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 lthough medicine has become
increasingly more sophisticated, some aspects of medicine remain (and probably
always will be) quite straightforward. Recent research has shown that
something as simple as drinking green tea may reduce the risk of developing
cancer. In fact, a number of "simple therapies" like green tea are proving
to be scientifically sound. Here is a brief look at a few of them.
 Increasing the amount of fruits
and vegetables you eat appears to be one of the best ways of lowering your
risk of several serious diseases, particularly cancer. Researchers have
consistently found that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables protects against
many kinds of cancer. Precisely which nutrient in fruits and vegetables is
responsible is unclear -- quite possibly it is more than one. Fortunately,
nature packaged them all together for you.
Several scientific studies
suggest that increasing your intake of antioxidant vitamins, particularly
beta-carotene, vitamin E, and vitamin C, helps reduce your risk of developing
a number of disorders. Vitamin E has been linked to a lower risk of heart
disease, while viatmin C and beta-carotene may lower your risk of certain cancers.
Although antioxidants are
available as supplements, you are always better off getting these vitamins
from foods. Foods contain other nutrients and substances that may protect
against disease; supplements don't. Some of the best dietary sources of
vitamin E include nuts, vegetable oils, wheat germ, and leafy green
vegetables. Citrus fruits and juices, broccoli, and potatoes are excellent
sources of vitamin C, and carrots, apricots, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes
are rich in beta-carotene. Getting your vitamins from plants is probably
better than getting them from meats and dairy -- plants are naturally low in
fat and cholesterol, meat and dairy products are not.
Other vitamins also appear to
play an important role in disease prevention. By including more folic acid
(a B vitamin) and vitamin B6 in your diet, for example, you can reduce the
levels of a chemical called homocysteine in your blood. High homocysteine
levels have been shown to increase the risk of suffering strokes and heart
attacks. Good sources of folic acid are leafy green vegetables, wheat germ,
beans, and whole-grain breads and cereals, while bananas, low-fat cuts of red
meat, chicken, and fish, and nuts are rich sources of vitamin B6.
If you eat animal products,
including more fish in your diet may also help reduce your chances of
suffering a heart attack or stroke. Oils found in fish (called omega-3
fatty acids) prevent blood clots from forming and fatty deposits from building
up in blood vessels (both of which can contribute to a heart attack or stroke).
In one study, mean and women who ate fish at least once a week had half the
number of strokes as those who never ate fish or ate it only infrequently.
As surprising as it might
sound, sometimes preventing diseases as serious as cancer, heart attacks,
and strokes can be as simple as starting to eat more spinach and drink your
tea.
- From Preventative Medicine Magazine
November/December 1997
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