Dear Friend,

You may recall me mentioning my colleague, Taryn Strugnell, in my previous e-alerts. Well, the time has come for her to take full reigns of Health Bytes while I focus on other parts of the business. So with that, I leave you in her capable hands.

You'll continue to receive the latest information in the same dedicated fashion that you've come to expect of Health Bytes, and I am sure you'll enjoy a long and beneficial relationship with Taryn as you have with me.

On a different note: Please keep reading to find out how this hot beverage could help you fight prostate (and possibly breast) cancer too!

Until we meet again.

This is Pascale Barrow signing out for the last time, in the name of good health,

Pascale Barrow
Managing Editor of Nutrition & Healing

P.S. As we are slap-bang in the middle of winter I know that a lot of you will be dosing up on your Vitamin C, but do you know how much is safe to take?

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This hot beverage could help you fight prostate cancer
Christine O'Brien
Contributor to Nutrition & Healing

It's one of the most popular drinks in the world. In fact, I'm drinking a glass of it on ice right now. It's cool and crisp and the news of its health benefits just keeps getting better and better.

I'm talking about green tea, of course. And, men, you're going to want to pay attention to the latest findings concerning this wonder beverage.

Because in a new study published in Cancer Prevention Research, men with prostate cancer who consumed the active compounds in green tea demonstrated significant reductions in the body's chemical markers for disease progression (including PSA).

Some of the men actually demonstrated drops of over 30%. That's a pretty big deal. Especially when you consider the average study time was only 34.5 days.

In fact, these results are so inspiring that one of the authors of the study said, though much work remains to be done, the use of tea polyphenols alone or in combination with other therapies "should be explored as an approach to prevent cancer progression and recurrence". I find it pretty impressive that they're acknowledging that green tea could possibly be used alone to fight cancer!

Oh, and women, you haven't been forgotten - the same researchers are currently conducting a similar trial among patients with breast cancer.

Now, before you reach for that mug, you have to know that these men were consuming the equivalent of 12 cups of normally brewed tea each day. The men took four capsules containing Polyphenon E daily.

Of course, good things about green tea are nothing new to Nutrition & Healing readers. Previously, Dr. Wright has written about a few of green tea's powers. From reducing risk of a variety of cancers to reducing chromosomal damage from cigarette smoke to protecting against osteoporosis, it's an all-around amazing substance.

So, here's just one more excuse to sit back, relax and sip on a hot cup of tea!

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Warning: You could be taking too much Vitamin C

Q: I read your previous message about needing extra vitamin C, since human bodies don't make their own. But you didn't mention how much we need. What is a good daily dose?

Dr. Wright: When it comes to vitamin C, the best daily dose is different for every person. So I usually recommend identifying an individualised dosage using feedback from your own body. It's fairly easy to do this: Just increase your daily dosage gradually over the span of a few days or weeks until your start experiencing excess gas or loose bowels. Then, taper back slightly to alleviate those symptoms and you've arrived at your personal vitamin C requirement/tolerance level.

Most of my patients find their tolerance level to be 3 to 6 grams a day. Of course, when you get sick, your tolerance point will increase - possibly to as much as 20 to 30 grams a day.

Since vitamin C is water soluble and used up rapidly by your body, you should spread out your daily requirement and take it in several doses throughout the day.

There are just two precautions to make note of: First, if you've had calcium oxalate kidney stones or a family history of them, you should limit your vitamin C intake to 1 gram per day, unless you're working with a physician. There's a chance that vitamin C could increase oxalate production. Also, if you've ever had kidney failure, you should consult your doctor before taking vitamin C.