You Can Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer...
by Keith Londrie II
We hear it all the time? lose weight for your health. Few people however,
realize the extent to which this is critical to their physical well-being and
ultimately their life expectancy.
In January 2003, the Journal of the
American Medical Association featured a study finding that obesity appears to
lessen life expectancy, especially among young adults. The researchers compared
Body-Mass Index (BMI) to longevity and found a correlation between premature
death and higher BMIs. For example, a 20-year-old white male, 5'10" weighing 288
pounds with a BMI of greater than 40 was estimated to lose 13 years of his life
as a result of obesity. Jamie McManus, M.D., F.A.A.F.P. and author of "Your
Personal Guide to Wellness" notes that while this study referenced extreme
levels of obesity, there are still millions of overweight people in developed
countries with a life expectancy rate that is three to five years less than
their healthy-weight counterparts. She also estimates that there are 600,000
obesity related deaths each year in America.
Just how does obesity
shorten our lifespan? The answer to this question is complex, yet there is a
clear link between obesity and the development of cancer. An extensive study
conducted by the American Cancer Institute involving 750,000 people showed that
obesity significantly increased the risk of cancer developing in the following
organs: breast, colon, ovaries, uterus, pancreas, kidneys and
gallbladder.
Michael Thun, MD, vice-president of epidemiology and
surveillance research for the American Cancer Society (ACS) says one reason
obesity may raise cancer risk is because fat cells produce a form of estrogen
called estradiol that promotes rapid division of cells, increasing chances of a
random genetic error while cells are replicating, which can lead to cancer. In
addition, fat centered around the abdomen may increase insulin and insulin-like
growth factors in the blood, which may increase cancer risk.
"Women who
are obese after menopause have a 50% higher relative risk of breast cancer,"
notes Thun, "and obese men have a 40% higher relative risk of colon cancer?.
Gallbladder and endometrial cancer risks are five times higher for obese
individuals".There is evidence that cancer rates in developed countries are
increasing at 5 to 15 times faster than developing countries. A major
contributor to this alarming reality has proven to be diet. In populations where
the diet consists mostly of fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grains in
contrast to the typical Western diet of fatty meats, refined flours, oils and
sugars ? the risk of cancer is much lower.
The interaction of diet and
the development of cancer is an active field of research and Dr David Heber,
M.D., Ph.D. and author of "What Color is Your Diet", says "It appears that diet
has its most significant effects after the cancer has already formed, acting to
inhibit or stimulate the growth of that cancer". At the risk of oversimplifying
a complex set of interactions, the typical Western diet that leads to obesity
may actually act to stimulate the growth of cancer cells.It is never too late to
improve your health through healthful eating and adopting a more health-giving
lifestyle. Here are simple steps to follow which can make an immediate
improvement to your health and vitality. Please check this web site for more
information -> http://treat-breast-cancer.info/
1. Check your Body
Mass Index (BMI) to determine if weight has become health risk. According to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 60% of Americans are overweight,
defined as having a BMI (a ratio of height to weight) over 25. Of those, nearly
half (27%) qualify as obese, with a body mass index of 30 or more. In 1980, just
15% of Americans were considered obese.
2. Match your diet to your body's
requirements. If you eat and drink more calories than your body requires you
will put on weight. Learn to control calories and portion sizes, make recipes
leaner, and eat infrequently from fast food restaurants. Also learn how to snack
with healthful choices.
3. Color your diet with a large variety of
colorful, cancer-fighting fruit and vegetables. There are seven different color
ranges of both fruit and vegetables and by choosing between 5 to 9 daily serves
from a wide range of fruit and vegetables, we are extending our consumption of
cancer (and other disease) fighting nutrients.
4. Eat lean protein with
every meal. Protein provides a powerful signal to the brain providing a longer
sense of fullness. The right source of protein is essential to controlling your
hunger with fewer calories and necessary to maintain your lean muscle mass.
Choices of protein should be flavored soy shakes with fruit; the white meat of
chicken and turkey, seafood such as shrimps, prawns scallops and lobster and
ocean fish or vegetarians may prefer soy based meat substitutes.
5. Rev
up your metabolism with activity. If you want to enjoy a lifetime of well-being,
exercise is a key ingredient. Colleen Doyle, MS, RD, director of nutrition and
physical activity for the American Cancer Society (ACS), says adults should do
something for 30 minutes each day that takes as much effort as a brisk walk.
Children should be active for an hour each day. We are more likely to develop
habits around things we enjoy, so seek activities which you enjoy doing. It is
also helpful to build physical activity into your daily routine: use the stairs
instead of the escalator or lift at work, park your car in the parking bay
furthest from the super market and don't use the remote control to change TV
channels.
6. Get support to ensure you develop a healthful eating plan
and reach your goal weight. Whilst a small percentage of people possess the
discipline to lose weight, many obese people have developed strong thoughts and
habits concerning the food they eat. In order to establish new habits, most
people respond well to some form of consistent encouragement and coaching. A
study, "Effects of Internet Behavioral Counseling on Weight Loss in Adults at
Risk of Type 2 Diabetes" shows that participants who had the support of weight
loss coaching lost more weight than those who didn't. The study concluded that
the support of a weight loss coach can significantly improve weight loss
results.
Being overweight or obese has been identified next to smoking,
as the most preventable major risk to developing cancer. Even small weight
losses have been shown to have beneficial health effects. So it's never to late
to start and you can never be too young or too old to be concerned about your
health and do something about achieving a more healthy weight.
Keith
Londrie II is a recognized expert with body fat and obesity. Please stop by his
web site to learn more about
breast cancer.
http://treat-breast-cancer.info/
About the Author
Keith Londrie II is
a recognized expert with body fat and obesity. Please stop by his web site to
learn more about
breast cancer. http://treat-breast-cancer.info/
.
Keith E. Londrie II
infoserve @
mchsi.com
http://treat-breast-cancer.info/
Article Source: http://www.SubmitYourNewArticle.com
Keith Londrie II is a recognized expert with body fat and
obesity. Please stop by his web site to learn more about breast cancer. treat-breast-cancer.info/ Keith E. Londrie II infoserve @
mchsi.com rc-mini-nitro-gas-electric-cars.info/