A Chinese herb for an international problem
With patients expressing more and more reservations about undergoing painful and invasive treatments for breast cancer (like surgery and chemotherapy), scientists are starting to explore other methods, including natural ones like ginseng.
A recent study has shown that breast cancer patients who took ginseng before and after being diagnosed had an improved quality of life and higher chances of survival.
In the study, researchers found that women who had regularly taken ginseng for years -- before being told they had breast cancer -- had a lower death rate than those who had not. Women who started taking ginseng after their diagnosis saw a lower rate of improvements, but improvements nonetheless.
Now, I'm not going to say, "Don't get chemo at all." That's a difficult, personal choice that you have to make for yourself. But even if you do decide to go through chemotherapy, it's good to know about the additional avenues -- like nutritional therapy with ginseng -- that might smoothe out some of the bumps along the road to recovery.
Too little folate equals too many mouth sores
I've met so many patients who want to know how to get rid of the painful ulcers that they get on their lips, tongue, and cheeks. These ulcers, also called canker sores, can be caused by a number of problems, including stress, exhaustion, menstruation, braces, food allergies, foods and drinks that are too acidic, or too few vitamins and nutrients.
Recently, research has shown that one nutrient in particular can be especially useful in preventing canker sores.
Folate is a B-complex vitamin that plays an important role in producing red blood cells, healing wounds, building muscles, and maintaining your nervous system. In addition to this new link to canker sores, too little folate in your system can also cause a variety of other health problems, including anemia. If you're not getting enough folate in your diet, consider supplementing with at least 400 micrograms of folate every day.
There are also some easy at-home remedies for treating canker sores. Try mixing a solution of half peroxide and half water and applying it to the canker sore each day, and then coat the area with some milk of magnesia. Sounds gross, I know, but it works. Of course, until you quit smoking, any treatment you use will just be a band-aid on a problem that won't go away until you kick the habit.
But if you get these sores frequently, or if your sores last longer than two weeks, you should get to a doctor. Canker sores can also be a symptom of bigger problems like lupus or cancer.
Ward off diabetes by putting down the potatoes
There's nothing tastier than a side of fries with your hamburger, or a huge, heaping portion of mashed potatoes, with salt, pepper, butter, and maybe gravy, to go along with that steak at dinner. But if you don't eat them in moderation, those potatoes can come with some pretty hefty consequences, including type II diabetes.
During a 20-year study, researchers monitored the eating habits of several thousand women ages 34 to 59 years old, who had no history of chronic disease. When it was over, more than 4,000 new cases of diabetes had been diagnosed. And the link among most of the women was a high level of potato consumption, especially French fries.
One suggestion the researchers had -- and I agree with them -- was for people to try eating more whole grains instead of potatoes. Try this recipe for a brown rice pilaf, taken from the www.wholegrainscouncil.org:
Ingredients
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 TBS olive or canola oil
1 cup brown rice
2 cups chicken broth
Directions
1. Brown the chopped onion and sliced mushrooms in a large saucepan with one tablespoon of olive
2. Add the brown rice and stir to coat the grains in oil.
3. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer.
4. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 45 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.
I know it won't be quite the same alongside your next burger, but give it a try. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
