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Alcohol and Breast Cancer

January 18, 2015

Alcohol Abuse Increase the Risk of Breast cancer

Breast CancerThe risks of alcohol abuse are well known by even elementary school kids. However the link between breast cancer and alcohol abuse is something ma y people have never known. This is not so appropriate given that most recent research findings have shown the clear link between these two conditions. Studies have proved the links between alcohol use and breast cancer. Research findings points out that one in five (21.6%) of all alcohol-related deaths are due to cancer globally. Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women coming second after lung cancer.

According to Drinkaware’s Chief Medical Advisor, Professor Paul Wallace, people should know that alcohol abuse can increase women’s risk of getting breast cancer.

“My impression is that my patients don’t know about the link between alcohol and breast cancer any more than they do about the association between alcohol and fertility. We can do more to increase awareness.” he says

The professor continued to give the following details on the link between alcohol abuse and breast cancer. True to his words there seems to be a lot of evidence that alcohol abuse increases the risk of breast cancer. However, he made it clear that drinking alcohol does not guarantee that you will get breast cancer but it increases your risk of getting the disease. How much you drink over your lifetime is what increases the risk.

He opines that although alcohol does increase the risk, taken with all the other factors, its contribution to overall causation of breast cancer is estimated to be about 4%. The advice is that if you do regularly drink it should be within the government’s lower risk guidelines.

However the evidences availed by Dr. Wallace aren’t the only ones available to back up this link between alcohol abuse and breast cancer. There are older evidences which show that alcohol increases the risk of developing breast cancer. Professor Wallace confirms that they have known for years that your risk of developing breast cancer increases when you overindulge in alcohol consumption. Overall, women have a 9.5% chance of getting breast cancer before they are 75.In one of these studies it was found that drinking every day even a small amount raises that risk to 10.6%. (4) Professor Wallace says, though, that the overall risk (anything that affects your chance of getting a disease) is based on how much you drink on average each day over a lifetime.

According to Professor Wallace, this link is real based on past research findings which have been reinforced by a recent research that was even done on a larger scope to establish the link between alcohol abuse and breast cancer. This study however is still going on. This study is done on 1.3 million women across the United Kingdom. This study has indicated that the overall risk of a woman to develop breast cancer increases by 7.1 percent for each 10 grams of alcohol drank

Despite the evidences that have been availed, the exact ways alcohol increases the risk of developing breast cancer are still not fully understood but researchers have made known some of the highly potential mechanisms through which alcohol consumption links to breast cancer. one of the mechanism that is suspected to be the major contributor here is the fact that ethanol is broken down into a toxic substance known as acetaldehyde, which can cause genetic mutations, a permanent change in the DNA sequence that makes up genes. This can trigger a response from the body leading to the development of cancerous cells.

Several studies have also reported that alcohol can potentially increase the production of the female hormone estrogen in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women. One characteristic of a cancer cell is that it multiplies out of control and in certain types of breast cancer; high circulating levels of estrogen can make this more likely to happen. Alcohol also weakens the immune system leading to nutritional deficiencies, including folic acid, vitamins A, B6, D and E and zinc, all of which may make it more difficult for the body to fight cancerous cells making a person more vulnerable to breast cancer.

The risk of developing breast cancer as always known is much higher in women than in men; this can be attributed to the higher levels of hormone estrogen in women which has been known to increase risks of developing breast cancer. Professor Wallace therefore advices women to stop indulging in excessive drinking and to drink below statutory drinking regulation limits as that is the only way they can reduce this risk of breast cancer apart from dropping alcohol use entirely.

Breast Cancer“Drink within the government’s lower risk guidelines. When taken overall, looking at all the things alcohol does, the risk at these levels is minimal. Life isn’t about zero risk. Even if you lived in a bubble and didn’t ever go outside, you would still be likely to get osteoporosis because you didn’t exercise!” He adds.

Even men are at risk

The risk of breast cancer is not only to worry women but men as well. Though breast cancer is synonymous to women, men also are at a high risk of getting this disease especially later as they age since that is the time when their levels of hormone estrogen increases. It is therefore advisable for men to reduce the amounts of drinks they take and reduce this risk.

Finally, Alcohol abuse, addiction and cancer are problems that people cope with every day. These problems need to be treated effectively through integrative medicine. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an expert at this. Call her on (843) 213-1480 for help.

