老爸, 老媽, 大姐, Dragon, 開心果, Catherine, Cindy, Herman, 大眼青蛙, 白兔太太, snoopylee, 黑鷄, Kit Siu, Lawrence Tse 阿銘, 吳雲, Constance, Dean Yang 楊過, Ray Chong, John Lee, 小儀, Alex Tam, Ada……..
Long term vegetarianism can lead to genetic mutations which raise the risk of heart disease and cancer, scientists have found.
Populations who have had a primarily vegetarian diet for generations were found to be far more likely to carry DNA which makes them susceptible to inflammation.
Scientists in the US believe that the mutation occured to make it easier for vegetarians to absorb essential fatty acids from plants.
But it has the knock-on effect of boosting the production of arachidonic acid, which is known to increase inflammatory disease and cancer. When coupled with a diet high in vegetable oils – such as sunflower oil – the mutated gene quickly turns fatty acids into dangerous arachidonic acid.
The finding may help explain previous research which found vegetarian populations are nearly 40 per cent more likely to suffer colorectal cancer than meat eaters, a finding that has puzzled doctors because eating red meat is known to raise the risk.
Researchers from Cornell University in the US compared hundreds of genomes from a primarily vegetarian population in Pune, India to traditional meat-eating people in Kansas and found there was a significant genetic difference.
“Those whose ancestry derives from vegetarians are more likely to carry genetics that more rapidly metabolise plant fatty acids,” said Tom Brenna, Professor of Human Nutrition at Cornell.
“In such individuals, vegetable oils will be converted to the more pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid, increasing the risk for chronic inflammation that is implicated in the development of heart disease, and exacerbates cancer.
“The mutation appeared in the human genome long ago, and has been passed down through the human family.”
To make the problem worse, the mutation also hinders the production of beneficial Omega 3 fatty acid which is protective against heart disease. Although it may not have mattered when the mutation first developed, since the industrial revolution there has been a major shift in diets away from Omega 3 – found in fish and nuts – to less healthy Omega 6 fats – found in vegetable oils.
"Changes in the dietary Omega 6 to Omega 3 balance may contribute to the increase in chronic disease seen in some developing countries,” added Dr Brenna.
“The message for vegetarians is simple. Use vegetable oils that are low in omega-6 linoleic acid such as olive oil.”
The mutation is called rs66698963 and is found in the FADS2 gene which controls the production of fatty acids in the body.
Over many generations vegetarianism can lead to genetic changes Photo: Alamy
Previous studies have shown that vegetarianism and veganism can lead to problems with fertility by lowering sperm counts.
Separate research from Harvard University also found that a diet high in fruit and vegetables may impact fertility because men are consuming high quantities of pesticides.
Many vegetarians also struggle to get enough protein, iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and calcium which are essential for health. One study found that vegetarians had approximately five percent lower bone-mineral density (BMD) than non-vegetarians.
However other research suggests vegetarianism lowers the risk of diabetes, stroke and obesity.
Mary Glasure breaks down after son, Cpl. Corey Hoffmaster, surprises her at doctor appointment.
CODY GLASURE/YOUTUBE
Two weeks ago, Mary Glasure's life changed with one devastating word: cancer.
After undergoing several different body scans, the Ohio mom of seven was preparing for even more "horrible news."
With most of her children by her side, Glasure anxiously waited in a small room at the Tony Teramana Cancer Center, ready to begin counseling on chemotherapy — the next step in her battle against breast cancer.
That's when a man with bright blue scrubs and a surgical mask walked through the door.
"I couldn't understand what he was saying to me," Glasure told CBS News. "I was thinking: Oh my God, now what?"
The man made a quick entrance, turned to Glasure and sternly said, "I have a lunch appointment to get to; let's hurry up."
Confused, Glasure threw up her hands and chuckled, "Uh, okay…"
But when the doctor pulled the mask from his face, Glasure's nervous laughter turned to sobs.
Her son, Marine Cpl. Corey Hoffmaster, stood before her with arms wide open.
"I didn't even know my own son!" a shocked Glasure said. "When he took his mask off, I just went nuts."
"Hi, mama," greeted Hoffmaster with a big bear hug.
