About Me

My photo
Blog author, Solai Buchanan is an experienced Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator with an MS from Columbia Teachers College. She specializes in treating heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, polycystic ovarian syndrome,and other chronic diseases. She is a provider at a full-service cardiology practice accepting most insurance and staffed with a primary care MD, pediatrician, and cardiologist. Call: 718.894.7907. NYCC is lead by Interventional Cardiologist Sanjeev Palta, MD, FSCAI, FACC. He trained at Cornell-Columbia Presbyterian Hospital and the State University Hospital of Brooklyn. He currently is an Attending Cardiologist at New York Methodist Hospital and Maimonides Medical Center. He is also an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Having performed over 2000 invasive cardiac procedures Dr. Palta’s patients know they are in trusted hands.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

COMPOUND IN MEDITERRANEAN DIET HELPS PREVENT CANCER CELL DEVELOPMENT

New research suggests that a compound abundant in the Mediterranean diet takes away cancer cells' "superpower" to escape death.  Normal cells in the body have a regular life cycle and are programmed to die but cancerous cells do not die.  Instead, they continue to multiply generating tumors. 

New cellular research led by Dr. Andrea Doseff found that the antioxidant apigenin, rich in herbs of the Mediterranean diet, especially parsley, has the ability to alter a specific step in gene regulation, effectively “re-educating” cancer cells into normal cells that die as scheduled. They conducted their studies on breast cancer cells as well as other types of human cells.  Previous research also indicates that apigenin has strong anti-inflammatory and immune boosting properties.  In this study researchers found that it binds to an estimated 160 proteins in the human body, suggesting that it has multiple synergistic health effects.

What to do:  Apigenin is an antioxidant in the flavonoid family of plant compounds.  Diets rich in flavonoids have been linked to reduced inflammation and lower rates of many diseases.  The absolute best dietary source of apigenin is parsley (both the curled and Italian flat-leaf varieties in fresh and dried forms are excellent sources).  Other good dietary sources include celery, chamomile tea, cilantro/coriander,
marjoram, licorice, oregano, rosemary, and tarragon.  So, cook with plenty of herbs.  Parsley is especially versatile.  With its light scent and fresh taste, it is a great addition to soup or stew, tomato sauce, pasta, pesto sauce, green salad, grain salad, seafood, potatoes, rice, poultry, beef, lamb, eggplant, and cheese dishes.
Adapted from article available at: 
Source:
Arango D, Morohashi K,Yilmaz A, et al.  Molecular basis for the action of a dietary flavonoid revealed by the comprehensive identification of apigenin human targets.  PNA; published online May 22, 2013.  doi:10.1073/pnas.1303726110.  Available at: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/05/17/1303726110.abstract

No comments:

Post a Comment