Alcohol Abuse and Breast cancer

 

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Binge Drinking affects Immune System

January 6, 2015

Binge Drinking Disrupts Immune System in Young Adults

Binge DrinkingAlcohol when drank in recommended quantities can help one get varied health benefits. however as one continues taking alcohol he may begin to take more of the drink so as to enjoy its euphoric effects, the more alcohol a person drinks and the frequency at which he takes alcohol pave way for serious health complications. There are people today who have been maimed as a result of binge drinking making them dependent on their families as they can no longer work to supplement their own daily needs. The effects of alcoholism are far more than the economic gravity that often befall the addicts but it has more to do with their health. Binge drinking has quite adverse effects on the health of an alcoholic as it has been found to disrupt the immune system of alcoholics especially the youth.

What is Binge Drinking?

Binge drinking usually refers to drinking lots of alcohol in a short space of time or drinking to get drunk. Most researchers define binge drinking as taking more than 8 units or more in a single session. This however may not be so appropriate as different people have different levels of tolerance to the drink and even the speed at which people drink is different. Some people are bound to be fast drinkers while others are slow drinkers but the essence of binge drinking is to get drunk quickly. To avoid binge drinking it is important to space your drinks and to avoid drinking too much that you get drunk instantly.

New research that was led by a researcher now at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine has found that Binge drinking in young, healthy adults significantly disrupts the immune system.

During this study the participants drank four or five shots of vodka. The study also considered the weight of the participants against the number of shots of vodka they took. Twenty minutes after reaching peak intoxication, their immune systems revved up. But when measured again, at two hours and five hours after peak intoxication, their immune systems had become less active than when sober. Binge drinking making them more vulnerable to disease infections. This study led by Majid Afshar, MD, MSCR, and colleagues was published online ahead of print in Alcohol, an international, peer-reviewed journal.

Apart from the fact that that binge drinking has a negative effect on the immune system of youth involved in it , it has also been found that binge drinking increases the risk of falls, burns, gunshot wounds, car accidents and other traumatic injuries. Researchers have also found out that one-third of trauma patients have alcohol in their systems.

There is more harm to binge drinking than just increased risk of traumatic injuries as it also impairs the body’s ability to recover from such injuries. Previous studies have found that binge drinking delays wound healing, increases blood loss and makes patients more prone to pneumonia and infections from catheters. The study led by Dr. Afshar warns that Binge drinkers are also more likely to die from traumatic injuries.

Binge drinking is known to alter behaviors of drinkers but as Elizabeth Kovacs, PhD, a co-author of the study and director of Loyola’s Alcohol Research Program puts it “But there is less awareness of alcohol’s harmful effects in other areas, such as the immune system,”. This shows that most binge drinkers are not fully aware of its risks.

If what the definition of binge drinking by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism holds some water then there are many binge drinkers who do not even know they are binge drinkers. According to this institute binge drinking is drinking enough to reach or exceed a blood alcohol content of .08, the legal limit for driving.

This study included eight women and seven men with a median age of 27. Each volunteer drank enough shots of vodka, generally four or five to meet the definition of binge drinking. Dr. Afshar and colleagues took blood samples at 20 minutes, two hours and five hours after peak intoxication because these are times when intoxicated patients typically arrive at trauma centers for treatment of alcohol-related injuries.

Binge DrinkingFrom the blood samples it was observed that 20 minutes after peak intoxication, there was increased immune system activity. There were higher levels of three types of white blood cells that are key components of the immune system namely leukocytes, monocytes and natural killer cells. There also were increased levels of proteins called cytokines that signal the immune system to ramp up. At this minute the immune system was higher than before they got drunk. However two hours and five hours after peak intoxication, researchers found the opposite effect- fewer circulating monocytes and natural killer cells and higher levels of different types of cytokines that signal the immune system to become less active signaling a drop in the immune system.

Follow up study

Despite the success of this study in showing the effect of binge drinking on the immune system, Dr. Afshar is still planning to do a follow-up study of burn unit patients. He intends to compare patients who had alcohol in their system when they arrived with patients who were alcohol-free. He will measure immune system markers from each group, and compare their outcomes, including lung injury, organ failure and death among other parameters.

Binge drinking has far worse effects on the health of an alcoholic, it is therefore safe to consider the pace at which a person drinks and avoid this dangerous habit. Dr. Dalal Akoury of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Center has dedicated her life to helping addicts restore their lives by use of integrative medicine. Call her on (843) 213-1480 for help.

Binge Drinking Disrupts Immune System in Young Adults

 

 

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Did You Know Sex Has Its Health Benefits?

August 29, 2014

The amazing Health benefits of sex

health benefits of sexEngaging in sex gives much more benefits that just getting you closer to your partner and fulfilling your romantic fantasies. Sexual intercourse according many researchers has been found to give more physical health benefits to a person who does it regularly. Some of the health benefits that have been discovered include the following;

  • Reduces the risk of High blood pressure

Researchers have linked sex to lower blood pressures. Dr. Joseph Pinzone MD who is the CEO and medical director at Amai wellness agrees that sex has an effect in lowering the blood pressure levels. He says that sexual intercourse reduces the systolic blood pressure. Hence engaging in sexual intercourse can help you in reducing the risk of high blood pressure

A researcherBarry R. Komisaruk, PhD who is a celebrated service professor at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey says that orgasm can block pain. He opines that during sex several hormones are released that work in way to combat pain. This therefore means that sex may offer help in case of mild headache. He goes on to explain that even stimulation without orgasm can help in pain reduction. “We’ve found that vaginal stimulation can block chronic back and leg pain, and many women have told us that genital self-stimulation can reduce menstrual cramps, arthritic pain, and in some cases even headache,” says Komisaruk.

  • Better sleep (click here)

It is not a surprise to realize that you always go to sleep faster after sex and you tend to have a very deep sleep which is good for whole body rest. This is not a miracle but scientists have discovered that during sex particularly after orgasm a hormone known as prolactin is released. This hormone is responsible for feelings of relaxation and sleepiness. Sheenie Ambardar, MD. She is a psychiatrist in West Hollywood, Calif is the mind behind this discovery.

  • Exercises the body

Sex involves body movements especially in the waist and butt area hence stretching the muscles in these areas offering a great exercise. The honest truth is that however thorough or long the sex is it cannot replace the treadmill but it contributes as a form of less strenuous exercise. As you are involved in sexual intercourse you will be using about five calories per minute, so the longer the activity the more calories you will break. Sex also improves the heat rate. Pinzone advises that you should be consistent in sex to reap the benefits. Just create time for it and enjoy the huge benefits.

  • Reduces prostate cancer risk

health benefits of sexProstate cancer has terrorized most men and is one of the diseases that men fear most. Already there very many proposed alternative to prostate cancer treatment. Sex according to study which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association can reduce a person’s risk of getting prostate cancer. The study found that men who ejaculate frequently reduce their risk of prostate cancer. This study explains that this can be achieved even through nocturnal emissions and masturbation. Therefore you can reap this benefit without a partner.

Sex has also been linked to reduced occurrences of running nose, sneezing and even wheezing. These symptoms can ruin your day however if new research findings are to be believed then you can reduce these occurrences by engaging in sex. Researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania found out that people who have sex frequently have higher levels of an antibody known as immunoglobulin A (IgA). These antibodies are very effective in fighting colds and flu keeping you healthy. This is a good reason to spare some time and enjoy sex in your marriage.

  • Reduces Cramps in Women

Some of the problems that women go through during their monthly periods are the cramps that make that ordeal rather unpleasant. Experts say that engaging in sex can reduce the cases of cramps. Experts explain that when a woman achieves an orgasm her uterus contracts thereby removing the compounds that may cause cramps out of the body. Orgasm also helps in that as the uterus contracts it expels the blood faster hence ending the periods faster that well the uterus has not contracted.

According to researchers at Yale University School of Medicine when a woman goes horizontally when menstruating helps to decrease the chances of endometriosis, a common condition in which uterine tissue grows outside of the uterus, causing pelvic pain and lots of pain during sexual intercourse. It is not easy accept sex during menstruation and the common guilt is that you may mess everything. Use a towel on top of bed sheet and stick to lying on your back. As known when you lie on your back the flow is always lighter. Michelle Callahan, Ph.D. endorses the benefits of sex during menstruation.

  • Makes you look younger

Engaging in sex makes a woman seem younger than her age. In a study that was done at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Scotland, a panel of judges viewed participants through a one-way mirror and guessed their ages. The research revealed that women who frequently had sex seemed to be 7 to 12 years younger than they actually were. This is because during intercourse the body releases hormones such as the estrogen and testosterone which makes the body seem young and active. Hormone estrogen softens the skin and makes hair shiny.

Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced doctor that has helped many cancer patients in their fight against the disease. She has also helped many people regain their sex appetite and add more fun into their sexual life. She founded AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center which is home to many people seeking health breakthrough. Call on her now and learn more on how to enhance your sexual health.

