CNN Vital Signs Features Pints for Prostates

During the Livestrong Global Cancer Summit in Dublin, I had the chance to sit down with Dr. Sanjay Gupta to talk about Pints for Prostates and how we use the universal language of beer to reach men with an important health message. CNN also sent a crew to Colorado for the Denver Rare Beer Tasting and Great American Beer Festival.

The interview started airing internationally today. You can check it out here:

Another Reason to Hate Beer Pong

I've never been a big fan of drinking games. Even in my younger days I really just did not get the point. I've always considered drinking to be more of a social event than a competition.

I never did the beer funnel thing. I remember being pressured into participating in a couple of games of quarters, but I kept thinking about where that change had been. Pretty gross. And chugging just never did it for me. That's why the current fascination with beer pong just is lost on me.

Now Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., has given me all the reason I ever need to just say no to beer pong. The school has announced that several students have contracted the H1N1 flu after a weekend beer pong competition.

Dr. Leslie Lawrence, medical director at RPI's health center, is asking students not to share drinking cups. That should pretty much end beer pong at RPI, unless the students come up with an endless supply of plastic cups so they can switch them out after each successful shot.

The kids at RPI are pretty smart. The question is are they smart enough to listen to Dr. Lawrence?

Drinking Reduces Depression in Teenage Girls

Is beer good for teenage girls?

Just asking the question might earn you a trip to the local jail in some southern states. But, according to a brave researcher in Indiana, drinking might be the key to help teenage girls avoid depression.

Timothy Owens, a sociology professor at Purdue University in Indiana, conducted a study that found high school-aged girls who had drinks once or twice in the past month with their friends were less likely to report feeling depressed than peers who did not drink.

Owens said the reason appears to be having a drink or two gives the the teenage girls a reason to go out with friends to relax, have fun and interact. Building social relationships are extremely important to teenage girls and has a positive impact on how they feel about themselves.

Owens said the study results reflect occasional drinking and not binge-drinking or getting intoxicated on a regular basis.

Owens said the study also found little correlation between drinking by teenage boys and their emotional well-being.

The research looked at more than 1,000 high school students. The results are published in the Journal of Adolescence.

Livestrong Global Cancer Summit

I’ve just returned from Ireland where I took part in the Livestrong Global Cancer Summit. Held at the Royal Dublin Society, the event attracted 500 delegates from 65 countries around the global. In attendance were government leaders, the heads of some of the leading cancer fighting organizations, chief executives of major corporations and individuals that are active in everything from early detection to assisting those diagnosed with the disease. There were also a large number of cancer survivors among the delegates.

Sponsored by the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the summit was aimed at creating a clear call for action to address the global epidemic of cancer. By 2010, cancer will be the leading cause of death around the world. People diagnosed with cancer still face stigma and myths about the disease. The drain on personal finances and the broader economy is frightening. In a World Bank study commissioned by Livestrong, the annual economic impact of newly diagnosed cancer cases was pegged at $305 billion. Beyond the dollar impact, in many parts of the world the lack of medical facilities, equipment and health insurance means cancer goes undetected and untreated until it is too late. Then, many of the people with the disease are unable to get medications we all take for granted that can help make their remaining days less painful.

The Livestrong Global Cancer Summit opened on Sunday night with a reception at Dublin Castle that featured a welcome by Irish Minister of Health and Children Mary Harney and remarks by U.S. Ambassador Dan Rooney.

On Monday, the program was focused around the growing cancer burden and what needs to be done to get governments to focus on the issue. Some of the speakers included Dr. John Seffrin, CEO of the American Cancer Society; Lynn Faulds Wood, president of the European Cancer Patient Coalition; Faisal A. Al-Fayez, former Prime Minister of Jordan; Olusegun Obansanjo, former President of Nigeria; Alojz Peterle, former Prime Minister of Slovenia; Dr. Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos, Secretary of Health for Mexico; Professor Jim Bishop, Chief Medical Officer for Australia; Mark Parker, CEO of Nike; Jonathan Thomas, president and CEO of American Century Companies; and Caroline Roan, president of the Pfizer Foundation.

