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Is Stress a Risk Factor for Cancer?
Tweet Share on Facebook February 19, 2009 Comment (11)
Evidence from epidemiological studies suggests that chronic depression and/or a paucity of supportive personal relationships may be risk factors for the development and progression of some kinds of cancer. For example, one study of women with ovarian cancer suggests that stress and low social support may be related to certain growth factors in the tumor microenvironment—the place where cancer cells interact with surrounding cells. In some new studies from Eric Yang and Ron Glaser and others, melanoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and multiple myeloma tumor cells have receptors for the stress hormones norepinephrine and epinephrine, and when cancer cells are exposed to these stress hormones in the laboratory, the cancer cells produce factors that favor the spread of the tumor cells; if this happens in the body, it could increase the risk for metastases. -
Good Carbs, Bad Carbs—Which Is Which?
Tweet Share on Facebook February 19, 2009 Comment (8)There seems to be a war against carbohydrates today, with the Atkins and similar diets. Do carbohydrates really pose health risks?
This is a war that has some justification, but we do need to distinguish between good and bad carbohydrates. The reality is that the vast majority of carbohydrates in the American diet are refined starches, sugar, and potatoes, and a war against these is justified. High-fructose corn sweetener should be considered the same as regular table sugar. These carbohydrates provide many empty calories (meaning that they contain few or no nutrients) and have multiple adverse metabolic effects, including the elevation of blood triglycerides and blood pressure and reduction of HDL (good) cholesterol. Reducing these carbohydrates should be a top nutritional priority.On the other hand, whole grains come with lots of fiber, minerals, and vitamins, and we do see that higher intakes of these carbohydrates are related to less weight gain and lower risks of diabetes and heart disease. Thus, replacing the huge amounts of refined starch and sugar in our diets with healthy forms of carbohydrates can have very positive benefits. If we are consuming healthy fats and healthy carbohydrates, the exact proportions don't make a major difference, which gives people many options for creating delicious and healthy meals.
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Are Mono and Hodgkin's Lymphoma Linked?
Tweet Share on Facebook February 19, 2009 Comment (3)I read that there is a link between mono and Hodgkin's lymphoma. If my child gets mono, should I panic?
No, you should not panic. For many young people, mono is a tough disease that knocks the socks out of them just as they are in the most active and productive parts of high school or college. Mono is caused by the Epstein Barr virus. Its symptoms are swollen glands, sometimes a swollen spleen, and almost always a profound level of fatigue lasting from a few days to many months. Mono is quite a common disease affecting as many as 1 in 100 people ages 15 to 25.What you have probably read is that Epstein Barr virus may also be implicated in Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is a cancer of the lymph glands. Scientists believe there is some sort of association, although it is still unclear exactly how the association works. If you read about Hodgkins, you will read that one risk factor for getting it is a past history of mono.
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When Should I Consider a Statin?
Tweet Share on Facebook February 5, 2009 Comment (1)My cholesterol is a little high, and my doctor says I might benefit from a cholesterol-lowering statin. What else should I look at to help make this decision?
There's no black or white answer about whether to take a statin if your "bad" LDL cholesterol level is moderately high—between 160 mg/dL and 190 mg/dL—and you've got no other heart-attack risk factors like diabetes or established heart disease. The first step is to work harder on improving your dietary and exercise habits. If you are over age 50, most doctors such as myself would favor treatment to reduce your risk of developing progressive hardening of the arteries. Ask your doctor to calculate your Framingham risk score to estimate your risk of heart attack over the next 10 years.There are a few additional tests you might want to consider having if you're on the fence.
A routine blood test called high-sensitivity C-reactive protein can help determine whether you've got inflammation, which promotes plaque formation in your arteries. Statins can be additionally helpful if you have elevated hsCRP since they lower inflammation along with LDL.
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