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Posts with tag prevention
Posted Sep 5th 2007 7:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Prevention
I'm a fan of journaling and over the years, I've done lots of it. I've mostly journaled my thoughts, feelings, and emotions, though. I'm thinking I need to start journaling my symptoms.
I'm always at a loss when I finally talk to a doctor about symptoms. "How long have you felt like this?" my doctor might say. "Oh, I don't know, maybe a few days," would be a typical response."
Once I've been sick for a few days, the timing and longevity of my symptoms just blur into one another. But they really are important and tracking them in writing can help chart the course for diagnosis, especially when it comes to disease. Take ovarian cancer. Symptoms can include bloating, pressure, even pelvic and abdominal pain, all of which may seem pretty benign if temporary. But jot them down -- be sure to include dates of occurrence -- and you may see that trends begin to surface.
Continue reading Feeling under the weather? Start a symptom journal
Posted Aug 30th 2007 7:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Prevention, All Cancers, Diets, Cancer prevention foods
David L. Katz, MD, responds to a reader in the September 2007 issue of
The Oprah Magazine about the merits of eating soy in relation to preventing cancer. His response causes me to pause even more about jumping on any diet bandwagon.
Katz says we should eat soy foods -- just not too much because the evidence linking soy to breast cancer, for example, is mixed.
In comparing soy-eating Japanese women with American women who eat very little soy, researchers find lower rates of breast cancer in the Japanese women. But in a test tube, soy's plant estrogens can speed cancer cell growth. Maybe soy behaves differently in the body than it does in a tube. Or maybe soy has both negative and positive effects on breast cancer. Perhaps it's not soy at all. It could be that the populations eating soy are benefiting from not eating something else, like meat -- the saturated fat found in red meat has been linked to higher cancer rates. Replacing steak with something else may be the protective key.
Continue reading To soy or not to soy
Posted Aug 29th 2007 7:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: All Cancers, Diets, Obesity
As time flies by, more and more progress is made in the fight against cancer. Over the years, new and better screening methods have emerged, cutting-edge technologies have surfaced, successful treatments have saved lives that may have otherwise been lost, and awareness has been raised about all sorts of cancer-related issues. It's amazing really, because in so many areas, we are not making progress.
According to research published in the March/April 2007 issue of
WebMD: the Magazine, the per capita consumption of corn sweeteners in 2004 was 78.1 pounds in the United States -- up from 35.3 pounds in 1980. In 2005, the per capita consumption of candy by Americans was 25.7 pounds. We are pumping our bodies full of junk -- our rates of obesity in this country prove it.
When I think about our trend of over-eating and over-indulging, I gain a better appreciation of how far we've come medically. Not only have researchers, scientists, and medical experts made strides in the prevention and treatment of disease, they've done it against the odds. Just think how much more progress we'd make if we all did a little better at living healthy lives. Why not start now?
Posted Aug 24th 2007 7:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Breast Cancer, Books
She's the guru on breast cancer, the woman who writes the continually updated breast cancer bible. She's Dr. Susan Love, author of
Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book, and in the May/June 2007 issue of
MAMM magazine, she shares some of her latest thoughts.
On milk ductsDr. Love says all breast cancer begins in the milk ducts. If we want to get rid of breast cancer, she says, we need to understand where it starts. Until recently, we weren't able to do that. Now, doctors can numb the nipple, thread a catheter into a milk duct and sample the fluid, cells, carcinogens, and hormones. By looking at the location where cancer develops, there's the potential to find out how it started and how to prevent it. In March, Dr. Love's
Research Foundation sponsored a conference on this topic.
On MRIDr. Love is not a big fan of MRI. It's overly sensitive and finds everything -- most of which is not cancer, she says. MRI leads women on wild goose chases so Dr. Love likes to reserve this test for women at high-risk.
Continue reading What Dr. Susan Love thinks
Posted Aug 23rd 2007 9:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Lung Cancer, Prevention
Wouldn't it be great if we could receive full-body scans every year to check for early signs of cancer and other disease? Even if possible and affordable -- right now, scans cost about $900 -- it still wouldn't be such a great idea.
Full-body scans often result in false alarms. People with harmless abnormalities may end up facing more tests, more risks, and more worry in order to rule out illness. The scan itself can present health hazards too. It exposes patients to more radiation than a chest X-ray and could slightly increase the risk of cancer, especially for those scanned every year.
How do we know, then, if something has gone awry in our bodies? Well, we can do our self-exams -- breast exams, testicular exams, skin exams -- and we can report for annual check-ups. We can respond to symptoms we experience -- if headaches are bothersome and persistent, your doctor may prescribe a head scan -- and we can pursue tests and screening that we really need for cancer prevention and early detection. Here are just a few:
Continue reading What tests do we really need?
