Why We Eat Far More Calories than We Think
May 27, 2013 by admin
Filed under A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Dietary Fat, Fast Food, Fitness, Fried Foods, Healthy Diet, Heart Disease Risk, Hypertension, Metabolic Syndrome, Nutrition, Overweight, Processed Meat, Red Meat, Risk of Death, Saturated Fat, Trans-Fats, Tweens, Unsaturated Fat, cancer risk, cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular disease risk, diabetes, diet, exercise, fat, fatty liver, health, heart attack, heart disease, high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, lifestyle, myocardial infarction, obesity, physical activity, premature death, prevention, risk, teenagers, teens, triglycerides
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A new study shows that we greatly underestimate how many calories we consume.
WHY WE EAT FAR MORE CALORIES THAN WE THINK As I discuss in my bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, it is critically important to avoid diets and foods, and other lifestyle choices, known to increase the risk of cancer. As I also discuss in my book, the human body was not designed for the supra-normal calorie content of the typical “western diet.” The enormous number of calories packed into the highly processed foods that most people favor, when combined with our increasingly sedentary lifestyle, has led to an epidemic of obesity and obesity-related diseases, including cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, gallstones, liver disease, and accelerated arthritis, among other preventable serious illnesses. Another point that I make in my book, and in discussions with my patients, is that almost all of us greatly underestimate the number of calories that we are consuming while, at the same time, we tend to overestimate the number of calories that we are burning through physical activity. A newly published public health study, which appears in the current issue of the British Medical Journal, provides compelling data regarding our predisposition towards underestimating just how many calories we consume on a daily basis. In this study, 1,877 adults, 1,178 adolescents, and 330 school-age children were asked to estimate the approximate number of calories that they were consuming while eating at fast food restaurants. Specifically, these surveys were performed at McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, Wendy’s, KFC, and Dunkin’ Donuts. The actual calories count, on average, for each meal was 836 calories for adults, 756 calories for adolescents, and 733 calories for children. When asked to estimate the numbers of the calories they had just consumed, the adults underestimated their caloric intake by an average of 175 calories, the adolescents by 259 calories, and the school-age children by 175 calories. Perhaps more important was the observation that the degree of underestimation of calorie content of fast-food meals actually increased with increasing actual meal calorie counts. That is to say, the more excessive calories that people consumed at these fast-food restaurants, the more they underestimated their actual caloric intake. Another interesting finding of this public health study was that adults and teens who ate at Subway underestimated the calorie counts of their meals to a greater degree (20 and 25 percent, respectively) than people who ate at McDonald’s, suggesting an inaccurate perception that Subway meals contained fewer calories (and were, therefore, healthier) than McDonalds meals. As I discuss in my book, excess body weight has been linked to 7 to 10% of all cancer cases, as well as many other life-threatening obesity-related illnesses. Therefore, instead of underestimating the calorie content of our diets and overestimating how physically active we are, we would be much better off by sharply reducing the calories we consume and increasing our physical activity levels. Take an important first step towards living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle now by reading A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race.
For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, 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. Within three months of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list.
Additional Links for Robert A. Wascher, MD, FACS Profile of Dr. Wascher by Oncology Times Bio of Dr. Wascher at Cancer Treatment Centers of America Dr. Wascher Discusses Predictions of Decreased Cancer Risk on azfamily.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Environmental Risk Factors for Breast Cancer on Sharecare Dr. Wascher Answers Questions About Cancer on talkabouthealth.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Cancer Prevention Strategies on LIVESTRONG Dr. Wascher Discusses Cancer Prevention on Newsmax Dr. Wascher Answers Questions About Cancer Risk & Cancer Prevention on The Doctors Radio Show Dr. Wascher Discusses Lymphedema After Breast Surgery on cancerlynx.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Hormone Replacement Therapy & Breast Cancer Risk on cancerlynx.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Chronic Pain After Mastectomy for Breast Cancer on cancerlynx.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Cancer on cancersupportivecare.com Dr. Wascher Discusses the Role of Exercise in Cancer Prevention on Open Salon Dr. Wascher Discusses Aspirin as a Potential Preventive Agent for Pancreatic Cancer on eHealth Forum Dr. Wascher Discusses Obesity & Cancer Risk on eHealth Forum Dr. Wascher Discusses the Role of Radiation Therapy in the Treatment of Breast Cancer on Sharecare Dr. Wascher Discusses the Treatment of Stomach Cancer on Sharecare Dr. Wascher Discusses the Management of Metastatic Cancer of the Liver on Sharecare Dr. Wascher Discusses Obesity & Cancer Risk on hopenavigators.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Hormone Replacement Therapy & Breast Cancer Risk on interactmd.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Thyroid Cancer on health2fit.com
