Blueberries:

According to recent research published in the British Journal of Cancer blueberries, which contain the compound lupeol can help to fight head, neck and mouth cancer in patients who have failed to respond to any other treatments. Tests on mice by a team at the University of Hong Kong suggest the compound may help to shrink tumours with few side effects.

 

The compound works by blocking a natural protein called NFkb, which helps to grow and repair all cells, even cancerous ones. At present patients with cancer of the head and neck are given chemotherapy and radiation and according to this research lupeol could be added to make these treatments more effective. Eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day has also been found to reduce the risk of head and neck cancers which are often triggered by smoking and excessive drinking.

Black raspberries:

Other research suggests that eating black raspberries could help to prevent cancer of the mouth, oesophagus and colon. Previous studies on rats have shown that black raspberries, which look like blackberries but are actually a different species, can help to slow or stop the growth of tumours in the mouth, oesophagus and colon of animals. Now evidence is emerging from Ohio State University that the berries can also help with humans.

 

Researchers asked 20 men and women with chronic inflammation of the oesophagus that leads to an increased risk of cancer to eat a portion of freeze dried black raspberries every day. After 26 weeks all the patients had a significant reduction in DNA damage. Many also showed increased levels of an enzyme known to fight cancer causing molecules.

According to a new study from the National Institute for Health and Medical research in France a diet which is rich in omega-3 oils, fruit and vegetables as well as fish may reduce the risk of dementia in elderly people. But a diet too high in omega 6 fats could double the risk.

The researchers carried out a four-year study involving 8,085 men and women all residents of Montpellier, Dijon and Bordeaux. They were examined for signs of dementia and asked to complete a questionnaire about their eating habits and then two years later and the psychiatric examination was repeated. All the participants were over 65 at the start of the study and did not have dementia but over the four-year period, 183 people developed Alzheimer’s disease, while another 98 developed a type of dementia.

 

The researchers took a closer look at the eating habits of those who took part and found that a diet rich in omega-3 oils (which most of the participants got through oily fish, flaxseed and walnut oil salad dressing) was associated with a 60% drop in dementia risk; there was also a 30% drop in dementia risk among regular fruit and vegetable eaters. The researchers also found that regular fish consumption reduced the risk of Alzheimer’s by 35% in those who did not have a known genetic risk factor for the disease.

 

However, those with an ‘unbalanced diet’ who overloaded with omega 6 oils such as sunflower and grape seed oil in preference to omega 3 were twice as likely to develop dementia. A balanced diet should contain a balanced ratio of fats because eating too high amounts of omega 6 polyunsaturated fats can lead to lower levels of omega 3 fats being absorbed.

 

The study appears in the November 13, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

A new study has revealed that taking supplements of beta carotene, the pigment found in carrots, tomatoes and broccoli and which makes carrots orange, may cut the risk of dementia and help you remember words and conversations better.

The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that those who take beta carotene supplements for 15 years or longer have better memory and other brain skills. It is thought that beta-carotene protects brain cells from damage caused by ageing.

 

Researchers believe that the supplement could be used to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s but added that more research was needed to confirm this before they could recommend its use as a dietary supplement. Smokers were also warned not to take the supplement as it could increase the risk of lung cancer. The research does, however, provide more evidence that antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables, which mop up harmful chemicals produced in the body can stave off diseases such as Alzheimer’s.