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New research shows that high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking account for the vast majority of all deaths caused by cardiovascular disease.

THE FOUR CRITICAL CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISKS THAT YOU CAN CHANGE

As I mention in my recent bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, many of the very same lifestyle and dietary habits that increase our risk of developing cancer also increase our risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including coronary artery disease, heart attacks (myocardial infarction), peripheral vascular disease, and stroke.  Likewise, adopting an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle can not only cut your cancer risk in half, but can also significantly reduce your risk of developing life-threatening cardiovascular disease as well.

A newly published research study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, provides, for the first time, a comprehensive assessment of the lifetime risks of developing cardiovascular disease based upon the following four health-related factors: blood pressure, cholesterol (lipid) levels in the blood, smoking status, and diabetes status.  Importantly, this huge meta-analysis study, which appears in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, comprehensively analyzes the data from 18 different prior clinical research studies, which included 257,384 adult black and white men and women.  These research volunteers were assessed for these four critical cardiovascular risk factors every 10 years, beginning at age 45 and ending at age 75.  This enormous group of research volunteers was then closely followed, and the incidence of cardiovascular disease and death rates due to cardiovascular disease were then carefully evaluated and analyzed.

When looking at cardiovascular risks factors at age 55 as predictors of future cardiovascular disease risk, and the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease, the findings of this extremely large clinical study were striking.  In this study, a low-risk profile for cardiovascular disease was defined as total blood cholesterol less than 180 milligrams per deciliter (4.7 mmol per liter), average blood pressure less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), nonsmoker status, and nondiabetic status.

Among the 55 year-old men and women who met all of the criteria for a low-risk profile for cardiovascular disease, their lifetime incidence of cardiovascular disease, through age 80, was remarkably lower than for the 55 year-olds who failed to meet two or more of the four low-risk criteria.  In fact, the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease, through age 80, was only 5 percent among the men who met all four low-risk criteria at age 55, while the men who met only two or fewer low-risk criteria faced a dramatic six-fold increase in the risk (30 percent) of dying of cardiovascular disease by age 80.  Among the women volunteers, only 6 percent of the women who met all four low-risk criteria went on to die of cardiovascular disease by age 80, while 21 percent of the women who failed to meet two or more of the four low-risk criteria died of cardiovascular disease between age 55 and age 80 (for a nearly four-fold increase in the risk of death).

Fatal and nonfatal coronary artery disease occurred in only 4 percent of the men who met all four low-risk criteria, but occurred in nearly 10 times as many of the men (38 percent) who failed to meet two or more of these four criteria.  The women who met all four low-risk criteria faced a less than 1 percent risk of fatal and nonfatal coronary artery disease, while the women who met two or fewer low-risk criteria experienced an 18 percent incidence of fatal and nonfatal coronary artery disease (for a more than 18-fold increase in risk).

The risk of fatal and nonfatal stroke was also significantly lower among men and women who met all four low-risk criteria for cardiovascular disease.  Among the men who met all four low-risk criteria, the incidence of stroke through age 80 was only about 2 percent, but quadrupled, to more than 8 percent, among the men who failed to meet two or more of the four low-risk criteria.  Among the women who met all four low-risk criteria, the incidence of stroke was about 5 percent, but more than doubled, to nearly 11 percent, among the women who failed to meet at least two of the low-risk criteria.

The findings of this very large study cannot be overstated in terms of its public health importance, as this is the only study that has prospectively assessed very large numbers of men and women, including both black and white adults, over long periods of time, and that has analyzed the long-term impact of the four most common risk factors for cardiovascular disease on incidence and death rates associated with cardiovascular disease.  As with the studies that I discuss in A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, the impact of lifestyle, diet, and other modifiable health-related factors on both cardiovascular disease risk and cancer risk is enormous, particularly when measured over the lifespan of the average adult.

