Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Alternative Medicine for Cancer Patients Treatment
Alternative Medicine for Cancer Patients Treatment
Alternative Medicine are one of the widely used treatment method apart from the conventional medicine system used by doctors and cancer patients. Alternative Medicine Therapy has shown positive impact on the side effects of cancer and conventional cancer treatment. The importance of Alternative Medicine Theraphy can be estimated by the fact that National Cancer Institute (NCI) is running clinical trials and researches to know its effect in cancer treatment.
Types of Alternative Medicine Therapies for Cancer Patients
- Prayer and Spiritual Practice
- Relaxation
- Faith and Spiritual Healing
- Nutritional Supplements and Vitamins
- Natural Products
- Deep Breathing Exercises
Some of the commonly used Alternative Medicine Therapies to treat various types of cancer are given below.
- Acupuncture to prevent dry mouth and improve quality of life in head and neck cancer patients receiving radiation.
- Tai Chi for physical fitness and stress reduction in cancer survivors.
- Acupressure for persistent cancer-related fatigue.
- Coenzyme Q10 on doxorubicin blood levels in women undergoing treatment of breast cancer.
Note: Before starting any alternative medicine treatment for cancer, its better to consult your doctor. Sometimes alternative medicine may interfere with your regular medicine. So to avoid any complications its better to take this preventive measure and ask your doctor, instead of being your own doctor.
Before starting the Alternative medicine treatment its better to know the answers to following questions :
- What benefits can be expected from this therapy?
- What are the risks / side effects are associated with this therapy?
- Do the known benefits outweigh the risks?
- Will the therapy interfere with conventional treatment?
- Is this therapy part of a clinical trial? If so, who is sponsoring the trial and Are there some good results?
- Will the Alternative Medicine therapy be covered by health insurance?
Proper research must be done before starting any new treatment. So dont just go for Alternative medicine unless you are sure and have confidence on it.
All types of Alternative medicine treatment for various types of cancer cant be put on this page. Its better to stick your search to particular type of cancer and search for its alternative medicine.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Diet and cancer prevention false truths and ideas
In January 2001, was created the National Health and Nutrition Program (PNNS), with the aim of improving the populations health by acting on the critical nutrition.
In parallel with the development of knowledge, scientists now believe that dietary factors may contribute largely to the development of cancers. Thus the theme "Food, Nutrition and Cancer" was born.
In the prevention of cancer, diet can indeed play a very important role.
"Truths, false assumptions and ideas," you need to know about the links between cancer and diet.
Prevention of cancer: truths and recommendations
Fruits and vegetables
The intake of fruits and vegetables should be at least 7% of total daily energy intake, between 400 and 800 grams of fruit and vegetables a day, playing on the variety.
Overweight and obesity
Cancer risk is minimal when the body mass index is maintained between 18.5 and 25 kg / m².
International recommendations (European code against cancer) advise not to exceed a gain of 5 pounds heavier than during adulthood.
physical activity
It is recommended to maintain an active lifestyle.
For example, if the occupational physical activity is low or moderate, practice at least half an hour (and if possible one hour) of brisk walking or similar activity per day and vigorous physical activity at least one hour per week.
alcohol
Alcohol consumption is not recommended in terms of cancer risk because it increases morbidity and mortality.
The PNNS recommendations propose, among those who drink alcoholic beverages, do not exceed the equivalent of 20 grams of pure alcohol per day (two glasses of wine 10cl beer or two 25 cl or 6 cl of hard liquor).
tobacco
Smoking is a major risk factor for cancer (particularly lung), and its reduction is a priority in terms of public health to reduce the risk of multiple cancer sites.
Strong assumptions leading to recommendations
Meat and sausage
Meat consumption has to be part of a balanced and varied diet, rich in fruits and vegetables.
Select your most lean meats.
One day meat dish is sufficient.
Limit meats, in particular to reduce the intake of saturated fat and salt.
