Category Archives: Cancer Prevention

22 Proactive Things You Can Do on World Cancer Day and Beyond

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Mid_Blue Globe Bkg. Red Ribbon for WCDFebruary 4th each year is designated as World Cancer Day. This day is significant because it

  • kicks off a drive to expand awareness of cancer and its prevention;
  • offers a chance to discover risk factors for cancer and take protective measures;
  • provides a time to reflect on what you can do to make a difference in the fight against cancer;
  • embraces people around the globe to fulfill whatever needs to be done to control this deadly disease; and
  • presents an opportunity to spread a message – We Can Save Millions of People from Preventable Deaths Each Year!

Lifestyle-centered cancer prevention is evidence-based and it’s science. It’s no longer a theory or hypothesis, or breaking news. Healthy lifestyle measures provide powerful ways to lower the risk for many types of cancer.

The theme of World Cancer Day for the current three years (2016-2018) is “We Can. I Can.” Surely, each of us can do something, no matter how small. So, I have compiled a list of actions you can take for World Cancer Day and every day after:

  1. Set a “Cancer Patients First” agenda: Whether from a note, gift, prayer, or—best of all—a visit, let your friend battling cancer know you are with him or her in this fight.
  2. Pack a tool kit for cancer awareness or a thoughtful kit for cancer care.
  3. Remind your loved one to get a cancer screening. Early detection saves lives.
  4. Change one unhealthy behavior, e.g., harmful sun exposure, intentional tanning, alcohol abuse, or tobacco smoking (smokeless tobacco causes cancer too). Importantly, stay on the right course.
  5. Do something about early childhood weight management, especially control obesity in childhood cancer survivors.  Unhealthy behaviors and overweight that develop early in life and persist over time can increase not only the risk for some types of cancer but also cancer-related mortality.
  6. Host a Veggies/Vegetarian party or gathering (the size doesn’t matter).  Alternatively, go on a Mediterranean diet. The point is to replace Western diet components, which are rich in refined grains, animal fats, excessive sugar, and processed meat but poor in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole wheat or whole grains. A substantial body of evidence has linked the Mediterranean diet to increased cardiovascular benefits and prevention of some chronic diseases.
  7. Make a “Cancer Prevention” family dinner, or make a “Cancer Prevention Salad.”  Family meals can be a cost-effective intervention for weight management. Evidence suggests that regular family meals protect against unhealthy eating and obesity in children. If time or schedule is challenging, get your teens and/or other family members involved.
  8. Start or improve your weight management plan and actions. Make sure to have a balanced diet and exercise regime.
  9. Enjoy an “Exercise Day” or “Move Day,” and at least, consider taking a 30-minute walk.
  10. Take a “NO JUNK FOOD Day,” and limit red meats. Then do it often.
  11. Drink filtered tap water at home. Drink plenty of filtered water away from home too.
  12. Drink tea to replace sugar-rich beverages.
  13. Better: Have a “Triple Combat” day, by combining three intensive but joyful actions together.
  14. Give your unexplained pain some TLC by paying attention to it, tracking its duration, frequency or pattern, and scheduling a visit to your doctor.
  15. Give cancer caregivers a token of love to honor their labor of love.
  16. Write or speak to your local/national legislator or lawmaker about a policy idea to make food systems safer or make the environment safer.
  17. Speak out or stand up against any external source that potentially promotes cancer.
  18. Volunteer for a cancer fundraising or a cancer care center.
  19. Support the great cause of fighting cancer in any form you can.
  20. Parents and teachers: Advise your girls and boys to vaccinate against HPV. Recommended vaccination starts at age 11 or 12.
  21. Go along with proven strategies to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD). Why?  Because doing whatever is practical or plausible to lower your risk of CVD will enhance your potential to reduce the risk of cancer. For instance, research findings indicate that proven preventive measures for CVD are identical to preventive actions for prostate cancer.
  22. Take pancreatic cancer seriously. Based on the proposed “pancreatic injury−inflammation−cancer” pathway, it’s critical to avoid risk factors such as smoking, chronic pancreatitis, diabetes, and obesity.   Pancreatic cancer remains a complex, lethal malignancy with the worst prognosis, and a lack of early diagnostic symptoms. It’s also resistant to conventional chemo- and radiation therapies. The rate of its incidence is slowly increasing.

