Archive for the ‘Cancer’ Category

Revisiting Antioxidants

Thursday, March 11th, 2010
Antioxidants are a group of organic substances know as carotenoids that include vitamins C and E, vitamin A, selenium (a mineral). Carotenoids are the pigment compounds that give many fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors, with beta-carotene is the most well know carotenoid. Antioxidants work by destroying free harmful radicals. Free radicals can damage cell walls, genetic material within cells and other cell structures. This leads to cell malformation – the changes that contribute to aging, cancer, heart disease, stroke and many other ailments associated with natural aging. . Over time such damage may lead to disease.
The higher your toxic intake from food, environmental pollutants, toxic chemicals from smoking and drugs, the higher your need for antioxidants.
There are different ways to boost your antioxidant power house
Antioxidants used to boost the bodies ability to produce a number antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase, and catalase, that destroy many types of harmful free radicals. Supplements of these enzymes can also be taken, however absorption is typically low.
Supplements the body needs to make these enzymes may be more effective are more potent – including the minerals managanese, zinc and copper for SOD and selenium for glutathione peroxidase.
Vitamins and minerals are effective antioxidants in their own right – such as vitamin E, vitamin C, lutein, lycopene, vitamin B2, coenzyme Q10, and cysteine (an amino acid). Herbs, such as grape seed, bilberry, turmeric (curcumin), ginkgo, milk thistle and green tea also contain powerful antioxidant compounds. This appears to be the most effective way to increase your antioxidant stores.

Antioxidants are a group of organic substances know as carotenoids that include vitamins C and E, vitamin A, selenium (a mineral). Carotenoids are the pigment compounds that give many fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors, with beta-carotene is the most well know carotenoid. Antioxidants work by destroying free harmful radicals. Free radicals can damage cell walls, genetic material within cells and other cell structures. This leads to cell malformation – the changes that contribute to aging, cancer, heart disease, stroke and many other ailments associated with natural aging. . Over time such damage may lead to disease.

The higher your toxic intake from food, environmental pollutants, toxic chemicals from smoking and drugs, the higher your need for antioxidants.

There are different ways to boost your antioxidant power house

  • Antioxidants used to boost the bodies ability to produce a number antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase, and catalase, that destroy many types of harmful free radicals. Supplements of these enzymes can also be taken, however absorption is typically low.
  • Supplements the body needs to make these enzymes may be more effective are more potent – including the minerals managanese, zinc and copper for SOD and selenium for glutathione peroxidase.
  • Vitamins and minerals are effective antioxidants in their own right – such as vitamin E, vitamin C, lutein, lycopene, vitamin B2, coenzyme Q10, and cysteine (an amino acid). Herbs, such as grape seed, bilberry, turmeric (curcumin), ginkgo, milk thistle and green tea also contain powerful antioxidant compounds. This appears to be the most effective way to increase your antioxidant stores.

Posted in Antiaging Products, Cancer, Diet | 1 Comment »

A New Look at Breast Cancer

Saturday, June 27th, 2009

There is such a lot of confusion in the market as to what does and does not contribute to or cause breast cancer. No sooner does one theory emerge than it gets debunked two years later.

The common protection mechanism for women against breast cancer is frequent self examination and mammograms. Personally, I find mammograms a complete waste of time as I know at least 6 women who were diagnosed with breast cancer within 2 months of having mammograms. For that reason I insist on having an ultrasound to follow. This is particularly since I have already had two fibroadenomas removed from my breasts in my 20’s and 30’s, and the scar tissue alone can cause misdiagnosis on the mammograms.

Whilst I am a great supporter on embracing any modern medicine, my first line of defence is always my own health program – diet, fitness, emotional wellness.

In the following Video, Dr Mecola takes a new look at breast cancer and provides some valuable advice as to new tests for breast cancer, and simple everyday things women can do to help prevent breast cancer.