Also, limit the cooking processes using very high temperatures (grilling, barbecue, frying); if necessary, it is recommended not to consume the charred portions of grilled meats.
salt
Do not exceed 8 grams of salt per day via the food themselves, adding to the table and in the preparation.
The main control salty foods are meats and cheeses with high salt, salted products for drinks and some mineral water rich in sodium.
Fat intake
Reducing fat intake may have a beneficial impact on the risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease.
In cancer, it is especially trans fats (hydrogenated fats from industrial processes) are avoided.
Avoid foods containing "hidden" fats (pastries, puddings, snack foods, fatty dairy products, meat and fatty meats, sauces ... ??).
Also, replace as often as possible animal fats with vegetable fats, especially those rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (olive oil, rapeseed oil).
dietary fiber
The daily diet should include whole grains (wheat, barley, oats, corn, bran), wholemeal bread, vegetables or legumes (lentils, beans ...) or brown rice, and fruit (rather than juice).
It is better to eat whole grains or added fiber.
Coffee
Drink with moderation, less than 5 cups per day. Existing data do not criminalize the consumption of coffee in the determinism of cancers, except for bladder cancer.
Stereotypes and misconceptions about diet and cancer
The microwave oven causes cancer.
(False: no currently available evidence to indicate a risk related to the use of the microwave oven.)
Fruits and vegetables provide cancer because of pesticides
(False: There is enough evidence concluding that fruits and vegetables protect against cancer significantly. And the beneficial effects of fruit and vegetables are so important, they cancel the deleterious effects of small amounts of pesticides.)
Red wine protects against cancer ??
(False: no liquor (even wine) has a protective effect vis-à-vis cancer. All are important risk factors. In the field of cancer, alcohol consumption is never recommended.)
Food and cancer: summary of recommendations
Varied and quantitatively adapted to the nutritional needs food, preferably based on plant foods.
Stable weight without overweight, while limiting the maximum gain weight less than 5 kg during adult life.
Active lifestyle with a brisk walk half hour (or similar activity) per day and vigorous physical activity for at least one hour per week.
Five fruits and vegetables a day.
Fiber foods (fruits, vegetables, bread, rice and pasta complete) preferred over refined foods (white bread and rice).
Recommended alcohol. For consumers, limited to 6 drinks per week.
Sausage limit the benefit fish or poultry.
Limit salt and salty foods.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Bacteria Migrating to Breast May Cause Cancer
—-The other 200 posts—-
The readers of this blog are probably aware of my interest in the causes and related cures of diseases. Juxtaposition of recent research findings has made me reconsider the role of bacteria in breast cancer.
The Findings
- Lactation/breastfeeding lowers risk of breast cancer (improves path of normal mammary duct micro biome from nipple.)
- Tubal ligation lowers risk of ovarian cancer (eliminates path for bacteria from vagina.)
- Aspirin reduces pancreatic cancer (by reducing inflammation involved in the transition from bacterial infection to cancer.)
- Pancreatic and breast cancer risks are both dramatically increased by BRCA (tumor suppressor genes involved in 5% of breast cancer.)
- Bacteria are transported from gut to blood to breast to milk to infants. (Google entero-mammary bacterial circulation involving intestinal M cells and dendrocytes.)
Bacteria Have Access to Organs with Common Cancers
Serum or fluid flows from organs outward; liver to gall bladder to intestines, pancreas to intestines, prostate to urethra, ovary to fallopian tube to uterus to vagina. In each case there is also an related infection and inflammation associated with the backward path to the organ. Urinary tract infections can lead to prostatitis. Vaginitis can lead to pelvic inflammation, gastritis to stomach cancer, and intestinal infection/inflammation can result in pancreatitis. The theme seems to be that bacterial infections can cause inflammation that leads to cancer.
Bacterial Path to the Breast
Lactating women occasionally have bacteria that migrate back up milk ducts to cause mastitis, but this is not quite parallel to my other examples of bacterial movement, because women are not continually producing milk. There is, however, another path of bacteria to mammary tissue. Prior to birth, bacteria move from the maternal gut, through the blood (presumably in lymphocytes) and into mammary tissue. Subsequent nursing transports the bacteria to the infant to initiate the milk controlled gut flora unique to exclusively breastfed infants.
