Cancer Information

A recent study has shown that immune stimulation has a significant effect on tumor growth in animal specimens. Safe and effective forms of immune stimulation can enhance cellular immunity, which in turn enhances the activities of T-helper cells and natural killer cells.

Beta Glucan has been shown to increase activation of macrophages, lymphocyte production, and natural killer cell activity. Several studies have indicated that Beta Glucan can also increase levels of IL-1, and TNF-alpha, both of which are instrumental in immune system coordination, and can help the body eliminate tumors more efficiently.

The use of Beta Glucan is of special interest to the cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment. This is due to the fact that beta glucans have shown an amazing ability to accelerate recovery in irradiated animal specimens, even when it is given after the radiation dose. It can also stimulate recovery of bone marrow following chemotherapy, something vital to restriction of tumor growth and prevention of infectious complications during treatment.

Although the data provided in this study is still quite premature, and needs to be confirmed with a larger, more controlled trial, it does demonstrate the effectiveness and potential of Beta Glucan as a treatment for cancerous tumors.

About the author:
Jeremy Maddock is the webmaster of http://www.immunewellness.com- your source for high quality information about a variety of health products, including Beta Glucan (http://www.immunewellness.com/beta-glucan.htm).

Asbestos symptoms refer to the changes in the body that indicate some type of serious diseases caused by exposure to asbestos particles.

Awareness about asbestos symptoms is important because danger of asbestos exposure affects about 1.3 million people every year. Individuals employed in the railroad, factory, shipyard, automobile, construction and building industries in last six decades are at the risk of developing asbestos symptoms.

Most unfortunate aspect of the asbestos related diseases is that the asbestos symptoms may lie dormant in the body for decades. This long latency period does not let the victim or his family knows about the existence of the disease. Asbestos symptoms might appear after 20-50 years of exposure.

No study so far has come out with convincing evidence to show the effects of different amount and different duration of exposure to asbestos particles. Although individuals who have been exposed to asbestos for a longer time are more susceptible to asbestos related diseases, yet there are instances when patients developed serious disease with only a few months exposure.

When exposed to asbestos, individuals either inhale or ingest the asbestos fibers. Natural destination of these fibers after inhalation is lungs while the ingested asbestos fibers take the route of digestive system. Therefore, asbestos symptoms start appearing in either lungs or digestive system. However, in some cases asbestos symptoms may appear in other organs also.

Asbestos symptoms may be the indicators of cancerous and non- cancerous type of asbestos diseases. Asbestosis is a non-cancerous type of asbestos disease. This disease has asbestos symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain and persistent cough. Ignorance of these symptoms may lead to serious disability or even death.

Mesothelioma is cancerous type of asbestos disease. Pleural mesothelioma affects the lining of lungs known as pleural membrane. Peritoneal mesothelioma shows its affect on the lining of organs of abdomen known as peritoneal membrane. Shortness of breath, persistent cough, chest pain and building up of fluids in the lungs are some symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Asbestos symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are weight loss, nausea, difficulty in bowel movements, foot swelling, anemia and building up of fluid in abdomen. In rare cases, fever and night sweating may also appear as asbestos symptoms.

People suffering from asbestos symptoms can file lawsuits against the persons and organizations for causing asbestos exposure. These Asbestos lawsuits can help the victims of asbestos symptoms to recover the damages for medical expenses, loss of income, lost earning capacity, pain and psychological sufferings.

About the author:
Kirsten Hawkins is a asbestos and mesothelioma specialist from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.asbestosblog.org/for information on asbestos reform, mesothelioma lawsuit news, and more.

A View of Mesothelioma

Asbestos is the commercial name given to certain types of fibrous materials. They are silicates of varying compositions; the silica combined with such bases as Magnesium, Iron, Calcium, sodium and Aluminum. Asbestos fibers are usually from 20 to 500  in length and 0.5 to 50 in diameter. Asbestos bodies appear as golden brown or beaded rods with a translucent center. The fibers are insoluble. The exposure of asbestos causes fibers to be inhaled and fine dust deposited in the alveoli inside the lungs consequently causing a type of cancer called Mesothelioma (a deadly tumor) involving Mesothelial tissues or usually cells of lungs or stomach and abdominal organs.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer of the Pleura (lung cancer) and Peritoneum (abdomen cancer). Mesothelioma has been shown to have a strong association with the crocidolite variety of asbestos. Pleural mesothelioma, the most common manifestation of asbestos exposure, is well-circumscribed plaques of dense collagen, often containing calcium. Peritoneum Mesothelioma may or may not contain asbestos bodies and rarely do they occur in persons who have no history or evidence of asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma not only occurs in people who are exposed the asbestos, but also to them who had been living in vicinity to asbestos manufacturing process or those staying in asbestos contaminated buildings. In Great Britain, an association was reported between Mesothelioma and people living within 1 kilometer of an asbestos factory.

