Monthly Archives: August 2012

Nutrition Tips for Skin Protection from the Sun

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Nutrition for Skin Protection
by Cindy Collins, PhD, RD
In South Florida we get plenty of sun exposure. Most people cover up with sunscreen, put on a hat, sunglasses and set out to endure the elements. Nutrition is a complementary method to foster protection from the sun. It is a wonderful way to provide internal defense against free radicals formed from the UV exposure from the sun.
While there is no substitution for the use of sunscreen, it is important to remember the foods you eat will give you added defense against free radical formation. Vitamin A, C, E and selenium are superb ways to promote healthy cellular function which will provide protection from the sun from the inside, out. Other phytochemicals such are limonene, zeaxanthin and lutein offer protection against cellular free radicals.
Some foods may naturally carry more than one of the vitamins and minerals that protect you from the sun! This is an extraordinary way to get in those good vitamins and minerals in one sitting! Here are some examples:
Vitamin A/C
limonene, zeaxanthin, lutein
Fruit: mango, papaya, citrus fruits (peel), dried apricot
Vegetables: tomatoes, spinach, red peppers, carrots, collards, turnips, beets, sweet potato, butternut squash, spring mix, V8 (low sodium)
Spices: Paprika, cayenne, red pepper, chili powder
Meat: liver, turkey
Green tea
Vitamin E/Selenium
Nuts: brazil nuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds
Grain: bran, quinoa
Meat: fish (salmon, snapper), caviar

To read more about nutrition and its prevention of cancer refer to:
www.preventcancer.aicr.org
www.drweil.com

Aspirin May Aid Cancer Recovery

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Aspirin May Aid Cancer Recovery
By RONI CARYN RABIN
Published: August 27, 2012

Men treated for prostate cancer who took aspirin regularly for other medical conditions were less likely to die of their cancer than patients who weren’t taking aspirin, according to a new study published on Tuesday in The Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Related

Health Guide: Prostate Cancer

The new report is not a randomized controlled clinical trial of the kind considered the gold standard in medicine, but it adds to an intriguing and growing body of evidence suggesting that aspirin may play a beneficial role in the treatment and possibly the prevention of a variety of cancers. Much of the earlier research on aspirin focused on colon cancer.

“This is another piece of evidence suggesting aspirin does seem to have this effect against cancer across different body sites,” said Dr. Andrew T. Chan, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, who studies the role of aspirin in preventing colorectal cancer but was not involved the new research.

In the new study, researchers used the national database of a project known as CaPSURE, for Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor, to look at nearly 6,000 men who had localized prostate cancer and were treated with surgery or radiotherapy. Just over one-third of the men, or 2,175 of the 5,955, were taking anticoagulants, mostly aspirin.

Those taking aspirin were less than half as likely as those who were not to die of prostate cancer over a 10-year period, researchers calculated; the prostate cancer death rate for those taking aspirin was 3 percent, the researchers found, compared with 8 percent for those who did not.

The aspirin users were also significantly less likely to experience a recurrence of prostate cancer or have the disease spread to the bones, the study found.

The study is not the first to find a reduction in recurrence among prostate cancer patients who took aspirin. Researchers at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia reported this year that among 2,051 prostate cancer patients, those not using aspirin were twice as likely to experience a recurrence within 18 months, as detected by rising scores on the prostate-specific antigen test, a strong predictor of metastasis and survival.

Though the new study reported only on deaths from prostate cancer, researchers went to great lengths to make sure that aspirin users were not experiencing fewer deaths from prostate cancer simply because they were more elderly and therefore more likely to die of other diseases before prostate cancer had progressed enough to kill them, said Dr. Kevin S. Choe, the paper’s lead author and an assistant professor of radiation oncology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

While Dr. Choe said it would be “ideal” to conduct a large randomized study, doing so with prostate cancer patients would be very difficult, “because the natural progression of the disease is such that you won’t know for 10 to 15 years and would have to follow people for many years.” And little money is available for research on aspirin because it is cheap and easily available, he noted.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer occurring among men and the No. 2 cancer killer of men.

While many Americans use baby aspirin to reduce their risk of heart disease, taking aspirin regularly is risky. Patients generally are advised to do so only when their cardiac risk is presumed to outweigh the risks, which include an increase in gastrointestinal bleeding and hemorrhagic stroke.

But while doctors are reluctant to prescribe it to healthy patients, adding it to a cancer treatment regimen would involve a different set of calculations. Since the patients already are ill, potential benefits are more likely to outweigh possible harms.

Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, said he believes that aspirin’s anti-inflammatory properties may play a role in the prevention of both heart disease and cancer.

“Inflammation may not cause a cancer, but it may promote cancer — it may be the fertilizer that makes it grow,” Dr. Brawley said.

Tai Chi Benefits for Improving Memory Function

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Tai Chi benefits for improving memory function
by Cindy Collins, PhD, RD
Researchers from the University of South Florida and Fudan University tested the memories of elderly Chinese people who had practiced Tai Chi three times per week for eight months. Those practicing Tai Chi versus the control group who did not scored better on the memory tests and exhibited an increase in brain volume. In dementia, the brain volume shrinks; the growth exhibited with Tai Chi is very promising implying a chance to delay the onset of dementia. Brain volume increases have also been seen in subjects who socialized with ‘lively discussions’ three times per week versus those who did not.
Population studies have already indicated a protection against Alzheimer’s Dementia with physical activity and social interaction. This new research suggests actual growth and preservation of certain areas of the brain.

Tai Chi offers many health benefits from increased balance and relaxation to enhanced memory. Look for a local group in the park or at the community centers. South Florida Radiation Oncology, (SFRO) offers Tai Chi at select clinics and the new Survivorship Clinic. Please view our Resources tab on the website and go to Support Groups.

Nutrition Tips for Cancer Patients; Good Bacteria are Essential !

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A Special Symbiotic Relationship: Microbes and You
by Cindy Collins, PhD, Rd

Our bodies carry around “good bacteria” or microbes which serve to protect us, and give us a healthy balance. In turn, we provide them with nourishment, and facilitate colonization inside us, as well as on our body surface. When you think of microbes, you should remember that they are on your side. The main purpose of the microbe is to make it easier to digest food, synthesize vitamins and defend us against potential harmful or “bad” bacteria. Our ecological structure is full of these symbiotic relationships which allow us to thrive.
A perfect example in nature of this kind of bond is the clown fish and the anemone. They coexist in harmony constantly protecting the welfare of the other. Think of someone in your life who adds to its quality. How does that person enhance your daily activities? Most people can think of that particular person as indispensable; almost like they restore the calm in your life, especially in moments of despair. Well, ultimately this is how you should feel about your microbes. It is a natural synchronicity, and it should bring tremendous comfort in knowing it is a favorable partnership.
In general, there should be a natural balance of microbes within each of us which primarily came from your mother. As you experience life, more microbes are introduced to your body system. Sometimes, there is a lack of good bacteria in your gut which can cause adverse effects. The good news is that by taking a probiotic you can restore your microbial ecosystem. It is beneficial to have a good assortment of microbes for health, vitality and overall energy.
Consuming yogurt is a good way to increase the microbial life in your gut. It contains millions of live culture which is what you need to get that balance back. Another way to get them is by taking a supplement containing several varieties of good bacteria. It is up to you how you prefer your microbes; both ways reestablish the symbiotic relationship.
Here is a list of good food source options:
Remember to always look for the low-fat, low-sugar version of the products
• Fage Greek (good source of protein)
• Oikos Organic Greek (good source of protein)
• Dannon Light & Fit
• Dannon Activia Light
• Stonyfield Farms Organic
• Lifeway Non-fat Keifer
• Lifeway Lassi
• Horizon Organic

Here is a list of supplement source options:

• Align
• Culturelle
• Nutralle
• Philip’s
• Florastor
• Ultimate Flora
• Jarrodophilus

For more information on microbes, refer to Nutrition Action Health Letter July/August 2012.

Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation

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Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation
By James T. Parsons, MD

If you were to choose just one thing to improve your health, what would it be?
Go to the gym? Reduce stress? Eat less junk food? Get more sleep? Stay out of the sun?
All of these are great things to do for your general well-being. But if you are a smoker, far and away, the number
one thing you can do to improve your health is to stop smoking.