The amazing Health benefits of sex

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Neural Stem Cells and cancer

August 13, 2014

Scientists Use Neural Stem Cells To Treat Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Neural Stem CellsBreast cancer has caused lots of fear in women throughout the world. It is one of the most common cancers that are sending our ladies back into their early graves earlier than they ought to. This is a type of cancer that has continued to depopulate the world and rob us of our mothers and sisters leaving behind orphans and widowers.  There is another type of breast cancer that is not known to many but it is the most dangerous than the breast cancer many people are aware of. This breast cancer is known as Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Triple negative breast cancer is the most difficult cancer to treat as these cancer cells are very resistant to drugs. These cancer cells do not have the characteristic receptors for estrogen, progesterone and Her2/neu that are normally targeted by most cancer treatment alternatives. Even the conventional cancer treatments like chemotherapy only serve to make the cancer cells more and more resistant. This makes it very hard to treat a patient with Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) as most treatments especially the conventional cancer treatments target these receptors that are missing in the cells. Without these receptors such treatments do not work completely and this only result in making the situation worse as chemotherapy will only lead to increased levels of free radicals in the body of the patient. The treatments must target receptors to work well. For instance Tamoxifen targets estrogen receptors, in absence of estrogen receptors Tamoxifen cannot work in cancer treatment. For this reason, TNBC is considered the most aggressive, the most likely to be treated with less-targeted (and therefore more toxic) forms of chemotherapy, and the soonest to return when treatment fails. This therefore means that other alternatives must be used to ensure that the Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is treated so that ladies are not condemned to death when they are diagnosed with this disease.

Effective in treatment of TNBC

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) has put doctors on endless pursuit of its cure. However most of the doctors have proposed the use natural herbs, vegetables and fruits as they are rich in anti-cancer properties that can help to fight Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) more effectively. One of the treatments methods that researchers have proposed is the use of neural stem cells.

Karen Aboody, M.D built a platform at city of hope that is now being used by Mooney, Ph.D. who is a postdoctoral CIRM Scholar and a colleague in Aboody’s laboratory to find out how these stem cells can be used to ferry chemotherapy drugs into the breast cells to curb metastasis of the breast cancer. The platform that these doctors are using involves the use of neural stem cells that naturally reach the cancer tumors in the body. In fact cancer stem cells play a vital role in cancer, metastasis. Their approach to killing the cancer cells involves modifying these neural stem cells to secrete an enzyme that activates a benign substance that powerfully works as a cancer killing agent in the tumors.

The use of neural stem cells in fighting the cancerous cells is good ideas as the stem cells will obvious make even the most resistant breast cancer cells to be destroyed. In this pursuit for better cancer treatment by use of the neural stem cells Dr. Mooney is working together withJacob Berlin, PhD to make this platform a cancer targeting delivery systems for nanoparticles which are essentially plastic containers that are ten thousands times smaller than the width of a single human hair. The doctors are using these plastic transporters to ferry the chemo drugs by filling them with the chemotherapy drugs and having them attached to the neural stem cells that thereafter transports them to the tumor sites. This treatment is very effective since the neural stem cells even pass through the blood -brain barrier reaching even tumors that might have spread to the brain. As the neural stem cells reach the tumor they release the chemotherapy drugs that are packed in the plastic vessels which kill the tumors.

The research on the use of the neural stem cells in fighting cancer has been promising so much that Mooney was awarded two-year postdoctoral cancer research fellowship awarded by the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States to focus specifically on breast cancer metastases. This shows that this treatment is effective and may soon be the best option recommendable to breast cancer patients.

“Cancer cells are very dynamic and elusive, mutating so quickly our current drugs cannot find or fight them, by using a living cell to deliver drugs, it can respond to environmental signals in the body – like inflammation – to track the tumors.” said Mooney. She earned her doctorate from the University of Colorado at Boulder and is studying business at Keck Graduate Institute.

Neural Stem CellsThe builder of this platform; Aboody has shown that the neural stem cell are very effective in treatment of some types of brain cancer such as glioma which is characterized by rapid growth and metastasis. This discovery is yet to make the treatment of Triple negative breast cancer more effective.

Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced integrative cancer doctor that has helped many cancer patients in their fight against the disease. She has worked hard not only in treating the disease but also in availing informational support to cancer patients at Awaremed which has become a place called home for many cancer patients. Call on her now and get help on cancer.

