Q. Should women undergoing treatment for breast cancer take antioxidants?

A. There is a glaring lack of evidence that antioxidants either help or hinder, yet many women undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, and hormonal therapy do take these supplements.

A study led by Columbia University epidemiologists Heather Greenlee and Judith Jacobson and published online June 8 in the journal Cancer looked at 663 women, originally part of the large Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project. These women all received chemotherapy, radiation, or hormonal therapy, and 60 percent of them reported in interviews that they had taken antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and selenium during treatment. Most were taking high doses, defined as more than the dose of each supplement in a Centrum multivitamin.

The trouble, says Jacobson, is that nobody knows whether taking antioxidants is safe or effective for breast cancer patients. Her study did not look at outcomes between women who took supplements and those who didn’t. “We have no evidence in this study either way - that there’s any benefit or any harm,’’ she says, adding that breast cancer patients should tell their oncologists that they are taking the supplements.

Dr. Eric Winer, director of breast cancer oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, goes further. Laboratory experiments and studies in animals have suggested that taking antioxidants could interfere with the benefits from chemotherapy and radiation, he says. In theory, these treatments work in part by increasing the levels of “free radicals’’ - highly reactive forms of oxygen. Antioxidants might combat these free radicals, though no one has shown this in human studies. The effects antioxidants might have on hormonal therapy are unknown.

“The evidence is thin to zero that these agents are particularly beneficial,’’ adds Winer, so patients may be taking substances that do them no good and may do harm. To be on the safe side, Winer suggests, women getting treatment for breast cancer should wait to take antioxidants until the treatment is over.

Nanoparticles Could Improve Breast Cancer Diagnosis Via MRI

- ATLANTA--Emory researchers have developed tools for improving the diagnosis of breast cancer by attaching onto iron oxide "nanoparticles" a molecule that binds specifically to breast cancer cells.
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The iron makes the particles clearly visible under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and thus could enhance breast MRI, a widely available diagnostic technique. At clinical field strength, tumors with specific disease signatures, implanted in mice, can be detected by MRI with the nanoparticles.

The nanoparticles' properties are described in the July 15 issue of the journal Clinical Cancer Research.

The research was a collaboration between Lily Yang, MD, associate professor of surgery at Emory University School of Medicine, Hui Mao, PhD, associate professor of radiology at Emory, and Shuming Nie, PhD, a professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.

Recently the American Cancer Society recommended breast MRI as a screening approach, in addition to mammography, for early detection in women at high risk. Breast MRI is useful because of the high resolution and ability to differentiate tissue types, Mao says.

“Conventional breast MRI is very sensitive, but it can lack specificity, which leads to a high number of false positive findings,” he says. “A MRI probe that could recognize a breast cancer based on its biomarkers would be very helpful to improve breast cancer diagnosis.”

The nanoparticles have an iron oxide core that is 10 nanometers in diameter, with a polymer coating. The surfaces of the particles have attached a fragment of a natural protein found in humans: urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), which binds to its receptor (uPAR) on several types of cancer cells. This molecule allows the particles to discriminate between breast cancer cells and healthy cells.

In mice implanted with human tumors, particles coated with a fragment of uPA are taken up by breast cancer cells and also by the liver, the researchers found. The nanoparticles stay in the blood for several hours. Uptake of the nanoparticle probes by the tumor is not uniform. The areas that display the greatest contrast with uPA-conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles are on the outer layer of the tumor, rich with blood vessels.

The technology needs to be refined and validated in animal models before it is ready to test in patients, Mao says. Women with increased risk of breast cancer, such as those with inherited cancer risk factors, could potentially benefit.

“We believe this is an important step toward developing cancer-specific breast MRI that could allow early detection and treatment monitoring,” he says.

The research was supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute for cancer nanotechnology and imaging.

Curcumin may Prevent Breast Cancer in Women Who Took Hormones

(NaturalNews) It is not just that they can spark estrogen breast cancer. Some malignant tumors are sensitive to the hormone progestin. And studies have shown that postmenopausal women who received combination estrogen and progestin in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have an increased risk of progestin-fuels breast cancer. However, new research concludes a physical therapy could help. University of Missouri researchers found that curcumin, a popular spice derived from the root, Indian turmeric, may reduce the risk of breast cancer risk in women exposed to HRT

"About 6 million women in the United States use hormone replacement therapy to treat symptoms of menopause," Salman Hyder, the endowed professorship Zalk angiogenesis volume and professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine and Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center , said in a statement to the media. "This exposure to progestin would predispose a large number of postmenopausal women for the future development of breast cancer. The results of the study show that women could potentially take curcumin to protect them from developing progestin-accelerated tumors."

For their study, which has been accepted for future publication in the Journal of menopause, the research team found that curcumin delayed the onset of progestin-accelerated tumors in laboratory experiments on animals. The spice also decreased the incidence and reduce the number of progestin-fuels breast tumors in animal studies. In fact, curcumin prevented the appearance of gross morphological abnormalities in animals »mammary glands.

In previous studies, University of Missouri researchers have shown that progestin caused the rapid growth of certain tumors because it increases the hormone production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This is known as VEGF to spur blood supply to cancerous tumors, making them grow faster. Hyder explained to the media statement that curcumin has been found to inhibit progestin-induced secretion of VEGF from the cells of breast cancer. Thus, inhibiting the production of VEGF, the proliferation of cells of breast cancer should be reduced

"Curcumin and other potential anti-angiogenic compounds to be tested further as a dietary chemopreventive agents in women already exposed to hormone replacement therapy containing estrogen and progestin, in an attempt to reduce or delay the risk of breast cancer associated with combined therapy hormone replacement therapy, "Hyder eipomenos

According to the American Cancer Society, which combines the use of estrogen with progestin HRT for several years not only increases the risk of developing breast cancer but the chances of dying from the disease. HRT contains two hormones make breasts more dense and increases the risk of cancer may be found in more advanced stag

New breast cancer-promoting gene identified

A team of researchers, at the Genome Institute of Singapore, has identified a new gene that seems to contribute to aggressive breast cancer behavior. As discussed in an accompanying commentary, by Gordon Mills and colleagues, the data generated in this study provide new insight into cellular processes underlying tumor cell proliferation and metastasis and identify potential new therapeutic targets.

