Ideally, people would get all the nutrients and vitamins they need from food.

Ideally, people would get all the nutrients and vitamins they need from food. Unfortunately many people start with a nutrient deficit because our food- products are designed to produce good-looking items that don’t spoil on the way to the consumer instead of nutrient-packed, healthful foods. That’s why most people must turn to supplements. Liquid and natural supplements are much easier for our bodies to process, and are more easily absorbed. Supplements that specifically benefit the prostate include zinc, kelp, nettles, green teas, pygeum, saw palmetto, and avena sativa. Zinc: This mineral is a major component of ejaculate. Zinc strengthens the immune system, is vital for strong bones and reproduction, and regulates both sugar and blood cholesterol. Kelp: A seaweed rich in minerals and iodine that help to prevent and treat prostate cancer. Nettles: Contain iron, vitamin C, and other nutrients that can strengthen the prostate. It can be taken in a variety of forms. Green tea: Catechins found in green tea may help the prostate, although it is not yet proven. Pygeum: This herb has been used to treat diseases of the prostate and urinary tract in Europe for many years. It has been shown to shrink enlarged prostates in many studies. Saw palmetto: This herb is believed to shrink enlarged prostates and to lower PSA. Avena sativa: Rich in calcium mucin and silicic acid, avena sativa tones the nervous system Dietary recommendations for the prostate are to eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, legumes (peas, beans, and lentils) and fresh fish. Fish contains essential fatty acids the body uses to produce prostaglandins, which keep the immune system strong. Eat whole grain in moderation, rather than refined, and choose organically grown foods whenever it’s possible. Avoid fatty meats, since high-fat diets have been linked to prostate cancer, other cancers, heart disease, and numerous other medical problems. Stay away from refined sugars, salt, hydrogenated oils, canned, packaged, or otherwise processed foods. Skip sodas, alcohol, black teas, and coffee. Stop consumption of dairy foods, since these products is closely linked in the US to prostate cancer. Lastly, reduce stress, particularly chronic stress, since it is especially hard on the prostate. Stress can restrict the flow of blood and energy. This stress related damage sets the stage for enlargement of the prostate and possibly cancer. General lifestyle also contributes to the health of the prostate. Exercise promotes circulation and relieves tension in the body, which enhances the odds of a healthy prostate.

For more information visit: www.prostacet.com

Croton Oil Fights Prostate Cancer

Croton Oil Fights Prostate Cancer

PISCATAWAY, N.J.--An active ingredient found in the oil of the Southeast Asian croton plant--12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, commonly known as TPA--may inhibit the growth of new prostate cancer cells, according to researchers at Rutgers University.

“We demonstrated TPA could simultaneously stop the growth of new prostate cancer cells, kill existing cancer cells and ultimately shrink prostate tumors,” said Allan Conney, Ph.D., one of the study’s authors. The researchers also tested the effect of TPA in combination with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), a vitamin A derivative that has been shown to effectively treat leukemia.

Mice with induced prostate tumors received a daily dose of TPA, ATRA or a combination of the two for 46 days. After 21 days of treatment, tumor regression became apparent in 62 percent of mice treated with TPA, compared to 31 percent of mice treated with ATRA. All mice receiving the combination treatment showed signs of tumor regression. Researchers also found TPA and the combination treatment continued to inhibit tumor growth for the duration of the study, compared to ATRA inhibiting tumor growth only for the first 28 days of treatment.

“Our studies are an important early step in a long process, and we are planning additional testing in humans,” Conney said. “Further research with these compounds and others could provide hope for the half million new cases of prostate cancer each year.”

The study is published in the March issue of Cancer Research (64, 5:1811-20, 2004) ( cancerres.aacrjournals.org).

"These abstracts provided courtesy of Natural Products Industry Insider, published by Virgo Publishing Inc."

For more information visit: www.prostacet.com

Certain Omega-3s May Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk

BETHESDA, Md.--Men with high intakes of the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may have a reduced risk of prostate cancer, according to researchers from the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute (Am J Clin Nutr, 80, 1:204-16, 2004). Increased dietary intake of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), however, may increase the risk of advanced prostate cancer.

