Cancer Prevention Tips

1/3/2011
Heart-healthy & Cancer-preventive Diet for Your 2011

With the new year coming, we challenge you to change your lifestyle to prevent major chronic diseases including heart disease and cancer, and save lives. You can start by improving your daily diet. 3 basic components or principles of heart-healthy and cancer-preventive diet are similar to Mediterranean diet, including:

Healthy and nutritious diets: a plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and fish or seafood, with limited red meat, unhealthy fats, salt and sugar.
Addition of olive oil.
A glass of red wine --- Important: use it moderately but never abuse it. Alternatively, drink grape juice, which also contains resveratrol.

Healthy eating consists of not only a balanced diet but also proper eating habits (from having daily breakfast, avoiding a big meal to not abusing alcohol).

1/10/2011
How to Enhance Your Happiness

Happiness plays an established role in one's health. It’s accepted that happiness contributes to a positive outlook in life, which helps reduce inflammation in the body, consequently reducing diseases and cancer risks. Here are 7 proven ways to enhance your happiness:

Be grateful for what you have, especially small things.
Be determined to be happy --- a daily choice you make.
Be kind and helpful to others.
Be more loving and caring, because you’re more likely to be rewarded the same.
Be disciplined to foster a peaceful mind and patient manner.
Be positive.
Be committed to enhance your self-esteem and self-satisfaction, because happiness is a lifelong journey, rather than a moment or a day.

1/17/2011
Top 5 Cleaners for Good Health and Cancer Prevention

Research has shown that household cleaning products may contribute to cancer, particularly breast cancer, because most of them contain endocrine disrupting chemicals, other toxic chemicals, and mammary gland carcinogens. Women have a higher risk as they use these household cleaners on a regular basis and therefore, are often exposed to toxins.

To reduce your cancer risk, here are top 5 cleaning alternatives:

E-Cloth – The best. No chemical at all, with water only for power cleaning!
Baking Soda and/or Washing Soda – many uses including cleaning, deodorizing, water softening.
Lemon – effective and anti-bacteria.
White vinegar – removing grease, mildew, some stains and wax build-up.
Soap – but limit those with petroleum based or mixed.

1/31/2011
Top 10 Warning Signs of Cancer You Should Never Ignore

To get early diagnosis and treatment to effectively fight cancer, see your doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms.

1. A lump in the breast or any part of the body

2. A sore or pain that doesn’t heal

3. A cough that doesn’t go away

4. A new mole or change(s) in a mole

5. Changes in your bowel or bladder habits

6. Unusual discharge or bleeding

7. Unexplained weight loss or gain

8. Difficulty in swallowing

9. Discomfort after eating

10. Frequently tired or weak

Source: The Cancer Center at Lake Manassas at www.cancercenterlm.org

2/7/2011
Ready Your Health for the Spring

4 principles:

Set your goal, be specific and realistic, e.g. lose 10 pounds in 6 months, or run a marathon in 2 years.
Focus on your goal and work hard on it. Don’t look for a short cut. For instance, some quick weight-loss programs do not give you a long-lasting result.
Apply due diligence, not only on practice of healthy habits, but also on analysis of information, just like a good quarterback who needs both performance and adjustments based on his studies.
Celebrate your own progress or achievement by giving yourself a treat.

2/21/2011
Healthy Cooking to Prevent Cancer

It’s critical to eat a balanced anti-cancer diet. In addition, how you prepare and cook food matters, because unhealthy or improper ways to cook food can introduce carcinogens to your body. Here are the top 10 tips:

Wash fresh veggies and fruits clean and thoroughly to minimize pesticides.
Eat veggies fresh, raw or steam them lightly.
Limit processed foods, esp. cured, dried, preserved, or smoked meats.
Cut off fats from meat.
Use olive oil as much as possible.
Reduce deep-fry or greasy cooking at high heat as much as possible.
Reduce salt and sugar as much as possible.
Grill or barbecue at lower heat to avoid burning or charring and resultant carcinogens.
Avoid foods that look or smell moldy.
When using a microwave, use glass or BPA-free containers as well as safe covers rather than plastic wrap.

