Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

If you are suffering from joint pain, you may want to consider taking a new extract made from brown seaweed, according to a study recently published in the February 2010 issue of Biologics: Targets & Therapy.

For the study, researchers with the Center for Health and Wellbeing in Australia recruited 12 individuals suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee with an average age of 62.

The participants were given 100 mg or 1000 mg of brown seaweed extract for 12 weeks.

The researchers measured symptoms of osteoarthritis using an internationally-validated test called COAT (Comprehensive Osteoarthritis Test.) They found that the higher dose of seaweed extract reduced osteoarthritis symptoms by over 50% and the lower dose reduced symptoms by 18%.

The researchers said their findings may mean that osteoarthritis sufferers will be able to reduce or replace their drug intake. They noted that further studies involving more participants are needed to confirm their findings.

Previous studies have already shown that brown seaweed extract may improve blood sugar, lower cholesterol, boost immune system, alleviating joint pain, help with colon and liver health, and boost the immune system.

Another natural joint health product that has gained recent attention is shea tree extract, which was shown to reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis in a study published in the December 2009 issue of the journal Phytotherapy Research.

The joint health market is currently dominated by glucosamine, but results from recent studies have shown it may not be as effective as originally thought.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Pregnant women may be able to keep their children healthy before they are even born by taking probiotics during their pregnancy, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Turku in Finland.

The study findings were published in the February 2010 issue of the British Journal of Nutrition.

For the study, the Finnish researchers recruited 256 women in their first trimester of pregnancy. The women were randomly assigned to a control group or a group that received probiotics daily. The reearchers then followed the mothers and the babies for 24 months.

They found that probiotic supplementation reduced the risk of gestational diabetes by 20%. There were no negative effects associated with the supplementation.

Additionally, the rate of larger birth size was also significantly lower among the probiotic group. Birth size is a marker for later obesity.

Offspring of women who suffer from gestational diabetes during pregnancy are at an increased risk for childhood obesity and diabetes as they get older. Additionally, gestational diabetes increases a woman’s risk of developing type-2 diabetes.

Probiotics have been shown to provide a large range of other health benefits, particularly in regards to treating gut problems and gastrointestinal disorders. Probiotics also may boost the immune system, delay the development of allergies and possibly even help children avoid the flu.

To boost probiotic levels in your gut, try consuming more yogurt and cultured milk products. You can also try incorporating a quality probiotic supplement into your diet. Make sure the supplement contains several probiotic strains and is packaged to block light, air, and moisture, which can easily kill probiotics.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Constipation affects 27% of the population of Western countries and most people rely on laxatives for relief. However, a recent study shows that rye bread may actually be more effective.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Helsinki, Finland and the findings were published in the January 2010 issue of the Journal of Nutrition.

For the study the researchers recruited 51 adults suffering from constipation and assigned them to one of five groups:

1. received the whole-grain rye bread (240 grams per day),

2. received buttermilk containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG)

3. received both rye bread and LGG

4. received white wheat bread

5. received laxatives

The researchers found that rye bread out performed laxatives and white bread for constipation relief by 23% and 43% respectively. Additionally, they found that Lactobacillus rhamnosus, a probiotic that helps with digestion, had no effect on constipation.

The researchers believe that rye’s fiber content is responsible for its ability to relieve constipation.

The biggest cause of constipation can be linked back to the type of food you eat on a daily basis. If you are not eating the right foods, this will often times result in not having the ideal 1-3 bowel movements per day.

Apart from rye, some other foods that help with digestion and have been shown to relieve constipation include:

Fruits and Vegetables

Nuts & Seeds (In Moderation)

Legumes

Rice

Oats

Alternatively, eating a lot of unhealthy foods like processed pasta, white bread, deep fried food or even too much meat and dairy can increase the likelihood of experiencing constipation.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

95% of mature adults have vitamin D deficiency or inefficiency. A recent analysis of nearly 30 studies shows yet another reason why this trend could be extremely dangerous, even deadly.