Researchers evaluated the association between dietary intake of ALA, EPA, DHA, linoleic acid (LA) and arachidonic acid (AA) and prostate cancer risk in a cohort of 47,866 men between 40 and 75 years of age who were free from prostate cancer at the start of the study. After 14 years of follow-up, 2,965 subjects developed prostate cancer--448 of which developed advanced prostate cancer.

The researchers found men with the highest intake of EPA and DHA combined had an 11-percent reduced risk of developing prostate cancer and a 26-percent reduced risk of developing advanced prostate cancer. Researchers also found while dietary intake of ALA was unrelated to the total risk of prostate cancer, its consumption significantly increased the risk of developing advanced prostate cancer. Specifically, non-animal ALA doubled the risk and ALA from meat and dairy sources increased the risk by approximately 50 percent.

For more information visit: www.prostacet.com

Antioxidant levels key to prostate cancer risk in some men

Antioxidant levels key to prostate cancer risk in some men

Greater levels of selenium, vitamin E and the tomato carotenoid lycopene have been shown to reduce prostate cancer in one out of every four Caucasian males, or those who inherit a specific genetic variation that is particularly sensitive to oxidative stress, say US researchers.

Conversely, if carriers of this genetic variant have low levels of these vitamins and minerals, their risk of aggressive prostate increases substantially, as great as 10-fold, over those who maintain higher levels of these nutrients, they write in today’s issue of Cancer Research.

"This large prospective study provides further evidence that oxidative stress may be one of the important mechanisms for prostate cancer development and progression, and adequate intake of antioxidants, such as selenium, lycopene and vitamin E, may help prevent prostate cancer," said Dr Haojie Li, a researcher at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

The new findings are based on an analysis of 567 men diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1982 and 1995, and 764 cancer-free men from the Physicians Health Study.

The initial goal of this study was to assess the effect of aspirin and beta-carotene on men's health. Li’s team decided to check for variants of the gene that codes for manganese superoxide dismutatase (MnSOD), an important enzyme that works as an antioxidant in human cells to defend against disease.

The MnSOD gene is passed from parents to offspring in one of three forms: VV, VA or AA.

"Compared with men with the MnSOD VV or VA genotype, people with the AA genotype seem to be more sensitive to the antioxidant status," said Li. "Men with the AA genotype are more susceptible to prostate cancer if their antioxidant levels are low."

The study's results found that a quarter of the men in the study carried the MnSOD AA genotype, half carried the VA genotype, and the remaining quarter carried the VV genotype.

The results indicated that the VA and VV men were at equivalent risk for developing prostate cancer across all levels of antioxidants in their blood.

But compared to MnSOD VV or VA carriers in the lowest quartile of selenium levels, MnSOD AA males had an 89 per cent greater risk for developing aggressive prostate cancer if they had low blood levels of the mineral.

On the other hand, MnSOD AA carriers with high selenium – those men in the highest quartile – had a 65 per cent lower risk than the MnSOD VV or VA males who maintained low levels of selenium.

"The levels of selenium in the highest quartile of these men are not abnormally high," Li said. "Our range is neither extremely high nor extremely low."

While similar trends were observed for lycopene and vitamin E when tested independently, the contrast in relative risk was most pronounced for the men who had high blood levels for all three antioxidants combined, said the researchers.

"Among men with the MnSOD AA genotype, we observed a 10-fold difference in risk for aggressive prostate cancer, when comparing men with high versus low levels of antioxidants combined,"said Li. "In contrast, among men with the VV or VA genotype, the prostate cancer risk was only weakly altered by these antioxidant levels."

"Our study, as well as many other epidemiological studies, encourages dietary intake of nutrients such as lycopene from tomato products, or supplements for vitamin E and selenium to reduce risk of prostate cancer," said Li.

Prostate cancer is one of the biggest cancer killers in industrial countries and affects more than 500,000 men worldwide every year. This number is expected to increase with the ageing population.

Similar interactions between dietary antioxidants and the variations in the MnSOD gene have previously been linked to risk for breast cancer.