2/28/2011
Top 8 Tips for Colon Cancer Prevention

Colon Cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer. However, if detected early, it's also preventable and treatable.

Here are top 8 tips help you with risk awareness and prevention.

Know your family history.
Know your personal risk factors, such as age 50 or older, bowel disease history, precancerous condition (colon polyps).
Control your weight.
Establish a healthy diet, including high fibers, low fat, low sugar, and low red or processed meat.
Maintain physical activity.
Have colonoscopy, esp. after age 50
Quit smoking.
Consult your doctor if you notice any of the following signs or symptoms:

Change in bowel habits
Blood in the stool (“black” colored stool)
Unexplained yet persistent abdominal pain
Unexplained weight loss
Unexplained weakness and fatigue

3/7/2011
Dark Chocolate's Sweet Power for Cancer Prevention

The main benefit that consuming dark chocolate, rather than milk or white chocolate, may reduce cancer risks results from the fact that it contains a higher percentage of cacao, and thus antioxidants.

How to eat dark chocolate also matters. Here are some helpful guidelines:

- Type : dark chocolate with cacao at least 65% up.

- Size or Amount : small or moderate, proper servings are 7 oz. per week or 1 oz daily.

- Alternative : cocoa powder, which can be used for hot chocolate or baking.

- Must : combination with a healthy, balanced diet

- Caution : the ingredients. Always check to make sure they don’t contain fats, “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils.

3/21/2011
Black Foods Are Super-foods for Nutrition and Cancer Prevention

Research evidence shows that high fruit and vegetable intake has linked to decreased cancer risk. Colors of fruits and veggies come from plant pigments ─ rich in antioxidants, hence the darker, the better. As an expert comment, “black foods have more antioxidants than light-colored foods because of their high pigment content.” Black foods have a profound effect on lowering cancer risk and maintaining cardiovascular health. Here are super-foods for your next grocery shopping list:

Blackberries
Black beans
Black soybeans
Black lentils
Black rice
Black tea
Black sesame
Black sesame oil

4/4/2011
Walking Is an Easier and Most Beneficial Exercise (especially with the warmer spring weather)

Top 8 advantages of walking:

It improves cardiovascular function and reduces risk of heart attack.
It helps control blood pressure.
It helps weight management by stimulating body metabolism and burning calories.
It strengthens the leg muscles.
It can be done by anyone in any shape and has low impact.
It can be done anytime, no schedule limitation.
It doesn’t require any equipment.
It is FREE.

To get the most health results from walking, follow the experts’ recommendation, that is, walk briskly for 30 minutes a day and at least 5 times a week.

4/18/2011
Simple & Effective Cancer Prevention Meals

Cancer Prevention foods are antioxidant-rich foods, here are some examples with key components:

Foods rich in carotenoids: dark-green leafy vegetables, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables
Foods rich in sulphoraphanes: broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts
Food and herbs rich in flavonoids: berries, grapes, green tea

Let’s put them in a Cancer Prevention Salad containing but not limited to:

- Tomatoes

- Broccoli

- Onions

- Red peppers

- Cucumbers

- Chopped cooked beets

- Celery

- Chives

- Nuts (e.g. peanuts, walnuts)

- Purslane

- Sage

Add a dose of Cancer Prevention Dressing made of:

- Olive oil or flaxseed oil,

- Chopped garlic

- Rosemary,

- A dash of lemon juice, and

- Hot peppers (if desirable)

Then drink green tea.

4/25/2011
An Overlooked Ingredient for Cancer Prevention

Turmeric is a common food flavoring and coloring in Asian cooking. An active ingredient in turmeric, called Curcumin, is an antioxidant.

Some studies show that turmeric may prevent and slow the growth of a number of types of cancer, particularly tumors of the esophagus, mouth, intestines, stomach, breast, and skin. It might work through iits anti-inflammatory properties, angiogensis (the formation of new blood supply to tumor growth) prevention, and cancer cell killing effect of curcumin.

When used as a spice in foods, turmeric is considered safe. Note a few cautions:

Potential effects of taking a larger amount are virtually unknown.
Importantly, remember that supplements with curcumin extract are not the same as the whole herb.
Be aware of any interaction between turmeric, curcumin and other drugs.