In the study, a new informatics approach was used to analyze microarray expression profiles of primary human breast cancers and the gene RCP was identified as a potential breast cancer–promoting gene. Importantly, this gene is found in a region of the genome frequently amplified in human breast cancer. In vitro analysis indicated that overexpression of RCP protein in normal human breast epithelial cells caused them to acquire tumor cell characteristics and function. Conversely, decreasing expression of RCP protein in human breast cancer cell lines reduced their in vitro tumor cell characteristics and in vivo ability to form tumors and metastasize when transplanted into immunodeficient mice. Further analysis identified some of the molecules affected by RCP overexpression, including the known tumor-promoting protein RAS. These data led the authors to suggest that one mechanism by which RCP promotes breast cancer is likely to be through activation of the RAS signaling pathway and that targeting RCP might provide a way to therapeutically inhibit this known tumor-promoting pathway.

ScienceDaily (July 20, 2009) — Aggressive forms of cancer are often driven by the abnormal over-expression of cancer-promoting genes, also known as on

Studies at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), a research institute under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) of Singapore, have identified a gene, known as RCP (or RAB11FIP1), that is frequently amplified and over-expressed in breast cancer and functionally contributes to aggressive breast cancer behaviour.

The research findings are published in the July 20th online issue of Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The GIS team, led by Lance Miller, Ph.D., and Bing Lim, Ph.D., initially discovered that RCP expression was positively correlated with cancer recurrence in a population of breast cancer patients. This suggested that RCP may be required by some tumours for growth and metastatic spread to other organs.

When the researchers over-expressed RCP in non-cancerous breast cells, they found that RCP promotes migration, or cellular movement, which is a precursor to the ability of tumours to invade neighbouring tissues.

However, breast cancer cells in which RCP is over-expressed take on a more aggressive behaviour, including faster proliferation, enhanced migration/invasion and anchorage-independent growth.

The researchers also found that when the gene is silenced in breast cancer cells, the ability of the cells to form tumours and metastasize to other organs is greatly diminished.

They also found that RCP can activate the potent oncogene, Ras, which is aberrantly activated by mutation in about 15% of all human cancers.

"One objective in my laboratory is to discover new oncogenes that drive breast cancer progression so that we can devise therapeutic strategies for shutting these genes down," said Dr. Miller, now at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina. "The involvement of RCP in breast cancer progression may have significant clinical ramifications, and we are now working towards a better understanding of its mechanism of action."

The Insidiousness of Breast Cancer and Its Current Treatment

In our modern world, the benefits that today's manufacturing and agricultural activities have brought us is more than painfully offset by the damage to our personal health and wellness.

During the course of our daily lives, we are continually exposed to common household products such as detergents, insulation, fabric treatments, flame retardants, cosmetics, paints, upholstery preservatives, and coatings for electronic equipment. When these chemicals accumulate within our bodies, they distribute into body fluids as well.

While it is painfully clear that we may find such toxic chemicals as fire retardants in the breast milk of Americans who unsuspectingly ingest these and unhealthy levels of many other of toxins form the air they breath, the water they drink, and the food they eat, then it is obvious that our drive for cultural, technological, and scientific advancement has taken a wrong turn somewhere along the way. The chemicals we have produced and utilized in the modern era have had many negative effects upon various human body organ systems and have caused many health problems that will have serious implications far into the future. Data from recent explorations into these issues suggest that all of us are at risk of developing serious diseases from long-term exposure to these chemicals that we had hoped would improve our lives. Our synthetic chemicalization of planet Earth, in the past 60 years, is showing up as a body burden that is a physical tragedy and a fiscal catastrophe. Nowhere are these terrifying results more evident than in today's battles with breast cancer.

The link between toxins in our environment and diseases like breast cancer showing up in our populations is one about which there is little debate as to the cause and effect relationship. While media, political, and health watch organizations warn of the danger associated with large doses of synthetic chemicals within the living environments of human populations, it is apparent that even very low doses of certain chemicals can harm a developing fetus or newborn infant. Small amounts of lead, mercury or PCBs in amounts that would not harm adults readily damage the developing nervous system, causing defects that appear later on. While the general health of an individual is a factor in who is more susceptible to developing diseases from the exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment, the fact that breast cancer is claiming its victims from women both young and old, makes this situation all the more deplorable. We need to take a fresh look at not only the disease itself, but also at what may be alternatives to the current treatment of this abomination.

Since it is obvious that government, with its bureaucratic pace of environmental protection reform and industry with its millions of dollars spent lobbying against regulations that would impact the manufacture of their toxic products despite the obvious health concerns, will not solve this problem in the immediate future; we then, must take responsibility for our own health and wellness with education and pro-active prevention and treatment strategies. Since the current treatment methods, which have produced little to indicate real progress over the past thirty years, are the very essence of barbarism, we must seek out alternative ways of prevention and treatment, and help to bring them into the accepted mainstream of health care practices. We must also work to help ban dangerous chemicals and take immediate steps to protect ourselves from unnecessary exposure to those chemicals that we know to be harmful and contributory to the development of chronic and degenerative diseases.

The current medical practices to treat breast cancer seem more like torturous mayhem that therapeutic intervention. And is it any wonder when doctors and medical students alike get most of their primary, secondary, and continuing education funded, to a large degree by the megalithic pharmaceutical industry, the very authors and purveyors of drastic and toxic medical intervention procedures. This situation is all the more dreadful when it is pointed out that these increasingly toxic and experimental measures lead to future complications and the susceptibility to the premature development of other chronic diseases. This preoccupation with burning with radiation, poisoning with toxins, and slicing and dicing cancer is an appalling state of affairs that must end now. If you believe that current medical interventions do anything but dehumanize cancer victims, then perhaps you will want to go to your local video rental store and check out a movie by the name of "WIT". That our bodies are nothing more than test tubes to those involved in the current cancer treatment methodologies is dramatically illustrated by this fine film. And just when current medical practitioners will leave this seemingly medieval torture seen behind is not immediately apparent.

Imagine if you will that a woman is called into her doctor's office to review the results of her previous examination. The doctor looks at the images on the films that were taken and declares that he sees the shadow of something that could be deadly cancer and as a result has scheduled surgery within 24 hours. Before she even has a chance for the shock and terror to take hold, she is reeling with the realization that she will be going under the knife in less than a day and will never be the same again. Don't kid yourself. This has been and is happening. This is a strategy designed to prevent you from stepping outside of the box of current medical interventions for the treatment of cancer, taking a deep breath, and processing this information in the new light of other possible courses of action. You may, after all, discover that you have other viable alternatives to choose from in this instance. The probable fact of the matter is that a health care provider, who rushes to execute such measures, would not be quite so eager to cut off the breast of his wife or of his daughter without considering less drastic options first. And, not to put too fine a point on the matter, but bringing it closer to home, I also do not believe that your doctor would be as eager to part with one of his testicles should a comparable diagnosis for him be pronounced.

