It's quite a scary proposition to think that a cluster of cancer cases could end up being connected to a stretch of beach, but that is precisely what has happened in Australia.

According to Australian medical experts, there is most likely no connection between carcinogenic chemicals being produced in the area near Sydney, Australia's northern beaches and reports of above-normal cancer cases coming from that area.

After a medical supply company was found to have dumped carcinogens like ethylene oxide in the northern beach area, several concerned residents requested tests in local children to see if in fact cancer was brewing inside some of them. However, the exact amount of confirmed cancer cases from the direct area was not available in the source story. Maybe that kind of incriminating or dismissive information will become shortly available? Let's hope.

Families of employees of an Aluminum Smelter in Quebec have received a ruling in their favour and will likely receive money to compensate for the loss of their loved one, which it's thought was caused by exposure dangerous carcinogens in the workplace. Although the 10 workers were smokers, it's believed that their deaths were ultimately a result of their working conditions.

It's not specified exactly how much the families will receive, but it's expected to be 'thousands of dollars.' That seems a bit cheap when you consider that it's compensation for someone's life, don't you think?

The city I live in recently banned smoking. I, along with many other people, breathed a huge sigh of relief when the ban was implemented (literally!) because it sometimes seemed downright impossible to have a social life in a city where smoking was allowed in almost all restaurants and bars. I recall an argument I had with someone who was upset because not being allowed to smoke in a public place was unconstitutional -- it was his right to smoke wherever he pleased and if people don't like it, they shouldn't go out. Ever.

What about the right to live and to work in an environment where you're not putting yourself in grave danger? Everyone has the right to a safe work environment, including bar and restaurant staff. And make no mistake--second hand smoke is toxic. According to this report, bar and restaurant workers showed an alarming amount of carcinogenic material in their urine after being exposed to smoke for only minutes.

So I say, if you want to smoke, smoke. Just don't poison everyone else while you're at it. Your thoughts?

It's scary but true: Chemicals are all around us, in the air we breath, the things we eat and drink and even our homes. According to this article, alarming levels of harmful chemicals are being found in the bodies of average Canadians of all ages ... from newborns to the elderly. We don't think about these kinds of statistics -- and we don't want to -- but we're going to have to if we want to be the healthiest we can.

The Canadian group Prevent Cancer Now has made it their mission to help reduce the amount of harmful substances, some of them carcinogens, that are lurking in our environment. They're striving to make changes in all levels of the Canadian population -- from the individual right up to the government and big corporations.

It's about time! What do you think?

Ever wonder what fish to eat, what fish to avoid, what fish is healthy, what fish is cancer-causing? I do.

I'm looking into this whole fish thing. And while my search for information is in no way exhaustive and my findings are far from conclusive, I have found some interesting fishy facts and figures.

Think about this:

Fish definitely has health benefits. It's low in fat, high in protein, and rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Americans love this. How do I know? Because on average, each of us eats a record 16.6 pounds of fish every year. Our intake of shrimp and salmon has doubled, in fact, since 1994.

Fish definitely has its drawbacks too. Headlines repeatedly warn us of dangerous contaminants in lakes, rivers, and oceans. Don't forget about mercury, the biggest fish health hazard. It's been linked to neurological problems in developing fetuses and children, making consumption of shark, swordfish, tilefish (aka golden snapper or golden bass), king mackeral, canned albacore tuna, and tuna steaks a no-no for hoards of women and children.

For just about everyone else, the benefits of eating moderate amounts of seafood greatly outweigh the risks. Just watch out for those PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) -- possible carcinogenic chemical compounds that end up in some seafood.

To avoid PCBs, steer clear of farmed salmon which contains high levels of these compounds or limit your intake to less than one single eight-ounce meal per month. Opt for the wild variety of salmon to avoid this concern altogether. Or take the side of the FDA. Their reports say salmon is a powerhouse when it comes to protecting heart and developing cancer from this source is much lower than the risk of heart disease.

Source: Good Housekeeping, April 2007

Cancer Schmancer is what actress and cancer survivor Fran Drescher titled her 2003 novel. Now, thanks to this spunky gal, there's a whole Cancer Schmancer movement taking place, a movement that will culminate this June with the launch of a non-profit organization with the name of -- you guessed it -- Cancer Schmancer.

Drescher says Cancer Schmancer is all about the politics of cancer education and funding, screening tests, early detection, the removal of carcinogens from women's products, and the often-dismissed truth that young women do get cancer.

