Study Shows Women Who Regularly Consume Strawberries And Blueberries May Reduce Their Risk For Heart Attack

Dr. Enrique Jacome

Eating three or more servings of blueberries and strawberries per week may help women reduce their risk of a heart attack by as much as one-third, researchers reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.  

Blueberries and strawberries contain high levels of naturally occurring compounds called dietary flavonoids, also found in grapes and wine, blackberries, eggplant, and other fruits and vegetables. A specific sub-class of flavonoids, called anthocyanins, may help dilate arteries, counter the buildup of plaque and provide other cardiovascular benefits, according to the study. 

"Blueberries and strawberries can easily be incorporated into what women eat every week," said Eric Rimm D.Sc., senior author and Associate Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Mass. "This simple dietary change could have a significant impact on prevention efforts." 

Blueberries and strawberries were part of this analysis simply because they are the most-eaten berries in the United States. Thus, it's possible that other foods could produce the same results, researchers said. 

Scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health in the United States and the University of East Anglia, United Kingdom conducted a prospective study among 93,600 women ages 25 to 42 who were registered with the Nurses' Health Study II. The women completed questionnaires about their diet every four years for 18 years. 

During the study, 405 heart attacks occurred. Women who ate the most blueberries and strawberries had a 32-percent reduction in their risk of heart attack compared to women who ate the berries once a month or less - even in women who otherwise ate a diet rich in other fruits and vegetables. 

"We have shown that even at an early age, eating more of these fruits may reduce risk of a heart attack later in life," said Aedín Cassidy, Ph.D., lead author and head of the Department of Nutrition at Norwich Medical School of the University of East Anglia in Norwich, United Kingdom. 

The findings were independent of other risk factors, such as age, high blood pressure, family history of heart attack, body mass, exercise, smoking, caffeine or alcohol intake. 

The American Heart Association supports eating berries as part of an overall balanced diet that also includes other fruits, vegetables and whole-grain products. Eating a variety of foods is the best way to get the right amounts of nutrients. 

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Doctors Intrigued By Breastfeeding Tips Shared By Women

Dr. Enrique Jacome

Breastfeeding can be a difficult time for both mother and baby, so using cabbage leaves and tea bags to ease pain or eating oatmeal to increase milk production are among the folk remedies that women pass along to new mothers seeking help. 

As experts in this field, lactation specialists were surveyed to see how often they pass along this folklore to breastfeeding mothers, despite a lack of research-based evidence to support these suggestions, according to a recent survey by Dr. Jonathan Schaffir, an obstetrician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. 

Results of the survey are published in Breastfeeding Medicine. 

The online survey of 124 lactation consultants affiliated with U.S. medical centers in 29 states found that 69 percent reported hearing of folk remedies, and 65 percent had recommended at least one of these methods. 

Survey respondents were asked to provide examples of advice they had heard of, as well as advice they routinely passed on to breastfeeding mothers. Advice was broken into five categories: recommendations to promote lactation, to initiate breastfeeding, to treat pain associated with breastfeeding, to assist with weaning, and about substances to avoid for the baby's sake. 

The survey found that certain folk remedies are widely discussed among experts, particularly herbal remedies to increase milk production and cabbage leaves to ease pain from breastfeeding. They suggest that recommending folk remedies that are outside of the medical mainstream is a common practice among lactation consultants who advise women about breastfeeding. 

"Despite the frequency with which such advice is given, there is little empirical evidence to support the use of most the remedies listed," said Schaffir. "But I'm all for anything that helps and is safe for the baby." 

More than half of the lactation consultants who responded to the survey said they had heard of and passed on a folklore remedy intended to either increase milk production or ease/prevent pain associated with breastfeeding. Many respondents said they were aware of folklore recommendations to avoid certain foods to prevent infant gassiness, but only two educators relayed this advice to patients. 

For example, using beer to promote milk production is a folk tradition of long standing that was in the spotlight when celebrity Mariah Carey was accused of endangering her twins for following it. This folk tradition began in the late 1800s, but no studies have demonstrated a positive impact in milk production. 

In fact, maternal alcohol consumption has been demonstrated to decrease milk production, and may have an adverse effect on the baby, Schaffir said. Many cultures also encourage mothers to eat oatmeal to increase milk production, but no studies have been conducted to examine its use. 

Folk traditions that aid with breast pain or engorgement were also mentioned, including using cabbage leaves, even though studies have questioned their effectiveness. 

Several lactation consultants recommend tea bags to help women deal with nipple soreness, but a randomized trial of breastfeeding women with pain demonstrated that tea bags offered no additional benefit than a water compress, Schaffir said. A review of studies that examine treatment for nipple pain concluded that there was no significant benefit to the use of tea bags, lanolin or expressed milk on the nipple. 

The lactation consultants who made recommendations based on folklore compared with those who only made medical recommendations did not have any significant difference in relation to age, parity, education, experience or socioeconomic status. 

The folk traditions communicated in this survey represent a particular culture in the United States, and folklore in general varies by culture and background. Surveys of lactation consultants in different countries and different ethnicities may yield different results, Schaffir notes. 
"With the attention given to these remedies, this survey may spur future research to objectively measure whether such recommendations are actually safe and effective, rather than relying solely on anecdotal evidence," Schaffir said. 

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The Future Looks Bright For Women Struggling With Infertility

Dr. Enrique Jacome

Piraye Yurttas Beim, PhD, Founder and CEO of the biotech firm Celmatix Inc., and a leading international expert in the genetics of female infertility, presented A Report from the Front Lines of the Personalized Reproductive Medicine Revolution at the Futures in Reproduction Conference at the Churchill College, Cambridge, a two- day meeting celebrating the spirit of inquiry personified by Nobel Prize winner Professor Sir Robert Edwards. 

In the not so distant future, Dr. Beim predicts things will be very different for women who struggle with infertility. The pairing of "big data" analytics with genomics is helping Celmatix decipher the genetic drivers of infertility and usher in an era of personalized reproductive medicine by determining which treatments work best for individuals and developing targeted therapies and treatment plans, something that is being done in cancer treatment already. 

Celmatix uses big data and the power of machine learning analytics to interpret personalized clinical data, such as hormone levels and age, to understand how specific patients compare to millions of other women with similar conditions. By pairing these analytics with the world's first whole genome sequences of women with unexplained infertility and premature menopause, Celmatix is paving the way for personalized treatments and recommendations. 

"We're here to celebrate Bob Edwards' dream, and the conviction that it's possible to overcome infertility," said Dr. Beim. "This is a very exciting time for reproductive medicine. Scientists are helping women extend their biological lifespan through gamete and embryo preservation, and the majority of couples who are able to persist with fertility treatments such as IVF achieve the goal of starting a family." 

"But challenges still remain," she adds. "The people who are least likely to benefit from current treatments often end up in the system for the longest, with round after round of failed cycles. And even people who succeed often have to go through several failed treatment cycles until physicians determine what finally works through a sequential process of trial and failure." 

Dr. Beim says the statistics are compelling: 68% of IVF treatment cycles in women under 40 do not result in a live birth. Of 7.3 million American women with infertility problems, about 40% pursue treatment, while the other 60% avoid what they fear will be an expensive and emotionally taxing process. And, infertility is a global issue. Approximately 56% of assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures are performed in Europe. In addition to the large European market, roughly 50 million couples in China and India are currently seeking infertility treatment. 

However, she says, change is on the horizon. Cancer patients are already benefiting from the use of targeted therapies and companion diagnostics, and the time is ripe for the reproductive medicine field to start leveraging these powerful personalized paradigms. The cost of DNA sequencing and data storage is plummeting and there is widespread adoption of electronic medical records, which not only help collect big data and assist in the development of bio repositories but store a valuable body of personal phenotypic data that can help shape/direct individualized treatment when evaluated through sophisticated analytics. 

