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| | June 2007 Â | Â Â
"Go natural" with sun care products!  
Whether at the beach, on the trails or just in your own back yard, basking in the sunshine is one of summer's greatest pleasures. Sunshine helps our bodies produce vitamin D but it can also cause skin damage, which is why we need sunscreen - ideally a natural sun care product.
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Natural sun care products are gentle on children's delicate skin, and a great choice for health-conscious adults, too!
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While conventional products contain synthetic chemicals (the long-term health effects of which are unknown), natural products rely on ingredients from nature to protect and hydrate the skin. Zinc oxide and titanium oxide, both natural minerals, are among the frontrunners in natural sunscreen ingredients. These are safe and highly efficient in blocking UV rays.
Other popular ingredients in today's natural sun care products include: antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, which fight free radical damage caused by overexposure to the sun; natural hydrating ingredients such as vegetable glycerine and aloe vera, which have water-holding properties; and natural oils and butters, which form a barrier to reduce water loss from the skin.
Pure and safe for skin
Apart from their pure ingredients and gentle yet effective approach, natural sun care products are a natural choice for these reasons:
. With advances in technology, they're getting better and better. For example, zinc oxide and titanium oxide appear in "micronized" form in today's natural sunscreens, so they no longer leave a visible film on the skin. Fast-absorbing, non-greasy and water-resistant products are the norm.
. The selection of natural sun care products is expanding. In addition to standard sunscreens with a wide range of SPF levels, you'll find fragrance-free, children's, facial, tinted, spray-on and other varieties. Also look for lip care products, after sun lotions, self-tanning lotions and sunscreens that contain insect repellents.
. Natural sun care products typically avoid animal testing and are as easy on the environment as they are on your body.
Currently in the spotlight for natural sun care is grape seed extract, which may help to prevent skin cancer by boosting immunity. In a University of Alabama study, hairless mice that received proanthocyanidin-rich extracts from grape seeds and exposed to UVB radiation had 65% fewer skin tumours than mice that did not receive the compounds. Also receiving attention are green tea polyphenols, which "have the potential, when used in combination with traditional sunscreens, to further protect the skin" against skin cancer, other research from the University of Alabama concludes.
Probiotics enhance immune system Â
Probiotic or "friendly" bacteria significantly enhance immune activity, separate studies from Canada and Finland reveal.
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Testing showed that patients' immune activity was enhanced when taking probiotics.
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A study at the University of Alberta examined the effect of probiotic therapy on 28 critically ill patients at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton. The patients were randomly assigned to receive one of three treatments daily: viable (live) probiotics, equivalent probiotics in a nonviable formulation, or a placebo.
After seven days, patients who had received viable probiotics had a "significantly larger" increase in systemic immunoglobulin concentrations than the other patients. "Patients receiving viable probiotics show a greater enhancement in immune activity" than do patients receiving a placebo or a nonviable formulation, the researchers concluded.
Meanwhile, a study from Helsinki, Finland concluded that probiotic bacteria can be effective in controlling oral candida in the elderly.
During this 16-week study, 276 elderly people consumed 50 grams daily of either a probiotic cheese or a control cheese. The prevalence of high salivary yeast count decreased in the probiotic group and increased in the control group, with probiotics reducing the risk of high yeast count by 75%.
Probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus are known to inhibit the growth of pathogenic microbes; thus their usefulness in fighting the overgrowth of yeast in the mouth, a common problem among the elderly.
Lignans may cut breast cancer risk Â
A diet rich in lignans may help prevent breast cancer in older women, a new French study suggests.
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In the study, about 58,000 postmenopausal women not taking soy isoflavone supplements completed diet history questionnaires. Researchers used the data to assess the women's intake of lignans, a type of plant estrogen found in foods such as flax seed, whole grain cereals, vegetables and fruits.
