7 Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Colon Cancer
(DrEddyClinic News) Since the mid-80s, the rate of colon cancer has been slowly declining at the rate of about 1 percent per year, but it seems we always have bad news mixed in somewhere. Traditionally thought of as a disease affecting the over 50s, one study paints a gloomy picture. Not only is there a sharply increasing rate in patients under 50, but also advanced stages of the cancer are being developed. [1]
7 Ways to Reduce Your Colon Cancer Risk
Colon cancer http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/cc/colorectalcancer.php is a sneaky, deadly disease, but there is hope. Did you know that science has determined key lifestyle actions http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=33788 that you can take to protect you and the ones you love? While a cancer screening is certainly an option, here are 7 things that might help you reduce your risk for colon cancer.
1. Quitting Smoking
There are many reasons for you to quit smoking http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=117&t=33488 right now, but one of the most important might be cutting your risk for colon cancer. For the first time, the latest research from the Surgeon General comments the two are “causally linked,” also recognizing diabetes http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/dd/diabetes.php, liver cancer, and other diseases as potential dangers. [2] While smoking and health risks are known, this new development is a sinister one: even the director of the CDC comments “after 50 years, we’re still finding new ways […] smoking maims and kills people.”
2. Getting Up
We sit down to work, to eat, to watch TV—the list goes on. Our culture of sitting is nothing new, but it could be hurting us. Another study suggested prolonged sitting could be responsible for over 40,000 colon cancer cases each year; but, before you get rid of your chairs, know it’s long bouts of sitting that is the problem. Things as simple as short walks could be the solution. [3] [4]
3. Maintaining a Healthy Weight
There’s also evidence suggesting that getting rid of that extra weight http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=119&t=34025 around your middle might reduce your risk—especially if you’re over a certain age. A European study followed 120,000 overweight or obese adults ages 55 to 69 for a period of 16 years, finding the diagnosis of colon cancer was 25 percent higher than that in their thinner counterparts. Interestingly, women were able to further reduce their risk through regular exercise of at least 30 minutes per day. [5]
4. Cutting Red Meat from Your Diet
With many studies suggesting eating red meat http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=31834—especially processed products—could raise your risk of colon cancer, what better time to try something new? [6] [7] No one’s really sure what about the meat increases your risk. One theory poses preservatives in processed meats are converted into nitrates. While nitrates are present in many foods, too many can be toxic to the body.
5. Cutting Your Sugar Intake
It’s not just about eating red meat; diets high in sugar are also a concern. As many countries push toward diets heavy in refined sugars and high fructose corn syrup http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=33516, colon cancer cases have also increased. Studies have long since commented on a potential link, but the latest leads scientists to believe sugar-heavy diets influence the health of gut bacteria, something which can cause a myriad of health issues. [8]
6. Avoiding Antibiotics
Some antibiotics can also change your gut bacteria, leading to a less-than-favorable outcome for your health. Similar to a sugar-heavy diet, antibiotics http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=32983 may increase your risk for colon cancer. In a UK study that examined over 20,000 medical records of cancer patients in relation to those of 86,000 healthy patients, those who were prescribed penicillin, quinolones, and metronidazole were about 10 percent more likely to develop colon cancer. [9] While more research is needed, these findings do start to suggest a bigger picture.
7. Get Enough Vitamin D
The latest research also suggests vitamin D levels http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=33211 correspond to your risk factor for colon cancer. [10] Found in many foods and from sun exposure, the vitamin can also potentially reduce your chances of developing other internal cancers. Sure, there are plenty of ways to get the vitamin D you need, but going outside—with responsible sun protection, of course–is your best bet. While the amount needed is still under debate, one magic range seems to be a daily intake of 1,000-2,000 IU.
One Final Thought
While these tips are not the cure all, they may help reduce your risk. There’s some who would argue that a cancer diagnosis is something pre-determined in your DNA, or the product of a random mutation; but, knowing that there are little things you can do to potentially reduce your risk gives you power over your genes. [11] It’s definitely something to consider in your day-to-day life.