On Tuesday, there were a series of working sessions on leadership, reach and innovation that featured a wide range of interesting work taking place around the world to help people with the disease. The panelists includedSamir Khleif of the King Hussein Cancer Center; Felicia Knaul, chief economist with the Mexican Health Foundation; Brother Charles Anothony of The Ormylia Foundation; Gabriel Madiye of The Shepherd’s Hospice Sierra Leone; Ian Garbett of the University of Papua New Guinea; and Dr. Lawrence Shulman, Chief Medical Officer at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. That evening a reception was held at the Guinness Brewery where the dramatic story of how Lance Armstrong got involved in fighting cancer and Livestrong was formed was told by cycling broadcaster Paul Sherwen, Nike executive Scott MacEachern and Lance Armstrong.

On Wednesday morning Pints for Prostates was featured as part of a breakfast briefing session on overcoming the stigma of cancer. Greg Donaldson, national vice president of corporate communications for the American Cancer Society moderated a panel discussion on cancer stigma featuring Dr. Xishan Hao, president of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; Dr. M. R. Rajagopal, founder and chairman of Pallium India; Dr. Alejandro Mohar, director of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico; Rick Lyke, cancer survivor and founder of Pints for Prostates; and Molebatsi Pooe-Shongwe, a cancer survivor and founder of BreastSens, a nonprofit breast health and health care rights initiative in South Africa.

Doug Ulman, president and CEO of Livestrong, and the entire Livestrong staff can be congratulated on running an impressive conference that was packed with information and energy. Lance Armstrong’s willingness to go public with his own cancer fight and then show the world that cancer can be defeated is an inspiration for anyone facing the illness.

Now comes the important part. Pressure needs to be applied to world governments to spend money to meet this rising threat. One of the statistics displayed during the meeting is that if the current trends continue that one in two people will face cancer during the next generation. We need research on a cure and more programs that help people diagnosed. In some parts of the world, cancers that can be treated and cured still kill because of the lack of care. This needs to change. We also need to have the courage to spend money to fight cancer at a time when the economy is struggling and there are so many other demands on resources.

The Livestrong Global Cancer Summit created the atmosphere for this to take place. Now the work begins to mobilize this energy.

You can see more about the event in Dublin at http://livestrongblog.org/.

To Your Health: Wine May Block Esophageal Cancer

A Kaiser Permanente study suggests that drinking a glass of wine a day lowers the risk of a condition that increases the rate esophageal cancer by up to 4,000 percent.

The study of nearly 1,000 adults in California indicated that men and women who drank one or more glasses of wine a day were 56 percent less likely to develop Barrett's esophagus, which affects 5 percent of the population. Those who have Barrett's suffer from acid reflux that permanently damages the lining of the esophagus and can lead to esophageal cancer.

The rate of esophageal cancer is increasing rapidly and researchers are trying to find a solution to Barrett's. The study confirms the findings of independent research in Ireland and Australia.

Drinking Can Help Boost Omega-3 Levels

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that a daily drink can boost blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids, a heart healthy compound.

The study was conducted among men and women in Italy, Belgium and England. The researchers found those who drank alcohol in moderation had levels of omega-3s. The participants in the study who said they drank wine showed higher levels of the beneficial compound.

Red Wine Cuts Flu Risk

When you line up this year for your flu shot, you may also want to pick up a few bottles of red wine.

Researchers at the University of South Carolina say a chemical found in red wine, apples and onions cuts the risk of influenza. This is especially true for athletes and others after rigorous workouts.

Quercetin, an anti-inflammatory compound found in the skins of fruit and vegetables, is the key ingredient. The study, published in the American Journal of Physiology—Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, found the compound offsets the susceptibility to flu created by workouts. The exact anti-viral properties of quercetin are not known, but researchers believe the compound may block the virus from replicating.

Previous studies have indicated quercetin reduces lung inflammation and may inhibit the growth of prostate cancer.

