CCH Health Review
Ideas & Strategies to Improve Your Health
June 2005
Link Between Parkinson's and Pesticides
Over the years, several studies have pointed to a link between Parkinson's disease and exposure to pesticides.
Parkinson's is a chronic, irreversible disease that affects 1% of people over the age of 65 worldwide. Actor Michael J Fox and boxing legend Mohammed Ali are sufferers. The illness occurs when brain cells that produce a chemical called dopamine malfunction and die. Symptoms include tremors, stiffness, slow movement, and poor coordination and balance.
New research at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland had revealed that the more pesticides gardeners are exposed to, the more likely they are to develop the degenerative brain disease.
Anthony Seaton and his team in Aberdeen interviewed 767 Parkinson's sufferers and 1,989 healthy people about risk factors for Parkinson's, including their use of pesticides.
They found that people with Parkinson's were more likely to have used pesticides. Amateur gardeners were 9% more likely to suffer from the disease than non-pesticide users. Farmers were 43% more likely.
Your healthiest option is to not use any pesticides at all in your garden or around the house. Check with your local nursery, garden supply store or pest exterminator for non-toxic substances that can control insects on your property.
If you find that you must use chemical pesticides, be sure to wear protective clothing. If you are spraying, also wear a mask that will screen out chemicals in the air you breathe.
Source: Coghlan, A, Exposure to Pesticides Can Cause Parkinson's, New Scientist, May 26, 2005
Good Bacteria Help Against Traveler's Diarrhea
Summer is here and you and your family may be traveling somewhere. But there's a chance that at least one of you may get diarrhea as a result of eating food or drinking water that contains pathogenic organisms.
Instead of potentially ruining your vacation, why not take along some "probiotics" that will help you prevent or have a better recovery from diarrhea? Probiotics are beneficial bacteria in your intestine that help to keep unhealthy bacteria in check. They have been shown to be helpful for nearly every intestinal problem, including diarrhea.
These highly beneficial organisms are available in convenient capsules.
Read more about probiotics here.
Source: Marteau PR, Probiotics in clinical conditions, Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2002 Jun;22(3):255-73
Migraine Headaches
A migraine headache is throbbing head pain which worsens with physical movement, usually on one side. It may last from 4 to 72 hours. A migraine may happen only once or twice a year, or as often as daily.
It may be accompanied by nausea or vomiting, and a sensitivity to light, sound and smell. You may also feel tired, confused or feel light-headed, or have a tender scalp or neck. You may feel cold and sweaty.
Migraines afflict 18% of women and 6% of men.
Please visit our web page to find out more about the symptoms, causes, and treatment options for migraine headaches.
B Vitamin Reduces Colon Cancer Risk in Women
Women with high levels of vitamin B6 in their diet seem to have a decreased risk of developing colorectal cancer -- especially those who consume alcohol -- according to a report from Sweden.
Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden analyzed data from 61,433 women in the Swedish Mammography Cohort study. The women were cancer-free and between 40 and 76 years of age when they enrolled, and were followed for an average of nearly 15 years.
During follow-up, 805 women were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. After taking account of age and other factors, the team found that the greater the long-term dietary intake of vitamin B6, the lower was the risk of colorectal cancer.
Overall, women with the highest level of vitamin B6 intake were 34% less likely to develop colorectal cancer than women with the lowest level.
The effect was even more pronounced among women who consumed two or more alcoholic drinks per week. Among these women, the difference in colon cancer risk between the highest and lowest intakes of vitamin B6 was 72 %.
"Inadequate vitamin B6 status may lead to the development of cancerous polyps in the colon, so it is important for women to maintain a normal to high intake of vitamin B6," said Dr. Susanna Larsson, the lead researcher. The findings may be particularly important for women who consume alcohol, she added.
This and numerous other studies show that supplementation with a B-complex vitamin formula is a wise choice for the prevention of many health problems. To place an order for a high-quality B-complex formula by phone, please call toll-free 877-347-8600.
Source: Larsson, SC et al, Vitamin B6 Intake, Alcohol Consumption, and Colorectal Cancer: A Longitudinal Population-Based Cohort of Women, Gastroenterology, 2005, 128(7):1830 to p1837