The risk of Mesothelioma is reported to be high in those cases where occupational exposure to asbestos is combined with cigarette smoking. Mesothelioma usually does not appear until after 5 to 10 years of exposure. Mesothelioma causes mechanical irritation and in the advanced cases, there may be symptoms of clubbing of fingers, and cardiac distress. The survival time of Mesothelioma patients is generally ranges from 12 months to 2 years of diagnosis and very few survive longer than 2 years.

The following measures can be useful in preventing occurrences of Mesothelioma:

• Use of safer types of asbestos (chrysolite and amosite)
• Substitution of other insulators such as glass fiber, mineral wool, calcium silicate plastic foams
• Rigorous dust control
• Periodic examination of workers such as biological monitoring (clinical, X-ray, lung function)

The government should take adequate steps and make appropriate legislation to stop or minimize the case of asbestos exposure Mesothelioma. If you or any one of your families or friends is suffering from Mesothelioma, you have the legal right to file lawsuits for getting compensation for the medical facilities, loss of income and pain. You can consult a qualified attorney for filing a Mesothelioma lawsuit for comensation.

About the author:
Kirsten Hawkins is a asbestos and mesothelioma specialist from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.asbestosblog.org/for information on asbestos reform, mesothelioma lawsuit news, and more.

Are you overweight? Then you probably want to lose some weight. It is obvious that youll burn body fat by increasing your metabolism. But be sure that what you burn is fat, not muscles.

Some statistics

After age 25, the average person in America gains one pound or more a year, which means at the age of 50 an average person is 25 pounds or more heavier than he or she was 25 years ago.

As you age your metabolism is slowing down, causing your body to burn less fat.

Without exercising regularly, the average American loses a pound of muscle each year.

A minority of Americans exercise in a significant way, which means less than 50 minutes of exercise per week. Two out of five Americans do not exercise at all.

Motivations for weight loss

Most people’s primary motivation for weight loss is to improve their appearance.

Other motivational factors are the many health benefits of proper nutrition and regular exercise.

Why obesity is dangerous

Reduction of excess body fat plays a vital role in maintaining good health and avoiding disease.

Medical evidence shows that obesity poses a significant threat to health as well as to longevity:. Excess body fat is connected to

heart disease

cancer

diabetes

gall bladder disease

gastro-intestinal disease

sexual dysfunction

osteoarthritis

stroke

Why is excess body fat linked to heart disease?

About 4/5s of deaths caused by heart disease and cancer, are linked to life-style factors, inactivity included.

Your heart has to work harder to pump blood to the lungs and to the extra fat throughout your body. Therefore it takes more energy for you to breathe. This extra workload might cause your heart to become enlarged and high blood pressure and life-threatening erratic heartbeats might be the consequences.

Overweight people often also have high cholesterol levels, making them more likely to develop arteriosclerosis. When blood vessels are so narrow that vital organs like the heart, kidneys or brain dont get enough blood, this becomes life-threatening.

It might go without saying, but the narrower the blood vessels become, the harder your heart has to pump, which results in increased blood pressure. . High blood pressure itself poses several health risks, like heart attack, stroke and kidney problems.

Does excess body fat cause cancer?

In general, research has linked cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens) to excess, actually as a storage place for these.

Excess fat has been linked to a higher rate of breast and uterine cancer for women

Excess fat has been linked to colon and prostate cancer for men.

How is excess body fat related to diabetes?

There is a delicate balance between the relative amount of body fat, the level of blood sugar and the hormone we call insulin.

Excess blood sugar is stored in the liver and other vital organs, and converted to fat as soon as these organs have got what they need of it.