It is imperative that we, as consumers, prevail upon our service providers to consider alternatives should we find ourselves in a similar circumstance. In fact, it may speed things along if, when confronted with a situation like this, we would graphically drive the point home by saying something like: "OK doctor, if you want to take away from me one of these (gesturing to the appropriate area of your body), then I think you should have to part with one of those, (pointing with your finger at his "family jewels" location). I will wager that a lively discussion of alternatives for this problem would ensue with little hesitation.

There are alternative remedies out there. Find them. It is known, for example, that certain foods, including many vegetables and fruits, may offer some positive effects in the fight against cancer. Dietary suggestions such as choosing most of the foods you eat from plant sources, limiting your intake of foods high in fat, particularly from animal sources, becoming physically active, achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and limiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages, will add to your efforts to achieve a desired state of wellness and avoid diseases. One approach which has not had wide spread acceptance to date but has become quite intriguing, is the dietary use of certain carbohydrate containing plant materials to either prevent or treat certain cancers. There are numerous references which underscore the importance of a diet obtained primarily from plant sources as a major step in preventing cancer, or at least benefiting cancer patients. There are literally hundreds of reports supporting this concept.

Today the prevention of cancer with proper nutrition is widely accepted. It is believed, that in time, the efficacy of these materials in the fight against cancer will be firmly established, and that alternative choices for treatment will be included in the accepted resources for the treatment of cancer. This will help to negate the current propensity to pressure cancer patients into surgery or toxic therapies causing them to agree for fear that they have few, if any other viable options. Cancer cells and the means to deal with them effectively are located within our bodily systems. Those systems need but to be catalytically activated by the proper raw materials. If we are functioning properly at the cellular level, then the growth of cancer can be controlled and held in check from within by natural mechanisms that were in place long before modern medicine dreamed up its current toxic and drastic strategies. So, educate yourself about prevention and alternative options, move your body, eat well, supplement wisely, and TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE!

Breast Cancer Statistics ? How Breast Cancer Survival Rates Increased 50%

Breast cancer statistics show that over 1.2 million persons will be diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide this year, according to the World Health Organization. For breast cancer and prevention, it has long been known that regular physical activity has been shown to decrease the likelihood of having breast cancer. What has not been known or studied has been the effect of regular physical activity on the breast cancer survival rates or likelihood of death in women that already have breast cancer. That is, until now.

The breast cancer statistics and findings as reported by the American Medical Association's Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in May 2005 were astounding! Certain participants in the study of women with Stage I, II or III breast cancer achieved a 50% reduction in the death rate from breast cancer.

Here are these breast cancer statistics: the journal reported that in the study 2,987 female registered nurses had been diagnosed with breast cancer during the years 1984-1998. What the study found was that the women who had physical activity equivalent to walking at a steady pace of 2.0-2.9 miles per hour for 3-5 hours a week had a death rate of only 50% of the death rate of women who had physical activity equivalent to walking less than one hour a week. The conclusion of the breast cancer statistics in the study was that physical activity after breast cancer has been diagnosed may reduce the risk of death from breast cancer. The study found that there was little evidence of any relation between increased physical activity and increased benefit.

It's time to dust off those walking shoes!
As a physical activity, walking can be done almost anytime by anyone anywhere. All that's needed is a good pair of walking shoes. Walking is fun and reduces stress. As for injuries, walking has the lowest injury rate of all the various kinds of exercise.

You can walk with a partner, friend, family member or dog, maybe even a neighbor's dog. Or you can walk with your favorite headset and music. If you are walking outdoors with a headset, keep one ear open to hear the sounds around you.

As for basic walking tips:

· As you begin regular walking, take it easy. Standard advice is to check with your physician before starting any exercise program. If it's been years or decades since you walked regularly, perhaps you can begin with 5 minutes of walking and slowly increase your time and distance.
· Walking at a pace of 75?95 steps a minute will have you walking at a speed of about 2-3 miles per hour.

· Walk with your head up, looking out in front of you. Do not walk looking down right in front of you except to navigate any obstacles.

· Really take it easy the first 5 minutes of walking to warm up. Afterwards, gently stretch for 5?10 minutes while your muscles are warm.

· Practice good walking form. Your arms should swing naturally in the direction you're walking, not from side to side across your body. Your foot should strike the ground on your heel, then a rolling motion forward toward the ball of your foot, then pushing off with your toes.

And here are some basic walking shoes tips:

· Buy your walking shoes from a sporting shoes store with large selections. That will give you plenty of choices. And buy your walking shoes later in the day when your feet will be larger.

· Buy cushioned, supportive walking shoes. To see if a shoe is supportive, do this test -- take a shoe and turn it upside down. Holding each end of the shoe, try to fold it. If you find the shoe bends in the middle, then that shoe is not a supportive shoe. A supportive shoe should bend where your foot normally bends, near your toes.

· You should allow the width of your index finger between the end of your shoe and the end of your longest toe, or about one-half inch.

· Buy two pairs of walking shoes, one for home and one for the car or workplace. And if one pair gets wet, you can use the other pair that day.

Walking is the closest thing to the perfect exercise. In today's fast-paced society, regular walking can be a welcomed break from the stress of the day. Maybe you'll get to know your neighborhood or neighbors better. There may be walking trails you've never seen but wanted to.
Wherever and however you choose to walk, not only can the experience be fun, you'll know you're being good to your body in a variety of ways. Besides the incredible breast cancer statistics and findings of the breast cancer study, walking helps with weight control and bone strength, elevates mood, helps build and maintain healthy muscles, joints and heart. With so many great health benefits, why not get started walking today!

Victorious

There it is again. I muttered to myself, frustrated as I washed my arm. Every morning for five or six days in the fall of 2003, I noticed this rust-colored sticky stuff that appeared in both drips and smears on my left forearm and thigh. I had no idea where it could be coming from.

Finally, on Sunday morning I found the answer. My eyes followed my hand as I wiped the steam from the bathroom mirror. Looking past my fingertips, there it was. To my shock and horror, the rust-colored sticky stuff easily dripped from my left nipple.

In disbelief, I collapsed into my bedroom chair, swirling with a mix of grief and fear. I stared at the blank white wall, feeling vacant, distant, disconnected from what I had just seen in the mirror. All I heard was that loud, penetrating silence that surrounds and encompasses every thought and movement.

I called my doctor and was told that this was not an emergency room issue, but did need immediate attention. It could be cancer or another of many health challenges. Then, I began to wonder, what now? What is next?

After an exam, the breast cancer specialist made an appointment for that same afternoon to have both a mammogram and an ultrasound. They took two sets of two x rays on each breast and a third x ray of a specific area of my right breast. I realized I could have two areas of concern, not just the one.

