Note: The contents of this blog are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or substitute for professional care. For medical emergencies, dial 911!
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.
Vitamin D is one of the latest, greatest hot cancer topics. Why? Well, it seems many of us women are vitamin D deficient. Such a deficiency might be linked to breast cancer risk so it's in our best interest to make sure we get a healthy dose of this vitamin. It's not as easy as adhering to the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) guidelines, though. Follow them and you'll still come up short -- the Food and Nutrition Board, responsible for setting the DRIs, have not yet updated guidelines in light of cancer concerns. So what's a girl to do?
For starters, we need to understand that for overall health benefits, 1,000 IU (International Units) per day are necessary. The outdated DRI recommends 200 to 600 IU. This is based on preventing only bone diseases like rickets. Second, keep in mind it's safe to take up to 10,000 IU each day. Third, up your intake of this important vitamin. Here's how:
Fatty fish is the best source of vitamin D. But watch out for high mercury levels. Fortified milk is also good. It has 100 IU of vitamin D per eight-ounce serving, but cow's milk been linked to breast cancer risk as well.
I'm no cook. And I'll never claim a recipe is my own. Anyone who likes my taco salad should thank my friend Kim and her mom Kathy. My turkey meatballs: all credit goes to my brother-in-law's mom. The brownies I once whipped up and now have given up: kudos to Betty Crocker. And this recipe I'm about to share comes straight from the pages of the May 2007 issue of Family Circle magazine. It's such a simple recipe -- takes five minutes tops. I probably could have invented it on my own. But I didn't.
Go With The Grain
Top 1 cup whole-grain cereal with:
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed 1/2 cup each strawberries and raspberries 1 cup 1% milk
Green peas are bursting with nutrients. They provide very good amounts vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B1 or thiamine, vitamin A vitamin B6, B3, and B2 and lots if dietary fiber, manganese, folate, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc and potassium. Green peas are that little food that is supercharged with nutritional and can supercharge your health.
Green peas are one of the important foods to include in your diet if you oftentimes feel fatigued and sluggish. That is because they provide nutrients that help support the energy-producing cells and systems of the body. They provide nutrients that are important for maintaining bone health. With its great source for iron green peas build normal blood cell formation and function. Low amounts of iron can result in anemia, fatigue, decreased immune function, and learning problems.
Vicki's Green Pea Salad 2 cups fresh green peas. (You can substitute with a 16 ounce package of frozen green peas. Rinse and thaw them for use in the salad.) 1 cup chopped fresh cauliflower ( make sure pieces are chopped about the same size as the peas.) 1 - 8 ounce can sliced water chestnuts (drain and rinse thoroughly and cut into strips) 1 - 8 ounce container sweet grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes sliced in half 1/2 onion minced 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 teaspoon dry dill
Whisk together the lemon juice, dill, and mayonnaise. In large bowl mix all of the vegetables. Pour in the mayo and dill dressing and toss.
Here's my problem with health-related advice and wisdom -- it's always changing. And I'm never sure if I'm buying into the right practice. Should I eat low-fat foods, for example, or should I stick with moderate amounts of regular food? Is red meat a good source of protein and other goodies or a direct path to breast cancer recurrence? Will sunscreen save my life or cause malignant lesions to develop on my fair skin?
I honestly don't know what to think about these questions -- or the handful of new ones that just came to my attention.
There's the one about eggs. Some say they cause a rise in cholesterol. But now I learn that when eaten in moderation -- about two per day -- eggs do not contain enough cholesterol to do any damage.
Then there's the carbs. It's true that cutting down on them can lead to weight loss. But it's also true that moderate consumption does not contribute to weight gain.
How about drinking eight glass of water a day? Maybe yes. Maybe no, according to experts who say we get water from sources other than diet alone and while we do need to replace water lost through breathing, urination, and sweating each day, our lost fluids do not total 64 ounces. And it seems we can drink too much water. This can lead to an imbalance of sodium and a condition called hyponatremia.
Vitamin supplements? Eat a good amount of fruits, veggies, whole grains, low-fat dairy, protein, and the right amount of calories and you don't need a multivitamin. But most of us don't eat right. So we probably need one.
OK. Now breathe. Take it all in. Filter it. Use it. Abandon it. As for me -- I'm going with the tactic mentioned above several times -- moderation. Seems to me this approach is the key to both health and happiness.