5/2/2011
Nurture Body NK Cells to Fight Cancer

The most powerful disease fighting cells in our body are Natural Killer (NK) cells. NK cells kill cancer cells and destroy infected cells.

The number of NK cells counts little for the immune function, yet the activity of NK cells is more important in establishing immune control against cancer. So, you need to enhance their activity. Here are a few simple tips for your daily actions:

1. Lighten up and laugh more to relieve stress.

2. Exercise regularly.

3. Eat more broccoli and other antioxidant-rich food.

All three elevate NK cell activity. A popular saying is “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, and if you add the above combo, you might keep cancer away.

5/9/2011
Food-associated Risk Factors for Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is a major health concern for older males, research shows that food and nutrition play a role.

Foods that possibly increase your risk of bladder cancer include:

- Salted and barbecued meat

- Pickled veggies

- Animal fat

- Soy products

- High salt

- Artificial sweetners

- Excessive coffee consumption

Foods that are associated with a reduced risk of bladder cancer:

- Fruit and yellow-orange vegetables, especially carrots

- Food containing selenium

- Citrus fruits, such as oranges, mandarins and lemon

- Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, turnips, radishes, bok choy, and watercress.

5/23/2011
Barbecue Tips to Prevent Cancer

With the Memorial Day Weekend and summer around the corner, it’s time for outdoor parties. Before that, read these 7 important tips for your food safety to reduce cancer risks.

1. Choose sea food and white meat instead of red meat.

2. Choose vegetables instead of meat.

3. Choose lean meat and trim visible fat to reduce flare ups due to fat dripping onto the flame.

4. Marinate the meat to reduce cancer-causing substances (i.e. carcinogens).

5. Barbeque as little as possible by the following ways:

1) Use small portion.

2) Pre-cook it by microwaving or boiling.

3) Alternatively, use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking.

6. Grill at lower temperatures and turn the meat often.

7. Don’t eat any charred or burned part of food.

6/13/2011
Minimize Your Consumption of 8 Types of Food

Regular consumption of the following foods is associated with various types of cancer, such as lung, colon, breast, liver, and esophagus cancer.

Processed meats: contain nitrates and excess salt.
Processed foods: contain refined carbohydrates, artificial sweeteners and preservatives, leading to obesity.
Smoked and pickled foods: are linked to cancers of digestive tract.
Fried foods, esp. deep-fried ones, chips and potatoes contain acrylamide, a potential cancer-causing chemical.
Foods containing the preservatives BHT, BHA: which are potential carcinogens in studies of animals and humans.
Trans fats: increase risks of colon and breast cancer, and of course, risk of heart disease.
Refined sugar: contains high glycemic value, it can raise blood sugar level quickly and accelerate cancer cell growth.
Soda: promotes obesity, and obesity is closely associated with cancer.

6/20/2011
Cell Phone and Cancer Risk 101

Recently, WHO, based on recommendation of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), has declared cell phones are possible cancer-causing agents. Here are top 3 take-home messages:

“Possibly carcinogenic” means that some evidence indicates cell phone is linked to cancer, especially brain tumor (glioma), and we should keep alert about it. Meanwhile, further research is needed.
Children are particularly vulnerable because of their thinner skulls and greater lifetime exposure to cell phones. Therefore, children and pregnant women should seriously limit cell phone use, or better never use.
Minimize your exposure, reduce your cell phone use by turning it off more often, and by using safer headset or land line phone whenever possible.

It is important to understand that cell phone radiation may not pose immediate damage to your health, but it can cause various health problems and increase cancer risk overtime.

7/4/2011
July 4th Health Wise

Whether you celebrate the Nation’s birthday by partying, barbecuing in your back yard or by vacationing on a beach, here are the top 5 tips for your health and safety:

Sun-wise: Protect you and your family from too much sun exposure (see more on S-H-A-D-E Advice to Prevent Sun Damage).
Food-wise: While enjoying barbecued meat, add 1-2 healthy side dishes with healthy dressing.
Drink-wise: Limit alcohol intake.
Air quality-wise: Avoid smoking and second-hand smoking.
Time-wise: Instead of watching TV or consuming sweets, take a walk around the neighborhood, enjoy a bike ride, or any form of exercise.