What do you think? Do you know of other ways to reduce your risk for colon cancer? Share a comment below.
by Dr. Edward Group DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM
References:
1. Bailey, C, et al. Increasing Disparities in the Age-Related Incidences of Colon and Rectal Cancers in the United States, 1975-2010 http://archsurg.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1920838. JAMA Surgery. 150 (1).
2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/50-years-of-progress/exec-summary.pdf. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
3. Rettner, R. Prolonged Sitting Linked to Breast and Colon Cancers http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/prolonged-sitting-linked/. Scientific American.
4. Meyerhardt, J. Physical Activity and Survival After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis http://jco.ascopubs.org/content/24/22/3527.full. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 24 (22).
5. Hughes, L. et al. Body Size and Colorectal Cancer Risk After 16.3 Years of Follow-up: An Analysis From the Netherlands Cohort Study http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/174/10/1127. American Journal of Epidemiology. 174 (10).
6. Chao. A. et al. Meat consumption and risk of colorectal cancer http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15644544. JAMA. 293 (2).
7. Norat, T. et al. Meat, fish, and colorectal cancer risk: the European Prospective Investigation into cancer and nutrition http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15956652. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 97 (12).
8. Martin, A. et al. Gut Microbial Metabolism Drives Transformation of Msh2-Deficient Colon Epithelial Cells http://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/S0092-8674(14)00736-3.pdf. Cell. 158 (2).
9. Boursi, S. et al. Impact of antibiotic exposure on the risk of colorectal cancer http://meetinglibrary.asco.org/content/132868-144. Journal of Clinical Oncology.
10. Gorhum, E. et al. The Role of Vitamin D in Cancer Prevention http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470481/. American Journal of Public Health. 96 (2).
11. Vogelstein, B. & Tomasetti, C. Variation in cancer risk among tissues can be explained by the number of stem cell divisions http://www.sciencemag.org/content/347/6217/78.abstract. Science. 347 (6217).
Why Huntington's Shows Up in Midlife
(DrEddyClinic News) -- New research may help clear up some of the mysteries of Huntington's disease http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/hh/huntingtonsdisease.php, including why it affects the nervous system only during adulthood.
An inherited and incurable condition, Huntington's disease causes involuntary body movements and problems with mental processing, including dementia. The symptoms usually don't appear until middle age, and the disease is generally fatal 10 to 30 years after onset.
Research at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine shows that the mutated huntingtin gene, long known to cause the disease, switches on the JNK3 enzyme produced by neurons, the cells that process and carry signals through the nervous system. JNK3 weakens the ability of neurons to carry these messages.
When a person is young, the body's nervous system is strong and vital enough to overcome the enzyme's efforts to slow messaging. But as the person ages, the complex network of nerve trunks, or axons, starts to show wear and becomes more affected by the enzymes, the researchers explained.
"If you take a hit when you're very young, you still are making more and transporting more proteins in each neuron than you need," co-principal investigator Scott Brady, head of anatomy and cell biology at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, said in a news release from the university. "But as you get older and older, the neuron produces and transports less. Each hit diminishes the system further. Eventually, the neuron falls below the threshold needed to maintain cell health."
With less and less signaling running through, the neurons begin to die, causing even fewer transmissions to go through and even more cell death, the study authors noted.
Similar gradual loss, the researchers found, occurs in other inherited neurodegenerative diseases that become active only in adults and in Alzheimer's disease.
"There is a common theme and a common Achilles' heel of the neuron that underlies all these diseases," Brady said. "We've invented a word, 'dysferopathy,' (from the Greek 'fero,' to carry or transport) for these adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases. All have disruption of the axonal transport system in common."
The findings appear online in Nature Neuroscience.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more on Huntington's disease.
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/huntington/detail_huntington.htm
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/hh/huntingtonsdisease.php
Why Is Vitamin E Important to Your Health?
