Health And Medical Tips

The latest on links between breast cancer and diet suggests that consuming an abundance of vegetables, fruits and legumes may help women cut their risks of one type of breast cancer. After 26 years of following more than 86,000 nurses in the U.S., researchers have reported that those whose diets were rich in plant foods, while low on meat, sodium and processed carbohydrates had a 20 percent lower risk of developing estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer, malignancies that account for about 25 percent of all cases. Here, breast cancer cells lack receptors for estrogen. When estrogen receptors are present, as they are in most cases of breast cancer, treatment can include tamoxifen and other drugs to "block" estrogen's access to cells, thus reducing the risk of recurrence. No drugs are currently available to reduce the risk of recurrence of estrogen receptor negative breast cancer. The dietary findings were published online August 10 by the American Journal of Epidemiology. In other news, a study performed with mice published in the August/September issue of Nutrition and Cancer showed that breast cancer risk dropped significantly when the animals' regular diet included walnuts in an amount that would translate to about 2 ounces a day for humans. Neither of these findings proves that eating vegetables - or walnuts - are directly responsible for the reported risk reductions, but suggest that follow up studies are worth pursuing.

Alcoholism is a serious problem in today's world. The Institute of Medicine of National academy of science reveals the fact that nearly $40 to $60 billions has been spent every year due to alcoholism related problems. Alcoholism statistics on drunken driving, family, alcoholism in teens, deaths etc are discussed in this article.

Drunken driving statistics provides some painful facts. Though the drunken driving statistics continues to increase every year, many people continue to drive drunk. An average of one in every 30 minutes alcohol related traffic accident is happening in United States. At least 3 out of 10 Americans will be involved in alcohol related traffic accidents at some stage in their life time. The highest rate of drunken driving is associated with young people aged between 21 to 24 years.

It's August, and temperatures are still sky-high. Watch out for sun poisoning.

Sun poisoning is a layman's term for the symptoms that can accompany severe sunburn, such as nausea, vomiting, fever, chills and headache. It should not be confused with sunstroke (also referred to as heatstroke), a medical emergency that occurs when the body overheats to the point that it can no longer regulate its internal temperature.

You can help prevent sun poisoning by remaining indoors during peak daylight hours (10 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the summer months), wearing protective clothing and using sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15. If you do get sun poisoning, stay out of the sun and try the following to help alleviate the symptoms:

Touted as a way to cleanse the body of stored toxins, chaparral (Larrea divaricata) is a desert shrub that grows in Mexico and the southwestern United States. It has a history of use by Native Americans, who made a tea from the leaves to treat chicken pox, colds, diarrhea, menstrual cramps, pain, snake bites, skin disorders and rheumatism.

Chaparral is now available in capsules, tablets and tincture form, and is promoted as a treatment for acne, dandruff, diabetes, PMS, sciatica, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcers, urinary tract infections, cancer and the aforementioned toxin cleansing.

I don't recommend taking chaparral internally (as a tea or supplement) for any condition. Although it has been linked to rare cases of kidney and liver dysfunction, it appears to be generally nontoxic, but I haven’t seen any scientific evidence showing that it is effective when taken internally for the conditions for which it is so often recommended, including cleansing the body of toxins. However, I do recommend chaparral for topical use to treat eczema and other kinds of skin irritation and inflammation. You can buy chaparral lotions or salves from stores that sell herbal preparations.

Every year, more than one million Americans discover that they have gallstones - hardened, pebble-like deposits in the gallbladder that can range in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball. Roughly 50 percent of people diagnosed with gallstones end up in surgery for the removal of the gallbladder.

So how can you prevent gallstones? Since most stones are composed of cholesterol, diet plays a role in their formation. If you are at risk of developing gallstones (risk factors include a family history of gallstones, being overweight, recent rapid weight loss and, among women, pregnancy, using birth control pills, or hormone replacement therapy after menopause), you may be able to prevent them or prevent symptoms from worsening with these measures:

It's delightful to grill outdoors when the weather is warm. Unfortunately, grilling meats can lead to the production of carcinogenic (potentially cancer-causing) chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HAs). To reduce HAs, try the following:

Limit the amount of meats you grill, and make grilled vegetables the main course.

Pre-cook your foods in the oven or on the stovetop and finish them off outdoors - less grill time means fewer carcinogens.

If you do grill meat, cook it thoroughly but avoid charring or blackening it (don't eat any blackened parts).

Enjoy your grilled vegetables with a side of my Asian Coleslaw, full of antioxidant-rich red cabbage.

Yesterday I covered the warning signs of heat stroke. Here are some ways to help prevent this medical emergency. Adhere to the following when in hot weather:

Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

Wear appropriate clothes - light-colored, lightweight, non-restrictive clothing that allows your body to breathe are good choices.

Know when to limit activity. If you are feeling hot or winded, slow down or rest.

When exercising, start slowly and gradually build up your duration and intensity.

Avoid alcohol in general and while exercising in particular - it promotes dehydration.

Heat stroke is a dangerous and potentially deadly condition that can occur when the body reaches a temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. There are two type of heat stroke: exertional, which affects people who overexert themselves in hot environments; and passive, which typically affects older people (especially those who are also sedentary) who are exposed to high temperatures.

Either type of heat stroke can lead to brain damage, organ failure and even death, knowing the warning signs is important. Look for:

High body temperature. A body temperature of 104 F (40 C) or higher is the main indicator of heat stroke.

Conventional medical wisdom holds that the symptoms of heart attacks in women can be very different from the ones men experience. Maybe not. A Canadian researcher who challenged this belief has found evidence to show that heart attack symptoms don't actually vary dramatically between the sexes. The investigator, Martha Mackay, a cardiac nurse, studied 305 consecutive patients undergoing angioplasty (a procedure to open clogged coronary arteries), which briefly causes symptoms similar to those of a heart attack. Her team found no gender differences in rates of chest discomfort or other typical symptoms such as arm discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, clammy skin and indigestion-like feelings. However, she found that women were more likely than men to experience the classic symptoms of heart attack plus throat, jaw and neck discomfort. Commenting on the study, a spokesperson for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada noted that while women may describe their pain differently than men, their most common symptom is still chest pain. She also noted that women are less likely to believe they're having a heart attack and therefore more likely to put off seeking treatment.

To help preserve mental function and protect against age-related cognitive decline including dementia and Alzheimer's disease, consider implementing these healthy lifestyle strategies:

Get 30 minutes of physical activity per day. Regular physical exercise, specifically aerobic exercise, can help slow memory loss and improve mental function.

Develop healthy habits in all aspects of life. Not smoking, drinking only in moderation, staying socially involved, managing stress, getting adequate rest, and cultivating a positive attitude and outlook - have all been associated with a lowered risk of Alzheimer's.