December 2006 | Whole Health
Get moving to fight cancer
by Elizabeth Barker
Noting that up to 20 percent of US cancer deaths could be related to excess weight, the American Cancer Society (ACS) has stepped up guidelines for keeping cancer-free, now encouraging adults to work out at least 30 minutes on five or more days each week. While the ACS previously prescribed 30 minutes of cumulative exercise (including everyday activities like climbing stairs or walking from parking lot to store), new recommendations call for “at least 30 minutes of intentional physical activity most days,” says Colleen Doyle, RD, ACS director of nutrition and physical activity.
Start with small changes, advises American Council on Exercise spokesperson Fabio Comana, an exercise physiologist. “Look at what exercise you’re already getting and explore your potential to move around more,” says Comana. “Instead of going out to lunch, bring your own food, grab a co-worker and walk 15 minutes to a park where you can eat. The simpler the process, the easier it is to make part of everyday behavior.”
Food for a sane brain
Already linked to cancer prevention and heart health, the Mediterranean diet may also protect against Alzheimer’s, according to a new study from the Archives of Neurology. Favoring fruits, veggies, legumes, whole grains, fish and olive oil over red meat and butter, the Mediterranean diet was associated with a remarkably lowered risk of Alzheimer’s among a group of nearly 2,000 adults (average age: 76). Researchers tested brain function and studied diets of all participants, finding that those who ate most like Mediterraneans had 68 percent lower odds of developing Alzheimer’s.
In another study, researchers from Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute looked at the effects of omega-3 supplements on 204 Alzheimer’s patients. While the study failed to find a significant overall benefit from the supplements, a subset of 32 patients with very mild impairment showed less cognitive decline over six months compared to those who took the placebo.
Out damned spot
Cursed with cold sores? A dab of chamomile oil could be your cure. Researchers at Germany’s University of Heidelberg tested the impact of several essential oils on the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which triggers cold sores and can cause genital herpes. Anise, lemon, dwarf-pine and manuka oils all revealed strong antiviral effects, but chamomile oil was especially successful at targeting HSV-1. What’s more, each of the oils was able to fight strains of HSV-1 that don’t respond to the antiviral drug acyclovir.
Although the research team conducted its experiment in test tubes rather than on actual cold sores, study author Paul Schnitzler, PhD, suspects chamomile oil could be applied topically without aggravating the skin. “An irritating potential of chamomile oil in vitro could not be demonstrated, even with undiluted chamomile oil,” he notes.
Elizabeth Barker is a freelance writer living in Echo Park, CA.
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