The publication of a collection of three papers (two published in The Lancet and one in The Lancet Oncology) add to the growing evidence base suggesting that daily aspirin can be used to help prevent cancer and, now we understand, may reduce the growth of cancer.

The articles confirmed previous findings of the preventative effect that aspirin may have. The studies that these researchers look at, showed a 38% reduced risk of colorectal cancer, matching well to the 42% reduction shown by randomised trials. Similar matches in risk were found for oesophageal, gastric, biliary, and breast cancer.

However the big hoo-ha that has received media coverage in the last week is the confirmation that aspirin may be an effective treatment in preventing the metastasis (or spreading) of some cancers, as well as the mechanism by which it works.

Two of the three published papers in The Lancet report the effect of aspirin (75mg daily) on cancer metastasis (the growth or spreading of cancer). The researchers found that, after an average follow-up time of 6.5years, those patients in the studies with cancer and that took the aspirin reduced their risk of distant metastasis (cancer that has spread away from its original area into other areas of the body) by 36%. It also confirms the mechanism by which metastasis grows by illustrating that platelets play a part in spread of cancer via the bloodstream to distant tissues and that such metastasis might be prevented by aspirin. Platelets are components of the blood that, when they become sticky, may clog up and create blood clots which if near the brain can cause a stroke or, if near the heart, can prevent sufficient oxygen-rich blood reaching the heart, causing a heart attack.

Could this pave the way for natural approaches too?

As the mechanism by which aspirin works is by reducing the platelet stickiness then perhaps more natural products that share this action may too have a similar effect on risk of metastasis. Omega 3 oils from fish or flaxseed oil, have been shown to reduce the platelet aggregation for example. The Western diet, including vegetarian diets, usually provides a disproportionate amount of omega-6 fatty acids. For example, the typical Western diet often includes an omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio of 20-30:1 (ideal ratio is 4:1). There is some concern that a diet high in omega-6 fatty acids can lead to long-chain omega-3 fatty acid deficiency and produce a physiologic state that is favorable for platelet stickiness and clot formation. Increasing your intake of omega 3 fats (oily fish, nuts, seeds and their oils) may reduce the risk of heart disease and, in light of recent research, perhaps reduce cancer metastasis too.
Garlic comes up trumps at reducing blood stickiness too. Men in China who eat garlic 2.14 grams/day (about one clove) seem to have a 50% lower risk of developing prostate cancer. Whether this benefit is applicable to men in Western countries is not known. Additional preliminary evidence suggests that taking garlic supplements might also decrease the risk of developing prostate cancer. Several population studies suggest that increased dietary intake of raw and cooked garlic can decrease risk of developing colorectal cancer at doses from 3.5grams per week. Garlic powder and aged garlic preparations have been shown to have antiplatelet properties at 7.2grams per day. You might want to warn your friends.

Caution: Garlic and Omega 3 oils DO WORK and for this reason it is not recommended to take either of these in high doses (more than 2g of garlic or 2g of omega 3) in conjunction with anti-platelet medication such as warfarin or aspirin unless recommended by a medical practitioner.

Refs
Crawford M, Galli C, Visioli F, et al. Role of Plant-Derived Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Human Nutrition. Ann Nutr Metab 2000;44:263-5.

Connor WE. Alpha-linolenic acid in health and disease. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;69:827-8.
Fleischauer AT, Poole C, Arab L. Garlic consumption and cancer prevention: meta-analyses of colorectal and stomach cancers. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;72:1047-52.

Steiner M, Lin RS. Changes in platelet function and susceptibility of lipoproteins to oxidation associated with administration of aged garlic extract. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 1998;31:904-8.

Steiner M, Li W. Aged garlic extract, a modulator of cardiovascular risk factors: a dose-finding study on the effects of AGE on platelet functions. J Nutr 2001;131:980S-4S.

Lancet 1 http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PII S0140-6736(11)61720-0/abstract

Lancet 2 http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(12)60209-8/abstract

Lancet Oncology http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(12)70112-2/abstract

Researchers from Oxford University studied the rate of brain shrinkage in 168 over-70s, who had been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. This clinical trial was the largest to date into the effect of B vitamins on “mild cognitive impairment” — a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The results were so impressive that the scientists behind the work believe it could revolutionize the treatment of the disease.

The study showed that on average the brain shrinkage in those who took the B vitamins was 0.76% a year compared to 1.08% for those who took the placebo. Over a two-year period, half were given a daily tablet containing high doses of the vitamins B folate (B9), B6 and B12. The rest received a placebo pill with no active ingredients.

The discovery involves homocysteine, a compound, which is secreted in the body and, at high levels, has been linked to memory loss and Alzheimer’s.

The researchers believe the vitamin treatment may delay or even prevent development of the disease.

