the root of the Curcuma longa plant and has a tough brown skin and a deep orange flesh. It is long been used as a powerful anti-inflammatory in both the Chinese and Indian systems of medicine. It helps in a wide variety of conditions, including flatulence, jaundice, menstrual difficulties, bloody urine, hemorrhage, toothache, bruises, chest pain, and colic.

Journal of the American Chemical Society mentions that turmeric contains a wide range of antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic and anti-inflammatory properties. Curcuma longa, also known as turmeric, is effective in the treatment of various types of cancer, including breast and ovarian cancer, which has risen 30 percent among women in the last one decade, says a study conducted by B.L. Kapoor Memorial Hospital.Turmeric has nearly 20 molecules with antibiotic property, 14 molecules with cancer preventive potential, 12 with anti-tumour effect, says the study. "At least 12 molecules in it have anti-cancer effect while 10 of them have anti-oxidant features. Overall, turmeric is known for it's antibiotic, antiseptic, anti-cancer and anti-oxidant property. It is known to be a good digestive substance," said the study.According to the study, turmeric contains curcuminoids which are the main component found to be effective in cancer treatment. "Curcumin, the principal curcuminoid of turmeric, has been intensely studied as a cancer protective agent. Its potential has been tapped in head and neck cancers, breast, lung, gastro-intestinal cancer, ovarian cancer, melanoma, neurological cancers, sarcoma, leukemias and lymphoma," said the study.

Inputs from iansTapaswini Sharma, Senior Consultant (Surgical Oncology) at B.L. Kapoor Memorial Hospital, said: "Curcumin suppresses all three stages of carcinogenesis: initiation, promotion and progression. It also has a role in neutralising substances and conditions which lead to cancer.""By inhibiting the enzyme Topoisomerases, which is required for multiplication of cancer cells, it is able to arrest the growth of these cells," said Sharma. With time, cancers cells tend to become resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Sharma observed.Curcumin, on the other hand, when consumed in therapeutic doses, targets several cancer pathways and sensitizes the cancer cells to chemotherapy drugs by increasing the pace of death of the cancer cells, she said."Studies in advanced breast cancer have also shown that curcumin increases the effect of chemotherapy and prevents the spread of cancer cells to the lung," she said. "In lung carcinoma, when curcumin is added to the chemotherapeutic drug, it increases the effectiveness of the drug by promoting cell death of cancer cells. The efficacy of it has also been seen in the brain tumours where it sensitises the tumour cells to the cancer drugs," said Sharma.The study shows curcumin enhanced the effect of radiotherapy by inhibiting tumour regrowth per se, and also by suppressing new vessel formation. Being a powerful anti-oxidant it scavenges all the harmful free radicals induced by radiation exposure of the cells, thereby reducing the side effects of radiotherapy.

According to Delhi based Nutritionist Anshul Jaibharat , "To be brief turmeric can termed as an indian wonder spice. It's anti-inflammatory and hence helps in people suffering from arthritis. It works as an antiseptic and is warm in nature so it's good for people having cold and coughs during changes in weather. The raw form when grinded has the best nutritional value even more than the processed and packaged one. The compound curcumin in turmeric has shown numerous benefits to human body as per both Ayurveda and Modern science."

Going the Healthy Way: Mediterranean Diet Not Linked to Weight Gain

The Mediterranean diet is all about healthy eating and incorporates the basics of healthy and fresh food among other components characterizing the traditional cooking style of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. A traditional Mediterranean diet consisting of large quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, fish and olive oil-coupled with physical activity. It is known to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

