food/nutrition :: Health and Disease

food/nutrition

Keep your eye on lutein
Cataracts are a leading cause of blindness in this country, and every year more than 244,000 Canadians undergo cataract surgery. Spanish researchers have found a more natural, less invasive solution for this age-related condition: lutein, a phytonutrient found in spinach and other leafy greens.

In a 2002 study, volunteers with cataracts were given supplements containing either 15 mg of lutein, 100 mg of vitamin E, or placebo capsules. When they were retested after two years, vision had improved in the group taking lutein, while it held its own in those taking vitamin E and deteriorated in the placebo group.

Earlier studies demonstrated that lutein also protects against macular degeneration, another common cause of blindness. If you are concerned about your vision&and if you are over age 50, you should be&I suggest that you add lutein and other vision-protecting nutrients such as bilberry and zeaxanthin to your supplement regimen.

Source: The National Coalition for Vision Health, visionhealth.ca/data.htm, and Nutrition, January 2003.

Folic acid and depression

Folate, or folic acid, is found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale. It is concentrated in the body’s spinal fluids, and is necessary for brain and nervous system function. Is it possible, then, that folate affects depression?

Scientists at the University of Finland set out to answer this question, having recently performed the first study linking dietary folate levels to depression. Previously, only blood folate levels had been studied. More than 2,600 men, aged 42 to 60, took part in the study. Symptoms of depression were assessed using the 18-item Human Laboratory Depression Scale. Those who scored five or higher at baseline were considered to have elevated depressive symptoms. Participants were then divided into three groups according to folate intake.

The study took into account socioeconomic status, marital status, body mass index, education, and alcohol and cigarette consumption. Those with the lowest intake had a higher risk of becoming depressed than those in the group with the highest intake.

Source: Journal of the American Society for Nutritional Sciences.

Source: alive #257, March 2004

Anti-Cancer Antioxidants
Imagine the cells in your body turning brown just like an apple does when exposed to the oxygen in the air.

Beta-carotene
Scientists have confirmed that beta-carotene acts primarily as a fat-soluble antioxidant protecting our cells from the damaging effects of free radicals.

Looking at Lycopene
Ongoing research indicates that lycopene consumption may inhibit a variety of commonly occurring cancers as well as offer benefits to those with cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and some eye disorders.

Colourful Carotenes
Carotenes are a highly coloured (red to yellow) group of fat-soluble plant pigments. A great deal of scientific investigation has shown that dietary intake of carotenes offers protection against developing certain cancers and other diseases..

Folic Acid
Many people with depression may be suffering from low folate statu.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin
As baby boomers age they are under assault from several types of degenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, and age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). In western societies, ARMD is the leading cause of vision loss among the elderly.

Lycopene
Lycopene, a member of the carotenoid family, is a plant pigment that gives tomatoes, watermelons, and papayas their characteristic red colou.

Profile of Dr. Andrew Weil
Andrew Weil is definitely changing the face of medicine. His familiar, white-bearded face has beamed at us from the cover of TIME magazine twice in the last nine years, most recently last October when his new book, Healthy Aging (Knopf, 2005) hit the stands.

We're Pregnant! Now What?
"How do I ensure a healthy pregnancy? You can have a healthy pregnancy by eating a healthy, well-balanced diet augmented with the right supplements for baby and maternal health, making sure exercise is part of your weekly routine, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Back to Basics
Building your strongest nutritional foundation begins with two basic steps: eating a balanced nutritious diet and taking a high-quality daily multiple vitamin and mineral supplement. This back-to-basics strategy has proven effective for young and old alike.

Food and Mood
The relationship between food and mood is mediated by both psychological and physiological factors. It is clear that food can influence mood while mood can influence food choices. It is a complex relationship and based on taste, experience, expectations, culture, stressors, and nutritional status.

Seeing is Believing
Eyesight is often the first sense adversely affected by time and poor nutrition. Macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts are three of the most common causes of blindness in North American seniors.