The list can go on and on…

By now, you likely see a clearly centered theme—prevention, which is the most cost-effective implement to fight cancer.

Remember: Cancer doesn’t develop overnight. It’s vitally essential to stick to a healthy lifestyle. Take protective measures such as enjoying a balanced diet, regular physical activity, and a healthy weight now and far beyond World Cancer Day.

And yes, every single small step counts! It’s a life-course approach.

 

Image credit: Designer at <a href=”http://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/medical”>Medical vector designed by Ibrandify – Freepik.com</a>

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Rethink Powerful Strategies for Cancer Prevention in 2017

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

LoveHope 2017_Std.The holiday season is over and the new year started. Many of you probably have set some exciting goals or resolutions already. In reality, early or later, some folks would probably fall “off the wagon”? How would you do differently?

CancerPreventionDaily has provided plenty of practical advice, resources, and useful links on powerful strategies for cancer prevention over the years. Instead of reiterating those strategies here, I’d like to highlight a tool of “RETHINK”.

First, let’s cherish HOPE by celebrating recent scientific and medical advances in cancer treatment! Cancer Immunotherapy has been put on the spotlight – a therapy based on the principle of unleashing the body’s immune system to attack cancer. In addition, remarkable advances in other therapies (e.g. chemotherapy, targeted therapy, surgery and radiation therapy) all improved clinical outcomes, especially lives of people battling cancers.

Equally significant is advance in cancer prevention, specifically, HPV vaccine. As the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the major cause of cervical cancer – infected by passing the virus during sex, and the disease is preventable.

Now let me dive in a bit deeper on “Rethink”.

Consider Uber or Zipcar. Whether through Uber (providing you with a car and a driver) or Zipcar (providing you with a car), you can reach your desired destinies – a different approach from using traditional or old fashion rental cars. Note: These are good examples of innovation or rethinking, not paid Ads! :)

Next, how to rethink with regard to health?

Take weight loss as an example. Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the top powerful strategies for cancer prevention, as scientific evidence clearly indicate that obesity is a risk factor for several types of cancer in both men and women, needless to say risk for diabetes and heart disease.

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So, get motivated, get rid of all unhealthy baggage in all possible ways – dispose of fats, throw away junk foods, abandon extra sugar and extra salt, dispense or burn off some calories, thereby getting rid of “unwanted” pounds, consequently you will reach your goal of weight management. Certainly, you can discover creative ways that work best for you along the journey.

Rethink about cancer and prevention: Instead of fearing “Big C”, treat it as a life or health project with “small pieces”. This is because cancer is the mass (of tissues) on the surface but a collection of complex and multiple diseases in the hub, therefore, you need to tackle it with multiple approaches from genetic medicine, lifestyle to environment and early detection.

So, you got the idea.

In summary –

Rethink, Re-envision, Re-tweak, Re-evaluate and/or Re-calibrate, whatever works for you, so that you gain new perspectives and new approaches, which will help your new year’s resolutions stick, and reap your health benefits in the long run.

May more happiness and better health be all of yours throughout the year 2017!

 

Image credit: mozakdesign.com and CancerPreventionDaily

A Year End Note: Let Bundle of Love and Ray of Hope Continue

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

A Year End NoteAs we approach the New Year, thank you for your time, reading, likes, comments and feedback in this past year!

I reach out to you because many of you are healthy but fearful of getting cancer, some folks survive cancer, while some are struggling with cancer or other chronic illnesses now.

At the beginning of 2016, one New Year’s resolution from CancerPreventionDaily.com was to bring a theme of love and hope for cancer prevention and care. Throughout the year, the site delivered this theme by serving you with knowledge and solutions for cancer prevention. Here are highlighted areas of the posts:

  • Steered self-care and preventive measures in the ways that foster your well-being from the cells to the whole body and lifestyle choices, from kids to seniors and all ages.
  • Updated serious epidemic and environmental factors.
  • Facilitated clinical care, primarily patient safety and engagement.

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Many cancers are preventable; and there are so many things we can do to prevent cancer. Start within.

Let bundle of love and ray of hope carry on in 2017 and future!

Work Together to Reduce Errors in Cancer Diagnosis

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Patient engage comm._CPDHave you or your family member ever gotten a wrong diagnosis from your doctor? Have you heard that a doctor treated your friend for a disease or disorder that he/she actually didn’t have? “It is likely that most of us will experience at least one diagnostic error in our lifetime, sometimes with devastating consequences,” according to the experts on diagnostic safety.