According to the American Lung Association, almost half a million people will die of
smoking –related illness this year. By stopping smoking, you immediately begin to
reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, cancer of the
head and neck, esophagus, lung, bladder and cancers of a variety of other sites, emphysema,
chronic bronchitis, and many other bothersome ailments.

Not only are your chances of a longer life increased, but your chances of enjoying the
rest your life in excellent health are greatly improved. Would you rather be taking an
enjoyable bike ride or attached to a ventilator in a hospital? Swimming at the beach
or coughing up greenish phlegm? Having a manicure or having your lung removed? Jogging through a park or
paralyzed on one side of your body?

The answer is simple: stop smoking. Get help to do so. Make yourself a success story.

Benefits of Seaweed in our daily Diet

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Seaweed Rewards in Nutrition

by Raquel Rivera and Cindy Collins, PhD, RD

Coming from a Florida native, seaweed sounds like a strange nutritive element. We have been surrounded by it our entire lives! The truth is, this plant of the sea is a wonderful source of many vitamins, minerals and good for weight management. Seaweed is a low carbohydrate, and low calorie food. Not only does it contain a good source of protein, but it also carries a ton of nutrition such as beta carotene, omega 3, vitamin A and folate. Seaweed carries a few minerals as well, such as magnesium, phosphorus and calcium.
If you look at the walls of the structure of seaweed, there is a component known as alginates which was tested in a study and found that it helps with weight management. Another study showed a correlation of intake of brown seaweed and protection against estrogen-related cancers. This is new information and needs further study before it can be proven.
Another exceptional feature of seaweed is called fucoidans, which are considered cell-surface molecules that expedite cell-to-cell signaling, which is a direct process accountable for immunity, cardiovascular and cellular activity. Seaweed is a strong antiviral and antioxidant! This means it is wonderful for nerve/tissue repair and breakdown of toxins within the system.
If you are looking to try seaweed for the first time here are a few tips:
• Order it from a Japanese restaurant; usually served with sesame seeds, and oil.
• Buy sheets of it from your local grocer, crunch it up and put it into your salad.
• Get different varieties from a whole food source store, and sauté it; you can add it into a sandwich or into a favorite vegetable mix.
• It is also great with fish, and a great substitution for noodles.

For more information please refer to http://blog.lef/2012/06/you-should-be-eating-seaweed.html

Massage Therapy Benefits for Cancer Patients

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Important Massage Benefits For Cancer Patients
By Melanie L. Bowen

Massage therapy has been shown to be very beneficial for cancer patients. In addition to battling the physical disease, when you have cancer, you have to fight depression, anxiety, anger, and stress. The emotional turmoil can take a toll on your body, and even hinder your progress through your course of treatment. Something as simple as massage may be able to help you cope with both emotional and physical symptoms. However, it is a good idea to get approval from your oncologist before you undergo massage.

If nothing else, massage can lift your spirits. It provides hands-on human contact and that can be reassuring. It can also make you feel pampered, and temporarily take your mind off your cancer diagnosis. Because it lifts your mood, massage could be a great help in your battle against depression.

When you get a diagnosis of mesothelioma, pancreatic cancer, or any other serious form of the disease, it is only natural to experience anxiety. Anxiety causes you to breathe shallowly and hold tension in your muscles. A good massage will help you slow down your breathing and loosen muscle tension so you feel much more relaxed physically.

When you are more relaxed, you will be able to sleep better. Many people with cancer suffer from insomnia because of medications or worry. However, restorative sleep is important to rebuilding your health. If massage helps you sleep better, you may be able to tolerate your treatments better.

Massage may also boost your immune system. PubMed reported on a study carried out by the University of Miami where researchers looked for a link between massage and improved immune function in women with breast cancer. The results found that cancer patients may benefit from having a massage three times a week. The women they studied had higher levels of dopamine, serotonin, NK cells, and lymphocytes. These test results show the subjects were experiencing improved immune function and fewer mood disturbances.

