I've got good news for those of you who enjoy having a glass of wine with dinner or a cocktail before. A recent study that found women who have at least two alcoholic drinks a week can cut their risk of colorectal cancer by as much as 70 percent. But there's a catch. You also have to eat a diet rich in vitamin B6. That's not such a difficult thing though, considering that the foods that have significant amounts of this essential nutrient also have the benefit of tasting good -- bananas, salmon, chicken, turkey, spinach, and hazelnuts.
This news comes from researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm and the Harvard School of Public Health. This same team of researchers had previously demonstrated a 40 percent lower risk of developing colorectal cancer for women who had the highest intakes of magnesium.
Both studies were based on information from a large, population-based study of women living in central Sweden from 1987 to 1990. The Swedish Mammography Cohort asked more than 90,000 women to answer a questionnaire on their diet, education, weight, and height. The information concerning colorectal cancer comes from a follow-up survey to nearly 67,000 women, ages 40 to 75, who had filled out a more comprehensive survey about their diet, use of nutritional supplements, and their family history of colorectal cancer.
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Mother Knows Best
Q: My son-in-law is a surgeon and only uses and believes in mainstream medical approaches. But I know that is not the only answer and want some information to help my daughter who has irritable bowel syndrome. She takes a prescription drug right now, but what other ways are there to treat this condition?
JVW: While I don't want to start a family feud, I do know that there are many natural treatments out there that have helped alleviate the sometimes confusing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, or alternating diarrhea and constipation.
One of the most effective treatments is chamomile. The high-grade variety of German chamomile (rich in substances called chamazulene and bisabolol) is the best form for soothing the digestive tract. She may also want to consider cramp bark (yes, that's the real name), wild yam, corydalis, or peppermint (in an enteric-coated capsule). All are good muscle-relaxers and will help to ease painful bowel spasms.
If your daughter is experiencing constipation, she may want to try globe artichoke or milk thistle. Both can increase the liver's bile production, which acts as a natural laxative.
One more avenue to explore: Some cases of IBS can begin after an infection. Excessive antibiotics or the infection itself can throw off the levels of "good" bacteria in the bowel. A probiotic supplement like Lactobacillus can help boost the bowel's microflora and ease abdominal bloating and pain.
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What is....vitamin B6?
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that helps maintain normal blood-glucose levels, plays a role in fighting infections, and aids the formation of red blood cells and helps to increase the amount of oxygen carried by hemoglobin.
Yours in good health,
Amanda Ross
Editorial Director
Nutrition & Healing
Sources:
"Vitamin B6 intake, alcohol consumption, and colorectal cancer: A longitudinal population-based cohort of women." Gastroenterology 2005; 28(7): 1,830-1,837
