Healthy Fun Facts

Fact #1


Catechins, a family of polyphenols found in green tea, may help protect the eyes against glaucoma and other eye related diseases, according to recent research. The green tea compounds can travel from the digestive system into the tissues of the eyes.


Researchers analyzed eye tissue from rats that drank green tea and found that the lens, retina and other tissues absorbed significant amounts of the catechins. Catechins act as powerful antioxidants that protect sensitive eye tissue from oxidative damage which can be caused by UV radiation and other sources.

Source: Green Tea Catechins and Their Oxidative Protection in the Rat Eye


Fact #2

Older mice, mice that are known to have decreased immune function, were supplemented with vitamin E and demonstrated increased formation of T cells, a type of white blood cell called a lymphocyte which plays a major role in cell mediated immunity.


Long term Vitamin E use was also found to decrease the risk of contacting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in both smokers and non-smokers, according to the latest research.

Sources:

Dietary Supplementation with Tocotrienols Enhances Immune Function in C57BL/6 MiceLong-Term Use Of Vitamin E May Decrease COPD Risk


Fact #3

Certain women with a familial history of breast cancer that also have a specific mutation of the BRCA1 gene have demonstrated an increased risk in also developing ovarian cancer.
The BRCA1 gene is a tumor suppressor gene that when damaged or mutated can significantly increase the risk of developing breast cancer.

Source: BRCA1 gene mutations may explain more than 80% of excess number of ovarian cancer cases after breast cancer – a population based study from the Western Sweden Health Care region

Fact #4

Children with celiac disease have been found to have lower than normal levels of tryptophan and other associated amino acid precursors. These deficiencies can then lead to higher rates of depression and behavioral disorders. It was found in a recent study, that those children with celiac disease who complied with a gluten free diet experienced a decrease in the severity and frequency of depression and associated psychiatric behaviors.

Source: Gluten-free diet may alleviate depressive and behavioural symptoms in adolescents with celiac disease: a prospective follow-up case-series study

Fact #5


Women who consume a diet high in trans-fats have a significantly increased risk of developing endometriosis. This is in comparison to those women who consume a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, the type found in fish and flax seed. These women are found to have a significantly reduced risk of developing endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a pelvic inflammatory condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus is formed elsewhere in the body. Endometriosis can cause scar tissue and adhesions that can then lead to debilitating pain.


Source: A prospective study of dietary fat consumption a
and endometriosis risk