Next, was the ultrasound. I could see the area of my breast where they had done the extra mammogram. There was a dark mass which had a very different pattern than the rest of my breast. After the biopsy, I was diagnosed with infiltrating ductile carcinoma, a rare, aggressive, deadly cancer that can quickly metastasize to the bones and lungs. Next is death. I had symptoms of both bone and lung cancer.

The ultrasound of my left breast showed a trail of little beads. Masses unevenly lined up from my underarm to my nipple. This could not be good, I thought. These masses were rubbing against several ducts, causing bleeding and discharge. That was the rust-colored sticky stuff. My left breast was diagnosed with a rare hyperplastic disease involving multiple ducts. My oncologist felt that I also had cancer in this breast. She was deeply concerned, and wanted to immediately remove the mass in my right breast and cut off 1/3 or more of my left breast. From now on, on medical history forms, I would check the box for cancer.

Even before these diagnoses, I had already decided that I did not want surgery. In my heart, I really did not believe I would live through a surgery, much less the chemotherapy or radiation. I preferred an alternative approach. I did have my health insurance to pay for most medical expenses, but it did not cover alternative therapies. Also, I had previous long term health challenges. I wanted a fix, not just a partial solution. I chose Mye Cell treatments in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and worked with Dr. Melenie Dunn, NMD in Scottsdale, AZ. Her number is 480.556.6700. I am now cancer-free.

I have the confirmed belief that each of lifes moments hold a purpose and a gift. There are no accidents. Nothing is random. Lifes lessons come hand in hand with their opportunities. I do not always remember to live by these beliefs, but I do always come back to them. I knew that this particular lesson was about trust. It was about my ability to trust. It was about my confidence in myself. My confidence in God. The lesson was about realizing, knowing with every breath and every beat of my heart, that I Am Blessed. We All Are.

The News You Dont Want To Hear: Youve Got Breast Cancer

For many people being told that they have cancer is one of the most stressful times in their lives. Just as we think we have everything under control, something comes along that can shatter even the strongest of wills.

Out of the blue, in September 2002, Sara faced one of the biggest challenges of her life - her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Having nursed her mother through her illness, Sara took the step of having a mammogram just to make sure she herself was clear. All over Christmas she tried to put it to the back of her mind, but she couldn't help worrying.

On New Year's Eve 2002, she was horrified to learn that not only did she have breast cancer, but that it was a particularly aggressive form. Of course, Sara was very angry at first. She thought, Why me? It would have been better if I hadn't gone for a mammogram. She was also very scared. She said, When someone says, You have cancer, you immediately think you're going to die. I have to wait six weeks before my surgery and I have no idea how I will stay sane until then. What on earth am I going to do?"

After a few very bleak days, Sara decided she was determined not to give in too easily. Her mother had, after all, fought the disease, so she, too, could do the same. When she was calm enough to answer her question What on earth am I going to do? several answers came to her, as she was walking her dog.

Find out as much as possible about breast cancer.

Talk to other people who have faced similar situations.

Be realistic about what she could change and what she needed to accept.
When Sara opened her eyes and started to believe that she had choices, she was amazed at the different ideas that popped into her head. She discovered practical ways to prepare her body and mind prior to her mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. She was able to make a number of choices in her life, including exercise, changing her diet and learning how to chill out with meditation.

By the time Sara went into hospital in February, her frame of mind had shifted from a very negative one to that of how she could take control of her life. She said, I can't stop the cancer running through my body but I can change how I deal with it. It's taking over my body but it doesn't have to take over my mind. I can control how I deal with it.

Sara is certain that her excessive workload, poor nutrition and lack of exercise had taken a toll on her body and were contributing factors to her state of health. She sees her illness as a new chapter in her life rather than the end of it. As well as conventional medicine, Sara has also discovered the power of laughter. "It is impossible to laugh and feel stressed at the same time. I think laughing brings about release."

If you are feeling stressed you might not feel like laughing. But laughter really is the best medicine. As Sara pointed out, it is difficult to laugh and feel anxious at the same time! Try it! How do you feel when you have a really good laugh? As soon as you start to laugh, the power of the stress is lessened.

I have recently been very involved in setting up a charity, Clowns in the Sky, which supports children suffering from brain tumours. Children with tumours spend many weeks in hospital undergoing painful treatment and we have found that bringing some fun into their lives makes a huge difference to their well-being. If they can laugh, so can you!

My favourite films are The Full Monty, Bridget Jones and Hitch. Why? Because they make me laugh!

This Christmas we tried out a really funny game. Try saying "purple sprouting broccoli" with your lips over your teeth; it is almost impossible to do. You will laugh with frustration that no one can understand you and others will laugh at you because you look and sound so silly. Don't worry, everyone including you will be laughing!

Is everything perfect for Sara? Of course not. Her initial surgery was successful although she was diagnosed with breast cancer again a few months ago. The fear that the cancer might return again has always been the hardest thing for her to deal with and it is something she thinks about every day. But she feels much more in control of certain aspects of her life. She is trying to focus on what she can change, just a day at a time. She still finds the visits to hospital very stressful, but she doesn't allow herself to dwell on negative aspects of her illness for too long as she has found it very counterproductive.

Sara didn't have any choice about having breast cancer. She did have choices, however, about how she chose to deal with life each day.

You may not be able to influence and overcome every stressful situation, but you can take charge over how you respond.

If you are facing a major change and finding life very stressful, what changes can you make to how you view the situation today?

If you want to manage stress in your life, you need to begin with yourself.

None of us are able to predict the future, but we can make the present better if we choose to.
What makes you laugh? Do you have a favourite video, a story, a joke or a friend who helps you to lighten up?

Focus on what you can change and you will start to feel more in control of your life.
Carolyn Matheson is a nationally recognized Coach, Speaker and Author of "Yes to Less Stress."
Carolyn is a Master Certified Coach, and works with executives and their teams across the world. She has pioneered an innovative approach to coaching, combining many years of high performance coaching with a holistic approach to work/life balance and has coached hundreds of leaders and their teams. Her experience as a presenter, both nationally and internationally, spans 20 years, with clients currently in Europe, Australia, the Middle and Far East, and the USA.

Fourteen Simple Things You Can Do To Reduce Your Risk for Breast Cancer

1. Increase your consumption of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables.
2. Avoid using any pesticides or chemical sprays in your home. Try to avoid new carpet.
3. Avoid drinking tap water.
4. Decrease alcohol consumption.
5. Start an exercise program.
6. Increase consumption of organic whole grains and fiber.
7. Decrease meat, poultry and fish consumption.
8. Stop smoking.
9. Increase consumption of phytoestrogens from organic sources.
10. Decrease or stop consumption of processed foods.
11. Avoid trans-fatty acids found in margarine and some vegetable shortenings.
12. Take two capsules of organic flaxseed oil daily or just add a teaspoon of flaxseed oil to your daily organic salad.
13. If you are pregnant definitely breast feed.
14. Gets lots of sunshine as breast cancer is less prevalent in areas where there is ample sunlight unobscured by fog or smog.

