The PREVENTION of MALIGNANCY

Based upon the evidence currently available, it is my conviction that a rational plan can be designed to prevent most types of cancer. Summed up in one word, moderation, the preventive approach involves several factors:
Your diet should be simple, utilizing natural foods as much as possible. Adequate amounts of fruit, fresh vegetables, and whole grain cereals should be included together with some nuts and natural sources of dietary fats, such as olives, avocados, and a most sparing use of vegetable oil. Any excess of oil, sugar, salt, or any single food, especially refined ones, in the diet should be shunned.
The low-fat vegetarian diet has been associated clearly with an increased resistance to many types of cancer. When individuals abstain from milk and eggs, as well as meat, the cancer risk becomes even lower. Naturally these total vegetarians must have a considerable knowledge of nutrition in order to maintain balanced nutrition, and provide optimum vitamin and mineral intake to maintain excellent health. Thousands of discriminating consumers, however, are rapidly adopting a vegetarian lifestyle as fast as they are able to learn how to select and prepare the foods. In this change is found the key to preventing not only many cancers, but also atherosclerosis and numerous other diseases.
Reasonable amounts of exercise should be obtained daily for a lifestyle that is low in occupational stress, while satisfying and productive. A moderate exposure to sunlight prevents detrimental premalignant skin changes that many acquire as their skin ages. The use of a broad-brimmed hat, sunscreen lotions, and avoidance of excessive sun bathing can bring about vibrant health, without wearing out or prematurely aging the dwelling of skin we live in.
Temperance advocates for many years have proclaimed the key to prevent one most common cancer. Those who abstain completely from tobacco smoke, and even avoid settings where the involuntary inhalation of stale secondhand smoke is required, will reduce their risk of lung cancer dramatically. Even ex-smokers who quit before a cancer develops, have a much lower rate than the devotee who continues to use cigarettes. Although pipes and cigars may produce less lung cancer, they’re stronger forms of tobacco still show malignant potential in cancer of the lip, tongue, throat, and larynx far too often.
Chronic use of alcohol increases the risk of cancer in the breast and liver, as well as seriously irritating the stomach and several other organs. Exposure to drugs of all kinds, including sex hormones, antibiotics, anticancer agents, and coal tar preparations can increase the incidence of malignancies in many organs. True temperance requires us to dispense entirely with all things hurtful, and use in moderation those things healthful. This principle of moderation can help to prevent many cancers.
Routine physical examinations and periodic self-examination of the breasts and skin, with careful observation for the symptoms of cancer described above can detect abnormal lesions in the earliest possible stage, when surgical removal is a possibility. A regular annual physical should usually include the annual Pap smear, a biennial sigmoidoscopic examination, together with the appropriate laboratory testing for additional aid in early diagnosis. On the other hand, it may just give satisfying reassurance concerning one’s state of health.

SKIN CANCER

Although more skin cancers are seen than malignancies involving any other organ, this is least commonly a cause of cancer death. Inasmuch as the lesion can be seen with the naked eye in an early stage, the potential for cure is well over 90%. It is thought that the single most important factor in the cause of skin cancer is chronic exposure to ultraviolet light of the sunburn wavelength (UV-B). Individuals who are intensely pigmented are quite well protected from these rays. Fair-complexioned individuals and albinos should especially use sunscreen preparations. All should avoid unnecessary exposure to x-rays, coal tar products, and arsenic preparations known to be carcinogens.
Seventy-five percent of all skin cancers are of the basal cell carcinoma type. These rarely metastasize, but are locally invasive. The cancer typically begins as a noninflamed, smooth, waxy nodule. Usually a number of small blood vessels are visible near the surface. These nodules often ulcerate and form a crust. Biopsy and excision will confirm the diagnosis; as well as treat the lesion. Simple excision gives the best cosmetic results. Liquid nitrogen may be used for local freezing, called cryosurgery. In combination with curettage or electrocautery, a cure rate of more than 95% may be expected.
Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common type, developing also from the surface layer of the skin, but having more propensity to metastasize. Most of these lesions are painless. They show up with firm, red plaques, displaying visible scales on the surface. They may arise from preexisting solar keratoses, premalignant lesions developing from repeated sunburn. Treatment is similar to that of basal cell lesions described above, namely removal.
Malignant melanoma is the most deadly type of skin cancer. They also are related to excessive sunburn and exposure. Pigmented moles are among the most common growths on the skin of humans. Some of these ultimately may change in their color, size, or hair pattern, which is often an early sign of their malignancy. Irregularities in surface pattern and varying colors are characteristic of the melanoma. Shades of red, white, or blue (no patriotism here) and other mixtures of brown and black, may indicate the development of this cancer.
Melanomas should always be removed with wide excision, since their propensity to spread to other organs, such as the liver, eye, and other areas of the skin is great. Therapy utilizing the immune mechanism (immunotherapy) has been used widely in the treatment of metastatic melanoma. Although still experimental these approaches offer an exciting alternative with less cost in toxicity to the individual. BCG vaccine, used for years to prevent tuberculosis, has found its place in the treatment of these melanomas with encouraging results in many cases.

