peacemaker
10-27-2005, 12:00 AM
Eat This and You May Ward Off Cancer
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Eat broccoli. And tomatoes. The trick is to eat them together.
Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana have determined that eating broccoli and tomatoes together may offer better protection against prostate cancer than eating either vegetable alone, reports Reuters. Why? Mixing the compounds from the two foods could have a synergistic effect.
The study, which was done in rats, looked at the effect of these two foods as a unit. Previous research has found that each of them separately offer protection against cancer. For tomatoes, the lycopene–that’s what makes them red–is likely the magic ingredient. For broccoli, it’s a compound called glucosinolates.
The Illinois study supports the idea that the mixtures of compounds in foods work together to preserve health, notes Reuters. “We decided to look at these foods in combination because we believed it was a way to learn more about real diets eaten by real people,” lead study author John Erdman, a professor of food science and nutrition, said at a news conference announcing the findings.
The study: Four groups of rats were injected with human prostate tumors that mimic human cancer to a certain degree (although not perfectly). Each of the rat groups were fed one of the following: dried, powdered tomato; dried broccoli; a combination of both; or a drug called finasteride that has been shown to reduce the benign growth of the prostate.
The results: All the rats developed prostate cancer tumors, but the tumors grew more slowly and stayed smaller in the three groups of rats that had been given the food supplements. The rats given both broccoli and tomato had the smallest tumors, notes Reuters. “Separately, these two foods appear to have enormous cancer-fighting potential. Together, they bring out the best in each other and maximize the cancer-fighting effect,” Erdman said.
The study findings were published in the Journal of Nutrition.
honey
11-02-2005, 09:22 PM
High Blood Pressure
High Blood Pressure A Common but Controllable Disorder
You may be surprised if your doctor says you have high blood pressure (HBP) because it does not cause symptoms and you can have it even though you feel fine. But HBP is a serious condition that can lead to stroke, heart disease, kidney failure, and other health problems. The good news is that there are simple ways to control it.
What Is HBP?
As blood flows from the heart out to the blood vessels, it creates pressure against the blood vessel walls. Your blood pressure reading is a measure of this pressure. When that reading goes above a certain point, it is called high blood pressure. Hypertension is another name for HBP.
As many as 50 million Americans may have HBP. Among people age 65 and older, about 40 percent of Whites and 50 percent of Blacks have HBP
How Is It Tested?
To test blood pressure, a doctor or nurse places a cuff around your arm above the elbow, pumps air into the cuff, and then reads the measurements as the air is let out. The test is painless and takes only a few minutes.
Your blood pressure measurement may be taken several times. You may be asked to stand one time and sit another. If your blood pressure is high the first day, the doctor will want measurements from different days before deciding whether you really have high blood pressure. These steps are needed because blood pressure changes so quickly. Also, it is affected by many things, including the normal feelings of worry during a visit to the doctor.
Because HBP is so common, everyone should have his or her blood pressure tested once a year. Blood pressure readings are given in two numbers. Although the average blood pressure reading for adults is 120/80, a slightly higher or lower reading (for either number) may not be a problem. If blood pressure goes above 140/90, however, some form of treatment diet or drugs may be needed. Lower blood pressure readings (for example, 110/70) are thought to be safe for most people.
What If Just The First Number is High
Often in older adults the first number (the upper or systolic number) is high while the second (the lower or diastolic) number is normal. This condition is called isolated systolic hypertension, and it also should be treated. Studies prove that lowering the systolic number cuts down on strokes and heart attacks in people age 60 and over
What Causes HBP?
Some cases of HBP are caused by other illnesses. This kind of HBP is called secondary hypertension, and it is often cured once the original medical problem is cured. Most HBP, however, is essential or primary hypertension. This kind cannot be cured but can be kept under control by regular, ongoing treatment.
Doctors think that many things combine to cause HBP. Being overweight, drinking too much alcohol, and eating too much salt are risk factors because they raise your risk of having HBP. They do not cause it directly.
