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13 Ways to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:00:22 -0700

In America, a woman has a one in nine chance for developing breast cancer. While that statistic is extremely depressing, here are some lifestyle choices you can make to help decrease your risk.

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Are You at Risk For Ovarian Cancer?

FitSugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 03:50:38 -0700

September is a busy month. Not only is it National Yoga Month, but it's also Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Each year, over 21,000 women will be diagnosed with this disease. Knowing the risk factors, how you can prevent it, and what the symptoms may be could save your life. Do you know whether the following behaviors decrease or increase your risk of developing ovarian cancer?

Take the quiz

More Evidence That Healthy Living Combats Breast Cancer

FitSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:30:04 -0700

Add this to your list of reasons to live healthily: more research is showing that exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding excessive alcohol can help prevent breast cancer. According to data released today from the World Cancer Research Fund charity, at least four out of 10 breast cancer cases in the UK could be prevented by healthy lifestyle changes.

The conclusions are based on data culled from 950 research papers around the world. The study found that breastfeeding is also a major factor in reducing one's risk of breast cancer. Here's more from the study:

The charity recommends that both men and women aim to be as lean as possible without becoming underweight. A healthy body mass index (BMI) is between 18 and 25. . . . The charity also recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise a day and, if alcohol is drunk at all, it be limited to two drinks a day for a man and one for a woman.

If you're looking for ways to prevent breast cancer, it's hard to argue with exercise. Physical activity reduces body fat, thereby lowering cancer-promoting hormones such as estrogen. Researchers have also found that women with a higher body mass index have a higher likelihood of developing breast cancer.

Do you count cancer-prevention among your reasons to exercise?

Increased Cancer Risk in These Polluted Cities

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:03:42 -0700

If you live in a city, you know firsthand about air pollution. Eighty different cancer-causing pollutants ca be found in the air, and they're increasing many individuals' risk for developing cancer. According to the National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment released by the EPA, nearly 600 neighborhoods across the US exceed a 100 in one million cancer risk. That means that if one million people breathe toxic air over the course of their lifetime, 100 people would develop cancer solely because of the pollution.

To find out which city's pollution levels are putting their residents at risk for cancer read more.

The chart below shows which areas have an estimated cancer risk greater than 100 in one million. It's no surprise that the major cities are the ones causing the greatest health risks.

Tell me, does knowing pollution is directly connected to increased cancer risk affect where you live?

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Cancer News: The Good, the Bad, and Early Detection

FitSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:00:00 -0700

Good news on the cancer front: deaths from the disease have dropped nearly 20 percent over the last 15 years.

Better treatment and preventative techniques are credited with saving 650,000 lives from cancer between 1990 and 2005. For men, the cancer death rate dropped by 19.2 percent due to decreases in lung, prostate, and colon cancers. The drop in cancer death rates for women is smaller, 11.4 percent, and is due to fewer deaths caused by breast and colorectal cancers. One significant reason for the lower breast cancer death rate is the decrease in hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women.

We started with the good news, so for a few warnings about cancer rates (aka the bad news), read more.

The obesity epidemic is contributing to rising cancer deaths in a variety of cancers: pancreatic for women, liver for both sexes, and esophageal in men. Fat in the body creates hormones, and hormones can create extra cellular activity - both normal and abnormal varieties. Abnormal cell mutations can lead to the creation of cancerous cells. Fat also acts as a storage facility for hormonally active pollutants, which could be carcinogenic as well. Even though rates of breast cancer deaths are falling, fat brings the onset of puberty early, and early puberty is a risk factor for breast cancer.

Early detection is key to fighting cancer. It is recommended that women receive annual mammograms at age 40, and that both men and women receive screenings for colon cancer starting at age 50.

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Two Popular Beverages Linked to Throat Cancer

FitSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:30:00 -0700

A cup of hot tea can be soothing on a cold day, but a new study urges you to think about the temperature of your beverage before you start sipping. Drinking scalding hot tea that is greater than 158°F (70°C) has been shown to increase the risk of throat cancer. Participants in the study who made black tea and drank it two minutes after pouring were five times as likely to develop throat cancer as compared to those who let their tea sit for four or more minutes. Researchers think the relationship between super-hot tea and cancer is connected to repeated injury to the lining of the throat.