The findings of this epic public health research study also add further weight to my strong belief, based upon my review of thousands of research studies, that we, as individuals, hold the key to improving our health, and to significantly reducing our risk of serious illness and premature death, by living evidence-based healthy lifestyles.  If your blood pressure is high, change your diet and increase your level of exercise, with the support of your doctor.  If diet and physical activity interventions alone do not correct your hypertension, then ask your doctor about medications for high blood pressure.  If you have diabetes, you also need to change your diet, increase your levels of physical activity, and safely lose any excess weight.  If these lifestyle changes do not completely resolve your high blood sugars, then you may also need to ask your doctor about medications for diabetes.  If you smoke, or use smokeless tobacco, stop immediately.  Finally, if your LDL and total cholesterol levels are high, then, once again, you need to be more careful about what you eat.  (The cancer-preventing foods and diets that I discuss in my book have also been linked to lower levels of blood cholesterol, as well as a much lower risk of cardiovascular disease.)  You may also need to increase your physical activity levels, and get your weight down to a healthy level, to improve your LDL and total cholesterol levels.  Once again, if these prudent lifestyle measures are not enough, by themselves, to bring your cholesterol levels down into the normal range, then your doctor may need to add a cholesterol-lowering medication as well.

The striking results of this important cardiovascular disease prevention study provide all of us with the key to maximally reducing our risk of developing—and dying from—largely preventable cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke.  Better long-term health (and a longer and more vigorous life) is within your grasp, and this study, in addition to my book, can show you the way forward.

For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores!

On Thanksgiving Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books! On Christmas Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list!

Disclaimer:  As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author

For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link:

Texas Blues Jam

Welcome to Weekly Health Update

SWEET POTATO GREENS AND PROSTATE CANCER

As I discuss in my bestselling evidence-based book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, even conservative clinical research assessments strongly suggest that at least 50 percent of all new cancer cases are linked to modifiable lifestyle and dietary habits.  Polyphenols, a group of powerful dietary antioxidant compounds that I extensively discuss in A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, have been extensively studied in numerous laboratory and clinical research studies as potential cancer prevention nutrients.  Now, a newly published study suggests that polyphenol-rich sweet potato greens may have significant anticancer activity against prostate cancer

In this new study, which appears in the current issue of the journal Carcinogenesis, an extract of sweet potato greens was first tested in the laboratory with human prostate cancer cells growing in culture.  Molecular studies were then performed, which revealed that sweet potato greens extract shut down important cell growth biochemical pathways in human prostate cancer cells, and accelerated cancer cell death through a mechanism known as apoptosis.  (Interestingly, and importantly, however, sweet potato greens extract appeared to have no adverse effects on normal human prostate gland cells.)

As it is well known that the results of laboratory-based studies often cannot be reproduced in animal or human studies, the authors of this study then implanted human prostate cancer cells into laboratory mice.  These same mice were then fed sweet potato greens extract (400 milligrams per kilogram per day), while another group of mice (the “control group”) did not receive any sweet potato greens extract.  At the end of the study, the scientists conducting this research discovered that the prostate cancer tumors growing in the mice who received the sweet potato greens extract were, on average, almost 70 percent smaller than the tumors growing in the control group mice!  (Once again, there also appeared to be no adverse effects on normal tissues and organs in the mice that received the sweet potato greens extract.)

This research study is the first study to identify significant anticancer effects against prostate cancer associated with sweet potato greens in both cancer cell cultures and in mammals.  The potent anticancer effects of sweet potato greens extract, as demonstrated in this very elegant study, and combined with the apparent lack of toxicity, suggest that this polyphenol-rich vegetable may have a role in prostate cancer prevention and, perhaps, prostate cancer treatment; although it will be necessary to repeat this laboratory study in humans to determine if sweet potato greens have similar anticancer effects in people.

For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million,Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores!

On Thanksgiving Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books! On Christmas Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list!

Disclaimer:  As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author

For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link:

Texas Blues Jam

Welcome to Weekly Health Update

ORLISTAT (ALLI or XENICAL) SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES OBESITY

Approximately two-thirds of the population in the United States is overweight, while at least a third of all people are obese.  Excess weight has clearly been linked to serious illnesses, including high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lung disease, liver disease, gallstones, and arthritis, among other potentially life-threatening ailments.  As I note in my book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, the extremely high concentration of fat and calories in modern processed foods, when combined with the sedentary lifestyles that most of us lead, almost guarantees a high level of obesity in our population.

Orlistat, which is available in both prescription and non-prescription forms, blocks the activity of lipase, an enzyme within the GI tract that breaks down dietary fats so that they can be absorbed.  Previous clinical research studies have shown that the addition of orlistat to a low-fat diet can significantly reduce body fat, and, in turn, can reduce the risk of illnesses that are associated with obesity.  Now that orlistat is available without a prescription, there have been concerns that this medication may be less effective, as it can now be purchased and taken without first having to enroll in a structured weight loss program.

