Health Doctors

While a tremendous amount of research has been done on the causes of breast cancer, an exact breakdown by percentages or some such measure is still not completely accurate. Hormone levels and those levels related to age are factors. Diet and heredity are also among the most important indicators of breast cancer probability.

The hormones in question are estrogen and progesterone. Any levels significantly different from the average of the females at the age the woman is, represents an increase in probability of getting breast cancer. This includes age factors for the beginning age of menstruation as well as the ending age. If a girl begins menstruation at an early age, or a woman past middle age has not reached menopause, cancer risk increases.

Because of this connection, hormone therapy after menopause is not always a recommended practice – especially if there are is a family history with links to breast cancer.

The dietary aspect is also under scrutiny, but all indicators are that obesity and/or a diet that is high in percentage of calories consumed as fat are both positively linked to higher breast cancer probability. There are also indications that excessive alcohol usage is a prominent factor.

Whether breast cancer is genetic is really two questions. One is whether family genetics are a major factor, and the other is the genetic cause of recurrence in the actual patient. Concerning the latter, a woman who previously had breast cancer that was successfully removed still has a very significantly higher risk of getting it again. An operationally removed tumor in early stages represents the best chance of reducing future risk. Chemotherapy and radiation are not as effective, since the cancerous stem cells are never destroyed. Stem cells are the special cells that do the multiplying and replacement of old cells. So if cancerous stem cells, even in small quantities are still present, their genetic code will be replicated in some of the cells with which the body replaces old cells.

Family genetic factors are definitely involved, although most researchers believe that genetic inheritance is not the primary cause of cancer. It’s a matter of risk, but a small enough percentage of the population carries the faulty gene code that causes the disease. It is now believed that about 5 to 10% of breast cancers are caused by inherited genetic mutations. There is definitely an increased risk for an individual whose mother or sister has gotten breast cancer, especially if this has occurred at an early age (before menopause).

Researches have identified two particular genes that are direct causes of breast cancer. Also, the presence of oncogenes (a general cancer causing mutation) can result in the development of breast cancer, as well as every other form of cancer that can afflict us.

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The eyes may be windows to the soul, but the retina is the brain’s window to the world. When the retina is injured, vision is seriously threatened and may be lost entirely if the problem is not quickly addressed.

The retina is a layer of tissue at the back of the eye that collects light relayed through the lens. Special photoreceptor cells in the retina convert light into nerve impulses, which are transmitted to the brain. At the retina’s center is an especially critical area called the macula, which enables you to see anything directly in front of you, like words on a page, a person’s face, the road ahead or the image on a screen.

When blood flow through the retina is blocked or when the retina pulls away from the wall of the eye, getting the problem properly diagnosed can be an emergency. Modern treatments can do wonders if they are begun before the damage is irreversible. But a delay in getting to a retinal specialist can diminish the ability of even the best therapy to preserve or restore normal vision.

As with all living tissue, the retina is highly dependent on a constant supply of oxygen-carrying blood. Should anything disrupt that, vision is at risk. Two retinal mishaps, retinal-vein occlusion and retinal detachment, can occur at any age, but both are more common among older people.

Recognizing a Blockage

In July, David Bronson of Stone Ridge, N.Y., an avid reader at age 82, realized that the vision in his left eye was a little cloudy. He thought a developing cataract was the cause, but when he saw an ophthalmologist two weeks later, he learned that the problem was more serious: a partial blockage in the central vein that drains blood from the retina.

The blockage caused pressure to build in the capillaries that take blood to the retina, which then leaked into the center of the eye, clouding Mr. Bronson’s vision. The blockage and its consequences are analogous to a clogged sink drain; if water keeps running into the sink, it will eventually spill over the top.

Retinal-vein occlusion is a common cause of vision loss in older people, second only to diabetic retinopathy as a blood vessel disorder of the retina, according to a report last year in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Unlike Mr. Bronson’s experience, retinal-vein occlusion most often involves a branch vein, which is less serious and in half of cases resolves on its own within six months. If treatment is needed, most, though not all, patients respond well to laser therapy, the journal authors reported.

(more…)

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Fiber is what gives strength and structure to plants. Most grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits contain fiber. Foods rich in fiber are often low in calories and fat, and they fill you up more. They may also reduce your risks for certain health problems. To find out the amount of fiber in canned, packaged, or frozen foods, read the “Nutrition Facts” label. It tells you how much fiber is in a serving.

Types of Fiber and Their Benefits

There are two types of fiber: insoluble and soluble. They both aid digestion and help you maintain a healthy weight. Insoluble fiber. This is found in whole grains, cereals, certain fruits and vegetables (such as apple skin, corn, and carrots). Insoluble fiber may prevent constipation and reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. Soluble fiber. This type of fiber is in oats, beans, and certain fruits and vegetables (such as strawberries and peas). Soluble fiber can reduce cholesterol (which may help lower the risk of heart disease), and helps control blood sugar levels.

Look for High-Fiber Foods

Whole-grain breads and cereals. Try to eat 6–8 ounces a day. Include wheat and oat bran cereals, whole-wheat muffins or toast, and corn tortillas in your meals. Fruits. Try to eat 2 cups a day. Apples, oranges, strawberries, pears, and bananas are good sources. (Note: Fruit juice is low in fiber). Vegetables. Try to eat 3 cups a day. Add asparagus, carrots, broccoli, peas, and corn to your meals. Legumes (beans). One cup of cooked lentils gives you over 15 grams of fiber. Try navy beans, lentils, and chickpeas. Seeds. A small handful of seeds gives you about 3 grams of fiber. Try sunflower seeds.

Keep Track of Your Fiber

A healthy diet includes 31 grams of fiber a day if you have a 2,000-calorie diet. Keep track of how much fiber you eat. Start by reading food labels. Then eat a variety of foods high in fiber. Ask your doctor about supplemental fiber products.

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The officials, from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the national Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and British Columbia, said they had retested fish that advocates had collected from rivers on the Pacific coast and found no evidence of infectious salmon anemia, which has devastated farmed fish in Chile and elsewhere. Yet they also said some of their tests were inconclusive, and advocates immediately questioned the government announcement.

Advocates for wild salmon have long feared that infectious salmon anemia could take hold in fish farms in British Columbia and Washington State, which raise imported Atlantic salmon, and then spread to wild populations that migrate through nearby waters. Fishermen from Canada and the United States depend on wild fish in the region.

Last month, a professor at Simon Fraser University and a prominent fish biologist announced that wild salmon they had collected had tested positive at a prominent laboratory on Prince Edward Island. The announcement prompted a swift response. Many fish advocates, biologists and fishermen, worried that a linchpin species of the West Coast could be in jeopardy, called for more testing.

But some scientists in Canada and the United States questioned the test methodology. “For anyone to say that infectious salmon anemia is present in British Columbia on the basis of the Prince Edward Island results is misrepresenting the science,” said Dr. Paul Kitching, head of animal health for British Columbia.

Canadian officials said that in some cases the samples were too degraded to reach firm results.

Alexandra Morton, a salmon advocate and fish biologist who collected many of the fish tested, said, “We’re just full of questions right now, and I just don’t understand the government coming out and saying there’s no problem.”

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