gethealthy

Would you believe me if I said there is an anti-cancer diet.  This diet helps prevent, heal, and keep cancer in remission.  According to Dr. Bill Sears, there is a diet that can do all of these things.  Below I will go over the first part of the elements to the diet and how it works.

BASIC PRINCIPLES:

• Maintain a diet low in total fat as well as very low in saturated fats.

1. There are 2 ways that fat contributes to cancer.  Tumor cells require low density lipoproteins to grow. So eating a diet low in LDL may keep cancer cells from growing.
2. Consuming fat stimulates the production of bile.  If a large amount of bile is allowed to sit in the intestines it will be converted into apcholic acid, a carcinogen or cancer causing agent.

TIPS:

• Eat less total fat: limit your fat intake to no more than 20% of your total food calories. So if you usually eat 2,500 calories/day, fat should not provide any more than 500 calories. This would translate to about 55g of fat per day.
• Eat the right fat: If you are eating the wrong kind of fat you may be doing more damage than eating too much fat in general.  Researchers noticed that the incidence of most cancers is far less in some cultures that consume a high-fat diet like Eskimos and Mediterraneans.  However, the key is in the fat they do consume.  Eskimos consume a diet rich in seafood that is packed with omega 3 fatty acids and the Mediterranean people consume a high-fat diet that is plant-based but high in monounsaturated oils.  This means that some types of fat do not lead to cancer but may actually have anticancer properties:

1. Unsaturated fats derived from plants like legumes
2. Monounsaturated fats found in vegetable oil, olive oil, and canola oil. * *
3. Omega 3 Fatty Acids found in seafood like salmon and tuna
4. Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids found in oils like flaxseed, pumpkin seed, canola, soybean, walnut, safflower, sunflower, sesame, and virgin olive oils.*

*Greek women who consume a diet high in olive oil often have a low incidence of breast cancer.
* A study conducted in 1998 illustrated that men who consume less fat from animals and more from vegetables were at less risk for prostate cancer.
* However when vegetable oils are heated at high temperatures it can alter fatty acids rendering them carcinogenic.  Extra virgin olive oil as well as peanut oil work best for cooking, but remember to stir often to prevent burning.

STUDIES AND RESEARCH:

• In animal based experiments it was shown that animals that received a fish-oil supplement developed less colorectal tumors.
• Omega 3 Fatty acids  are the most heart-healthy fats and may have anticancer properties.
• Eskimo women who consume a large amount of omega 3 fatty acids have a lower incidence of breast cancer.

Avoid bad fats:

• It is important to strictly avoid fats and oils high in saturated fats like palm, palm kernel, coconut, and cottonseed.
• You also want to avoid all hydrogenated fats.  These fats are also referred to as Trans fats, they have been chemically altered changing them from unsaturated to saturated fats. These fats have a hydrogen molecule added to them, possibly making them carcinogenic.  The hydrogen molecule interrupts the normal cell metabolism in the body, setting the stage for cancerous changes in cells.  Be sure to read the labels, if a food contains anything hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, or has trans fats leave it on the shelf.

Have you heard of Clostridium difficile?  If not, you may want to read up on it.  This serious and life threatening bacteria is becoming increasingly  more common in American hospitals than was previously thought.

Clostridium difficile Infection of (CDI) can cause diarrhea and many other more serious intestinal conditions.  It is estimated that it may be affecting 13 out of every 1,000 hospital patients in America. The rate of infection for this condition is 6.5 to 20 times greater than was previously thought.  This should alert healthcare workers about the importance of better hygiene and to use more caution when issuing antibiotics.

It is estimated that 7,200 hospital patients in America have CDI every day.  This rate will only increase as the population continues to age and become weaker.  CDI can be quite dangerous; in some people they may only have diarrhea but some may experience bowel perforation that requires surgery, shock, or even death.

Today I’m altering from my traditional post to reflect on the meaning of Thanksgiving.

When I think of Thanksgiving I fondly reminisce the family gatherings we used to have.  As the years pass, our gathering have dwindled.  It is scarce that we see each other at all.
When I was young, we would either gather at my grandparent’s house or at my aunt’s house.  We would pull out the large table and make all the traditional American Thanksgiving dishes.