A newly published study, which appears in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests that non-prescription doses of orlistat (trade names Alli and Xenical) may still be an effective addition to the standard weight loss strategies of a healthy low-fat diet and exercise.  In this study, 27 obese research volunteers took over-the-counter orlistat (60 milligrams three times a day, with meals) for three months.  At the beginning and end of this study, the 27 volunteers were subjected to specialized imaging tests, including MRI scans, to measure the amount of fat in their bodies.  Blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol levels were also assessed.

In this clinical study, the use of over-the-counter orlistat, in combination with a reduced calorie, low-fat diet, was associated with a significant 11 percent reduction in body fat after 3 months.  Moreover, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and heart rate all decreased, as well, following three months of orlistat combined with a prudent diet.

The findings of this study suggest that even over-the-counter orlistat, in conjunction with healthy eating habits, can significantly reduce both body fat and at least some of the adverse health effects associated with obesity.

Now for the bad news… orlistat works by blocking the absorption of fat from the GI tract, which means that 25 to 30 percent of the fat consumed while taking orlistat will remain within the GI tract until it is eliminated in the feces.  Unfortunately, high levels of undigested fat in the stool can lead to some rather unsettling symptoms, including flatulence, greasy/oily stools, bloating, and in some patients, an urgent desire to have a bowel movement.  On the other hand, while these symptoms are very common during the first few months of orlistat use, they appear to improve over time, such that only about one-third of patients taking orlistat will still have these symptoms four years after starting the drug.  Moreover, in patients who conscientiously maintain a low-fat diet while taking orlistat, the incidence and severity of these GI tract side effects are even lower.  (Another potential complication of orlistat is the reduced absorption of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, although vitamin supplements will prevent significant deficiencies of these vitamins.)

While orlistat is associated with significant potential side effects, and thus should not be taken by everyone, the results of this small study do strongly suggest that orlistat is an effective option for obese patients who are able to both tolerate the drug’s side effects and remain compliant with a low-fat diet.  As always, however, I strongly recommend that you check with your primary physician prior to starting any new diet or medication, including orlistat.

For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million,Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores!

On Thanksgiving Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books! On Christmas Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list!

Disclaimer:  As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author

For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link:

Texas Blues Jam

Welcome to Weekly Health Update

A large new public health research study from China suggests that drinking green tea at least 3 times per week may cut colorectal cancer risk in half, but only among nonsmokers.

GREEN TEA MAY PREVENT COLON AND RECTAL CANCER

As I have written about in my bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, green tea has been consumed for several thousand years now, and the health benefits attributed to this ancient beverage have been numerous. Unfortunately, the published research findings regarding green tea’s claimed health benefits continue to be quite contradictory, including in the area of cancer prevention research.

A newly published public health study from China, which appears in the journal Carcinogenesis, adds to previous studies that have suggested a favorable role for green tea in cancer prevention. In this very large prospective public health study, 60,567 Chinese men (ages 40 to 74 years) were followed for an average of about 5 years. The incidence of new colorectal cancers was assessed in this very large cohort of research volunteers, and the consumption of green tea was assessed as a potential factor in the incidence of colorectal cancer among these men.

In this huge prospective public health study, the regular consumption of green tea (defined as green tea consumption at least 3 times per week, and for more than 6 consecutive months) was associated with a significant decrease in the risk of developing colorectal cancer. However, this observed colorectal cancer prevention benefit was limited to nonsmokers, as green tea consumption appeared to have no beneficial effect on colorectal cancer risk among men who smoked.

Among nonsmoking men, the regular consumption of green tea was associated with a very impressive 46 percent reduction in the risk of developing colorectal cancer. Importantly, higher reported levels of green tea intake were associated with correspondingly greater reductions in colorectal cancer risk (but, once again, only in nonsmokers). This “dose-response” relationship is a very important consideration, because any true cancer prevention effect by green tea should, indeed, exhibit this kind of dose-dependent impact on cancer risk reduction.

While only a large-scale prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical research trial can definitively prove whether or not regular green tea consumption can prevent colorectal cancer, the results of this very large prospective public health study suggest that green tea may indeed have an important role to play in colorectal cancer prevention.