Links to Other Breaking Health News 3-D Printer Helps to Save Baby’s Life Experimental Drug May Reduce Heart Damage after Heart Attack Vitamin D May Improve Asthma Symptoms Doctor Provides Patients with Own Feces for Fecal Transplants Rising Arsenic Levels in Chicken Dramatic Increase in Suicide Rate Among Middle Aged Americans Over the Past Decade Woman with Transplanted Uterus Becomes Pregnant Cutting Umbilical Cord Too Soon May Cause Anemia in Newborns Recent Advances in Prosthetic Limbs to Help Boston Marathon Bombing Victims Spiny New Bandage May Speed Healing of Skin Wounds Study Confirms that Men Really Do Have Trouble Reading the Thoughts of Women Deadly new Bird Flu Strain Cases Continue to Rise Abdominal Fat Increases Kidney Disease Risk Increasing Dietary Potassium & Decreasing Salt Intake Reduces Stroke Risk A New Explanation for the Link Between Red Meat & Cardiovascular Disease Deadly New Bird Flu Identified in China Infection Risk: Keeping an Eye on Your Dentist Couple Loses 500 Pounds in Two Years Coffee May Reduce Crash Risk for Long-Distance Drivers Tiny Implant Tells Your Smart Phone When You Are Having A Heart Attack Transplanted Kidney Causes Death Due to Rabies Eating While Distracted Increases Calorie Intake Resistant Bacteria are on the Rise High Levels of Stress Linked to an Increase in Heart Disease Risk Small Snacks Cut Hunger as Well as Big Snacks Poor Sleep May Increase the Risk of Heart Failure Ancient Mummies Found to Have Heart Disease by CT Scan Physically Fit Kids Do Better on Math & Reading Tests How Melanoma Skin Cancer Evades the Immune System Possible Link Between BPA and Asthma Baby Boomers Appear Less Healthy Than Their Parents The Biology of Love in the Brain Millennials May be the Most Stressed-Out Generation Even Modest Alcohol Intake Raises Cancer Risk Why Do Boys Receive Lower Grades than Girls? Negative Emotions and Feelings Can Damage Your Health Canker Sore Drug Cures Obesity (At Least in Mice…) How Technology is Changing the Practice of Medicine New Salt Intake Guidelines for Children High Levels of Distress in Childhood May Increase Risk of Heart Disease in Adulthood Quitting Tobacco by Age 40 Restores a Normal Lifespan in Smokers Cancer Death Rates Continue to Fall Self-Help Books Improve Depression Marines Try Mindfulness and Meditation to Reduce PTSD Dying Nurse Volunteers Herself to Teach Nursing Students about the Dying Falling Asleep While Driving More Common than Previously Thought Celebrity Health Fads Debunked Obesity Among Young Children May Be Declining Fresh Fruits & Vegetables May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk Satisfaction with Life May Actually Increase with Age Brain Changes in the Elderly May Increase Susceptibility to Being Scammed According to recent Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for veterans who served on active duty between September 2001 and December 2011 is more than 12 percent. A new website, Veterans in Healthcare, seeks to connect veterans with potential employers. If you are a veteran who works in the healthcare field, or if you are an employer who is looking for physicians, advanced practice professionals, nurses, corpsmen/medics, or other healthcare professionals, then please take a look at Veterans in Healthcare. As a retired veteran of the U.S. Army, I would also like to personally urge you to hire a veteran whenever possible. 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
I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. Over the past 12 months, more than 3.1 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious readers. As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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High Fat Diet Decreases Metabolism and Increases Anger and Hostility
March 31, 2013 by admin
Filed under A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, Anger, Atkins diet, Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Canola Oil, Cooking Oils, Fried Foods, Healthy Diet, Hostility, Lipids, Luncheon Meat, Mediterranean Diet, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Metabolic Rate, Metabolism, Monounsaturated Fat, Nutrition, Olive Oil, Overweight, Processed Meat, Psychological Stress, Red Meat, Risk of Death, Risk of Depression, Saturated Fat, Sausage, Trans-Fats, Unsaturated Fat, Weekly Health Update, Western Diet, cancer risk, cardiovascular disease, cooking oil, coronary artery disease, diet, exercise, fat, fiber, fruits, health, heart attack, heart disease, lifestyle, meat, obesity, physical activity, premature death, prevention, risk, triglycerides, vegetables, whole grains
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A new study finds that saturated fat decreases metabolism and physical activity, and increases anger and hostility.