Approximately 16% of individuals aged over 70 years are affected by mild cognitive impairment, the authors note.

Researchers said that the results are striking and dramatic. They also said that they hope that this simple and safe solution might the answer that they have been looking for to delay the development of Alzheimer’s in many who suffers memory loss.

Study shows women can produce better eggs and provide a crucial boost to fertility simply by taking a daily dose of multi-vitamins.

Taking a daily multi-vitamin pill can boost a woman’s fertility and almost double her chances of becoming pregnant, British researchers have found.

Doctors from Leeds University who carried out the study said that a woman can produce better eggs by taking a daily multi-vitamin pill.

The researchers studied 215 women undergoing In Vitro Fertilisation to become pregnant.

In the ‘test-tube baby’ process, a woman’s eggs are surgically removed and then fertilised in the laboratory to create an embryo, which is then implanted in her womb.

Doctors examined the eggs of the women undergoing treatment.

They found that in women taking multi-vitamin pills, fluid surrounding the eggs was rich in vitamins C and E.

The fluid is used to nourish the eggs and these vitamins could provide a crucial boost to aid fertility, the researchers said.

Both vitamins C and E are known for their antioxidant properties, meaning they ‘mop up’ potentially harmful pollutants in the body.

They are also crucial for the production of collagen, which promotes healthy tissue growth.

The researchers said that other minerals or vitamins included in the pill could also have combined to help improve overall fertility.

Their research showed that women who took a multi-vitamin pill had a 40 per cent better chance of pregnancy, compared to those not taking a tablet.

The researchers said it was impossible to say whether multi-vitamin pills would help all women, but she believed they would be well worth taking by anybody trying to get pregnant.

‘Future research may help us identify groups of women who might be most likely to benefit,’ they add.

‘For instance, we already know that smoking depletes vitamin C levels drastically.

‘So, if someone is a smoker and wants to get pregnant, multi-vitamin pills could help.’

The pills could also be beneficial to non-smokers and older women wanting to get pregnant.

‘Our research suggests that the pills can also help fatter women to conceive, because their bodies have a higher requirement for certain vitamins, due to their overweight,’ said Dr Matthews.

Taking vitamins daily had a ‘highly significant’ effect in improving pregnancy rates and could lead to healthier babies.

The short answer is yes. But according to new research, when you take the mineral makes a difference

In theory, resistance training is supposed to strengthen your bones. However, if you’re coupling your strength sessions with strenuous endurance exercise—or if you walk out of the weight room just as sweaty as if you’d spent the past hour sprinting hills—your intensity could be making your bones weaker due to the large amounts of calcium which escape via your sweat.

This phenomenon—in which calcium is freed up from the bones in order to replenish amounts of the mineral that get pumped out as you perspire—has been observed in competitive road cyclists, runners, and basketball players, but it also affects exercisers who sweat profusely during extended training sessions.

The good news: Preliminary research presented at the 2013 meeting of The Endocrine Society found that athletes may be able to offset some of this bone loss by taking calcium supplements—as long as they do it at the right time.

In the study, men between the ages of 18 and 45 took calcium and vitamin D supplements either 30 minutes before or one hour after a simulated 35-kilometer cycling time trial. All of them experienced a drop in their calcium blood levels, but the men who took the calcium supplement before exercising experienced less of a decrease.

So how much of this mineral do you need to offset what’s lost in your sweat? Adult men can take 500–1,000mg of calcium per day, before exercise if possible. And in order to help your body absorb the calcium, you’ll also need a steady supply of vitamin D. Pair your calcium with 400–2,000 IU of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) daily.

Look for a product that combines both of these in one.

But just be careful not to overdo it. A 2013 study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that men taking more than 1,000mg of supplemental calcium each day may have an increased risk of heart disease, although the study didn’t focus on competitive (and sweaty) athletes.

Vitamin D supplementation combined with resistance training may help decrease your waist-to-hip ratio – a measurement that is far better at determining your risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease than body mass index (BMI).

A study, published in the journal Clinical Nutrition,1 included 23 overweight and obese participants, all of whom completed 12 weeks of resistance training. Half of them also received 4,000 IU's of vitamin D, while the other half got a placebo. Interestingly, analysis revealed an inverse association between the change in vitamin D status and the change in waist-to-hip ratio.

According to the authors:

"The results of the current study demonstrated that vitamin D supplementation improved muscular power in healthy overweight and obese individuals within four weeks and that elevated vitamin D status was associated with greater losses in waist circumference, with no additional benefits in lean mass accumulation, muscular strength, or glucose tolerance during participation in a 12-week resistance exercise training program.

The current results support previous findings that indicate a relationship between vitamin D status and waist circumference rather than fat mass. The inverse relationship with waist circumference is particularly important as abdominal fat has been implicated as an important factor in the development of Type 2 diabetes...

