The Longevity Project » Review http://thelongevityproject.com Prevention, cognition, sustainable aging Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:55:17 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Diet, lifestyle and risk of prostate cancer http://thelongevityproject.com/diet-lifestyle-and-risk-of-prostate-cancer/ http://thelongevityproject.com/diet-lifestyle-and-risk-of-prostate-cancer/#comments Tue, 03 Jul 2007 18:22:41 +0000 TLP http://thelongevityproject.com/diet-lifestyle-and-risk-of-prostate-cancer/ Prostate cancer has become a major public health problem worldwide. Yet, the etiology of prostate cancer remains largely unknown. Dietary factors, dietary supplements, and physical activity might be important in the prevention of the disease. In the majority of studies, it was observed that high consumption of meat and dairy products has been linked to a greater risk. In contrast, frequent consumption of fatty fish and tomato products has been associated with a reduced risk. It has been shown consistently that high levels of circulating insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) are associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Dietary factors are also recognized as determinants of circulating IGF-1, thus changes in diet may influence IGF-1 concentrations in serum. Furthermore, increased intake of vitamin E and selenium (from supplements) has been shown in intervention studies to decrease the risk. Possibly, high level of physical activity is also associated with decreased risk of prostate cancer. The accumulated scientific evidence concerning the associations between diet, lifestyle, and risk of prostate cancer development suggests that there are some identified modifiable risk factors that it might be recommended to change in order to decrease the risk for this common cancer site.

Wolk A.

Division of Nutritional Epidemiology, the National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Alicja.Wolk@imm.ki.se

Acta Oncol. 2005;44(3):277-81.Links

]]> http://thelongevityproject.com/diet-lifestyle-and-risk-of-prostate-cancer/feed/ 0 Tomatoes, tomato-based products, lycopene, and cancer: review of the epidemiologic literature http://thelongevityproject.com/tomatoes-tomato-based-products-lycopene-and-cancer-review-of-the-epidemiologic-literature/ http://thelongevityproject.com/tomatoes-tomato-based-products-lycopene-and-cancer-review-of-the-epidemiologic-literature/#comments Tue, 03 Jul 2007 18:13:38 +0000 TLP http://thelongevityproject.com/tomatoes-tomato-based-products-lycopene-and-cancer-review-of-the-epidemiologic-literature/ The epidemiologic literature in the English language regarding intake of tomatoes and tomato-based products and blood lycopene (a compound derived predominantly from tomatoes) level in relation to the risk of various cancers was reviewed. Among 72 studies identified, 57 reported inverse associations between tomato intake or blood lycopene level and the risk of cancer at a defined anatomic site; 35 of these inverse associations were statistically significant. No study indicated that higher tomato consumption or blood lycopene level statistically significantly increased the risk of cancer at any of the investigated sites. About half of the relative risks for comparisons of high with low intakes or levels for tomatoes or lycopene were approximately 0.6 or lower. The evidence for a benefit was strongest for cancers of the prostate, lung, and stomach. Data were also suggestive of a benefit for cancers of the pancreas, colon and rectum, esophagus, oral cavity, breast, and cervix. Because the data are from observational studies, a cause-effect relationship cannot be established definitively. However, the consistency of the results across numerous studies in diverse populations, for case-control and prospective studies, and for dietary-based and blood-based investigations argues against bias or confounding as the explanation for these findings. Lycopene may account for or contribute to these benefits, but this possibility is not yet proven and requires further study. Numerous other potentially beneficial compounds are present in tomatoes, and, conceivably, complex interactions among multiple components may contribute to the anticancer properties of tomatoes. The consistently lower risk of cancer for a variety of anatomic sites that is associated with higher consumption of tomatoes and tomato-based products adds further support for current dietary recommendations to increase fruit and vegetable consumption.

Giovannucci E.

Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. edward.giovannucci@channing.harvard.edu

J Natl Cancer Inst. 1999 Feb 17;91(4):317-31.Click here to read

]]> http://thelongevityproject.com/tomatoes-tomato-based-products-lycopene-and-cancer-review-of-the-epidemiologic-literature/feed/ 0 Good sleep, bad sleep! The role of daytime naps in healthy adults http://thelongevityproject.com/good-sleep-bad-sleep-the-role-of-daytime-naps-in-healthy-adults/ http://thelongevityproject.com/good-sleep-bad-sleep-the-role-of-daytime-naps-in-healthy-adults/#comments Thu, 14 Jun 2007 18:11:55 +0000 TLP http://thelongevityproject.com/good-sleep-bad-sleep-the-role-of-daytime-naps-in-healthy-adults/

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Millions of people all over the world take a nap during the day. People nap out of habit, because they are sleep-deprived as a result of a sleep disorder, or after a long work shift. Individuals of all age groups, from infants to the elderly, indulge in an afternoon nap. This review examines the benefits and drawbacks of daytime naps in healthy adults.

RECENT FINDINGS: A nap during the afternoon restores wakefulness and promotes performance and learning. Several investigators have shown that napping for as short as 10 min improves performance. Naps of less than 30 min duration confer several benefits, whereas longer naps are associated with a loss of productivity and sleep inertia. Recent epidemiological studies indicate that frequent and longer naps may lead to adverse long-term health effects.

SUMMARY: A nap of less than 30 min duration during the day promotes wakefulness and enhances performance and learning ability. In contrast, the habit of taking frequent and long naps may be associated with higher morbidity and mortality, especially among the elderly. The benefits of napping could be best obtained by training the body and mind to awaken after a short nap.

Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2006 Nov;12(6):379-82.

 

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Dhand R, Sohal H.

Harry S. Truman VA Hospital, Columbia, Missouri, USA. dhandr@health.missouri.edu

 

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