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Posts with tag wild
Posted Jun 3rd 2007 8:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Prevention, Diets, Cancer prevention foods, Sunday Seven
I'm still on a quest for guidance on the whole
fish topic. The same few questions keep cycling through my head.
How often should I eat fish? What kind of fish should I eat? What are the real health dangers surrounding fish consumption? I keep searching for answers. And now and then, I catch some good advice about the topic.
If you find yourself floundering at times, like me, here are seven tips you might find helpful.
- The National Academy of Sciences, the American Heart Association, and the World Health Organization all encourage regular fish consumption. Sure, there are legitimate concerns about environmental issues, but experts still say the benefits of eating a variety of fish far outweigh the risks. Eating fish protects the heart and reduces the risk for Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, strokes, depression, bipolar disorder, and our favorite topic here at this site: cancer.
Continue reading Sunday Seven: Seven catches while fishing for truth
Posted May 4th 2007 9:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Breast Cancer, Products, Cancer Survivors, Thought for the Day
Breast cancer survivor
Linda Griggs offers a wide variety of hands-on healing products for other survivors -- like an inner child notebook with markers for journaling and expressing emotions, a wooden box with instructions on how to create a healing shrine, a non-fiction account of her own cancer journey, and so much more. Griggs, who also teaches workshops and speaks out on cancer as a hero's quest, is now onto something new. She's stringing beads.
Think about this:
"After helping a young breast cancer survivor make a "power necklace" to help pump her up before chemo, I realized perhaps other survivors might benefit from having their own empowering necklaces," Griggs says.
Griggs has begun making necklaces from natural stones associated with chakras she believes are most relevant to survivors. The root chakra, for example is connected with survival, the sacral chakra with emotional balance, the solar plexus chakra with personal power, the heart chakra with giving and receiving love, and the throat chakra with free expression.
Each necklace -- there are earring sets too -- come with an explanation of the stones and chakras involved and each has its own unique name. There is the Amazon Warrior
, the Wild Woman
, and the Heart Light
.
Think about a visit to Griggs'
website when you have a moment. And bead all about the resources this one survivor has crafted for those wishing to transcend the depths of cancer.
Posted Apr 17th 2007 9:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: All Cancers, Research, Diets, Thought for the Day
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
Posted Oct 23rd 2006 10:30AM by Dalene Entenmann
Filed under: Research, Cancer prevention foods
Oregon State University (OSU) researchers have been working on creating a purple tomato for several years and predict that one should be available in the local grocer's within two years. The
eggplant purple tomato will have all the healthy tomato antioxidant lycopene goodness the red orbs offer now with the added benefit of blueberries nutrition in phytochemicals believed by some to offer cancer prevention functional food benefits.
According to OSU Professor Jim Myers, the new hybrid eggplant purple tomato will be the first true purple tomato. According to an OSU
backgrounder on the purple tomatoes, hundreds of years ago, explorers discovered purple tomatoes in the wild, but those tomatoes never made it to the table because the fruit was small and some were poisonous. In the 1960s and 1970s, scientists collected seeds from these tomatoes and started to breed them with modern hybrids, making them safe to eat. They discovered that the new purple tomato, unlike the traditional red, contain high levels of anthocyanins, a chemical found in dark fruit pigments such as blueberries and grapes.
Some days, science is just plain fun.
Posted Aug 20th 2006 9:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Breast Cancer
When I first looked at my pathology report more than 18 months ago, it made little sense. Terms like
Bloom Richardson Score and
margins and
Her2Neu were as foreign to me as the breast cancer that somehow invaded my body. So I read it over and over again and was eventually able to identify the basic meaning hidden within the four pages that detailed my disease. As it turned out, this report was my map. It led me in various directions for various treatments. It contained some roadblocks. It was sometimes confusing. And sometimes I got lost. There were some good and not-so-good stops along the way. And in the end, I reached my final destination -- in the land survival. And this is where I hope to stay. For a long time.
My map is not necessary anymore -- although I still look back at it. I've found that it makes more sense now that time has passed. I can interpret it more objectively, with more perspective and less emotion and fear. I am still learning about the disease that was removed from my breast. And I am realizing there was a lot I never really knew -- like these seven subjects -- when breast cancer was new and fresh and debilitating.
Continue reading Sunday Seven: Seven subjects of breast cancer pathology
Posted Jul 30th 2006 10:33AM by Dalene Entenmann
Filed under: Prevention, All Cancers, Obesity
University of South Australia researchers have good news for people trying to lose weight, or maintain a healthy weight, in improving their health and reducing their risks for diseases like cancer. With no other lifestyle changes, taking omega-3 fish oil supplements and engaging in moderate exercise helped people struggling with weight issues -- who are overweight or obese -- effectively burn off extra pounds.
The researchers used tuna oil and sunflower oil in the study, and compared the effects of the two oils with exercise to weight loss results. The participants engaged in exercise that is considered moderate exercise -- walking or running for 45 minutes -- three times a week for three months and were given either tuna fish oil or sunflower oil. The participants who were given tuna fish oil lost weight faster.
The researchers believe that fish oil, which is rich in omega-3, helps the body burn fat, and estimates that most people do not get enough omega-3 in their daily diet. Omega-3 is also found in
wild salmon,
flaxseed, and certain nuts and seeds.
Posted Jun 6th 2006 1:33PM by Dalene Entenmann
Filed under: Prevention, All Cancers, Research, Environment, Cancer prevention foods
Consumer Reports has completed a review of the FDA testing on mercury levels found in canned tuna and i
ssued new safety concerns. While the focus is on a clear alert for pregnant women and the damage mercury-contaminated tuna can cause to a developing fetus, mercury is also known to have an adverse effect on the immune system of adults. For anyone interested in cancer prevention, a healthy immune system is a vital first-line defense to keeping cancer from developing in the first place. Mercury, once consumed, can stay in the body for years.
Because of the new information provided by Consumer Reports regarding the dangers of canned tuna, and because fish is an excellent cancer prevention food, here is a list of fish that have shown consistently low-levels of mercury during testing and are safe to eat daily.
Wild salmon and tilapia can be safely eaten every day. Flounder, sole, mullet, Atlantic mackerel and crab can be safely eaten once a week. In addition, Consumer Reports found fish-oil supplements to be a safe, reliable way to get omega-3 fatty acids. You can check state agencies and the Environmental Protection Agency advisories for contaminant levels of fish caught where you live
here.
Posted May 13th 2006 2:18PM by Dalene Entenmann
Filed under: Breast Cancer, Alternative Therapies, Prevention
The Secret Language of Girlfriends:
Talking Loudly, Laughing Wildly, and Making the Most of Our Most Important Friendships, written by the queen of comfort Karen Neuburger, is a book sharing the funny, enlightening, uplifting and sometimes sad stories of women and how no matter what happens in the life of a woman -- she can always count on her girlfriends to be there. Neuburger chronicles the stages of a woman's life -- from child rearing and workplace bonding to menopause and beyond. The book contains party ideas, recipes, crafts and craft disasters, and the ceremonies women use to cement and celebrate their friendships. The last chapter is devoted to daughters and how mothers pass the secret language of girlfriends to the next generation --
a group of girlfriends who totally have your back but always put you out in front. A portion of book profits go to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, in honor of girlfriends everywhere. While it is a
last-minute gift idea for Mother's Day, it is an excellent gift idea for mom any day of the week. Right after you give your mother a copy of this book, tell her about
The Secret Language of Girlfriends website, where she can find the Broad Squad, book clubs, newsletter, and other fun.
