Published by Communications and Public Affairs (519) 824-4120, Ext. 56982 or 53338
News Release
June 08, 1999
Fighting heart disease with food focus of conference
The role certain food ingredients play in reducing the risk of heart disease is the focus of a June 12 conference co-sponsored by the University of Guelph's Human Nutraceutical Research Unit and Office of Open Learning.
The conference will examine the role of nutraceuticals -- natural food ingredients known to fight or prevent disease -- in medical practice. The University's research unit performs trials on food products containing such ingredients.
The conference will be at the Regal Constellation Hotel, 900 Dixon Road, in Etobicoke from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Media are invited to attend. Conference speeches and times are:
-- 9:45 a.m.: "Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods in Medical Practice," a discussion of the availability of new food and nutritional supplements; Bruce Holub, Department of Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph.
-- 11 a.m.: "Vitamin Therapy for Homocyst(e)ine," about whether vitamin therapy with folic acid, B6 and B12 lowers blood levels and prevents death and recurrent stroke; David Spence, from the Stroke Prevention & Atherosclerosis Research Centre.
-- 1 p.m.: "From Inuit to Intervention: The Omega-3 Story," exploring how these fatty acids went from an obscure dietary component to being recommended for prevention of heart disease; William Harris, Metabolism and Vascular Research Laboratory, Kansas City, Missouri.
-- 2 p.m:, "Dietary Fibre and Cardiovascular Disease," examining the antioxidant potential of insoluble fibre; David Jenkins, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto.
-- 3:15 p.m.: "Plant Sterols: Sow's Ear to Silk Purse," how margarine with plant sterols works as an alternative to pharmacological agents; Peter Jones, School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University.
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs, (519) 824-4120 Ext. 3338 or Julie Conquer, director of the Human Nutraceutical Research Unit, (519) 824-4120 Ext. 3749