LEUKEMIA

Cancer involving the blood and bone marrow is most often seen in children. Several types of leukemia are described, based upon the type of blood cells involved and their appearance under the microscope. Samples from the blood and bone marrow are usually compared. Ionizing radiation, whether from nuclear sources or x-ray therapy, is clearly associated with an increased incidence of these leukemias. Chemical agents, such as the anticancer drugs and occupational exposure to benzal have been associated with increased leukemia. Some hereditary factors have
also been linked with this disease.
Most interesting is the firmly established viral theory in relation to acute leukemia. In rodents, fowls, cats, and monkeys certain viruses are known to cause leukemia when experimentally inoculated. These animals can pass viruses to their offspring through the ovum or shed it in their milk or other secretions, thereby transmitting it to unaffected animals. Again it makes one wonder how much leukemia may actually be transmitted to human beings through the use of animal foods, such as meat, eggs or milk. Milk is increasingly suspect for cancer viruses, especially the bovine leukemia virus (BLV) and the bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV, a relative of HIV).
A disease in chickens (fowl leukosis) is estimated to affect up to 15% of the birds used for food, and many cases escape the casual inspection at the mass production slaughterhouse. The virus definitely passes into the egg, and can infect a baby chick even before hatching. It would take very high or prolonged cooking temperatures to be sure the virus was inactivated in eggs used for food. In spite of the fact that the common treatment of leukemia today is with cellular poisons (cytotoxic drugs), it is my hope that a much more physiologic treatment will soon become available, and, in the right setting be demonstrated as superior.
Combining a proper diet with the judicious use of fever therapy should induce the appropriate antibodies to aid in virus destruction and the maintenance of health, as well as a decrease in complications. This type of therapy has been used with increasing success in the treatment of related tumors, such as Hodgkin’s disease, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and some other lymphomas. These closely related malignancies all seem to have a common viral origin. Thus, they should respond to the intermittent induction of high fever, However, it must be given in a controlled setting for safety.

LUNG CANCER

Cancer of the lung is the most common cancer in men and increasing rapidly among women in the United States. There are a number of types of lung cancer, but the most common is called bronchogenic, since it originates in the bronchial tubes. By far, the most common cause of lung cancer is tobacco smoking with the risk directly proportionate to the number of cigarettes smoked and the amount of inhaling. It appears that in the tobacco tar, we find not only benz-0-pyrene, but also dozens of other cancerproducing chemicals, as well as other substances that sensitize the tissues to the destructive action of these agents. Over a period of years the hapless smoker accumulates an increasing amount of tar, until some of the lining cells, which at first increase in number as a protective measure, finally become transformed into malignant cells, which invade local tissues and eventually metastasize.
Extensive research on tobacco was sponsored by The American Cancer Society. Also, momentous publications by the recent Surgeon General of the United States, especially his dynamic governmental Report on Smoking and Health, underscore clearly the detrimental effects of tobacco use and its potential for producing malignancy in vital organs. In spite of many medical and surgical advances in the treatment of advanced cancer, lung cancer still takes the lives of about 95% of its victims. Tragically, most cases are discovered too late for any hope of cure, although this disease is almost entirely preventable.
An individual developing cancer of the lung may have no symptoms at all until the cancer is far advanced. Others develop a cough that may be confused with the smoker’s cough of chronic bronchitis. At times the expectorated mucous may contain blood, a rather late sign in the development of this cancer. Some unfortunate cases have spread to involve vital blood vessels, the brain, or bones before adequate diagnosis has been made. Occasionally, the removal of the lung or part of a lobe may eradicate the tumor early enough to effect a cure.