For a comprehensive guide to living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle, order your copy of my new book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race.  For the price of a cheeseburger, fries, and a shake, you can purchase this landmark new book, in both paperback and e-book formats, and begin living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle today!

For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million,Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores!

On Thanksgiving Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books! On Christmas Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list!

Disclaimer:  As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author

For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link:

Texas Blues Jam

Welcome to Weekly Health Update

New research shows that aspirin may significantly reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest of all cancers.

ASPIRIN MAY REDUCE THE RISK OF DEADLY PANCREATIC CANCER

The recent tragic death of Steve Jobs, of Apple fame, due to a rare form of pancreatic cancer has once again focused public attention on one of the deadliest forms of cancer. The more common form of pancreatic cancer, pancreatic ductal cancer, is only the tenth most common form of cancer, but because it is such a lethal disease, pancreatic cancer is actually the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death. Sadly, only about 5 percent of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer will still be alive 5 years later.

In my book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, I extensively discuss the available research findings that can help to lower your risk of pancreatic cancer, and other deadly forms of cancer. (Also, please see my recent report on pancreatic cancer prevention on Newsmax.) Now, a newly published clinical research study suggests that aspirin, which has also been shown to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, may also significantly reduce the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

This new research study appears in the journal Cancer Prevention Research. This clinical research study was performed at the Mayo Clinic, and included 904 patients recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and 1,224 healthy age-matched and gender-matched “control” patients. In this case-control study, the impact of aspirin intake was analyzed in both groups of patients.

In this study, the use of aspirin at least one day per month was associated with a very significant 26 percent reduction in the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Among patients who took low-dose aspirin (81 mg per day) every day for heart disease prevention, the risk of pancreatic cancer was reduced by 33 percent.

The findings of this important study suggest that the humble aspirin tablet may significantly reduce the risk of developing what is arguably the most lethal of all cancers (in addition to reducing the risk of colorectal cancer and, potentially, other cancers as well). As I discuss in A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, even a relatively modest reduction in the risk of the deadliest types of cancer can be an important achievement, because our therapies for these kinds of cancer, including pancreatic cancer, so rarely result in a cure. While this case-control study is not as statistically powerful as a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical research study, prior laboratory and clinical research studies have also shown that aspirin can reduce pancreatic cancer cell growth. The findings of these previous studies, therefore, generally support the findings of this new Mayo Clinic study suggesting that aspirin may, indeed, reduce the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

I must caution readers that aspirin, like all medications, can be associated with significant side effects. In the case of aspirin, specifically, GI tract irritation can cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and even GI tract bleeding. Aspirin can also increase the risk of bleeding in other areas of the body, and can be toxic to the kidneys in some patients as well. Therefore, if you are considering the addition of low-dose aspirin to your cancer prevention lifestyle, you should first check with your personal physician to ensure that it is safe for you to do so.

For a comprehensive guide to living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle, order your copy of my new book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race.  For the price of a cheeseburger, fries, and a shake, you can purchase this landmark new book, in both paperback and e-book formats, and begin living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle today!

For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million,Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores!

On Thanksgiving Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books! On Christmas Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list!

Disclaimer:  As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author

For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link:

Texas Blues Jam

Welcome to Weekly Health Update

New research suggests that moderate chocolate consumption can significantly decrease the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

NEW RESEARCH SAYS THAT CHOCOLATE DECREASES CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK AND DIABETES

Cocoa, from which chocolate is made, is known to be rich in flavonol antioxidants, as well as other compounds that appear to reduce the risk of developing the cholesterol plaques that cause coronary artery disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. Cocoa has also been shown to improve the function and health of critical blood vessels in the body, which can lower elevated blood pressure. Moreover, additional research has shown that cocoa may also decrease the risk of diabetes.

Milk chocolate contains considerably more fat and sugar than dark chocolate, and these milk chocolate additives are well known to increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, dark chocolate has been more often recommended than milk chocolate as a possibly healthy treat. However, several public health studies have suggested that even milk chocolate may still possess clinically significant cardiovascular health benefits, despite its high fat and high sugar content.

