By Richard Alleyne, Science Correspondent for the UK Telegraph
Published: 2:54PM BST 26 Apr 2010
The fruit lowered blood pressure, improved heart function and reduced other risk factors for heart disease and metabolic syndrome, it was claimed.
American researchers found this could be due to phytochemicals – naturally occurring antioxidants – that grapes contain.
Following animal tests, the research revealed a grape-enriched diet preventing risk factors for metabolic syndrome, a condition which is often a precursor to type 2 diabetes.
Mixing a blend of green, red and black grapes into the diets of laboratory rats as part of a high-fat, American style diet, they were compared with a test group fed with a similar diet full of fat and sugars.
After three months, the rats that received the grape-enriched diet had lower blood pressure, better heart function, and reduced indicators of inflammation in the heart and the blood than rats who received no grape powder.
Rats also had lower triglycerides and improved glucose tolerance.
Heart surgeon Dr Steven Bolling said: "The possible reasoning behind the lessening of metabolic syndrome is that the phytochemicals were active in protecting the heart cells from the damaging effects of metabolic syndrome.
"In the rats, inflammation of the heart and heart function was maintained far better.
"Although there's not a particular direct correlation between this study and what humans should do, it's very interesting to postulate that a diet higher in phytochemical-rich fruits, such as grapes, may benefit humans."
Although he added those wanting to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of diabetes should follow some tried-and-true advice such as eating a healthy diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, maintain a desirable weight and exercise more.
The findings are published at the Experimental Biology convention in California.
Showing posts with label high blood pressure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label high blood pressure. Show all posts
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Cancer May Be Linked To Chronic Illnesses.
People With High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Heart Attack More Likely to Have Cancer
By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Health NewsReviewed by Laura J. Martin, MDApril 2, 2010 --
Having a heart attack or chronic illness may raise the risk of being diagnosed with cancer, according to a new survey.
Researchers found that people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes were about twice as likely to have cancer as healthy people without these chronic illnesses.
In addition, the survey found that people who had suffered a heart attack were nearly three times more likely to have a cancer diagnosis than those who hadn't.
The survey was conducted as part of the Gallup Healthways Well-Being Index and based on telephone interviews with more than 350,000 adults in the U.S. conducted between Jan. 2- Dec. 30, 2008, and Jan. 2- Dec. 29, 2009. It has a sampling error of no more than 1 percentage point.
The survey showed the relationship between a cancer diagnosis and the following health conditions:
Health Condition % Diagnosed With Cancer
High blood pressure 11.8
No high blood pressure 5.0
High cholesterol 11.7
No high cholesterol 5.3
Diabetes 12.7
No diabetes 6.4
Heart attack 18.1
No heart attack 6.5
The risk of developing any of these chronic illnesses increases with advancing age, but researchers say the link between these illnesses and cancer remained significant within every age bracket. The relationship between cancer and some of the conditions, such as heart attack, were especially pronounced under age 45.
Researchers point out that the results do not necessarily mean any of these chronic illnesses cause cancer, but they do show that cancer and chronic conditions share many risk factors and may be interrelated.
For example, smoking cigarettes is a risk factor for both heart attack and lung cancer, and cholesterol itself is not a cancer-causing substance but can enhance the effects of other carcinogens in the body.
By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Health NewsReviewed by Laura J. Martin, MDApril 2, 2010 --
Having a heart attack or chronic illness may raise the risk of being diagnosed with cancer, according to a new survey.
Researchers found that people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes were about twice as likely to have cancer as healthy people without these chronic illnesses.
In addition, the survey found that people who had suffered a heart attack were nearly three times more likely to have a cancer diagnosis than those who hadn't.
The survey was conducted as part of the Gallup Healthways Well-Being Index and based on telephone interviews with more than 350,000 adults in the U.S. conducted between Jan. 2- Dec. 30, 2008, and Jan. 2- Dec. 29, 2009. It has a sampling error of no more than 1 percentage point.
The survey showed the relationship between a cancer diagnosis and the following health conditions:
Health Condition % Diagnosed With Cancer
High blood pressure 11.8
No high blood pressure 5.0
High cholesterol 11.7
No high cholesterol 5.3
Diabetes 12.7
No diabetes 6.4
Heart attack 18.1
No heart attack 6.5
The risk of developing any of these chronic illnesses increases with advancing age, but researchers say the link between these illnesses and cancer remained significant within every age bracket. The relationship between cancer and some of the conditions, such as heart attack, were especially pronounced under age 45.
Researchers point out that the results do not necessarily mean any of these chronic illnesses cause cancer, but they do show that cancer and chronic conditions share many risk factors and may be interrelated.
For example, smoking cigarettes is a risk factor for both heart attack and lung cancer, and cholesterol itself is not a cancer-causing substance but can enhance the effects of other carcinogens in the body.
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