Healthy Tips

If you are just learning about cancer prevention, you are probably both amazed and confused by a great many things. It is probably shocking for you to find out that the FDA is not standing behind vitamin B17, which could be one of the greatest discoveries about cancer prevention in your lifetime. It probably amazes you that the little tiny apricot seeds can do so much to help people avoid cancer. Not the least, it probably confuses you just a little.

After all, there are dozens of different websites about cancer prevention with apricot seeds and vitamin B17 tablets. How are you supposed to know whether it really is best to only eat the apricot seeds, as some sites say? Or should you do what some sites suggest and just take the vitamin B17 tablets? Perhaps the other sites are right, and you should actually do both-eat apricot seeds and take vitamin B17 tablets. It can be awfully confusing trying to figure out what you should do.

What should you do?

The best way to look at is it to consider the two different forms. The apricot seeds are, indeed, the best form of cancer prevention. Experts say that it is always better to get nutrients from the raw source whenever possible-this is true for all vitamins, not just for vitamin B17. For example, eating a serving of grapefruit is a much better way to get some vitamin C than taking a vitamin C tablet simply because the human body is better capable of metabolizing the vitamin from the food.

Vitamin B17 tablets should be looked at as a supplement. Since you can never be certain that you are getting enough amygdalin from the apricot seeds (because they vary in size, weight, and composition), you should ingest some amygdaline in a supplement form as well so that you always get enough of the substance in your body. So, you should definitely take one or two vitamin B17 100mg tablets per day.

Can I Take Vitamin B17 Tablets with Apricot Seeds?

It is likely that you have a history of cancer in your family. Perhaps your aunt had ovarian cancer, or maybe your grandfather suffered from lung cancer. Maybe you have a distant cousin who has dealt with skin cancer on several occasions. Even if you aren’t aware of the health records of every one of your extended relatives, chances are there are at least a few instances of cancer in your family history. It can be somewhat scary to think that you are probably genetically linked to at least a few different forms of cancer.

This is why so many people work hard to keep in shape and to try to stay healthy. However, even that isn’t enough in some cases-which is why a lot of people turn to vitamin B17. Taking vitamin B17 can help prevent cancer.

Laetrile is another name for vitamin B17-that is its chemical name. Vitamin B17 is basically the purified form of amygdalin, which comes from apricot seeds. So, the three names can be used interchangeably.

Ways of Ingesting Vitamin B17

You can take vitamin B17 in tablet form-or, you can eat apricot seeds. Both of these methods will work to provide you with the necessary amygdalin to keep the cancer cells from invading your body. Additionally, in stronger doses, both can work (in some cases) to help fight cancer or to keep it in remission.

Many people wonder if it will boost their body’s immune system if they eat apricot seeds and take vitamin B17 tablets at the same time. This is certainly possible-and, in fact, many of the highly noted amygdalin researchers do, indeed, take both vitamin B17 tablets and eat apricot seeds.

There are some detailed cancer preventative protocols and metabolic therapies outlined on the internet that specifically suggest eating a certain number of apricot seeds per day and taking vitamin B17 tablets those same days. So, it is safe to say that this is probably a good idea-if done correctly. Make sure to research first to find the best dosage for your body weight.

Now you know what to do-not so confusing anymore, is it?

If a man in your life is at risk for developing prostate cancer symptoms, here’s some information you might want to pass along. While a connection between eating meat and enjoying high fat dairy products and cancer of the prostate has been suspected for a while, recent research by a team at Oxford University has been able to confirm the link.

Experts know that a diet rich in meat and high fat dairy products is likely to raise levels of a hormone called Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1 for short) that has been shown to promote cell growth. In fact, cells fed IGF-1 grow much more quickly, and may be part of the reason scientists worry it will aid the spread of tumors.

The work, conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford, reviewed the results of a dozen blood sample studies that included almost 9.000 men. By looking closely at this data, the researchers were able to more clearly identify the link between IGF-1 and this form of cancer. The team found that men with high levels of IGF-1 were 40% more likely to have prostate cancer than those with lower levels.