HIGH FAT DIET DECREASES METABOLISM AND INCREASES ANGER AND HOSTILITY As I have written about extensively in my bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, a diet low in saturated fat and meat products, such as the Mediterranean diet, has been linked to a decreased risk of cancer (and cardiovascular disease) when compared to the traditional Western diet, which is rich in saturated fat and meat. Now, a new study has linked a Mediterranean-type diet, low in saturated fat, to other potential health benefits, including greater levels of physical activity, a higher metabolic rate, and, somewhat surprisingly, less angry and hostile moods. This study appears in the current issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In this prospective randomized clinical study, 32 young adults were separated into two groups. The first group used cooking oils high in saturated fat, while the second group used cooking oils low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat. After three weeks, both groups were “crossed over,” and had their cooking oils switched for an additional three weeks. (This clinical study’s “crossover” design is a powerful means of eliminating potential biases that can lead to false conclusions.) Another important aspect of this study was that all food consumed by the study’s volunteer research subjects was provided (and controlled) by the researchers. Moreover, the food provided to both groups of study volunteers was the same, and only the cooking oil differed between the two study groups. All research volunteers were continuously assessed with regards to physical activity levels and resting metabolic rates (“resting energy expenditure”). Due to the observed differences in physical activity levels between the two groups of volunteers, the researchers also subjected study volunteers to a validated mood assessment questionnaire, to see if differences in mood might account for the significantly different levels of physical activity between the two groups of research volunteers. The results of this intriguing prospective randomized clinical study were quite interesting. Firstly, continuous measurements of physical activity showed that the monounsaturated oil (Mediterranean-like diet) group was 12 percent more active, physically, than the saturated fat group (Western-type diet). Secondly, the resting metabolic rate of the monounsaturated oil group was almost 5 percent higher than that of the saturated fat cooking oil group, suggesting that the young adults who were consuming primarily monounsaturated fat were burning more calories at rest than the group that was using saturated fat. Finally, the monounsaturated fat group scored significantly lower on the anger-hostility scale of the mood assessment questionnaire than the volunteers who were using cooking oil containing saturated fat. To summarize, this innovative prospective clinical research study found that a Mediterranean-like diet, low in saturated fat, was associated with increased levels of physical activity, a higher resting metabolism rate, and less anger and hostility, when compared to a Western-like diet that was rich in saturated fat. These findings add further evidence to the data that I extensively discuss in A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, showing that a Mediterranean diet low in saturated fat and meat products, and high in unsaturated oils, whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetable, fish, and poultry, is an important strategy for good health.
For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, 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. Within three months of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list.
Additional Links for Robert A. Wascher, MD, FACS Profile of Dr. Wascher by Oncology Times Bio of Dr. Wascher at Cancer Treatment Centers of America Dr. Wascher Discusses Predictions of Decreased Cancer Risk on azfamily.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Environmental Risk Factors for Breast Cancer on Sharecare Dr. Wascher Answers Questions About Cancer on talkabouthealth.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Cancer Prevention Strategies on LIVESTRONG Dr. Wascher Discusses Cancer Prevention on Newsmax Dr. Wascher Answers Questions About Cancer Risk & Cancer Prevention on The Doctors Radio Show Dr. Wascher Discusses Lymphedema After Breast Surgery on cancerlynx.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Hormone Replacement Therapy & Breast Cancer Risk on cancerlynx.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Chronic Pain After Mastectomy for Breast Cancer on cancerlynx.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Cancer on cancersupportivecare.com Dr. Wascher Discusses the Role of Exercise in Cancer Prevention on Open Salon Dr. Wascher Discusses Aspirin as a Potential Preventive Agent for Pancreatic Cancer on eHealth Forum Dr. Wascher Discusses Obesity & Cancer Risk on eHealth Forum Dr. Wascher Discusses the Role of Radiation Therapy in the Treatment of Breast Cancer on Sharecare Dr. Wascher Discusses the Treatment of Stomach Cancer on Sharecare Dr. Wascher Discusses the Management of Metastatic Cancer of the Liver on Sharecare Dr. Wascher Discusses Obesity & Cancer Risk on hopenavigators.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Hormone Replacement Therapy & Breast Cancer Risk on interactmd.com Dr. Wascher Discusses Thyroid Cancer on health2fit.com
