Can Coffee Prevent Cancer?
July 21, 2011 by admin
Filed under News Stories
July 21st, 2011
Medill.Northwestern.edu
By: Ja’nel Johnson
Should you drink five or six cups of coffee a day to try to prevent cancer? Millions of people are asking themselves this question following research suggesting coffee lowers the risk of breast and prostate cancer.
In the past, reports that coffee lead to insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, irritability, digestive problems and muscle tremors gave the beverage a bad rap. But new studies in recent years have shown that coffee can actually provide health benefits.
The latest research suggests that coffee can help prevent prostate cancer and breast cancer, the sceond most common cancers in men and women, respectively.
Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm found that drinking coffee reduces the risk of antiestrogen-resistant estrogen- receptor (ER)- negative breast cancer among postmenopausal women. The study was published in May in the journal Breast Cancer Research.
“Women who drank five cups of coffee a day had a 57 percent lower risk for ER-negative cancer than those who drank less than one cup a day,” said Jingmei Li, author of the study.
She said ER-positive and ER-negative cancers are generally considered biologically distinct diseases and have been associated with remarkably different gene expression profiles.
Researchers tested 5,929 women between the ages of 50 and 74. Questionnaires were used to assess behavioral and health characteristics including coffee consumption, smoking and drinking patterns, physical activity routines, family history of breast cancer, hormone therapy protocols, nutritional intake, body mass index and education level, according to Li.
Lizette White,43, of Evanston, isn’t a regular coffee drinker, but when she does have a taste for the beverage, she usually goes to Kafein located in downtown Evanston. She said she found the research to be interesting, but not a reason to drink more coffee.
“If there were actual proof that there was a big difference, I might boost my coffee consumption a little bit, but I don’t think I would ever be the person drinking five cups a day,” White said.
Li said the study didn’t collect specific information on what kind of coffee was consumed and that the research doesn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
“Before I go tell my neighbors to start drinking more coffee than they already do, I would like to know what is the biological mechanism at work here?,” Li said.
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health found in another study, that the biologically active compounds in coffee may lower the risk of lethal prostate cancer. The research was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute last month.
Men, who drank six or more cups of coffee a day, had an 18 percent lower risk of prostate cancer compared with men who did not drink coffee. Caffeine wasn’t found to be a factor in the study because those who drank decaf had the same protection as those who drank regular coffee.
Dr. Gerald Chodak, a former University of Chicago urologist who now consults and educates people about prostate cancer, said doctors can’t recommend patients to drink more coffee based on the study.
“It doesn’t prove cause and effect,” he said.
Researchers tested 47,911 men between the ages of 40 and 74 from 1986 to 2006. As in the breast cancer study, participants were given questionnaires to assess their coffee intake and food habits. Starting in 1986, participants reported their intake of regular and decaffeinated coffee every four years. The study was adjusted for smoking, obesity and other variables.
Chodak, author of the new book “Winning the Battle Against Prostate Cancer,” said researchers did a good job and that the information is recent, but it’s not enough to tell people to change their behavior.
“You tell people if they’re going to change their behavior it should be based on a study that has a clear result and this study design does not do that,” he said. “It might be true, but it might not be. And you don’t know the adverse effects of drinking six cups of coffee.”
Howard Soule, chief science officer at the Prostate Cancer Foundation in Santa Monica, Calif., said the research is an interesting observation. He said although it’s an important finding that should be tested, it’s not likely researchers are going to do an experiment.
“This is an observational study that generated the finding that six cups of coffee result in less prostate cancer,” he said. “It’s not a prospective clinical trial.”
Soule said that researchers believe the antioxidants associated with coffee beans protect tissues from environmental insults that cause cancer. He said people should consult with their doctors before making any changes.
“If they’re going to start drinking six cups of coffee a day, they need to talk to their doctor first and hopefully their doctor is well informed,” he said.
Paul Olczak, 26, of Evanston, found the research interesting since his father has late-stage prostate cancer, but doesn’t think the findings affect his life. He said he drinks four or five cups of coffee a day because he likes it. He said as an engineer, drinking coffee is the thing to do.
