Dug these stories up while surfing around the web…

Supermarket ad trials: your shopping trolley knows what you want — In a move that brings new meaning to the expression “taking the thinking out of shopping”, advertising will be delivered directly to supermarket trolleys based on a shopper’s in-store behaviour and purchasing history.

It could make shopping more entertaining but I prefer to choose my groceries without my trolley telling me what to buy!

Mesothelioma is a horrible cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos was used widely in New Zealand in the 1960’s and 70’s – the home I grew up in had a lovely asbestos ceiling! Between 1992 – 2005 there were 164 cases of mesothelioma in New Zealand, and the number of cases is increasing. A large number of the people who contracted this disease were tradesmen such as builders, plumbers and electricians.

Although the main cause of mesothelioma is asbestos, not poor diet, it always helps to eat healthy food. Here’s a story from the US Mesothelioma Centre, that they have asked me to post, on how healthy eating can help people with mesothelioma:

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The main cause of mesothelioma cancer is exposure to a naturally occurring mineral called asbestos. The cancer develops in the mesothelial cells that make up the lining of the lungs, heart and abdomen. Like many types of cancer, it is most treatable when caught early. The symptoms of mesothelioma can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years to become obvious and by the time the cancer is diagnosed, it is typically in advanced stages making it more difficult to treat.

It has been confirmed by the National Cancer Institute that at least 35 percent of all cancer cases are linked to poor nutrition. And while malignant mesothelioma is not a cancer that is related to poor nutrition, improving nutritional intake can help strengthen mesothelioma cancer patients’ bodies to fight the progressive disease.

Eating a balanced and healthy diet is vital to help fight cancer. A more balanced and healthy diet can not only improve chances of survival, but also alleviate painful symptoms and unwanted treatment side effects.

Garlic can be helpful for mesothelioma patients as it produces a chemical called allicin. Garlic seems to have the greatest affect on stomach cancer and prostate cancer in men, but affects have been noted in all types of cancer and on different carcinogens. Animal trials have been completed with positive effects. In one such study, a number of mice with cancer were injected with allicin. The control group (those not injected with the compound) lived an average of two months, while those receiving the injection lived an average of six months or longer.

Fruit is also a definite must. There are many delicious types of berries you can incorporate into your diet to benefit from the cancer-fighting nutrients they contain, including blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, loganberries, cranberries. Berries contain a number of cancer-fighting phytonutrients like anthocyanins, ellagic acid, pterostilbene and resveratrol. In one study, extracts of six types of berries were tested for their ability to prevent the growth and spread of different types of cancer cells. Amazingly, each different type of berry was found to have an entirely unique combination of phytonutrients, and all six varieties of berry extract were able to kill cancer cells in the laboratory.

One of the most common side effects of mesothelioma treatment is nausea. There are a number of dietary changes you can make to help this problem. Dry grain products like crackers and toast can help calm an upset stomach. Bland foods will also help with nausea, as well as acid reflux problems.

Low white blood cell count is another common trait found in cancer patients, which raises the risk of contracting an infection. To avoid this side effect, a number of changes can be made in the foods you eat. It is most important to avoid “bad” bacteria, which is common in foods that are spoiled or not prepared well. Avoid buffets when eating out, wash your hands before preparing meals, avoid raw meats and fish (like sushi), and throw away any foods that are bruised or damaged.

Cancer is a complex medical condition, with many factors playing various roles in development and treatment. However, most patients will undoubtedly benefit from good nutrition in a number of ways.

(Continued from Part 2) … here are the final three ways to reduce high blood pressure, and a note about the effective DASH diet…

8. Just a small drink

People who drink lots of alcohol can reduce their blood pressure by cutting back. In fact alcohol may increase blood pressure even in moderate drinkers. The National Heart Foundation recommends a maximum of two drinks per day for women and maximum three for men. A standard drink is 100mls wine, 300mls beer or 30mls spirits. A bottle of wine contains 7-8 standard drinks depending on the alcohol content.

