HEALTH NEWS

TOM YAM MAY HELP PREVENT CANCER

A popular Thai spicy prawn soup called tom yam kung contains ingredients which may help prevent digestive cancer, researchers said.

Substances found in galanga, lemongrass and kaffir limes, three main ingredients in the soup, are effective in inhibiting tumours in the digestive tract, said the researchers, who work for Kyoto and Bangkok universities.

"A combination of the main ingredients in the soup can block cancer cells," said researcher Suratwadee Jiwajinda, who is studying the antioxidant properties of Thai food.

Tom yam kung is a spicy soup made of prawns, kaffir limes, chillies, mushrooms and the galanga and lemongrass herbs.

But Suratwadee warned much more research was needed to confirm how effective tom yam kung is, and to determine how science could best use the soup's ingredients.

Tom yam kung is hardly "one hundred percent prevention (against cancer), because there are many causes of cancer," she said.

Research into tom yam kung research was initiated in 1993 as part of the wider study of antioxidants after Japanese researchers discovered that Thais had an extremely low rate of digestive tract cancer.

A common dish in Thai kitchens, it features in many Thai restaurants around the world.

The study did not establish how much tom yam kung a person would have to eat to beat digestive cancer.

Researchers have established other common Thai herbs such as ginger, basil and bitter cucumber could help fight cancer.

Source: AP in The Malay Mail, 16 December 2000

HEALTH TIPS

Avoid heart disease with this handy list of dos and don'ts

Eat less fat
Your goal is to limit fats to one-third of your total calories. Avoid obvious fats such as butter and hidden fats in processed food.

Eat more fibre
Soluble fibre lowers your cholesterol level by keeping the cholesterol you eat from being absorbed by the body. Oats, beans and fruit are rich in soluble fibre.

Eat less cholesterol
Limit your intake of high cholesterol food such as eggs and meat from all animals, especially organ meats. Remember to keep total daily cholesterol consumption to no more than 300mg.

Pick your fats wisely
Fats can be divided into three types - monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated. Your goal is to choose less saturated fat and use monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats instead saturated fat. Monounsaturated fat - vegetable sources such as olive and canola oil. Polyunsaturated fat - vegetable sources such as safflower, sunflower or corn oil. Margarine is high in polyunsaturated fat. Saturated fat - avoid animal sources such as butter and meat. Vegetable sources are coconut and "partially hydrogenated" oils found in many process food.

Shop for the best food
Poultry (without skin) fish, other seafood and lean cuts of meat are good low-fat choices. Fresh fruits and vegetables are practically fat-free and contain no cholesterol. Starchy food such as potatoes, yams, grains breads and cereals are all good choices.

Beans and oats can help lower your cholesterol. Choose low-fat food products containing these ingredients. Frozen desserts such as low-fat ice cream and low-fat frozen yoghurt are good low-fat choices.

Regular exercise
Aim to exercise continuously for about 30 minutes if you want to lose weight and get rid of excess fat. But remember, you must be patient and build up your stamina slowly.

Manage stress
General effects of stress tend to include insomnia, irritability, anxiety, anger attacks, headaches, lack of exercise and other health problems.

Source: Health Circle Vol 1 No 1, MediExpress