Cancer is one of the scariest diseases today for most people and being diagnosed with the dreaded word can stop us in our tracks. If there is a history of cancer in your family, like there is in mine, it's something you think about every time you find a lump, notice a new spot or have a pain that doesn't go away.
An article I found showed that Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and a network of collaborators estimated mortality for 12 types of cancer linked to nine risk factors in seven World Bank regions for the year 2001? The following are the nine factors they listed:
• Smoking
• Alcohol
• Overweight/obesity
• Low fruit & vegetable intake
• Physical inactivity
• Unsafe sex
• Air pollutants
• Contaminated injection in a healthcare setting
• Indoor smoke from coal furnace or fireplaces
I found these to be pretty common across the board for the most part but a couple surprised me. Some we have no control over but five of the nine we can and should take a serious look at how they play a role in our own life. The following are some life changes to consider incorporating in your life that can make a significant difference in preventing disease. 5 things that you can do now that will reduce your risk of cancer:
1. LOOSE WEIGHT: Now we all know obesity can be the cause of many diseases and our diets play a big role in how our bodies react to disease. It has been proven that our western diet is one of the major problems with our constant consumption of fast food, greasy fried foods and the time saving prepared foods in our daily diet. The lack of exercise is also one of the nine key factors in obesity and can lead to disease. It's also well documented in the medical field that up to 40 percent of cancer cases can be prevented by a healthy lifestyle. Loosing just 5-10% of your body weight can make a huge difference in how your body functions and will take the burden off organs trying to over compensate for that extra weight.
2. REDUCE STRESS: Let's face it we will all have stress on a daily basis probably for the rest of our lives what with today's hectic lifestyle, working long hours and driving in traffic dealing with the activities of our kids. There is good news though, we can learn how to deal with stress so the effect it has on our bodies is reduced to a minimum. If you control your emotions and thoughts surrounding the stressor, weather it's while you're driving in traffic or dealing with a boss that is blaming you for something he did or didn't do, you can change how you feel and the effect it has on your body. The following is a list of ways to control emotions that I found helpful.
• Take 15-30 minutes a day for yourself, try to clear your mind and visualize all stress leaving your body with every breath you exhale.
• Meditation
• Cat naps-small naps if you're able will really help your physical well being.
• Stop and notice how you're feeling when you're in a stressful situation then immediately change your feelings surrounding it.
What you'll find if you do one or more of these is that you will be able to control your emotions and how your body handles stress as it comes along. The key here is to not let the stress get to the point that is can affect your physical well being.
3. EAT HEALTHIER & EXERCISE: Even though some of us who are not over weight are still at risk due to poor diet. Our bodies are starved because of the lack of nourishment in the food we eat. According to a Swedish study published in the "Journal Diabetes Care" elevated blood sugar has the potential of increasing women's risk of pancreatic, skin, urinary tract, womb and breast cancer. We all know that a diet high in junk food and high levels of blood sugar can eventually cause Type 2 diabetes in some people. Also called adult onset diabetes, which happens when the body can no longer regulate hormone insulin, and has been shown to lead to increased cancer risk. However, the Swedish study demonstrated a correlation between blood sugar levels and cancer risk, independent of the occurrence of diabetes. Researchers studied nearly 65,000 adults between the ages of 40 and 60 for 13 years. They found that the 25 percent of women with the highest blood sugar had a 26 percent higher chance of developing cancer than the 25 percent with the lowest blood sugar levels. Breast cancer risk in particular was increased only among pre-menopausal women. Blood sugar levels did not correlate with cancer risk in men.
Our western diet of red meat, starch and sweets may also be a major cause of breast cancer among postmenopausal women. It could double the risk compared to a diet that's rich in vegetables. This is just another reason for people, and especially woman to make small changes that could make a big difference. A lot of women are eating a diet of soy and more fruits and vegetables but as we have discussed already that's not enough.
4. TAKE A GOOD SUPPLEMENT: We all know taking vitamins to supplement what we don't get in our food is not only essential it's mandatory in our changing world. There are a lot of choices out there when it comes to supplements and to get every nutrient our body needs you could spend a small fortune every month and still not know if it was enough or if it was the right nutrient to do the job. The ideal is that we find one that delivers all the nutrition we need while being easy to take without breaking the bank.
5. STOP SMOKING: This is a big one not only will it reduce your chances of getting cancer it will help many other areas you don't even realize. I'm an ex-smoker and I can tell you until I quit I didn't realize how many health issues I had that were exacerbated by smoking and improved once I quit. Not only has it slowed the aging process, smoking can age the skin and cause wrinkles, but I found I slept better and we all know that deeper sleep can greatly improve our overall health. These five things can reduce your risk of getting cancer but the most important hands down is nutrition. I have spent a lot of time researching what the body needs to function at its peak and I found that the nutrients we consume are handled differently by each person. What causes this is our assimilation and how readily we can absorb the nutrition we put in our mouths. If a person has a digestive problem then takes a supplement, let's say vitamin c, they would only absorb a small amount in the blood stream and the rest would be flushed through their system. A liquid supplement is going to be more easily absorbed since it will go directly to the blood stream then a tablet that has to be broke down in the stomach then absorbed so this is a good choice of many.
The key here is to start somewhere, if you eat healthier, get exercise, lose weight (if needed), handle stress and stop smoking you will reduce your chances of getting cancer significantly but giving the body the nutrition it needs to work as it was designed to is the most important thing you can do. Most of us take better care of our car then we do our own body and this is evident when you look at how many people have chronic diseases today compared to fifty years ago. The time to change is today.