9. Skip the sugar

When we cut back on saturated fat in pies, pastries, fatty, processed meat, full cream dairy foods what do we eat instead? One study compared three healthy, low saturated fat diets. One was high in monounsaturated fat, one high in protein and one high in carbohydrate. To put it in food terms, think of a sandwich. Instead of having a salami and cheese sandwich, they either had avocado or peanut butter (mono), baked beans or tuna (protein) or jam (carbohydrate). The protein and monounsaturated fat diets had the best effects on blood pressure and blood fats.

Many of us think if we just swap to the low fat, low glycemic index (GI) version of cakes, biscuits, sweet yoghurt and juice, we are doing the right thing. But a number of nutrition experts now think that eating a low fat diet with lots of processed foods containing sugar and especially fructose (the sugar naturally occurring in fruit and sometimes used by manufacturers to give foods a lower GI) may have harmful health effects including raising blood pressure. Fructose causes an increase in uric acid which in turn inhibits nitric oxide. It is nitric oxide that helps maintain normal blood pressure.

10. Control the coffee

The National Heart Foundation recommends a maximum of five cups of coffee a day. Remember that a double shot latte counts as about three to four cups of instant coffee. If you drink lots of coffee, cutting back to a more moderate level may help your blood pressure.

The DASH Diet

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches for Stopping Hypertension. In this well-known study, the people on the diet reduced their blood pressure within two weeks. Amazingly this was without reducing salt or alcohol! The people who also cut back on salt reduced their blood pressure even more. The DASH eating plan is low in saturated fat, total fat and cholesterol and high in protein, fibre, calcium, potassium and magnesium. It recommends 4-5 serves of fruit, 4-5 serves of vegetables and 2-3 serves of low fat dairy foods each day. It allows only small serves of lean meat and recommends a few vegetarian meals using dried beans, peas or lentils each week as well as some nuts or seeds most days. It limits sweets and sugars.

Here’s some more food ideas to keep your blood pressure under control (continued from part 1)…

4. Lots of fruit and vegetables

For healthy blood pressure we need less sodium and more potassium, magnesium and calcium. Potassium blunts the effect of sodium on blood pressure. The best way to get more potassium into your diet is to eat more fruit and vegetables. Aim for at least 2-3 serves of fruit and 4-5 serves (about 2-3 cups) of vegetables every day. Bananas, grapefruit, oranges, dried fruit, green vegetables, mushrooms, avocado and tomatoes are all high in potassium. And magnesium usually tags along in the same foods.

A word of warning about grapefruit: it can affect some blood pressure medications. If you are taking medication for high blood pressure, check with your doctor before splurging on grapefruit.

If you hope to by-pass the fruit and vegetables by taking a potassium supplement, think again. Too much potassium can be dangerous for your heart, and you will miss out on all the other health benefits of fruit and vegetables.

5. Low fat milk and yoghurt

Low fat dairy foods are important for strong bones and teeth and also for healthy blood pressure. If you don’t like dairy foods, eat sardines and salmon. The bones provide lots of calcium. There is no strong evidence that taking a calcium supplement will help lower blood pressure. It’s better to stick to real food. So whip up a banana smoothie, dollop some yoghurt on muesli or have sardines and sliced tomato on grainy toast for lunch.

6. Legumes, nuts and wholegrains

Dried beans, split peas, lentils, nuts and wholegrains are all rich in magnesium. Eat porridge or muesli for breakfast, snack on a small handful of nuts most days, and make a legume meal a couple of times a week – toss a few red lentils into stews and soups to thicken them, add a can of beans to mince or simply enjoy baked beans on grainy toast.

7. Omega-3 fats

Omega-3 fats found in oily fish, walnuts, flaxseed and canola oil help reduce high blood pressure. These fats help relax the blood vessel walls so they can expand as blood rushes through. One study of 46,500 people aged over 40, some with normal, some with high blood pressure, found that those who ate more omega-3 rich foods had lower blood pressure.  The NZ National Heart Foundation recommends that people get their omega-3’s from food. But if you don’t eat oily fish and are at risk for heart disease or stroke (this includes having high blood pressure) the New Zealand Cardiovascular Guidelines recommend taking an EPA/DHA supplement of 1 milligram per day. Be sure to let your doctor know if you take omega-3 supplements as the blood thinning effects are quite potent.

Part 3 here …