How do we know what is safe when choosing vitamins? I did a post about vitamins and mentioned that I take Flintstones. Maybe Flintstones are not the best choice for an adult but I like them, they taste good. I try and eat lots of fruits and green veggies but thought that a daily supplement with lots of vitamins and minerals can give me what I might miss.
I received a comment from someone that got me thinking about what else is in the bottle of Flintstones besides the vitamins and minerals. I did look at the back of the bottle and saw a lot of strange ingredients that I know nothing about. So, I'm not advocating taking Flintstones to anyone. Just to make that clear.
If you are thinking about taking dietary supplements such as vitamins, herbals or botanicals as alternative or complementary cancer treatments you need to consider your choice carefully. Few governmental standards are in place to control the production and ensure the safety, effectiveness, and quality of dietary supplements. So, it falls to you, the consumer, to gather truthful information about using these products safely.
The American Cancer Society website lists guidelines for choosing dietary supplement products:
First, speak with your doctor or other health care provider about any supplement you might consider taking. He or she can probably tell you if the supplement has any risks to your health and if the supplement is safe to take with other medications you may be taking.
Find information on the product written by recognized medical experts or government agencies. Bring this information to your doctor's attention. You can start on the Web by visiting the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements at http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/ and clicking on Health Information."
When you shop for supplements, look for the USP notation on the package label.
If you are shopping for a botanical supplement, make sure to find a product that uses only the effective part of the plant. Avoid botanicals that have been made using the entire plant, unless the entire plant is recommended.
Remember that a product described as "natural" is not necessarily safer or more effective.
Consider the name and reputation of the manufacturer or distributor. Is it a nationally known name? Large companies with a reputation to uphold are more likely to manufacture their products under strict, quality-controlled conditions.
Does the label provide a way to contact the company if you have questions or concerns about their product? Reputable manufacturers will provide contact information on the label or packaging of their products.
Contact the manufacturer and ask about their quality control procedures and manufacturing processes.
Try to avoid mixtures of many different supplements. The more ingredients, the greater the chances of harmful effects.
Avoid supplements priced significantly lower than comparable products; they are likely to be of lower quality.
Avoid products that claim to be "miracle cures," "breakthroughs," or "new discoveries," to have benefits but no side effects, or to be based on a "secret ingredient" or method. Such claims are almost always fraudulent, and the product may contain potentially harmful substances or contaminants.
Avoid products that claim to be effective treatment for a wide variety of unrelated illnesses.
Avoid products that claim to be safe or effective based solely on testimonials.
Increased intake of vitamin C from the diet, but not from supplements may slash the risk of mouth cancer by 48 percent, says an epidemiological study.
The study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, used data on supplement use and diet for 42,340 men in the Health Professional Follow-Up Study. During the course of the study, 207 oral pre-malignant lesions were documented.
Vitamin C from dietary sources was significantly associated with a reduced risk of mouth cancer, but no association with the vitamin from supplements was found.
Vitamin C is needed to form collagen, a tissue that helps to hold cells together. It's essential for healthy bones, teeth, gums, and blood vessels. It helps the body absorb iron and calcium, aids in wound healing and contributes to brain function.
You can find high levels of vitamin C in red berries, kiwi, red and green bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, and juices made from guava, grapefruit and orange.
Way back in my sun worshipping days -- when I longed for a golden tan, logged countless hours scorching my body, and ignored my grandma's warnings that my pale skin was just not tough enough for the sun's powerful rays -- I would have basked in joy over headlines now surfacing in the media. They go something like this: the sun may actually fight skin cancer instead of causing it.
According to a team of scientists at the University of New Mexico's Cancer Research and Treatment Center, a little bit of ultraviolet B light is enough to stimulate a vitamin D immune response in the skin -- but it's not enough to boost skin cancer risk.
It's still true that sunlight is the main cause of skin cancer. But limiting exposure is the key to preventing the disease -- and for promoting bone health and perhaps preventing colon cancer too.
Researchers, whose findings are published in the March issue of Nature Immunology, suggest staying out of the sun for now -- because they don't yet know what constitutes a little bit when it comes to UVB rays.
A drug commonly used to minimize the toxic effects of chemotherapy has been shown in mice to cause bone loss and promote tumor growth, according to the results of a recent study.
This drug, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) -- also known as Neupogen, Neulasta, and Granocyte -- helps restore white blood cell counts that take a beating during chemotherapy, protecting cancer patients from an increased risk of infection.