Researchers from the University of Warwick in England conducted the meta-analysis which included 28 studies and nearly 100,000 participants. Their findings were published in the February 2010 issue of the journal Maturitas.

The researchers found that mature adults with the highest vitamin D levels have a 33% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, 55% reduction in the risk of type-2 diabetes and 51% reduction in metabolic syndrome risk.

This study shows once again that vitamin D is important for more than just lower blood pressure and possibly even improve overall mood.

The easiest way to ensure you get your daily dose of the sunshine vitamin is by taking a supplement. Increased exposure to the sun can also be effective, as vitamin D is synthesized when our skin is exposed to the sun. However, it is important to take the risk of sun cancer into account.

Eating more foods fortified with the vitamin, such as milk, cereal, orange juice and yogurt, is also a good way of increasing your vitamin D intake.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Good news for beer drinkers; the hoppy beverage may actually be good for your bone health.

Researchers from the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of California recently analyzed 100 commercial beers and found high levels of dietary silicon, an key ingredient for bone health.

The researchers published their findings in the February 2010 issue of the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

The silicon content of the beers ranged from 6.4 mg/L to 56.5 mg/L. While there are no official daily recommendations for silicon intake in the US, the researchers say most Americans only get between 20- 50 mg daily.

The researchers found that the type of beer you drink has a significant effect on the silicon you will get. The averages for some common beers were:

India Pale Ale (IPA): 41.2 mg/L
Ales: 32.8 mg/L
Pale Ale: 36.5 mg/L
Sorghum: 27.3 mg/L
Lagers: 23.7 mg/L
Wheat: 18.9 mg/L
Light lagers: 17.2 mg/L
Non Alcoholic: 16.3 mg/L

A liter of beer is the equivalent of two beers, so it is possible to get upwards of 35mg daily from drinking two beers.

Beers with the most hops had much higher levels of silicon and pale colored beers beat out darker products.

The researchers noted that these findings support prior research that has linked moderate beer consumption with health benefits. One study published in the May 2009 issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health found that moderate beer drinkers have an average life expectancy 2.5 years longer than non-drinkers.

However, they also note that drinking more than 1-2 beers can quickly negate any potential benefits.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Pancreatic cancer has a very high mortality rate, but to date little research has been conducted on the causes and potential preventions of the disease. Thanks to a recent study, we may now be closer to understanding how our diet can help prevent this deadly disease.

Researchers with the School of Medicine at the University of California in San Francisco published their findings in the January 2010 issue of the International Journal of Cancer.

For the study, the researchers analyzed data obtained from a large population-based case-control study in the San Francisco Bay area. They found that people with high intakes of omega-3 essential fatty acids, vitamin C or vitamin E had a significantly reduced risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

High intakes of omega-3s were associated with a 53% decreased risk and vitamin C and E were linked to a 31% and 33% reduced risk respectively.

They also analyzed intakes of eight different saturated fatty acids and found that participants in the highest quartile had a 60%-160% increased risk of developing this deadly disease compared to those in the lowest quartile.

Finding ways to prevent pancreatic cancer is extremely important because once symptoms appear, it is often too late to stop the disease. That is why only 5% of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer live past five years. In the US alone, 40,000 people are diagnosed with the disease annually and 35,000 people die annually.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer may improve their chances of survival by taking supplements of the omega-3 essential fatty acid DHA. Every year approximately 1.3 million women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer, and nearly half a million die from the disease.

The study was conducted by researchers from the National Institute of Health and Medical Research in France. Their findings were published in the February 2010 issue of the British Journal of Cancer.

The researchers recruited 25 women with breast cancer for their study. In addition to their chemotherapy regimen, all the participants were also given 1.8 grams of DHA daily for 2-6 months.

The researchers found that women with the highest blood levels of DHA had a 34 month survival rate compared to just 22 months for women with the lowest levels.