My name is Lori Jenkins and I am a Nutritional Researcher from Texas specializing in nutritional supplements.
http://www.limu4newyou.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lori_J_Jenkins
Selasa, 2008 Mei 06
Health Article On Cancer
The cure for cancer is still some way off but it is something that science expects to happen possibly within the next few decades; medical research continues to advance in it's war with this disease that plagues humanity. Although there are other more awful diseases, this one holds the crown at the moment because of how often it is diagnosed. The three most common cancers in men in America are prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer while the women are affected by breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer.
It causes more deaths per population than any other illness and the older you get the more prone you are to contracting the disease; Statistics show that the number of people cancer kills globally each year is about 13 in every one hundred.
A cure would bring a sigh of relief everywhere.
The reasons cancer is triggered in the body are only theories as it can be caused by many things. Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body.These normal cells grow out of control and even intrude in other surrounding tissues.
Benign tumors do not normally grow larger, metastasize or threaten the body and organs like malignant (cancerous) tumors do although it is possible for a malignant tumor to have started out as benign. Cancerous cells may have been transformed by radiation or poison for example and this creates genetic abnormality in those cells which then continue to grow and divide.
Just to confuse the issue more, it is possible to inherit genes that may be pre-disposed to it as well as faulty genetic DNA replication. It would seem that certain people's genetic makeup makes them less prone to contacting the illness even if they are allowing harmful carcinogens into their bodies.
Owing to the worldwide problem of cancer, it is regularly studied throughout the world and extending our knowledge on the subject. We are always learning more about diseases and how they affect our bodies and minds. We are continually trying to find out why this disease attacks some and not others. We all want to know more about the causes of cancer what we can do to help prevent this illness from striking.
It is now believed by many that the food we eat could be responsible for many cases. Even if this is not the case, what we eat does have an effect on our overall and long term health. Some of the foodstuffs that could be causing these problems are salt, saturated fats and dairy products. A high calcium intake could possibly be responsible for cases of prostrate cancer in men.
Cancer can affect any part of the body from the bones, blood, skin or organs. The problem is that it can also be insidious and a person may have it for some time before it is diagnosed. Cures for many types have advanced in recent years and are more likely to be successful if the cancer is found in its early stages. Cancer is not the certain death sentence it once was and although many of its various forms are incurable at this time, medical science continues to improve.
Maria Mbura
Visit the Health Articles site for more related information and news on Health Net and Nutritional Health Supplements.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maria_Mbura
It causes more deaths per population than any other illness and the older you get the more prone you are to contracting the disease; Statistics show that the number of people cancer kills globally each year is about 13 in every one hundred.
A cure would bring a sigh of relief everywhere.
The reasons cancer is triggered in the body are only theories as it can be caused by many things. Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body.These normal cells grow out of control and even intrude in other surrounding tissues.
Benign tumors do not normally grow larger, metastasize or threaten the body and organs like malignant (cancerous) tumors do although it is possible for a malignant tumor to have started out as benign. Cancerous cells may have been transformed by radiation or poison for example and this creates genetic abnormality in those cells which then continue to grow and divide.
Just to confuse the issue more, it is possible to inherit genes that may be pre-disposed to it as well as faulty genetic DNA replication. It would seem that certain people's genetic makeup makes them less prone to contacting the illness even if they are allowing harmful carcinogens into their bodies.
Owing to the worldwide problem of cancer, it is regularly studied throughout the world and extending our knowledge on the subject. We are always learning more about diseases and how they affect our bodies and minds. We are continually trying to find out why this disease attacks some and not others. We all want to know more about the causes of cancer what we can do to help prevent this illness from striking.
It is now believed by many that the food we eat could be responsible for many cases. Even if this is not the case, what we eat does have an effect on our overall and long term health. Some of the foodstuffs that could be causing these problems are salt, saturated fats and dairy products. A high calcium intake could possibly be responsible for cases of prostrate cancer in men.
Cancer can affect any part of the body from the bones, blood, skin or organs. The problem is that it can also be insidious and a person may have it for some time before it is diagnosed. Cures for many types have advanced in recent years and are more likely to be successful if the cancer is found in its early stages. Cancer is not the certain death sentence it once was and although many of its various forms are incurable at this time, medical science continues to improve.
Maria Mbura
Visit the Health Articles site for more related information and news on Health Net and Nutritional Health Supplements.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maria_Mbura
Vitamin D and Pancreatic Cancer Risk
The natural health news is abuzz with reports that vitamin D lowers the risk of cancer, but in the case of pancreatic cancer, this is not always the case. Smokers do not have the same response to vitamin D as non-smokers.
The Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study in Finland followed the vitamin consumption of 29,133 men aged 50 to 69 who smoked at least 5 cigarettes a day. During the nearly 17 years of the study, certain patterns were observed in the participants who developed pancreatic cancer. They were:
* Taller,
* Thinner,
* Had lower blood pressure,
* And were about twice as likely as men who did not develop pancreatic cancer to have had asthma or diabetes.
They ate less fish, drank more milk, and were more likely to have spent their working lives at desk jobs. None of these differences were so striking, however, as to suggest gaining weight, raising blood pressure, eating more fish, drinking less milk, or getting a job as a lumberjack might prevent pancreatic cancer.