Our layout often featured an array of common and uncommon dishes; turkey, ham, potatoe salad, mashed potatoes, rolls, stuffed mushrooms, shrimp, and an array of desserts.

Now the family is sparse and no one comes to dinner.   The tables are bare and all that is left are the memories.   THE MEMORIES are what I treasure most.  To remember the closeness we once had, the togetherness we felt, and the sense of belonging.

Most of those feelings have faded and we meerly wait for the  inevitalbe it seems…………..

Federal authorities are touting the safety of infant formulas that have been found to have trace amounts of melamine in it.  Despite statements that there were trace amounts of this chemical found in baby formula the FDA stands by its statement that the levels are safe.

However, last month they stated that they were unaware of a safe limit for infants to be exposed to malamine.  A top official was even quoted as saying it would be a “dangerous overreaction” to stop feeding infants this formula who depend on it.

Dr. Stephen Sundlor, director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition stated that the levels they found were very very low and that parents should not be worried about changing the diet of their infants, but should continue to feed them the same product, as it is in the best interest of the babies.

Fox News recently ran a story about a Phoenix, AZ woman.  Doctors thought she had a tumor near her brain stem, turns out….it was a worm.

Rosemary Alvarez began feeling strange and rather ill, experiencing numbness in her arm and blurred vision.  At one point it was so bad, she could barely get out of bed.  Twice, she visited the ER and had catscans done, but they appeared to be clear.

Then on the first day of school, she felt particularly ill and was taken via ambulance to the ER.  When she arrived they performed a MRI, which at first seemed clear as well.   However, on closer inspection, doctor’s found something a bit disturbing.  They saw what appeared to be a  cancerous tumor deep in her brainstem.

Soon, Rosemarie was being prepped and wheeled in for surgery.  Doctors performing the surgery were expecting to remove a tumor, when they found a worm.  Yes, a worm. They were able to remove the worm and don’t feel that Mrs. Alvarez will suffer any long-term health issues because of it.

But, where or how would she get a worm in her brain?  Apparently this species of worm is often found in undercooked pork.  More than likely, Mrs. Alvarez was dining out and came in contact with someone else infested by the worm.  This person, may not have washed their hands properly before serving food and passed the worm on to others.

Apparently there have been multiple reports of worm infestation in Pheonix, AZ.  In the past few months, the same doctor who removed Rosemary’s worm, has removed 5 others.

At 7 am EST this morning (November 23, 2008) about 18,000 runners lined up to participate in the Philadelphia Marathon.  The event has been sold out!  The morning temperatures are good for a run, low 40s and 50% humidity.

This marathon is considered the qualifier for the Boston Marathon, so it is expected that a number of runners in this race will appear at the Boston Marathon.

The race, which began at 7:00 a.m., is sanctioned by  USA Track & Field and is 26.2 miles long.  The course follows Ben Franklin Parkway onto Arch St. and then through Chinatown. Some of the other major streets the runners will cross are Columbus Blvd, Chestnut St, 34th St., MLK Drive, Kelly Drive, and Main Street. Runners will be surrounded with great historical and local scenery as they pass the National Constitution Center, City Hall, The Philadelphia Zoo and other important Philadelphia landmarks.

At the end of the day, photos from this years 15th Anniversary Philadelphia Marathon will be posted on Flickr.  Check keywords like philadelphia marathon and philadelphia marathon 2008 to find pictures.

A new study released information that those who live with smokers are more likely to live in a home with unhealthy foods.  About 17% of children who live in smoking homes do not get enough healthy food and about 26% of adults had an unhealthy diet when living with a smoker.

Researchers from the NY University School of Medicine and Bellevue Hospital center have concluded that when living in a smoking household; children and adults are more likely to be underfed than those who do not live with a smoker.  The results of this study were published in the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine in the November 3rd edition.This experiment examined 8,817 homes.  Those who lived in the home were either smoking adults living with children ages 17 or under or non-smoking adults who lived with smoking adults.  Each home was analyzed for a 3 year period from 1999 - 2000.  These home were found to have less food available for those in the home than homes of non-smokers.