CANCER of the UTERUS and CERVIX

Routine screening has decreases the incidence of cervical cancer in recent years. Called the “Pap smear”, this screening tool developed by Dr.Papanicoleau has allowed for the early detection of change in the cells of the cervix. Being less common in nuns, in Jewish women, and in those with less sexual activity, this type of cancer merits great interest from a preventive standpoint. A virus similar to the Herpes virus that causes cold sores has been implicated in the development of some of these cancers.
More and more nurses, as well as many midwives are learning how to take these smears, thus increasing the acceptance of the pap smear to many women as well as making the procedure more available. It certainly should be part of an annual examination from the time of marriage on through life. Early diagnosis with surgical removal of the uterus and cervix can well be curative.
Cancer of the lining of the womb (endometrium) is less common, but is still taking many lives. This has definitely been related to the use of estrogens, the female hormone used traditionally to lighten symptoms of the menopause.
Avoidance of these hormone preparations, as well as prompt medical treatment in the event of unusual menstrual flow can provide the early diagnosis needed. An outpatient procedure, using techniques similar to the pap smear (e.g. Vabra aspiration, or the Pipelle) can with less expense and discomfort provide the reassurance needed to evaluate this bleeding.

CANCER of the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT

For the last three decades, cancer of the stomach has been decreasing in frequency in the United States. It remains high in Japan and certain other Oriental nations, and is probably related to the intake of certain foods, some highly seasoned, and others extremely hot. The second most common type of cancer in our country is cancer of the colon and rectum. This often produces a change in bowel habits, the stools becoming more constipated or of small caliber. Bleeding from the rectum is occasionally seen. This is usually red when the tumor growth is low in the colon and darker, brown to black (called melena) when the lesion is high in the colon or coming from the small intestine or stomach. This color change is due to the partial digestion of blood products by bacteria and enzymes in the bowel.
The rectal examination is helpful in detection of many cancers in their early stages. A ten-inch tube with attached light, called a sigmoidoscope can be used to look into the lower bowel, where nearly three-fourths of the cancers are seen. This should be done in conjunction with a complete annual exam for individuals over the age of 40. A new technology in fiber optic viewing, called endoscopy, has developed instruments that can examine the stomach and duodenum (gastroscopy), and the entire colon (colonoscopy).
These procedures are often done on an outpatient basis, and provide even more adequate confirmation than the traditional barium x-rays. The cause of these colon cancers is still somewhat uncertain. It is felt that a high fiber diet, which increases the rapidity of transit through the bowel, will decrease the incidence of cancer. This is probably because the waste products contain many toxins. In contact with the mucous lining of the bowel these can cause irritation and eventual malignant change in the cells. A number of foods, most notably meat, contains toxins (carcinogens) that can be directly associated with cancer. The benz-0-pyrene in a charcoal-broiled steak may be equivalent to that found in about 600 cigarettes. Methylcholanthrene is also a dangerous substance found in many types of meat. Recently discovered is the chemical malonaldehyde, which seems to be increased when the meat is cooked! Certain vegetables are not exempt from association with cancer. Moldy corn, peanuts, soybeans, and other seeds contain a factor called aflatoxin, which has been associated with liver cancer in several countries. It is interesting to note that the incidence of cancer is increasing in many fish that inhabit polluted streams and rivers. Problems with meat inspection also contribute to risk of cancer, in that certain portions of an animal carcass may be preserved for food, while another part of the animal may have actual malignancy.
All of these danger signals are turning more food buyers to a vegetarian diet. In fact the numbers are growing rapidly in the United Kingdom, where a disease called bovine spongiform encephalopathy was discovered in 1985. It will undoubtedly spread to other nations. Often called the “mad cow disease,” this condition results from using animal products such as a bone meal in cattle feed. The cows after a few years go crazy, and become violent. A virus-like particle called a PRION is found in the animal’s brain. Currently it is resistant to most germ killing procedures, including boiling, radiation, and disinfectants. Modern cancer virus research points out the “ounce of prevention” at your supermarket being worth much more than “pounds of cure” in the hospital. Another bit of good news in the treatment of cancer of the colon is that some types can be removed without radical resection of the organ. Many snares, cauteries, and forceps have been devised to remove these cancers from the rectum through the sigmoidoscope. Sometimes when the malignancy is present only as a growth on a stalk, the area involved can be followed with periodic examinations. Other times the removal of a portion of the colon is necessary to effect the cure. The possibility of metastasis to the lymph nodes or liver makes it important to achieve early diagnosis and therapy, if life is to be maximally prolonged.