Vitamin E, also known as tocopherol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a significant role in human health.[1] As an antioxidant, vitamin E helps maintain healthy cells and, subsequently, a healthy body. Vitamin E can also help with poor eyesight[2], gout[3], and arthritis.[4] Today, we’ll look at key roles vitamin E plays within the body.
What Dr. Haas Says About Vitamin E
When it comes to vitamins, Dr. Elson M. Haas wrote the book, literally. That book is Staying Healthy with Nutrition: The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine. Here’s what he has to say about vitamin E.[5]
“Vitamin E, as its various tocopherol forms, is found in both plant and animal foods. In general, the animal sources of E are poor, found in butter, egg yolk, milk fat, and liver. The best sources of vitamin E are the vegetable and seed or nut oils.”
“The oil component of all grains, seeds, and nuts http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=33279 contain tocopherol. The protective covering of the grains contains E; this is lost in the milling or refinement of grains. To preserve the vitamin E, extraction from nuts and seeds must be done naturally, as by cold pressing, rather than by heat or chemical extraction, used in food processing.”
“Because of these forms of processing, the average American diet has lost many of its natural sources of tocopherols. Intake is commonly very low. Cold-pressed vegetable oils are the best source of vitamin E. These are most healthy in their raw form http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=33331 in dressings and sauces rather than in cooking. Most are polyunsaturated oils, which are adversely affected by heating.”
The specific levels of vitamin E in foods http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=32131 relates to the content of linoleic and linolenic acids[6] — our most essential fatty acids.
Consuming Vitamin E Through Diet
Dr. Haas also explains this about the vitamin E content in certain foods:
“The content of alpha-tocopherol varies among different foods and oils. Safflower oil is one of the best sources — about 90 percent of the E being alpha. Corn oil has only about 10 percent alpha-tocopherol. Other foods that contain significant amounts of vitamin E are soybeans, margarine, uncooked green peas, spinach, asparagus, kale, cucumber, tomato, and celery.”
If possible, it’s always best to get your vitamins from plant-based foods instead of supplements[7], which can be made from synthetic ingredients http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=34075. Here are some of the best food sources of vitamin E.[8]
The Best Food Sources of Vitamin E
Food Milligrams (mg)per serving % of Recommended Daily Value
Wheat germ oil, 1 tablespoon 20.3 100
Sunflower seeds, dry roasted, 1 ounce 7.4 37
Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce 6.8 34
Sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon 5.6 28
Safflower oil, 1 tablespoon 4.6 25
Hazelnuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce 4.3 22
Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons 2.9 15
Peanuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce 2.2 11
Corn oil, 1 tablespoon 1.9 10
Spinach, boiled, ½ cup 1.9 10
Broccoli, chopped, boiled, ½ cup 1.2 6
Soybean oil, 1 tablespoon 1.1 6
Kiwifruit, 1 medium 1.1 6
Mango, sliced, ½ cup 0.7 4
Tomato, raw, 1 medium 0.7 4
Spinach, raw, 1 cup 0.6 3
Additional Health Benefits of Vitamin E
When it comes to health benefits, vitamin E is probably best known for its antioxidant properties.[9] Antioxidants counteract free radicals http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=32801[10] and free radicals cause oxidative stress.[11] Oxidative stress can cause a host of serious health problems, including neurodegenerative disease.[12] Antioxidants can help prevent and repair cell damage. Dr. Haas explains:
“Free radical formation comes from a variety of chemical reactions in the body and is the basis of many diseases, such as heart disease, hypertension, arthritis, senility, and probably even cancer. Without vitamin E, cell membranes, and DNA are less protected from free radical damage.”
“Vitamin E as an antioxidant helps to stabilize cell membranes and protect the tissues of the skin, eyes, liver, breast, and testes. It protects the lungs from oxidative damage from environmental substances. Free radical formation and oxidation are tied to cancer development… More definitive research is needed.”