Posted Aug 16th 2007 11:33AM by Patricia Mayville-Cox
Filed under: Prevention
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about a recent ACS study that showed that many Americans believe scientifically unsubstantiated claims about cancer. Such beliefs include claims that cell phones, underwire bras, shampoo and deodorant can increase cancer risk. Richard Day Gore responded with a compelling question in his comment on the piece:
My questions are: where is all this mis- and dis-information coming from, and why do Americans so readily believe it? Are we misinformed or uninformed?
I believe that the biggest problem is that we are uninformed about the nature of cancer and risk factors. This creates an information vacuum that allows misinformation to seep in. This effect was seen in the study, as males were more likely to be misinformed than women as they tend to research health issues less. People with lower levels of education were also more likely to be misinformed.
Also, many of these unsubstantiated claims at one point or another had some traction in the media. Perhaps people latch onto these types of beliefs as they offer hope that cancer can be easily understood, and easily eliminated?
What do you think? Are we misinformed about the risk factors for cancer, or uninformed?
Posted Aug 15th 2007 8:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Skin Cancer, Cancer by the Numbers
My sister has skin cancer -- the basal cell variety. She has two spots, both on her chest, each one scheduled to be surgically removed in a few weeks. If it were me with this new diagnosis, I'm sure I'd be freaking out, maybe because I've already had breast cancer and tend to panic about any cancer or maybe just because I'm a worrier by nature. But my sister is taking her cancer news in stride, and I am too -- because now that I've done a little research, it seems this type of cancer is pretty easy to beat.
Here's a little refresher lesson on the skin: The skin is the largest organ in the body, and is made of three layers -- the epidermis (top layer), dermis (middle layer), and subcutis (deepest layer). For the purpose of this post, let's focus on the epidermis.
The epidermis has three layers -- an upper, middle, and a bottom layer. This bottom layer is comprised of basal cells. This is where basal cell cancer begins.
Continue reading Cancer By The Numbers: Basal Cell Carcinoma
Posted Aug 13th 2007 8:22AM by Patricia Mayville-Cox
Filed under: Prevention, Research, Daily news
Increased use of five preventative services would save more than 100,000 lives in the U.S. every year, according to Partnership for Prevention, a nonprofit health policy group.
The services and behaviors are taking a low dose of aspirin every day for the prevention of heart disease, offering more services to help smokers quit, offering more colorectal and breast cancer screenings and offering flu shots for those over 50. The report also uncovered racial disparities in the use of preventative care. For example, Hispanic smokers are 55 percent less likely than whites to get help to quit smoking and Asian-Americans are the least likely to take aspirin and get screened for breast and colorectal cancer.
The study found that 42,000 lives a year would be saved if 90 percent of smokers were advised to quit and offered cessation treatments. Only 28 percent of smokers get such services. An additional 14,000 lives would be saved if 90 percent of adults over 50 were screened for colorectal cancer. Breast cancer screening for all women over 40 would save another 4,000 lives, according to the report.
Posted Aug 10th 2007 5:45PM by Patricia Mayville-Cox
Filed under: Prevention, Stomach Cancer, Diets, Gastric cancer
A Japanese
study by Shoichirio Tsugane and Shizuka Sasazuki examined the role of diet in the development of gastric, or stomach, cancer.
Helicobacter pylori infection is a strong and established risk factor for stomach cancer. After reviewing the evidence from many studies, the researchers found that the risk may also be increased with a high intake of various traditional Japanese salt-preserved foods. Processed meat and N-nitroso compounds may be associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer.
Gastric cancer risk is decreased with a high intake of fruit and vegetables, particularly fruit. The researchers note that it remains unknown what constituents in fruit and vegetables play a role in gastric cancer prevention. Consumption of green tea is also possibly associated with a decreased risk of gastric cancer, although the researchers note that the protective effect is limited to Japanese women, most of whom are nonsmokers.
Posted Aug 7th 2007 7:22PM by Martha Edwards
Filed under: Skin Cancer, Diets, Nutrition
One in five Americans will get skin cancer. Those are scary statistics, but the first step in fighting any condition is knowing about it and how to prevent it. Obviously, one of the main things you need to do when you have skin cancer is protect yourself from the sun, but your diet also plays a key role.
Here are some suggestions for avoiding skin cancer through eating:
- Cut back on alcohol -- heavy drinkers are 65% more likely to get skin cancer
- Polyunsaturated fats are considered a good fat, but they can also weaken your immune system so don't assume you can go crazy on the vegetable oil
- Antioxidants are consistently linked to a decreased chance of cancer. To up your antioxidant intake, try to eat lots of the following: berries, oranges, spinach, grapes, kale, broccoli, beats, red peppers, carrots and much more. If you already have a healthy diet full of fruits and veggies, you probably won't need to make any changes.