According lead researcher Dr. Andrew Roddam, “What we found was a modest association at best, but it was statistically significant. A lot of the individual studies found the same trend but were too underpowered for their results to be reliable.”

And while no one can say how much diet effects levels of IGF-1 in the body, Dr. Roddam, a Cancer Research UK epidemiologist at Oxford University, estimates it could be up to 15% higher for anyone who eats lots of dairy and meat. Previous studies have reported that IGF-1 levels are higher in those who eat a lot of meat, milk, butter and cheese.

But why are these delicious foods so bad?

First because they seem to be a large source of saturated fats and are an all too familiar part of most modern diets. These types of fats do damage to the body that we’re only just beginning to understand. What’s more, few people eat enough of the natural, good for you fruits and vegetables that are sources of antioxidants and other nutrients a body needs to stay healthy and strong. Add in our lack of physical activity and you can see why we’re headed for trouble.

Interestingly, the risk of prostate cancer is lower among men who are vegetarians as well as in populations that eat more rice, soybeans and vegetables.

Each year, prostate cancer claims nearly 30,000 lives in the US, and another 10,000 in the UK. To find out if the man in your life is at risk, take a look at factors identified by the American Cancer Society:

- Risks of prostate cancer increase as you age, especially after 50.

- Your risk of prostate cancer doubles if you have a father or brother with the disease.

- Prostate cancer is more common in African American men, and these patients are typically diagnosed at a later stage than other men.

- Prostate cancer is most common in North America, northwestern Europe, Australia and the Caribbean islands; it’s less common in Asia, Africa, Central and South America.

- Obese men are at an increased risk of developing this form of cancer, as well as many other diseases.

Research continues and treatment options for prostate cancer symptoms are improving all the time. If you or someone you love is at risk, or has just been diagnosed, don’t panic but do learn all you can about this disease and ways to stay well. One of the first steps may simply to substitute that burger with a piece of fruit or vegetables instead.

With 49 000 new cases and 11 000 deaths per year, breast cancer has experienced a doubling of cases during the past 25 years. And yet, we can prevent this cancer by some simple habits. The risk of breast cancer may be lowered, so play your part!

Just like it is for lung cancer, the causes of breat cancer are easily identified, Only recently a number of these factors have been formally recognized by the light of specific studies. So lets take a look at what you can to to prevent breast vancer and live a healthy life.

Eat less and better.

Again, food is central to the prevention of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, but also breast cancer, Food is also responsible in the occurrence of a second cancer. Regardless of overweight, trans fats (pastries, pizza, etc.) are increasing by more than double the risk of breast cancer. If it adds an overweight (especially in case of breakdown “android” fat, in short a big belly), the fatty tissue acts like a gland secretory estrogen promoters of cancer, especially after menopause.

Keep Moving!

Thirty minutes of real physical activity (not just vacuuming and ironing!)
would reduce the risk of breast cancer by 30 to 40%. Keeping your body in shape is one of the best weapon against all form of cancers. It may be difficult at first to get out and doing some physical activities but the rewards are fantastic. A simple bicycle ride every day is enough to stay in shape. So let’s move!

Drink less than one glass of alcohol per day.

Once the equivalent of 10 grams (one glass), the rate of circulating hormones (estrogen always) grows, as does the risk of tumor growth, especially breast. The risk increase by 9% every 10 grams of alcohol ingested. Alcool is one of the worst enemy for pregnant women.

Make your first baby around 25 years old.

This factor is the “heavy” in terms of risk … At least 20% of cancers would be redundant due to the increasingly late age of the first full-term pregnancy, which is nearly 30 years today.

Nurse your baby ideally for 6 months.

The risk decreases with the number of children and especially if they were breastfed: endogène secretion of estrogen are dropping considerably during pregnancy and weaning.

Protect yourself against xenoestrogens.

A xenophobic estrogen is a chemical compound, which is recognized by a living organism as an estrogen.

You must especially avoid periods where your body is changing and more vulnerable to hormonal changes, ie when you are pregnant of a baby girl (for him to avoid breast cancer later.