Where pancreatic cancer sufferers showed a marked difference from men who did not develop pancreatic cancer--this being in cohort of all-smokers--was in vitamin D. Men who had the highest concentrations of vitamin D in their bloodstreams had a 150 to 500 per cent greater risk of developing the cancer.
But this was not the only study vitamin D and the risk of pancreatic cancer.
The even larger Nurses Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study in the USA followed 75,427 women and 46,771 men for 14 years. Their findings?
Men and women with the highest consumption of vitamin D from foods, 600 IU a day or more had a 41 per cent lower risk of pancreatic cancer.
The effect was slightly greater in men.
How can the two conflicting results be reconciled?
The Finnish study measured bloodstream concentrations of vitamin D in male smokers, while the American studies estimated vitamin D consumption in groups of men and women including both smokers and non-smokers. The body makes its own vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight, and it may be that over-production of vitamin D somehow occurs in smokers.
But these massive studies don't really tell us what the difference is. And a third study done at Harvard to be released in April 2008 finds that African-Americans have yet another pattern of pancreatic cancer risk as relates to vitamin D.
I've spent the best part of my working years writing about and formulating herbal and nutritional supplements, but sometimes nutritional supplements simply are not appropriate. It seems sensible to avoid vitamin D supplements if:
* You're a man,
* You smoke, and
* You have a family history of pancreatic cancer.
For everyone else, vitamin D supplements are probably safe, but it's more useful to make sure you get plenty of vitamin B, especially folic acid.
Robert Rister is the author or co-author of nine books on natural health and Folic Acid and Pancreatic Cancer Risk and Alternative Pancreatic Cancer Therapies.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Rister
The Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study in Finland followed the vitamin consumption of 29,133 men aged 50 to 69 who smoked at least 5 cigarettes a day. During the nearly 17 years of the study, certain patterns were observed in the participants who developed pancreatic cancer. They were:
* Taller,
* Thinner,
* Had lower blood pressure,
* And were about twice as likely as men who did not develop pancreatic cancer to have had asthma or diabetes.
They ate less fish, drank more milk, and were more likely to have spent their working lives at desk jobs. None of these differences were so striking, however, as to suggest gaining weight, raising blood pressure, eating more fish, drinking less milk, or getting a job as a lumberjack might prevent pancreatic cancer.
Where pancreatic cancer sufferers showed a marked difference from men who did not develop pancreatic cancer--this being in cohort of all-smokers--was in vitamin D. Men who had the highest concentrations of vitamin D in their bloodstreams had a 150 to 500 per cent greater risk of developing the cancer.
But this was not the only study vitamin D and the risk of pancreatic cancer.
The even larger Nurses Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study in the USA followed 75,427 women and 46,771 men for 14 years. Their findings?
Men and women with the highest consumption of vitamin D from foods, 600 IU a day or more had a 41 per cent lower risk of pancreatic cancer.
The effect was slightly greater in men.
How can the two conflicting results be reconciled?
The Finnish study measured bloodstream concentrations of vitamin D in male smokers, while the American studies estimated vitamin D consumption in groups of men and women including both smokers and non-smokers. The body makes its own vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight, and it may be that over-production of vitamin D somehow occurs in smokers.
But these massive studies don't really tell us what the difference is. And a third study done at Harvard to be released in April 2008 finds that African-Americans have yet another pattern of pancreatic cancer risk as relates to vitamin D.
I've spent the best part of my working years writing about and formulating herbal and nutritional supplements, but sometimes nutritional supplements simply are not appropriate. It seems sensible to avoid vitamin D supplements if:
* You're a man,
* You smoke, and
* You have a family history of pancreatic cancer.
For everyone else, vitamin D supplements are probably safe, but it's more useful to make sure you get plenty of vitamin B, especially folic acid.
Robert Rister is the author or co-author of nine books on natural health and Folic Acid and Pancreatic Cancer Risk and Alternative Pancreatic Cancer Therapies.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Rister
Pancreatic Cancer and L-Arginine Supplementation
Nutritional supplementation with the amino acid arginine is commonly recommended by natural healers, but for some people arginine can be harmful, rather than helpful.
Arginine is an "essential" amino acid in infants, in the elderly, and in people undergoing stress. The human body can convert arginine into nitric oxide, which "opens up" circulation, or into L-ornithine, which is used in creating new tissues. In cancer treatment, arginine supplementation is part of a strategy of giving cancer cells the amino acids they "don't want" while depriving them of amino acids they need to proliferate. The important consideration, however, is that different kinds of cancer cells have different metabolic requirements.
Specialists in the surgical treatment of cancer have been studying the use of supplemental arginine in cancer treatment since the early 1990's. In 1992, these scientists reported that the only time they observed recovery of the immune system from surgery for cancer in the upper digestive tract was when patients received a combination of arginine, RNA, and omega-3 fatty acids.
And in another study of cancers in the lower digestive tract, specifically colorectal cancer, researchers found that giving cancer patients 30 grams (that's 30,000 mg) of arginine for 3 days caused cancer cells to grow more receptor sites where white blood cells could identify and destroy them. So is taking supplemental arginine a good idea in pancreatic cancer?
The answer is no.
In other digestive cancers, the cancer cell uses arginine to make ornithine, which creates new structures in the cell. Among those structures are the receptor sites on the surface of the cell that may make it more susceptible either to chemotherapy or to the action of the immune system.
