Like a cup of coffee or tea during the day? You’ll be happy to learn that drinking about 1/2 a cup of either coffee or tea each day may significantly reduce the risk of certain brain tumors, according to new research published in the November 2010 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

This study was conducted as part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) longitudinal study. The EPIC study followed more than 400,000 individuals from 9 nations for over 8 years. Study participants completed diet, lifestyle and food frequency questionnaires. Cancer diagnosis was based on national cancer registries and health insurance records.

Researchers examined the relationship between coffee and tea intake and the risk of glioma (tumors of the brain or spinal cord) and meningioma (tumors of the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord).

During the course of the study, 343 cases of glioma and 245 cases of meningioma were newly diagnosed. They found that those consuming more than ½ cup of coffee and/or tea per day had a 34% lower risk of developing glioma than those consuming less than ½ cup per day. This effect was stronger in men than women.

They did not find any correlation with consumption and meningioma risk.

The researchers concluded that their data suggests an association between coffee/tea consumption and risk of glioma. They recognize that additional prospective studies need to be undertaken to confirm their findings. Additional experimental studies will need to be conducted to determine whether altering coffee and/or tea consumption necessarily affects brain tumor risk.

Dark chocolate has been touted recently for its heart health benefits and a recent study found that it may also help lower cholesterol levels among diabetics. The study was conducted by University of Hull researchers and published in the October 2010 issue of Diabetic Medicine.

For the study, the British researchers recruited 12 diabetics and split them into two groups. One group was given 45 grams of dark chocolate (high cocoa) and the other was given chocolate containing no cocoa.

After 16 weeks the researchers found that cholesterol levels fell among participants given the dark chocolate. They also found that despite the saturated fat in chocolate, none of the participants gained any weight and the sugar present in the chocolate did not affect control over their diabetes.

Although this was a small study, it aligns with a large body of research surrounding the heart benefits of chocolate. These benefits are often attributed to the high levels of naturally occurring antioxidants in cocoa called flavonols. These antioxidants have been shown to decrease inflammation, protect our DNA from damage and improve heart and brain health.

It is important to note that different kinds of chocolate contain varying amounts of cocoa, and therefore, varying amounts of flavonols. Dark chocolate contains the highest amount of cocoa and is therefore generally considered more healthy.

Researchers from Boston University recently found that vegetables may reduce breast cancer risk among African American women. Their study analyzed data from the ongoing Black Women’s Health Study and the findings were published in the October 2010 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.

For the study, the researchers followed over 50,000 cancer free African American women between 25-69 years of age for 12 years. The women were given a validated food frequency questionnaire in order to asses their dietary intake. By the end of the study period 1,300 of the women had developed breast cancer.

When the researchers compared the diets of women that stayed cancer free to those that developed breast cancer they found that eating 2 or more servings of vegetables a day appeared to reduce the risk of breast cancer by 43%. They also found that broccoli, collard greens, cabbage, and carrots appeared to provide the largest protective effect.

The researchers noted that further studies need to be done to ensure that the association was not due to healthier lifestyles in general among people that ate more vegetables. Either way, there are many clear benefits of eating vegetables ranging from cardiovascular health to weight management. Yet seven out of ten Americans still don’t meet the daily recommendations.

One way to overcome those barriers is by consuming vegetable juice, which can be a convenient and surprisingly tasty addition to any meal. Just be careful to choose a juice with lower sodium content.

Many older adults suffer from vitamin B deficiency and a recent study conducted by researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden found that vitamin B supplements could reduce the risk of dementia. Their findings were published in the October 2010 issue of the journal Neurology.

For the study, researchers recruited 271 Finnish adults aged 65-79 years of age. None of the participants had dementia at the start of the study but after 7 years of follow-up 6% of the participants developed Alzheimer’s.

The researchers found that the participants that did not develop dementia had higher blood levels of vitamin B. They also had lower levels of an amino acid called homocysteine, which is linked to dementia, stroke and heart disease. Previous studies have shown that Vitamin B naturally reduces blood levels of this amino acid.

