How safe is water in plastic bottles? Simon Says: For some time now I have been hearing reports of Harmful chemicals entering our bottled water and drinks in plastic bottles. As the years have gone by, more and more reports keep coming out into the public eye about this subject. With the recent report on the BBC about a town in Australia banning battle water in plastic bottles it made me sit up and think and gives me great concern as i drink allot of water from plastic bottles. For more information and to view this BBC Article you can do so by clicking on the link below http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8141569.stm I have been noticing for some time now that a huge amount of people around me and on the news seem to be contracting and dieing of cancer. This is a very worrying thing to see as it seems to be very much on the increase. I don't think I know anyone who dose not know someone who has been affected with cancer. Over the last couple of years I have started to ask myself what is the cause of all this cancer as it seams to me to be the biggest killer at the moment with cases incresing rapidly. Although I understand there are other factors in the causes of Cancer from family inheritance to pollution, but I am convinced and in my opinion a huge percentage of cancers are caused by our food. Never before have we eaten so much food from a packet as we do now. Basically every thing we eat and drink every day is wrapped up in plastics, treated with chemicals and E numbers, preservatives, pesticides, colourings, you name it, there is hardly any foods these days on the normal food markets that have not been treated with some form of chemical. OK we understand that in foods, there may be traces of toxins but is within Safety guidelines, but do these guidelines take into account the shear volume of food we consume in a week from these products. When everything you eat and drink from morning to night containing these chemicals, it all adds up and surely this has an affect on our bodies. Years ago, yes you would buy products from your local shop that were packaged, but not all you food and drink came this way, and much of what we eat would be prepared, cooked and eaten fresh. So slight traces of toxins were not an issue as your bodies natural defences tend to be able to clean your body of these toxins. But eating and drinking all day every day from these foods has to affect us and in my opinion, although many people will disagree that there is no evidence to this, I feel this is one of the main causes of cancers and other illnesses. I strongly feel more research is needed into the food trade as a whole and what effects all this non organic, pre-packaged food is having on our health. I have found this report from the Daily Mail Website that was posted in 2006 and I found it most interesting. it would be nice to know what research has been made since this report. ........................ ............. A Potentially deadly toxin is being absorbed into bottled mineral water from their plastic containers. And the longer the water is stored, the levels of poison increase, research reveals. As the sell-by date on many bottled waters is up to two years, scientists have now called for extensive further studies. The research by world expert Dr William Shotyk - who has vowed never to drink bottled water again - will be published in the Royal Society of Chemistry's journal next month. It is sure to revive concerns about the safety of bottled water, the world's fastest-growing drinks industry, worth £1.2billion a year. The tests found traces of antimony, a chemical used in the making of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, used by most mineral-water sellers. Small doses of antimony can make you feel ill and depressed. Larger quantities can cause violent vomiting and even death. The study stressed that amounts of antimony were well below official recommended levels. But it also discovered that the levels almost doubled when the bottles were stored for three months. Professor Shotyk, of Heidelberg University in Germany, said: "I don't want to shock people but here's what I know: Antimony is being continuously released into bottled drinking water. The water in PET bottles is contaminated." He tested ground water and 15 types of bottled mineral water in his native Canada. The ground water contained two parts per trillion (ppt) of antimony. Bottled water had an average 160 ppt of antimony when opened immediately after bottling. But ground water stored in a PET plastic bottle had 630 ppt of antimony when opened six months later. Professor Shotyk then tried the experiment in Europe, collecting 48 brands of water in PET bottles and water from its source in the ground at a German bottling plant. The water had four ppt of antimony before being bottled, the contents of a new bottle had 360 ppt and one opened three months later had a staggering 700 ppt. Antimony finds its way into water by 'leaching' from the plastic in the same way that water absorbs flavour from a teabag. Health authorities said even the higher levels of antimony found are way below official safety guidelines, set at around six