To Your Health: Low Doses of Resveratrol Show Wine Protects the Heart, Slows Aging

A study from the University Wisconsin-Madison indicates that even small amounts of resveratrol, a compound found in red wine and some other foods, may help people stay heart healthy and slow down other issues as we age.

Scientists have known about resveratrol for sometime. Most studies showed that large qualities of wine would be needed to get the proper dose of the substance. However, the new tests in mice revealed that low doses of resveratrol have the same impact as lower caloric diets. Some studies suggest cutting calories by 20 to 30 percent can extend a person's life span.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison study indicates resveratrol may reduce gene expression changes that take place as people age.

To Your Health: Women Wine Drinkers Cut Dementia Risk

A Swedish study has concluded that women who drink wine on a regular basis cut their risk of dementia. Dementia results in the loss of memory and reasoning ability.

The Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University study tracked 1,458 women in Sweden, between ages 38 and 60, starting in 1968. The researchers found female wine drinkers had lower rates of dementia compared to nondrinkers.

During the 34-year study, 162 women developed dementia. Women who reported drinking wine every week were 70 percent less likely to develop dementia. Women in the study who drank wine also lived longer.

To Your Health: Non-Drinkers Can Cut Cardiac Disease by Starting to Drink

A study conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina has found that non-drinkers who started having one or two drinks a day lowered their risk of cardiac disease.

The research looked at more than 7,600 non-drinkers between 45 and 64 years old over a 10 year period. Those who started enjoying one to two drinks of alcohol daily during the study had a 38 percent lower chance of developing heart problems than those who continued to abstain.

In the study those who drank wine saw the greatest reduction in heart problems.

To Your Health: Red Wine Grapes May Cut Tooth Decay

A study by Cornell University's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station and the University of Rochester Medical Center suggests that red wine grapes may help prevent tooth decay.

The researchers found that red wine grapes from the Finger Lakes and pomace, the residue remaining after winemaking that can also be used to make grappa, contain substances that help prevent dental problems. Polyphenols in the grapes interfere with the ability of bacteria to to cause tooth decay. The researchers think this might help kill other harmful bacteria that causes more serious health problems.

The study appeared on the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry website.

To Your Health: Fourteen Drinks a Week Keeps the Doctor Away

People who consume an average of 14 drinks a week have a lower risk of premature death than those who avoid alcohol, according to a European study.

The study at the University of Southern Denmark in Copenhagen, Denmark, looked at moderate drinkers who consume 14 glasses of wine, beer or spirits a week. The study found this group is less likely than either people who don't drink or heavy drinkers to die of heart disease and other illnesses. The benefit increases with exercise. Drinkers who exercised were half as likely as nondrinkers to die of heart disease.

The study took place over a 20-year period among nearly 12,000 Danish men and women.

Chinese Researchers Create Health Wine With Concentrated Resveratrol

Researchers at Northwest Agricultural and Forestry University in Yangling, China, have developed genetically engineered grapes that they say delivers six times the amount of resveratrol found in regular grapes.

Resveratrol is a compound in red wine that researchers believe helps decrease heart disease rates and may have other health benefits. The problem is that standard grapes do not provide high enough levels of resveratrol.

The Chinese scientists were able to add an extra gene from a wild Chinese vine, which triggers increased resveratrol production and also helps grape vines fight common vineyard plant diseases.

It will likely be sometime before wine from vines created in the research hits the market. It is also likely that consumers may question drinking genetically modified wine, even if it offers increased health benefits.

Beer Might Ward Off Alzheimer's Disease

Researchers in Spain believe they have found a connection between beer consumption and a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

According to researchers from the University of Alcala the silicon content in beer may help reduce the amount of aluminium absorbed in the blood stream. Research has found that aluminium, a neurotoxin, absorbed in the digestive system is a possible factor in the development of Alzheimer's.

The researchers found that beer did as good a job in fighting the absorbtion of aluminium as a silicic acid supplement with double the amount of silicon as found in beer. The scientists said that moderate beer consumption should be considered as a component in a healthy diet.

