prevention
Breast Cancer
Posted by Max Hammonds on
“The incidence of breast cancer is decreasing in the United States.” This was the lead sentence in a recent newspaper article, only one of many that have been written recently. With the recent release of cancer statistics showing a decrease in breast cancer, the nation-wide fund raiser walk-a-thons for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, an entire issue of Time Magazine given to a discussion of the topic and a diplomatic trip through four Middle East countries by First Lady Laura Bush, breast cancer is the hot topic of the day.
The good news is that breast cancer is on the decline in the United States, so much so that many are wanting to share the prevention, diagnosis and treatment information with those in other parts of the world where breast cancer is steeply on the rise and where diagnosis and treatment are severely delayed or non-existent.
Benefits of Parental Monitoring-8: Gambling
Posted by Gary Hopkins on
This is the eighth in a series of blogs examining benefits of parental monitoring.
Indiana University conducted research among 116 boys and girls (average age 16.8 years) attending a Midwestern urban high school. The students were surveyed to determine the how often they gambled, and relationship between gambling and their parental and peer influences.
Almost all of the students (91%) reported gambling at least once in their lifetime, while 36.2% reported gambling once a week, 19% reported gambling on a daily basis, and 26% were classified as problem gamblers.
Benefits of Parental Monitoring-7: R-rated Media
Posted by Gary Hopkins on
This is the seventh in a series of blogs examining benefits of parental supervision.
A study from Dartmouth University Medical School.has reported that media portrayals of tobacco and alcohol use are associated with adolescent smoking and drinking. They studied the role of parents in monitoring and limiting children’s movie exposure and whether or not this was associated with a lower risk of adolescent smoking and drinking.
Benefits of Parental Monitoring-6: Substance Use
Posted by Gary Hopkins on
This is the sixth in a series of blogs examining benefits of parental supervision.
Research from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has examined the effect of parental monitoring on substance use.
This research report included responses from 6,500 students attending high school in California and Wisconsin. The researchers were looking to see if there was an association between parental monitoring and substance use.
PositiveTip for
Did You Miss World Cancer Day?
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Did you you know that 50% of Americans do not know what they can do to prevent cancer?
February 4 each year is World Cancer Day. Does that mean it is a day to celebrate cancer? Absolutely not! Organized by the International Union Against Cancer, it is designed to focus attention on the small, everyday changes that can lower cancer risk. This year the American Institute for Cancer Research called attention to their Policy and Action for Cancer Prevention publication by launching Spanish and Portuguese versions. While it has a somewhat dry sounding title, it takes the wealth of scientific information and translates it into practical steps that can be taken to prevent cancer.
PositiveTip for
Lifestyle Modification Delays Onset of Diabetes at Least Ten Years
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Lifestyle modification vs. drug therapy almost twice as effective in preventing diabetes over 10 years.
The Diabetes Prevention Program reported in 2002 that compared with placebo, an intensive lifestyle intervention program or oral medications in 3200 individuals with impaired glucose metabolism lowered the incidence of diabetes during the three years of the study by 58% and 31%, respectively. Most of these participants were then enrolled in seven additional years of follow-up where they received lifestyle-reinforcement sessions quarterly, and those randomized to lifestyle had eight additional lifestyle intervention sessions each year.
PositiveTip for
Keep Moving to Keep Your Cells Younger!
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
The fabled "fountain of youth" may lie in physical exercise--literally.
Ever wanted to run from old age? New research in both mice and men demonstrates literally running regularly helps prevent cells from getting older! German investigators have found that regular physical activity helps you maintain longer telomeres--DNA sequences at the end of chromosomes that typically get shorter with age. These longer telomeres prolong the life of cells in blood vessel walls and white blood cells that circulate in the blood. Both middle-age runners and younger track-and-field athletes had longer telomeres than older sedentary controls.
PositiveTip for
Does Ginkgo Biloba Prevent Strokes or Heart Attacks?
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Taking ginkgo biloba supplements to fend off heart disease? Maybe it is time to reconsider.
In a major test of the purported benefits of the herbal supplement ginkgo biloba, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have reported no benefit of taking 120 mg of G. biloba twice daily. This double-blind, randomly assigned study of more than 3000 participants over 75 years of age found no differences in outcomes between the control or experimental groups for heart attacks, strokes or angina. Although a very popular supplement, claims for Ginkgo biloba are turning out to be hollow.
Preventing Cancer: Is Progress Being Made?--2
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
As promised in the last post, I will share with you more of my impressions of the 2009 American Institute for Cancer Research's Conference on Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer in Washington, DC a couple of weeks ago:
Aging:
Preventing Cancer: Is Progress Being Made?
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
My head is spinning this evening! Not because I am dizzy, but because all day I have been attending the 2009 American Institute for Cancer Research's Conference on Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer in Washington, DC. It is really amazing how much is known about risk factors, genetics, treatment, and prevention of this dread disease! Here are a few "headlines" from my notes of today.
Colorectal Cancer: