Processed Meat and Red Meat

The first large scale study of red meat and processed meat consumption and its effect on cancer risk was recently completed by the U.S. Cancer Institute. The long term study followed 500,000 people aged 50 to 71 for several years, during which time about 53,000 cases of cancer occurred within the study group.
For purposes of the study, red meat was defined as all types of beef, pork and lamb. Processed meat included bacon, red meat sausage, poultry sausage, luncheon meats, cold cuts, ham and most types of hot dogs including turkey dogs.
The study findings are published in the December 2007 issue of the journal Medicine from the Public Library of Science. The researchers reported that people who eat a lot of red meat and processed meats have a higher risk of several types of cancer, including lung cancer and colorectal cancer.
This study was the first to show a link between meat and lung cancer. It also shows that people who eat a lot of meat have a higher risk of liver and esophageal cancer and that men raise their risk of pancreatic cancer by eating red meat.
According to Dr. Amanda Cross and her colleagues at the U.S. National Cancer Institute, "a decrease in the consumption of red and processed meat could reduce the incidence of cancer at multiple sites.”
Study participants who ate the least red meat showed a 20 to 60 percent decrease in risk of esophageal, colorectal, liver, and lung cancer when compared to those who ate the most red meat. These differences held even when smoking was accounted for.
If you’re looking to decrease the amount of red meat and processed meat in your diet, Wholefood Farmacy foods offer an easy and delicious way to take that first step in a healthier direction.

http://www.top-health-cafe.com/wholefood-farmacy/home.html

Honey

Honey - Nature's Prescription
Many parents are concerned about the recent FDA recommendation that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines not be given to children under 6 years of age because of a lack of effectiveness and potential for side effects.

With this recent news in mind, a team of researchers from the Penn State College of Medicine decided to put nature to the test. They tested the effectiveness of three different approaches for children who were having trouble sleeping due to a cough. The children in the study were given either no treatment at all, a little bit of buckwheat honey or dextromethorphan (DM), the chemical cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medicines. The children receiving the honey or DM took it about 30 minutes before bedtime.

The research team found that honey was more effective in reducing the severity and frequency of nighttime cough compared with DM or no treatment at all. Honey also allowed the children to sleep better. The findings are published in the December, 2007, issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

According to the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Ian Paul, Penn State’s director of pediatric clinical research: "Honey provided the greatest relief of symptoms compared with the other treatments. With honey, parents now have a safe and effective alternative to use for children over age 1 that have cough and cold symptoms”. Some of the children were hyperactive for a short time after being given the honey, Dr. Paul said. However, children who received honey slept better and so did their parents, he noted.

Paul cautioned that honey should never be given to children younger than 1, because of the rare risk of infantile botulism. In addition, he noted, cough medicines that mention "honey" on the label actually contain artificial honey flavor not real honey.

Honey has been used for centuries to treat upper respiratory infection symptoms such as cough. In addition, honey has antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, and also soothes the back of the throat.

http://www.top-health-cafe.com/wholefood-farmacy/home.html
Once again, science has proven that food really can be your medicine.