Discussion:

As a retired diagnostic radiologist who read way too many mammograms I am excited because I finally have a path to try to connect to so many women who are having and have had mammograms.I was always chagrined since we would really torture and radiate many breasts but it was as if these breasts were not connected to a human type person. It bothered me that so many mammography programs make no effort at all to educate their clientele about what "they can do" to reduce their risks of breast cancer. I would suggest to the directors of these programs that we try to educate the patients and their response was 100% predictable. They would always first deny the relationship between diet and breast cancer and then add that their patients would not listen anyway.

Increasing your consumption of fresh organic fruits and vegetables has been shown to reduce the risk for breast cancer.

"There is strong evidence from epidemiologic studies that eating more fruits and vegetables decreases a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. This conclusion is strengthened by the similar results obtained from animal studies and experiments using isolated breast cells." Quoted from the Cornell University Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors. They go on to recommend uncooked fruits and vegetables. The reason for this is the heating damages some of the beneficial nutrients in the fruits and vegetables. Carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli and spinach top the list for being most protective. The Cornell study however does not stress the fact that these need to be "organic." Non-organic commercial fruits and vegetables besides being largely nutritionally bereft are also heavily sprayed with a wide variety of toxins.

The relationship between pesticides and other toxic chemicals such as benzene and toluene and cancer has long been established. There are better ways to rid your house of undesired guests than using chemical sprays. It sounds difficult but even if you can't get rid of all your pests you will live a longer and healthier life if you refrain from spraying. New carpet is another source of extremely toxic chemicals that "off gas" for at least a year or so after it is installed. Try to avoid new carpet especially in children's rooms.

Avoid tap water unless you live either in Lake Tahoe or Ithaca, New York. The tap water here in Tucson is CAP water that travels in an open trough from the Colorado River. It is loaded with fungicides / herbicides not to mention all the chlorine added once it gets here. While bottled or filtered water may not be perfect,you will considerably reduce your risk for any cancer by avoiding most tap water.

There is a little debate about the link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. However, the consumption of any simple sugars such as occur in most alcoholic beverages is associated with decreased T-cell mobility and thus some immune compromise. I still have an occasional beer but that is the only sugar I ingest. The general consensus however, is that it is best to reduce alcoholic beverage consumption as much as possible.

Exercise has been proven in multiple studies to enhance the immune system. In order to be beneficial I would recommend thirty minutes at least three times a week. This should be exercise that elevates the heart rate and keeps it there for the thirty minutes. Running is good if you are not biomechanically impaired. Cycling and swimming are also good alternative and or exercise machines.

Increased consumption of organic grains and fiber has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Decrease your meat, fish, poultry and dairy consumption. Animal protein has been linked to all the big three killers in this country as well as osteoporosis. For more on this see the "China Study" by T. Colin Campbell and "Diet for a New America" by John Robbins. Stop smoking is really a "no brainer" here. Smoking is associatedwith a variety of cancers and there is now strong evidence that cancer of the breast is one of them.

Consume more phytoestrogens from soy products like tofu. "Women with diets rich in phytoestrogens also excrete more estrogens into their urine, and have lower blood estrogen levels. Some studies have shown that women with a diet rich in phytoestrogens have longer, and hence fewer, menstrual cycles. All of these factors may contribute to reduced breast cancer risk. " This quote from the Cornell University Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors. Please be sure that any soy products you consume are organic.

In conclusion there are many ways to reduce your chances of breast cancer. I have presented the above from a more subtle point of view. When my wife (now ex-wife) developed a lesion in her left breast back in 1995 we put her on an organic vegan diet. Soon we cut out all sugar and increased her running mileage. She still has her left breast although there is still some skin retraction. My good friend and world class flamenco dancer Carmen Heredia died in her early forties from breast cancer and its treatment. Best not to get breast cancer at all.

Gift Giving for Breast Cancer Patients and Their Families

Did you know that each year, 182,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and 43,300 die? One woman in eight either has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. In addition, 1,600 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 400 will die this year.

The above statistics are scary to say the least. If you have loved ones or friends that have been diagnosed with breast cancer, I am sure you've often wondered what, if anything, you can do to help them.

Here are some gifts that are appropriate for cancer patients, and their families to give encouragement, and support.

Probably one of the most important gifts you can offer, is the gift of your time: time to listen, and time to be with them as they accept the fact that they have cancer, and go through their treatment.

A small journal is another idea: they can put on paper their thoughts, their struggles, and their accomplishments as they fight this battle.

A book of inspiring, encouraging words will do wonders for their soul. One suggestion would be Chicken Soup for the Surviving Soul: 101 Stories of Courage and Inspiration from Those Who Have Survived Cancer.

Don't forget a nice teddy bear they can hug, and a CD of soft, comforting, music.
Some cancer patients develop sensitivity to fragrance, so please stay away from scented items.
Again, remember that at times, all they need is to have someone to talk to, or hold their hand: be there for them!

For your information:

If detected early, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer exceeds 95%. Mammograms are among the best early detection methods, yet 13 million U.S. women 40 years of age or older have never had a mammogram.

Antiperspirants And Breast Cancer

Most underarm antiperspirants contain as the active ingredient, Aluminium Chlorohydrate, as you will probably remember there has been controversy about Aluminium, since the 1950's when it was a popular metal used for making cooking pots, Saucepans and Fry Pans and that it could be one of the contributing factors to Alzheimer's, now we have another problem that could also be related to Aluminium, Breast Cancer.

Research shows that one of the leading causes of Breast Cancer could be the use of antiperspirants. The human body has a number of areas, that it uses to purge Toxins from the body, these are, behind the knees, behind the ears, the groin area, and the armpits. The toxins are purged from the body in the form of perspiration and antiperspirant as the name clearly suggests prevents you from perspiring, thereby inhibiting the body from purging Toxins from the armpit area.

These Toxin do not just disappear, Instead, the body deposits them in the Lymph Nodes below the arms, since it is unable to sweat them out. A concentration of Toxins then builds up in the areas such as the armpits, which can then lead to cell mutations, which is cancer.

It cannot be ignored, that nearly all Breast Cancer Tumors occur in the upper outer quadrant of the breast area, this is where the Lymph Nodes are located. Men are less likely (but not totally exempt) to develop breast cancer prompted by the use of antiperspirants, because the antiperspirant is more likely to be caught in the armpit hair, rather than directly applied to the skin, but ladies, who shave their armpits, increase the risk by causing imperceptable nicks in the skin, which allow the chemicals to enter easily into the body through the armpits.