Imagine you were diagnosed with breast cancer and went through cancer treatment, then found out the diagnosis was wrong and the treatment should never have happened. That could spell enormous damage from one diagnostic error!

Cancer diagnostic errors can be the most harmful and costly type of diagnostic errors in various ways. As many cancers are complex and multifaceted, a timely and accurate diagnosis for cancer is still often challenging. That adds weight to preventing cancer altogether and urgency to detecting cancer early.

That’s why I bring your attention to this issue: A diagnosis is something that’s done for a patient (you) and the patient (you) needs to be a part of the team in that process.

1.      Basics and facts

What is a “diagnostic error”?

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) defines a diagnostic error as the failure to:

a. Establish an accurate and timely explanation of the patient’s health problem(s); or

b. Communicate that explanation to the patient. 

What is the reality?

40,000 – 80,000 deaths each year are due to diagnostic errors, as reports vary. However, national diagnostic safety experts, Drs. Graber and Schiff, emphasize that the frequency of diagnostic error is in the range of 10%.

Does it sound like misdiagnosis happens far more frequently than you thought?

2.      When does diagnostic error occur and who may be involved?

No doubt, human factors contribute to diagnosis errors. Studies have reported that communication problems are the most frequent root cause of serious events threatening patient safety. Today’s health-care systems are transforming toward not only integrated care practice but also enhanced patient engagement, to this end, everyone is involved.

Let me bring cancer diagnosis to the forefront. A delayed cancer diagnosis may occur at various stages of the journey to fight cancer. It could be a delay in:

  • symptom recognition or interpretation,
  • decision or action to seek medical attention (e.g., putting off making an appointment due to fear or feeling embarrassed),
  • a care system’s scheduling (e.g., not being seen by a doctor in a timely fashion),
  • clinical tests or subsequent consultations, or
  • receiving cancer treatment.

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In addition, putting off doing anything might simply be due to lack of insurance coverage.

Here is the key point: Delayed cancer diagnosis at an early stage may leave the cancer to progress or spread, leading to limited treatment options. Thus, a delay in cancer diagnosis can have devastating consequences, including poor clinical outcomes and a lower chance of survival.

3.      How can you help reduce or prevent diagnostic errors?

Here are 15 things you can do to enhance your communication with your doctor, medical care team, and health care system.

1)      Prepare for your visit: know or collect your medical records, medications, and family history.

2)      Remember your screenings and, importantly, follow up. Having a separate calendar can assist your memory.

3)      Always bring a list of questions or at least your top three questions when visiting your physician.

In case you don’t know where to start, Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality provides a list of questions to ask your doctor. You can also generate your own list using their Question Builder. It’s a fantastic tool!

4)      Bring your spouse or a family member to your doctor visit to facilitate communication and/or fill in missing information that might help with diagnosis or treatment.

5)      Use technology (e.g., a smartphone) to record the conversation or instructions.

6)      Feel free to ask the doctor to clarify terminology or procedure. If you don’t understand why a particular question is relevant to your situation, ask about it or let a family member do so.

7)      If you have a limited English proficiency, make sure you have a family member or a friend act as a translator.

8)      Participate in a patient experience survey to improve patient safety and care.

9)      Get involved in facilitating the chain of communication—e.g., in scheduling appointments, visits, follow-ups, and even questioning an insurance billing if you don’t understand it.

10)  Don’t self-diagnose, especially based on online information from an unreliable source.

11)  Do keep a diary or inventory of your symptoms for better recollections when needed.

12)  Seek a second opinion or multiple consultations on cancer diagnosis when in doubt or if necessary. The second opinion must be an expert’s one. Be proactive.

For example, if you have a lump in your breast but get a normal mammogram—after all, mammograms pick up only 80-90% of breast cancer. So, for your safety, you should ask for further screening, e.g., a breast ultrasound (sonogram) or even a test with a higher sensitivity like magnetic resonance image (MRI) to ensure accuracy if your physician doesn’t order such tests.

13)  If diagnosed with cancer, follow up vigorously and treat any referrals to specialists, tests, or care with urgency.

14)  Further the discussion about potentially discrepant diagnosis or different finding.

15)  When you have unintentional weight loss or unexplained pain, take it seriously and see your doctor.