I didn't know this but cancer of the esophagus is one of the deadliest cancers out there, and 500,000 people worldwide die each year from it. So take preventative measures by allowing your hot tea to cool so that it's warm or lukewarm, and less than 149°F (65°C).

Unfortunately, there's more bad news when it comes to esophageal cancer. If you drink alcohol then you'll want to read more.

Another study shows that a person who experiences a red face or flushing after drinking alcohol may have an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer. About one-third of Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans display this red-face phenomenon, accompanied by an increased heart rate and nausea. It's cause by an inherited lack of an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2). Many doctors are unaware that ALDH2-deficient people have this elevated risk, and they should be since the survival rate of esophageal cancer is really low, about 15.6 percent. Even moderate drinkers are at risk, so for those who suffer from a red face after drinking, it's best to avoid alcohol. Tell me, do you turn pink when you drink?

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Drinking Tied to Handful of Cancers in Women

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:00:00 -0800

For women, it's agreed that up to one alcoholic drink per day is OK, but a new study may convince you to cut back even more. Researchers studied middle-aged women at breast cancer screening clinics. They asked about the women's drinking habits and tracked their health for seven years. Habits ranged from no alcohol use to about three drinks a day. The scientists discovered that each extra drink per day increased the risk for breast, rectal, and liver cancers. It didn't matter if they were drinking wine, beer, or liquor. Studies also found, however, that moderate alcohol consumption reduced the risk for thyroid cancer, lymphoma, and renal cell cancer.

Although light alcohol consumption for women has been viewed as good for the heart, it's best to stick to the rule of one or fewer drinks a day. Not only is drinking tied to a handful of cancers, but older research connects drinking more than one drink a day to liver disease, increased risk of stroke, and a decrease in bone density.

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Patrick Swayze Remaining Positive But Realistic About Cancer

FitSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Dirty Dancing star, Patrick Swayze, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. Though he's outlived his early bleak prognosis, Swayze refuses to give up. Patrick realizes his days are running out but hopes he has at least two years left and is hoping that doctors will find a cure in that time frame. Although admittedly scared, he's living "moment to moment," and Swayze continues the battle saying, "So far, I've got potential for a lot of quality of life."

Patrick hasn't spoken much about his condition since being diagnosed; this changes tonight. This evening on 20/20, he answers questions and talks candidly about his experience in an interview with Barbara Walters, in a special called Patrick Swayze: The Truth.

To see a clip of the interview read more.

We are rooting for Patrick, and with him, we are hoping for the best.

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Heart Disease No Longer the World's Leading Killer?

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:00:31 -0800

Heart disease has been king of the killers for some time, but new research from the World Health Organization shows the disease will likely be dethroned by another leading killer during the next couple decades. Cancer is projected to increase by 1 percent each year, and the WHO expects that 27 million new cancer cases will be introduced to the world by 2030.

The emerging economies of China, Russia, and India are of particular concern because of the large population in those countries that smokes. According to John R. Seffrin, CEO pf the American Cancer Society, tobacco was responsible for 100 million people deaths worldwide in the last century and could at this rate kill a billion in the 21st century. Those numbers are truly scary! Additionally, cancer is on the rise in Western countries because of high-fat diets and sedentary lifestyles, while Asian countries are seeing more cases of breast cancer and more women African countries are suffering from cervical cancer.

Has anyone in your life been affected by some type of cancer?

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Good News! Cancer Deaths Down in the US

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:00:00 -0800

In these days of economic turmoil, where the markets seem to plunge everyday, I thought I would share some good news with you that involves declining rates. I am talking about the steady decline in cancer deaths in the US. Since 2002, the overall rate of deaths due to cancer has decreased at a rate of 1.8 percent fewer cases annually. Rates for new cases of cancer are declining too. Yay!

The number crunchers behind these statistics credit the declining cancer rates to decreases in the number of people smoking. It is a public health victory! The combined elements of higher cigarette taxes, smoking bans in public places, as well as smoking cessation and educational programs have helped the US begin to really kick the nicotine habit.

If you smoke, quitting is the best thing you can do for your health. You can add 10 to 15 years to your life by giving up smoking. This is one situation where it is great to be a quitter. New Year's resolutions are just around the corner, and if you have been contemplating giving up the habit, let me remind you that there are plenty of reasons to quit smoking and many things to help.

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