Tea and Garlic for Heart Health, Prostate Cancer, Doctor's Supplements

Drinking Tea Cuts Risk Of Heart Disease By One-Third

Drinking several cups of tea or coffee daily appears to cut your risk of heart disease by more than one-third, Dutch researchers have found.

"It's basically a good news story for those who like tea and coffee," said lead researcher Yvonne van der Schouw. "These drinks appear to offer benefits for the heart without raising the risk of dying from anything else."

The study appeared in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, a journal of the American Heart Association.

Researchers followed 40,000 healthy people for 13 years, then compared rates of heart disease with consumption of coffee and tea. They found that participants who drank between three and six cups of tea per day were 45 percent less likely to die from heart disease than those who drank less than a cup a day.

Drinking coffee or larger amounts of tea was also protective against death from heart disease, but not as strongly. People who drank more than six cups of tea a day reduced their risk by 36 percent compared with the low tea-drinking group, while those who drank between two and four cups of coffee daily reduced their risk by 20 percent compared with those who drank either more or less coffee. These effects remained after researchers adjusted for other heart disease risk factors, such as smoking and exercise level.

Neither coffee or tea consumption appeared to affect the risk of dying from any other cause, including stroke or cancer.

The study did not include people already suffering from heart disease, so its results cannot be generalized to such high-risk populations.

"But for healthy people, it appears that drinking coffee and tea is not harmful and it may even offer some benefits," van der Schouw said.

Part of the study's significance lies in the fact that the most popular tea consumed in the Netherlands is black tea, while most prior studies have focused on the benefits of green tea.

"The perception has been that green tea is the 'healthy' tea, but this study suggests black tea may be just as good for the heart," said nutrition professor Rachel K. Johnson of the University of Vermont. "That will be good news to people like me who are not big green tea lovers."

Johnson is also an American Heart Association spokesperson.

In the United States, levels of black tea consumption are significantly higher than green tea consumption.

Johnson notes that while the consumption levels found to be beneficial in the study might seem high, they are relatively easy to achieve.

"Iced tea is very popular in some parts of the country, especially in the summer," she said. "Just make sure to go easy on the sugar. I would hate for people to get the message that they should be drinking more sugar-sweetened beverages."

Note: If you drink very much tea or coffee and use a sweetener, they I highly recommend using Xylitol or Palm Sugar as natural sweeteners that are much healthier and still tastes great.

Scientists remain unsure why tea, and to a lesser extent coffee, appear to offer heart protective benefits. Research thus far has focused on a family of plant chemicals known as polyphenols, particularly the flavonoids. Studies on individual flavonoids and on other foods containing them (such as red grapes and wine, dark berries, red beans and dark chocolate) have confirmed their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other health-promoting benefits

Ellen Mason of the British Heart Foundation noted that while tea and coffee in moderation may provide some heart benefits, they cannot undo the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle.

"It's worth remembering that leading a healthy overall lifestyle is the thing that really matters when it comes to keeping your heart in top condition," she said. "Having a cigarette with your coffee could completely cancel any benefits, while drinking lots of tea in front of the TV for hours on end without exercising is unlikely to offer your heart much protection at all."


Take Garlic Oil To Maintain A Healthy Heart

Heart disease is the number one killer in the U.S., including among those with diabetes who often eventually die from some form of cardiovascular illness. But a new study out of China Medical University in Taiwan has found that garlic oil prevents cardiomyopathy, the most common type of heart disease responsible for diabetes-related deaths, and may help to prevent heart disease from ever forming at all.

Previous studies have shown that garlic promotes heart health, but the new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reveals specifically how the bulbous plant helps diabetics with cardiomyopathy.

Wei-Wen Kuo and colleagues from the university fed either corn oil or garlic oil to diabetic rats, observing their health status in relation to the two treatments. They found that garlic oil improves antioxidant enzyme expression, lowers heart inflammation and stops cell death, effectively maintaining the integrity of vital heart tissue.

"Garlic oil possesses significant potential for protecting hearts from diabetes-induced cardiomyopathy," says the study report, highlighting that over 20 different substances in garlic oil provide therapeutic benefits, including allicin, a powerful organosulfur compound.

Garlic is also effective at regulating blood pressure. When incorporated as part of a regular, healthy diet, garlic serves as a "multipurpose medicinal food", says Larry Trivieri, Jr., in his book Alternative Medicine the Definitive Guide, Second Edition.

"Studies show that garlic has antibiotic properties as well as the ability to fight fungal infections, and at least twenty-eight studies have found garlic effective for lowering cholesterol levels," explains Peggy Thomas in her book Medicines From Nature.

Comment:
Even though garlic and other natural foods are good for your heart, I believe that the supplement Cardio-Plus from Standard Process Labs is by far the best thing you can do for heart and circulatory health. I think anyone over 30 should be taking Cardio-Plus.


Ninety Seven Percent Of Men Survive Prostate Cancer Even Without Treatment

If none of the men diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer were ever treated, 97 percent of them would still survive the disease, according to a study conducted by Swedish researchers and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Most prostate cancers grow so slowly that researchers have increasingly questioned whether the significant risks of treatment with hormones, surgery or radiation -- all of which can cause side effects including incontinence and impotence -- are actually justified by a serious threat to patients' lives.

"What the data is showing is that for most patients with low-risk cancer, there is no need to panic," said cancer researcher Grace Lu-Yao of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, who was not involved in the study. "Prostate cancer really is no longer a fatal disease."

Researchers used data from Sweden's national cancer registry to compare death rates among 6,800 men under the age of 70 who had been diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer classified as low- or intermediate-risk. The risk factor of each cancer was calculated through a combination of tests, including the prostate specific antigen (PSA) and Gleason tests. Participants either underwent aggressive cancer treatment with hormones, surgery or radiation, or they took a "watchful waiting" approach in which their doctors monitored them for any progression in the cancer.

After eight years, 20 percent of the men in the watchful waiting group had died -- the same as the proportion for the general population. Fewer than 3 percent had died from prostate cancer. The researchers estimated that after 10 years, only 2.4 percent of participants in this group would have died from prostate caner.

Although the rate of death from both prostate cancer and from all causes was lower in the treatment group, the researchers noted that men in the "watchful waiting" group tended to be sicker going into the study than men who underwent treatment.

Since chemo is regularly used in prostate cancer treatments and has so many damaging effects, it may be well worth thinking twice about how or even if you want to treat your own prostate cancer should that day ever come.


Doctors Little Secret

A recent survey shows that 3 out of 4 doctors take supplements. And for nurses, almost 90% are taking supplements.

As you might suspect, both groups most commonly use multivitamins. Vitamins C, D, E, and B complex, no surprise.

But one thing that is a little surprising is that 72% of doctors admit to taking supplements such as green tea, fish oil, glucosamine, chondroitin and flax seed. They better be careful or they could be drawn over to the dark side where real health and all kinds of supplements abound…….

Note: Supplements can be extremely beneficial IF you choose the correct ones. If you ae not using the Standard Process supplements that I recommend, then at least make sure that you are using Whole Food supplements made without heat.

Until next time, say happy and healthy

JD Roma


The information on this blog is provided for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical care, and medical advice and services are not being offered. If you have, or suspect you have, a health problem you should consult your physician (preferably a Naturopath).