A newly published meta-analysis study, which appears in the British Medical Journal, adds weight to the possibility that even milk chocolate might have heart-healthy properties. In this meta-analysis study, seven previously published public health research studies, which included 114,009 research volunteers, were analyzed. This analysis revealed that 5 of these 7 previously published public health studies found that increased chocolate consumption was associated with a significant decrease in the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Specifically, research volunteers who reported the highest levels of chocolate consumption were observed to be 37 percent less likely to develop heart disease, 31 percent less likely to develop diabetes, and 29 percent less likely to have a stroke when compared to the volunteers who reported the least chocolate consumption.

Now, for the (possibly) bad news….  None of these seven public health research studies were randomized clinical research studies.  All were so-called “observational” studies, wherein groups of volunteers completed questionnaires regarding their diet and lifestyle habits, and were then observed over time for the development of new health problems.  The obvious weakness of observational studies, in general, is their reliance upon the often inaccurate self-reporting by research volunteers on questionnaires designed to assess their dietary and lifestyle habits.  The other weakness of these particular research studies is that they did not identify which types of chocolate were associated either with the least or the greatest health benefits (nor is it clear from these studies whether or not there is an optimal amount of chocolate intake necessary to produce the greatest possible health benefits).  All of these important disclaimers aside, multiple clinical research studies have previously shown very significant potential health benefits associated with regular chocolate consumption.  At the same time, in view of the clear association of increased fat and sugar intake with obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease risk, among other health problems, my recommendation to my patients and readers is to take moderate amounts of dark chocolate, and other lower-fat and lower-sugar chocolates, as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle!

For a comprehensive guide to living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle, order your copy of my new book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race.  For the price of a cheeseburger, fries, and a shake, you can purchase this landmark new book, in both paperback and e-book formats, and begin living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle today!

For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million,Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores!

On Thanksgiving Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books! On Christmas Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list!

Disclaimer:  As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author

For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link:

Texas Blues Jam

Welcome to Weekly Health Update

New research suggests that the same lifestyle and diet choices that reduce cardiovascular disease risk also reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men, and improve male sexual function.

LIFESTYLE AND DIET MODIFICATIONS REDUCE ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION (ED)

As I discuss in my book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, evidence-based lifestyle and diet modifications can dramatically reduce your lifetime risk of developing cancer, including some of the most deadly forms of this disease.  As an “added benefit,” many of the same lifestyle and diet modifications that I discuss in my book have also been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, as well.  Moreover, previous research studies have suggested that the risk of male sexual dysfunction, and erectile dysfunction (ED) in particular, might also be reduced by living a heart-healthy lifestyle.

The most important risk factors for sexual dysfunction in men, and ED in particular, include heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, elevated blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and sedentary behavior. Since the risk of these serious health problems can all be significantly reduced through lifestyle and diet modification, it is worth asking whether or not evidence-based lifestyle modifications associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes can also significantly reduce the risk of ED. A newly published research study, which appears in the current issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, provides important new insights into this serious men’s health issue.

In a meta-analysis of 6 previously published prospective randomized clinical research studies, 740 adult male research study volunteers were evaluated. In this group of men, heart-healthy changes in diet, physical activity, and other modifiable lifestyle factors were associated with a highly significant improvement in sexual function when compared to similar-aged men who did not modify their lifestyle and diet. (Moreover, the addition of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs in men with elevated blood cholesterol levels improved sexual function even further than lifestyle and diet modifications, alone.)

Too many men continue to refuse to change their unhealthy lifestyles and dietary habits, and so they face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other largely preventable diseases.  However, sexual function is such a very important quality-of-life factor for most men that it is my hope that studies such as this one will get the attention of men who are still living unhealthy lifestyles that increase their risk of ED and other preventable serious illnesses.  Also, as ED is now known to be an early warning sign of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other preventable lifestyle-associated diseases in men, modifying your lifestyle and diet to reduce your risk of ED will also significantly reduce your risk of these other life-threatening diseases at the same time (and cancer, as well)!

For a comprehensive guide to living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle, order your copy of my new book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race.  For the price of a cheeseburger, fries, and a shake, you can purchase this landmark new book, in both paperback and e-book formats, and begin living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle today!

For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million,Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores!

On Thanksgiving Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books! On Christmas Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list!

Disclaimer:  As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author

For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link:

Texas Blues Jam

Welcome to Weekly Health Update

New research suggests that ginger root extract may have potent activity against prostate cancer and other types of cancer.