parts per billion by international environment agencies. Elizabeth Griswold, director of the Canadian Bottled Water Association, added: "The levels do not pose a risk to humans. They are simply trace elements." But David Coggan, a Southampton University-based epidemiologist who works with the Medical Research Council, called for further research into the findings. He said not enough was known about the effects of antimony and how much had to be consumed before it became dangerous. Last year naphthalene, which can cause liver damage in high doses, was found in two bottles of Volvic mineral water. Bacteria which could leach into bottled water has been cited as a possible reason for rising levels of food poisoning. This Article is from the Daily mail Website CLICK HERE to goto there website and read more on this subject. The poison lurking in your plastic water bottle By JO KNOWSLEY, Daily Mail 13 March 2006

New Reaserch shows Popcorn has a healthy amount of Antioxidants Finally, proof sought by popcorn lovers everywhere that the popped kernel is a nutritious snack has been revealed! Popcorn has been found to contain more antioxidants and dietary fiber than any other snack food. In addition, many popular oat-based breakfast cereals and whole-grain snacks have been discovered to be other great sources of these healthy ingredients. The new information comes from research conducted by Joe Vinson, a professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania and colleagues. The study findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society. According to Vinson, there are a number of reasons that popcorn is good for you. Foods like cereal and popcorn may provide disease-fighting antioxidants. He says, The more processed the grain is, you're losing nutrients and antioxidants. He then added, The closer you can get to the plant, the better off you are. And, popcorn is a whole grain, after all. Vinson explained that the antioxidants contained in popcorn are well protected from the sun during the drying process. The corn then loses only a small amount when popped, and these processes do not remove the fiber from the whole grain. Regarding preparation of the popcorn, Vinson points out, If you can air-pop your popcorn and then add a minimal amount of salt, you'd have the best popcorn. The problem with keeping the consumption of popcorn on the nutritious end of the dietary scale is that people love to load the snack with butter and salt. This heavily tips the dietary scale toward the other, unhealthy end, and is the difference between a nutritious snack and junk food. The increasingly popular tortilla chip suffers a similar fate. Vinson explained that although tortilla chips are made with whole grain corn, they are alkali-processed, which destroys a good portion of the antioxidants. The researchers also found that almost all whole-grain breakfast cereals, as well as many common grain-based snacks, contain considerable amounts of polyphenols, which are a form of antioxidants believed to offer key health benefits. Polyphenols are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, scientists believe they may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Polyphenols occur naturally in plants and are the most plentiful antioxidant. According to Vinson, Early researchers thought the fiber was the active ingredient for these benefits in whole grains the reason why they may reduce the risk of cancer and coronary heart disease. But recently, polyphenols emerged as potentially more important. Breakfast cereals, pasta, crackers and salty snacks constitute over 66 percent of whole grain intake in the U.S. diet. Regarding the results of the study, Vinson stated, We found that, in fact, whole-grain products have comparable antioxidants per gram to fruits and vegetables. He further added, This is the first study to examine total phenol antioxidants in breakfast cereals and snacks, whereas previous studies have measured free antioxidants in the products. The researchers found that the highest content of polyphenols were contained in whole-grain corn or oats cereals at about 0.2 percent by weight per box, while wheat-based cereals contained an average of 0.07 percent, and rice cereals contained only 0.05 percent. Although raisin bran had the highest content of 3 percent by weight, Vinson credited the higher polyphenols content to the raisins present in the cereal. For snacks, the researchers found popcorn to contain the highest content of polyphenols at 2.6 percent, followed by whole-grain crackers at 0.45 percent. At least one expert pointed out that moderation is key when it comes to the consumption of these foods, as many cereals contain excessive sugar and other ingredients that are not so good for you. For this reason, following the serving size suggestions would be important. However, Vinson believes that the benefits of eating more cereals may just outweigh the negatives. He said, We always think of fruits and vegetables as the primary sources of polyphenols, but many people, especially students, don't eat enough of them. Here we have a product that is very familiar in the diet and that people like to eat. We can push kids to eat more whole grains This Article is taken from the Health News website. Click Here to view there website

