Cancer and Diet

The consensus on diet and cancer is that obesity increases the risk of developing cancer. Particular dietary practices often explain differences in cancer incidence in different countries (e.g. gastric cancer is more common in Japan, while colon cancer is more common in the United States). Studies have shown that immigrants develop the risk of their new country, suggesting a link between diet and cancer rather than a genetic basis.

Despite frequent reports of particular substances (including foods) having a beneficial or detrimental effect on cancer risk, few of these have an established link to cancer. These reports are often based on studies in cultured cell media or animals. Public health recommendations cannot be made on the basis of these studies until they have been validated in an observational (or occasionally a prospective interventional) trial in humans.

The case of beta-carotene provides an example of the necessity of randomized clinical trials. Epidemiologists studying both diet and serum levels observed that high levels of beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, were associated with a protective effect, reducing the risk of cancer. This effect was particularly strong in lung cancer. This hypothesis led to a series of large randomized trials conducted in both Finland and the United States (CARET study) during the 1980s and 1990s. This study provided about 80,000 smokers or former smokers with daily supplements of beta-carotene or placebos. Contrary to expectation, these tests found no benefit of beta-carotene supplementation in reducing lung cancer incidence and mortality. In fact, the risk of lung cancer was slightly, but not significantly, increased by beta-carotene, leading to an early termination of the study.

However, Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs) also have drawbacks in cancer prevention, particularly in micronutrient deficiencies, which are thought by some to be a major contributor to cancer. RCTs involve huge numbers of people, take many years to complete, and are therefore extremely expensive and complicated, and therefore few are done. In addition, these randomized clinical trials usually test only a single dose. An alternative, which is likely to be more useful, is to do shorter intervention trials focusing on other endpoints related to cancer, such as DNA damage. These trials can test a variety of doses on fewer people to determine what level of micronutrient intake (or, better, micronutrient concentration in blood) keeps DNA damage to a minimum.

Why Teen Girls are Gaining Weight

A new study sheds light on why many adolescent girls are gaining weight. A decline in activity in the transition from childhood to adulthood could be responsible, according to a study published in the July 23 issue of The Lancet (2005; 366 [9482], 301–7).
In collaboration with others, Sue Y.S. Kimm, MD, from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, looked at activity levels and changes in body mass index (BMI) and fatness in over 1,100 black and over 1,100 white girls. The investigators assessed BMI and skinfold thickness each year from the time the girls were 9 or 10 years old to when they were 18 or 19. The subjects answered questions on physical activity and food intake at years 1, 3, 5 and 7–10 of the study. The results? There was a pronounced decline in physical activity, whereas the rate of overweight and obesity doubled.
How do you stop this weight gain? The authors state that physical activity equivalent to 2.5 hours of brisk walking per week could potentially prevent the increases, which in this study ranged from 4 to 6 kilograms (kg) (8.8–13.2 pounds) in white girls and from 6 to 9 kg (13.2–19.8 pounds) in black girls.

BMI Help

BMI HelpBMI is an indicator of total body fat, which is related to the risk of disease and death. The score is valid for both men and women but it does have some limits. The limits are: It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build. It may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle mass.Use the BMI calculator or tables to estimate your total body fat. The BMI score means the following:
BMI
Underweight Below
18.5
Normal
18.5 - 24.9
Overweight
25.0 - 29.9
Obesity
30.0 and Above

What does this mean?

BMI is a reliable indicator of total body fat, which is related to the risk of disease and death. The score is valid for both men and women but it does have some limits. The limits are:It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build. It may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle mass.Use the BMI calculator or tables to estimate your total body fat. The BMI score means the following: BMIUnderweight Below 18.5Normal 18.5 - 24.9Overweight 25.0 - 29.9Obesity 30.0 and Above

Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus also known as “diabetes”, is a serious metabolic disease that effects the body’s ability to derive energy from blood sugar, or glucose, characterized by increasing glucose level (blood sugar) in patient’s body, and this increased blood sugar level is result from defects in insulin secretion, which leads to hyperglycemia.
Insulin is hormone necessary for glucose metabolism. The major factor that causes Diabetes are usually Environmental & hereditary. More than 18 Million of North Americans have Diabetes mellitus. It is a well known fact that Diabetes is a type of disease that effects every organ of human body.
The main observed side effects of Diabetes are blindness, glaucoma, kidney failure, nerve problems and heart disease.
Diabetes is categorized in Two type: IDDM:Insulin dependent Diabetes mellitus and NIDDM:Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. IDDM is aka Type 1 diabetes or juvenile-onset diabetes, since it often develops in early stage of life. While NIDDM Is called as Type 2 diabetes or adult-onset diabetes, as it occurs on older adults.
Some acute signs of diabetes which are easily noticeable in diabetes patients are: excessive urine production, resulting thirst and increased fluid intake to compensate the fluid demand, unexplained and sudden weight loss, blurred eye vision, and changes in energy metabolism.
The Cure of Diabetes is possible as insulin is widely and easily available in the market. Though there is no permanent solution for this disease, but regular intake of prescribed insulin dosage can help person living healthy normal life.
Regular exercise with daily morning walk is proved to be very helpful in controlling higher glucose level. For diabetes patients it is advisable to eat plenty of regular meals & snacks to avoid fluctuation in glucose level of body. Low fat, high fiber foods to achieve and maintain normal weight. Try to avoid: Saturated fat foods, : “Pure Calorie” driven foods like sweets, chocolates which can contribute to obesity.
At last do keep in mind the fact that “Prevention is better than cure”, a scientific research proved that weight loss is powerful preventive medicine for overweight people at high risk of diabetes.

Beauty Fitness Yoga And The Improvement Of Your Figure

have no doubt, Beauty Fitness Yoga is the one to which the majority of women will want to know. Knowing as you do that Beauty Fitness Yoga can give you a perfect figure you have made Beauty Fitness Yoga your main reason for pursuing the subject.
I assure you this is no worse a reason for beginning the study of Yoga than any other. There cannot really be a bad reason for wanting to do something good, and though Beauty Fitness Yoga offers much in the way of a peaceful and healthy existence your main concern, at this stage anyway, is how to get that pad of fat off your hips and reduce that bulging tummy.
There is little need to explain to you the connection between obesity and your health. Apart from being aesthetically all wrong it puts a strain on the heart, the internal organs, the legs and feet and in fact the entire body. It is dangerous to be overweight. It is your duty to improve your figure for the sake of your health, your peace of mind and your general well being.
Beauty Fitness Yoga can help you to regain a slim, supple, and graceful figure, but I must impress on you right at the beginning that there is no magic formula which will sheer those extra pounds off you while you go on eating four square meals a day with snacks in between and goodness knows how many cups of tea sweetened with sugar. In short, Yoga is not black magic. It is sheer common sense. It will help you if you are prepared to help yourself.
You must study Yoga as a whole and let it pervade every part of your life. Let it gradually alter your way of thinking and in time it will affect your attitude towards food. For many people food is a social occasion, or a means of chopping up the day. To very many others it is a form of sheer solid comfort in times of stress or anxiety. To still others it is a hobby or a release from boredom. They don't know what to do with themselves so they eat—and grow fat.
I do not suggest that you try drastically to alter your eating habits. Let Yoga gently do that for you. Practise Beauty Fitness Yoga as a complete science, and very slowly adjust your eating habits according to your state of mind.