One more point – Misdiagnosis may not be discovered for years if ever in some cases. That’s why I cannot emphasize enough how prevention and early diagnosis of cancer offer clear and significant benefits, especially concerning common cancers (the breast, prostate, colon, lung, and skin cancer).

Although I talked more about cancer, these principles can be applied to any other illnesses. And I’ll elaborate with more details in near the future. Stay tuned.

Finally, your take-home message: Actively engage in your health care!

Improving diagnosis for patient safety and for better health care is a responsibility of each of us. Doing that can alone save many lives.

 

Never Miss a Chance to Protect Children from Cancer

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Cancer Boy w-Ribbon_uthscsa.eduImagine that a tiny, precious life with a bright future was taken away by cancer, the “big C”… Nothing is more devastating than that.

That’s why I’m going to focus on what we can do about childhood cancers, so to prevent the worst loss by all means.

First, what exactly causes childhood cancers remains unclear. Risk factors of childhood cancers are different from those in adult cancers. For instance, lifestyle-related risk factors (such as tobacco smoking, alcohol intake, unhealthy diet, and sun overexposure) do not play a significant role in childhood cancers. Environmental factors have little influence, largely due to the lack of direct exposure of the fetus. Most childhood cancers result from genetic mutations, i.e. genetic errors occur randomly and unpredictably whether it’s inherited or acquired.

So, am I suggesting that there is nothing we can do to prevent childhood cancers or protect our children? No.

If you are not well-informed, you may miss a chance to prevent the unthinkable. Here is an example. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is linked to cancers of cervix, oropharynx, rectum, or at other body locations. Nearly 93% cancer due to HPV-infection could have been prevented with recommended HPV vaccine as routine immunization for adolescent girls and boys starting at ages 11 to 12 years, following specific guidelines.

Can you see how one could miss the chance by doing nothing? Let me expand a little more on preventative measures.

1.      Childhood cancer prevention can start before conception in young women.

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2.      Cancer prevention with a healthy lifestyle should begin early in childhood.

A lifestyle cannot be developed overnight. Lifestyle factors also take years or decades to influence a cancer risk. Fostering a lifestyle with nutrition-rich diet, regular exercises, and healthy weight from a young age forward can greatly lower the risk of several cancers in adults, as accumulating evidence shows. Childhood obesity prevention can produce considerable health benefits. Also, postpone the time for kids to use cell phone or mobile devices to prevent brain tumor, the leading cancer death in children. Growing studies reveal an association of radiation with pediatric brain tumors, especially when young kids have the thinner skulls, with still developing nervous system and brain.

3.      A long-term protection: prevent secondary cancer after childhood cancer.

Cancer treatment like radiation can harm young kids’ organs or tissues because of their vulnerability and developmental stages. Radiation or chemo therapies for childhood cancers increase a risk for secondary cancer as one ages. Particularly common are tumors of the brain, breast, skin or spine, and bones. The higher doses of radiation, the greater risk these individuals have. So, it’s important to detect cancer early in the population of childhood cancer survivors, and make sure they have regular visits or check-ups, in addition to living a healthy lifestyle.

Let me conclude with the Quote from Elizabeth Barrett Browning: “Light tomorrow with today.” All said and done, apply these outlined approaches today to protect every child, so that each child has a healthier, happier, and brighter life tomorrow.

 

Image credit: uthscsa.edu and CPD

Men’s Health Month Ends BUT Men’s Health Challenges Persist

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Happy father and son isolated on white backgroundA lot of men are “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” kind of guys and believe they can fix anything by themselves. This is true many times in life. But when it comes to health conditions, it could be a dangerous misconception.

Today, I’m going to highlight how men’s masculinity or “toughness” and emotional restraint may impede them from seeking medical or professional help, consequently having a negative or even grave effect on their health.

The Cover-Ups & Attitude

Sometimes, those “annoying” symptoms (e.g., snoring, bad breath, enlarged prostate, and unexplained weight gain or loss) show up and even persist; but a lot of guys would rather tough it out or put off a visit to the doctor with various excuses. I get that. But do you know – a quiet health crisis may be underway?

How about in the workplace? Masculinity may influence workplace health and safety particularly in male-dominated skilled trades as injured workers return to work too early and “tough” workers then reinforce dominant masculine norms. Results of a joint study from the University of Toronto showed, “A desire to be viewed as a strong, responsible, resilient worker may intersect with concerns about job loss, to influence participants’ decisions to not report safety issues and workplace accidents, to not disclose post-injury work challenges, and to not request workplace supports” (Stergiou-Kita et al., Work; 2016). Certainly, institutional identification and practices play a role too.