Recent Study Says Organic Doesn’t Mean More Nutritious Organic food, which was once only available in small stores or farmers’ markets, is now the fastest growing sector of the American food marketplace, despite its higher costs. In 2008, the value of retail sales of organic food was estimated to be more than $28 billion, up from $1 billion in 1990. And, according to the Food Marketing Institute, more than half of Americans now buy organic food at least one a month. So why this surge in popularity? Why pay more for food because it’s organically grown? Do organic foods offer more nutritional value than their traditionally grown counterparts? Whether or not organically grown foods are more nutritious has become a hotbed of debate, and the answer would likely depend on who one asked. For instance, The Organic Center (TOC), a pro-organic nonprofit research organization in Foster, Rhode Island recently concluded that organic foods, on average, offer a 25 percent higher nutrient level over conventional ones. And researchers at University of California at Davis claim to have found higher levels of nutrients in organic tomatoes, kiwifruit, corn, and strawberries grown side-by-side with conventional versions. On the opposite side of the fence are major health organizations like the American Dietetic Association and the Mayo Clinic that hold an organic label is no assurance that a food is nutritionally superior, which is the same conclusion recently reached by a group of British researchers after reviewing 50 years of published data on the topic. The review, commissioned by Britain’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) and conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, found that organic food contained no more nutritional value than food grown traditionally. Overall, the researchers found no differences of most nutrients, including vitamin C, calcium and iron, in organically or traditionally grown crops. The same was true for meat, dairy and eggs. There were differences in nitrogen and phosphorus levels, but the researchers said this was likely due to the differences in fertilizers and the ripeness at harvest, and likely provided no health benefits. Our review indicates that there is currently no evidence to support the selection of organically over conventionally produced foods on the basis of nutritional superiority, said Dr. Alan Dangour, study author and registered public health nutritionist. It is good to see that a systematic review of the literature supports what has long been believed that the nutritional content of traditionally grown foods and organic foods are comparable, said Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis and past president of the American Dietetic Association. This report provides confirmation for consumers that if they choose conventionally grown foods or organic foods they will be meeting their nutritional needs. However, others were disappointed with the findings, criticizing the study for failing to examine the impact of pesticides and herbicides, the use of antibiotics or the environmental issues. They are calling for better research. You have to also look at what you’re not getting with organic foods, said Sheah Rarback, director of nutrition at the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. We know that young children are getting the nutrition, whatever choice they make, but we also have to look at the pesticide issue. Dr. Dangour admitted that there is a possibility that organic food has less pesticide residues, but this was not part of the review. He said that, as a nutritionist, he was not qualified to look at pesticides, but this may be an area for further research. Gill Fine, the FSA’s director of consumer choice and dietary health, said the study was about ensuring people have accurate information in order to make informed choices about the food they eat. This study does not mean that people should not eat organic food, she said. What it shows is that there is little, if any, nutritional difference between organic and conventionally produced food and that there is no evidence of additional health benefits from eating organic food. The findings appear in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. One Stops Comment: Personaly I think this is incorrect. Most people dont buy organic simply becouse they think it is more Nutritious but becouse they dont want to eat all the chemicals that are sprayed onto fruit and vegetables. It maybe true that there is no difference in the nutrition value, but in my opinion it is hundreds of times more healthy for you to eat organic foods with out all the rubbish that is on our fresh foods these days. With cancer cases on a sharp increase, surely we should ask ourselfs what is causing all this cancer these days. With all the chemicals we eat all day and every day, surely this has an affect on our health. I think more should be done to control the use of chemicals on our food. This news article was taken from healthnews.com. CLICK HERE to view there website.

