Filed under: Daily news If you smoke during pregnancy or as a new mother, be advised that the nicotine being passed through to that infant in the form of breast milk (if you choose that route) may be hindering the sleep patterns of your child. There's more -- a recent study also indicated that nicotine in breast milk may also be causing naps to be shortened by a third -- which you'll probably see as your child is up more instead of sleeping more at that precious nap time. The findings form this study lend even more support to giving up smoking during pregnancy or during the breastfeeding years. Lung cancer is not the only 'side effect' -- the health of your child is also in the mix now if you breast feed. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Lung Cancer , Smoking To those who follow cancer on a daily basis, it may be no surprise that lung cancer is the leading type of cancer that kills globally. With billions of cigarettes being smoked each year in probably every country in the world, t should not come as a surprise that lung cancer occurs in such large numbers. 1.3 million lives each year are snuffed out due to lung cancer, yet my guess is that over a billion people continue to smoke worldwide. That's just a guess, but when 300 million smoke in China alone, it's probably a good guess. If that weren't enough, about 60 percent of those diagnosed with lung cancer die within a year of officially being diagnosed , and almost 75 percent die within two years. Are you still smoking or know someone who is? Read that last sentence again and again. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Prevention , Research , Daily news Increased use of five preventative services would save more than 100,000 lives in the U.S. every year , according to Partnership for Prevention, a nonprofit health policy group. The services and behaviors are taking a low dose of aspirin every day for the prevention of heart disease, offering more services to help smokers quit, offering more colorectal and breast cancer screenings and offering flu shots for those over 50. The report also uncovered racial disparities in the use of preventative care. For example, Hispanic smokers are 55 percent less likely than whites to get help to quit smoking and Asian-Americans are the least likely to take aspirin and get screened for breast and colorectal cancer. The study found that 42,000 lives a year would be saved if 90 percent of smokers were advised to quit and offered cessation treatments. Only 28 percent of smokers get such services. An additional 14,000 lives would be saved if 90 percent of adults over 50 were screened for colorectal cancer. Breast cancer screening for all women over 40 would save another 4,000 lives, according to the report. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Bladder Cancer , Smoking Smoking is a well-known risk factor for bladder cancer and is responsible for 50% of the incidence in men and 25% of the incidence in women. Earlier studies have suggested that quitting smoking might reduce the risk of cancer incidence. Researchers have recently shown that quitting smoking is also effective not only to lower the original occurrence, but also to reduce the risk of relapse. Chen and colleagues at the National Taiwan University Hospital have shown that smokers who have had bladder cancer who continue smoking have a 2.2-fold greater risk of recurrence compared to those who quit .

Filed under: Prevention , Diets , Exercise , Nutrition , Vitamins and nutrients , Smoking , Sunday Seven

