Cancer-Treatment

Flaxseed & Ginseng

Cancer-treatment ~ Natures Super Foods

Flaxseed slowed the growth of prostate tumors in men, while ginseng helped relieve the fatigue that cancer patients often feel, U.S. researchers reported on Saturday in two of the first scientifically rigorous looks at alternative medicine.

The studies reflect doctors' efforts to explore the risks and benefits of foods and supplements routinely taken by their patients but without any scientific evidence of any benefit.

Americans spend between $36 billion and $47 billion a year on complementary and alternative therapies.

Patients are taking these compounds for ailments ranging from cancer-treatment to acne but it's really not known for certain if they are doing any good or any harm.

In the flaxseed study, researchers at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina and colleagues evaluated the seed's role as a food supplement in 161 men who were scheduled to undergo surgery for prostate cancer.

The growth rate was decreased in the men who got flaxseed.

We think this is fascinating, especially if it aids in cancer-treatment.

Flaxseed is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and lignans, a fiber found on the seed coat.

The Researchers were looking at flaxseed because of its unique nutrient profile.

Half of the men in the study added 30 grams of flaxseed daily to their diets for about 30 days.

Half of the flaxseed group also went on a low-fat diet.

After the surgery, the researchers looked at the men's tumor cells to see how quickly the cancer had multiplied.

The cancer cells in both the flaxseed groups grew about 30 to 40 percent slower than the control group.

It's a healthy food.

It has a lot of vitamins and a lot of fiber.

But it cannot be definitively stated at this point you should take flaxseed because it's protective against prostate cancer or as a cancer-treatment.

More tests on flaxseed now need to be studied to see if it can prevent prostate cancer.

In the ginseng trial, Researchers tested three different doses of the herb on patients with a variety of cancers who were expected to live at least six months.

Twenty-five percent of patients taking a 1,000-mg dose and 27 percent of patients taking a 2,000-mg dose said their fatigue symptoms were "moderately better" or "much better."

Only 10 percent of those taking a 750-mg dose reported an improvement, which was about the same as the placebo group.

Patients in the trial took Wisconsin ginseng from a single crop that was tested for uniform potency.

It was powdered and given in a capsule form.

The Researchers wouldn't have predicted this, they admitted.

The flaxseed study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the ginseng study was supported by U.S. Public Health Service grants.

We'll keep you posted.

Newsletter

Health News ~ Return _________________________________________________________________

*** Our Featured Sponsors ***

Living Longer & Living Younger ~ Just Click the Pic

Feel the Thunder ~ Feel the Power

________________________________________________________________

For your convenience and for further search info, just type your search keywords in the searchbox below