Wellness

Health Roundup
Leading edge research about food and wellness

by solid tumors that induce formation of new blood vessels to supply the tumors) in ovarian cancer cells. The researchers, whose study was published in the journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine late in 2007, concluded that the use of dietary agents such as ginger may have potential in the treatment and prevention of ovarian cancer.

Youre Crazy Not to Walk

The Merits of Massage

assage can ease pain after surgery and may complement the use of drugs for patients, according to new research published in the Archives of Surgery. In a study of 605 men 64 years and older who had major surgery, 200 received nightly 20-minute back massages for four days. On a scale of 1 to 10, those who got massages reported their pain diminished one level faster than those who did not. All participants got comparable dosages of pain-relieving drugs such as morphine. One-third were not comfortable getting massages, so those who did may have been more appreciative and might have reported more pain relief, the study said. The effectiveness of massage in reducing both the intensity and unpleasantness of pain suggests that it may act through more than one mechanism, says Allison Mitchinson, who conducted the research at the Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System in Michigan. Massage may ameliorate suffering by helping to relieve the anxiety that so effectively synergizes with pain to create distress. Massage can dilate blood vessels, raise skin temperature and relax the mind and body. It can also reduce lactic acid levels in aching muscles, stimulate healing of connective tissues and increase lymphatic and blood circulation. Massage may also create mood-boosting Page 36

endorphins that offer a competing sensation or may even block pain, according to the researchers.

Ginger and Cancer

inger is one of several powerful healing foods that exhibit strong, well documented effects on the human body. Ginger has a long history of use as a pungent spice for cooking and as an

herbal remedy for upset stomach, motion sickness and loss of appetite. Some controlled studies in humans show it reduces nausea and vomiting in situations such as pregnancy and following surgery. It has also been shown to be an antioxidant that can inhibit the growth of colorectal cancer cells. In 2006, researchers from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center found that ginger not only kills cancer cells, it also prevents them from building up resistance to cancer treatment. And now, researchers have found that it inhibits cell growth and modulates angiogenic factors (substances released NaturalLifeMagazine.com

eople age 65 and older who regularly walk and get other forms of moderate exercise appear to significantly lower their risk of developing vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimers disease, according to a study published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The four-year study involved 749 men and women in Italy who were over age 65 and did not have memory problems at the beginning of the study. Researchers measured the amount of energy exerted in the participants weekly physical activities, including walking, climbing stairs and moderate activities such as house and yard work, gardening and light carpentry. By the end of the study, 54 people developed Alzheimers disease and 27 developed vascular dementia. The study found the top one-third of participants who exerted the most energy walking were 27 percent less likely to develop vascular dementia than those people in the bottom one-third of the group. Participants who scored in the top onethird for the most energy exerted in moderate activities lowered their risk of vascular dementia by 29 percent and people who scored in the top one-third for total physical activity lowered their risk by 24 percent compared to those in the bottom one-third. Study author Giovanni Ravaglia of the University Hospital S. Orsola Malpighi in Bologna, Italy says its possible that physical activity may improve cerebral blood flow and lower the risk of cerebrovascular disease, which is a risk factor for vascular dementia, but further research is needed about the mechanisms operating between physical activity and a persons memory.