Links to Other Breaking Health News Deadly New Bird Flu Identified in China Infection Risk: Keeping an Eye on Your Dentist Couple Loses 500 Pounds in Two Years Coffee May Reduce Crash Risk for Long-Distance Drivers Tiny Implant Tells Your Smart Phone When You Are Having A Heart Attack Transplanted Kidney Causes Death Due to Rabies Eating While Distracted Increases Calorie Intake Resistant Bacteria are on the Rise High Levels of Stress Linked to an Increase in Heart Disease Risk Small Snacks Cut Hunger as Well as Big Snacks Poor Sleep May Increase the Risk of Heart Failure Deep Brain Stimulation May Help Patients with Anorexia Nervosa Ancient Mummies Found to Have Heart Disease by CT Scan Physically Fit Kids Do Better on Math & Reading Tests How Melanoma Skin Cancer Evades the Immune System Possible Link Between BPA and Asthma Toddler May Have Been Cured of HIV (AIDS) Virus Baby Boomers Appear Less Healthy Than Their Parents The Biology of Love in the Brain Millennials May be the Most Stressed-Out Generation Even Modest Alcohol Intake Raises Cancer Risk Why Do Boys Receive Lower Grades than Girls? Negative Emotions and Feelings Can Damage Your Health Canker Sore Drug Cures Obesity (At Least in Mice…) How Technology is Changing the Practice of Medicine New Salt Intake Guidelines for Children High Levels of Distress in Childhood May Increase Risk of Heart Disease in Adulthood Quitting Tobacco by Age 40 Restores a Normal Lifespan in Smokers Cancer Death Rates Continue to Fall Self-Help Books Improve Depression Marines Try Mindfulness and Meditation to Reduce PTSD Dying Nurse Volunteers Herself to Teach Nursing Students about the Dying Falling Asleep While Driving More Common than Previously Thought Growing Immune Cells to Fight Cancer Celebrity Health Fads Debunked Thousands of Surgery Mistakes Are Still Happening Each Year Kids with Food Allergies May Become Targets of Bullies Obesity Among Young Children May Be Declining Tamoxifen for 10 Years (Instead of 5 Years) Significantly Improves Breast Cancer Survival Rate Fresh Fruits & Vegetables May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk Satisfaction with Life May Actually Increase with Age Brain Changes in the Elderly May Increase Susceptibility to Being Scammed “Talking” Therapy May Help Depression When Antidepressant Medications Fail Predicting Childhood Obesity at Birth
Dr. Wascher’s latest video:  Dark as Night, Part 1 At this time, more than 8 percent of Americans are unemployed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, however, the unemployment rate for veterans who served on active duty between September 2001 and December 2011 is more than 12 percent. A new website, Veterans in Healthcare, seeks to connect veterans with potential employers. If you are a veteran who works in the healthcare field, or if you are an employer who is looking for physicians, advanced practice professionals, nurses, corpsmen/medics, or other healthcare professionals, then please take a look at Veterans in Healthcare. As a retired veteran of the U.S. Army, I would also like to personally urge you to hire a veteran whenever possible. 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
I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. Over the past 12 months, more than 2.8 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious readers. As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Hold the Bacon: Processed Meats Linked to Early Death
March 10, 2013 by admin
Filed under A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, Atherosclerosis, Atkins diet, Cancer, Cancer Death, Cancer Prevention, Colon Cancer Risk, Colorectal Cancer, Colorectal Cancer Risk, Esophageal Cancer, Fast Food, Fried Foods, Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer, Grilled Meat, Healthy Diet, Metabolic Syndrome, Nutrition, Processed Meat, Prostate Cancer Risk, Red Meat, Risk of Death, Saturated Fat, Weekly Health Update, breast cancer risk, cancer risk, cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, coronary artery disease, death, diabetes, diet, health, heart attack, heart disease, high blood pressure, lifestyle, meat, mortality, myocardial infarction, pancreatic cancer, premature death, prevention, prostate cancer, rectal cancer, sodium, stomach cancer, stroke, survival, whole grains
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A new study links the consumption of processed meats with a significant risk of early death.
HOLD THE BACON: PROCESSED MEATS LINKED TO EARLY DEATH As I extensively discuss in my bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, red meat and processed meats (such as bacon, sausages, and luncheon meats) have been directly linked to an increased risk of multiple different types of cancer, including cancers of the breast, prostate, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder, colon, and rectum. Moreover, diets rich in these meat products are also associated with a higher risk of that other great killer of mankind, cardiovascular disease. Now, a newly published public health study puts the impact of a meat-rich diet into stark perspective. This important new clinical study appears in the current issue of the journal BMC Medicine. Nearly 450,000 men and women between the ages of 35 and 69 have participated in a huge ongoing prospective public health study, the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), making this one of the largest prospective clinical research studies ever undertaken. All of these study volunteers were without clinical evidence of cancer, stroke, or cardiovascular disease at the time they entered into this clinical study. At the time when data from the EPIC study was collected for this analysis, after almost 13 years of follow-up on average, 26,344 study volunteers had died since enrolling in the study. Following extensive statistical analysis of the huge amount of data collected in this study, the increased consumption of processed meats was linked to a 44 percent increase in the risk of death from all causes, including cardiovascular (heart) disease and cancer. Red meat was also associated with an increase in the risk of death due to all causes, although not to the same extent as was observed with processed meats. (As with multiple previous studies, this study also found no association between the consumption of poultry and an increase in the risk of death from any cause.) Based upon their analysis of the data, the researchers who conducted this gigantic public health study concluded that more than 3 percent of the deaths observed in this study could have been prevented if all study volunteers had decreased their processed meat intake to less than 20 grams (0.7 ounces) per day. As I discuss in A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, our dietary and other lifestyle choices can have an enormous impact on our overall health, including our risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. If you seek to minimize your risk of these two great killers of modern mankind, and you wish to begin living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle now, then get your copy of A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race from your favorite bookstore!
For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, 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. Within three months of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list.
Links to Other Breaking Health News High Levels of Stress Linked to an Increase in Heart Disease Risk Small Snacks Cut Hunger as Well as Big Snacks Poor Sleep May Increase the Risk of Heart Failure Deep Brain Stimulation May Help Patients with Anorexia Nervosa Ancient Mummies Found to Have Heart Disease by CT Scan Physically Fit Kids Do Better on Math & Reading Tests How Melanoma Skin Cancer Evades the Immune System Possible Link Between BPA and Asthma Toddler May Have Been Cured of HIV (AIDS) Virus Baby Boomers Appear Less Healthy Than Their Parents The Biology of Love in the Brain Millennials May be the Most Stressed-Out Generation Even Modest Alcohol Intake Raises Cancer Risk Why Do Boys Receive Lower Grades than Girls? Negative Emotions and Feelings Can Damage Your Health Canker Sore Drug Cures Obesity (At Least in Mice…) How Technology is Changing the Practice of Medicine New Salt Intake Guidelines for Children High Levels of Distress in Childhood May Increase Risk of Heart Disease in Adulthood Quitting Tobacco by Age 40 Restores a Normal Lifespan in Smokers Cancer Death Rates Continue to Fall Self-Help Books Improve Depression Marines Try Mindfulness and Meditation to Reduce PTSD Dying Nurse Volunteers Herself to Teach Nursing Students about the Dying Falling Asleep While Driving More Common than Previously Thought Growing Immune Cells to Fight Cancer Celebrity Health Fads Debunked Thousands of Surgery Mistakes Are Still Happening Each Year New Graphic Antismoking Ads Debut in England Kids with Food Allergies May Become Targets of Bullies Obesity Among Young Children May Be Declining Tamoxifen for 10 Years (Instead of 5 Years) Significantly Improves Breast Cancer Survival Rate Fresh Fruits & Vegetables May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk Satisfaction with Life May Actually Increase with Age Brain Changes in the Elderly May Increase Susceptibility to Being Scammed “Talking” Therapy May Help Depression When Antidepressant Medications Fail Graphic Cigarette Labels in Australia Predicting Childhood Obesity at Birth Dr. Wascher’s latest video: Dark as Night, Part 1 At this time, more than 8 percent of Americans are unemployed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, however, the unemployment rate for veterans who served on active duty between September 2001 and December 2011 is now more than 12 percent. A new website, Veterans in Healthcare, seeks to connect veterans with potential employers. If you are a veteran who works in the healthcare field, or if you are an employer who is looking for physicians, advanced practice professionals, nurses, corpsmen/medics, or other healthcare professionals, then please take a look at Veterans in Healthcare. As a retired veteran of the U.S. Army, I would also like to personally urge you to hire a veteran whenever possible. 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
I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. Over the past 12 months, more than 2.7 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious readers. As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Chronic Anxiety and Depression Significantly Increase the Risk of Early Death
September 3, 2012 by admin
Filed under A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, Anhedonia, Anxiety, Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Depression, Drug Abuse, Hypertension, Job Stress, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Overweight, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Psychological Stress, Risk of Death, Suicide, Vigorous Exercise, Weekly Health Update, breast cancer prevention, cancer risk, cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, death, health, heart attack, heart disease, high blood pressure, lifestyle, mortality, obesity, physical activity, premature death, smoking, survival, tobacco
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A large new study suggests that chronic anxiety and depression are associated with a higher risk of premature death than was previously appreciated.