In pancreatic cancer, the cancer cell ordinarily repairs its structures very slowly, so it is more likely to use arginine to make nitric oxide. This chemical opens the microscopic blood vessels surrounding the cancer cell, then the cancerous tumor, allowing it greater nourishment and an avenue to spread throughout the pancreas and out into other parts of the body. In at least one strain of pancreatic cancer cells, arginine demonstrably increases growth, and application of an enzyme to stop cells' use of arginine slows cancer growth.
While it is not a good idea for people with pancreatic cancer to take supplemental arginine, it is not necessary to avoid foods that are relatively high in arginine (such as sesame seeds, spirulina, pumpkin seeds, soy, gelatin, fried pork skins, cod, almonds, and, to a lesser extent, most meats), at least it is not necessary to avoid them because of their arginine content. That's because the amount of supplements needed to make a difference in cancer treatment provides 4 to 15 times the amount of arginine you can get from food. Only supplemental arginine needs to be avoided in pancreatic cancer.
Robert Rister is also the author of Folic Acid May Help Prevent Pancreatic Cancer and Alternative Pancreatic Cancer Therapies.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Rister
Arginine is an "essential" amino acid in infants, in the elderly, and in people undergoing stress. The human body can convert arginine into nitric oxide, which "opens up" circulation, or into L-ornithine, which is used in creating new tissues. In cancer treatment, arginine supplementation is part of a strategy of giving cancer cells the amino acids they "don't want" while depriving them of amino acids they need to proliferate. The important consideration, however, is that different kinds of cancer cells have different metabolic requirements.
Specialists in the surgical treatment of cancer have been studying the use of supplemental arginine in cancer treatment since the early 1990's. In 1992, these scientists reported that the only time they observed recovery of the immune system from surgery for cancer in the upper digestive tract was when patients received a combination of arginine, RNA, and omega-3 fatty acids.
And in another study of cancers in the lower digestive tract, specifically colorectal cancer, researchers found that giving cancer patients 30 grams (that's 30,000 mg) of arginine for 3 days caused cancer cells to grow more receptor sites where white blood cells could identify and destroy them. So is taking supplemental arginine a good idea in pancreatic cancer?
The answer is no.
In other digestive cancers, the cancer cell uses arginine to make ornithine, which creates new structures in the cell. Among those structures are the receptor sites on the surface of the cell that may make it more susceptible either to chemotherapy or to the action of the immune system.
In pancreatic cancer, the cancer cell ordinarily repairs its structures very slowly, so it is more likely to use arginine to make nitric oxide. This chemical opens the microscopic blood vessels surrounding the cancer cell, then the cancerous tumor, allowing it greater nourishment and an avenue to spread throughout the pancreas and out into other parts of the body. In at least one strain of pancreatic cancer cells, arginine demonstrably increases growth, and application of an enzyme to stop cells' use of arginine slows cancer growth.
While it is not a good idea for people with pancreatic cancer to take supplemental arginine, it is not necessary to avoid foods that are relatively high in arginine (such as sesame seeds, spirulina, pumpkin seeds, soy, gelatin, fried pork skins, cod, almonds, and, to a lesser extent, most meats), at least it is not necessary to avoid them because of their arginine content. That's because the amount of supplements needed to make a difference in cancer treatment provides 4 to 15 times the amount of arginine you can get from food. Only supplemental arginine needs to be avoided in pancreatic cancer.
Robert Rister is also the author of Folic Acid May Help Prevent Pancreatic Cancer and Alternative Pancreatic Cancer Therapies.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Rister
NCI's Least Researched Cancer and the Celeb's Who Lost Their Battles
Despite the fact that pancreatic cancer has the #1 fatality rate of all cancers, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) only spent 1% of our countries $4.8 billion dollar cancer budget towards research in the year 2007. This cancer is the #4 cancer killer in the United States amongst men and women. There is no effective early detection and minimal treatment options.
I first became aware of just how deadly this cancer was when I heard on the radio in April of 1991, that actor Michael Landon had been diagnosed with it. He looked healthy on The Johnny Carson Show and I was positive he would be alright. I was wrong and three months later on July 1,1991 he died at age 54.
In late January of 2004 this disease hit me on a more personal note, when my father was diagnosed. You can imagine all of our shock when he was told there was nothing that could be done. Despite the fact that we took him to one of the finest Medical University's in the United States he was given no treatment options. He was diagnosed Stage IV and was told to go home and get his things in order. On March 22, 2004 my father passed away from pancreatic cancer, just seven short weeks after being told.
The statistics for this disease are miserable. In 2002 approximately 30,700 people were diagnosed in the United States with 30,000 of them dying. That same year 33.1 million dollars was spent by the NCI on it's research. That was 0.8 of 1% of their 4.176 billion dollar budget. When broken down that represents a mere $1,092 per patient. That amount towards research is the lowest of any leading cancer despite the fact that pancreatic cancer is the deadliest of them all.
Fast track four years into 2006 and you will find the same sad statistics. In that year approximately 37,170 people were diagnosed in the U.S. with roughly 36,000 dying of the disease. The NCI spent 66.7 million dollars on research for that year, but that still is only 1% of the NCI's 4.8 billion dollar cancer research budget.