Waist circumference is also an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the greater decrease in waist circumference associated with higher vitamin D intake represents a potential reduction in risk for metabolic disease and cardiovascular risk."

More Evidence Vitamin D May Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Additional support for the theory that vitamin D can be beneficial in the fight against type 2 diabetes was published in June.3 Here, the researchers found "a strong additive interaction between abdominal obesity and insufficient 25(OH)D in regard to insulin resistance." They also claim 47% of the increased odds of insulin resistance can be explained by the interaction between insufficient vitamin D levels and a high BMI. They concluded that:

"Within a cross-sectional, nationally representative sample, abdominal obesity and insufficient 25(OH)D interact to synergistically influence the risk of insulin resistance."

Natural supplements

Natural supplements boost your immune system and reduce the need for common over-the-counter allergy medications, such as anti-histamines and decongestants.

Vitamin C

The most common complaints during allergy season, such as watery eyes, sniffing, itchy throat and sneezing, are caused by one bad guy - histamine. Histamine is a natural chemical produced by the body's immune system that causes the symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as the red, itchy bump after a mosquito bite. Vitamin C is histamine's natural foe because it prevents its formation. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that is safe even at high doses. I recommend 2,000 to 4,000 milligrams per day for optimal immune support.

Probiotics

Probiotics are "good" bacteria that live in our guts. Taking a broad-spectrum probiotic supplement, which contains 10 to 15 billion cells per capsule, can increase your immunity and decrease the likelihood of experiencing allergy symptoms. Research has also shown that children who take probiotic supplements are less prone to developing allergies later in life. It's best to take probiotic supplements daily, either before bed or first thing in the morning on empty stomach.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are fats commonly found in oils from marine animals and plants, such as salmon and flaxseed. They have been shown to support good health in a variety of ways. They can also help you beat allergy symptoms! Omega-3s reduce inflammation in your sinuses and strengthen your immune system so that your body is ready to fight off allergens more effectively. When choosing omega-3 fatty acid supplements, I recommend ones that come from plants or algae to avoid possible risks associated with some fish.

Saline nasal spray

Saline nasal spray is a dilute solution of salt and water that soothes and cleanses. Daily rinsing can prevent the allergens from building up in your nasal cavities and trapping bacteria, which can cause further illness. It also reduces uncomfortable nasal inflammation. I recommend starting daily saline nasal rinsing before allergy season for best results. You can also use saline spray for a dry nose or thick mucus.

Drink up

Staying hydrated can do a lot to relieve allergy symptoms. Dehydration triggers the body to release histamine (the bad guy, remember him?). Drinking eight to 10 glasses of water everyday is an easy, healthy way to feel better during allergy season. Antioxidant-rich green tea is another good option. I recommend drinking one or two cups of green tea daily for best results.

PUBLISHED: 21:00 GMT, 15 September 2012

It is an illness that can lead to excruciating pain at points all over the body, numbness, crushing fatigue coupled with insomnia, and an inability to handle even mild changes in temperature or light.

Fibromyalgia is a neurological condition thought to affect 1.8 million Britons to varying degrees, and experts do not know what causes it. 

In 2003, the Irish singer Sinead O’Connor, pictured right, revealed she was suffering from the condition, which caused her to put her career on hold for several years.

‘It’s the tiredness part that I have difficulty with, but you get to know your limits so you can work and plan around it,’ she said.

Fibromyalgia may not be curable, but it is manageable.

THE THEORY: Research has shown that meditation reduces pain. By concentrating on the ‘here and now’ rather than on negative thoughts, it is believed we can help reduce the body’s production of pain signals.

TOP TIP: Think of a colour that suggests wellness and one that represents pain. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. On each inhalation, imagine you are breathing in the ‘wellness colour’ and on each exhalation imagine breathing  out the ‘pain colour’, with all the pain flowing out of your body.

 THE THEORY: Exercising when suffering with fibromyalgia has been shown to have great psychological and physical benefits – if not done to excess.

UK Fibromyalgia, a  support group for sufferers, recommends non-weight-bearing exercises such as swimming in warm water.

One study of 33 women with fibromyalgia found that those who swam three times a week in warm water had a significant reduction in symptoms.

When swimming, the joints and muscles are supported and the warm water helps to relax the muscles, which eases pain and stiffness.

You also have to focus on your breathing, rhythm and stroke, which distracts the mind from anxieties.

TOP TIP: Another low-impact aerobic exercise is rebounding – marching or bouncing on  a rebounder trampoline.  This boosts fitness  and  mood,  and improves posture, balance and co-ordination.

Yoga has also been shown to reduce symptoms. Oregon University researchers found that sufferers who practised weekly noticed an improvement in energy, mood and ability to cope with the pain.

BOOST YOUR VITAMINS...

