Curiously Awesome

A recent report has found that black women who eat fried chicken or burgers (from fast food restaurants) at least two times per week are between 40 and 70 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who do not. Black women are not the only demographic that should be concerned about this study; however. Everyone who eats fast foods (even on a moderate basis) are susceptible to developing diabetes.

The two foods that increased the incidence of diabetes the most were fast food hamburgers and fried chicken. These two menu items were instrumental in causing the most weight gain (resulting in more cases of diabetes).

A previous fast food study conducted in 2004 found similar results.

Some experts recommend consuming smaller amounts and fewer overall calories. It would be far better to make healthier food choices. Eating less fast food is a good start; but changing your diet to include whole foods would be even better.

Many breast cancers depend on estrogen to fuel them. There is a class of drugs called aromatase inhibitors (AI) that block the movement of estrogen. These drugs are used by mainstream medical doctors to attempt to slow the growth of estrogen sensitive breast tumors. Unfortunately, these drugs come loaded with side effects including hot flashes, joint pain, headaches, fatigue, fractures and even heart disease.

Researchers have found a substance that could prevent the development of estrogen-dependent breast cancer: pomegranate fruit.

Pomegranates contain phytochemicals that work much like AIs. Any cancer treatment derived from pomegranates would not have harmful side effects because the fruit is a basic food. Phytochemicals suppress estrogen and this, in turn, prevents the spread of breast cancer cells and estrogen-related tumors.

A recent study conducted on a group of 3,000 women indicates that those who drank two or more artificially-sweetened beverages each day doubled their risk of decline in kidney function.

The study evaluated the effects of all sweetened drinks on progressive kidney decline. The conclusion is that two or more diet drinks per day leads to a twice as fast increase in rapid kidney decline.

High sodium also was indicated as promoting progressive kidney decline. Diet soda contains very high amounts of sodium.

Aspartame was first approved in the 1970s with studies claiming it was safe. The FDA initially approved the chemical for use in some foods based upon studies submitted by G.D. Searle Co. (the creator of aspartame). Shortly thereafter, a discovery made by a research psychiatrist who found that a primary ingredient in aspartame caused holes to form in the brains of mice. The FDA then created its own internal task force to investigate the original claims about aspartame’s safety.

The FDA discovered a series of falsified claims, doctored study results, and pertinent information missing.

Over the past 25 years, studies continue to be released that support aspartame’s safety even though they do not address the results of other studies that have concluded aspartame is dangerous.

The most prudent course of action is to avoid artificial sweeteners completely. There are many safe alternatives (stevia, for example) which will provide sweetening without harmful side effects.

Opiate painkillers are often used to treat acute and chronic pain. Morphine, especially, is used to relieve the pain of cancer patients. New evidence from two new studies reveals that opiate-based painkillers may actually increase the growth and spread of malignancies.

The idea of opiate drugs contributing to cancer recurrence surfaced about eight years ago from several unrelated clinical studies.

In laboratory studies using cell cultures and mice, scientists found that morphine revved up the multiplication of tumor cells. In addition, it inhibited the immune response and promoted the growth of the blood vessels that help nourish tumors and help them to thrive.

It would seem prudent to block the cancer-fueling ability of opiates by using them for as short a time as possible (or not at all even).

Grapefruit extract…naturally present in grapefruit…may help prevent the physiological changes that produce the condition known as metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Earlier studies have found that something present in grapefruit might be helpful to the body in regulating blood fats and sugars.

One recent study has found that people who ate one red grapefruit per day may reduce their cholesterol levels by 15% and their triglycerides by 17%. The grapefruit may also act to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Another study has determined that the naturally-occurring flavonoid naringenin may work similarly to the sugar-regulating hormone insulin. Naringenin appears to work by causing the liver to burn excess fat instead of storing it. This decreases the ability of liver cells to make cholesterol and thereby reduces insulin levels.

Home-use whitening products may deplete teeth’s protective enamel.

Researchers tested five different tooth whitening products for either 10 or 21 days. They then measured any changes to hardness or elasticity and compared these findings with tests of five tooth samples that had not been exposed to whitening products.

Some of the tooth whiteners were over-the-counter products and others were prescription products. All are intended to be used at home.

Teeth treated with whitening products had lost between 1.2 and 2 nanometers of thickness and between 6 and 18.8 percent elasticity. Elasticity is a measure of the enamel’s ability to recover from an applied force.

Untreated teeth lost only 0.4 nanometers of thickness, and had less of a decrease in elasticity.

Because enamel is translucent, it reflects the yellow color of the dentin underneath. Teeth whitening products use either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to bleach the organic pigment of the enamel.

Some side effects of tooth bleaching include gum irritation and tooth sensitivity.

A new study just published has documented that breastfeeding makes women with a family history of breast cancer 59 percent less likely to develop a breast malignancy themselves.

The study did not find this difference among women who didn’t have a family history of breast cancer.

Among women with a family history of breast cancer, the scientists found that those who breastfed were less than half as likely to develop pre-menopausal breast cancer as those who had not breastfed. This lowered risk with breastfeeding was similar to taking an anti-estrogen drug for five years. Anti-estrogen drugs cause many side effects including dizziness, mood swings, leg swelling, difficulty seeing and heart attack-causing blood clots.

How long a woman breastfeeds appears to be less critical than whether she breastfeeds at all.

Why does breastfeeding reduce the risk of breast cancer? The study states that the explanation is still unknown, It is suspected that when women do not breastfeed, inflammation and engorgement shortly after birth produces changes in breast tissue that may increase the chances of breast cancer.

Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants and contain beneficial anti-inflammatory properties. Sweet potatoes have a positive effect on some health conditions, including asthma, allergies, and arthritis. Sweet potatoes are also high in fiber and calcium. They contain high amounts of potassium, folate, vitamin c, and beta carotene.

Sweet potatoes are also beneficial for a diabetic diet. They are naturally sweet but only release their natural sugars in the form of glucose. This means they release into the body at a much slower rate. Foods like these allow diabetics to better manage their blood sugar levels.

Sweet potatoes are easy to prepare as well. Add sweet potatoes to your list of autumn vegetables and you will have a superfood on your menu. Sweet potatoes will increase your fiber and calcium intake, increase your vitamins, level your blood sugar, improve arthritis symptoms, and may improve eyesight problems.

A diet high in turmeric may help reduce weight gain. It suppresses the growth of new fat tissue. The study was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Weight gain is the result of the growth and expansion of fat tissue. This can’t happen unless new blood vessels form. Curcumin appears to suppress this activity in the fat tissues. Curcumin is an antioxidant chemical in the polyphenol family that naturally occurs in turmeric. It is easily absorbed by the body.

Researchers fed two groups of mice an identical high-fat diet, supplementing the diets of the half the mice with 500 milligrams of curcumin per kilogram of body weight. They found that mice in the curcumin group had significantly lower blood cholesterol and significantly less fat tissue than the mice in the control group. This suggests less blood vessel growth and less overall growth of fat tissue. The livers of mice in the curcumin group also had less fat than the control group mice.

Sufficient vitamin D intake may be important for maintaining brain function later in life. Vitamin D is likely to be beneficial for reducing some age-related diseases.

Researchers measured blood levels of vitamin D in more than 3,000 European men between 40 and 79. Then the men underwent various tests of mental function. They found that the men with the highest blood levels did best on the test, and those with the lowest levels performed worst.

Vitamin D deficiency is widespread, especially among the elderly.

Vitamin D is synthesized by the body when exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. The average person can get enough vitamin D from 15 minutes of sun on their face and hands per day.