Breast cancer accounts for one third of new cancers in women. If it is detected early, it is better supported. Women with breast cancer benefit from treatment tailored to their pathology. Four technologies are mainly used. In order of importance: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy. Since the year 2000 medical advance has been made on all fronts in the fight against breast cancer. Early detection and treatment are essential to defeat the disease.

Good Luck!

In the U.S., over 90 percent of breast cancer diagnoses happen during the early breast cancer stages. Early detection is good news for the patient as it often translates to effective treatment.

Nonetheless, early diagnosis is only a fraction of the whole medical picture. Other disease characteristics, like hormone receptors and lymph nodes, can aid in prognosing results and help doctors and patients choose the right treatment.

Although breast cancer is on the rise in North America and the UK, the mortality rate is decreasing. This decline in mortality is credited to an increased number of women obtaining mammograms, improved evaluation techniques, and effective ancillary treatments.

Thus if the majority of diagnosed breast cancer cases are discovered during the preliminary stages, what effect does that have on patients and what are the best treatment courses?

The Early Stages of Breast Cancer

Earlier breast cancer stages are called TNM stages 1, 2 and 3a. This scoring system approximates how far the carcinoma has advanced. It’s also based on whether any present tumors are operable.

Most instances of early-stage breast cancer are curable through surgery, radiation therapy or systemic therapy. The survival rate for patients diagnosed this early have a 5-year success rate of over 75%.

Normal Treatment Reactions

Treatment reaction generally hinges on lymph node engagement, the size and grade of any tumors, the age of the patient, hormone (estrogen and progesterone) receptors, and the status or condition of biologic markers like HER2/neu.

Lymph Node Indicators

Lymph nodes are an effective way to predict the effects of breast cancer. Essentially, the more positive lymph nodes that are present, the lower the patient’s survival rate and the higher the chances of relapse.

Commonly, patients with earlier stage breast cancer are classified into either those presenting negative nodes, 1 to 3 positive lymph nodes, 4 to 9 positive nodes, or 10 and more nodes.

Tumor Size

If a patient exhibits negative lymph nodes and a tumor that is smaller than 1cm, the prognosis is often very good. Most doctors use tumor size as an effective and critical indicator during the early stages of this disease.

The Grade of Tumor

As the grade of the tumor increases, so does the potential relapse rate. However, due to the unreliability of tumor data, most pathologists do not rely on this information for their prognosis.

Estrogen and Progesterone Receptors

Estrogen and progesterone receptors within the tumor is also used to prognosticate breast cancer during the earlier stages. Generally, those patients with a receptor-positive form of breast cancer tend to have a better prognosis and survival rate than those who don’t.

HER2/neu as an Indicator

HER2/neu is what’s called a marker – it’s a biological element typically present in the body or within the tumor in about 25% of all breast cancer cases. When HER2/neu levels are high, that usually translates to a more aggressive variety of breast cancer and a worse prognosis.

Age of the Patient

Generally, patients who are older (50 and up) have a better prognosis than patients under the age of 35.

Cancer Clinical trials are the mechanism for improving survival and quality of life for individuals faced with a cancer diagnosis. Without trials, we would not know that mastectomy for breast cancer is equivalent to lumpectomy and axillary node dissection. We would not have the evidence that most patients with Hodgkin’s disease, aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and advanced testicular cancer can be cured with chemotherapy. In order to achieve these milestones in cancer treatment success, cancer clinical trials are designed in phases. I have listed some valuable information for you to read in one easy-to-read webpage. This is a free service for our valued readers which can be located on this link: Cancer Clinical Trials

Phase I Trials: The first step in testing a new approach in humans. Data from previous animal and laboratory studies are used to evaluate drug dose, drug metabolism, administration schedule and side effects. Patients are divided into small groups called “cohorts.” Each cohort is treated with increasing doses of the agent or combination until the maximal tolerated dose is reached. The highest dose associated with acceptable side effects is chosen for future studies. Generally, phase I trials are conducted on patients who have advanced disease and a variety of malignancies.