CHRONIC ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE RISK OF EARLY DEATH As I discuss in my bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, most previous research studies have suggested only rather weak links between chronic stress and cancer risk, although there is some data linking chronic depression with breast cancer risk. However, in view of the increasing number of people around the world who are currently experiencing chronic anxiety and depression during these economically and geopolitically troubled times, the findings of a new public health study that psychological distress significantly increases the risk of premature death from serious illnesses, including cancer, is concerning. This new study appears in the current issue of the British Medical Journal. Altogether, 68,222 adults in Great Britain were followed for an average of more than 8 years within the prospectively conducted Health Survey for England study. All of these study participants were clinically free of serious physical illness when they first joined this very large public health study. All of the participants in this study were assessed for psychological stress using a validated assessment questionnaire, which was administered in their homes by research staff. Subsequently, the incidence of serious physical illnesses during the course of this study was then correlated with the degree of measured psychological distress. The rather dramatic findings of this large prospective public health study illustrate the magnitude of the impact of chronic, severe stress on our bodies, including the risk of premature death due to stress-associated physical illnesses. After adjusting for preexisting serious physical illnesses, lifestyle-associated risk factors for serious illnesses, and socioeconomic factors known to be linked to chronic, serious illnesses, this study still identified a highly significant increase in the risk of premature death associated with the extent of psychological distress among volunteers in this very large study. When the “psychological distress score” was compared with death rates, having a score of 1 to 3 (compared to a score of “0,” which reflects no evidence of psychological distress) was associated with a 20 percent increase in the risk of premature death. A psychological stress score of 4 to 6 was associated with a 43 percent increase in the risk of early death, while a distress score of 7 to 12 was associated with a whopping 94 percent increase in the risk of premature death when compared to study volunteers who were without evidence of any significant psychological distress! Upon further analysis, death due to cardiovascular disease and other non-cancer causes increased significantly, and proportionally, with each increase in the psychological distress score. Cancer-associated deaths also increased with rising psychological distress scores, although this association was only observed among volunteers with significantly elevated distress scores. However, for non-cancer causes of death, the risk of premature death was significantly elevated with evenmild increases in psychological distress. The potential impact of this study’s findings are highly significant, as they not only reveal a “dose-dependent” relationship between stress levels and the risk of premature death from serious physical illnesses, but the sheer magnitude of the impact of high levels of chronic anxiety and depression on the risk of premature death is much higher, potentially, than has been observed in previous and much smaller studies. Although this study was not designed to identify the biological mechanisms whereby prolonged periods of increased psychological distress lead to early death, numerous prior studies have shown that chronic depression and anxiety can directly activate an inflammatory response in humans which, in turn, is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, infection, and cancer, as well as other chronic, serious illnesses. It is also well known that chronic anxiety and chronic depression increase the likelihood of unhealthy behaviors that have also been linked to serious, chronic illnesses, including smoking, excess alcohol or other drug intake, unhealthy diets, and lack of exercise, in addition to other unhealthy behaviors. What is especially unique about this new study (other than its sheer size), however, is that the researchers were able to identify and adjust for preexisting unhealthy behaviors among the study’s volunteers when they analyzed the study’s data, which increases the likelihood that the adverse effects of chronic anxiety and depression on the risk of premature death observed in this research study are actually a direct result of psychological distress rather than unhealthy lifestyle choices. If you are experiencing high levels of chronic stress, and if you are frequently anxious or depressed, then please seek help from your personal physician or a mental health professional. If you are thinking of harming yourself, or someone else, then please seek immediate help. These are very trying times for many people, and the ongoing worldwide challenges that have provoked such high levels of stress do not appear likely to disappear any time soon. Knowing that so many other people around the world are also feeling worried and chronically stressed can make each of us feel less alone in our distress. However, sometimes the awareness that others are experiencing similar levels of distress is, by itself, not enough to ease our anxiety or depression. So, if you are struggling with anxiety or depression, and especially if you are feeling alone and isolated at the same time, then please seek the help and support of others. In the vast majority of cases, feelings of hopelessness or helplessness will eventually pass when you get help and support during dark times in your life.
For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, 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. Within three months of publication, 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
I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.3 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious people who visited Weekly Health Update in 2011!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Red Meat Increases Risk of Death Due to Cancer and Heart Disease
April 15, 2012 by admin
Filed under A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Grilled Meat, Healthy Diet, Nutrition, Processed Meat, Red Meat, Risk of Death, Weekly Health Update, cancer risk, cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, death, diet, health, heart attack, heart disease, lifestyle, meat, mortality, pancreatic cancer, rectal cancer, stomach cancer, whole grains
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New research finds that even one serving of red meat or processed meat per day significantly increases the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease and cancer.
RED MEAT INCREASES RISK OF DEATH DUE TO CANCER AND HEART DISEASE As I discuss in the “Diet & Cancer Risk” chapter of my bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, diets rich in red meat and processed meats are known to increase the risk of several forms of potentially deadly cancer, including cancers of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, colon and rectum, as well as other types of cancer. Now, a new update from two very large prospective public health studies indicates that even a single daily serving of red meat or processed meat significantly increases the risk of death due to both cancer and cardiovascular disease. This new research update appears in the current issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. This new update combines the findings from two large and ongoing prospective public health studies. The first of these two public health studies is the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, and includes data collected on 37,698 male health professionals. The second prospective public health study is the Nurses’ Health Study, which includes data collected on 83,644 female nursing professionals. Importantly, all of these 121,342 health care professionals were clinically healthy at the time they entered into these two landmark public health studies. However, over a cumulative follow-up period that encompassed nearly 3 million “person-years” of observation, there were 5,910 deaths due to cardiovascular disease and 9,464 deaths due to cancer among these study participants. Analysis of the huge amount of clinical data collected from these two public health studies revealed that only one serving of unprocessed red meat per day was associated with a 13 percent increase in the risk of death due to any cause, while a single daily serving of processed meat (e.g., sausages, luncheon meats, bacon, and hot dogs) was associated with a 20 percent overall increase in the risk of death. More specifically, one serving of unprocessed red meat per day was associated with an 18 percent increase in the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, while a single serving of processed meat per day was linked to a 21 percent increased risk of death due to cardiovascular disease. Similarly, one serving of unprocessed red meat per day resulted in a 10 percent increase in the risk of dying due to cancer, while a single daily serving of processed meat increased the risk of dying from cancer by 16 percent. Based upon the findings of these two very large public health studies, the studies’ authors predicted that substituting just one daily serving of fish, poultry, nuts, legumes, whole grains, or low-fat dairy products for one daily serving of red meat or processed meat would have resulted in a 7 to 19 percent decrease in the overall death rate among these male and female health care professionals! Moreover, it was also estimated that by cutting daily red meat intake to only one-half serving per day (42 grams per day), 9 percent of the observed deaths among the male health care professionals could have been prevented, while 8 percent of the deaths among the female nurses could have been prevented! The findings of these two pivotal prospective public health studies reinforce the additional research data that I discuss in A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, in terms of the significant impact of diet on our risk of developing cancer. To reach a deeper understanding of how to live an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle, order a copy of A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race today.