According to researchers, G-CSF -- essentially a growth factor -- encourages bone breakdown. And any therapy that decreases bone density can enhance tumor growth in bones. So doctors are urged to closely monitor their patients during chemotherapy with regular bone density scans. They can also prescribe medications to prevent bone loss if necessary. And patients can protect their bones by consuming enough calcium and vitamin D and engaging in regular exercise.
Currently, research on cancer patients treated with G-CSF have not yielded the same strong results researchers found among mice.
The details of this study appear online in the journal Blood, and will be published in an upcoming print issue.
If clinical trials go well, a new drug simulating the effects of normal sunlight and increasing the life expectancy of prostate cancer patients, could be available in 2009.
The drug, Asentar, provided levels of vitamin D between 50 and 100 times higher than levels delivered by the sun and could double life expectancy from nine to 18 months for those taking the pills. Absent would be any of the consequences associated with such an overdose.
"An extension of nine months would be very significant in my view," said Nick James of the University of Birmingham. "If the results of the phase III trial are as good as those of the phase II trial, that would be significant."
Details about this study can be found in the journal Chemistry & Industry.
The term vitamin E refers to a family of eight related, antioxidant compounds widely distributed in plants. Pro-vitamin E or alpha-tocopheryl succinate (Alpha-TOS) is found in the green parts of a plant. The best sources of vitamin E are the vegetable and seed or nut oils. It was first isolated from wheat germ oil, which is still a commonly used, rich source of vitamin E.
Researchers at Griffith University's School of Medical Science have shown that pro-vitamin E can reduce tumor volume on animals with high levels of HER2. The researchers think it has potential to be an inexpensive, safe and selective therapy for hard to treat breast cancers.
Jiri Neuzil, chief investigator and Associate Professor, said "Alpha-TOS has already shown promise as a potent anticancer agent in diseases such as colon cancer and mesothelioma. It induces controlled cell death or apoptosis in tumor cells".
Women with advanced breast cancer were found to have lower levels of vitamin D when compared to women with early-stage breast cancer, leading researchers to conclude that vitamin D might play a role in slowing the progression of breast cancer.
Imperial College London researchers are not certain if the lower level of vitamin D found in women with advanced breast cancer is the result of the cancer, or one of the factors promoting the progression of the breast cancer, only that there appears to be a connection.
This adds to the body of knowledge that women living in northern climates, where there is less year-round sun exposure, are more prone to developing breast cancer.
One of the natural ways to get vitamin D is from exposure to sunlight. Also, women can get vitamin D from fortified milk and dairy products, cod liver oil and fatty fish, such as salmon. Previous research has indicated that vitamin D might play a role in the prevention in a number of cancers. For related information into research conclusions regarding vitamin D:
I wish I could reverse the damage I've already done to my skin after too much time spent in the scorching sun, in search of a tan. It's seems unfair that a tan is so temporary -- yet its damage is everlasting. And it seems crazy that so many people are still searching for a tan -- when it has become so clear that is it so harmful.
As many as 60,000 people a year die from too much sun -- mostly from malignant skin cancer -- according to the World Health Organization (WHO). About 48,000 deaths are caused by malignant melanomas, and 12,000 deaths are caused by other kinds of skin cancer. And 90 percent of these cancers are caused by ultraviolet light from the sun. Cancer is not the only side effect of sun exposure, though -- serious sunburn, wrinkling, eye cataracts, growths on the flesh of the eye, cold sores, and other illness can result from the sun.
We all need some sun -- the vitamin D that is produced in the body by the sun helps to prevent disease and immune disorders. But too much is dangerous and sometimes deadly. Yet almost all ill effects from the sun can be prevented. And the WHO has released a report that advises people to seek shade, to use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, and to stay out of tanning salons. The report operates under the premise that sunscreens be used not to prolong sun exposure but to protect the skin when exposure is unavoidable.
It seems like common sense to me -- that lifestyle choices can affect a person's risk for contracting cancer -- but apparently, many people are not aware of this. Or they are aware but are not heeding the advice that might just save them from this life-threatening disease. According to Carolyn "Bo" Aldige, president of the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation, in Alexandria, Va., it's not undiscovered treatments and therapies that are key to fighting off cancer -- it's likely that the toll cancer takes can be reduced by lifestyle changes and routine screenings. Aldige reports that nearly half of all cancer deaths are preventable. And she urges us to consider these facts.
Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in the United States and causes nearly one in five deaths, killing about 438,000 Americans each year. Yet 45 million adults still smoke -- 23 percent of them men and 19 percent of them women.
