Posts Tagged ‘Colon Cancer’

Learn More About Indole 3 Carbinol

July 30th, 2007

“Eat your brussel sprouts!”

Mom really did have a great reason for forcing us to eat those horrible vegetables but I bet she didn’t even know the full benefits.

It turns out that cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and cabbage contain Indole 3 Carbinol (I3C). I3C is the reason our moms were so strongly encouraging us to eat up.

Since being discovered, Indole 3 Carbinol has been used in many studies that suggest several health benefits, especially for women. Oral ingestion of Indole 3 Carbinol has been shown to alter the metabolism of estrogen in a beneficial manner. As we know from hormone replacement therapy (HRT) studies, excess estrogen in the body can be damaging. It’s fairly common knowledge that HRT can increase the risks of most gynecological cancers including endometrial, ovarian and breast cancer as well as increasing the risks of heart attacks and stroke. HRT can also induce PMS type symptoms including bloating, breast tenderness, moodiness and irritability and water retention.

So, if all these things can occur because of an increase in estrogen, maybe we should understand a little better what it is that is causing this to happen. Here is a little Biology 101.

Both male and female bodies have estrogen receptors. These receptors are like electrical outlets. The purpose of estrogen receptors is to receive estrogen and allow the body to process the estrogen. Just like there are many different things that you could plug into an electrical outlet, there are several different types of estrogen that can plug into estrogen receptors. In the case of electrical outlets, various things will pull different amounts of power such as the difference between a night light and a computer. Obviously, the computer will draw much more power than the night light, but the least amount of power will be drawn from one of those little plastic safety plugs.

Back to the estrogen receptors. Different forms of estrogen; phytoestrogen, estriol, estrone, estradiol and xenoestrogens, have different effects when plugged into those estrogen receptors. The weaker the estrogen, the less estrogenic effects they will have on the body. The stronger the estrogen, the more negative effects they will have on health. But just as any house has a limited number of electrical outlets, the body has a limited number of estrogen receptors.

Ideally we want to plug as many estrogen receptors as possible with weak estrogens, primarily phytoestrogens which come from plant sources. HRT and hormonal birth control methods all use the strongest natural estrogen, estradiol. Indole 3 Carbinol mimics the weakest forms of estrogen. Therefore, the more Indole 3 Carbinol that is absorbed by the body and used to plug the estrogen receptors, less receptors will be available to the stronger estrogens.

Studies indicate that Indole 3 Carbinol is more beneficial than Tamoxifen for the prevention of breast cancer1. This may be due to I3C’s ability to mimic very weak estrogen in the body.

Studies have also indicated that Indole 3 Carbinol was beneficial to mice suffering from Lupus and other autoimmune disorders2.

Other studies indicate that Indole 3 Carbinol may be beneficial for the following concerns.

* Ovarian cancer * Prostate cancer * Colon cancer * Human Papilloma Virus (HVP) * Cervical dysplasia3

In addition, because of the ability Indole 3 Carbinol seems to have on estrogen, case studies are now showing it may be beneficial for: * Hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms * Breast tenderness, cramping and other menstrual symptoms * Helping to relieve muscle soreness do to exercise or overexertion.

With so much contributing to the numerous benefits of Indole 3 Carbinol, it may be time to start listening to mom and eat those veggies!

1. “Prevention and treatment of cancer with indole-3-carbinol”, Alternative Medicine Review, Dec, 2001 by Matthew S. Brignall

2. “Indole-3-carbinol in women with SLE: effect on estrogen metabolism and disease activity”, Lupus, Volume 10, Number 11, November 2001, pp. 779-783(5)

3. “Placebo-controlled trial of indole-3-carbinol in the treatment of CIN”, Gynecol Oncol. 2000 Aug;78(2):123-9

About the author:

Nicole Bandes is a Certified Herb Specialist that has been helping others to regain their health and vitality since 1999. Nicole uses and recommends Nature’s Sunshine Products Indole 3 Carbinol for her family and friends. Read more articles by Nicole at http://www.naturallyherbs.com.

Written By: Nicole Bandes

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Low Carb Diets on the way out…Taste is Back!!!

May 27th, 2007

To see the low carb diets on the way out is a somewhat reflective process, not that I was an advocate of ketogenic diets at all unless you have Adolescent Epilepsy, but bringing the low carb or ketogenic diet into the forefront of our American Society meant that more people were being educated about obesity, food and eating.

This acknowledgement about food was astounding and became overwhelming , causing restaurant chains and some farmers to really suffer from these trendy diets, people have lost farms that have been in their families for years , businesses that lend job and economic stability to an area, have gone out of business or lost business, all on a dietary whim, with no research done on the side-effects of not eating what these diets restrict.

What side effects? you ask. Okay, so you’ve lost a bunch of weight by eating tons of meat and fat, maybe your cholesterol numbers aren’t out of reach, but, have you had your bowels checked lately? You know, eating that much meat and fat can only do one thing to your intestines and colon, and that’s putrefying products in the bowels. Pretty disgusting, huh?

As you grow older, you lose the ability to digest food like you use to when you were young and had lots of enzymes . Sometimes, that comes from just age, but sometimes it comes from disease and antibiotic use, the point being that, the low carb diet’s started you out on food that you may not be able to absorb anyway so you haven’t been absorbing the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to start, process or finish some important tasks.

So what’s the harm in that, you may say, I’ve lost weight and feel great, and I don’t feel sick. You probably wouldn’t. There are illnesses that you never see coming until it’s to late. One of the leading causes of Colon Cancer, is eating an over abundance of meat and fat, and not having the ability to digest that protein and fat in the system. When enough damage is done, you don’t absorb minerals and vitamins like you are suppose to, and you start to develop other problems, more serious problems, like cancers.

I will have to admit, that the Atkins type diets do advocate not eating the processed and manufactured foods that break down so fast into sugars you can almost hear run into the veins! And that is still true, the human body was designed to do the work of breaking down complex carbohydrates into a more simple usable energy. The break down of a whole grain, fresh vegetable or fruit product also take a certain amount of energy, so not only does your body use energy to break this healthy food down, you also have the benefit of a lot of fiber, which will keep the intestines and colon clean and functioning well.

So, what’s the next trend, I think the next trend is going to be the old fashion weight loss plan. This is a tried and true method of weight loss that anyone can do and it tastes great. This would involve healthy, low or slow absorbing carbohydrates, counting and burning calories, and exercise! A balanced diet, along with knowing how many calories you need to eat per day, to either maintain your weight, or lose weight, and an exercise program to give your bones and muscles a reason to stay strong, not a trendy type diet, but a healthy lifestyle that you can live with for the rest of your life, that still has room for an occasional treat now and then. Low carb is out, the new trend is healthy and better tasting proportions.

D.S. Epperson is the top formulator for Home Blend Gourmet / South Pacific Health, a leader in the functional food industry in the U.S.. With 20 years of experience in Nutritional Biochemistry, she has written reference books on botanicals and manufacturing of medicines from botanicals, and published articles on health, fitness and foods. She has formulated over 240 formulas and inventions for health, the environment and agricultural uses, and continues to research and study microbial advantages in nutraceuticals and functional foods. For more information or to view the articles that she has written: http://www.sugarblend.com.

Written By: D.S. Epperson

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