After an average of almost eight years of follow-up, the researchers documented almost 1,500 breast cancer cases. However, women with high lignan intake were 17% less likely to be diagnosed with two kinds of breast cancer than those with the lowest intake. The two kinds of breast cancer were estrogen-receptor positive and progesterone-receptor positive, which are among the most common types.
Women taking soy isoflavone supplements were excluded from the study because other research has already associated high soy consumption with a reduced risk of breast cancer.
Lignans are also available as a dietary supplement, typically from flax.
Nutrient combo boosts bone health Â
Vitamin intake and bone health are closely linked, new research confirms. In one study, older women who took combined vitamin K and D plus calcium for two years showed a "modest but significant" increase in bone mineral content (BMC) at the wrist, a standard site for testing.
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Taking calcium along with vitamins D and K can improve bone health in women, the study revealed.
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Another study found that "the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among Aboriginal women, combined with lower dietary intake of calcium, especially in older women, likely contributes to the higher incidence of fracture in this population."
The first study involved about 250 healthy Scottish women, age 60 and up. The women were randomly assigned to take daily a placebo; or separate tablets of vitamin K, vitamin D, and calcium; or combined vitamin K and D plus calcium.
Women who took combined vitamin K and D plus calcium "showed a significant and sustained increase in both BMD [bone mineral density] and BMC at the site of the ultradistal radius [wrist]," the researchers found.
In the Aboriginal study, conducted by the University of Manitoba, 183 urban and 26 rural Aboriginal women and 146 urban white women completed a dietary questionnaire. Urban Aboriginal women had a lower dietary intake of calcium than urban white women, the researchers found.
As well, based on blood tests, 32% of rural Aboriginal women and about 30% of urban Aboriginal women were vitamin D-deficient. By comparison, about 19% of urban white women were vitamin D-deficient.
Oat beta-glucan, garlic aid cholesterol Â
Oat beta-glucan and garlic are both useful in promoting heart health, new research shows.
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More than 40 human studies have shown that oat beta-gluten can lower total and LDL cholesterol levels by up to 23%.
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A University of Minnesota study set out to examine the effects of oat beta-glucan consumption in people with high cholesterol levels. Researchers randomly assigned 75 such individuals to receive six grams per day of concentrated oat beta-glucan, a fermentable fibre, or the same dose of dextrose as a control.
After six weeks, the oat beta-glucan group had significantly reduced total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels, and the LDL cholesterol reduction was greater than the change in the control group. "Thus, a practical dose of beta-glucan can significantly lower serum lipids in a high-risk population...," the researchers concluded.
Based on its capacity to ferment in a model intestinal fermentation system, oat beta-glucan may improve colon health, too, they added.
A study from Iran, meanwhile, points to garlic as an aid to heart health. In this study, 30 people with blood cholesterol higher than 245 mg/dl consumed five grams of raw garlic twice a day for 42 days. The researchers concluded that garlic consumption can decrease blood fat levels enough to warrant use in mild cases or when patients can't tolerate drugs.
They added, however, that garlic can't serve as the primary treatment for excess levels of fats in the blood, a condition often associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
To avoid "garlic breath," some people prefer taking odourless garlic tablets or capsules.
Depression prevention for new moms Â
Breastfeeding and EFAs help new moms fight depression, according to a University of New Hampshire researcher.
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"Depression in new mothers affects up to 20% of postpartum women. Depressed mothers are also more likely to stop breastfeeding with negative health effects for [both mother and child]," says Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, a health psychologist and lactation consultant.
She says physical and psychological stressors increase inflammation, which is one of the top contributors to depression. Most current treatments for depression, including the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, are anti-inflammatory. New mothers experience an increase in inflammation because of increased levels of cytokines.
"Breastfeeding protects maternal mood by lowering stress. When stress levels are lower, the mother's inflammatory response system will not be activated, thereby lowering her risk of depression," says Kendall-Tackett. "However positive these results, I must issue one caveat: they only apply when breastfeeding is going well." She urges intervening quickly when breastfeeding difficulties arise.
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