Battling Cancer

Resource post for December

Exercise has always been one of the major keys to health and longer lifespan. Conversely, lack of exercise has been linked to many diseases including cardiovascular disorders, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis. But what about cancer and exercise? Is there a link? Here are the latest updates on this topic.

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Grilling is a summertime event. But is there a cancer connection?

“In January, 2005 ,The National Institute of Health, Dept. of Health and Human Services officially added heterocyclic amines, chemicals created during the grilling of meat to its hit list of cancer causing agents.” Source: The American Academy of Anti Aging.

Heterocyclic amines??

These are the cancer risk chemicals formed when cooking the muscle meats like pork, chicken, beef and even fish.

The Cancer Project Lists the Top Five Worst Foods to Grill:

1. Chicken breast, skinless, boneless, grilled, well done (the worst)

2. Steak grilled and well done

3. Pork barbecue

4. Salmon grilled with skin

5. Hamburger grilled and well done

Elizabeth Schaub, registered and licensed dietitian on the medical staff at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano, explains. “When you grill meat some of the fat does drip down on to the charcoal and when fat meets that really high temperature it develops a carcinogen and the smoke carries the carcinogen back up to the meat which can be dangerous for our bodies.” Source: Medical News Today.

I don’t know about you but I am seriously groaning right now. Give up the grill? Maybe not.

Certainly we could cook only veggie burgers, and vegetables. They produce no carcinogens and yes, are a satisfying option.

But what can those of us who enjoy grilled, meat, fish and poultry do to cut down the cancer risk?

• Reduce the time on the grill. Precook your meat, fish and poultry
• Keep the grill clean to reduce carcinogenic smoke
• Buy lean cuts to cut down on the grease drips that cause smoke
• Trim the fat and remove the skin before grilling
• Don’t char your meat, fish or chicken
• Reduce grill time by cutting up your food and skewering it
• Try placing foil on the grill to eliminate grease fed smoke

The August issue of SELF magazine recommends marinating the meat with herbs such as basil and oregano to reduce carcinogens by 87%.

This is doable.

In fact, try this recipe for Beef and Vegetable Kebabs from Mayo Clinic

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown rice
2 cups water
4 ounces top sirloin (choice)
3 tablespoons fat-free Italian dressing
1 green pepper, seeded and cut into 4 pieces
4 cherry tomatoes
1 small onion, cut into 4 wedges
2 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes, or metal skewers

In a saucepan over high heat, combine the rice and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Add more water if necessary to keep the rice from drying out. Transfer to a small bowl to keep warm.

Cut the meat into 4 equal portions. Put the meat in a small bowl and pour Italian dressing over the top. Put in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to marinate, turning as needed.

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill or a broiler. Away from the heat source, lightly coat the grill rack or broiler pan with cooking spray. Position the cooking rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source.

Thread 2 cubes of meat, 2 green pepper slices, 2 cherry tomatoes and 2 onion wedges onto each skewer. Place the kebabs on the grill rack or broiler pan. Grill or broil the kebabs for about 5 to 10 minutes, turning as needed.

Divide the rice onto individual plates. Top with 1 kebab and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information is available here.

And check out Bobby Flay’s Low-Fat Kebabs Made with Shellfish and Veggies!

Yum. Fire up that grill!

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Time to start screening for colon/colorectal cancer. NOW!

The Facts:

March is National Colon/Colorectal Awareness Month.

The lifetime risk for being diagnosed with colorectal cancer is 1 in 19.

90% of all colon cancer diagnoses are in people age 50 or older.

It is the third leading cancer diagnosis in men and the fourth in women.

The disease strikes about 150, 000 people and causes approximately 50,000 deaths per year.

African-American’s are the highest racial or ethnic group at risk in the U.S.

The disease usually starts with a polyp.

The 5 year survival rate for those diagnosed early is 90%

Only 39% of those diagnosed are diagnosed early.

