| **Obese people less likely to survive | | | | attitude.**Vitamin D helps fight cancer, |
| colorectal cancerAccording to a new report, | | | | report claimsA research team from the San |
| people who are physically inactive and are | | | | Diego Moores Cancer Center headed up by Dr. |
| obese around the middle have poor odds of | | | | Cedric Garland recently concluded that |
| survival after a diagnosis of colorectal | | | | Vitamin D deficiency is often associated with |
| cancer."We have now shown that modifiable | | | | various types of cancer. Dr. Garland now |
| lifestyle factors that were known to reduce | | | | advises people to increase their intake of |
| the incidence of colorectal cancer can also | | | | Vitamin D through diet or a vitamin |
| reduce the mortality in cases diagnosed with | | | | supplement.The research team reviewed 63 |
| the disease," Dr. Andrew M. M. Haydon told | | | | studies conducted between 1966 and 2004 on |
| Reuters Health. "This strengthens the | | | | the relationship between vitamin D and |
| argument supporting the public health message | | | | certain types of cancer. The report concluded |
| of 'healthy living.'"Haydon, from Monash | | | | that Vitamin D deficiency was a factor in |
| Medical School in Melbourne, Australia, | | | | several thousand deaths due to colon, breast, |
| studied records from more than 40,000 | | | | ovarian and other cancers every year.The |
| patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer | | | | report recommended increasing Vitamin D |
| between 1990 and 1994.Patients who got | | | | intake, either in the form of supplements or |
| regular exercise before their colorectal | | | | by eating certain foods such as fortified |
| cancer was found were 31 percent less likely | | | | orange juice, yogurt and cheeses. This is |
| to die from the cancer than were | | | | especially the case with people in northern |
| non-exercisers, the investigators report in | | | | latitudes where there is less exposure to the |
| the medical journal Gut. In fact, 73 percent | | | | sun. African Americans are also more prone to |
| of exercisers survived at least five years, | | | | a Vitamin D deficiency because the their skin |
| compared with 61 percent of | | | | pigment reduces the amount produced by the |
| non-exercisers.Such an improvement in | | | | body.Observers welcomed the University of |
| survival "is at least as large as" as is | | | | California study but also warned that kidney |
| usually achieved by add-on chemotherapy.A | | | | and liver damage could result from too much |
| greater percentage of body fat, bigger waist | | | | vitamin D.The "natural" form of the vitamin, |
| circumference, and/or greater weight were | | | | called D3, is normally produced in the skin |
| also associated with worse survival, | | | | after exposure to sunlight, but is also |
| according to the report.**Study shows short | | | | obtained from certain foods such as oily |
| term sex life improvements in prostate cancer | | | | fish, margarine and meat.**Resveratrol found |
| survivorsIt is well known that many men who | | | | in grapes helps fix our aching |
| undergo prostate cancer treatment (surgery or | | | | jointsResearchers at the American College of |
| radiation therapy) have sexual dysfunction. A | | | | Rheumatology in San Diego, California have |
| recent study of 84 prostate cancer survivors | | | | found that resveratrol found in red wine |
| attempted to determine the impact of | | | | appears to halt cartilage damage caused by |
| post-treatment interventions such as | | | | osteoarthritis, and speed up recovery.It is |
| counseling sessions.The study found that a | | | | thought that oxygen-rich particles in the |
| large percentage of those who completed four | | | | blood cause severe damage to body cells |
| therapy sessions reported better sexual | | | | similar to the way rust rots a car. |
| functioning 3 months later. Counseling | | | | Resveratrol is a powerful anti-oxidant which |
| sessions focused on better communication | | | | seems to function as a way to prevent this |
| between partners, ED treatment options, and | | | | kind of injury.The research found that |
| methods of enjoying sex in spite of ED.Both | | | | resveratrol resulted in a reduction of |
| partners reported improvements in their sex | | | | between 50 and 90% of the production of |
| life for up to 3 months later. There was also | | | | chemicals that cause inflammation in the |
| an increase in the number of men using ED | | | | joints. It also enhanced production of |
| treatments such as Viagra.However, after six | | | | specific proteins that are part of the |
| months the improvements began to wane. The | | | | connective tissue in joints.Red wine has |
| researchers speculated that couples tended to | | | | other beneficial effects on the body. It |
| revert back to old habits, and there also | | | | contains polyphenrols that reduce the amount |
| might have been greater reliance put on the | | | | of bad LDL cholesterol in the arteries. It |
| "magic pill" solution. Drugs such as Viagra | | | | also increases the amount of good HDL |
| tend to have a lower success rate in prostate | | | | cholesterol.Tannin and resveratrol, the |
| cancer survivors, so when these drugs stop | | | | anti-oxydants found in red wine, help to |
| working couples may adopt a defeatist | | | | guard against cancer and slow tumor growth. |