 

Takeaways

  • Include tests for Vitamin D and Fasting Insulin in your regular check ups
  • Optimize natural melatonin production by ensuring you sleep in a complete blackout environment – this is focused on the eyes. So use blackout drapes and an eye mask during the night. If you have to go to the bathroom during the night, use a red light penlight. Balance this night blackout with exposure to bright sunlight during the day. Both of these elements are required to maintain optimal levels of melatonin.

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Posted in Aging Conditions, Antiaging Treatments, Cancer, Disease Prevention, Medical Advances, Wellness | No Comments »

Foods That Boost Your Sun Protection

Monday, July 14th, 2008

By now you should know about the real benefits from protecting your skin from sun damage by using full spectrum sun blocks. But did you also know you can help protect your skin from the inside!!

According to John La Puma, MD, author of ChefMD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine you can help protect your skin by eating antioxidant containing foods – pomegranates, tomatoes, dark chocolate, and tea.

The antioxidants in these foods work their way to the upper layers of your skin, boosting resistance to ultraviolet damage.

But don’t rely on this method exclusively – remember to slip on a shirt, slop on the sunblock and slap on a hat. And regular skin self-exams can reduce your risk of dying of melanoma by 44 percent! By getting to know all the freckles, moles, scars, age spots, birthmarks, and other lesions on your body, you can watch for any changes in size, shape, color, texture, and condition of any unique marks. Consult your doctor if you notice any raising of the marks, irregular changes in the border, and marked change in color [getting darker or lighter].

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Posted in Antiaging, Cancer, Skincare | 2 Comments »

Potential New Breast Cancer Detection

Wednesday, October 17th, 2007

Studies are proving that mammography is not an effective detection method for breast cancer. Many women that develop breast cancer had none of the pre-requisite risk factors.

A potential new detection concept is in the prototype development phase. This is in the form of a testing strip, placed over the nipple, and then manipulating the nipple to encourage a drop of fluid to be released.

Breast cancer is estrogen driven, and the level of estrogen in the milk ducts of the breast is 40 times that of the rest of the body, hence their propensity for cancer cells.

Taking a sample of this fluid is a much more reliable detection method than mammograms, which are proving quite ineffective.

Another key problem with breast cancer is that patients are rushing into treatment without fully investigating the many options. Certain treatments are better than others for certain types of cancer.

Diagnosis of breast cancer is not an emergency procedure. Patients can take a week or two to consider all their options.

Posted in Cancer | 1 Comment »

Big Jump in Cancer Treatment Efficiency

Tuesday, October 9th, 2007

Two big improvements in breast cancer treatment make for one big jump in cancer therapy efficicency.

Molecular Dye

An Australian scientist has developed a test that detects within days whether chemotheraphy is actually killing a patient’s cancer cells, allowing doctors to prescribe alternative, less debilitating treatment earlier. Injected molecular dye attaches to dying or dead cancer cells, within 24 to 48 hours of the patient’s first dose of chemotheraphy or radiotherapy. The dye illuminates the dying and dead cancer cells, visible on CT scan imaging. Currently, cancer patients need to wait up to six months to determin if a tumor has been reduced. All the while, the full chemotheraphy course is killing off healthy cells as well as canccer cells.

Partial Breast Cancer Irradiation

The second new treatment allows women diagnosed with breast cancer to reduce the time needed for radiation treatment from five weeks to five days!!

MammoSite RTS is a form of partial breast irradiation, which delivers radiation from inside the lumpectomy cavity directly to the tissue surrounding the cavity where cancer is most likely to recur.

Two or three weeks following removal of the cancerous tumor, an uninflated MammoSite balloon is placed in the center of the lumpectomy cavity through a small incision in the breast. The balloon is inflated with a saline solution and remains inflated throughout therapy. A catheter connected to a computer-controlled machine delivers a tiny radioactive seed travels into the center of the balloon. The seed delivers irradiation to the tumor site and the area immediately surrounding the cavity for a maximum of 10 minutes.

After five days of MammoSite radiation therapy twice a day, the balloon is deflated and removed from the breast. This compares with current standard treatment of five days a week for five to six weeks.

Posted in Cancer, Treatments | 2 Comments »