Drescher, who for two years fought with doctors who persisted she was too young for uterine cancer -- she wasn't -- says her organization will raise awareness and change health policy to better promote diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of womens' cancers.

An article recently published in the International Journal of Cancer says that airborne exposure to some occupational carcinogens appears to increase the risk of noncardia gastric cancer among men.

Noncardia gastric cancer refers to cancer that is in the middle or lower part of the stomach. Researchers from Sweden recently conducted a clinical study to evaluate potential occupational airborne exposures that may be associated with the risk of developing noncardia gastric cancer. This study included over 256,000 men with 200 different jobs.

Conclusions:

• Workers exposed to cement dust has a 50 percent increased rate of noncardia gastric cancer
• Workers exposed to quartz dust had a 30 percent increased rate of noncardia gastric cancer
• Workers exposed to diesel exhaust has a 40 percent rate of noncardia gastric cancer
• Exposure to asbestos, asphalt fumes, concrete dust, epoxy resins, isocyanates, metal fumes, mineral fibers, organic solvents, or wood dust did not appear to increase the risk of noncardia gastric cancers.

Men exposed to these airborne carcinogens may wish to speak with their physician regarding potential screening measures for noncardia gastric cancer.

Bok Choy is low in calories, fat and is high in calcium, potassium and Vitamin C and A. Bok Choy also contain glucosinolates, which may help prevent cancer by eliminate carcinogens. Bok Choy is used in a lot of stir fry recipes but I personally like to make a soup that allows me to drink all of the nutrients in the broth. It is simple and quick to make and packed full of flavor and nutrition. If you add diced tofu to the recipe, it will also give you protein.

Chef Vicki's Bok Choy Soup

3 cups vegetable broth
(you can use three cups of water and 3 vegetable bouillon cubes)
1 celery stalk diced
1/2 white onion diced
6 button mushrooms sliced
6 Bok Choy leaves chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 block Extra Firm Tofu cubed in 1/2 inch pieces (optional)

Bring broth to boil and add celery, onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Boil for 2 minutes and lower heat to medium. Add Bok Choy and tofu and simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Environmental groups claim some children's bath products contain a suspected cancer-causing chemical in amounts that reach or exceed safe limits. The chemical in question -- 1,4-dioxane -- is found in products made by companies such as Johnson and Johnson, Disney, Kimberly-Clark, and Gerber, says David Steinman, head of the environmental publishing company Freedom Press.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calls this chemical, already known to cause cancer in animals, a probable human carcinogen. But there is no real regulation on the petroleum-derived chemical and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only recommends cosmetic companies limit the concentration of 1,4-dioxane to 10 parts per million (ppm).

Studies show Johnson's Kids Shampoo Watermelon Explosion contains the maximum recommended level of 10 ppm. They also reveal that Kid Care's Hello Kitty Bubble Bath contains 12.3 ppm of the chemical. And two adult shampoos have been found to have twice the recommended level of this chemical that is typically a manufacturing by-product.

It's been reported that nearly 57 percent of all baby soaps contain 1,4-dioxane. But Iris Grossman, director of communications at Johnson and Johnson, stresses that all of her products are within FDA limits.

Cancer is not the only risky link to children's bath products. It seems these items are also linked to early puberty development. And this is concerning because a fast-paced growth rate combined with children's porous skin increases susceptibility to toxins that can enter the bloodstream. One breast cancer expert says an increase in breast cancer risk is linked to toxic exposures during the formative years of life.

BBC News is reporting that the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has caused a massive oil spill off Lebanon's coastline that could take ten years to clean up and poses a threat of increased cancer risks for people living in the region. The spill was caused by the Israeli bombing of the Jiyyeh power station.

Yacoub Sarraf, Lebanon's environment minister, stated that they cannot begin to tackle the problem until the conflict ends. "We cannot get equipment, companies, labor or know-how to handle the problem," he said until the safety of technical teams can be guaranteed.

Marine experts from Inforac, an organization with links to the United Nations Environment Program (Unep), said the spill of fuel oil was a "high-risk toxic cocktail made up of substances which cause cancer and damage to the endocrine system." The experts warned that the first people at risk from the toxic spray at the time of the bombing were the two million inhabitants of Beirut.

Experts are comparing the oil spill to the Erika tanker oil spill off the coast of France and speculated that the Lebanon oil spill could end up being as devastating as the Exxon Valdez disaster.

Summer surf and sand. Planning a day trip or weekend vacation at the beach? You could be putting yourself and your family at short-term and long-term health risk. From bacterial pollution to toxic chemicals, some of our beaches are dirty enough to cause serious concern.