A new research conducted by the University of Barcelona finds that consuming a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetable fats such as olive oil or nuts does not lead to significant weight gain compared to a low-fat diet. The findings showed that fats from nuts, fish and phenolic-rich vegetable oils found in the Mediterranean diet are healthier than fats from meat and processed foods. "Our study shows that a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetable fats had little effect on bodyweight or waist circumference compared to people on a low-fat diet," said lead author Ramon Estruch.However, the fear of eating an all fat diet means that a low-fat diet continues to be recommended as a means of weight loss, the researchers said. "The study certainly does not imply that unrestricted diets with high levels of unhealthy fats such as butter, processed meat, sweetened beverages, deserts or fast foods are beneficial," Estruch added.For the study, published in 'The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology' journal, the team included 7447 participants (men and women) aged 55-80 who were randomly assigned to one of three groups - an unrestricted calorie Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil (2543), an unrestricted calorie Mediterranean diet rich in nuts (2454), or a low-fat diet where the advice was to avoid all dietary fat (2450).After five years, the low-fat diet group (from 40 per cent to 37.4 per cent) showed a decrease in the total fat intake and both Mediterranean diet groups (40 per cent to 41.8 per cent in olive oil; 40.4 per cent to 42.2 per cent in nuts) showed slight increase.The percentage of energy intake from protein and carbohydrate decreased in both Mediterranean diet groups. On average, participants in all three groups lost some weight with the greatest weight loss seen in the Mediterranean diet with olive oil group (0.88 kg weight reduction in the olive oil group, compared to 0.60 kg for the low-fat diet group and 0.40 kg for the nuts group)."Calorie-obsessed caveats and warnings about healthier, higher-fat choices such as nuts, phenolic-rich vegetable oils, yoghurt should also be dropped. We must abandon the myth that lower-fat, lower-calorie products lead to less weight gain," commented Dariush Mozaffarian, Professor at Tufts University in the US, in a linked article.

According to Banglaore-based Nutritionist Dr. Sheela Krishnaswamy "Advantages of a Mediterranean diet is the fact that mainly vegetables, olive oil and fish are included in the diet, use of red meat and deep fried food is limited which makes it easier to maintain your health and even your weight."

Fibre-Rich Diet Key to Long, Healthy Life: Study

Fibre is an important part of a healthy balanced diet. It can help prevent heart disease, diabetes, weight gain and some cancers, and can also improve digestive health. It comes exclusively from plants and is not present in meat, fish or animal products (including dairy). Fibre is a complex carbohydrate (type of sugar) which cannot be digested by the human body unlike other carbohydrates, which are broken down by the body to provide fuel in the form of glucose.

Researchers from The Westmead Institute for Medical Research in Australia found that eating the right amount of fibre can help us avoid disease and disability into old age. They have claimed that eating a diet rich in fibre, that includes breads, cereals and fruits, may help you live a healthy and longer life. The research appears in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences.Using data compiled from a study that examined a cohort of more than 1,600 adults aged 50 years and older for long-term sensory loss risk factors and systemic diseases, the researchers explored the relationship between carbohydrate nutrition and healthy ageing.They found that out of all the factors they examined - which included a person's total carbohydrate intake, total fibre intake, glycemic index, glycemic load, and sugar intake - it was the fibre that made the biggest difference to what the researchers termed "successful ageing." Successful ageing was defined as including an absence of disability, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, respiratory symptoms and chronic diseases including cancer, coronary artery disease and stroke.According to Associate Professor Bamini Gopinath from the Institute's Centre for Vision Research, the study is the first to look at the relationship between carbohydrate intake and healthy ageing, and the results were significant enough to warrant further investigation. "Out of all the variables that we looked at, fibre intake - which is a type of carbohydrate that the body can't digest - had the strongest influence," she said."Essentially, we found that those who had the highest intake of fibre or total fibre actually had an almost 80 per cent greater likelihood of living a long and healthy life over a 10-year follow-up. "That is, they were less likely to suffer from hypertension, diabetes, dementia, depression, and functional disability," said Gopinath.While it might have been expected that the level of sugar intake would make the biggest impact on successful ageing, Gopinath pointed out that the particular group they examined were older adults whose intake of carbonated and sugary drinks was quite low, researchers said.

According to Anju Sood, a bangalore-based Nutritionist, "Fibre elongates your digestion time which will further increase your metabolic rate. It also requires a lot of water to get flush out from the body. Excess of fibre is not good as it make you highly constipated. Milk is an important fibre food as it has soluble fibre."

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