Prostate cancer is one of the most popular forms of cancer that men experience as they grow older. There has been some research conducted to suggest that the vast majority of men will experience prostate cancer at some point in their lives when they grow older. While there is no real known cause of prostate cancer, the one known fact is that if caught early on, it is highly treatable. However, statistics reveal that most adult men are reluctant to go to the doctor and/or do not take advantage of regularly scheduled trips to their dentist or physician. Perhaps, this is why insurance is usually lower for men than it is for women- because they never use it!

A few years ago, it was discovered that my grandfather on my mother’s side had prostate cancer. This was a man who never complained about anything and never went to the doctor for anything in his life. However, when he began to feel ill, at the urging of his wife, he made an appointment with the doctor. When the doctor revealed to him that he had prostate cancer, they immediately began treatment to combat it. At first, it seemed as if the doctors had caught the cancer early enough that my grandfather would fully recover. However, it was soon determined that the cancer had metastasized and become terminal. Not wanting any treatment for the cancer, my grandfather kept it a secret that the treatments had not worked. The family did not know that anything else was wrong until the week leading up to his death where he became so ill that he had to be hospitalized.

Schedule an appointment with your physician. Know what is going on with your body and take care of it. After all, you only have one body!

It’s a known fact that fruits and vegetables are essential to a healthy diet, because they are filled with antioxidants: substances or nutrients in our foods that can prevent or slow damage to our body. When our cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals, by-products which can cause damage. Antioxidants act as “free radical scavengers,” preventing and repairing damage. Health problems such as cancer are caused by oxidative damage. Researchers are busy discovering the hardest working antioxidants in our foods and how they work. Green TeaIn the last 15 years, tea has become one of the most studied foods. Researchers believe tea’s health benefits are due to polyphenols, which are potent antioxidants. Flavonoids, one type of polyphenol, are the most effective, and catechins, a type of flavonoid, play a role in cancer prevention. All types of tea, including decaf, as well as tea consumed hot or cold, have these substances, but the amounts vary by type of tea and how strongly a cup is brewed. Another antioxidant in green tea, EGCG, has been shown to latch onto a protein in tumor cells and inhibit the cells’ growth. The amount of green tea used in the study wasn’t even a lot–it was comparable to the amount found in your body after drinking two cups.

While both green and black tea offer health benefits, green tea packs more punch. All varieties of tea are derived from the same plant. The difference is in how the leaves are processed after they are picked. For black tea, fresh leaves are rolled and then allowed to wither indoors, which causes most of the active substances to oxidize. For green tea, the leaves are steamed to preserve the natural active substances, thereby yielding more antioxidants. In fact, based on invitro studies, the flavonoids in a cup of green tea have a greater antioxidant effect than single servings of broccoli, carrots, apples, or grapes.

Green tea is also a more healthful beverage than coffee or alcohol. Fresh brewed green tea is all-natural, and contains no fat, calories, alcohol, or sugar (if left unsweetened and without milk.) A cup of green tea has about half the caffeine found in a cup of coffee.

Citrus FruitsEating just one orange per day will cut your chances of certain types of cancer in half. Oranges contain over 170 antioxidants, and sixty of them are flavonoids. Citrus fruits also strengthen the immune system, which inhibits tumor growth and normalizes tumor cells.

TomatoesTomatoes are colored by lycopene, which has been shown to be particularly helpful in lowering men’s chances of prostate cancer. In fact, researchers have recommended lycopene supplementation be used as an adjunct to standard prostate cancer treatment, alongside surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Lycopene has also been shown to limit the DNA damage that may precede prostate cancer in African-American men.

If you want the most anti-cancer benefits from tomatoes, cook them. Heat processing actually increases the amount of lycopene that can be absorbed by the body, as well as increasing its antioxidant activity.

Other Fruits and VegetablesAmericans who do eat enough fruits and vegetables tend not to go for much variety. Iceberg lettuce, corn, apples, potatoes, and bananas don’t carry much cancer-fighting punch. In order to capture health benefits and reduce disease risk, we must eat more variety. Cauliflower, dark lettuces (i.e. romaine or red leaf), spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, red peppers, and strawberries are all high in antioxidants and have been shown to have disease-prevention properties.

SeleniumThe mineral selenium has been found to slow esophageal, skin, rectal, and prostate cancer. Scientists studying blood levels of selenium found that people with less selenium were up to three times more likely to have precancerous growths than those with more selenium. They believe that selenium inhibits the growth of abnormal cells, preventing genetic damage and helping the body kill off cells that might otherwise become tumors. Foods with selenium include tuna, oysters, shrimp, salmon, Brazil nuts, liver, pork, and turkey.

Less Meat, Dairy, and AlcoholScientists have found that premenopausal women who ate the most fatty red meat and milk had a 54% higher chance of developing invasive breast cancer than those who ate less meat. The researchers believe that eating more saturated fat from meat increases hormone levels that boost the chances of breast cancer.