Poor nutrition, inactivity, and obesity account for one in three of the 564,830 deaths from all cancers. Experts say that excess calories cause mutations that start genes traveling down pathways that cause cells to divide out of control -- and that's what cancer is. According to Aldige, if each person could magically acquire the perfect body mass index, there would be a whole lot less colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers.
It requires little time and not much discomfort for certain screenings that can detect cancer at an early enough stage that it can be successfully treated. There are already screenings for breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, cervical cancer, and skin cancer. And soon, there may be a simple screening for lung cancer too.
A diet rich in nutrients and vitamin supplements helps maintain health and prevent cancer.
There are some highly effective defenses against cancer -- but they require some attention and effort on the part of each individual. Not everyone will make health-conscious choices -- some for reasons out of their control (lack of access to screenings, for example) and some for reasons I personally do not understand. But maybe that's because I have already had cancer and I know that I don't ever wish for it to return. So for that reason alone, I plan to adhere to the considerations listed above. It seems like common sense to me.
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.
Vitamin D is one of the latest, greatest hot cancer topics. Why? Well, it seems many of us women are vitamin D deficient. Such a deficiency might be linked to breast cancer risk so it's in our best interest to make sure we get a healthy dose of this vitamin. It's not as easy as adhering to the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) guidelines, though. Follow them and you'll still come up short -- the Food and Nutrition Board, responsible for setting the DRIs, have not yet updated guidelines in light of cancer concerns. So what's a girl to do? 
I'm no cook. And I'll never claim a recipe is my own. Anyone who likes my taco salad should thank my friend Kim and her mom Kathy. My turkey meatballs: all credit goes to my brother-in-law's mom. The brownies I once whipped up and now have given up: kudos to Betty Crocker. And this recipe I'm about to share comes straight from the pages of the May 2007 issue of Family Circle magazine. It's such a simple recipe -- takes five minutes tops. I probably could have invented it on my own. But I didn't.
Green peas are bursting with nutrients. They provide very good amounts vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B1 or thiamine, vitamin A vitamin B6, B3, and B2 and lots if dietary fiber, manganese, folate, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc and potassium. Green peas are that little food that is supercharged with nutritional and can supercharge your health. 
Here's my problem with health-related advice and wisdom -- it's always changing. And I'm never sure if I'm buying into the right practice. Should I eat 
Time to test your smarts -- about sleep, sun, food, and alcohol. 
How do we know what is safe when choosing vitamins? I did a post about vitamins and mentioned that I take Flintstones. Maybe Flintstones are not the best choice for an adult but I like them, they taste good. I try and eat lots of fruits and green veggies but thought that a daily supplement with lots of vitamins and minerals can give me what I might miss.
Increased intake of vitamin C from the diet, but not from supplements may slash the risk of mouth cancer by 48 percent, says an epidemiological study.
Way back in my sun worshipping days -- when I longed for a golden tan, logged countless hours scorching my body, and ignored my grandma's warnings that my pale skin was just not tough enough for the sun's powerful rays -- I would have basked in joy over headlines now surfacing in the media. They go something like this: the sun may actually fight skin cancer instead of causing it. 
A drug commonly used to minimize the toxic effects of chemotherapy has been shown in mice to cause bone loss and promote tumor growth, according to the results of a recent study.
If clinical trials go well, a new drug simulating the effects of normal sunlight and increasing the life expectancy of prostate cancer patients, could be available in 2009.
The term vitamin E refers to a family of eight related, antioxidant compounds widely distributed in plants. Pro-vitamin E or alpha-tocopheryl succinate (Alpha-TOS) is found in the green parts of a plant. The best sources of vitamin E are the vegetable and seed or nut oils. It was first isolated from wheat germ oil, which is still a commonly used, rich source of vitamin E. 
Women with advanced breast cancer were found to have lower levels of vitamin D when compared to women with early-stage breast cancer, leading researchers to conclude that vitamin D might play a role in slowing the progression of breast cancer.
I wish I could reverse the damage I've already done to my skin after too much time spent in the scorching sun, in search of a tan. It's seems unfair that a tan is so temporary -- yet its damage is everlasting. And it seems crazy that so many people are still searching for a tan -- when it has become so clear that is it so harmful. 
It seems like common sense to me -- that lifestyle choices can affect a person's risk for contracting cancer -- but apparently, many people are not aware of this. Or they are aware but are not heeding the advice that might just save them from this life-threatening disease. According to 