“It helps heart and muscle cell respiration by improving function with less oxygen http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=35876. Vitamin E may improve stamina and endurance and reduce cardiovascular disease. Vitamin E reduces platelet aggregation and platelet adhesiveness to collagen, even more than aspirin.”
Supplementing to Consume Antioxidants
Following a diet heavy on fresh fruits and vegetables, plenty of water, and avoiding processed food and refined sugar http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=32513 will usually ensure you receive adequate antioxidants. For additional antioxidant support, I recommend plant-based supplements. Antioxidants are only one of the benefits that vitamin E has to offer. Let’s check out a few more ways this vitamin can support your health.
Other Uses for Vitamin E
Dr. Haas explains other uses for vitamin E:
“Its antioxidant effect reduces thrombin formation and helps decrease blood clotting. It also appears to minimize platelet (blood-clotting component) aggregation and stickiness. This either generates or perpetuates the atherosclerotic process.”
“Vitamin A and E together can help decrease cholesterol and general fat accumulation. To assist in healing and minimize clotting, tocopherol is a useful nutrient before and after surgery, limited to dosages of 200-300 IUs per day. Higher amounts may actually suppress the healing process.”
Vitamin E also boasts topical benefits in skin care[13] and there are actually several vitamin E-based skin care product http://ghc.us/dreddyclinic lines. Many are moisturizers and nourishing creams that help repair skin lesions, ulcers, and burns. Vitamin E can help heal or diminish scars caused by injury or surgery. And, according to Dr. Haas, that’s not all:
“Vitamin E may be very helpful to women. Research shows relief from menstrual pains, as well as general relief from various menstrual disorders. Many problems of menopause, such as headaches, hot flashes, or vaginal itching due to dryness, may be reduced with the use of supplemental vitamin E.”
It also appears that vitamin E could help with shingles[14], eye problems[15], menstrual migraines[16], fatty liver disease http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=32453[17], muscular dystrophy[18], leg cramps, restless leg syndrome[19], and circulatory problems caused by diabetes.[20] Vitamin E is not a cure-all miracle tonic, but it does play a significant role in maintaining good health.
How Much Vitamin E Do I Need?
It seems the average American diet could use a bit more vitamin E. Here’s what Dr. Haas has to say about how much vitamin E we should be consuming:
“The amount of vitamin E required varies with body size and amount of polyunsaturated fats in the diet. Vitamin E is needed to protect these fats from oxidation. More is needed when any refined oils, fried foods, or rancid oils are consumed. Supplemental estrogen or estrogen imbalance in women increases the need for vitamin E, as does air pollution.”
“Vitamin E should not be taken with iron, especially inorganic iron, such as ferrous sulfate or the iron added to food products. Selenium, another important antioxidant http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=35927, however, may increase the potency of vitamin E.”
“Even though the RDA for vitamin E is low, many people do not consume enough in their diet alone.”
“Approximately 400-600 IUs is used preventively. For therapeutic effects, an amount between 800-1600 IUs daily is suggested. With therapeutic uses of vitamin E, it is best to start with a low level and gradually increase it. Levels over 1,600 IUs per day are not recommended unless there is close medical supervision.” Read more
Ancient herbal mint remedy is effective, safe pain reliever
by: Sherry Baker
mint, pain, health news
(DrEddyClinic News) Brazilian mint, known to botanists by its Latin name Hyptis crenata, has long been used by traditional healers in Brazil to treat pain and discomfort from a variety of ailments, including stomach aches, fevers, flu and headaches. In fact, researchers at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom say that the mint has been handed down as a prescription for pain relief for thousands of years. And a new study just presented at the 2nd International Symposium on Medicinal and Nutraceutical Plants held in New Delhi, India, concludes the ancient herbal therapy is, in fact, an effective, natural treatment for pain. The research is slated for publication in an upcoming issue of the journal Acta Horticulturae. Read more
When It Comes to Lifting, the Pros Have Your Back
Following the example of professional movers can help you reduce the risk of injury http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=26031 the next time you move, says a new study that included 20 men who carried a load on a treadmill so that researchers could assess the effects on the shoulders, neck, back, abdomen and forearms.