GINGER MAY PREVENT PROSTATE CANCER

As I discuss in my book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, there is a growing body of research evidence demonstrating potent cancer properties associated with certain foods and nutrients. While much of the available research in support of specific dietary and other lifestyle-related approaches to cancer prevention is of low scientific quality, more recent cancer prevention research studies have provided higher levels of scientific and clinical evidence in support of an evidence-based approach to a cancer prevention lifestyle.

A newly published research study, which appears in the current issue of the British Journal of Nutrition, suggests that ginger root may possess clinically important cancer prevention activity. (Previous research studies have also shown that ginger extracts are capable of reducing cancer cell growth in laboratory settings, and are associated with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects as well.)

In this particular research study, human prostate cancer cells were transplanted into laboratory mice. In the group of mice that received daily ginger extract dietary supplements (100 milligrams of ginger extract per kilogram of body weight), the growth of these transplanted prostate cancer tumors was reduced by a rather impressive 56 percent when compared to the mice that did not receive ginger extract. When the transplanted prostate cancer tumors were removed from the mice and further studied, the researchers found that the tumors in the mice that had received ginger extract displayed extensive cancer cell death (as compared to the tumors taken from the mice that did not receive ginger extract). Importantly, there was no evidence of side effects noted among the mice that received the ginger extract supplements in this study.

The findings of this laboratory research study, when combined with the findings of previous research studies, suggest that ginger may have significant anti-cancer properties. These high-quality laboratory studies have identified multiple biochemical mechanisms whereby ginger appears to significantly impair cancer cell growth and reproduction, and increase cancer cell death through a biological process known as apoptosis.

While the findings of this laboratory research study are highly intriguing, I must caution readers that what works in laboratory mice with a genetically engineered faulty immune system does not always turn out to work in humans. Therefore, a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical research trial will be necessary to determine whether or not ginger supplements can actually reduce prostate cancer risk (and the risk of other cancers) in humans, or slow down the progression of cancer in patients who have already been diagnosed with prostate cancer or other cancers. At the same time, ginger has been used for thousands of years, and most research studies indicate no apparent toxicity in humans after consuming doses of ginger far greater than the dose that was utilized in this particular laboratory study. (As always, however, I strongly recommend that readers first check with their personal physician before adding any new supplements to their diet.)

For a comprehensive guide to living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle, order your copy of my new book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race.  For the price of a cheeseburger, fries, and a shake, you can purchase this landmark new book, in both paperback and e-book formats, and begin living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle today!

For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million,Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores!

On Thanksgiving Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books! On Christmas Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list!

Disclaimer:  As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author

For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link:

Texas Blues Jam

Welcome to Weekly Health Update

New research reveals the profound impact of diet, obesity, and lifestyle factors on diabetes risk.

LIFESTYLE, DIET AND DIABETES RISK

Along with the incidence of obesity, the incidence of diabetes has recently skyrocketed in the United States and around the world.  The list of health complications associated with diabetes is frightening, and includes heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, stroke, kidney failure, progressive blindness, and as I discuss in my book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, an increased risk of cancer.

Now, a newly published clinical research study, which included more than 200,000 adult volunteers, sheds important light on the major lifestyle-associated risk factors for this life-threatening disease.  Nearly 2 million adults will be newly diagnosed with diabetes this year in the United States, and nearly 80 million Americans are currently living with diabetes at this time. In fact, diabetes has become such a serious public health problem that it is now considered the seventh leading cause of death in the United States!

This newly published prospective public health study appears in the current issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, and was sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Cancer Institute, as part of the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study.

A total of 114, 996 men and 92,483 women, aged 50 to 71 years, participated in this public health study; and this huge group of research volunteers was closely followed for an average of 10 years. Importantly, none of these research volunteers had diabetes, heart disease, or cancer at the time they initially joined this research study.

After evaluating diet, level of physical activity, smoking status, and alcohol intake, this enormous group of research volunteers was assessed for the risk of onset of diabetes according to these lifestyle factors. Altogether, about 10 percent of the men and 8 percent of the women went on to develop diabetes during the 10-year course of this public health study. When compared to men who ate poorly and did not exercise, and who also smoked and regularly consumed alcohol, the men who had very healthy behaviors in these same areas had a 39 percent lower risk of developing diabetes, while the women with healthy lifestyle behaviors experienced a 57 percent lower risk of diabetes when compared to the women with unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. Even more impressive was the additive role of obesity on diabetes risk. When all of the previously mentioned healthy lifestyle behaviors were combined with the absence of being overweight or obese, men experienced a whopping 72 percent decrease in the risk of diabetes, while women experienced an extraordinary 84 percent reduction in the risk of developing diabetes. Importantly, these dramatic reductions in the risk of diabetes were maintained even among the men and women who had a family history of diabetes or obesity.