“It’s like a social norm,” he said. “If you don’t drink black coffee, you’re less of an engineer.”
Joseph DeRupo, director of external member relations and communications at the National Coffee Association, said 58 percent of all Americans drink coffee every day and the average number of cups per day is 3.4 per coffee drinker.
He said all of the research is welcomed by coffee drinkers who want to know that drinking coffee is good for them.
“Instead of having them drink more, it will stop them from feeling a need to drink less because there are no longer those old negative myths,” he said. “They have all been debunked.”
DeRupo said the science behind the healing powers of coffee makes sense.
“There are health benefits that come from this natural product,” he said. “It’s a bean that’s grown naturally and like any natural plant, it has many properties.”
Martin Zeff, 24, of Evanston, is also a regular customer at Kafein. He said although studies report coffee being good for those who consume it, he doesn’t plan to increase his coffee intake.
“I feel like if I drink six cups of coffee a day, maybe I wouldn’t have prostate cancer, but I’d be too twitchy to live in a normal environment,” he said. “That is way too much caffeine for one person to ever drink in a day.”
Click here for the full report from Medill.Northwestern.edu
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The Amazing Benefits of Pink Grapefruit Essential Oil
December 27, 2010 by admin
Filed under News Stories
December 27th, 2010
Natural News
By: Jo Hartley
Pink Grapefruit Essential Oil is cold pressed from the rind of the grapefruit. This beneficial essential oil is not only a cleansing and revitalizing oil, but its bright aroma energizes and uplifts the spirit. Pink Grapefruit is also known to stop cravings for sweets. If one is struggling with weight loss, this essential oil can be a very helpful addition to an aromatherapy routine
Pink Grapefruit is actually referred to as the “dieter’s friend.” It is also recommended for treating eating disorders and obesity issues.
Pink Grapefruit is a perfect way to jump into those difficult mornings when you can’t bring yourself to crawl out of bed. If it is kept it by the bedside it can be of great help to get moving and wake up. Also, consider using this essential oil for aromatherapy when feelings of being overwhelmed threaten. When one feels drained, Grapefruit oil can help renew a healthy optimism!
Pink Grapefruit essential oil is also useful for enhancing self esteem. After inhalation, one will feel a sense of empowerment. It is not unusual for people to actually recapture childlike joy after inhaling Pink Grapefruit oil. The urge to skip down the street or jump on the bed would not be unheard of.
Not only does Pink Grapefruit help to diminish people’s appetites, but it also helps improve digestion and metabolism.
Adding a drop or two of Pink Grapefruit essential oil to the shampoo bottle will result in a lustrous shine in one’s hair. Pink Grapefruit has also been shown to help eliminate oily scalps and other skin and hair conditions.
If Pink Grapefruit oil is applied topically, it can have beneficial toning and astringent effects. It has also been proven to stimulate the lymphatic system. In this way it helps the body remove toxins. Pink Grapefruit oil also stimulates liver and gallbladder function. It makes an excellent body tonic because it increases circulation and it tones skin cells.
According to ancient medicine, the sour taste of Grapefruit oil can be used to regulate and balance conditions like flatulence, constipation, anxiety, worry, restlessness, PMS, and insomnia. The sour taste also helps improve a sluggish digestive system.
Last, but not least, Pink Grapefruit makes an amazing room freshener and deodorizer. It even works as a disinfectant and can be very effective as an aromatic mist!
How to use Pink Grapefruit Essential Oil:
Remember that it is important to use certified organic cold pressed oil extracted from the rind of the fruit. Pesticides are on the surfaces of fruits and vegetables and cannot simply be washed completely off.
Place one to three drops of Pink Grapefruit onto the palm of the hand.
Rub the hands together vigorously, cup the hands together, and slowly inhale the zesty aroma. You can readily adjust the intensity of the aroma simply by increasing or decreasing how close the hands are held to the nose.
Breathe in the scent of Pink Grapefruit 5 to 20 minutes prior to a meal. It is also important to drink 8 ounces of pure water after inhaling the oil.
If a blend is created with wild Patchouli essential oil, the effect of the Pink Grapefruit essential oil will be enhanced and the result will be a natural appetite suppressant.