A 2003 study also showed that post-menopausal women who averaged two alcoholic drinks per day raised their risk of breast cancer by 80%. Again, the researchers believe that alcohol affects the levels of hormones that influence cancer.

References: Menendez, Mary. “Eat to Live.” Energy Times, May 2004. Milling, Marla Hardee. “Green Light for Green Tea.” Aurora Healthcare Your Health Newsletter, Nov 2004. “Tea’s Ties to Better Health.” HealthNews, Oct 2001. Zangwill, Monica, MD, MPH. “Reducing Your Risk of Prostate Cancer.” Aurora Healthcare Your Health Newsletter, Nov 2004.

A thief steals your possessions just as arthritis steals
your joint mobility. Generally referring to inflammation
throughout the body’s joints, the word arthritis refers to a
compilation of over 100 different types of arthritis and not
just one single condition.

Known as rheumatic diseases, arthritis and its cousin
diseases can invade the body and destroy your health. It
can rob you of your mobility and your ability to enjoy basic
daily activities.

Arthritis causes the joints and surrounding structures, such
as tendons and muscles to become horribly inflamed which
leads to pain. Your body’s natural reaction to an injury or
illness is to respond with inflammation. With this
protective response, your body can respond with pain,
swelling and redness in the joints.

Of all of the different types of arthritis, the root cause
varies among them all. But the one thing most often found
to be in common is the fact that arthritis often attacks the
muscles, the joints and the connective tissues of the body.
Another interesting battle of arthritis is that this disease
moves from exacerbation to quiet and then back again. It is
one of the frustrating parts of this condition. One day you
are living quietly with the disease seemingly under control
and then the next day, you are battling raging joint pain
that stalks you like a nighttime intruder.

With arthritis, it is important to remember that you do not
need to give up just because of this diagnosis. It is a
known fact that you are going to have to be vigilant to
maintain the highest level of health possible, but with
active life style management you have a shot at reaching
that goal.

Don’t settle for less than the best life that you can live
even if you have been diagnosed with arthritis. Many
diagnosed enjoy a full and active life after making some
adjustments and adaptations to life.

While there are many arthritis resources available to assist
you, the Arthritis Foundation is one of the best available
on today’s market. Designed to provide you with the tools
and resources you need to better manage your arthritis and
your life, the Arthritis Foundation is such a valuable
resource to anyone fighting arthritis.

Yes, there is not currently a known cure for arthritis, but
there are definitely better treatment options available on
today’s market. Researchers continue to search for the
precise reason why arthritis develops in the first place as
well as continuing to search for even more improved
treatment options for those currently battling the disease.

While it may seem that arthritis is a dirty rotten scoundrel
invading your life and taking control, the fact is that with
today’s medical advances and your decision to actively
manage your life and condition will give you a leg up on
taking back control of your life.

So make a decision today to get more involved in your
treatment plan. Show arthritis who is in charge!

There has long been a theory that the severity of arthritis symptoms can be linked to a patient’s diet, but a lot more research needs to be conducted in order to know what diet is right for what type of arthritis. There has been enough proof that changing dietary habits can make a difference in the amount of pain an arthritis patient has. For example, it is a known fact that gout patients who avoid alcohol and eat a diet high in purine can lower their chances for a gout attack. This diet actually lowers the uric acid level in their blood which is responsible for gout.

As with many other conditions, excess body weight can have adverse effects on arthritis. With a weight that’s just 20% higher than normal body weight, a person will raise his chances of developing arthritis as well as putting extra strain on joints damaged by active arthritis. There’s also an increased chance that someone who eats more will come in contact with an allergen which will trigger an outbreak of arthritis and alter the function of the immune system.

By eating a healthy diet, arthritis patients are contributing to their own well-being. They should also completely avoid fad diets which can introduce too much of certain chemicals and things into the body and which don’t guarantee that they are getting all the nutrients they need.

High cholesterol and high fat diets have been linked to arthritis. People who don’t have arthritis are far more likely to develop it with these diets. Patients who are already suffering from arthritis can help relieve pain by avoiding high fat, high cholesterol foods from their diets.

In order to eat a diet that will help you keep from getting arthritis or which will relieve arthritis pain, you should avoid:

• Anything from a fast food restaurant
• Soda pop
• Foods that are high in starches such as potatoes and pasta
• Red meats
• Foods with high levels of saturated fats

Patients who suffer from arthritis should try consuming a diet which is high in vitamin C, such as oranges, strawberries, and apples. Other beneficial foods include oily fish which contain high amounts of vitamin E, and whole grain wheat and rice products.

People who eat western diets regularly ingest far too much fat and cholesterol to be healthy. These high fat diets have been shown to increase the chances of developing arthritis, and for arthritis patients, they can have a devastating effect on their level of pain and suffering. Everyone should eat a diet which is high in nutrients and low in fat. This type of a diet will promote health and decrease the risk of obesity. And it’s never too late to take control of your diet, your health, and your future.

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