Food Safety When Cooking on a BBQ Connecticut Health Department Urges Food Safety When Grilling Outdoors Summer is the season for sizzling - steaks, chicken, ribs, veggie kabobs and much more. The Connecticut Department of Public Health reminds everyone that food safety is essential when grilling outdoors and offers tips to ensure that family barbecues and backyard picnics remain fun, healthy outings. "This Fourth of July holiday, many of us will be spending time with our family and friends at barbecues and picnics," said DPH Commissioner J. Robert Galvin, MD, MPH, MBA. "It is important that people remember that food safety is just as important when you're cooking outside as it is when you're cooking inside." Healthy tips for grilling outdoors: - Wash hands - Wash hands for 20 seconds with soap and water and dry your hands with a paper towel following restroom use, before preparing foods, after handling raw meat or before eating. Be sure to wash hands thoroughly after handling raw meat products and before handling other foods. Clean hands will help prevent the spread of potentially illness-causing microorganisms. - Clean - Wash food-contact surfaces often with warm soapy water. Bacteria can spread and get onto cutting boards, knives and counter tops. Wash fruits and vegetables before preparing. - Separate utensils - Be sure to use separate plates and utensils for cooked and uncooked foods. Bacteria from uncooked meats and poultry can be dangerous if they contaminate cooked food. Don't reuse marinade - discard after food is removed for cooking. If basting is required, use a freshly prepared marinade. - Take temperatures - Cook food thoroughly. The most common minimum internal cooking temperatures are 158 degrees Fahrenheit for hamburgers, 145 degrees Fahrenheit for steaks and ribs, and 165 degrees Fahrenheit for poultry. Be sure to use a food thermometer to check temperatures. - Keep it cold (or hot) - Keep cold food refrigerated until it is ready to be placed on the grill. Consume immediately or hold hot on the grill. Do not hold cooked foods at room temperature. Cooked, hot foods should be kept at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer. Cold foods should be kept below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Don't let temperature-sensitive food sit outside. Source The Connecticut Department of Public Health This news insert is taken from the following food news Website For more information and to view this website you can do so by clicking on the link below www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156205.php

A glass of milk a day helps keep the hunger away...... Can a glass of milk in the mornings help to stop the mid morning munchies? Now there's a new reason for the weight-conscious to drink fat free milk at breakfast time, suggests a new study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers in Australia found that drinking fat free milk in the morning helped increase satiety, or a feeling of fullness, and led to decreased calorie intake at the next meal, as compared with a fruit drink. The milk drinkers ate about 50 fewer calories (or nearly 9% less food) at lunch. In the study, 34 overweight but otherwise healthy men and women participated in two testing sessions - one in which they were served about 20 ounces of fat free milk, and one in which they were served the same amount of a fruit drink (both beverages contributed about 250 calories to the breakfast meal). During the four hours between breakfast and lunch, the men and women gauged their feelings of fullness and were allowed to eat until comfortably full at lunch. The researchers found that the milk-drinking adults reported feeling fuller, more satisfied and therefore ate fewer calories at lunch. The researchers suspect that milk's protein content (providing 16% of the daily value per cup), the lactose (the natural sugar in milk) or simply the thickness of the beverage may play a role in the satiety benefits. And, research suggests choosing foods that can help enhance satiety is an important success factor in any weight management plan. Experts are increasingly focused on small behavior changes that can make a big difference when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight. A calorie decrease as little as 50 calories per day can add up in the long run. Americans may be gaining weight at a rate of up to two pounds per year, likely caused by an average of less than 100 calories per day, according to recent research. Fat free milk is packed with nine essential nutrients Americans need, including calcium and vitamin D, and contains 80 calories per 8-ounce serving. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend three servings of fat free or lowfat milk each day. Dove, ER, Hodgson JM, Puddey IB, Beilin LJ, Lee YP, Mori TA. Skim milk compared with a fruit drink acutely reduces appetite and energy intake in overweight men and women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2009;90:70-75. Source: Gloria Delgadillo Weber Shandwick Worldwide This news insert is taken from the following food news Website For more information and to view this website you can do so by clicking on the link below www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154985.php