Massage has also been linked to improved lymphatic flow. A healthy lymph system is vital for a strong immune system as it circulates white blood cells throughout the body so they can destroy infectious organisms. Massage may also be able to help alleviate pain. Pain is a very common symptom that people with cancer experience. Massage can induce relaxation that may help lessen pain. The massage therapist may even be able to manipulate pressure points on the body that works to relieve pain in a manner similar to acupuncture.

Nausea is an extremely common and annoying symptom in cancer patients. The cancer itself may cause it, but in many cases, the drugs used to treat cancer cause it. Massage may be able to help reduce nausea in the same way it relieves pain, through relaxation and stimulation of the proper acupressure points.

A side benefit of massage therapy for cancer patients is the reduced need for medications. If massage can manage anxiety, nausea, and pain, it might be possible to cut down on some of the medications you take to treat those conditions. By taking fewer medications, you may experience less nausea and other unpleasant side effects. Of course, you should never cut down or stop taking any medications without talking to your doctor first.

One good thing about massage is that it doesn’t always have to be done by a professional. A family member can massage your feet, head, or shoulders during the day, any time you feel pain, nausea, or stress coming on. That way you may be able to ward them off, or lessen their severity.

While massage therapy has been deemed generally safe for cancer patients, there are some contraindications. For example, when you undergo radiation treatments, your skin may be too tender to touch. Your doctor may also advise you not to massage the area directly around the cancer site. So while a family member can massage certain parts of your body at home, and you can even do self-massages to a certain degree, it is recommended to see a professional massage therapist for a medical massage so you get the proper treatment and receive optimal benefits from it. Consult your doctor today and see if massage therapy is right for you!

Dermatologists Tips to Reduce Skin Cancer Risk

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Dermatologists’ Tips to Reduce the Signs of Aging

ScienceDaily (Aug. 14, 2012) — Getting better results from your anti-aging products can be as easy as following simple tips from dermatologists.

“People often think that the more expensive a product is, the more effective it will be,” said board-certified dermatologist Susan C. Taylor, MD, FAAD, founding director of the Skin of Color Center at St. Luke’s and Roosevelt Hospitals in New York City. “That’s not always the case. People need to shop smart since there are some very effective, affordable products in the skin care aisles of their local stores.”

To get the most from age-fighting products, Dr. Taylor recommends people also follow these tips:

1. Wear sunscreen every day since the sun’s rays can accelerate signs of aging. Use a sunscreen or facial moisturizer that offers broad-spectrum protection and has an SPF of at least 30. Be sure to apply sunscreen to all skin that is not covered by clothing.

2. Do not tan. Getting a tan from the sun or a tanning bed exposes you to harmful UV rays that can accelerate aging, causing wrinkles, age spots, a blotchy complexion and even skin cancer.

3. Moisturize. Moisturizing traps water in the skin, which can help reduce the appearance of some fine lines and make your complexion look brighter and younger.

4. Test products, even those labeled “hypoallergenic.” To test, dab a small amount of the product on your inner forearm twice a day for four to five days. If you do not have a reaction, it is likely safe for you to apply to your face.

5. Use the product as directed. Active ingredients can do more harm than good when too much is used. Applying more than directed can cause clogged pores, a blotchy complexion, or other unwanted effects.

6. Stop using products that sting or burn unless prescribed by a dermatologist. Irritating the skin makes signs of aging more noticeable.

o Some products prescribed by a dermatologist may cause stinging or burning. When under a dermatologist’s care, this can be safe and effective.

7. Limit the number of products. Using too many products on your skin, especially more than one anti-aging product, tends to irritate the skin. This often makes signs of aging more noticeable.

“It’s very important that people allow time for the product to work. While a moisturizer can immediately plump up fine lines, most products take at least six weeks to work and sometimes it can take three months,” said Dr. Taylor. “See a dermatologist if after following these tips you still do not see the expected results,” said Dr. Taylor.

What Are The Benefits of CyberKnife Treatment for Prostate Cancer?

