Vegetarian diets are healthier for kidney patients, compared with animal-based diets, according to a new study in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Patients who followed vegetarian diets had lower serum phosphorous levels, compared with those who consumed meat. Maintaining normal phosphorous levels is critical for patients with chronic kidney disease and is typically controlled by restricting intake.

Moe SM, Zidehsarai MP, Chambers MA, et al. Vegetarian compared with meat dietary protein source and phosphorus homeostasis in chronic kidney disease. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. Published ahead of print December 23, 2010. doi:10.2215/CJN.05040610.

McDougall discusses the potential positive effects of a low-fat vegan diet on Parkinson’s Disease, taking Michael J. Fox’s foundation to task: “Even though he has been reported to have an interest in vegetarian diets, his foundation has focused on stem cell research, which has been, and will likely continue to be, a dead-end path.”

This newsletter also features a lot of holiday recipes from chef Miyoko Schinner, including: Pumpkin Chestnut Soup, Squash Stuffed with Kale and Almond Risotto, Earthy Farro Risotto with Mushroom Medley, Yuba Turkey Loaf with Roasted Mushroom and Chard Stuffing or Wild Rice and Fennel Stuffing, Roasted Mushroom and Chard Stuffing, and Pumpkin Bread Pudding.

Overweight adults are more likely to die at any given point in time, compared with their normal-weight friends, according to a new study that looked at 1.46 million white adults in the National Cancer Institute Cohort Consortium studies. Overweight women were 13 percent more likely to die over a 10-year follow-up, while obese women had a 44 percent to 151 percent increased risk of dying, compared with those of normal weight. Men had similar increased risks.

Prior studies have shown nonvegetarians have higher BMIs than those who consume plant-based diets, putting them at greater risk.

de Gonzalez AB, Hartge P, Cerhan JR, et al. Body-mass index and mortality among 1.46 million white adults. N Engl J Med. 2010;363:2211-2219.

Spencer EA, Appleby PN, Davey GK, Key TJ. Diet and body-mass index in 38000 EPIC-Oxford meat-eaters, fish-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003;27:728-734.

It takes an average of 6.8 years for a pancreatic cancer cell to spread to other organs, and an average of 2.7 years from then until the patient’s death, according to a new study published in the journal Nature. Researchers used genetic testing methods to detect cancer progression by identifying specific genes thought to influence cancer growth. These timelines for disease progression may be useful for new screening methods in hopes of detecting cancer earlier.

Meanwhile, an Italian study in Cancer Causes and Control shows that diets rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce pancreatic cancer risk. Those who consumed the most fruits and vegetables had an estimated 40 percent decreased risk, compared with those who ate the least. The study found that frequent meat consumption can double risk and that table sugar and white potatoes also increase risk. The researchers suspect insulin resistance may play a role in pancreatic cancer.

Yachida S, Jones S, Bozic I, et al. Distant metastasis occurs late during the genetic evolution of pancreatic cancer. Nature. 2010;467:1114-1117.

Polesel J, Talamini R, Negri E, et al. Dietary habits and risk of pancreatic cancer: an Italian case-control study. Cancer Causes Control. 2010;21:493-500.

Women following vegan diets have significantly more omega-3 “good fats” in their blood, compared with fish-eaters, meat-eaters, and ovo-lacto vegetarians, according to a new report from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study. Levels in vegan men were not quite as high as in vegan women. Despite zero intake of long-chain omega-3s eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and substantially lower intake of their plant-derived precursor alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), vegan participants converted robust amounts of shorter-chain fatty acids into these long-chain fatty acids. The study included 14,422 men and women aged 39 to 78.

Welch AA, Shakya-Shrestha S, Lentjes MAH, Wareham NJ, Khaw KT. Dietary intake and status of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in a population of fish-eating and non-fish-eating meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans and the precursor-product ratio of a-linolenic acid to long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: results from the EPIC-Norfolk cohort. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;92:1040-1051.

McDougall talks about recent vegan converts, including Steve Wynn, Bill Clinton, Mike Tyson and others.

He also discusses the effects of diet on the prostate.

For people doing holiday planning, here is a guide to McDougall recipes that are perfect for holiday meals.

He reviews recent medical studies that are of interest, including mammography, statins, arthritis, mood and calcium.

And September’s recipes include Creamy Golden Gravy, Creamy Black Bean Soup, Baja White Bean Stew, African Yam Stew, Sambhar with Carrot and Zucchini, and Rava Uppma. October’s recipes include Corn Chowder, Roasted Vegetable Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing, and a Raw Apple Crumble.

Researchers caution that consuming eggs is not as harmless as some reports claim. The authors of a new publication in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology explain that the cholesterol in one egg exceeds the maximum amount recommended by the American Heart Association and the National Cholesterol Education Program. Both recommend less than 200 milligrams per day for people at risk for cardiovascular disease. Authors go on to caution that stopping egg consumption after a heart attack would be “a necessary act, but late.”

A recent report from the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee reiterated the recommendation to reduce dietary cholesterol to less than 200 milligrams per day for persons with or at high risk for cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes.

Spence JD, Jenkins DJA, Davignon J. Dietary cholesterol and egg yolks: not for patients at risk of vascular disease. Can J Cardiol. 2010;26:e336-e339.

Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. Available at: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/DGAC/Report/D-3-FattyAcidsCholesterol.pdf

Omega-3 supplements do not slow mental decline in Alzheimer’s patients, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In this trial conducted by the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study, Alzheimer’s patients who took an omega-3 supplement showed no benefit in cognition or brain atrophy. Researchers randomly assigned 402 participants to either a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplement (2 grams per day) or a placebo for 18 months. Fish oil and other fish products are often touted for their omega-3 fatty acid—specifically DHA—content.

Quinn JF, Rama R, Thomas RG, et al. Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation and cognitive decline in Alzheimer disease. JAMA. 2010;304:1903-1911.

A carcinogen found in grilled chicken may worsen breast cancer, according to new research. In the October issue of Toxicology, Imperial College London researchers shared results of a study treating human breast cancer cell lines with PhIP, one of a group of carcinogens called heterocyclic amines. PhIP is commonly found in grilled and barbecued meats, especially chicken. The researchers found that very small doses of PhIP caused the cells to exhibit extracellular invasive behavior. The invasiveness of the cells increased with increasing doses of PhIP, with some doses of PhIP surpassing the positive control, 17B-estradiol, the most common form of estrogen. Estrogen is a major promoter of breast cancer cells.

The authors concluded that PhIP is not only a potent breast cancer culprit due to its ability to damage DNA, but could also increase the likelihood that breast cancer cells will become metastatic, worsening existing disease.

Lauber SN, Gooderham NJ. The cooked meat-derived mammary carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6- phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine promotes invasive behaviour of breast cancer cells. Toxicology. Published ahead of print October 15, 2010. doi:10.1016/j.tox.2010.10.004

Women consuming the most soy products have a lower risk of breast cancer recurrence, according to a new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Researchers observed the amounts of soy isoflavones consumed by 524 women with breast cancer. Postmenopausal women who ate more than 42.3 milligrams of soy isoflavones daily had a 33 percent decreased risk of recurrence, compared with women who ate less than 15.2 milligrams per day. Sources of soy isoflavones included soy milk, tofu, and edamame. Eight ounces of soymilk contains roughly 20 milligrams of soy isoflavones.

Kang X, Zhang Q, Wang S, Huang X, Jin S. Effect of soy isoflavones on breast cancer recurrence and death for patients receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy. CMAJ. Published ahead of print October 18, 2010: doi:10.1503/cmaj.091298.