BREAST CANCER

Cancer of the breast is the leading cancer among women in Western countries. It appears that this cancer is caused by one of several viruses and is increased in certain population groups. As mentioned before women who breast-feed their babies seem to be protected. Those with fibrocystic disease, a condition where the mammary glands enlarge and become engorged with sacs of fluid have an increased risk of breast malignancy.
Recent evidence points to the intake of caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, tea, and colas as factors in the production of this fibrocystic change. Beverage alcohol is believed to be one major risk factor in breast cancer. Men may also have breast cancer, but it is about 1/125th as common. Periodic self examination is an excellent aid to early detection of breast cancer, especially if it remains the same throughout the menstrual cycle.
A great deal of controversy is raging in the medical world concerning the best treatment for breast cancer. Some types seem to be adequately treated by locally excising the tumor. The removal of a portion of the breast obviously preserves normal anatomy and is far less mutilating than the more traditional radical mastectomy.
Many types of breast cancer are quite adequately treated and often cured by a modified approach removing the breast only, while preserving the muscles in the chest and dissecting the lymph glands in the arm pit only when the risk of metastasis is high. This to me seems like a much more “middle-ofthe- road” approach, avoiding the extensive mutilation and more serious
complications of the radical surgery commonly performed.

BENIGN TUMORS

Benign tumor growths, although not true cancers, share some of their same characteristics, such as viral causation, transformation of cells, and autonomous growth. A number of specific viruses are known to cause benign tumors. They are by far the most common of any new growths a person might have.
Warts are benign tumors that occur in almost any location. They are very common on the hands. However, in spite of folklore rumors, they are not caused by handling frogs! A wart virus penetrates the skin and transforms dermal cells causing this unusual growth. When it occurs on the sole of the foot, around the nail beds, or in the genital organs, it may be difficult to eradicate, even quite painful.
Warts can usually be frozen with liquid nitrogen, or may be removed chemically, such as with strong acids. Many physicians prefer to destroy the wart with an electric current (cautery) after appropriately anesthetizing the skin. Many of these can be successfully frozen or removed at home, if appropriate antiseptic precautions are observed.
Skin tags and papillomas are growths that protrude from the skin or mucous membrane. Some of these can be tied off with a strong silk string, while others with a larger base require local excision, freezing technique, or chemical cautery. Soft lumps of varying sizes under the skin are often lipomas, fatty tumors that usually develop autonomously in the fatty tissue beneath the skin. Sometimes for cosmetic reasons these are removed by a simple surgical procedure done under local anesthesia. Fibrous tumors (fibromas) and various types of moles also can be removed to prevent cosmetic blemish, irritation, or the avoidance of further growth.

Sociodemographic risk factors for fatigue in cancer

The pattern of increased risk of fatigue among women which was so clearly demonstrated in population-based studies of healthy individuals is not so obvious in cancer-related fatigue. Of nine studies identified which assessed the relationship, five found no difference between men and women (Hickok et al. 1996; Smets et al. 1998a; Glaus 1998; Donnelly et al. 1995; Stone et al. 1999), whilst the remaining four (Vogelzang et al. 1997; Smets et al. 1998b; Loge et al. 1999; Akechi et al. 1999) showed that women had more fatigue than men. The key difference between papers which appear to show a difference and those which do not is the disease stage or time from treatment—those that found a difference in rates between men and women tended to have taken samples with earlier disease or ‘survivors’ in whom the disease had remitted. It may be that with less aggressive or remitted disease, the pattern of fatigue becomes closer to that of the general population.
The pattern of fatigue in cancer according to age is confusing. There might be an expectation that younger cancer patients suffer less fatigue, but Hickok et al. (1996) found a U-shaped distribution of fatigue in cancer patients according to age, with fatigue symptoms at their highest in relatively young adults (aged less than 50) and the over 70s. Glaus (1998) found a slightly more complex biphasic relationship, with younger patients having more affective symptoms of fatigue whilst the older group had more physical symptoms of fatigue. Two other studies reported a relationship between age and fatigue—Loge et al. (1999) found that older patients were more fatigued and Vogelzang et al. (1997) found younger patients were more fatigued. The remaining studies showed no relationship (Andrykowski et al. 1998; Smets et al. 1998a; Stone et al 1999; Cimprich 1999; Hann et al. 1999).
One other remaining sociodemographic characteristic was widely studied, namely educational status. Here there appears to be a consistent association, with most studies reporting greater fatigue in the less well educated (Irvine et al. 1994; Mast 1998; Loge et al. 1999) although, as ever, there are exceptions, with one study (Akechi et al. 1999) describing the opposite relationship.