To Your Health: Red Wine Fights Off Food Poisoning and Stomach Ulcers

A study conducted by the University of Missouri suggests red wine helps fight off food poisoning and a virus linked to stomach ulcers.

In the study researchers wanted to find if red wine had additional health benefits beyond the positive cardiovascular findings of previous studies. The Missouri scientists found that red wine helps fight E coli, Salmonella and Listeria, all common food poisoning pathogens. The study also suggests red wine helps prevent the spread of Helicobacter pylori, which causes stomach ulcers.

The researchers said that the alcohol in red wine plays a role, as does acidity.
The compound resveratrol, which is found in red grape skins, is also believed to play a part because white wine did not have the same impact of food borne illness pathogens.

To Your Health: Red Wine Blocks Prostate Tumors

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham say that a compound found in red wine helped prevent tumors in lab mice. Resveratrol given to male mice cut the incidence of prostate tumors.

The study was published in the Journal of Carcinogenesis. Resveratrol is an antioxidant found in grapes, raspberries, peanuts and blueberries. In the study, mice fed resveratrol had an 87 percent reduction in prostate tumors. Even mice given resveratrol who developed tumors were said to be much more likely to respond to treatment to halt the growth of the tumors.

The United States Department of Defense and the National Cancer Institute funded the study.

To Your Health: Beer and Wine Cuts Kidney Cancer Risk

A Swedish research study suggests having beer or wine on a regular basis can cut your risk of developing kidney cancer.

Scientists at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm have discovered a link between the consumption of more than two glasses of wine or beer per week and the risk of developing kidney cancer.

Published in the British Journal of Cancer, the study tracked 855 people with kidney cancer and a control group of 1,204 cancer-free people. Researchers tracked intake of beer, wine, fortified wine and spirits.

Professor Alicja Wolk said the risk of developing kidney cancer was 40 percent lower for people who consumed moderate amounts of regular strength beer and wine, compared with those who did not drink at all. The researchers believe some drinks have antioxidants and antimutagenics.

Nova Scotia Doctor Recommends Happy Hour Vaccinations to Cut Spread of Mumps

During the last five months more than 450 people in Nova Scotia have contracted mumps in an epidemic that has health officials in the Canadian province concerned about the vaccination rates, especially among young adults.

Dr. Noni MacDonald, an infectious disease specialist and former dean of medicine at Dalhousie University in Halifax, has proposed a novel solution: offer vaccinations to young people at bars. The "shot" and a beer approach would be one way to reach a group in the population that is likely to be susceptible to spreading mumps and other deceases and also may not have up to date vaccinations. Dr. MacDonald has gone as far to suggest special happy hours with reduced drink prices for people who have their measles, mumps, rubella immunizations updated. Her comments were carried in the Canadian Medical Association Journal and in Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reports.

Nova Scotia health officials have agreed that new approaches are necessary to reach young people. It is not clear if they plan to set up immunization clinics in bars any time soon.

To Your Health: Study Looks at Why Alcohol is Good for You

Scientists at the University of Sidney in Australia believe they may have found the reason consuming moderate amounts of alcohol helps to reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes and cut the risk of heart disease.

The study found moderate drinking helps release glucose from muscles and the liver. The study said "alcoholic beverage consumption lowers postprandial glycemia by 16–37 percent, which represents an unrecognized mechanism by which alcohol may reduce the risk of chronic disease."

Other researchers have previously found that alcohol raises HDL good cholesterol levels and helps the body more efficiently use insulin to control blood-glucose levels.

The new study, published in the June issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, said one to two drinks a day resulted in the health benefits in test subjects.

To Your Health: Wine Fights Tooth Decay and Respiratory Disease

An Italian study published in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggests wine may combat tooth decay and bacteria that causes upper respiratory tract disease.

In ancient times wine was used as an antibacterial agent to treat infected wounds. In the study scientists investigated whether wine could combat harmful oral bacteria.

The study found red and white wine were effective in controlling the growth of several strains of streptococci bacteria that are involved in tooth decay and a common cause of sore throats.