More funding has to be allocated for any possible cure to this disease .With 1 out of 3 women and 1 out of 2 men being diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetime we should all be concerned. Cancer does not discriminate. It doesn't care if you are Kimberly's father or a famous "Movie Star". As I was saddened to hear just this morning that Patrick Swayze was recently diagnosed with this disease. Below, I have listed some recognizable names who have lost their battle with pancreatic cancer.
Luciano Pavarotti (Opera Star)
Brock Peters (Actor) "To Kill a Mockingbird"
M. Scott Peck (Writer/Psychiatrist) "The Road Less Traveled"
Richard Crenna (Actor) "Rambo"
Benjamin Orr (Singer/Guitarist) "Cars"
Clifton Fadiman (Writer/Host) helped found "Book of the Month Club"
Harry Blackstone Jr. (Magician)
Diana Lewis (Actress) "Go West Cry Havoc"
Michael Landon (Actor) "Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie"
Fred Gwynne (Actor/Author) "Herman Munster (The Munster's)"
Vince Edwards (Actor) "Ben Casey"
Bill Hicks (Comedian)
Frank Herbert (Author) "Created Dune Series"
Billy Carter (President Jimmy Carter's Brother) "Billy Beer"
Brian Daley (Author) "The Han Solo Adventures"
Steve James (Actor) "American Ninja"
Marcello Mastroianni (Actor) "Divozio"
John Sylvester White (Actor) Mr. Woodman "Welcome Back Kotter"
Juliet Prowse (Actress)
Jack Benny (Actor/ Comedian)
Donna Reed (Actress) "It's a Wonderful Life"
Fernando Lamas (Actor)
Dizzy Gillespie (Musician)
Henry Mancini (Composer)
Harvey Martin (Dallas Cowboy Defensive End)
Richard Mulligan (Actor) "Soap and Empty Nest"
Tom Poston (Actor) "Bob Newhart Show"
Alan Bates (English Actor) "Winner of 2 Tony Awards"
Roger Marshultz (Photographer) "Images of Young Elvis"
Gareth Hunt (Actor) "The New Avengers"
Sir Reginald "Rex" Carey Harrison "Academy & Tony Award Winner"
Kimberly was unaware at the time of her fathers diagnoses that pancreatic cancer was the deadliest form of cancer with the least amount of funding towards research. In the last 30 years there has been little progress made in curing this disease. In fact most people diagnosed with PC don't live a full year. Kimberly recently created a very (humble) blog detailing her fathers daily struggle while battling this disease and a list of celebrities who lost their own battle.
http://kimberlyinChance.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kimberly_Cierech
I first became aware of just how deadly this cancer was when I heard on the radio in April of 1991, that actor Michael Landon had been diagnosed with it. He looked healthy on The Johnny Carson Show and I was positive he would be alright. I was wrong and three months later on July 1,1991 he died at age 54.
In late January of 2004 this disease hit me on a more personal note, when my father was diagnosed. You can imagine all of our shock when he was told there was nothing that could be done. Despite the fact that we took him to one of the finest Medical University's in the United States he was given no treatment options. He was diagnosed Stage IV and was told to go home and get his things in order. On March 22, 2004 my father passed away from pancreatic cancer, just seven short weeks after being told.
The statistics for this disease are miserable. In 2002 approximately 30,700 people were diagnosed in the United States with 30,000 of them dying. That same year 33.1 million dollars was spent by the NCI on it's research. That was 0.8 of 1% of their 4.176 billion dollar budget. When broken down that represents a mere $1,092 per patient. That amount towards research is the lowest of any leading cancer despite the fact that pancreatic cancer is the deadliest of them all.
Fast track four years into 2006 and you will find the same sad statistics. In that year approximately 37,170 people were diagnosed in the U.S. with roughly 36,000 dying of the disease. The NCI spent 66.7 million dollars on research for that year, but that still is only 1% of the NCI's 4.8 billion dollar cancer research budget.
More funding has to be allocated for any possible cure to this disease .With 1 out of 3 women and 1 out of 2 men being diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetime we should all be concerned. Cancer does not discriminate. It doesn't care if you are Kimberly's father or a famous "Movie Star". As I was saddened to hear just this morning that Patrick Swayze was recently diagnosed with this disease. Below, I have listed some recognizable names who have lost their battle with pancreatic cancer.
Luciano Pavarotti (Opera Star)
Brock Peters (Actor) "To Kill a Mockingbird"
M. Scott Peck (Writer/Psychiatrist) "The Road Less Traveled"
Richard Crenna (Actor) "Rambo"
Benjamin Orr (Singer/Guitarist) "Cars"
Clifton Fadiman (Writer/Host) helped found "Book of the Month Club"
Harry Blackstone Jr. (Magician)
Diana Lewis (Actress) "Go West Cry Havoc"
Michael Landon (Actor) "Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie"
Fred Gwynne (Actor/Author) "Herman Munster (The Munster's)"
Vince Edwards (Actor) "Ben Casey"
Bill Hicks (Comedian)
Frank Herbert (Author) "Created Dune Series"
Billy Carter (President Jimmy Carter's Brother) "Billy Beer"
Brian Daley (Author) "The Han Solo Adventures"
Steve James (Actor) "American Ninja"
Marcello Mastroianni (Actor) "Divozio"
John Sylvester White (Actor) Mr. Woodman "Welcome Back Kotter"
Juliet Prowse (Actress)
Jack Benny (Actor/ Comedian)
Donna Reed (Actress) "It's a Wonderful Life"
Fernando Lamas (Actor)
Dizzy Gillespie (Musician)
Henry Mancini (Composer)
Harvey Martin (Dallas Cowboy Defensive End)
Richard Mulligan (Actor) "Soap and Empty Nest"
Tom Poston (Actor) "Bob Newhart Show"
Alan Bates (English Actor) "Winner of 2 Tony Awards"
Roger Marshultz (Photographer) "Images of Young Elvis"
Gareth Hunt (Actor) "The New Avengers"
Sir Reginald "Rex" Carey Harrison "Academy & Tony Award Winner"
Kimberly was unaware at the time of her fathers diagnoses that pancreatic cancer was the deadliest form of cancer with the least amount of funding towards research. In the last 30 years there has been little progress made in curing this disease. In fact most people diagnosed with PC don't live a full year. Kimberly recently created a very (humble) blog detailing her fathers daily struggle while battling this disease and a list of celebrities who lost their own battle.