"Look at what has happened in the 12 short years since the first genome was sequenced," says Dr. Beim. "We now have 30,000 genomes sequenced, and we've all heard that the $1000 genome is just around the corner. But reproductive medicine faces unique challenge, and several pieces of the puzzle need to come together before we solve the riddle of infertility and reduce the 'noise' in our datasets to simplify the problem." 

Dr. Beim explained that Celmatix is tackling the problem by pairing big data analytics with genomics; building the FertilomeTM Database as a filtering tool and discovery engine; and looking at possible biomarkers for infertility. This work will lead over the coming years to the development of the world's first noninvasive, companion genetic diagnostic test to guide infertility treatment and identify women at risk for premature menopause. 

"Understanding the genetic drivers of infertility is step one in the direction of personalizing reproductive medicine," she says. "Having diagnostics that can differentiate who treatments work for better than others is good first step. But the real promise is then to be able to pair this information with targeted therapies."

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Give Yourself A Gift This Year - Stay Healthy During The Holidays

Dr. Enrique Jacome

It’s that time of year again. It’s hard to believe another year has flown by. Christmas songs are on the radio, shops are displaying their Christmas themed windows, and my inbox is full of Christmas wishes. With the risk of sounding a little like the Scroodge, please be sensible this holiday. It’s not called the silly season for no reason. With all the partying, drinking, indulging, overeating and running around like a headless chicken from event-to-event and shop-to-shop, it’s no wonder many of us feel tired, rundown, overweight and stressed as the new year comes around.

What if this year you honored YOU and entered the new year feeling refreshed, energized, slim and relaxed? It’s really not so difficult. Just a little discipline and willpower, that’s all.

Top 5 Tips to help you stay healthy over the holidays:

1. Exercise
Remember to keep up with your exercise routine. Just because you were out and about the night before is no excuse to sleep in and forego your workout. Staying active will help you feel better. I promise! Try and exercise outside as much as possible and take advantage of the bright sunny summer days. If a run is too much, how about calling a friend and take a brisk walk around the park.

2. Relaxation
As much as Christmas is a lovely time to catch up with all your friends and family, remember to take some time out for YOU. Take a few moments in the day to practice meditation or stress-relieving breathing techniques. We’re conditioned to think that Christmas is all about giving, so how about taking the time to give to yourself as well this year. Don’t get stressed out over Christmas present buying. Plan your shopping in advance, write a list of all the presents you need to buy and avoid the frenzied crowds.

3. Nutrition
Remember to make healthy choices this Christmas. It’s easy to get carried away with all the puddings and chocolates and shortbread and party food, but before over-indulging remember how it’s going to make you feel the next day. Remember to eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains. If you do like enjoying Christmas treats, limit your portion size.

4. Water
Drink plenty of water to keep you hydrated. If you do drink alcohol, remember to alternate every alcoholic drink with a glass of water and please don’t drink on an empty stomach. Best to have a healthy snack before you go to the party as it will also prevent you from snacking on unhealthy party food. Dandelion tea is a great herbal tea to drink throughout the days when you know you’re going to be drinking alcohol, as it helps to detoxify the liver.

5. Sleep
Get plenty of rest and aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night. It’s not going to make or break your life if you don’t go to EVERY holiday party. How about having a night in? Create a relaxing spa experience at home, snuggle up on the couch with a good book or DVD and get to bed early.

And if all that fails, please don’t beat yourself up about it. Take each day as it comes and strive for a healthier day the next day during the holiday season!

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New Genetic Test Detects Early Breast Cancer And Identifies Future Risk

Dr. Enrique Jacome

Physicians may now be better at detecting breast cancer than ever before, but much more work remains to ensure accurate diagnosis is possible and especially to assess future risk. That's why researchers from Germany have been working to develop a new test of gene action to predict cancer risk both at first diagnosis and into the future. In a new research report appearing in the December 2012 issue of The FASEB Journal, researchers show that the various genetic switches, which are turned on and off in the regular development of every cell in the body, can be analyzed in minute detail to determine the presence or risk of breast cancer growth.