Filed under: Smoking On Wednesday, U.S. senators said that cigarette warning labels should cover at least half of the package and use graphic photos of cancer and other health effects . This discussion was part of an ongoing debate on a bill that would allow the FDA to regulate but not ban tobacco products. The bill would also give the FDA power to restrict advertising, sales to minors and ingredient composition. Under the bill, the FDA would have the authority to decide what the labels should say and show and where they should be placed. The bill is sponsored by Senator Ted Kennedy. According to Harvard's Allan Brandt in an interview wtih the Washington Post, the current labels have lost "almost any public health benefits that they may once have had. They are seen as diluted and old, and they don't influence smokers." About 52 senators support the bill and it is backed by the American Cancer Society and other health organizations. What do you think? Do you think larger, more graphic warnings on cigarette packages would deter smoking in the U.S.? Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: All Cancers , Environment , Diets , Exercise , Smoking , Sunday Seven Who knows which pieces of cancer information floating around out there are actually true? I don't. Do cell phones cause cancer? Some say yes, some say no, I say I'm confused! Luckily, I happened upon this Discovery Health article that highlights a variety of myths and then offers the lowdown on each one. Here are seven of them: Myth #1. There is currently a cure for cancer, but the medical industry won't tell the public about it because they make too much money treating cancer patients. Chalk this up to urban legend. And consider this: doctors, laboratory scientists, and their families and friends die of cancer at the same rate as everyone else in the United States. How about this: medical breakthroughs happen all the time and are quickly applied. Think about antibiotics and vaccines -- like the polio vaccine -- that have transformed health care. How about this? Not too long ago, less than one in 10 kids with leukemia survived 10 years. Now, the cure rate is nearly 80 percent. Seems like progress to me. Myth #2. Electronic devices, like cell phones, can cause cancer in the people who use them. Although very few studies suggest a link between rare types of brain tumors and cell phone use, the consensus among most research is that there is no consistent association between the two. The same goes for microwaves and related appliances that emit low-frequency radiation. Myth #3. Treating cancer with surgery causes it to spread throughout the body. This belief may have started many years ago when most patients already had very advanced forms of cancer at the time of surgery. Doctors may have detected a widespread disease that could not be successfully treated. When the patient died a short time later, some may have believed the surgery caused the cells to spread and kill the patient. The truth, however, is that doctors have long known how to safely take biopsies and remove tumors without causing any spread. In many cases, surgery is essential for survival. In cases where cells could be dislodged, doctors take proper precautions. For example, in testicular cancer cases, the entire testicle is removed to prevent this scenario. Myth #4. Regularly eating meat cooked on a charcoal grill won't increase cancer risk. Chemists have determined that grilling meats creates chemicals linked to cancer in animals, and you can increase your cancer risk by eating too much grilled red meat or chicken -- or even meat pan-fried at a very high temperature. So stay away from meat or chicken that is well-done or burnt. And try to eat grilled meats only occasionally. Myth #5. The risk of dying from cancer in the United States is increasing. Nope. Sometimes cancer figures are reported out of context, but the actual number of people dying from cancer is dropping. Cancer diagnoses and deaths have been decreasing since the early 1990s -- and less than half of those diagnosed with cancer today will die of the disease. Myth #6. What someone does as a young adult has little impact on their chances of getting cancer later in life. Lifestyle choices that begin early in life can increase the risk of developing cancer. The use of tobacco, diet, exercise, and exposure to the sun all have a cumulative effect, and most cases of cancer are consequences of many years of engaging in risky behaviors. More than two-thirds of all fatal cancer cases could have been prevented with simple lifestyle changes. Clearly, what we do early in life can come back to haunt us. Myth #7. You can prevent skin cancer by putting on one application of sunscreen at the start of each day. Slathering on sunscreen on a daily basis can give a false sense of security. It simply must be reapplied -- and even then, it offers on a certain level of protection. To make sure your skin is safe from UV rays, keep that sunscreen around, but also gather up some hats, long-sleeved shirts, and sunglasses -- and use them. And try to hide from the sun between the hours of 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

Filed under: Breast Cancer , Colon and Rectal Cancer , Kidney Cancer , Prevention , Esophageal Cancer , Research , Diets , Exercise , Obesity , Smoking , Daily news

Filed under: Environment , Diets , Stress Reduction , Exercise , Smoking , Sunday Seven I want to look like my son. I want a body like his anyway. He's long and lean and fit and well, six years old. I know I'm not comparing oranges and oranges here but still, I decided to ask Joey today about his eating habits, his fitness routine, his advice for those seeking health and wellness. His little brother, Danny, chimed in too -- he's almost four years old -- and together they rattled off all sorts of wisdom. I asked my boys seven questions to which they easily responded -- Joey while jumping the entire time (note to self: jump a lot), Danny while sitting next to me on our living room recliner, fiddling with the TV remote. What are some healthy foods? Joey said: "corn-on-the-cob, lettuce, salads, potatoes, strawberries, apples, and peanuts" -- in that order. Danny said: "chicken, broccoli, and noodles." A good start, I think. What are some unhealthy foods? Joey listed his favorites -- chocolate and candy -- and then added: "big, dark chocolate bunny rabbits and Swedish fish candy." Danny summed it up in one word: "candy." What are some good exercises for your body? Joey said: "running on the treadmill." Danny followed with: "running on the sidewalk." Joey was next with, "I have a good one, and it's good for your jaws too -- talking." He continued with: "jumping, jumping jacks, push-ups, knee lifts, lifting weights, and stretching." What do you do to cheer yourself up when you're sad? Joey talks to people and has fun. Danny laughs. What is bad for you body? "Cigarettes, cigars, smelling smoke and gas, and smelling pollen," said Joey. "Eating candy," said Danny. What are some ideas for staying healthy? Joey recommends: "stop smoking, stop smelling smells in the air, put sunscreen on so you don't get sunburn, and don't drink pool water." Danny recommends: "don't swallow your gum." What else do you have to say about being healthy? Joey: "make sure not to accidentally swallow air that has allergies in it, make sure to drink a lot (I don't think he's referring to alcohol), exercise a lot, hold a new baby, always water your plants, and never touch plants with three leaves -- that's poison ivy." You might want to fact-check the poison ivy part. Danny: "love your mommy, hug babies, don't touch spiders that are alive, and go pee-pee every day." I think my boys are on the right track. And I think I have my work cut out for me in my search for that perfect six-year-old body. Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: All Cancers , Environment , Diets , Stress Reduction , Exercise , Obesity , Nutrition , Smoking , Sunday Seven