http://kimberlyinChance.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kimberly_Cierech
Boosting the Immune System is a Primary Concern in the Natural Treatment of Cancer
Being given a diagnosis of cancer is one of the most difficult things to overcome in life.
One of the first things that a person given a diagnosis of cancer thinks about is ask why? Why me? What could I have done to prevent it? Was there something that I didn't do? Was there something I did to cause it? The reason why cancer appears varies from person to person and it is because of this fact that there will never be one cure-all treatment for cancer.
Another thought of many diagnosed with cancer is what to do about it. Discussions with the person's medical doctors often result in the feeling that there must be an all natural approach to cancer, especially when the treatment options don't look good. They wonder what the alternative health practitioners do to treat cancer patients, thinking there must be another way. The question opens up a whole new world to the cancer patient and his or her family as they search for solutions for the cancer itself and if none are found, they opt for the compassionate thing to do - increase the person's quality of life.
An all natural approach to cancer developed by an alternative health care practitioner often includes herbs, supplements, IV's, diet changes, and stress reduction/relaxation or visualization exercises. Many alternative health care practitioners treating cancer search for the reasons why the person developed cancer in the first place.
When alternative health practitioners use a natural approach for cancer, they have three major goals:
1) boost the immune system
2) detoxify the body
3) fortify the body with nutrients from foods, nutritional supplements, and herbs.
This article will focus on the purpose of boosting the immune system and how to actually boost the immune system using all natural herbs, foods and products.
Why is Boosting the Immune System Important for Cancer Patients?
Our immune system has been very intricately designed by God. There are many cells that directly attack cancer cells and others that assist in immobilizing aggressive cancer cells. There are genes that turn on cancer and genes that turn it off. By increasing the numbers of the cells that assist in immobilizing cancer cells, you boost the body's immune system. This then prevents the body from being in a weakened state during the cancer treatment phases.
Natural killer cells are one of the most important parts of our body's white blood cell army and are known to kill cancer cells. Natural killer cells increase their activity naturally when the body has the right amount of selenium, vitamin C and germanium. In the last decade of my practice, I have seen that greater than 80% of those with cancer have low levels of selenium that shows up on a hair analysis. They also have low levels of germanium, the element that oxygenates the tissues.
While investigating an alternative clinic in Arizona for an article that appeared in Alternative Medicine magazine, I discovered that every cancer patient tested for vitamin C levels in the body had levels so low that 46 grams of vitamin C per day was needed for 2 full weeks in an IV form to reverse the deficiency! That's quite a deficiency! And it makes sense clinically because vitamin C prevents cancer from spreading to other areas in the body.
Reishi mushrooms contain chemical constituents that will also increase natural killer cell count in the body. By increasing the cell count numbers of natural killer cells using an all natural approach to cancer, positive steps toward recovery can often be seen.
Other all natural approaches to cancer include consumption of plenty of organic fruits and vegetables which supply the body with not only vitamin C and other antioxidants, but also plant phytonutrients that fill in the gaps of nutrition that every cancer patient needs. Supplying these in the form of fresh juices that do not raise the blood sugar levels is the key to making this therapy work.
In the last decade, many herbal formulas have come into the limelight to show how they can decrease chemotherapy side effects. These products help by boosting the immune system of the patient, who is usually suffering from a weakened immune system because of chemotherapy and radiation.
Recently I found out about an all natural herbal formula that contains herbs which have been shown in clinical studies to boost the immune system. These herbs include Astragalus, licorice, dong quai, reishi mushroom, tangerine, codonopsis root, psoralea fruit, poria seed, dendroblum stem, ligustrum lucidum fruit, bai-zhu-atractylodes root, rehmannia root and spatholobus stem. The combination together is what results in a boost of the immune system, restoring a healthy balanced state of the activation of T and B cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells. Clinically, this resulted in less fatigue, increased energy levels, recovery of blood cell counts, and the ability to get up out of bed and get back to work.
As more and more patients choose an all natural approach to cancer treatment, they may decide on using the best of both the medical and the alternative health world together. The idea of boosting the immune system will be integral to their success. The all natural herbal formulas that are available are there for the benefit of all.
Dr. Donna Schwontkowski(ret) has a heart for cancer patients who are suffering from the effects of chemotherapy. She is a master herbalist in addition to holding a Master's in nutrition and a D.C. More can be found out about how she may be able to help at her website, http://www.drdonna.info Find out more about how herbs decrease side effects of chemotherapy at http://www.immuneenhance.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Donna_Schwontkowski
One of the first things that a person given a diagnosis of cancer thinks about is ask why? Why me? What could I have done to prevent it? Was there something that I didn't do? Was there something I did to cause it? The reason why cancer appears varies from person to person and it is because of this fact that there will never be one cure-all treatment for cancer.
