Author: Staff (Page 68 of 158)

Cancer Battle Begins With Finding the Cause

February 10, 2012 / Staff

Finding the cause of cancer is where the real battle lies.

Finding a cause, much like the correlation of HPV with cervical cancer, could lead to a vaccine for breast cancer as well.

Environmental factors and lifestyle need to be explored as major contributing factor to all cancers.

In reality, we still do not know what causes breast cancer, which means we really do not know how to prevent it, either. That has pushed us to focus on looking for cancers that are already there, a practice long based on the assumption that all cancers were the same, grew at a similar rate and were visible in the breast for a period of time before spreading. It made sense: If you could find cancers earlier, you could save lives.

Quality Control, Research, Wellness

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“Portion Distortion”

February 9, 2012 / Staff

Does offering smaller portions in restaurants help people to eat less?

Well, there is a recent study which suggests that this could be the case, indeed.

It turns out that people are willing to downsize but you have to ask them to do it.

When offered a smaller portion and being told that they would be cutting out 200 calories by doing so, a third of diners out of several hundred in the survey took the smaller portion.

Calorie labeling isn’t enough. And portion size needs to be determined before the order is filled to be effective.

It’s a part of our automated response mechanism.

Still, Schwartz says many people think restaurant portions are too big. And the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest dietary guidelines recommend smaller portions of grains like rice and noodles than what was served at the Chinese restaurant in the study. For example, the USDA recommends that a man (like me) between 19 and 30 years old eat no more than 8 ounces of grains a day. The full serving size of rice or noodles at the Chinese food restaurant was 10 ounces — and that’s just the side for lunch.

Nutrition, Quality Control, Research, Wellness

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The Battle Begins Over Birth Control Coverage

February 9, 2012 / Staff

The gauntlet has been thrown down as House Speaker, John Boehner R-Ohio, lets the president know that he is in for a fight over a bill that would allow for mandatory coverage of birth control by private insurance.

“If the president does not reverse the (Health and Human Services) department’s attack on religious freedom, then the Congress, acting on behalf of the American people, and the Constitution that we’re sworn to uphold and defend, must,” House Speaker John Boehner, R- Ohio, said in a speech on the House floor Wednesday.

In a society where Viagra is covered but not birth control one has to wonder about the priorities and the logic.

Health Care Policy, Health Insurance, Medicaid, Quality Control, Resources

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Avoid The Mid-Afternoon Munchies

February 8, 2012 / Staff

The Mid-afternoon slump that leaves you drowsy and craving junk food can be avoided by replacing some of your old habits with new healthier habits.

Eating low calorie snacks full of preservatives don’t really do the trick. Opt, instead, for healthy high fiber foods that help you to break the destructive cycle caused by eating the empty calories in nutritionally void foods.

Maybe some quiet time or a brisk walk will do the trick.

Experiment to see what works best for you.

Feeling bad about yourself, facing a “sugar crash” later and too much caffeine may get you over the hump but only for a very short time and will ultimately leave you feeling more diminished later.

“Most people have a lull around 3 p.m. If you’re stressed out and all you can find is junk food from the vending machine down the hall, you may start this cycle that can lead to even more stress,” she says. “Having some fruits and vegetables readily available lets you indulge in something sweet that tastes good and has nutritional value, without the snowball effect.”

Nutrition, Quality Control, Resources, Wellness

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There Is A Risk Of Hepatitis C From Amateur Tattoos

February 8, 2012 / Staff

Risk of hepatitis C from amateur tattoos is a real concern.

There are between 75 percent and 85 percent of people infected with hepatitis C who develop chronic infection, which can eventually cause serious liver diseases like cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer.

There are an estimated 3.2 million Americans who have chronic hepatitis C, about half of whom are unaware of it. (The initial infection most often causes no symptoms.)

Hepatitis C is passed through contact with infected blood. In the U.S., there are roughly 18,000 new infections each year, most of which occur when people who inject heroin and similar drugs share tainted needles or syringes.

Quality Control, Resources, Wellness

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