How about social or psychosocial beliefs? Some folks believe that cancer will inevitably lead to death (so-called cancer fatalism). A study by Mitchell et al. (Res. Aging; 2016) reported that among 1,666 African American males enrolled in Medicare, 76.5% felt helpless, 44.2% confused, and 40.7% pessimistic about the ability to prevent cancer. Despite a couple of limitations, the study reveals a challenging factor for cancer prevention and screening detection. Important to note, although African American males remain at greatest risk for dying from prostate, colorectal, and lung cancers compared to men of other races, early detection and treatment save lives.

The Facts & Evidence

Men are more vulnerable to various disorders at all ages across the lifespan. Also, men’s average life expectancy stays largely behind that of women’s. Primary physical health risks that are leading causes of death or are burdens for men include cardiovascular diseases (heart disease and stroke), cancer (especially prostate and lung cancer), diabetes, depression, and suicide. Fortunately, many of the top causes of death are preventable and can be treated, if found early.

Finally, here is a list of Strategic Actions you or your loved ones can take for men’s health:

  • Check out critical numbers such as blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar; keep them in normal ranges.
  • Schedule recommended screenings for prostate and colon cancer, and a routine testicle exam.
  • Schedule a routine medical care or physical examination.
  • Ladies, accompany your man to his doctor visit. This can be a great help with eliminating potential communication barrier(s) to disclosing a real problem or filling in a missing note.
  • Keep mentally active; for example, take new classes, play brain games, or learn something new.
  • Forge a close relationship with a circle of friends.
  • Never ignore some seemingly common symptoms such as snoring, bad breath, and enlarged prostate. Take note of it. If the problem persists, consult your physician to rule out any medical conditions.
  • Consult professional help if you (or your man) have symptoms of depression.

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In summary, to prevent a quiet health crisis in men, we all need to step in by advancing men’s mental health, strengthening men’s workplace safety, and caring about men’s overall well-being, in addition to monitoring men’s physical health.

Saving His life—men’s lives—is one of the best things to do throughout the year!

Image credit: www.communitycarechemist.com.au/category/mens-health

Skin Cancer and Aging: Causes and Solutions

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

UV radition n Ozone layerHere comes the sun! And we all enjoy it. You may be heading for sunny beaches soon. I’d like to remind you of damage from the sun overexposure. By providing some key insights into harmful effects of the sun, and reflecting on skin aging, I am diving a little deeper into this subject, and will equip you with a sun protection tool kit – 5 Essentials or “SHADE”.

Numbers and Notions

First, do you know that more people suffered from skin cancer than all other cancers combined over the past three decades? Breaking down the statistics, it reveals approximately 40-50% of Americans who live to age 60+ will have one type of common skin cancers, and more than 90% of skin cancer is caused by excessive or unnecessary exposure to the sun?

Types of skin aging

If the above numbers cannot transmit the roles of aging and sun hazard in skin cancer, let me briefly elaborate what happened to our skin over our lifetime. As we age, our skin – the largest organ in the human body – goes through the same escalating loss of structure and function as other organs. But unlike other organs, the skin is openly exposed to environmental pollutants and lifestyle-related hazards (e.g. excessive sun, tanning, smoking, etc.). ALL is cumulative! Mostly concerning, ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight causes so called “photoaging”.

I summarize here how photoaging differs from natural skin aging, to help you understand how biological evolution of the skin and adverse effects of the sun are interplayed.

Natural / Intrinsic Aging Photo- / Extrinsic Aging
Cumulative process Yes Yes
Common locations face, neck, forearm, and lower leg Yes
Cause Aging-related Sun damage overlaying natural aging
Visible characteristics Looseness, sagginess, fine wrinkles, dryness Increased pigmentation, deep wrinkles, harsh or rough skin
Structural alterations Epidermal − dermal area thinning and weakening, reduced elasticity, delay in wound healing Severe damage of dermal and connective tissues, promoting age-related skin diseases and skin cancer

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Fundamental nature of Sun Damage

UV radiation is a known human carcinogen (i.e. cancer-causing agent). Let me expand further on UV radiation as a major causal factor of skin cancer and premature skin aging at cellular and molecular levels.