Hoffmaster, who is stationed in Yuma, Arizona, hadn't been back to his hometown of Toronto, Ohio, in two years.
"We were all in tears; it was pretty amazing," Hoffmaster's brother, Cody Glasure, described.
The military man hasn't waited this long to come home since he enlisted five years ago.
When he was told his mother had cancer, Hoffmaster knew he couldn't wait any longer.
"I was hoping he would come home," Mary said. "I wanted him to be here in person."
So, he schemed with his three sisters and three brothers to give his mom a surprise that would turn the tough day around — and it worked.
After a 10-day stay with his family, Hoffmaster teared up as he said goodbye on Monday.
"I'm still in shock that he did that," his brother said. "It was just a crazy and very emotional and amazing moment."
的確，醫藥開發取得的進步雖然給癌症治療帶來希望，但其價格不斷飛漲也開始在法國引發爭議。根據法國健康總署(Haute Autorité de Santé)的數據，在上個世紀九十年代，一項抗癌治療的平均費用大概在每年一萬美元左右，但二十年後，一項抗癌治療所需的費用如今已經達到了10萬美元。法國癌症研究所（Institut National du Cancer）也指出，從1995年到2013年，抗癌藥物每個月的費用平均每年上漲10%！專攻肝癌的Jean-Paul Vernant 2015年底時指出，在2004年時，抗癌藥物總體費用相當於240億美元，2008年時已經上升到400億美元，2014年就已經高達800億美元，倘若不能控制價格飛漲，2020年時，抗癌藥物費用將達到1550億美元，也就是說，在六年內翻一番。
新藥物的不斷出現也許給癌症患者帶來希望，不斷上漲的價格也很有可能最終使得這些新葯帶來的希望落空，因為患者即便求生心切，卻未必有相應的財政能力支付療效可能更佳的新葯。法國癌症防治聯盟指出，2014年時，治療慢性骨髓性白血病的藥物Gleevec 的價格根據劑量的不同，可以在2.7萬歐元到4萬歐元之間；治療黑色素瘤的最新藥物Keytruda 平均每位患者所需費用估計在10萬歐元以上。如此高價也越來越讓社會醫療保險制度不堪重負。百名癌症專家在公開信中指出，在美國，數千萬人因為既沒有個人醫療保險，也不能享受國家救助，而無緣享用這些醫藥開發的進步；在英國，一些抗癌藥物雖然療效不錯，但是因為價格太高，政府已經決定不再承擔報銷；目前，法國政府仍然為保證所有患者都能獲得所需藥物而100%地承擔抗癌治療的開銷，但是，越來越多的醫生和協會組織警告說，早晚有一天，法國的醫療體制將無法繼續承擔這些藥物的高價。法國健康總署的負責人Agnès Buzyn表示，這些新療法未來將威脅醫療系統的收支平衡。根據協會組織抗癌聯盟（Ligue contre le cancer）的數據，2015年抗癌治療開銷在法國醫療保險總開支中所佔比例已經從2007年的6.6% 上升到10%。面對如此重負，法國政府也開始考慮如何減少開支。未來，一些抗癌藥物將可能從目前的醫療保險承擔費用的藥品名單中剔除。
那麼如何解釋抗癌藥物價格的快速提升呢？首先，從技術角度講，這與抗癌藥物研發越來越有針對性有關。以前，數萬名患者使用着同一種藥物，如今，新葯開發的結果之一是治療可以更加對症下藥，某一藥物針對的患者也許只有幾十人。其次，新葯開發當然來自技術革新與研究成果，有葯業界人士指出，近些年來，科學難度以及醫藥標準提高，新葯開發的成本越來越高，每種新葯的開發成本已經在十億歐元上下。諮詢公司Bain and Cie法國醫藥業務負責人向法新社表示，在醫藥領域，研究與開發在營業額中所佔比例達到20%，那些最有創新能力的醫藥研究所的比例會更高。但癌症專家並不認同這樣的觀點，百名專家的公開信指出，抗癌藥物價格在漲，但葯業的研發資金其實在下降。研發資金只佔藥廠營業額的15%，而市場營銷宣傳費用所佔的比例卻超過了25%。
.jpg)
.JPG)