Amega 3 and your Heart 16th June 2009 Can Omega 3 Fatty Acids Prevent Depression In Coronary Heart Disease? Depression is an established risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease (CHD) in healthy patients and for adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with existing CHD. Dietary factors resulting in lower levels of omega 3 fatty acids not only increase CHD risk, but may also be involved in the pathophysiology of depression. The investigators measured red blood cell levels of two omega 3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and assessed depressive symptoms in a cross-sectional study of 987 adults with CHD. Omega 3 fatty acids were blindly measured in fasting venous blood samples using capillary gas chromatography to measure the fatty acid composition of red blood cell membranes. Red blood cell levels of EPA and DHA are presented as a percentage composition of total fatty acid methyl esters. The investigators assessed current depression using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. They evaluated the association between omega 3 fatty acid levels and depressive symptoms as continuous variables using linear regression. The investigators also examined the association of omeg 3 fatty acid tertiles with depression as a dichotomous variable using X2 analysis and logistic regression. All statistical tests were two-sided, and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. The prevalence of depression ranged from 23% in participants in the lowest tertile of omega 3 fatty acids (< 3.1% of total blood fatty acids) to 13% in participants in the highest tertile ( >4.3% of total blood fatty acids; p for trend = 0.004). Each unit decrease in EPA + DHA was inversely associated with depressive symptoms as a continuous variable, and these associations persisted after adjustment for age, sex and race. Similarly, each SD decrease in EPA + DHA was associated with significantly greater odds of depression as a dichotomous variable (Patient Health Questionnaire score >10). However, in both analyses, omega 3 fatty acid levels were no longer associated with depression after adjustment for education and household income level. This study extends this existing literature by finding a strong association between low omeg 3 fatty acids and depression in outpatients with stable CHD, a population distinct from sicker, hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndrome. In addition, the investigators examined the role of several important potential confounders and measured erythrocyte membrane levels of fatty acids rather than using less accurate serum measurements or dietary questionnaires. However, the cross-sectional nature of this study precluded the investigators from making any definitive comments on causality. Additionally, the cohort participants were mostly older, urban men and thus are not entirely reflective of the general population. To better understand the potential efficacy of omeg 3 fatty acid supplementation for improving depressive symptoms in patients with CHD, future studies should carefully consider the role of socioeconomic status (SES) in this association. Source: Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics This news insert is taken from the following food news Website For more information and to view this website you can do so by clicking on the link below www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153844.php

Eating healthy with Heart Problems 1st June 2009 Encouraging Heart Failure Patients To Enjoy Their Food -- Even If It's Not As Salty As Before The individualised management programme of France's "Réseau Respecti-coeur" makes quality of life the first objective for heart failure patients, and one of the network's dieticians, Mme Hélène Guibert, explained that the heart-healthy eating recommended in the programme need not be a source of frustration or misery - even for a Frenchman. "For many old people," she told Heart Failure Congress 2009, "meals are important occasions, and it's our aim to bring together at these times health and pleasure."1,2 Patient and family education for a heart-healthy diet - as well as prompt recognition of symptoms and psychological support - forms part of the Réseau's heart failure management approach, and begins with advice to restrict salt intake to five or six grams per day, an amount recommended in heart failure, said Mme Guibert. "Our dietetic management starts with a shopping list which allows our patients to assess their salt and calorific consumption," she explained. "They can then adapt their health objectives to their own tastes and eating habits. In this we way we can reach agreed objectives which are simple, achievable and measurable" - and which take account of their completer health status. This is why our management approach is first personalised, and then collective." It's for the same reasons that the Réseau organises interactive cooking demonstrations, with each one following a clear theme - mixed salads, vegetables, special occasion