CAM

Breastfeeding as a possible deterrent to autism -- a clinical perspective
If future research were to confirm a connection between IGF and autism, Dr. Steinman recommends a new phase of research focused upon the detection of possibly depressed IGF levels in amniotic fluid during the second trimester of pregnancy. This might be followed by supplementation of the growth factor before symptoms of autism develop. While breast milk serves as an abundant, natural source of IGF, it can also be delivered through bovine milk or added as a supplement to various potable liquids. Eurekalert!

New research shows tea may help promote weight loss, improve heart health and slow progression of prostate cancer
Decades worth of research shows that tea—the second most consumed beverage in the world—may help prevent chronic illnesses, including heart disease, certain types of cancer and type 2 diabetes. New research shows tea has been found to help promote weight loss and maintain a healthy weight, improve bone health and activate areas of the brain that bolster attention, problem solving and mood. The December 2013 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition features 12 new articles about the relationship between tea and human health. Eurekalert!

Pomegranate shows promise for the prevention of postoperative cognitive dysfunction
The placebo group had significant deficits in postsurgery memory retention, and the pomegranate treatment not only protected against this effect, but also actually improved memory retention performance for up to 6 weeks after surgery as compared to presurgery baseline performance. Ropacki SA, Patel SM, Hartman RE. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:932401. doi: 10.1155/2013/932401. Epub 2013 Sep 16. PMID: 24159353

Vitamin C could ease muscle fatigue in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients
These findings suggest that IV infusions of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, can curb the skeletal muscle fatigue that plagues COPD patients. They also provide further evidence that oxidative stress plays a critical role in the skeletal muscle dysfunction that many COPD patients experience. They suggest that antioxidants could eventually be used as a treatment for these problems.

The article is entitled "Ascorbate Infusion Increases Skeletal Muscle Fatigue Resistance in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease". It appears in the online edition of the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, published by the American Physiological Society. Eurekalert!

Calcium and vitamin D improve bone density in patients taking antiepileptic drugs
A recent prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial reports that calcium and vitamin D supplementation improves bone density in a group of male veterans with epilepsy who were treated chronically with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). The results published in Epilepsia, a journal of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), suggest that risedronate, a bisphosphonate, may help to prevent new vertebral fractures when taken with calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Eurekalert!

Research shows that the more chocolate you eat, the lower your body fat level is
The study involved 1458 adolescents aged between 12 and 17 years and results showed that a higher level of chocolate consumption associated with lower levels of total and central fat when these were estimated through body mass index, body fat percentage—measured by both skinfolds and bioelectrical impedance analysis—and waist circumference. These results were independent of the participant's sex, age, sexual maturation, total energy intake, intake of saturated fats, fruit and vegetables, consumption of tea and coffee, and physical activity. University of Granada

Tree nut consumption associated with reduced risk of pancreatic cancer in women
In a large prospective study published online in the British Journal of Cancer, researchers looked at the association between nut consumption and risk of pancreatic cancer among 75,680 women in the Nurses' Health Study, with no previous history of cancer. Consumption of nuts, including tree nuts (such as almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts), was inversely associated with risk of pancreatic cancer, independent of other potential risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Eurekalert!