The study found that carrying loads on your back http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/bb/backpain.php rather than against the abdomen may reduce effort and lower the risk of injury. It also found that using assistive load carriage devices can improve grip and lessen the strain on the back and forearms.
"We found that professional movers often carry loads against their backs, mainly because they found it to be more practical and less painful. However, more research is needed with professional movers or warehouse workers to see if the back carry technique reduces the risk of back injury without increasing the risks of other injuries," study co-author Joan M. Stevenson, said in an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) news release. The study was presented this week at the ACSM annual meeting in Seattle.
She and her colleagues found that movers who use the back carry technique feel they lift more safely, reduce their risk of tripping, and are less likely to suffer back painhttp://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=32969.
"This technique may be very important when it comes to injury prevention, whether it is on a professional mover or just a college student moving to an apartment. We know that some people do not have the shoulder flexibility or grip strength to perform this technique, so an assistive lifting device can be valuable," Stevenson said.
Before moving, you should gently warm up your body with low-intensity muscle stretching for about 10 to 15 minutes, the ACSM said. It also recommends regular stretching sessions two to three times a week to improve flexibility and other aspects of health.
More information
The U.S. National Institutes of Health have more about avoiding back pain.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/backpain.html
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/bb/backpain.php
Read more
Study: Bt toxin in GM crops kills non-target species
A new study out of Switzerland confirms once again that Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin, the nefarious pesticide produced by certain genetically-modified (GM) crops, is harming non-target species. Published in the journal Environmental Sciences Europe, the study reveals that two-spotted ladybird (Adalia bipunctata L.) larvae exposed to Bt toxin experience a much higher mortality rate than those not exposed (http://www.enveurope.com/content/24/1/10/abstract).
Contrary to repeated claims made by Monsanto and other biotechnology industry players about the supposed safety of Bt toxin for non-target species, this new independent study reveals otherwise. It also exposes the illegitimacy of the various industry-funded studies that claim Bt toxin is safe for non-target species, including humans, an unfounded claim that has been proven false time and time again.
The new research, conducted by Dr. Angelika Hilbeck and her colleagues from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, was actually a follow-up to previous research on ladybird larvae and Bt toxin conducted back in 2009. Pro-GM talking heads had tried, but failed, to discredit this earlier research, which was published in the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (http://www.springerlink.com/content/4317km7733582u32/).
Independent research consistently demonstrates dangers of GMOs
But Dr. Hilbeck's new study, which was not funded by the pro-GM lobby, confirmed the findings of the 2009 study. And in the interest of promoting sound science, she and various others who recognize the very real dangers associated with GM crops, and Bt toxin http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=117&t=33434 in particular, are now calling out those who continue to deny reality by insisting that Bt toxin is safe.
"It is time to move beyond the rather 'dogmatic denial' and 'shooting the messenger' stages of the debate and onto the more mature stage of scientific discourse where a meaningful examination of scientific 'surprises' dominates the discussion," said David Gee, a senior science adviser on science, policy, and emerging issues to the European Environmental Agency (EAE) recently.
The EAE, of course, has formed many of its GMO policies based on flawed, industry-funded GMO studies. So Gee and others are urging the agency to begin looking at independent research on GMOs, which tells a far different story than the one being peddled by the likes of Monsanto and the pro-GM American government.
"We do not need biosafety research embedded in the visions of the biotechnology industry that supports unsustainable industrialized agriculture," added Professor Brian Wynne from the U.K. Centre for Economic and Social Aspects of Genomics at Lancaster University. "Instead, we need independent research like Hilbeck's which assesses the specific environmental effects of genetic engineering, uses sensitive methodologies and helps indicate the potentially damaging effects on biodiversity as well as on agricultural diversity, of the industrial production systems which GM agriculture only intensifies."
Sources for this article include:
http://www.ensser.org/media/0112/
Read more