This article is aimed mainly at ladies, but please be aware that there are a few antiperspirants on the market that are made from natural products, but basically they would still trap the Toxins in the same areas. The best solution is to use deodorants, rather than antiperspirants, also please remember that the Eight Essential Sugars in Glyconutrients can also help to fight off Toxins.

There is a lot of controversy about this article, the medical profession scoff at the idea, and so do big business, but then again there are huge numbers of people that scoff at the problems associated with Fluoride in drinking water. You can make up your own mind on whether there is someting in this article or not, I know that if I was a lady, I would keep clear of Antiperspirants.

I realise that Doctors everywhere, do a marvelous job, and they are appreciated, but they are reluctant to look at the bigger picture, also please remember that the fourth largest killer of people in the western world is prescription drugs.

Breast Cancer The Cure

You have my permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

Breast Cancer The Cure

There is no known cure for breast cancer. More than 1.5 million people will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year worldwide. Scientists don't know why most women get breast cancer, yet breast cancer is the most frequent tumor found in women the world over. A woman who dies of breast cancer is robbed of an average of nearly 20 years of her life. Breast cancer knows no social boundaries. It's a disease that can affect anyone. Some prominent women who's lives that have been touched by breast cancer include Jill Eikenberry actress age 52; Peggy Fleming age 49 figure skater; Kate Jackson age 50 (Charlies Angels); Olivia Newton-John age 50 actress singer; Nancy Reagan age 77 former first lady; Melissa Etheridge age 43 singer; and the beautiful Suzanne Summers actress. These high rates of breast cancer are not acceptable to the women of the world and must be met with scientific research that provides results.

Despite over a decade of research, and more than $1.7 billion spent, hundereds of women worldwide are dying from breast cancer every day. Yet doctors don't know how breast cancer starts or how to cure it. Doctors are still approaching treatment for breast cancer in the same old fashioned ways: surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Barbarick treatments?And scientists keep doing the same old redundant research that's simply not working. It doesn't have to be that way. Gen Cells Cures is a scientific biotechnology company that is focused on a cure for breast cancer. The company is dedicated to curing breast cancer before it's too late for you. We're not interested in a cure in five, ten, or twenty years from now. We want your cure for breast cancer within a year or two. We don't want you to have to under go surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or take toxic drugs.

Why Gen Cells Cures? You can search the medical journals; you can search the internet until your blue in the face. You will find the same old news which is no new news about breast cancer research and treatments. Breast cancer research is locked up in a black whole. Gen Cells Cures is approaching the cure for breast cancer from different angles and using tomorrow's scientific technologies today. Our expertise is in stem cell research and genomics. Malfunctioning stem cells have already been linked to the development of breast cancer. We're not talking about using generic stem cells from an egg and sperm cell. There is no genetic match for you with the politically controversial generic stem cells that are always in the news. The isolation of cancer stem cells, coupled with our understanding of genetic mutations causing cancer, and our knowledge of genomics will result in ways to eliminate cancer cells while sparing normal breast tissues.

Genetics and Breast Cancer
People will tell you to accept what you can't change?Your genetics, your genes, the genes your mother and father handed you when you were born that came with their particular genetic make-up. Most inherited cases of breast cancer have been associated with two genes: BRCA1 and BRCA2. The past five years has been a period of unparalleled discovery in the field of genetics, genomics, and stem cell research, but these discoveries are not being applied to breast cancer treatments. A job that Gen Cells Cures definitely wants to get our hands dirty in.

Recently researchers have found that by blocking a gene called beta1-integrin the growth of tumor cells can be stopped. When this gene was removed the tumor cells quit growing. You don't have to accept the genes that you were given at birth. Gen Cells Cures will be able to manipulate your genes to cure your breast cancer.

Our Cancer Stem Cell and Genomics Program will bring together the top scientific minds in the world under one tin roof to maximize the use of diverse approaches to the understanding of cancer genomics fused with stem cell solutions. Gen Cells Cures isn't looking for a multi-million dollar biomedical research center like the Stowers Institute in Kansas City, which is a medical center to be admired. A rented tin shack will do just fine. Of course, we would accept hand-me down michroscopes from the Stoweres (billionaires who bought their own multi-million dollar biomedical research center) if they would be gracious enough to grant them to us or we would accept a small prime the pump check to move forward with our research. The Stowerses and all the scientists from the Stowers Institute have an open invitation to visit our lab in the Caribbean. What we are looking for is a cure for breast cancer to stop the humiliation, pain and suffering this menace to society causes millions of women and thousands of men worldwide, and not a new biomedical center? Every dollar invested with us goes into pure medical research and equipment. The same offer goes out to all the millionaires and especially the billionaires of the world. People that come to mind are: Paul Allen, Bill and Melinda Gates, Jon Huntsman, William and Alice Goodman, Ann Lurie, Jamie and Karen Moyer, Harold C. Simmons, Alfred Mann, Sumner M. Redstone, Michael Milton and the Palm beach billionaires, there are simply too many to mention. The combined wealth of the three Microsoft billionaires alone is more than ten times the amount spent by the U.S. Federal Government on research to fight cancer and other deadly diseases. We know we're in the wrong business to become billionaires ourselves. This kind of biotechnology has never produced even one billionaire. It's the cure for breast cancer that we want.

Simply put the cancer research organizations are funding the wrong researchers. It's time to go outside the normal research channels. Do something different. The same story year after year after year and no cure. These unmotivated researchers just aren't getting results. Let someone else have a shot at it. It's time to try something new and different. A different approach. There are races for the cure, golf tournaments for the cure, there are walks for the cure, there are foundations for the cure. These foundations have been funding the same ineffective research for more than twenty years now. These foundations have been betting on the wrong horse. Joining the crusade won't help if the research being done doesn't take on a twenty-first century scientific approach. It's been time to move forward scientifically for five years now. But today's breast cancer researchers are stuck in a twentieth century mind-set. The Excuse is someday we'll find the cure, but someday doesn't help today's victims of breast cancer. We need top notch scientific action today.

The genetics are out of the bottle and stem cell research is moving forward whether the U.S. government likes it or not. Gen Cells Cures has moved off-shore to the Caribbean to avoid the political controversy over stem cell research. I am sure you won't mind a walk on the beach with me to talk about your cure for your breast cancer. Once we have the cure we can take the cure from the bench to the patient without a long and costly wait for FDA approval. There are many advantages to not having big brother breathing down your neck. The governments of the United States and Western countries have nothing to offer except road blocks, red tape and detours. Our patients don't have time for political smoke and mirrors. With a little luck we could have your cure before the time comes that you need that dreaded surgery and chemo.