This means that each home lacked access to enough food in a socially acceptable way year round.  This was measured using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Security Survey Module, which is a scale that measures how often a home cannot supply children with food that they desire, how many meals are skipped by the children, and how man of them go to bed hungry.
The study concluded that 23% of the households analyzed that had children had at least one smoking adult, and it revealed a higher percentage of smokers in the low-income ranges at 32%.

If you are a smoker, today is the day to quit!

Today is the Great American Smokeout, launched in 1977 by the American Cancer Society.  Occurring on the 3rd Thursday in November, this day was designed to give those wanting to put down the pack some support.

On this day each year, smokers attempt what may seem to them as impossible - quit.  The challenge is to give up smoking for at least 24 hours in an attempt to quit for good.

The concept of quitting nationwide came 22 years following the U.S. Surgeon General’s report that presented a link between tobacco use and lung cancer, low birth weight, and heart disease.  Originally thought up by Lynn Smith, an editor from MN and former smoker.  He wrote articles in the 70s urging others to stop smoking.  He also organized a local event labeled, “D-Day,” or “Don’t Smoke Day” in 1976.  A year later the California section of the American Cancer Society organized The Great American Smokeout.
 In subsequent years, the Smokeout has encouraged millions of Americans to set aside their packs and cartons, if only for one, brief breathable day.  By the 4th year about 16.5 million people were participating, leading to about a million people quitting for good.

With plastic surgery being all the rage these days, it may lead you to think you need some improvements yourself.  However, I bet the content of this post may shock some of you.  It amazing what you can have surgery for these days.

Apparently the new “in” plastic surgery is to have labia reductions.  Teenage girls and even women have been noted on websites like Scarleteen.com and Makemeheal.com complaining about their labia and conveying their desire to have surgery on them.  On Scarleteen.com you can see posting from teens who complain about their labia being too long or that they hang low, while on MakeMeHeal.com they are asking women to submit photos of their lady parts to determine if they should have them altered.

This is the odd new world of female genital cosmetic surgery, fueled by insecurity issues and a growing Western market for procedures such as: labiaplasty, clitoral un-hooding, G-spot augmentation,  and hymen reconstruction (revirginization).

The New View Campaign, a grass-roots organization, staged its first protest on Monday outside of New York City’s Manhattan Center for Vaginal Surgery. Two dozen women, from young to old, handed out cards and presented posters with the message “No Two Alike,” alongside 2 other members who wore giant cloth vulva costumes.

New View, established in 2000, as a response to the release of Viagra is trying to combat what it terms as “the medicalization of sex.”  They apose the idea that there is a physical right or wrong when it comes to sexual matters.  The groups leader, Leonore Tiefer, a sexologist and psychologist at NY University is combating the idea that there is a certain way that a woman’s gentials should look and defending those who do not want to have surgery.

Currently the number of women actually having the surgery is still very small,  about 1,000 women in America each year and 800 in U.K.  However, the numbers are growing, increasing by 20% from 2005 to 2006 in the US and in the UK they doubled from 2002 to 2007.  These procedures can cost about $5,000.  For the first time, US medical textbooks to be published in 2009, will have an entire chapter devoted to female genital plastic surgery.

Dr. Susan Kolb, a plastic surgeon in Atlanta says that for many patients it offers them control over their sexuality.  She states that many consider it a healing procedure because excessivly long labia can lead to pain during sex and exercise and is sometimes covered by insurance.

However critics state that the surgeries can be more dangerous than the advertising lets on.  The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued a warning last year that women undergoing these procedures may experience side effects such as: scarring, chronic pain, and reduced sexual pleasure.  A similar statement was also released by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynecologiest.

It may be time to learn to cook healthy food without the frozen meals.  If you buy Lean Cuisine BEWARE!  There are 3 entrees that have been recalled.

The company that makes Lean Cuisine, Nestle Prepared Food Co. has announced a recall on 3 of its Lean Cuisine Entrees. The recall was issued on: Pesto Chicken with Bow Tie Pasta, Chicken Mediterranean, and Chicken Tuscan made from August 18 - October 27th.  The recall is being issued due to the fact that the entrees may contain small pieces of blue plastic.

If you would like more information on the recall, please contact the Nestle Consumer Service Center Hot-Line at (800) 227-6188.