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Another Reason to Exercise: Cancer Prevention

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:00:36 -0700

If you need a reason, one with far-reaching effects, to pull yourself off the couch and exercise, I have one for you: cancer prevention. A large Japanese study found that exercising and staying physically active throughout the day can decrease your risk for cancer by 10 to 15 percent over the course for 10 years. Who knows what the next decade could bring? Being physically active is more than just running or taking a kickboxing class. While exercising regularly is great and part of cancer prevention, being physically active throughout your day, from gardening to walking, helps as well. Researchers believe that physical activity and exercise affect hormones involved in tumor production. Regular exercise combined with an active life can fight cancer - the prescription is in your hands.

Limit Your Consumption of Red Meat, Reduce Cancer Risk

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:00:00 -0700

By now, hopefully we all know that eating too much red meat is unhealthy. It can raise your cholesterol, lead to obesity, and put you at risk for heart problems. Now there's more bad news for red meat lovers: a large study found eating red and processed meat regularly leads to an increased risk of cancer.

In the 10-year study, 545,000 people were monitored based on their red meat consumption - some ate it every day, and others only ate five ounces a week. Men who ate a quarter-pound hamburger everyday (yikes) increased their risk of dying from cancer by 22 percent and their risk of dying from heart disease by 27 percent.

What about women? To find out read more.

For women, those who ate a ton of red meat increased their risk of dying from cancer by 20 percent and their risk of dying from heart disease by 50 percent - 50 percent ladies! That means it's absolutely crucial that people, especially women, limit their intake of red and processed meats such as steak, hamburgers, hot dogs, bacon, and cold cuts.

When it comes to getting protein, stick to healthier meats such as chicken and fish. Barry Popkin, director of the Interdisciplinary Obesity Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, also says that limiting your meat consumption can have a positive effect on global warming. So it's good for you and good for the planet. If you're trying to eat lower on the food chain, check out these three cheap and natural meat substitutes.

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You Can Help Prevent Cancer

FitSugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0700

During a discussion about cancer, my friend recently said, "There's nothing you can do to stop yourself from getting cancer, so everyone should just enjoy their lives."

True, some cancers are inevitable, but many of them are preventable. In fact, WebMD has outlined a few simple things you can do in your own life to keep cancer at bay. The tips may not be the end all be all, but they're certainly not going to do any harm either. They are:

Not using cigarettes or other tobacco products
Avoiding second-hand smoke
Not drinking too much alcohol
Avoiding weight gain and maintaining a healthy weight

There are many more simple tips so read more.

Eating five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables and a low-fat diet
Balancing calories with physical activity
Being physically active
Protecting skin from sunlight
Supporting community efforts to develop a healthy social and physical environment

Are you doing all you can do to prevent cancer? Tell me in the comments section below.

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Check Yourself: Skin Cancer Self-Examination

FitSugar — Fri, 30 May 2008 12:00:00 -0700

The best ways to spot (and treat) skin cancer is with early detection. Early detection does not always start in the doctor's office, it begins at home. A simple self-evaluation of your skin allows you to detect the early warning signs of basal-cell carcinoma, squamous-cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Try and do the following once a month and look for a new growth or any changes in your skin:

Examine head and face, using one or both mirrors. Use blow-dryer to inspect scalp.
Check hands, including nails. In full-length mirror, examine elbows, arms, underarms.
Focus on neck, chest, torso. Women: Check under breasts.
With back to the mirror, use hand mirror to inspect back of neck, shoulders, upper arms, back, buttocks, legs.
Sitting down, check legs and feet, including soles, heels, and nails. Use hand mirror to examine genitals.

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Food Pairings to Fight Cancer

FitSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 02:30:00 -0700

Looking for a food pairing that does more than just intensifies taste and nutrition? Researchers out of the U.K. are suggesting that combining two food components called sulforaphane and selenium - two naturally occurring cancer fighting components found in foods - make them up to 13 times more powerful in attacking cancer together than if they are alone.