"We hope that our results help to develop tools to identify breast cancer patients when tumors are still small, and eventually curable," said Clarissa Gerhauser, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Division of Epigenomics and Cancer Risk Factors at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, Germany. "These tools might hopefully also help to predict the progression of tumor development and guide decisions on cancer treatment."

To make this advance, Gerhauser and colleagues extracted DNA from 10 small tumor tissue samples and 10 normal breast tissues from breast cancer patients. They made small fragments from the extracted DNA and identified the genetic switches within those fragments. By comparing the results from various combinations of DNA fragments, scientists discovered which switches were more prevalent in tumor tissue than in normal breast tissue. The methods used to quantify the switches are extremely sensitive, making it feasible that small biopsies would be sufficient for analysis and testing.

"This is a milestone. The method described detects activity at the genetic level, which often occurs well before any outward symptoms occur," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "Not only could this allow for earlier diagnosis of breast cancer and more accurate risk assessment, but eventually, this technique might be used in other types of cancer as well."

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Warning: Online Information About Designer Vagina Procedures Can Be Misleading And Inaccurate

Dr. Enrique Jacome

Internet information regarding "designer vagina" procedures for women is often poor and sometimes inaccurate, suggests a new report published in the Obstetrics & Gynecology edition of the journal BMJ Open.

The findings encourage researchers to urge that guidelines be created to improve criteria in order for women to make educated choices about an increasingly growing trend that has hardly been investigated as of yet.

Previous research states that in recent years, vaginal cosmetic surgery as become more popular, with little to no clinical or scientific evidence to help guide surgeons on how to perform safe procedures.

Cosmetic procedures are now readily available to women who don't particularly like the way their genitals look. These surgeries include "G-spot amplification" and "vaginal rejuvenation", as well as modifying the shape of the external lips of the vagina.

The researchers used Google to identify private providers offering female genital cosmetic surgery and wrote about the first five US and UK websites that showed up in the search results. The content of the information offered by these websites was examined using sixteen different criteria starting from what, and how these surgeries are performed, to possible risks, and success rates.

Language was also examined, including the use of phrases such as "labial hypertrophy", suggesting that the procedure is used as treatment for a medical issue. The authors say that the lack of standard terminology on these websites makes it difficult to interpret exactly how many procedures are being offered. There are around 72 procedures referred to on 10 separate sites with terms like "labioplasty", "liposculpting", "hoodectomy", and "hymenoplasty".

On all the sites, concern about the appearance of genitals were touched upon, as well as the visibility of vaginal labia through tight clothing, and consciousness of larger than normal labia. Many sites endorsed labial reduction for a "youthful vulval appearance." One website even described this as: "a woman might have a face lift and look really young until she goes to bed and a partner can see the evidence of aging there."

Procedures were often suggested to make the labia "more appealing" or "sleeker." Even though natural variation of labia shape and size was referenced, three sites still recommended surgery. All sites said it would improve vulval appearance.

Hymen intactness, which indicates virginity, can be achieved by hymen repair surgery and was often recommended for improving "the woman's hidden aesthetics". They claimed this would ensure a woman would be "pure" on her wedding night.

Three websites said that labial surgery can improve personal hygiene and eliminate the risk of infections, which investigators say may strengthen negative emotions towards the vagina, known as "pudendal disgust."

Nearly half of the websites suggested that surgery would enhance sexual pleasure.

Just two websites demonstrated success rates of 95 or 100 percent, but what was measured as success was not clearly specified. Restored confidence and self-esteem were also mentioned as part of unproven psychological and social advantages mentioned by all websites.

Every site touched upon risks, but they were made to appear less important than they actually were; four sites did not say what the risks were; and just one gave information on revision rates. Three websites mentioned "botched" surgeries that might cause disfigurement and need correction done by other providers.

None of the websites suggested a minimum age limit for surgery, which the researchers found quite troublesome, because the human anatomy changes throughout a woman's lifespan.