These results are especially impressive because the women partaking in the study had particularly bad prognoses at the beginning of the study. In 68% of them, the cancer had spread to the liver, which lowers the median overall survival rate to 14 months.

In addition, there were no negative side effects associated with the DHA supplementation.

The researchers note that the study suggests DHA may improve cancer survival rates by sensitizing tumors to chemotherapy. Additional research is planned to support this finding.

Taking a high quality supplement high in the omega-3 essential fatty acids DHA and EPA is one way to up your omega-3 intake and enjoy the many benefits associated with these essential fatty acids. Some of these benefits include improvements in heart health, cognitive function and reductions in cancer risk.

You can also get your daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids by eating more oily fish like salmon, mackerel and tuna.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

The health risks associated with smoking vary from cancer to respiratory illnesses to macular degeneration. However, a recent study shows that carotenoids may help women who smoke reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.

Carotenoids are organic pigments that give plants, fruits and vegetables color. Many carotenoids are potent antioxidants that may help reduce oxidative stress in the body, which is a side effect of tobacco smoke.

This recent study was published in the February 2010 issue of the European Journal of Cancer.

For the study, researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm followed over 35,000 women for nearly a decade. Over the course of the study, 1,008 cases of breast cancer were documented.

The researchers found that participants with the highest levels of beta-carotene had a 65% reduced risk of developing breast cancer and those with the highest levels of alpha- carotene had a 68% reduction.

Although more research is necessary to verify the link between carotenoid intake and breast cancer risk, carotenoids have already been shown to provide a large number of other health benefits.

These benefits include improvements in bone and heart health and reductions in the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.

You can up your carotenoid intake by eating more green leafy vegetables or by taking a high quality supplement.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

A link between cholesterol levels and consumption of either prebiotics or soy protein alone has never been established. However, a recent study found that taking the two together may be an effective, natural way to lower cholesterol.

This recent study on prebiotics and soy protein was conducted by researchers from the University of Toronto and published in the February 2010 issue of the journal Metabolism.

For the study, the Canadian researchers recruited 23 people with an average age of 58. The participants were placed on the following dietary interventions on a rotating basis:

1. A soy food-containing diet that included 30 grams per day of soy protein and 61 milligrams per day of isoflavones, plus maltodextrin (a placebo).
2. The soy food diet plus the prebiotic.
3. A low-fat dairy diet plus the prebiotic.

Two weeks separated each dietary intervention and all of the participants completed all three stages.

The researchers found that the soy-prebiotic combination resulted in the largest reduction in overall LDL (bad) cholesterol. The combination also appeared to increase blood levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.

This study furthers the science backing soy’s potential for lowering cholesterol, when taken in combination with a prebiotic.

Prebiotics help your body produce good bacteria called probiotics and serve as food for the friendly bacteria. Maintaining a healthy level of good bacteria plays a crucial role in digestive health and immune system function and can also help control the growth of disease-causing bad bacteria.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Women that consume more folate, whether in their diet or through supplements, may significantly reduce their risk of developing pancreatic cancer according to a recent study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The NIH researchers published their findings in the 2010 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The researchers analyzed dietary data, including multivitamin use, of over 100,000 participants aged 55-74 at the start of the study. The dietary data was acquired through self administered food frequency questionnaires from 1998-2005.

During the study, 162 men and 104 women developed pancreatic cancer. The researchers found that women with the highest folate levels were 50% less likely to develop pancreatic cancer. However, a similar association was not found for men.

This study comes on the heels of a recent study by Japanese researchers that showed folate may help people avoid depression. Folate has also been shown to reduce the risk of birth defects, stroke and hearing loss.

You can get folate (vitamin B9) naturally through a variety of foods including leafy green vegetables, dried beans, lentils and peas. The man-made version of folate is called folic acid and it can be found in supplement form and as an additive in foods like bread, cereal and grains.

Be sure to cook your foods correctly to get the optimum amount of folate; for instance, steaming instead of boiling vegetables.