  1. UV radiation can modify DNA, intensify oxidative stress, and alter cellular antioxidant and immune defense, as well as other cellular structural or signal transduction pathways.
  2. UV-induced immune suppression contributes considerably to skin malignancies.
  3. UVB can directly cause specific DNA damage, when left unrepaired, it leads to mutations, consequently predisposing individuals to any cancer.

Importantly, bear in mind that UV exposure in children under age 10 has been linked to an increased risk of developing melanoma (malignant) and non-melanoma skin cancer later in life. Thus, childhood is a susceptible window for long-term dangerous effects of sun damage.

Sun safety with 5 Essentials – SHADE

Fortunately, skin cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer. So, how can you protect yourself and your family? Employ this tool kit, i.e. the acronym “SHADE”.

S stands for “Sunscreen application”

A wide variety of sunscreens are available on the market but not all products are created equal. Make sure to use sunscreens that block both UVA and UVB. In addition, use a moisturizer with SPF 15 or higher on a daily basis.

H stands for “Hide away from the sun”.

Whether you stroll under the sun or enjoy outdoor adventures, wear sunglasses, a hat, and cover up with loose clothing. Also, make sure your sunglasses have both UVA and UVB blocking properties. 

A stands for “Avoid the sun during its most intensive time”

Staying away from the sun is especially paramount between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., because during this window of time, the sun is at its strongest, thereby making this time the riskiest for sun damage.

D stands for “Detect early and Defense daily”.

Skin cancer can occur just about anywhere on the skin, but most often on the areas exposed to the sun, of course, also in odd places. With that in mind, look out vigilantly for moles, bumps or spots, by following the “ABCDE” guidance from WebMD, and noticing pain or fluid as a red flag too, for early detection. Schedule an annual skin cancer screening if you are among those “high risk” individuals.

In addition, antioxidants are powerful weapons to fight or “catch” free radicals generated from UV. Hence, build up your antioxidant defense by eating plenty of fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables, and more salmon.

E stands for “Educate everyone”.

To emphasize, E is for educating, not entertaining under the sun! Start with children and young adults. Regardless of gender and age, we are all exposed to the same sun. Today, the sun is getting less merciful compared to three or more decades ago due to thinning of ozone protection.

Take home message: 

Keep a balance between sun pleasure and sun damage, and hold the value of proper skin care. At the end, healthy skin in the course of life may promote better mental and emotional health. And remember “SHADE”.

 

Reference (on the table): Quan & Fisher. Gerontology. 2015; 61:427-34.

Image credit: thezonehole.com

Aging, Cancer, and Age-associated Illnesses

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Happy Aging_No magic pill_CPDAging is inevitable. Aging is a complex process through a progressive loss of physiological integrity, which has a negative impact on various body systems and their functions.

Aging is also a major risk factor for cancer. Why cancer risk increases as you age is not completely clear. Because cancer doesn’t develop overnight, one explanation could be – that genetic mutations of DNA (i.e. the root of developing cancerous cells) occur over a long period of time through prolonged, accumulated exposure to carcinogens (e.g. sun/UV rays, environmental toxins or contaminants in the air, the water or the food). Additionally, the aging-weakened immune system is less vigilant to detect and less effective to attack those cancerous cells.

As you age, accumulated damage to the cells put an increased burden on your immune response. Chronically stimulated inflammation, along with genetic, lifestyle and environmental risk factors, all intensify in your body and speed up the deleterious process. 

How well we age depends on many factors, including what we eat, how physically active we are, and how often and how long we are exposed to health risks such as smoking, over-consumption of alcohol, or harmful, toxic chemicals/substances.

In a parallel way, cancer is a disease of aging. Cancer is multifaceted and each one varies; but all cancers develop over time.

Interactions between aging and cancer occur at cellular, molecular, biological and physical levels via various intricate pathways. Along with “degenerative dysfunctions”, an initial cellular change becomes cumulative and collaborative to facilitate the accumulation of more or further alterations, thereby contributing to an exponential increase in age-associated cancer. Thus, cancer is a common health challenge among aging and especially elderly people. What could make this process worse are conditions like obesity and diabetes.