While the researchers were quick to note that further studies are necessary to look into the link between dementia and vitamin B, previous studies have found significant evidence to back the vitamin’s health benefits.

These studies have found that B vitamins play an important role in many essential functions in the human body including nervous system function, red blood cell formation, and hormone function. They have also been shown to reduce the risk of depression, hearing loss and dementia.

Our bodies do not naturally synthesize B vitamins. However, it is easy to increase your intake of these essential vitamins by eating more vitamin B rich foods or taking a quality supplement. Some foods rich in B vitamins include broccoli, asparagus, potatoes, tuna and salmon. Many milk and flour products are also fortified with B vitamins.

According to a study conducted by researchers at the Universiti Sains Malaysi, tocotrienols (which are members of the vitamin E family) may provide a potential treatment for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). The study findings were published in the September 2010 issue of the Nutrition Journal.

NAFLD is the build-up of excess fat in the liver cells which can result in inflammation of the liver and even lead to liver failure. Currently 40 million adults in the US alone are suffering from the debilitating and potentially fatal disease. The prevalence of NALFD is expected to grow worldwide as nations become increasingly obese.

For the study, the researchers recruited 64 adults with high cholesterol levels and NAFLD. 30 of those participants were given 200mg of a tocotrienol complex twice per day over the course of a year. The remaining participants were used as a control group.

At the end of the year, the researchers used ultrasounds to measure improvements in NAFLD and they found that 67% of the participants given the supplement showed significant improvements (versus 40% for the placebo group). Even more impressive, 50% of those showing improvements showed no signs of the disease anymore (versus 23% for the placebo group).

Although further studies with larger populations are still necessary, the researchers noted that these initial findings are very encouraging. They also expect to see a large amount of new evidence emerging for other benefits of vitamin E in the very near future.

These benefits, which are largely attributed to the high level of antioxidants in Vitamin E, include reductions in the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s and certain cancers.

As we age, brain shrinkage often occurs and studies have shown that people with more brain shrinkage have a much higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia.

A study published in the October 2010 issue of the journal Neurology has found that taking frequent walks may reduce brain shrinkage and prevent dementia.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh had 300 participants keep track of how much they walked each week over a one year period.

Nine years later, the researchers measured the brain volume of all the participants and then four years after that they checked in with the participants again to see how many had developed dementia.

When the researchers analyzed their data, they found that walking was associated with a significant reduction in brain shrinkage and memory loss. In fact, participants that walked between six and nine miles a week more than halved their risk of developing memory problems.

These findings support previous studies which have found that physical exercise appears to induce cellular activities that may boost brain volume. Given that there are currently no cures for dementia, it can’t hurt to add a walk to your daily routine.

Low to moderate intensity exercises like walking have also been shown to reduce the risk of falls, stroke and cardiovascular disease.

Researchers at Chieti-Pescara University in Italy have published a study in the October 2010 issue of the journal Panminerva Medica which found that pycnogenol (pine bark extract) may ease tinnititus. Tinnitus is a relatively common condition in which the sufferer hears sounds, such as ear ringing, when there is actually no external source of sound.

Currently 15 million Americans suffer from “serious” tinnitus and more than 50 million Americans are expected to experience some form of tinnitus in their lifetime.

82 participants between 35 and 55 years of age were recruited for this study. They were all classified as having mild to moderate tinnitus in only one ear. The participants were randomly assigned to receive 100-150mg of pycnogenol or a placebo daily for 4 weeks.

One of the main causes of tinnitus is inhibited blood flow in the inner ear and the researchers found that just 4 weeks of intervention with the pine bark extract significantly improved blood flow.

They also used a scale called the Subjective Tinnitus Scale to measure symptoms of tinnitus and found an impressive reduction in tinnitus symptoms among participants given the pine bark extract. Specifically, those who received the pine bark saw a reduction from an average of 8.8 to 5.2 and 3.3 in the low and high dose groups, respectively.

