Ordinary ginger causes ovarian cancer cells to die, a new study found.
Ginger trigger ovarian cancer cell death, & it prevent tumor cells from becoming resistant to treatment. The researcher dissolved ginger powder in a solution and applied it to ovarian cancer cells in a laboratory. Ginger caused two kinds of cancer cell death. The first is called apoptosis, in which the cells essentially commit suicide. The second type of cell death is autophagy, in which cells digest or attack themselves.
"Most ovarian cancer patients develop recurrent disease that eventually becomes resistant to standard chemotherapy -- which is associated with resistance to apoptosis. If ginger can cause autophagic cell death in addition to apoptosis, it may circumvent resistance to conventional chemotherapy," It's already known that ginger helps control inflammation, which contributes to the development of ovarian cancer cells. By halting inflammation, ginger may stop cancer cells from growing, the researchers suggested.

Source: http://health.yahoo.com/news/146353;_ylt=Ajr7zW_IZSDhrfTtuQzi.JCmxbAB

Breads fortified with folic acid, help reduce birth defects, also help cut your risk of dying from a stroke, a new study suggests.
Folic acid has long been known for its effect on reducing certain birth defects when taken in sufficient quantities by pregnant women. Now, experts have compared stroke mortality rates before and after fortification and found that death rates, dropped substantially.
The researchers found, "Elevated levels of homocysteine [an amino acid in the blood] increases stroke death risk, If you have a high level of folic acid [in your blood], the level of homocysteine will decrease," Currently, the recommended daily intake of folic acid -- also known as folate -- is 400 micrograms a day for adults and 600 for pregnant women. Many multivitamins contain 400 micrograms. Folate, is also found in dark green leafy vegetables, fruits such as oranges and strawberries.

Source: http://health.yahoo.com/news/145577

Cholesterol-lowering foods may be most effective when eaten in combination, a Canadian study suggests.
The University of Toronto study included 66 women and men, averaging just over 59 years of age. All of the participants ate a diet high in viscous fibers, soy protein, almonds and plant sterol margarine -- all thought to help lower cholesterol.
The participants were told to follow the diet for a year and to keep records of what they ate. They met every two months with the researchers to discuss their progress and to have their cholesterol levels measured. After a year, more than 30 percent of the study volunteers had successfully kept to the diet and lowered their cholesterol levels by more than 20 percent. That's comparable to what some of the volunteers achieved after taking a cholesterol-lowering statin drug for a month before they started on the diet.

Source: http://health.yahoo.com/news/145646

Passive smoking increases the risk of developing diabetes, a study suggests.
A 15-year US study of 4,572 people backed earlier claims that smokers were at higher risk of developing glucose intolerance - a precursor to diabetes.
But it also found people subject to second-hand smoke had a slightly higher risk of diabetes.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, suggests smoke toxins could affect the pancreas, which makes the blood sugar regulator insulin
The researchers, led by Professor Thomas Houston of the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Centre in Alabama, divided their subjects into smokers, former smokers, passive smokers and those never exposed to smoke.
They then tracked down how many had developed glucose intolerance.
They found smokers faced the highest risk, with 22% getting the condition over the 15-year period.
Current smokers were defined as those who smoked at least five cigarettes a week for at least three months.
But 17% of those who never smoked themselves, but had been subject to second-hand smoke, went on to develop the condition.
Poisons
This compared to the 12% of those not exposed to smoke who, the study said, developed glucose intolerance.
The authors said passive smokers are exposed to toxins similar to those of active smokers, but some toxic substances are even more concentrated in passive smoke.
They suggest that if one of these is linked to the poisoning of the pancreas then it might explain the increased risk amongst passive smokers.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4882686.stm