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Hi there, readers! Since I’ll be on the road travelling for the next two days, I asked Amanda Devereaux, one of my former bosses and best friends, to step in for me for the following guest post.   Amanda, who is blessed with both beauty and brains, has a Ph.D. in Microbiology and is currently working in a cancer research laboratory.  I’m sure you’ll find her opinions as entertaining as I do!

It is that time of year again.  No, I am not talking about all the snow, ice, and crappy weather associated with winter, check local weather forecast.  It’s time to take care of your bottom.  

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A new study out this week aims to put a more individual spin on the mathematics behind tumor progression.

Niko Beerenwinkel and colleagues used a colon cancer case study to analyze how much particular gene mutations affect an individual’s tumor development. They found that current tumor progression models, which only looked at a few genes of interest, lacked the accuracy that a model based on a larger selection of gene mutations could provide.

Previously, doctors have relied heavily on standard mathematical formulas to derive predictions on how large individual tumors will grow in a particular amount of time. The article, which was published on November 9 in the Public Library of Science journal Computational Biology, may help explain the huge variation between individual tumors.

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By Lena Butler

Upon hearing the diagnosis of colon cancer, a set of mixed emotions can flow that can make you feel overwhelmed and stress. You are pressed into a situation where everything suddenly seems uncertain. Forced to look over future financial concerns, the shock of knowing your condition can put you to a breaking point.

The good news is, despite such worrying circumstances, this is a normal reaction of a cancer patient. The better news is the prospect of dealing with cancer should not discourage you to defeat the disease. There are a slew of success stories that will encourage you to face your situation with courage and joy.

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By Groshan Fabiola

Over 100,000 people will find out that they have colon cancer just in the United States alone. Colon cancer is one of the most spread cancer types in the U.S. while being the second and third factor of cancer death. But, thanks to new screening methods cancer can be diagnosed in its earliest stages resulting in a rising number of people being cured of this disease.

Since an abnormal cell needs 10-15 years to evolve into colorectal cancer, regular cancer testing would help diagnose and cure it before becoming a problem.

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By Groshan Fabiola

1. What is colon cancer?

Cancer is a disease which can affect cells from all organs. The colon cancer affects the cells of the colon, determining them to proliferate in an uncontrollable way. This mass of abnormal cells will form a tumor inside the colon. The cancer of the intestine is quite frequent and two thirds of this type of cancer is situated in the colon.

2. Who can develop colon cancer?

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By Rudy Silva

Colon cancer starts with colon polyps. Polyps are growths in the inner lining of your colon walls. They are formed when the inner lining is irritated or attacked by fecal matter toxins. When you have colon polyps, you dramatically increase your risk of getting colon cancer.

To prevent getting colon cancer you need to prevent getting polyps. If you have polyps then you need to prevent them from becoming cancerous.

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By Tony Thompson

Colon cancer is more commonly known as bowel cancer, this is where there is a malignant growth in the colon. Early symptoms of colon cancer can include a change in bowel movements either constipation or diahoerria , pain in the lower abdomen, blood mixed in with the faeces. These symptoms are fairly mundane, so often go un-noticed causing the tumor to grow undetected, inperticulally as people still find it hard to discuss there bowel movements with anybody especially there Doctor. Occasionally there are no symptoms until the tumor has got so large that it causes a blockage in the intestine or Could possibly even perforate the intestine. Some forms of colon cancer can be genetic/hereditary however in some cases of colon cancer the precise reason people Contract the disease is unknown. Diet may be cause of colon cancer, eating a lot of meat, too much fatty foods and not enough fiber, fruit and vegetables all add up to a un-healthy diet so increasing the risk of colon cancer.

The tests carried out to diagnose colon cancer include a sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy. A sigmoidoscopy is when a camera is inserted into the anus to examine the rectum and the sigmoid colon. A colonoscopy is when a flexible fibre-optic camera Called a colonscope is put into the body via the anus and fed along the colon. Instruments may be fed down the colonscope So this is how a biopsy would be performed. Colon cancer can often occur with other diseases of the colon, for example ulcerative colitis.

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