For more information visit: www.prostacet.com

What you need to know about hoodia gordoniiHoodia gordonii (pronounced HOO-dee-ah) is also called hoodia, xhooba, !khoba, Ghaap, hoodia cactus,

What you need to know about hoodia gordoniiHoodia gordonii (pronounced HOO-dee-ah) is also called hoodia, xhooba, !khoba, Ghaap, hoodia cactus, and South African desert cactus.

Hoodia is a cactus that's causing a stir for its ability to suppress appetite and promote weight loss. 60 Minutes, ABC, and the BBC have all done stories on hoodia. Hoodia is sold in capsule, liquid, or tea form in health food stores and on the Internet. Hoodia gordonii can be found in the semi-deserts of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola. Hoodia grows in clumps of green upright stems and is actually a succulent, not a cactus. It takes about 5 years before hoodia's pale purple flowers appear and the cactus can be harvested. Although there are 20 types of hoodia, only the hoodia gordonii variety is believed to contain the natural appetite suppressant.

Although hoodia was "discovered" relatively recently, the San Bushmen of the Kalahari desert have been eating it for a very long time. The Bushmen, who live off the land, would cut off part of the hoodia stem and eat it to ward off hunger and thirst during nomadic hunting trips. They also used hoodia for severe abdominal cramps, haemorrhoids, tuberculosis, indigestion, hypertension and diabetes.

In 1937, a Dutch anthropologist studying the San Bushmen noted that they used hoodia to suppress appetite. But it wasn't until 1963 when scientists at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa's national laboratory, began studying hoodia. Initial results were promising -- lab animals lost weight after taking hoodia.

The South African scientists, working with a British company named Phytopharm, isolated the active ingredient in hoodia, a steroidal glycoside, which they named p57. After getting a patent in 1995, they licensed p57 to Phytopharm. Phytopharm has spent more than $20 million on hoodia research.

Eventually pharmaceutical giant Pfizer (makers of Viagra) caught wind of hoodia and became interested in developing a hoodia drug. In 1998, Phytopharm sub-licensed the rights to develop p57 to Pfizer for $21 million. Pfizer recently returned the rights to hoodia to Phytopharm, who is now working with Unilever.

What you need to know about hoodiaHoodia appears to suppress appetiteMuch of the buzz about hoodia started after 60 minutes correspondent Leslie Stahl and crew traveled to Africa to try hoodia. They hired a local Bushman to go with them into the desert and track down some hoodia. Stahl ate it, describing it as "cucumbery in texture, but not bad." She lost the desire to eat or drink the entire day. She also didn't experience any immediate side effects, such as indigestion or heart palpitations. Stahl concluded, "I'd have to say it did work."

In animal studies, hoodia is believed to reduce caloric intake by 30 to 50 percent. There is one human study showing a reduced intake of about 1000 calories per day. However, I haven't been able to find either study to actually read for myself and am going on secondhand reports.

For more information visit: www.hoodiabalance.com

Hoodia Curbs Hunger and Cravings

Hoodia Gordonii, nature's most effective appetite suppressant is now available. Hoodia helps you achieve weight loss by curbing your hunger and cravings. Elite Hoodia is richly formulated with Royal Jelly, 5-HTP, B-12 and additional key nutrients which will enable you to take control of your eating habits and reach your slimming goals.

60 MINUTES on CBS news featured Hoodia, reporting " Hoodia is very different from other diet stimulants like Ephedra and Phenfen that are now banned because of dangerous side effects. Hoodia does not stimulate the body. In fact, scientists say it fools the brain by making you think you're full, even if you've just eaten a morsel."

What enables the San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert of South Africa, one of the world's oldest and most primitive tribes, to stave off hunger during long hunting trips?

They consume Hoodia Gordonii cactus! It is quickly becoming known as the greatest natural appetite suppressant of all time. This cactus has an incredible virtue. The Hoodia cactus contains the highly active molecules P-57 that directly influences the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls satiation or the sense of being completely full. P-57 extract " misleads" the brain and body by allowing you to believe you have just eaten. Furthermore, It works by imitating the effect that glucose has on nerve cells in the brain, which is to fool the body into thinking it is full, even when it is not, thus curbing the appetite.

We have been involved in the health and wellness industry for a number of years. We are charter members of Goldshield Elite and supply cutting edge, scientifically backed nutritional products.

For more information visit: www.hoodiabalance.com