OK, so what foods contain these components? Well, foods high in sulforaphane are broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, watercress, and salad rocket (aka arugula). Foods high in selenium include nuts, poultry, fish, eggs, sunflower seeds, and mushrooms. So while we wait for the scientists to learn more, why not sprinkle some mushrooms and/or sunflower seeds onto your arugula? Not only will it be tasty, but the benefits may be hefty in terms of cancer prevention.

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Learn to Love: Cauliflower

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 02:00:00 -0800

With all this talk about eating colorful fruits and veggies, pale cauliflower often gets left out in the cold. Just because it lacks color doesn't mean you should neglect this veggie.

First off, cauliflower is in season from December to March, so it should be easy to find a nice head of it at your grocery store. Plus, seasonal produce tends to be less expensive.

Secondly, one cup of cauliflower contains 91 percent the recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamin C. That is nothing to scoff at, especially if you don't enjoy drinking OJ. One cup also contains over three grams of fiber.

Cauliflower is considered a cruciferous vegetable, placing it in the same family as broccoli and kale. Cruciferous veggies may help prevent cancer, and they are known to reduce the risk of lung, colon, breast, ovarian and bladder cancers. This class of veggies, cauliflower included, also benefit the liver and the cardiovascular system. The reasons to love cauliflower are plentiful!

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How to Get the Most Out of Your Garlic

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 11:00:00 -0700

We all know that garlic is chock full of health benefits, but don't chop it though. Oh no, to reap the benefits of garlic you need to crush it. It seems that crushing it conserves its healthy anti-clotting compounds.

Not only that, but you should hold off cooking it for 10 minutes after you have smashed or pressed it. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C., leaving the prepared garlic out in the open for 10 minutes allows certain enzymes to kick in and unleash garlic's alleged cancer-fighting prowess.

It is also suggested that you only cook garlic for 3 - 6 minutes. Sounds like we all might have to alter some recipes a bit to save those garlic compounds.

Fit's Tip: I suggest starting with prepping the garlic when you are cooking. Peel and smash all the cloves you are going to use first, then prep the rest of your ingredients.

Gardasil: Cervical Cancer Vaccine

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 03:00:00 -0800

Wow - am I glad I have TiVo because I had to rewind this one. Did I hear correct? A commercial advertising a vaccine for cervical cancer?

Yup. It's true. And being vaccinated with Gardasil could also help protect you against most cases of genital warts.

Of course there's a disclaimer that says, "Gardasil may not fully protect everyone and does not prevent all types of cervical cancer, so it is important to continue regular cervical cancer screenings."

And taking this vaccine isn't a cure if you've already been diagnosed with it. It's only for women ages 9-26. And you can't get the vaccine if you are pregnant. This is revolutionary and could help save the lives of so many women. I can't help thinking this is a great idea after watching last week's Grey's Anatomy.

5 Ways to Prevent Breast Cancer

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Most of us can put a face on breast cancer, whether it's a friend, mother, or sister who has battled the disease. While genetics play a part in the development of breast cancer, lifestyle can largely impact the likelihood of the cancer affecting you. Start the slideshow to see five ways you can prevent breast cancer.

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Another Reason to Exercise: Breast Cancer Prevention

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 07:30:00 -0800

I find the benefits of exercise most often overwhelm my inertia. Benefits like: staying calm when my kids give the dog a macaroni and cheese body scrub, or being able to eat a cookie without remorse. A new study on exercise and breast cancer will definitely help me on those days when the couch and Oprah seem like a better choice than running.

Web M.D. recently reported on a study that had "raise your heart rate" motivating results. It seems that women who reported getting more than six hours of strenuous recreational physical activity a week were 23% less likely to have breast cancer, when compared with sedentary women. Now 6 hours of strenuous exercise may seem like a lot, but the benefits seems to cross all age ranges of women who participated in the study - meaning both pre- and post menopausal women. That is good news since eating over 20 grams of fiber a day only benefit pre-menopausal women,

Although the study doesn't prove that exercise single-handedly prevented breast cancer nor does it show how exercise may lower breast cancer risk, researchers believe that exercise has a healthy effect on hormone levels and weight maintenance.

The study does note that the women interviewed might not have accurately recalled their workout habits - we tend to exaggerate our healthy habits. To read more on the study check it out on Web MD. For guidance on cardio workouts check out these FitSugar exercise plans.