This huge prospective public health study adds important and helpful information to our understanding regarding the most important risk factors for diabetes, and reveals just how important eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular exercise, abstaining from tobacco use, and minimizing alcohol intake are to the prevention of diabetes.  Other large public health studies have also conclusively linked these healthy lifestyle-associated behaviors with a significant reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease (including heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, and stroke) and cancer, as well!

For a comprehensive guide to living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle, order your copy of my new book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race.  For the price of a cheeseburger, fries, and a shake, you can purchase this landmark new book, in both paperback and e-book formats, and begin living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle today!

For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million,Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores!

On Thanksgiving Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books! On Christmas Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list!

Disclaimer:  As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author

For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link:

Texas Blues Jam

Welcome to Weekly Health Update

New research suggests that the risk of brain tumors in children and teens associated with routine cell phone use is probably quite small.

CELL PHONE USE IN CHILDREN AND TEENS AND BRAIN TUMOR RISK

A possible link between cell phone use and brain tumor risk continues to cause concern among cancer experts.  However, because it would be unethical to intentionally expose human research subjects to prolonged periods of cell phone radiation exposure, it is not possible to perform a prospective, randomized, blinded study to completely resolve this important potential health issue.  Because of this human research limitation, we are left with retrospective research studies that have attempted to estimate potential health risks associated with cell phone exposure (based primarily upon self-reported cell phone use among patients with brain tumors and those without brain tumors).  Therefore, it is not surprising that there are conflicting research results on this topic, with some studies suggesting an increased risk of brain tumors associated with prolonged cell phone use and other studies finding no apparent increased risk of brain tumors with cell phone use.  (I discuss much of this available research in my book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race.)

Because cell phone use clearly exposes the head and brain to some level of microwave radiation (and particularly when cell phones are used without hands-free devices), there has been particular concern about the possibility of brain injury and brain tumor formation among children and adolescents who use cell phones, as not only are their skulls thinner than those of adults, but their rapidly growing brains are thought to be more sensitive to any insults that might increase the risk of brain injury or brain tumor formation.

A newly published clinical research study, which appears in the current issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, represents an important advance in our understanding of the impact of cell phone use on brain tumor risk in children and adolescents. This European study is a case-control study, which compared children and adolescents (ages 7 to 19 years) who were diagnosed with brain tumors with “control subjects” (i.e., healthy children of the same age, sex, and geographical region, and who did not have brain tumors). In this case-control study, interviews were conducted with 352 children and adolescents (and their parents) who had been diagnosed with brain tumors, as well as 646 children and adolescents (and their parents) without a history of brain tumors. A novel approach in this particular clinical research study was the use of mobile phone records, in an attempt to improve the accuracy of self-reported cell phone use by the research volunteers.

The results of this study failed to find any association between the amount of cell phone use and brain tumor risk. Furthermore, there was no apparent association between the location of tumors in the brain and the areas of the brain that are known to receive the highest levels of microwave radiation from cell phone handsets.

The findings of this case-control clinical research study offer some reassurance that routine cell phone use probably does not significantly increase the risk of brain tumors in children and adolescents. However, I would caution readers that other similar studies have suggested an increased risk of at least benign brain tumors among people who extensively use cell phones over long periods of time. Moreover, recent research has shown that metabolism significantly increases in the areas of the brain that are exposed to the greatest amount of radiation during cell phone use, thus proving that brain exposure to cell phone radiation does indeed alter brain function during cell phone use.

In the absence of high-level clinical research data from a prospective, randomized, double-blinded clinical research study, my wife and I limit cell phone use by our two younger children to no more than 5 minutes at a time, and this is my recommendation to readers and patients as well.

For a comprehensive guide to living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle, order your copy of my new book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race.  For the price of a cheeseburger, fries, and a shake, you can purchase this landmark new book, in both paperback and e-book formats, and begin living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle today!

For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million,Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores!

On Thanksgiving Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books! On Christmas Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list!

Disclaimer:  As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author

For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link:

Texas Blues Jam