Monthly Transport of Bacteria to Breast
The menstrual cycle is an abbreviated ovulation, conception, gestation and birth, which suggests that just as in the normal prelude to lactation, there may also be monthly transport of gut bacteria to mammary tissue. These bacteria may also cause infection and inflammation, though they may not be sufficient to cause more than transient breast tenderness.
Healthy Gut Flora Means Healthy Breasts
I expect that many diseases in infants may be associated with the wrong bacteria being transported from maternal gut to breast to infant. Clearly, if the mother suffers from dysbiosis, which is very common, it may be difficult for the correct Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria to be transported to mammary tissue. Transport of other bacteria may cause problems. Those problems may be severe as a consequence of menstrual cycles that don’t end in pregnancy, but rather end in infection, inflammation and breast cancer. It may all come down to gut flora. The difference between women who develop breast cancer and those that remain healthy may be the health of their gut flora. Breastfeeding, of course, reduces the risk of breast cancer, as well as improving infant gut flora. Formula is always a risk factor for infant health, because it attacks normal infant gut flora and promotes inflammation. Since many breast cancers naturally resolve, it may also be the case that a healthy immune system can reverse breast cancer and the health of the immune system is determined by the gut flora.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids Antioxidants and Cancer
It is hard to sort out the inflammatory effects of short/long-chain omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Vegetable antioxidants make the picture even worse. The absolute, as well as relative amounts, of the various types of fatty acids make a difference. It also now appears that oxidation prior and during digestion may be important to the impact of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The source (perhaps even the meal composition) of the PUFAs was as important as omega-3 versus omega-6, for common, short chain PUFAs.In some studies, omega-3 PUFAs, such as the short-chain alpha linolenic acid (ALA) common in flax seed or the long-chain fish oil FUFAs, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), reduced cancer in human and mice. Earlier work in cell cultures showed that all of PUFAs suppressed the growth of cancer cells.
A large French study (reference below) began in 1993. Approximately 100,000 women between the ages of 40 and 65 volunteered to provide dietary and breast malignancy information and ca. 75,000 qualified for the study (the French component of EPIC, European Investigation of Cancer and Nutrition) . The dietary data provided information on the fatty acid composition of meals and revealed who was eating vegetable antioxidants and vitamins.
Major findings:
- Neither omega-6 nor omega-3 fatty acids were related directly to breast cancer risk.
- Long chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) reduced breast cancer in the group of women with the highest consumption of omega-6 PUFAs.
- High LA or ALA consumption in the form of vegetable oils or vegetables reduced cancer incidence.
- High LA or ALA consumption in the form of processed foods or nuts was associated with a higher incidence of breast cancer.
- Longer chain PUFAs were not associated with increased risk, regardless of source.
What does this mean?
- The source of the PUFA is of paramount importance. This study may apply more specifically to cancers and less to other inflammation-based degenerative diseases. The general anti-inflammatory diet may need refinement. I would suggest the following additions:
- Retain the preference for the more omega-3 friendly olive oil or perhaps flax oil versus the omega-6 rich vegetable oils (corn, soy, safflower), but focus on freshness and do not heat these oils.
- The data seem to be in favor of saturated fats for cooking. That means a shift to coconut oil.
- Vegetable antioxidants may be most important in the gut during digestion. Do these antioxidants even enter the blood stream? Certainly some alkaloids get to the brain, but much of the impact of the less mobile, large molecules may be restricted to the gut.
- An extension of this discussion may be to encourage eating more leafy vegetables with meat. That may be the paleo-diet connection.
Thiébaut AC, Chajès V, Gerber M, Boutron-Ruault MC, Joulin V, Lenoir G, Berrino F, Riboli E, Bénichou J, Clavel-Chapelon F. 2009. Dietary intakes of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the risk of breast cancer. Int J Cancer. Feb 15;124(4):924-31.
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