 THE THEORY: Fibromyalgia sufferers are more likely to be deficient in certain vitamins and minerals. B vitamins are essential for normal muscle function, energy release, a healthy nervous system and the production of serotonin, the mood-lifting chemical.

Fibromyalgia has also been linked with high levels of homocysteine, an amino acid produced by the body. A study by the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology at the University of Gothenburg found that in 100 per cent of fibromyalgia cases, there were high levels of homocysteine and low levels of Vitamin B12.

TOP TIP: A daily multivitamin should contain all the B vitamins you need. A lack of the sunshine-derived Vitamin D has also been shown to be a factor in developing fibromyalgia.

A study published in Clinical Rheumatology found that 90 per cent of sufferers noticed an improvement when treated with Vitamin D supplements. It is thought to work by boosting levels of serotonin and the ‘sleep hormone’ melatonin.

Older people who take vitamin D supplements along with calcium may live longer than others, according to a new review of previous studies.

The researchers looked at data regarding the vitamin D intake of more than 70,000 adults in their 60s and 70s. They found that people who took vitamin D, along with calcium supplements, were 9 percent less likely to die over a three-year period, compared with people who took neither supplement.

However, they found that taking vitamin D alone had no effect on mortality rates.

For every 151 people who took with daily vitamin D and calcium for three years, one life would be spared, according to the researchers' calculations.

The finding comes on the heels of several studies with conflicting results about the health benefits of vitamin D, including its possible effects on longevity. The new review is the largest of its kind, and included eight randomized controlled trials, said study leader Lars Rejnmark, of Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark. Such trials are considered the strongest type of scientific evidence.

The study confirms researchers' suspicions that vitamin D may increase longevity, said Dr. Philippe Autier of the International Prevention Research Institute, who was not involved in the review.

Study participants were generally older people with health conditions, and possibly had inadequate nutrition. Therefore, it’s “not guaranteed that anyone in good health who takes these vitamins would increase life expectancy,” Autier said.

In the review, the researchers found that 5.5 percent of the 35,412 people who didn't take vitamin D or calcium died during the study period, whereas 5.3 percent of the 35,116 people who took vitamin D died. 

Taking vitamin D, with or without calcium, had a significant effect on mortality rates only after three years; mortality rates were not significantly different among those taking the vitamin after one or two years, according to the study.

Vitamin D and calcium are important throughout life, because of their role in bone health, Rejnmark said. But he recommends people start paying particular attention to their intake "around menopause for women, and around the age of 50 for men."

While the review was based on studies of people who took supplements, Rejnmark said he does not believe the benefits would be any different for people who get the nutrients through food.

Autier noted that the greatest source of vitamin D is what the skin makes naturally when it is exposed to sunlight. People with darker skin tones, who are less able to produce vitamin D in response to sunlight, should consider supplements as a viable option, he said.

A total of 87 percent of the studies' participants were female, but Rejnmark said this had no bearing on the results, and vitamin D and calcium are equally beneficial to both sexes in terms of preserving longevity.

A coroner has written to the Health Secretary calling for all pregnant women and those who breastfeed to take vitamin D.

North London coroner Andrew Walker said action should be taken to reduce the risk to others after he held an inquest last week into the death of a three-month-old boy.

In his letter to Andrew Lansley, Mr Walker said Milind Agarwal was taken to the doctor in July with symptoms of a probable viral infection.

He was sent home with saline nasal drops. A later telephone consultation with another doctor led to his parents being advised to give him paracetamol.

But his mother and father still had concerns and called an ambulance. Their son was taken to Northwick Park Hospital in north London ''where it was recognised he was seriously unwell''.

The baby died from septic inflammation of the heart against a background of an abnormal aortic heart valve.

A consultant paediatric pathologist told the coroner's court that vitamin D deficiency played a role in progression of the infection and suggested all pregnant and breastfeeding women should be taking vitamin D daily.

In his letter, Mr Walker told Mr Lansley that consideration should be given ''to increasing public awareness of vitamin D deficiency'', in particular that all pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should receive 10mcg of Vitamin D every day.

Research has previously found that pregnant women and those trying to conceive are lacking vitamin D.

In 2009, experts warned that a lack of vitamin D in pregnancy can lead to a youngster suffering rickets and longer-term problems such as schizophrenia and Type 1 diabetes.

While many people can get vitamin D from sunshine, those living in cooler countries may not be getting enough.

As a result, the body often relies on its own stores of vitamin D in the winter months. Otherwise, dietary intake or multivitamins are needed.

Vitamin D is found in small quantities in a few foods such as oily fish, eggs and liver, and in fortified foods such as margarine, breakfast cereals and powdered milk.

But pregnant women are advised to avoid liver and liver products, raw or under-cooked eggs and to limit their intake of certain fish such as tuna.