The authors realize that this study just offers a small picture of the information available at a single point in time. But they do recognize this is the first time this subject has been methodically examined. 
The researchers conclude that designer vagina surgeries take advantage of women's fears and that any uneasiness they might have could be better addressed by psychological therapy, creams, or moisturizers rather than surgical procedures.

This report highlights significant gaps in the breadth, depth, accuracy and quality of clinical information given by some service providers of female genital cosmetic surgery...and highlights a certain degree of distortion to the information provided by medical practitioners in an area that is imbued with value judgement.

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Tips For A Healthy & Happy Thanksgiving

Dr. Enrique Jacome

Thanksgiving is one of the best holidays of the year. There is no better excuse to express gratitude for those that you love the most and open your heart and your home to spread the love.  Although some people look forward to, literally, pigging out all day, there is a better and healthier way to enjoy Thanksgiving without the proverbial hangover that comes from overindulging (whether that be food, alcohol, or both). Here are five tips to make the most out of this wonderful holiday:

1. Be sure to eat a healthy and hearty breakfast. Don’t be fooled into thinking that by skipping out on breakfast you have license to eat that much more during the Thanksgiving feast. It’s never fun to feel overstuffed. Eating a healthy breakfast that includes lean protein (eggs or egg whites, salmon, protein-enhanced smoothie, Greek yogurt) and fresh fruit (apples, pears, berries) or vegetables (spinach, bell peppers, broccoli) will get the day started on the right track and help keep you satisfied and less likely to binge or “pick” throughout the day. Take it from a seasoned Thanksgiving cook, there’s nothing quite as annoying as the person who is constantly in the kitchen picking at all the food one is meticulously putting out on serving trays.

2. Get some vigorous exercise first thing in the morning. Get outdoors for a hike, brisk walk, bike ride or run. The outdoors is invigorating and you’ll take in some needed vitamin D. You’ll also set your metabolism in gear as you prepare to potentially take in a few more calories than normal.

3. Start small. If offered, always choose the smaller plate size. We are less likely to overindulge when we use smaller plates. Why? Smaller plates equals smaller portions. Go generous on the vegetables. Say yes to soup.

4. Take your time. Although it is tempting to dive right in and (pardon the pun) gobble everything down so you can be first at seconds, taking the time to chew, breathe, and put the fork and knife down between bites will actually result in less chance of overeating. It takes the brain a little bit of time to register satiety (the feeling of fullness) after the food hits the stomach and gastrointestinal tract. When you plow through your food without taking time to pause, you’ll likely be that person who ends up having to loosen that top button on his pants or leaning way back in your chair because your trying to create space for your diaphragm to expand and contract.

5. Make the best choices. There are some stellar superfoods available this time of year and they often show up on the Thanksgiving table. Sweet potatoes are fabulous on their own – they don’t need extra butter and sugar. As a superfood, they are loaded with carotenoids, fiber, antioxidants and vitamins. So definitely say yes to sweet potatoes. Cranberries are also a definite yes. Say no to ham, which is usually loaded with sodium and nitrites but yes to turkey breast. Limit the amount of gravy you use, especially if it has been prepared with excess fat drippings or tons of butter. Pescatarians (vegetarians who also eat fish) may chose poached salmon for their main dish. Vegans may chose Tofurkey, a tofu-based dish with imitation turkey flavor. Say yes to winter green salad made with spinach, beats, pears and slivered almonds. I suggest skipping the stuffing altogether (you have enough starch from the sweet potatoes). Try alternatives to stuffing, such as wild rice or quinoa pilaf. For dessert, say yes to pumpkin pie but pass on the pecan pie. Although we love pecans, pecan pie is typically loaded with excess fat and sugar.

More than anything this Thanksgiving, be grateful for the table set before you! Give thanks for all who came together to make the feast possible. And if you’re looking for extra credit or at least a good excuse to burn a few extra calories, put on some great music after your meal and dance the Thanksgiving night away.

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