Phase II Trials: Determining the safety and effectiveness of a new treatment are the primary endpoints of phase II trials. A new drug, combination, or technique is studied on a small and relatively homogeneous group of patients. The type of cancer chosen for a phase II treatment is based on results of Phase I trials and laboratory studies. The primary purpose of most phase II cancer trials is to determine the percentage of patients that show a measurable response to treatment. Additional information on side effects and safety are also collected.

Phase III Trials: These large-scale trials compare a new treatment or combination that has shown promise in Phase II trials to the current standard therapy. Patients are randomly assigned to the standard approach. Phase III trials are critical for advancing the quality of cancer treatment and may establish a new standard of care.

An investigational study or clinical trial refers to a drug or procedure that has undergone basic laboratory testing and received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be tested in human subjects. A drug or procedure may be approved by the FDA for use in one disease or condition, but be considered investigational in other diseases or conditions.

Clinical trials help to identify better and safer anti-cancer drugs. Advances in treatment occur as a direct result of clinical trials. These advances lead to new standards of care and improved quality of life for those battling cancer. New and more effective therapies will translate to a reduction in recurrence rates and to the suffering endured by victims of cancer and their families. For more information on cancer clinical trials feel free to visit our website.

Scientists at the Medical College of Georgia Cancer Center have recently discovered that stressed cancer cells that endure an increased amount of stress may be killed causing a disruption of the “assembly line” of cells, some of which may also act as protectors fighting cancer.

The center was recently awarded a $1.5 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to further investigate the destruction of the cells, both healthy and cancerous, through stress, which could decrease an individual?s positive outcome and ability to be treated successfully.

Why Does Cancer Occur?

When damaged DNA cannot be repaired, cancer develops, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). There are a number of reasons for which damaged DNA can develop:

* chemicals

* viruses

* tobacco smoke

* over abundance of sunlight

Additionally, damaged DNA can be passed onto an individual hereditarily, explaining why some individuals inherit a cancer and others do not. The ACS also reports that cancer is the general term for more than 100 cancer-related conditions “in which cells in a part of the body begin to grow out of control.” While all cancers develop out of abnormal cell growth, they can differ based on where the cell growth occurs.

Mesothelioma, The Rare Cancer

Mesothelioma cancer is considered one of the rare forms of cancer, although it has been steadily increasing and, according to scientists, will continue to increase over the next five to 10 years especially among industrial workers including those in the following professions:

* shipyard workers

* miners

* construction workers

* electricians

The above professions are most at risk for development of mesothelioma cancer because of their potential exposure to asbestos fibers and dust, which is the cause of mesothelioma cancer.

Unfortunately, hospitals, schools, apartment buildings, homes, etc, all likely contain some form of asbestos fibers and dust. Additionally, a plethora of asbestos-tainted products are still available today, and may increase risks of asbestos exposure among Americans. The Minnesota Department of Health has compiled a list of products that may be containing asbestos including the following.

* adhesive

* brake linings, pads and crutch plates

* ceiling panels, texture, tiles and tile mastic

* chimney flue lining

* shingles, siding, wall panels, ducts and pipes

* chalkboards

* cloth wire insulation

* electrical panels, breakers, panel arc chutes, and panel partitions

* fire blankets, curtains and doors

* spray-on fireproofing

* heating and cooling systems

* elevator equipment

* vinyl/asphalt floor tiles

* beverage filters

* heat resistant gloves

* laboratory hoods, tables and countertops

* paints and coatings

* felt, shingles, tar or black jack, and base flashing

* table pads

* window glazing

* attic and wall insulation

* fireplace decoration

* gardening products

* wallboard or sheetrock and wallboard joint compound

* vinyl wall coverings

* spackling compounds

* caulking and putties

* decorative plasters

Due to the high number of asbestos containing products, individuals should discuss a potential mesothelioma diagnosis with their physician immediately, especially if they have any concerns of developing the deadly condition. Due to the frightening fact that mesothelioma is a dormant cancer (from 10 to 30 years) it is extremely important that an individual who may have been exposed to asbestos contact medical attention immediately to increase the chances of their condition.

By speaking with a knowledgeable mesothelioma lawyer, an individual can receive a free legal consultation on the development of potential mesothelioma lawsuits and litigation to receive monetary compensation, which can pay for costly treatments.