Posted Aug 5th 2007 6:00AM by Riana Weis
Filed under: Prevention, Diets, Smoking, Thought for the Day
I have recently been thinking on the reasons we do not do the things that we know are good for us.Why do we continue to eat fatty foods? Why do we not exercise? Why do we continue smoking? Why do we do these things while we know the consequences?
Why did my aunt go in for her mastectomy without quitting smoking beforehand? Why did she go outside for a cigarette right after coming out of the ICU after recovering from a collapsed lung? What is it that prevents me from exercising every day? Why do we still suffer from diseases that are either totally or partially preventable if only we would change our lifestyles?
One answer could be found in research done at
MIT. It seems that our brains form neural pathways when we have an ingrained habit. So, our brains will not let us change! That would be the easy answer, wouldn't it? How do we then explain the people who do change? The people who stop smoking, stop eating junk and start exercising? I think we all know the answer. They made a decision and stuck to it. Their health became more important to them than their habits. We can change our minds.
My aunt decided that her cigarettes were more important to her than anything else. Before she passed away she wondered if there would be cigarettes in heaven. I hope heaven changed her mind. Can you change your mind today?
Posted Aug 4th 2007 8:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Prevention, Diets, Nutrition, Worthy Wisdom
The folks at
Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona told me all about the merits of flax seed. They told me to sprinkle it here, sprinkle it there, sprinkle it everywhere. While at this desert destination, I did just that. I dipped into the bowls of flax scattered at all dining locations, and I topped my bagels, cereals, salads, and more with this powerful substance. As soon as I got home from this little slice of paradise, I bought my own personal container of flax. I promptly placed it in my refrigerator, have used it a few times, and just recently realized I'd forgotten why exactly it's so good for me.
I've done some research, and now I know a little more about this thing called flax -- and I remember why it must become a part of my everyday life.
Flax, also known as Common Flax or Linseed, is an annual plant that grows to 120 cm tall, with slender stems. Native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India, its leaves are green, its flowers blue, its fruit round and containing glossy brown seeds. Grown for both its seeds and its fibers, parts of this plant are used to make fabric, dye, paper, medicines, fishing nets, and soap. The seeds, like what sit in my refrigerator, come in two forms -- brown and yellow or golden. The yellow, golden variety is the one most often consumed.
Continue reading Worthy Wisdom: Flax seed to the rescue
Posted Jul 18th 2007 9:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Breast Cancer, Prevention, Diets, Cancer prevention foods
I'm always skeptical about the connection between certain foods and cancer. There's just so much back and forth -- the lycopene found in tomatoes
prevents cancer and then
it doesn't, for example -- that I don't base any life decisions solely on so-called cancer prevention foods. I simply do what is best for my health. If it happens to keep cancer at bay, then I consider it a bonus.
I eat fruits and vegetables because I know they're good for me. It was nice, while it lasted, to think I was also cutting my risk of cancer recurrence but when it comes down to it, fruits and veggies are better than sweets and candies and junky carbohydrates. So they'll remain a staple in my life -- even though a large, seven-year study published in today's
Journal of American Medical Association dashes all hopes that a diet low in fat and jam-packed with fruits and vegetables prevents the return of breast cancer.
Five daily servings of fruits and veggies are recommended in the United States. This is more than most Americans get yet still doesn't make a difference for those trying to minimize their chances of breast cancer recurrence.
Continue reading Want to prevent breast cancer? Fruits and veggies won't do it
Posted Jul 16th 2007 2:34PM by Brian White
Filed under: All Cancers, Research
Paint derived from scorpion venom does not sound like a likely aid to distinguishing cancer cells from normal tissue, but that is precisely what Seattle researchers are using in quite an
interesting cancer detection development.Even if the tumor is only made of a few cells, the "paint" test can detect it, which could lead to detection of cancerous cell grouping in such small amounts that very early treatment could be a result.
Are better outcomes possible due to a detection method like this? Hopefully, yes -- because catching cancer as it just starts to form is the holy grail of treatment.
Posted Jul 5th 2007 9:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Skin Cancer, Prevention, Magazines
When I describe the cancerous lump I found in my breast almost three Novembers ago, I explain that it felt like a hard, frozen green pea. The port used for chemotherapy infusions and sewn under the skin near my collarbone? It looked like a bottle cap popping up for all to see. My kids called it a stone. I had to numb my skin prior to treatments -- the needle inserted into the center of the port was just too big and painful. I slathered on my numbing lotion prior to each dose of drugs. Imagine the size of a quarter. I used twice this much. I was wimpy.
There's something about visual descriptions that help us remember some of the more important things in life. Here's a good one:
According to Jeffrey Dover, MD and associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, we must not skimp when we apply sunscreen. How do we know if we are cutting ourselves short? We should be using a shot-glass full of sun protection to cover our bodies. Anything less is not enough.
Continue reading Take a shot at this cancer-preventing tactic
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