For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, 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. Within three months of publication, 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 I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.3 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious people who visited Weekly Health Update in 2011!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Red Meat Raises Death Risk from Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease
March 18, 2012 by admin
Filed under A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Grilled Meat, Healthy Diet, Nutrition, Processed Meat, Red Meat, Risk of Death, cancer risk, cardiovascular disease, death, diet, fruits, health, heart attack, heart disease, lifestyle, meat, vegetables, whole grains
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A new study confirms that red meat significantly increases the risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease.
RED MEAT RAISES DEATH RISK FROM CANCER AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE As I discuss in my bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, red meat consumption has repeatedly been linked, by multiple research studies, to an increased risk of several different types of cancer, and an increased risk of dying from cancer. Now, a newly published research study, which combines data from two very large prospective public health studies, provides yet more insight into the magnitude of health risk associated with the consumption of processed and unprocessed red meats. By combining the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and the Nurses’ Health Study, dietary and health data from more than 121,000 physicians and nurses, encompassing an amazing 3 million “person-years” of clinical data, was collected and analyzed. All of the more than 121,000 participating research volunteers were clinically free of cardiovascular disease and cancer when they entered into these two very large prospective public health studies. This important clinical study appears in the current issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. During the course of this public health study, 5,910 study volunteers died from cardiovascular disease complications, while 9,464 volunteers died from cancer. Following analysis of the huge amount of data collected within these two large studies, it was determined that the consumption of 1 serving per day of unprocessed red meat was associated with a 13 percent overall increase in the risk of death (when compared to no daily consumption of red meat), while 1 daily serving of processed red meat was associated with a 20 percent increase in the risk of death. Breaking down the data further, the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease was increased by 18 percent with 1 serving of unprocessed red meat per day, and by 21 percent with 1 daily serving of processed red meat. Similarly, the risk of dying from cancer was increased by 10 percent with 1 daily serving of unprocessed red meat, and by 15 percent with 1 serving per day of processed red meat. Importantly, the substitution of 1 daily serving of healthier sources of dietary protein (including fish, poultry, nuts, legumes, low-fat dairy foods, and whole grains) in place of 1 daily serving of red meat reduced death rates, due to all causes, by a predicted 7 to 19 percent. Furthermore, the authors of this crucial public health study calculated that reducing daily red meat intake from 1 serving per day (approximately 90 grams, or 3.2 ounces, per day) to one-half serving per day (approximately 45 grams, or 1.6 ounces, per day) would have prevented 9 percent of the observed deaths among the adult male volunteers in this study and 8 percent of the deaths observed among the adult female volunteers. The size of these two public health studies and their prospective design are important factors that help to overcome the limitations inherent in smaller survey-based public health studies. Moreover, the findings of these two landmark public health studies confirm, once again, the research data and conclusions that I discuss in A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, in the chapter on diet and cancer risk: A diet low in meat products and rich in fish, poultry, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains and tree nuts will significantly reduce your risk of dying from cancer, while simultaneously reducing your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease as well! For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, 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. Within three months of publication, 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 lighthearted perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link: I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.3 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious people who visited Weekly Health Update in 2011!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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The Four Critical Cardiovascular Disease Risks That You Can Change
January 29, 2012 by admin
Filed under Cancer Prevention, Healthy Diet, Hypertension, LDL, Lipids, Metabolic Syndrome, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Risk of Death, Weekly Health Update, Weight Loss, cardiovascular disease, cholesterol, coronary artery disease, death, diabetes, diet, exercise, health, heart attack, heart disease, high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, lifestyle, mortality, myocardial infarction, obesity, smoking, stroke, tobacco, triglycerides
Welcome to Weekly Health UpdateNew 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: I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.3 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious people who visited Weekly Health Update in 2011!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Effective New Treatment for Chronic Pain
January 22, 2012 by admin
Filed under Antidepressants, Behavioral Therapy, Cancer, Chronic Pain, Depression, Injury, Narcotics, Pain, Weekly Health Update, exercise
Welcome to Weekly Health UpdateNew research shows that behavioral therapy combined with an exercise program may be the most effective treatment for chronic pain.