The good news: Cancer and other age-associated chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes are mostly preventable! Prevention can be enhanced by lifestyle modifications, which is documented by both Western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

In the years we cialis viagra australia have always notice that somehow Google discriminates or just doesn’t “force” all websites into following their own guidelines and what for many websites would be an instant ban is the success of others. It must be taken orally and must be swallowed whole with a glass sildenafil canada pharmacy of water 1-3 hours before you plan to have sex (many men take about 2-4 hours before sexual activity). cheap cialis professional The hormones that control physical functions and gender hormones are mainly and prolactin. Strength and flexibility must levitra generika be built up gradually – on a gradient level. Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes human vitality. One principle in regard to aging is that Qi—your life energy—is crucial to longevity. Longevity is not about mere length of life. It is also about quality of life, i.e. living a life without suffering pain, distress, and diseases. Injury, physical suffering, and lack of proper nutrition cause Qi deficiency. Qi can be increased or decreased, replenished or drained, and balanced Qi promotes blood circulation, reduces inflammation, and regulates hormones. 

Here are some key strategies that keep your vital Qi protected and replenished:

  1. Maintain a healthy weight and avoid abdominal obesity. Excessive calorie intake and a sedentary lifestyle cause abdominal obesity.
  2. Have a diet rich in nutrients and antioxidants, such as fruits, vegetables, fish, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
  3. Avoid or limit high-fat, high-sugar foodstuffs and excessive salt intake from packaged or processed foods.
  4. Participate in physical activities regularly, age actively.
  5. Watch your numbers (cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, etc), keep your blood pressure normal, and schedule routine cancer screenings.
  6. Remember to get a good night’s sleep.
  7. Practice gratitude. Gratitude is a secret to happiness, so keep counting your blessings.
  8. Love your age and love more. In addition to the love you show to your family, there are many ways to show your love, such as pursuing your passion, giving to your community, and caring and helping others. 

Let’s face it. You cannot help aging, but you don’t have to get “old”. Hopefully, at the end, you will achieve one of humanity’s greatest dreams, which is to have a long, productive, and happy life in a healthy body.

So, happy aging through vibrant well-being!

Links between Obesity, Diabetes, and Colon Cancer

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Links 3 conditions_CPDColorectal cancer remains the 3rd most common cancer and is the 2nd leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.

The causes of colon cancer are multi-factorial. They include cellular, molecular, and genetic factors, as well as dietary and lifestyle factors. Today, I’m going to focus on one significant yet modifiable risk factor, obesity.

We start with a glimpse at the numbers.

The incidence rate of obesity is alarmingly high among U.S. adults based on CDC data. Rates for different age groups include middle-aged (40.2%), older (37.0%), and younger (32.3%). Also, about 17% of children and adolescents (age 2-19) are obese.

More than 29 million adults and children in the U.S. have diabetes. 86 million Americans have pre-diabetes, a condition that can lead to type-2 diabetes. Note that an estimated one in two seniors has pre-diabetes.

Obesity may be a factor in approximately 300,000 deaths each year. Diabetes will cause an estimated 75,578 deaths and colorectal cancer, an expected 49,190 deaths in 2016.

A look beyond the numbers

Obesity is a leading cause of diabetes, a disease for which the body fails to control blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels are characteristic of both obesity and diabetes. What is less well known is that diabetes and obesity are also linked to an increase in cancer risk.

In fact, obesity is linked to many types of cancer (colon, esophageal, thyroid, breast, prostate, uterine, kidney, pancreas, gallbladder and non-Hodgkins lymphoma) and, needless to say, heart disease, stroke, and other chronic illnesses.

Research shows that obesity and diabetes are associated with an increased risk of developing colon cancer.

Intrinsic links between obesity, diabetes, and colon cancer are vastly complicated. One clear tie is sugar. High levels of blood sugar are a characteristic in both obesity and diabetes. High blood sugar also makes us predisposed to cancer by increasing the activity of a gene involved in cancer progression. Apparently, dietary sugar is a link tying together obesity, diabetes, and colon cancer, and thus excess sugar has an impact on our risk for cancer.
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Certainly, other links play a causal role. For instance, chronic inflammation is a central process that likely leads obese individuals to an elevated risk of diabetes and colon cancer, which all three conditions share a common inflammatory loop participated by multiple cell signaling molecules, growth and nuclear factors.

Highlighted Call for Actions

1. Colon Cancer screening

If you or your loved ones turn 50, you all should begin screening for colorectal cancer and then continue getting screened at regular intervals. This is because colorectal cancer almost always develops from precancerous polyps (abnormal growths) in the colon or rectum. Colorectal polyps can be found by screening and then removed before they develop into cancers. Plus, any developing cancer can be found earlier by screening when treatment works best.