7/18/2011
Eat More Cranberries

Cranberries have preventive benefits for cancers of the breast, lung, colon and prostate. Anti-cancer benefits of cranberries are associated with their

antioxidant activity (among the highest)
anti-inflammatory properties
anti-proliferative and inhibitory effects on certain cancer cells in vitro.

So, in your daily 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables, make sure to have cranberries on the list.

How to consume cranberries? Eat fresh or dried. Mix them with nuts or other fruits as snack, or add some to your salad. You can also drink cranberry juice, but read labels carefully.

How to measure the size of intake? About 100 cranberries count as 1 serving cup.

8/1/2011
More Fiber Intake for Cancer Prevention

Diet fiber, also called roughage, plays a key role in keeping your digestive system healthy. It helps move food through the digestive tract and move cancer-causing substances out. A diet low in fiber may increase the risk of colorectal and breast cancer.

Tips to ensure that you get enough fiber:

Eat various foods rich in fiber, including:
Intake 35 grams of fiber daily.
Add fiber to each of your meals including snacks and desserts.
Whenever possible, consume the fiber-rich peels or skins of fruits and vegetables.
Drink plenty of water to avoid intestinal discomfort.

Fruits (fresh and dried)
Vegetables
Dried beans and peas
Cereals
Whole grains

8/29/2011
Healthy Eating On-the-go

It’s back-to-school time again. To help you eat healthy when running a hectic, busy life, here are tips for some on-the-go meals:

At work or schools if applicable:

Protein-rich foods, e.g. sandwiches or salads with canned tuna or salmon or turkey.
Nutritious snacks, e.g. nuts, dried fruits, fiber-rich energy bars, and soybean snacks
Fruits and vegetables, e.g. an apple --- easy to carry around or store
Microwavable food, e.g. instant oatmeal, instant noodles

In the car:

Bite-sized fruits and vegetables, e.g. blueberries, cubic or sliced apple, broccoli and baby carrots.
Travel-friendly foods, e.g. peanut butter sandwiches, fiber-rich energy bars, or small, individually packaged low-fat cheeses (containing calcium & protein) that don’t require immediate refrigeration.

10/24/2011
Top 8 Tips to Prevent Breast Cancer

Here are 8 healthy-living tips to help you raise breast cancer awareness daily, not just once a year; consequently, it will reduce your breast cancer risk.

Know your risk factors (e.g. family history, overweight).
Eat healthy daily by consuming more fruits and vegetables.
Drink water but not alcohol. Filtered water is the best.
Move smart by exercising but not smoking.
Clean without chemicals by using E-cloth (“green-cleaning”).
Minimize your exposure to BPA and cancer-causing substances in foods.
Reduce your exposure to environmental carcinogens (e.g. sun, radiation, toxic chemicals)
Notice any breast changes.

11/21/2011
Key to a Healthy, Happy Thanksgiving

Many things go into having a happy Thanksgiving Holiday while maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reducing cancer risks. Here are the top 7 tips:

Start with eating right.
Avoid processed foods, period.
Replace alcohol or coke with cranberry juice, grape juice and/or green tea.
Take a walk instead of watching TV after a feast, or enjoy other physical activities.
Avoid holiday weight gain.
Get enough sleep.
Be thankful, relaxing and reduce stress.

How to eat right

Do not purchase a turkey that has been injected with butter or juices.
Limit high-fat menus.
Use low-fat seasoning, dressing, and cooking methods.
Eat more vegetables and fruits, esp. dark, leafy greens as side dishes, berries for deserts.
Reduce salt and sugar intake.
Do not over-eat.

11/28/2011
Tips for Staying Wise on Drinking Water

The best and simplest way to keep you and your family stay water-wise is to apply the ABC tips:

A plentiful of water intake every day

Be wise on water by drinking filtered water.

Check on your urine.

In other words, you should drink water daily, drink a plentiful of water during the day (a rule of thumb is 8 glasses or 1-2 liters of water), and more important, drink filtered water, because filtered water is clean and safe.

So, the keywords are Daily, Plentiful, and Filtered.

An indicator of good hydration is that the urine should be plentiful, colorless, and odorless.

See more info.

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