The pancreas of overweight people often produces more and more insulin. The problem is however, that the body is not able to utilize this to regulate its blood sugar levels.

This poor regulation of blood sugar and insulin causes an inbalance in the system, which results in diabetes. This disease may in its turn cause heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, amputation, and death.

How Reducing Body Fat Reduces Disease Risk

At an American University, researchers studied a sample of people following a certain weight management program. This study showed

decreased HDL cholesterol levels

decreased triglyceride levels,

decreased blood pressure.

increased waist-to-hip ratio,

an active lifestyle can slow or stop the disease process for most people, even those with a history of heart disease in the family.

Other studies have shown that programs that includes

regular physical activity,

low-fat diets

stress reduction

reverse heart disease processes.

while other studies shows that reducing body fat through an active lifestyle and low fat diets mean reduced risk for

prostate cancers for men,

breast and uterine cancers for women

non-insulin dependent diabetes for both genders.

So, what shall I do?

You have to change to a new lifestyle, by committing yourself to a long term process that gradually will lead you to a healthier life. This process requires persistence and patience, especially in the beginning. If you stay persistent, your new lifestyle will automatically take over, and it will become natural for you. This process will contain

moderate, long term fat loss

aerobic exercise

strength exercise

Here is the benefits 90 percent of overweight people following this advice has gained:

improved heart function,

improved blood pressure,

improved glucose tolerance,

improved cholesterol levels,

lowering requirements for medication,

eight times less likely to die from cancer than the unfit,

53 percent less likely to die from other diseases than the unfit

eight times less likely to die from heart disease than the unfit people.

But, how can I get started?

The first phase in such a process has shown to be the hardest it is here most people drop out. The longer you stay in the process, the more likely you are to succeed. And trust me; after you - by means of persistency and patience - have passed this critical start phase, the fun and excitement you gradually will experience will make the change well worth the effort.

You must make the decision to commit to this lifestyle changing process.

If you ever feel tempted to skip it for a day or even give up, confront yourself with your commitment, and go on.

How to stay motivated?

Allow plenty of time for the changes. You should give yourself several years for the changes to take place. If you do so, your body will adjust comfortably and the probability of maintaining this healthy lifestyle permanently, will be higher.

About the author:
Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet marketer. He runs the
website http://www.11-weight-loss.net
Terje enjoys to give advice and help people with rapid weight loss, see http://www.11-weight-loss.net/rapid_weight_loss.htmwith negative calorie food, see http://www.11-weight-loss.net/negative_calorie_food.htmas well as low carb diet.

Colon cancer is on the rise, with significantly more people being diagnosed with this potentially deadly disease below age 50 than previously. Although colon cancer used to be considered a disease of the elderly, probably because it was diagnosed mostly in older people, it now is seen in those who are much younger. During the 20th century, lifestyles became more sedentary and foods were processed more than before, a combination of factors that may have contributed to unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise that allows chemically-laced food to sit in the colon for longer periods of time. This allows these substances to have a prolonged effect on bowel tissue, which can lead to the growth of polyps, and ultimately, to colon cancer.

Cleansing the internal organs is as important as keeping external skin and hair clean. There are several things a person can do to improve colon health:

1. Eat a balanced diet. Get a nutritious supply of all the core food groups, including dairy, protein, fruits and vegetables, and fats. A well-rounded supply will help to ensure that your body receives all the nourishment it needs to function properly. If you are not getting adequate nutrition, consider taking a daily vitamin and mineral supplement that can add key elements to your diet.

2. Avoid processed foods. Eliminate or at least reduce the amount of food that has artificial preservatives. These include lunchmeats, sausage, ham, and hot dogs, many of which contain sodium nitrites and sodium nitrates, both of which have been shown to play a role in the development of colon cancer. Salt, another common preservative that takes a variety of forms in different foods, also may promote the development of cancer. Cook fresh food instead of buying those that have a longer shelf life due to added chemicals.

3. Drink plenty of water. Try to have at least eight glasses, eight ounces each, of clear water or beverages daily. Fluids help to clean your system by gently washing out offensive bacteria and germs that can harbor in the colon and lead to illness or problems.

4. Get daily exercise. Ask your doctor to
recommend a suitable exercise program that will help you get enough activity to keep your colon working as it should. Don’t overdo it, or you could get injured. Start slow with a walking or swimming program that will you get used to an exercise routine.

5. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables or other types of roughage. Your body needs fiber to keep clean. Fibrous foods act like a brush that sweeps through your body’s organs and passages to get rid of unwanted debris. Fiber gives your colon a necessary workout to keep you from getting constipated. Regular bowel movements help to keep the colon functioning properly.

Don’t forget to have annual medical checkups after you reach the age of 40. With proper care, your colon should do its job the rest of your life.

About the author:

by: Charles Kassotis

Check out other helpful hints at The Colon Directory at
http://www.colondir.com

There are several methods of treatment for mesothelioma although none of these have a high success rate. In general, the chances of curing a mesothelioma patient depends on how much the cancer has developed and matured when treated. If tackled aggressively in its early stages, there is a good chance of survival. Due to the difficulty of diagnosing mesothelioma in its early stages, many mesothelioma treatments focus on improving the quality of life for patients.

Before a patient is treated upon, a doctor will decide what the best course of treatment is by considering the patient’s age, medical history, general well being and even weight. From here, the doctor will decide which of the three most common treatments are most suited to the patient’s condition. These treatments are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Surgery

Surgery comes in two different types. Aggressive surgery is treatment which aims to gain long term control against the cancer and palliative procedures which aims to just relieve the patient of symptoms.

Aggressive surgery involves removing the pleura, the lung, the diaphragm and the pericardium. This procedure is known as extra pleural pneumonectomy. The aim of this is to remove as much of the tumour as possible without harming the patient. However, this is a very risky type of surgery and the chances are high of patient fatality within a month. Due to this, only young, fit individuals are referred to this form of treatment. Palliative procedures involve removing just the pleura in order to control the symptoms of the cancer. This is performed when mesothelioma is in an advanced form and is impossible to cure.

Chemotherapy

This is the most commonly known cure of cancer. Chemotherapy uses drugs to treat mesothelioma although many of these drugs have a poor success rate on patients. Combinations of drugs are often used to improve their effect. Some of these combinations have proved to be effective. Chemotherapy of mesothelioma is being improved regularly as research labs and pharmaceutical companies are discovering new and more effective drugs.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy uses radiation to kill the tumour which mesothelioma creates. However, this procedure is extremely difficult because of where the tumour grows. Due to the closeness of the tumour and many vital internal organs such as the heart and lungs, doctors have to be very careful as to the doses of radiation they use. Lower radiation doses can be used however this lowers its effectiveness.

Dual Therapy

This is often used and is just a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy combined. Surgery removes the majority of the tumour cells while chemotherapy and radiation therapy work on removing the remainder. This is an effective method and also lessens the symptoms of the cancer.

About the author:

by: William Johnston

All the detailed information you need on the symptoms, treatment, risks, science and more about mesothelioma can be found at: http://www.1-mesothelioma.co.uk

All the detailed information you need on the symptoms, treatment, risks, science and more about asbestos can be found at: http://www.asbestos-resource.co.uk

All women at some point in their life will have to have a cervical smear as a part of a health checkup. But do you know exactly what a cervical smear is, and how it can affect, diagnose or treat women’s ailments? Read on for more information about this common procedure.

Women’s Health: What is a Cervical Smear?
A cervical smear is a test used on women to tell if there are any changes in the health of the cervix. This is helpful to diagnose the early stages of cancer.

The cervix is located at the end of the uterus, and connects to the top of the vagina. There is a central canal that connects the vagina to the inside of the uterus, and it measures approximately 3cm square.

Women’s Health: Why Have a Cervical Smear?
The main reason to have a cervical smear is to monitor the health of the cervix, and to lower the number of women who contract cervical cancer. The smear is targeted to detect early strains of potentially cancerous cells. If caught in time, women’s health may not suffer terribly, and the growth of the cancer may not progress further. However, a cervical smear is just a screening process; it won’t detect all forms of cancer, all of the time.

Women’s Health: Who Needs a Cervical Smear?
Women who are sexually active, or who are 18 or older (whatever comes first) should take their health in their own hands and have regular cervical smears until the age of 70. A regular smear would be every three years for most women, depending on their health and the results of the last smear. Also, women who are not healthy should have annual smears, such as those with HIV. Women who have had a hysterectomy who have had abnormal pap smears in the past should get themselves checked every year by a health practitioner; there is still a risk of abnormal cell growth at the top of the vaginal canal.