2. Diabetes Control

Early intervention is critical to preventing or delaying the onset of type-2 diabetes. Good news for our nation’s seniors is that Medicare will extend coverage for pre-diabetes care. Check out the National Diabetes Prevention Program, a preventive health initiative via the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation.

3. Healthy Weight Management

Nutrition and balance diet, weight loss, daily physical activity and healthy lifestyle are all beneficial for keeping weight down. Look for further details in CancerPreventionDaily earlier posts.

In brief, obese people are at a higher risk for developing cancer. Also, an obese condition is often resistant to chemotherapy regimens. The bottom line is that obesity prevention is a key life-saving approach.

 

Image source: CancerPreventionDaily

Cheering You on to Immune-beneficial Exercises

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Exercise n Immune_Trainer.aeWe are at the beginning of March. If you made a New Year’s resolution about health and have made some progress, cheers! If you don’t have a resolution or it fell off the wagon by the end of February, it’s time to get back on track. I’m here to help you by breaking down how a few types of exercise may boost your immune function.

Note that we are not talking about strenuous physical exercise (e.g., an Ironman race) performed by well-trained athletes. We will examine doable exercises for ordinary folks like you and me. The key is that you need to choose types of exercise that are appropriate for your particular situation.

Let’s start with moderate regular exercises.

This can be walking 20-30 minutes a day, yoga or pilates, stretching, dancing, and even badminton—physical activities that can be easily incorporated into your daily life. Moderate, regular physical exercise is considered to be associated with many health benefits, including lowered blood pressure, reduced weight gain, improved glucose tolerance, better sleep, and increased immunity to fight infection.

A few studies by the Kagawa group showed that walking at a forest park increased human “natural killer” cell activity and the level of anti-cancer proteins, with the effect lasting at least seven days. Because “natural killer” cells are a part of the immune response to cancer, the research provided an intriguing perspective despite the small samplings of human subjects in the studies.

Resistance exercise (weight training)

Resistance training ranges from push-ups and squats to weight lifting and weight machines in order to build strength. Maximal resistance exercise increases the acute immune response, which is measured by changes in circulating levels of leukocytes and inflammatory molecules (i.e. cytokines).

To avoid impairing the immune system, allow your body and your immune system the time to recover. For instance, give your muscles 48-72 hours to rest between resistance trainings.

Endurance exercise (aerobic, cardio training)
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Aerobic exercise can stimulate the immune system. At the cellular level, research reveals that acute aerobic exercise greatly enhances a cellular signaling protein (G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2) that is involved in the regulation of hypertension and heart failure. The protein also regulates an inflammatory response, measured by activities of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (e.g. lymphocytes, a critical component of immune system), which was also stimulated by the aerobic exercise.

In a human study, eight weeks of endurance exercise also changed the blood levels of some inflammatory cytokines in a beneficial way in an elderly population and people with certain inflammatory diseases. In contrast, poor exercise capacity in patients even without heart failure is independently associated with markers of chronic inflammation, which may lead to infections following surgery.

Overall, how exercises improve immune function can be explained in the following ways: 1) Exercise may facilitate to flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways, which may help prevent upper respiratory tract infection (e.g. cold). 2) Exercise may make disease-fighting antibodies and immune system cells circulate faster so that they could detect illnesses earlier. And 3) Exercise may reduce the release of stress-related hormones, by which the power of immunity is enhanced and the chance of illness, lowered.

Study note:

The issue of exercise and its benefits in regard to alteration of the immune system is a complex one and a matter of delicate balance. It depends on whether the population is healthy or diseased, and even within unhealthy groups, the effect on cancer patients may differ from that on diabetic individuals. It also depends on types and workloads of exercise, parameters measured (e.g., hormonal, chemical factors, or proteins), transient versus sustained change, age groups studied, size of sampling, time-bound periods, and other factors.

To sum up –

Despite the fact that too much exercise can have a contrary effect and reduce immunity, exercises in various proper forms at all ages are AAA (triple A) – Actionable, Advantageous, and Awesome!! Therefore, keep doing exercise or getting more physically active one day at a time, and you’ll reap the benefits toward transforming your health and life.

 

Image credit: www.trainer.ae