EFFECTIVE NEW TREATMENT FOR CHRONIC PAIN According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, chronic pain afflicts nearly 1 out of every 3 American men, women and children, and is associated with an estimated cost to society of $560 to $635 billion per year. While there are many causes of chronic pain, they all share a common trait in that almost all types of chronic pain are associated with significant physical and psychological disability in afflicted patients. Unlike acute pain (like the pain that follows a fresh cut on your hand, or spraining your ankle, for example), which subsides very quickly, chronic pain usually does not improve on its own. Moreover, while you may hop around and shout out a few choice words after smashing your thumb with a hammer, the acute pain caused by a poorly aimed hammer usually does not leave a person feeling depressed or completely disabled like chronic pain so often does. Over time, as chronic pain persists, the area in the brain (the limbic system) that attaches emotional content or value to our experiences and sensations becomes increasingly involved with interpreting the chronic barrage of pain sensations from damaged nerves or chronic inflammation, which leaves many chronic pain sufferers debilitated, and often depressed. Because of the biological complexity of chronic pain, when compared to acute pain, it can be very difficult to effectively treat this lingering form of pain. Patients suffering with chronic pain frequently find their symptoms both physically and emotionally disabling, and medications commonly used to treat acute pain are often ineffective in managing chronic pain. As I have noted, depression is a common feature of chronic pain, and often requires treatment with antidepressant medications and behavioral therapy in addition to treating the original cause (or causes) of a patient’s pain. Now, a newly published prospective randomized clinical research study offers new hope for the estimated 116 million Americans who suffer from chronic pain. This study, which appears in the current issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, randomized 442 patients with chronic pain to receive one of the following interventions for a period of 6 months: (1) telephone-based behavioral therapy, (2) a graded, step-wise exercise program, (3) a combination of both telephone-based therapy and a graded exercise program, or (4) standard treatment for chronic pain. All of the study volunteers were assessed at the time that they entered into the study, 6 months later, and again at 9 months. The results of this innovative study were quite interesting. Following 6 months of standard chronic pain management, only 8 percent of the study volunteers randomized to this intervention group noticed any significant improvement in their symptoms, and this result was unchanged 9 months after the start of this clinical study. Among the patients who underwent 6 months of telephone-based behavior therapy, 33 percent felt that their chronic pain was improved at 9 months. After 6 months of treatment, 35 percent of the patients who participated in a graduated exercise program felt improved, although this effect decreased over time, with 24 percent of this group of patients reporting improvement in their chronic pain symptoms at 9 months. Finally, the combined therapy group (behavioral therapy and exercise) experienced the greatest improvement in their symptoms, compared to the other treatment groups, with 37 percent of patients in this group reporting significant improvement at both 6 months and 9 months. This study represents an extremely important advance in the management of chronic pain, a condition that is highly resistant to most conventional therapies and medications. As a cancer physician who regularly treats cancer patients with chronic pain, I am not surprised by the extremely poor response of patients to conventional chronic pain management approaches in this study. While the 37 percent positive response rate noted in this study to combination therapy may seem like a rather poor result, chronic pain syndromes are so difficult to effectively treat that this study’s 37 percent response rate is actually extremely impressive. Based upon the results of this important study, behavioral therapy combined with exercise therapy appears to be the most effective and long-lasting treatment approach for patients with chronic pain. At the same time, the dismal response rate associated with standard chronic pain management approaches, as noted in this study, should cause pain management specialists to seriously reevaluate current methods of treating patients with chronic pain. 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: I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.3 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious people who visited Weekly Health Update in 2011!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Lifestyle and Diet Modifications Reduce Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
September 25, 2011 by admin
Filed under Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Erectile Dysfunction, Erection, Hypertension, Impotence, Nutrition, Statin Drugs, Statins, Weekly Health Update, Weight Loss, cholesterol, coronary artery disease, diabetes, diet, exercise, health, heart attack, heart disease, hyperglycemia, lifestyle, obesity, smoking, stroke, tobacco
Welcome to Weekly Health UpdateNew 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: I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people, from around the world, who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.2 million health-conscious people visited Weekly Health Update in 2010!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can. |
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Ginger May Prevent Prostate Cancer
September 18, 2011 by admin
Filed under Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Ginger, Nutrition, Weekly Health Update, diet, health, prostate cancer
Welcome to Weekly Health UpdateNew 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: I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people, from around the world, who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.2 million health-conscious people visited Weekly Health Update in 2010!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can. |
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