Prevalence: how common is fatigue in cancer?

The simple answer to this question is ‘very’. However, there are a number of important obstacles to determining the prevalence of fatigue in cancer patients. In part it is difficult to gain a reliable picture of the prevalence of fatigue in cancer because most studies which look at fatigue in cancer assess the symptom in special groups. It is likely that the prevalence of fatigue in cancer patients varies significantly accordingto site and type of cancer, stage of disease, presence of medical co-morbidity (anaemia,infection, metabolic disturbance), and psychiatric disorders (especially depression andanxiety).
it makes the results difficult to interpret except to those familiar with the questionnaires involved.
Some studies have assessed the prevalence of fatigue against other common symptoms:
Ng and von Gunten (1998) found that fatigue and weakness were the two commonest symptoms in hospice patients, with a prevalence of over 80%, whereas painwas only present in approximately half. Despite the almost universal presence of fatigue in this population, it was relatively infrequently rated as the ‘main symptom’— only being reported by 6%, as opposed to 11% for pain (the most common ‘main symptom’ was respiratory problems, present in 22%). Other studies which have assessed multiple symptoms also point to fatigue being the most common symptom of cancer irrespective of diagnosis or stage (Kurtz et al. 1994; Savage et al. 1997; Newell et al. 1998), except where the symptom was ascertained from case notes (Savage et al. 1997), implying that medical staff tend not to question patients about it, or ignore the symptom if it is spontaneously reported.
Relatively few studies have attempted to compare patients with cancer and other control populations: Mendoza et al. (1999) and Stone et al. (1999) (see Table 1.2) are exceptions and took healthy controls as comparison groups. Both studies found very significant differences in prevalence rates of severe fatigue between these groups. There can be little doubt that cancer is strongly associated with fatigue when healthy control populations are used. In contrast Andrykowski et al. (1998) compared levels of fatigue in 88 women with breast cancer and a similar number of women who had attended a breast clinic for benign breast disease.Whilst the women with breast cancer had more fatigue than those with benign disease the difference was slight and not statistically significant on several of the fatigue scales used. This may say more about their control group of symptomatic women consulting for a breast problem than about the cancer patients.
Two studies (Mendoza et al. 1999; Stone et al. 1999) looked at the distribution of fatigue among patients with cancer. In the general population the distribution is strongly skewed, with a long tail going to the right of the distribution. These studies indicate that the entire distribution is shifted to the right in cancer patients. Hence the increased prevalence of fatigue in cancer patients is not due to a relatively few sufferers who are very fatigued, but to a general shift in the population’s experience of the symptom.

Uncertainties regarding assessment, treatment,and future care

The complexity of fatigue in cancer and the wide range of different mechanisms means that accurate assessment, with an understanding of the likely cause(s) and associated factors, is critical to considering treatment options. There has been a lack of information on this in the past, often leading doctors and nurses to feel hopeless in the face of fatigue.
But some possible methods of assessing fatigue and monitoring progress are now available. Measuring the severity and consequences of fatigue is complex; fatigue is difficult to measure, because of the different ways in which it is interpreted and understood. Yet this is vital if treatments and their outcomes are to be monitored over time. Treatment options are varied, depending on the likely cause. The evidence base for treatments is only now developing; studies are often lacking and are difficult to conduct.
However, correction of simple causes, such as sleep interruption or anaemia, if identified, is a common first step. There are also general non-pharmacological measures such as adapting activities of daily living and occupational therapy to help match clinical function and symptom status with the expectation of patients and families. There is a wide range of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions available. Corticosteroids have been proposed as a treatment, and are often used. It is argued that they may decrease fatigue, either by inhibiting the release of tumour-induced substances or by a central euphoria effect. Amphetamines have been favoured in some settings, in particular in North American countries. Many other pharmacological treatments are emerging for the treatment of fatigue and its related symptoms.
Because of the lack of concentration of research and clinical effort in cancer-related fatigue some aspects the findings are preliminary and in some areas they contradict. Here we have sought to present the best knowledge and to debate opposing evidence, in the hope that it will provide doctors, nurses, and all those involved in caring for patients and families with mechanisms for improving care, as well as identifying important future lines of enquiry through research. The appraisals may begin to break the past, sometimes nihilistic, attitude to the assessment, discussion, and treatment of fatigue and encourage future trials and investigation, so that ultimately the effects of this most common and neglected symptom may be reduced.