Our gifted world-class researchers are visionary and have been schooled in winning and have courage, creativity, can-do attitudes, burning desires, unfaltering belief and an obsession that they will be there first. By first we mean years ahead of the other biotechnology companies. Like determined, fighting NASCAR drivers our scientists are living to take the chequered flag of biotech and win the coveted race for the cure for breast cancer.

Focused on breakthrough discoveries, Gen Cells Cures nurtures a culture that encourages high standards of excellence, original thinking, hard work and a willingness to take risks. Our world-renowned scientists believe in themselves and its belief that gets us there. The company will seek to develop a work environment that is results focused and team-orientated. We compete against time. Though we compete intensely we maintain high ethical standards and trust and respect for each other. Quality is the cornerstone of all our activities. We seek the highest quality information, decisions and people. Our success depends on superior scientific innovation. We see the scientific method as a multi-step process which includes designing the right experiment, collecting and analyzing data and rational decision making. It is not subjective or emotional but rather a logical, open and rational process.

Our success comes from one simple fact; we are committed to being a science-based, patient-driven company, driven by that one special breast cancer patient?you.

Gen Cells Cures lost most of our one million dollar start-up money in offshore bank scandal and currency devaluation last year. We are now actively pursuing financial support. Unfortunately, the Gen Cells Cures team is made up of great scientific minds and not great marketers, salesmen, or fund raisers. Yes, we are looking for a millionaire or billionaire without a cause to support our work, but if you are not our wealthy saviour, we welcome any help, be it financial or a donation of your time. The scientific team is on stand-by. What we're lacking is the funding to go forward. We could use motivated salesmen to sell our research, fund raisers, skilled internet marketers or someone just to pass out flyers or mail out promotional material. We could use help from the media with publicity stories, ads and promotions to get the word out. We are particularly interested in looking for assistance from the billionaires of the world; there are approximately 600 in the world. Billionaires like Sergey Brin and Larry Page (Google billionaires), Rupert Murdoch, Ted Turner, and Oprah Winfrey and others who control the media could get our life-saving message to the world fast. We are also hoping that some of my celebrities friends will come forward and spread their wings to help support our breast cancer research: Steven Seagal, Charlie Sheen, Wesley Snipes, Danny Glover, Erik Estrada, Tom Arnold, Dolph Lundgren, Roger Clinton, Bill Clinton, Usher, Hulk Hogan, Ivana Trump, John Secada, Sylvester Stalone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mike Reno, Richard Branson, Cindy Crawford, Cher, Demi Moore, Michelle Pfeiffer, and other stars that I have had the good fortune of meeting in person and others celebrities that I hope to meet in the future. (Photos of Gerald and the stars can be viewed at his promotional group listed below.) I am waiting to get my photo with Suzanne Summers!

Gen Cells Cure offers more than hope. We can do the job. If you're going to eradicate cancer you have to have the right people doing the right research. One thing is for sure. We couldn't do any worse than what the scientists before us have done. Which is virtually nothing! Help us alleviate the pain and suffering. Together, with your help, we can cure breast cancer.

Article by Gerald Armstrong- scientist0707@yahoo.com Gerald is the owner of Gen Cells Cures Visit his group for information about "The Cure" for incurable diseases and aging.

Group address msnusers.com/cures
Hello, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am Gerald Armstrong the owner of Gen Cells Cures a biotech dedicated to finding "The Cure" for incurable diseases and aging. Introducing to the world, the miracle of private, personalized medical research for the individual. I am passionate about molecular biology and what we can do with science to find "The Cure" for those of you suffering from aging and incurable diseases. msnusers.com/cures

Naural Self-Defense Against Breast Cancer - Learning to Cope Successfully with Organochlorine Pollut

What are organochlorines?
Organochlorines are chemicals found in some herbicides and pesticides, in chlorine bleach and most chemical disinfectants, and many plastics, especially PVC (polyvinylchloride).

Organochlorines are implicated in causing and promoting breast cancer because they mutate genes and they cause breast cells to become more receptive to a cancer-promoting chemical called estradiol. Organochlorines weaken the immune system and lower your body's resistance to bacteria and viruses. They also act as a negative type of estrogen in the body.

How do they enter our bodies?

Organochlorines enter our bodies through our drinking water, by eating foods grown with certain agricultural chemicals, and through the plastic linings on canned or microwaveable foods. They enter through our lungs by breathing in the fumes of chlorine bleach disinfectants and by body contact with chlorine bleached paper products such as tampons, toilet paper and paper cups.

How can we reduce our exposure?

Step One-Reduce Your Exposure
The first thing to do is to reduce your plastic consumption, especially of convenience foods. On plastic containers, there is typically a triangle with a number inside of it on the bottom of the container. You can recognize PVC or polyvinylchloride as the type of plastic that has a 3 in the center of the triangle.

As for paper products, use oxygen bleached or unbleached paper products. Companies who sell non-chlorine bleached paper products typically say so on the label and they do not necessarily market their products as "green" products.

Buy the non-chlorine bleach and more environmentally friendly household products. Simple vinegar and water can be used for many household chores. Eating only organically produced meat and dairy products will reduce the amount of organochlorines in your diet by 80%.
Step Two-Help Your Liver

With help, your liver can metabolize organochlorines. Flaxseeds and organic egg yolks contain lecithin, a chemical that speeds up the elimination of fat-soluble chemicals such as organochlorines by making them water-soluble.

Beans, lentils, red clover, soy products and chickweed contain chemicals called saponins.
Saponins help to break down organochlorines, prevent cellular mutation and can stop the reproduction of cancer cells. These foods are strongly recommended for anybody who regularly consumes organochlorines.

Members of the cabbage family including broccoli, kale, turnips, radishes, cabbage, bok choy or cauliflower can help you metabolize organochlorines by increasing the production of non-cancerous by-products.

Step Three-Mother Nature's Help
Woman-positive natural sources of estrogen can block entrance of organochlorines, estradiol and other cancer promoting estrogens when enough of them are in the blood stream. The reason behind this is that these positive hormones move quickly through our bodies whereas the cancer producing chemicals such as organochlorines move more slowly.

If there are enough of these plant hormones in the blood stream, they can easily block organochlorines from attaching themselves to breast cells and from promoting cancer.

These plant hormones can be found in lentils, dried beans, tofu and fermented soy products such as tempeh and miso, parsnips, sweet potatoes, pomegranates, burdock roots, red clover, hops and ginseng. Regular intake of broccoli and cabbage is also helpful.
Post Transformation Tips

Making changes in favor of your survival and that of the environment often puts us in a period of re-adjustment, not only with the society we live in, but also with our family, friends and neighbors.