Women’s Health: How is a Cervical Smear Done?
A cervical smear is only taken when women are in good health, and are not bleeding. Any blood that appears during the testing can skew the results unnecessarily.

The procedure is performed with women on their backs, and their legs held up in the air by a health practitioner or stirrups. A speculum is placed inside the vagina, so that the health practitioner can view women’s cervix closely. Then a brush-like instrument is placed over the cervix, and cells are wiped onto the brush, and then placed onto a glass slide for diagnosis.

Women’s cervical smears can be done by a health practitioner, such as a doctor or nurse. The procedure usually only takes a couple of minutes, at the most, and isn’t painful, although it may be a bit uncomfortable.

About the author:

by: Peter Lenkefi
For more more information about women’s health please visit http://www.1health-center.com/articles/Healthy-Tips-to-Celebrate-National-Womens-Health-Week.php

I’m willing to take a chance here and bet my next paycheck that you’ve never heard of Dr. Raymond Rife, nor of his amazing machines.

Did I win? I thought so.

Would you be surprised to learn that Dr. Rife developed a system, more than 70 years ago, which safely and quickly kills viruses, bacteria, Candida, fungus, parasites, and even cancer, with no side effects, and no toxicity?

This remarkable technology was invented by a humble man, with no formal medical training, who not only realized that common pathogens could be literally “exploded” by submitting them to a resonant frequency (similar to the way a soprano can shatter a wine glass by singing the resonant frequency), but he also invented and machined a 5,300 part microscope which use polarized light to watch these microorganisms as they were annihilated.

In 1934, the University of Southern California appointed a Special Medical Research Committee to bring 16 terminal cancer patients from Pasadena County Hospital to Rife’s San Diego Laboratory and clinic for treatment. The team included doctors and pathologists assigned to examine the patients, if still alive, in 90 days. After the 3 months of treatment, the Committee concluded that 14 of the patients had been completely cured. The treatment was then adjusted and the remaining 2 also were cured within the next 4 weeks. On November 20, 1931, forty-four of the nation’s most respected medical authorities honored Royal Rife with a banquet billed as “The End To All Diseases” at the Pasadena estate of Dr Milbank Johnson.

But by 1939, almost all of these distinguished doctors and scientists were denying that they had ever met Rife. This complete reversal was the result of pressure from the drug companies on them. ‘Pressure’ is a very nice way of saying it. On the eve of a press conference to announce the results of the 1934 study on Rife’s cancer therapy, Dr Milbank Johnson, former president of the Southern California AMA, was fatally poisoned and his papers “lost”. Also, after a failed attempt by Morris Fishbein to buy the rights to Rife’s healing instrument for the medical drug industry, Rife’s labs were destroyed by arson and sabotage. Dr. Nemes, who had duplicated some of the work of Rife, was killed in a mysterious fire which destroyed all his research papers. A similar fire also destroyed the Burnett Lab, which was validating Rife’s work. Royal Rife himself was killed in 1971 by an “accidental” lethal dose of Valium and alcohol at Grossmont Hospital.

Participating in the original 1934 USC study were the following people: Director of the Northwestern Medical School Arthur Kendall, president of USC Rufus Klein-Schmidt, Milbank Johnson, Edward Kopps of the Metabolic Clinic in La Jolla, George Fischer of the NY Childrens Hospital, Kurt Meyer of the Hooper Foundation in San Francisco, and the Chief Surgeon of Santa Fe Railway Whalen Morrison. Dr Milbank Johnson, who was the professor of Physiology and Clinical Medicine at USC, and chairman of the Special Medical Research Committee, operated his own cancer clinic utilizing the Rife therapy for 10 years. He was able to document many cases of cancer reversal there.

The United States medical establishment has not been particularly receptive to Dr. Rife’s research since then, in spite of the numerous anecdotal cases of complete cancer remission, as well as full remission from hundreds of other symptoms, from auto-immune disorders to tuberculosis.

About the author:
Mark Rigney has been an entrepeneur and health professional for over two decades. Learn more about Dr. Raymond Rife at http://rifeenergy.com