In an effort to combat beach pollution, the Milford Environmental Concerns Coalition in Milford Connecticut, hosts a beachwater quality initiative called the Freedom Lawn Contest, recognizing local residents who show their commitment to protecting water quality by growing beautiful lawns and gardens without the use of chemicals, pesticides or fertilizers.

According to Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), every coastal state has a beach pollution problem. In 2000, the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act) was passed by Congress, requiring the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revise the current health standards by October 2005. The FDA missed the deadline, and indicates it will not be able to finish updating the standards until 2011. The NRDC announced it is suing the EPA for failing to modernize the standards as ordered by Congress six years ago.

The NRDC has published a 349-page report, Testing the Waters 2006: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches, available as a PDF document.

Grapefruits, like oranges and other citrus fruits, contain monoterpenes, believed to help prevent cancer by taking carcinogens out of the body. Some studies show that grapefruit may inhibit the proliferation of breast-cancer cells in vitro. Research also shows it helps in the prevention of lung and colon cancers. They also contain vitamin C, beta-carotene, and folic acid. Grapefruit fights cold symptoms and prevents heart disease. Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps to support the immune system.

Here is a spicy recipe packing a punch of vitamin C, with other healthy carcinogen fighting foods, and full of taste.

Vicki's Spicy Grapefruit Salad
1 grapefruit cut into wedges and peeled
1 head romaine lettuce
1 pound jumbo shelled and deveined shrimp
2 avocados cut into thin slices
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Spicy Chili Pepper Citrus Dressing
1/4 cup orange juice
juice from one lime
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon minced chili peppers (remove seeds)
whisk together all ingredients.

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add 1 bay leaf and 1 teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning. Add shrimp and boil for 2 minutes or until shrimp are a light pinkish white color. Do not over boil it will make the shrimp rubbery. Remove and drain well and then place in a bowl in refrigerator.

Break apart the lettuce in a large mixing bowl and toss with the grapefruit, cilantro, and chili pepper citrus dressing. Separate into 4 salad plates or bowls. Lay 3 or 4 slices of avocado on top of each salad and then place 3 to 4 shrimp in the middle.

According to experts, nicotine alone is not a cancer-causing agent. However, Srikumar Chellappan and University of South Florida researchers report that nicotine does promote cancer by stimulating cancer cells in the growth of lung cancer tumors.

The researchers explain that tobacco smoke contains a variety of tobacco-specific carcinogens, many of which are derivatives of nicotine that are formed during the curing of tobacco. Researchers studied receptors that bind nicotine, known as nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, nAChRs, and found this process to be in part responsible in the cell proliferation and the progression of lung cancer tumors.

The research article Nicotine induces cell proliferation in its entirety is available online as a PDF document.

Watercress is one of the richest sources of dietary phenylethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC). PEITC has been shown to inhibit phase 1 enzyme activation. Effectively it stops potential carcinogens becoming carcinogenic. Watercress is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family that includes broccoli, kale and mustard greens. Watercress leaves are tiny and glossy green with a peppery taste and pack a powerful punch of cancer fighting agents especially cancers related to smokers like lung and esophageal. This simple salad is packed full of nutrients and vitamins and is easy to prepare. As always remember to buy organic products when you can.

Vicki's Watercress and Orange Salad
1 Bag or bunch of watercress rinsed well and patted dry
1 bunch of fresh asparagus cut in 1" pieces
2 cups orange wedges peeled
1/2 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Vicki's Simple Citrus Dressing:
1/4 Cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey

In a small bowl combine all the dressing ingredients and chill for 5 minutes. Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 3-5 minutes keeping it crisp but a little tender. Drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl mix the watercress orange wedges, craisins, and asparagus and toss with the dressing. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top and serve immediately.

The National Toxicology Program and the International Association for Research on Carcinogens classifies naphthalene and PDCB as potential human carcinogens because research has demonstrated that these two chemical compounds have been shown to cause cancer in rodents -- and yet, more than one million pounds of naphthalene and PDCB are used by consumers annually. Naphthalene is found in mothballs and para-dichlorobenzene, PDCB, is found in some air fresheners.

While researchers could demonstrate that naphthalene and PDCB caused cancer, they could not explain how. University of Colorado researchers can explain how these chemicals work in the body to create a pathway for the development of cancer. Naphthalene and PDCB block enzymes that normally initiate the programmed cell death required to prevent cells from replicating out of control in the formation of tumors.