Blood pressure goes up in all people during periods of stress or exercise. But avoiding stress will not prevent high blood pressure. You can have HBP even though you are usually a calm, relaxed person.
How Is HBP Treated?
If you have mild HBP, your doctor may suggest that you lose weight and keep it off, eat less salt, cut down on alcohol, and get more exercise. You may bring your blood pressure down simply by following this advice. Even if medicine is needed, these daily habits may help it work better.
Some people think that when their blood pressure comes down, they no longer need treatment. If your doctor has prescribed medicine, you may have to take it for the rest of your life. Later on, though, you may be able to take less of it.
Can HBP Be Prevented?
There is now good evidence that HBP can be prevented in many people. The keys to prevention are:
Cutting down on salt
Exercising regularly; and
If you drink, having no more than two drinks a day
HBP Checklist
HBP may not make you feel sick, but it is serious and should be treated by a doctorYou can bring down your blood pressure with changes in diet and daily habits and by taking medicines if necessary
Losing weight, cutting down on salt and alcohol, and getting regular exercise may be helpful, but only as suggested by your doctor. Do not assume these
tor says they are
If one day’s dose of medicine is missed, do not double up the next day. Instead, call your doctor for advice.
Take your medicine at the same time each day-for example, in the morning or evening after brushing teeth to help set a regular, easy to remember routine
NUTRIENTS, DAILY AMOUNTS, AND APPLICATIONS
1,000 milligrams for men ages 25 to 65, for women ages 25 to 50 and for women at menopause (ages 51 to 65) who are taking estrogen/
1,200-1,500 milligrams for women who are pregnant or nursing/
1,500 milligrams for women at menopause (ages 51 to 65) who are not taking estrogen and for men and women over age 65
: 300-400 milligrams
3,500 milligrams
Vitamin C 240
*If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you should be under a doctor’s care.
*If you have heart or kidney problems, you should check with your doctor before taking supplemental magnesium.
*People who have diabetes or who are taking potassium-sparing diuretics, ACE inhibitors or heart medicines such as heparin should not supplement potassium without medical supervision.
honey
11-02-2005, 09:48 PM
Smoking Related Diseases
Smoking can cause many different diseases. Here is information on some of them.
Emphysema
Emphysema is a dangerous disease of the lungs. What happens is that the lungs turn black from the tar in cigarettes, and the air sacs inside the lung loose their elasticity (abiliy to stretch), making it harder and harder to breathe. Emphysema causes a slow and painful death. The victim eventually dies from suffocation. There is no cure for emphysema.
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is the largest cause of cancer deaths among men and women in the United States. Most often, Lung Cancer is caused by smoking. When someone inhales the smoke, chemicals and tars that make up tobacco stay in the air passages of the lungs. With every puff, the lungs are being irritated. Tar begins to collect on the mucous membrane, paralyzing the cilia (hairlike structures), that otherwise keep air passages clean. Cancer develops in the lungs when too many unnecessary cells begin to grow. These cells grow with time, eventually causing mass tissue to form, otherwise known as a tumor. Lung Cancer often spreads to other parts of the body, including the surrounding lung structure, lymph nodes, esophagus, gums, larynx, bladder, pancreas or kidney. Lung Cancer can also spread to other organs of the body, such as the brain, liver or bones. These cancer cells are passed to other parts of the body by way of the bloodstream.
Gingivitis
[FONT=comic sans ms][SIZE=5]Gingivitis is an inflamation of the gums, which is caused by the tar in tobacco (mainly smokeless tobacco). It may result in tooth loss. Smokers have three times the risk of cavities and losing their teeth than non smokers do.
Gangrene
Gangrene is the death of tissue due to lack of oxygen in the blood. Smoking contributes to gangrene because it decreases the amount of available oxygen. This happens when Hemoglobin carries carbon monoxide instead of oxygen. Gangrene can result in the loss of a limb(s), fingers, and toes.
This is an archived page from the former Timog Forum website.