There are currently not many effective treatments for tinnitus and the researchers are hopeful that further studies will show that pycnogenol is an effective and safe therapeutic option for tinnitus sufferers.

Pycnogenol has also been linked to a number of other health benefits such as reducing the risk of arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis and high blood pressure. Many of these benefits are likely due to the very high anti-inflammatory properties of pycnogenol.

Yoga has been drastically increasing in popularity in recent years among Western populations due to its many health benefits, including improved flexibility, lower blood pressure and relief of arthritis symptoms. A new study by researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University (OSHU), has found that yoga may also have the power to fight a chronic pain disorder called Fibromyalgia.

The researchers published the findings of their study in the October 2010 issue of the Journal Pain.

Fibromyalgia currently affects between 11 million and 15 million Americans and is often characterized by the following symptoms:

• Muscle pain

• Fatigue

• Tingling or numbness in the extremities

• Morning stiffness

• Headaches

• Memory problems

53 females with Fibromyalgia were recruited for the study, and were randomly divided into two groups. The first group participated in an 8 week yoga program and the other group was given standard medication treatments for fibromygalia.

Before and after the 8 week intervention the participants were asked to fill out questionnaires to evaluate their symptoms.

After analyzing the data, the researchers found that yoga reduced a large number of fibromyalgia symptoms. The most impressive results included a 24% reduction in overall pain, a 30% reduction in fatigue and a 42% reduction in depression.

The researchers had previously conducted a study that showed that yoga can be helpful with cancer-related pain as well. As a result of this research, the OHSU Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine will begin offering a training course to teach yoga instructors how to work with those suffering from chronic pain.

A team of researchers from Iran, the USA and New Zealand recently conducted a study which found that an extract made from the peel of purple passion fruit may reduce pain and stiffness among people suffering from knee arthritis. The findings of the study were published in the October 2010 issue of the journal Nutrition Research.

33 participants were recruited for the study. They were randomly assigned to take a supplement containing 150 mg of an extract made from passion fruit peel or a placebo once a day for two months.

At the end of the study, the researchers used a common osteoarthritis index called the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) index to measure pain and stiffness among the two groups.

The researchers found that participants given the passion fruit extract showed significant improvements in pain and stiffness compared to the placebo group. They also found a nearly 20% improvement in physical function among the group given the passion fruit extract.

The researchers noted that further studies with larger populations will be necessary to confirm these findings but the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the passion fruit extract may make it an ideal ingredient for relieving arthritis symptoms.

Currently over 20 million Americans suffer from arthritis and it is the second highest cause of work disability for men over 50 years old. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are currently the most commonly prescribed medication for arthritis. Some NSAIDs have been linked with gastrointestinal toxicity, increased blood pressure and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

A study published in the October 2010 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine recently found that not getting enough sleep may sabotage your weight loss efforts.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago who recruited 10 overweight men and women for the study.

The participants all stayed in a sleep lab for two weeks while following a calorie restricted diet.

During the first week, the participants were allowed to sleep for 8.5 hours and for the second week they slept for 5.5 hours.

The researchers found that the participants lost the same amount of weight during both sleeping conditions but when their sleep was restricted they mainly lost muscle rather than fat.

The researchers also found that when sleep was restricted, dieters reported much higher levels of hunger during the day. In addition, they had higher levels of an appetite-boosting hormone called acylated ghrelin, leading the researchers to hypothesize that people will have a tendency to eat more when they get less sleep.

Further studies with larger populations will be necessary to confirm the findings of this recent study, however, the observations in this current study align with previous research linking sleeping habits to body weight.

The previous research has found a significant difference in body weight between those who consistently do not get enough sleep and people that get at least 7 hours of sleep per night. It has also shown that lack of sleep is linked to increased blood pressure and increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.