Several strategies we use to maintain positive social relations are Natural self-defense does not mean natural aggression, nor does it mean that it will cause you to develop a social disorder triggered by the existence of organochlorines. Foods and herbs that encourage natural self-defense make you lose the taste for products associated with organochlorines.

Allow self-defense foods to empower you to envision and work towards an organochlorine free future without any anger about the present situation. In other words, don't let the forces that encourage personal and environmental negligence push your buttons.

Chose recycled plastic toys or second hand plastic toys over new ones for your children.
Send lunches in reusable containers.

Bring a bean or lentil salad to the next barbecue or potluck supper. Invite friends who use a lot of plastic and organochlorine products over to eat. Explain why you eat certain foods and what you have done to minimize your contribution to its proliferation. Relay the information in such a way that your guests feel comfortable and leave them to lose the taste for organochlorine products in their own way and time.

Use organic foods to show your body what a natural food is and have confidence that your body will use this knowledge to recognize what isn't natural and respond appropriately to it. This is a goal that can be started even on a limited budget. The return of your natural body begins with one organic apple, especially a shared one!

Legal Disclaimer-The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.
All contents are copyrighted in 2004 by Agoo Agii,inc. All rights reserved.
Written by Jennifer Rodriguez-Allen, B.Sc., Environmental Chemist and President of Agoo Agii, inc agooagii.com This article can found in print form with Agoo Agii's Aromatherapy Breast Self-Exam Kit. Gently encourage a loved one (or yourself) perform the Breast Self-Exam.

Can You Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer?

We hear it all the time?lose weight for your health. Few people however, realize the extent to which this is critical to their physical well-being and ultimately their life expectancy.
In January 2003, the Journal of the American Medical Association featured a study finding that obesity appears to lessen life expectancy, especially among young adults. The researchers compared Body-Mass Index (BMI) to longevity and found a correlation between premature death and higher BMIs. For example, a 20-year-old white male, 5'10" weighing 288 pounds with a BMI of greater than 40 was estimated to lose 13 years of his life as a result of obesity.Jamie McManus, M.D., F.A.A.F.P. and author of "Your Personal Guide to Wellness" notes that while this study referenced extreme levels of obesity, there are still millions of overweight people in developed countries with a life expectancy rate that is three to five years less than their healthy-weight counterparts. She also estimates that there are 600,000 obesity related deaths each year in America.

Just how does obesity shorten our lifespan? The answer to this question is complex, yet there is a clear link between obesity and the development of cancer. An extensive study conducted by the American Cancer Institute involving 750,000 people showed that obesity significantly increased the risk of cancer developing in the following organs: breast, colon, ovaries, uterus, pancreas, kidneys and gallbladder.
Michael Thun, MD, vice-president of epidemiology and surveillance research for the American Cancer Society (ACS) says one reason obesity may raise cancer risk is because fat cells produce a form of estrogen called estradiol that promotes rapid division of cells, increasing chances of a random genetic error while cells are replicating, which can lead to cancer. In addition, fat centered around the abdomen may increase insulin and insulin-like growth factors in the blood, which may increase cancer risk.
"Women who are obese after menopause have a 50% higher relative risk of breast cancer," notes Thun, "and obese men have a 40% higher relative risk of colon cancer?. Gallbladder and endometrial cancer risks are five times higher for obese individuals".There is evidence that cancer rates in developed countries are increasing at 5 to 15 times faster than developing countries. A major contributor to this alarming reality has proven to be diet. In populations where the diet consists mostly of fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grains ? in contrast to the typical Western diet of fatty meats, refined flours, oils and sugars ? the risk of cancer is much lower.

The interaction of diet and the development of cancer is an active field of research and Dr David Heber, M.D., Ph.D. and author of "What Color is Your Diet", says "It appears that diet has its most significant effects after the cancer has already formed, acting to inhibit or stimulate the growth of that cancer". At the risk of oversimplifying a complex set of interactions, the typical Western diet that leads to obesity may actually act to stimulate the growth of cancer cells.It is never too late to improve your health through healthful eating and adopting a more health-giving lifestyle. Here are simple steps to follow which can make an immediate improvement to your health and vitality.

1. Check your Body Mass Index (BMI) to determine if weight has become health risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 60% of Americans are overweight, defined as having a BMI (a ratio of height to weight) over 25. Of those, nearly half (27%) qualify as obese, with a body mass index of 30 or more. In 1980, just 15% of Americans were considered obese. You can check your BMI at the website below.

2. Match your diet to your body's requirements. If you eat and drink more calories than your body requires you will put on weight. Learn to control calories and portion sizes, make recipes leaner, and eat infrequently from fast food restaurants. Also learn how to snack with healthful choices.

3. Color your diet with a large variety of colorful, cancer-fighting fruit and vegetables. There are seven different color ranges of both fruit and vegetables and by choosing between 5 to 9 daily serves from a wide range of fruit and vegetables, we are extending our consumption of cancer (and other disease) fighting nutrients.

4. Eat lean protein with every meal. Protein provides a powerful signal to the brain providing a longer sense of fullness. The right source of protein is essential to controlling your hunger with fewer calories and necessary to maintain your lean muscle mass. Choices of protein should be flavored soy shakes with fruit; the white meat of chicken and turkey, seafood such as shrimps, prawns scallops and lobster and ocean fish or vegetarians may prefer soy based meat substitutes.

5. Rev up your metabolism with activity. If you want to enjoy a lifetime of well-being, exercise is a key ingredient. Colleen Doyle, MS, RD, director of nutrition and physical activity for the American Cancer Society (ACS), says adults should do something for 30 minutes each day that takes as much effort as a brisk walk. Children should be active for an hour each day. We are more likely to develop habits around things we enjoy, so seek activities which you enjoy doing. It is also helpful to build physical activity into your daily routine: use the stairs instead of the escalator or lift at work, park your car in the parking bay furthest from the super marketing and don't use the remote control to change TV channels.

6. Get support to ensure you develop a healthful eating plan and reach your goal weight. Whilst a small percentage of people possess the discipline to lose weight, many obese people have developed strong thoughts and habits concerning the food they eat. In order to establish new habits, most people respond well to some form of consistent encouragement and coaching. A study, "Effects of Internet Behavioral Counseling on Weight Loss in Adults at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes" shows that participants who had the support of weight loss coaching lost more weight than those who didn't. The study concluded that the support of a weight loss coach can significantly improve weight loss results.
Being overweight or obese has been identified next to smoking, as the most preventable major risk to developing cancer. Even small weight losses have been shown to have beneficial health effects. So it's never to late to start and you can never be too young or too old to be concerned about your health and do something about achieving a more healthy weight.