Preventing Cancer

If youve been popping vitamin D supplements for benefits beyond bone health-such as preventing heart disease, cancer or diabetes-its too soon to know if those pills are really doing you any good. Thats the lesson, experts say, from a sweeping new review of 290 observational studies and 172 randomized trials of vitamin D, chronic disease and mortality. Although vitamin D deficiency was associated with a variety of health problems in the observational studies, the trials in which participants were actually given extra vitamin D failed to prove a benefit.

Eating a daily handful of nuts-about one ounce or three tablespoons-could reduce your risk of dying from the most common causes of death. Results from the largest study of its kind, following nearly 119,000 men and women for up to 24 years, show that regular consumers of any type of nuts were less likely to die from heart disease, cancer and lung disease or from all causes than non-nut eaters. As frequency of nut consumption went up, mortality risk dropped.

Over and over again, youve read in the pages of this newsletter and elsewhere that eating fish like salmon high in omega-3 fatty acids is good for you. Youve seen countless ads touting the similar benefits of fish-oil pills containing those same omega-3s (EPA and DHA). Now suddenly comes a flurry of headlines suggesting a scary downside to these health-promoting omega-3s, at least for men: High Levels of Fish Oil May Boost Risk for Prostate Cancer, Omega-3 Supplement Taken By Millions Linked To Aggressive Prostate Cancer.

Even if youre only a little low in vitamin B12, you might be at greater risk for cognitive decline than previously thought. While prior research has linked serious B12 deficiency to higher likelihood of cognitive problems, a recent Tufts study found that moderately low levels of B12 also put older people at significantly increased risk.

Answer : A The concern about flaxseed oil-and, to a much lesser extent, canola oil-stems from the alphalinolenic acid (ALA) content of these oils.

A review of the scientific evidence for the National Cancer Institute finds little support for

Pancreatic Cancer Patients More Likely to Lack Vitamin DPancreatic cancer, on the rise in the United States, may be deterred by maintaining adequate vitamin D status

Kale may well be the it vegetable of the moment, celebrated in everything from cooking magazines to health websites. But unlike some food fads, this nutritious leafy green deserves the attention its suddenly getting.

Mushrooms are the only food in the produce aisle that naturally contains vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin thats essential for bone health and associated with a wide range of other possible health benefits.

While there are still plenty of reasons to watch your consumption of animal fats, a large European study concludes that meat, eggs and dairy products do not increase the risk of breast cancer. Results from the European Pros - pec tive Investigation into Cancer and Nutri - tion (EPIC) study of 319,826 women show no significant link between overall intake of these foods and breast-cancer risk.