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Should I have CyberKnife for my prostate cancer?
by Mark Perman, MD

How in the world could prostate cancer treatment be painless, bloodless, require no anesthesia and be performed in a doctor’s office? By using the CyberKnife, a noninvasive instrument originally devised by a Stanford neurosurgeon to eradicate brain tumors. That same technology has also proven to be highly successful in treating tumors in all parts of the body, particularly the prostate. How does it do this? Rather than by cutting or burning, the CyberKnife harnesses multiple, focused pinpoint beams of radiation directed precisely upon the prostate.
In fact, the technology is so advanced, that it is reliable down to the diameter of a hair. With such an accurate delivery of radiation, doctors and physicists are able to safely concentrate the cancer killing power of a traditional course of radiation from 40 to 45 daily fractions down to five days, delivered in one and ½ weeks. They found that delivering large doses of radiation over a short course of therapy (a technique known as hypofractionation) is beneficial because prostate cancer cells reproduce slowly, making them more sensitive to higher doses of radiation per fraction.
Equally impressive, because CyberKnife prostate treatment limits radiation exposure to surrounding organs, the rate of side effects is very low. Unlike surgery, CyberKnife prostate treatment requires minimal recovery time and men often are able to carry on their normal daily activities such as playing golf or work during and after the treatments.

Who is a candidate for prostate cancer treatment with the CyberKnife? Generally, men with early stage, localized disease that do not have evidence of aggressive cancer on biopsy, physical examination or a high PSA, can be considered. Men who are considered at high risk for lymph node involvement, very large tumors, very high PSA or those that have spread of the cancer to other organs are not good candidates for CyberKnife. Sometimes some of these more aggressive cases can be treated with a combination of external radiation and Cyberknife. To see if you are a candidate for CyberKnife, schedule a consultation with one of our highly experienced radiation oncologists at South Florida Radiation Oncology.

Strawberries Can Help Protect Skin From UVA Rays

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Strawberries Can Help Protect Skin From UVA Rays
Editor’s Choice
Main Category: Dermatology
Also Included In: Melanoma / Skin Cancer Treatment
Article Date: 07 Aug 2012 – 8:00 PDT

A team of Spanish and Italian researchers has discovered that skin cell cultures added with an extract from strawberries protects against ultraviolet radiation, increasing its viability and reducing DNA damage. The findings, featured in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry pave the way for the development of new photopretective creams made from strawberries.

Leading researcher Maurizio Battino, from Italy’s Universita Politecnica delle Marche explains: “We have verified the protecting effect of strawberry extract against damage to skins cells caused by UVA rays.”

The team prepared fibroblasts (human skin cell) cultures, and added strawberry extract concentrations of 0.05, 0.25 and 0.5 mg/ml to all but the control extract culture, before exposing them to ultraviolet light, which, according to Battino was, “equivalent to 90 minutes of midday summer sun in the French Riviera.”

The results showed that compared with the control cells, the UVA exposed fibroblasts with added strawberry extract have photoprotective properties and increase cell survival as well as viability, whilst reducing DNA damage. The highest property levels were observed in strawberry concentrations of 0.5 mg/ml.

Battino comments: “These aspects are of great importance as they provide protection for cell lines subject to conditions that can provoke cancer and other skin-related inflammatory and degenerative illnesses.”

According to Battino, this is the “first step in determining the beneficial effects of strawberries in our diet or as a possible compound source for ‘food integrators’ or cosmetics for instance.”

Redness In Anthocyanins
Scientists hypothesize that anthocyanins, i.e. pigments that give leaves, flowers and fruits their red color are responsible for strawberries’ photoprotective properties, since analyses have confirmed that extracts are rich in such substances.

Sara Tulipani from Barcelona University explains:

“These compounds have important anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tumor properties and are capable of modulating enzymatic processes,” adding that “we have not yet found a direct relationship between their presence and photoprotective properties. At the moment the results act as the basis for future studies evaluating the ‘bioavailability’ and ‘bioactivity’ of anthocyanins in the dermis and epidermis layers of the human skin, whether by adding them to formulations for external use or by ingesting the fruit itself.”

In a previous study, Tulipani and her team of researchers from Salamanca and Granada Universities demonstrated that strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa) strengthen the red bloods cells and protect the stomach from the effects of alcohol.