Scientists Use Neural Stem Cells To Treat Triple Negative Breast Cancer

 

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Tests Help in Cancer Treatment

July 25, 2014

Certain Cancer Tests Such As Greek Test, Chemosensitivity and Biofocus Tests Help In Cancer Treatment

testCancer is a disease that is multi-faceted and so needs to be approached with broad knowledge and treatment options to be treated effectively. The time when all cancer patients were treated with one chemotherapy drug is all gone and new treatments has recognized that everybody need to be treated in a special way as genetic composition as well the bodies reaction to medicine are different with every patient. One of the major problems with just giving a drug to all patients without testing the ability of the drug killing the cancer cells is that the cancer cells may develop resistance to the chemotherapy drugs hence will not be killed even if the chemo is repeated. To help avoid this situation and come up with better treatment of the patient, there are tests that may help in determining the best way to treat a patient. These tests include;

Genetic Testing genes

Genetic testing can be used to determine whether someone has certain changes in their genes that may increase a person’s risks of getting certain cancers. It involves taking pints of blood, tissues or cheek cells that are then used to analyze a person. These tests are often called predictive tests. Can also be used to test the likelihood of a person getting cancer if his lineage has a history of the disease.

Some of the genes that are commonly involved in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer are the BRCA1 and BRCA2. Testing can be done on either the cheek swab or the blood to show if a person has these BRCA mutations. The genetic tests do not show whether a person has cancer or not, neither is it intended for that. It shows whether one has gene mutations that might increase his chances of getting cancer.

Genetic testing is helpful in cancer treatment as it tells whether a person has some gene mutations that may increase his chances of getting cancer. This will help in giving drugs or better yet helping the doctors to give the patients the best life he can adapt to in order to reduce his chances of getting cancer.

Genetic testing helps to verify if a person has a gene mutation as the rest of the family. This is in case of hereditary cancer in the family. The gene testing may help to confirm a suspected gene mutation in a person or family and hence help in early treatment.

Chemosensitivity testing

Chemosensitivity testing helps the doctors to know which drugs are good for your type of cancer. It involves extraction of the individual’s cancer cells and testing the cancer cells in lab to see which drug they are most responsive to. The chemosensitivity testing offers a guide to the doctors on which treatment methods to implement when treating the patient.

Chemosensitivity is more strategic and not haphazard and so is most effective as the drugs and the treatment procedures the patient is subjected to are pretested to know how effective they will be in treating the patient’s type of cancer.

RGCC Chemosensitivity testing may use blood or tissues and it is used to test the viability of the chemotherapy drugs in treating the cancer. It also involves genetic profiling of the cancer cell that will help the doctors decide on which treatment best suits the patient. It also checks on viability of other treatment methods that may be used alongside chemotherapy in killing the cancer.

Greek test

Greek test may help doctors with valuable information about the cancer cells ability to resist drugs especially the circulating tumor cells that are known to wreak havoc as they fuel metastasis. Through the Greek test precise treatment methods can be reached as the doctors will be testing the reactions of the cancer cells to the drugs in the Petri dish in the lab before the patient is treated. The most effective agent in inhibiting the growth of the cancer cells is then used to treat the patient.

The Greek test helps the doctors to; discover genes which trigger the growth of tumor cells, find a better alternative treatment that can improve recovery, asses the reasons to why the body may resist chemotherapy drugs and come up with better drugs that can work on the cancer cells. Finally the Greek tests help the doctors to know which nutrients can cause cancer cell apoptosis as well as those that will encourage the growth of cancer cells.

Biofocus tests

 

Biofocus helps the doctors to get a better treatment for cancer patients. It involves testing blood for the presence of the Circulating Tumor hormones (CTCs) in the body. If the CTCs are detected, the next process will now test the reaction of the CTCs on the chemotherapy drugs. The doctors can analyze the reactions of the CTCs to the drugs after which they will choose the best drug for the treatment.

TestBiofocus tests help the doctors in availing better ways to kill the cancer cells that have broken away from the main tumor. As known the circulating tumor cells are able to spread the tumor to other body parts and therefore a better strategy is necessary. It helps doctors to decide on the best drug for the treatment of the disease.

To know more about cancer you need to find access to up to date information about cancer. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) runs a website that equips people with relevant information about cancer. Check on her website regularly to benefit from her wealth of health knowledge.

Certain Cancer Tests Such As Greek Test, Chemosensitivity and Biofocus Tests Help In Cancer Treatment

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