Another thought of many diagnosed with cancer is what to do about it. Discussions with the person's medical doctors often result in the feeling that there must be an all natural approach to cancer, especially when the treatment options don't look good. They wonder what the alternative health practitioners do to treat cancer patients, thinking there must be another way. The question opens up a whole new world to the cancer patient and his or her family as they search for solutions for the cancer itself and if none are found, they opt for the compassionate thing to do - increase the person's quality of life.
An all natural approach to cancer developed by an alternative health care practitioner often includes herbs, supplements, IV's, diet changes, and stress reduction/relaxation or visualization exercises. Many alternative health care practitioners treating cancer search for the reasons why the person developed cancer in the first place.
When alternative health practitioners use a natural approach for cancer, they have three major goals:
1) boost the immune system
2) detoxify the body
3) fortify the body with nutrients from foods, nutritional supplements, and herbs.
This article will focus on the purpose of boosting the immune system and how to actually boost the immune system using all natural herbs, foods and products.
Why is Boosting the Immune System Important for Cancer Patients?
Our immune system has been very intricately designed by God. There are many cells that directly attack cancer cells and others that assist in immobilizing aggressive cancer cells. There are genes that turn on cancer and genes that turn it off. By increasing the numbers of the cells that assist in immobilizing cancer cells, you boost the body's immune system. This then prevents the body from being in a weakened state during the cancer treatment phases.
Natural killer cells are one of the most important parts of our body's white blood cell army and are known to kill cancer cells. Natural killer cells increase their activity naturally when the body has the right amount of selenium, vitamin C and germanium. In the last decade of my practice, I have seen that greater than 80% of those with cancer have low levels of selenium that shows up on a hair analysis. They also have low levels of germanium, the element that oxygenates the tissues.
While investigating an alternative clinic in Arizona for an article that appeared in Alternative Medicine magazine, I discovered that every cancer patient tested for vitamin C levels in the body had levels so low that 46 grams of vitamin C per day was needed for 2 full weeks in an IV form to reverse the deficiency! That's quite a deficiency! And it makes sense clinically because vitamin C prevents cancer from spreading to other areas in the body.
Reishi mushrooms contain chemical constituents that will also increase natural killer cell count in the body. By increasing the cell count numbers of natural killer cells using an all natural approach to cancer, positive steps toward recovery can often be seen.
Other all natural approaches to cancer include consumption of plenty of organic fruits and vegetables which supply the body with not only vitamin C and other antioxidants, but also plant phytonutrients that fill in the gaps of nutrition that every cancer patient needs. Supplying these in the form of fresh juices that do not raise the blood sugar levels is the key to making this therapy work.
In the last decade, many herbal formulas have come into the limelight to show how they can decrease chemotherapy side effects. These products help by boosting the immune system of the patient, who is usually suffering from a weakened immune system because of chemotherapy and radiation.
Recently I found out about an all natural herbal formula that contains herbs which have been shown in clinical studies to boost the immune system. These herbs include Astragalus, licorice, dong quai, reishi mushroom, tangerine, codonopsis root, psoralea fruit, poria seed, dendroblum stem, ligustrum lucidum fruit, bai-zhu-atractylodes root, rehmannia root and spatholobus stem. The combination together is what results in a boost of the immune system, restoring a healthy balanced state of the activation of T and B cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells. Clinically, this resulted in less fatigue, increased energy levels, recovery of blood cell counts, and the ability to get up out of bed and get back to work.
As more and more patients choose an all natural approach to cancer treatment, they may decide on using the best of both the medical and the alternative health world together. The idea of boosting the immune system will be integral to their success. The all natural herbal formulas that are available are there for the benefit of all.
Dr. Donna Schwontkowski(ret) has a heart for cancer patients who are suffering from the effects of chemotherapy. She is a master herbalist in addition to holding a Master's in nutrition and a D.C. More can be found out about how she may be able to help at her website, http://www.drdonna.info Find out more about how herbs decrease side effects of chemotherapy at http://www.immuneenhance.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Donna_Schwontkowski
Can You Prevent Chemotherapy Side Effects with All Natural Herbs?
Certainly there must be something that can be done to help your friend or loved one with cancer.
One solution is all natural herbs that can be used to strengthen the immune system and help regulate blood cell counts. These can be used as an adjunct to chemotherapy and in many cases used the same day that chemotherapy is given.
Just as drugs can affect many of the body systems, so can herbs. For example, one herb, cat's claw from the Amazon rainforest, boosts white blood cell count and function both 34%, but also has chemical constituents in it for improving depression. In Peru, herbalists sometimes recommend placing the herb underneath the pillow and say that the next morning, a new attitude will be found.
Because of the ability of all natural herbs such as cat's claw to affect the mind as well as the immune system, this herb is frequently found in all natural herb combinations for chemotherapy patients.
Reducing Chemotherapy Side Effects Strengthens the Body
One particular herbal combination I have found recently that has been tested and researched has actions that include activating the natural killer cells that fight against cancer, relieving fatigue and boosting energy levels of those on a treatment program of chemotherapy. What a wonderful combination of benefits from something natural.