Fatigue: a complex symptom with wide-reaching effects

Fatigue is associated with increased distress due to some other symptoms, including
pain. It often clusters with cachexia and anorexia, and is difficult to distinguish
between them . It has profound effects on everyday functioning and,
perhaps consequently, service use. It reduces quality of life and increases suffering.
Fatigue has been associated with hospital admission and increased stress to caregivers
(Hinton 1994; Robinson and Posner 1992). The needs of lay caregivers in this context
are often overlooked . A deeper comprehension of these factors is
important in assessing patients, planning care, and in designing and testing future
treatments for fatigue.
But do the effects of fatigue stretch even wider, reaching well beyond traditional
symptom boundaries? Having energy and vitality is an important part of self-image.
Fatigue is often seen as a sign of impending deterioration. So if doctors and nurses are
to discuss fatigue with patients, grasping their interpretation and understanding of
fatigue is essential . Fatigue can have a profound meaning for patients
living with fatigue, and for their carers or family, which also need to be considered and
assessed.

Stress Contributes to Some Cancers

While the relationship between stress and cancer has not been definitely proven, enough information has been gathered to cause researchers to continue to explore the question. For example, the National Cancer Institute reports that some studies of women with breast cancer have shown significantly higher rates of occurrence of this disease among women who have experienced traumatic life events and stress within several years of their diagnosis. These factors include death of a spouse, social isolation, and other psychological factors.

Studies are also under way to explore the effects of stress on the immune response of women already diagnosed with cancer to see if stress reduction can slow the progression of the cancer. One major study conducted by Ohio State University and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute involved high-stress and low-stress women following surgery for stage II and stage III breast cancer. The researchers found that the women who reported high levels of personal stress had significantly lower blood levels of three important immune factors. The first two were the NK cells, which play a large role in the immune system’s search for tumors and virally infected cells, and T-lymphocytes, also known as white blood cells. When the researchers exposed the NK cells within the bloodstream of the high-stress women to extra amounts of gamma interferon, a compound that naturally enhances NK cell activity and the replication of viruses, they found a third significantly lowered immune response. The more stress a woman reported, the less effect the gamma interferon had on her NK cells.

Know Where You Want to Go in the Long Run

Brett Butler’s goal was not only to survive cancer by getting the best treatment possible, but he also wanted to get back to the game of baseball because that was where he felt most alive. Every choice he made, every step of the way, was focused on getting back onto the field of his dreams.

The more clearly you can visualize your long-term goals, the more likely you are to avoid wasting your time and energy reaching them. For example, if your goal is to spend your life working as a healer who eases people’s suffering, training to be a medical doctor might be the best way to achieve that goal—or it might leave you feeling frustrated and disillusioned. The pressures on doctors are intense in the “write-and-rip” world of the modern HMO, where they will see dozens of patients a day. Some doctors who work in that system find ways to remain emotionally connected and caring toward their patients. Others become so stressed by its demands that they become emotionally disconnected or addicted to prescription drugs to keep themselves going. There are a hundred ways to become a healer, both traditional and nontraditional. The trick is figuring out what kind of person you are and in what sort of world you would feel most comfortable and fulfilled.
There are many ways of achieving your goals once you know where you want to be in the long run. Looking down the road and clearly visualizing the work, relationship, or promotion that you really want can save you from being disappointed and wasting your energy.

Chronic Depression May Lead to Cancer

According to researchers at the National Institute on Ageing in Bethesda, they tracked 4,825 elderly Americans for 10 years, and found that those who were chronically depressed during the first six years of the study were almost twice as likely to develop cancer as their nondepressed counter-parts. (See web: depression.net) Cancer malignancies of the breast, colon, lung and prostate were prominent in chronically depressed individuals. The researchers stated that depression cannot be considered a cause for cancer, but they noted that depression boosts blood levels of stress hormones, which impair immune function. Chronic depression appears to suppress the immune system significantly enough and long enough to allow cancer cells to multiply. You may seek on-line psychotherapy by contacting: (http://www.cyberanalysis.com or seek medical information by contacting medsurf.com).

