“A study of older adults in Oregon identified mixtures of nutrients [from foods] that seem to protect the brain, and other food ingredients that may worsen brain shrinkage and cognitive decline.”  The point here is that no single nutrient is responsible for the reported health benefit.  Rather, its the mixture of nutrients that occur together in nature, something a synthetic supplement could never duplicate.

OHSU and OSU; Oregon Brain Aging Study

Seniors who take aspirin daily are twice as likely to have late stage macular degeneration than those who never take aspirin, according to a European study.  Deciding whether or not aspirin is right for you requires a discussion with your doctor where he or she can counsel you about your own individual situation as well as have a discussion about alternatives to aspirin for preventing heart attacks.

According the the Unites States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) PSA screening results in little to no  reduction in prostate cancer-specific death rates and is associated with harmful and unnecessary treatments.  However I don’t think  PSA screening has to be bad for all men.  Rather, we should reserve it for men who fit proper selection criteria and cautiously monitor any changes.  This requires a physician willing to spend the time it takes to help each individual make the best choices for his own situation.

The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that eating certain nuts, fiber, plants and soy– and getting advice on how to do so effectively — can drop LDL cholesterol levels substantially more than a diet focused only on reducing saturated fat.  This is something that nutritionists have known for years and hopefully relieves some of the negative association with dietary fat consumption.

JAMA. 2011;306(8):831-839

Did you know that research suggests different types and strengths of fish oil supplementation depending on what you are trying to treat?  Heart health, high blood pressure, depression, asthma, and arthritis all need different types of essential fatty acids for best results.

SIBO is a condition in which abnormally large numbers of normal bacteria are present in the small intestine, leading to impaired digestion and absorption of nutrients.  If you or someone you know has irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or other chronic digestive complaints,  consider discussing this with one of our doctors since there are treatments that can help.  You can read more at www.SIBOinfo.com.

This recent research underscores what natural medicine experts have known for ages:  Feverfew and ginger are safe and effective in treating mild headaches, including migraine.  Its not very often that studies like these are ever performed due to lack of funding, so we are happy to see this published!  Since headaches can be a symptom of serious health problems, consult your Naturopathic Physican for thorough evaluation before beginning treatment.

Headache. Published online June 1, 2011

More support for the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet is coming from researchers in France who are studying over 7500 people 65+  years of age.  Compared with participants who did not use olive oil, those with intensive use had a 41% lower risk for stroke. No other dietary variable was significantly associated with stroke incidence.

(Cecilia Samieri, PhD, June 15 in Neurology.)

Have a look at this great video about a natural medicine approach to Cardiovascular Disease.

Potassium rich foods include sweet potato, tomato paste, apricots, banana, beet greens, yogurt, white beans, lima beans,  prune juice, clams, halibut, cod to name a few.

March 8, 2011 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.