This is a major feat in itself because chemotherapy drugs are good at killing cancer cells, but during the process, normal cells are also damaged. When cells are damaged, they need to be repaired and the process can leave one feeling fatigued, weak and also susceptible to infection.
Nausea, vomiting and even pain are also common side effects. About half of chemotherapy patients report that they feel queasy even before the chemotherapy treatment session begins! It's as if the body remembers feeling nausea from the last treatment session and is getting ready to start feeling the same thing again!
Natural herbal medicine is one of the best choices to reduce chemotherapy side effects because natural herbs often work on multiple body systems simultaneously, supporting the body functions holistically.
One proprietary formula of 15 all natural herbs has shown clinical results in an average of 7 days. The formula has a surprisingly pleasant taste and is reported by many cancer sufferers to change their condition from being bedridden to leading normal lives and even getting back to work.
The herbs included in this formula are:
Ligustrum Lucidum (fruit)
Polygonatum (root)
Poria (seed)
Codonopsis (root)
Psoralea (fruit)
Lycium (fruit)
Astragalus (root)
Dong Quai (root)
Tangerine (fruit peel)
Dendrobium (stem)
Chinese Licorice (root)
Spatholobus (stem)
Rehmannia (root)
Bai-zhu Atractylodes (root)
Reishi Mushroom (whole)
Dozens of research studies have reported that many of the all natural herbs in formulas like this are well known immune stimulators and have anti-cancer properties. They repair cellular damage, important when someone has cancer. Bai-zhu Atractylodes stimulates the two component parts of the immune system, the T cells and the B cells, producing more antibodies and more interferon and is known for its anti-cancer properties. Reishi Mushrooms promote the production of natural killer cells. Because of the actions of these all natural herbs, many cancer patients taking a combination such as this notice relief of anemia, relief of chronic fatigue, and relief from abnormal blood counts.
One of the big keys to recovering from cancer is regaining strength. Once this happens, the cancer patient feels better both physically and mentally and hope sets in.
For more info on herbal formulas that may help reduce chemotherapy side effects, see the website http://www.immuneenhance.com
Dr. Donna Schwontkowski is a master herbalist and a retired chiropractic physician. She is internationally known for her work in the field of herbs. Her website is http://www.drdonna.info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Donna_Schwontkowski
One solution is all natural herbs that can be used to strengthen the immune system and help regulate blood cell counts. These can be used as an adjunct to chemotherapy and in many cases used the same day that chemotherapy is given.
Just as drugs can affect many of the body systems, so can herbs. For example, one herb, cat's claw from the Amazon rainforest, boosts white blood cell count and function both 34%, but also has chemical constituents in it for improving depression. In Peru, herbalists sometimes recommend placing the herb underneath the pillow and say that the next morning, a new attitude will be found.
Because of the ability of all natural herbs such as cat's claw to affect the mind as well as the immune system, this herb is frequently found in all natural herb combinations for chemotherapy patients.
Reducing Chemotherapy Side Effects Strengthens the Body
One particular herbal combination I have found recently that has been tested and researched has actions that include activating the natural killer cells that fight against cancer, relieving fatigue and boosting energy levels of those on a treatment program of chemotherapy. What a wonderful combination of benefits from something natural.
This is a major feat in itself because chemotherapy drugs are good at killing cancer cells, but during the process, normal cells are also damaged. When cells are damaged, they need to be repaired and the process can leave one feeling fatigued, weak and also susceptible to infection.
Nausea, vomiting and even pain are also common side effects. About half of chemotherapy patients report that they feel queasy even before the chemotherapy treatment session begins! It's as if the body remembers feeling nausea from the last treatment session and is getting ready to start feeling the same thing again!
Natural herbal medicine is one of the best choices to reduce chemotherapy side effects because natural herbs often work on multiple body systems simultaneously, supporting the body functions holistically.
One proprietary formula of 15 all natural herbs has shown clinical results in an average of 7 days. The formula has a surprisingly pleasant taste and is reported by many cancer sufferers to change their condition from being bedridden to leading normal lives and even getting back to work.
The herbs included in this formula are:
Ligustrum Lucidum (fruit)
Polygonatum (root)
Poria (seed)
Codonopsis (root)
Psoralea (fruit)
Lycium (fruit)
Astragalus (root)
Dong Quai (root)
Tangerine (fruit peel)
Dendrobium (stem)
Chinese Licorice (root)
Spatholobus (stem)
Rehmannia (root)
Bai-zhu Atractylodes (root)
Reishi Mushroom (whole)
Dozens of research studies have reported that many of the all natural herbs in formulas like this are well known immune stimulators and have anti-cancer properties. They repair cellular damage, important when someone has cancer. Bai-zhu Atractylodes stimulates the two component parts of the immune system, the T cells and the B cells, producing more antibodies and more interferon and is known for its anti-cancer properties. Reishi Mushrooms promote the production of natural killer cells. Because of the actions of these all natural herbs, many cancer patients taking a combination such as this notice relief of anemia, relief of chronic fatigue, and relief from abnormal blood counts.
One of the big keys to recovering from cancer is regaining strength. Once this happens, the cancer patient feels better both physically and mentally and hope sets in.
For more info on herbal formulas that may help reduce chemotherapy side effects, see the website http://www.immuneenhance.com
Dr. Donna Schwontkowski is a master herbalist and a retired chiropractic physician. She is internationally known for her work in the field of herbs. Her website is http://www.drdonna.info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Donna_Schwontkowski
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