Early Lifestyle Triggers Obesity

Lifestyle triggers obesity in kids. Many young people are not physically active on a regular basis and physical activity declines dramatically during adolescence. Regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence improves strength and endurance, helps build healthy bones and muscles, helps control weight, reduces anxiety and stress and increases self-esteem. It also helps normalize blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
There are numerous reasons for concern for these overweight children. Studies show that overweight children are at risk for many serious diseases such as high levels of blood pressure, insulin and cholesterol, making them excellent candidates for conditions like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. In addition, there is the emotional stress and depression associated with peer pressure and the stigmatism of being fat.
It’s important to be supportive, accepting and loving of all children, overweight or not. A positive self-image is important for weight control. There are many ways to help an overweight child regain control of their weight. By cutting out 100 calories a day, he’ll lose 15 pounds a year! Turn off the TV and video games and encourage physical activity; sports, handball, tae kwon do, rollerblading, swimming, trampolining, tennis, etc. Teach nutrition and healthy eating practices, not only by making healthy meals, but by example – eat the right foods and avoid fast foods, high sugar snacks, sodas and desserts altogether. Substitute healthy fresh fruit snacks and raw veggie stick snacks. Eat slowly and chew each mouthful thoroughly. Don’t overeat. Exercising, eating healthy foods and an occasional fast day helps teach children early to normalize their weight.

Essential Fatty Acids Decrease Health Risks

Two kinds of unsaturated fats are necessary for your very survival. These are the essential fatty acids omega-6 (linoleic acid) and omega-3 (linolenic acid). Since your body cannot manufacture these fatty acids, they must be obtained from the foods you eat. Omega-6 is fairly common and is found in most of the vegetable oils sold in the grocery store. I suggest, however, that you try to buy your vegetable oils in health foods stores, if possible. Most typical grocery store oils, which are processed for mass distribution, are often filled with free radicals and bad fats called trans-fatty acids. Omega-3 is found in soy oil, walnut oil, flax oil, and canola oils and in dark green, leafy vegetables. I suggest that you purchase all oils in dark-colored green or amber bottles, since clear bottles tend to make the oils go rancid after a time due to chemical changes caused by exposure to sunlight.
It is especially important to make sure that you supplement your food plan with enough omega-3 fats, since the American diet is usually deficient in this nutrient. While the ideal ratio of omega-6 oil to omega-3 should be between 3:1 and 4:1, a recent study showed that for most people their level of omega-6 is 20 times their level of omega-3.
The benefits of ingesting the proper amount of unsaturated fats and essential fatty acids include:

• Lowering cholesterol levels
• Lowering high blood pressure
• Decreasing symptoms of heart palpitations and angina
• Preventing significantly the risk of heart attacks and strokes
• Decreasing the symptoms of multiple sclerosis
• Decreasing the pain and swelling of rheumatoid arthritis
• Correcting or markedly improving skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema
• Lowering the risk of cancer

There are several other ways to increase the amount of essential fatty acids in your diet. For example, cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, and trout are rich sources of the essential fatty acid metabolites DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). These have been shown to help lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, and lower one’s risk for cardiovascular disease. Aside from simply eating fish a minimum of twice per week, you can supplement your diet with omega-3 by taking fish oil capsules (taken with a meal), available at most pharmacies or health food stores.
Flax oil is another rich source of omega-3 and all essential fatty acids, which is why body builders mix it into their protein drinks so often. It is best taken not in capsules but in liquid form to make sure that it is fresh and of high quality. The next time you are fixing a green salad, try using a tablespoon of flax oil as a dressing, or half a tablespoon mixed with sunflower oil or a little vinegar. You may also lightly brush it over meat after it has been cooked.
Other acceptable oils or products containing oils include corn oil, Hellmann’s Light Mayonnaise, Kraft Light Mayonnaise, Smart Balance Soft Spread (no trans-fatty acids), and unsaturated corn oil. Products such as Promise, Take Control, Fleischmann’s Margarine, and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! (spray, not solid) are excellent butter alternatives. If real butter is your only alternative when dining out, use it in moderation.
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