meals, sauces . . . "There's a time for tasting and enjoying the food at each event," said Mme Guibert, "and afterwards each participant goes home with a recipe of the day. The demonstrations also allow our patients to exchange ideas and discover new tastes and culinary skills." A DVD provides supporting information. It's in ways like this, said Mme Guibert, that "la diétetique" can be paradoxical - because, even in France, a judicious diet which is part of a heart failure management programme can still be enjoyable. "There's no risk-taking, no frustration, and the pleasure of eating is retained." Heart Failure Congress 2009 is organised by the European Society of Cardiology and Heart Failure Association of the ESC, and takes place from 30 May to 2 June at the Palais Acropolis, Nice, France. Guibert E. La diétetique: Un paradoxe français?. 30 May 2009, 15.45-17.15, Heart Failure Congress 2009. Information on the scientific programme is available at http://spo.escardio.org/Welcome.aspx?eevtid=31 Source: ESC Press Office European Society of Cardiology This news insert is taken from the following food news Website For more information and to view this website you can do so by clicking on the link below www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/151989.php

Vitamin D May 30th 2009 Vitamin D May Lessen Age-related Cognitive Decline Eating fish long considered 'brain food' may really be good for the old grey matter, as is a healthy dose of sunshine, new research suggests. University of Manchester scientists in collaboration with colleagues from other European centres have shown that higher levels of vitamin D primarily synthesised in the skin following sun exposure but also found in certain foods such as oily fish are associated with improved cognitive function in middle-aged and older men. The study, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, compared the cognitive performance of more than 3,000 men aged 40 to 79 years at eight test centres across Europe. The researchers found that men with higher levels of vitamin D performed consistently better in a simple and sensitive neuropsychological test that assesses an individual's attention and speed of information processing. "Previous studies exploring the relationship between vitamin D and cognitive performance in adults have produced inconsistent findings but we observed a significant, independent association between a slower information processing speed and lower levels of vitamin D," said lead author Dr David Lee, in Manchester's School of Translational Medicine. "The main strengths of our study are that it is based on a large population sample and took into account potential interfering factors, such as depression, season and levels of physical activity. "Interestingly, the association between increased vitamin D and faster information processing was more significant in men aged over 60 years, although the biological reasons for this remain unclear." "The positive effects vitamin D appears to have on the brain need to be explored further but certainly raise questions about its potential benefit for minimising ageing-related declines in cognitive performance." Source: Manchester University This news insert is taken from the following food news Website For more information and to view this website you can do so by clicking on the link below www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/151344.php

Cancer. What is it??? 4th June 2009 What is Cancer? What Causes Cancer? Cancer is a class of diseases characterized by out-of-control cell growth. There are over 100 different types of cancer, and each is classified by the type of cell that is initially affected. Cancer harms the body when damaged cells divide uncontrollably to form lumps or masses of tissue called tumors (except in the case of leukemia where cancer prohibits normal blood function by abnormal cell division in the blood stream). Tumors can grow and interfere with the digestive, nervous, and circulatory systems, and they can release hormones that alter body function. Tumors that stay in one spot and demonstrate limited growth are generally considered to be benign. More dangerous, or malignant, tumors form when two things occur: a cancerous cell manages to move throughout the body using the blood or lymph systems, destroying healthy tissue in a process called invasion that cell manages to divide and grow, making new blood vessels to feed itself in a process called angiogenesis. When a tumor successfully spreads to other parts of the body and grows, invading and destroying other healthy tissues, it is said to have metastasized. This process itself is called metastasis, and the result is a serious condition that is very difficult to treat. In 2007, cancer claimed the lives of about 7.6 million people in the world. Physicians and researchers who specialize in the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer are called oncologists. What causes cancer? Cancer is ultimately the result of cells that uncontrollably grow and do not die. Normal cells in the body follow an orderly path of growth, division, and death. Programmed cell death is called apoptosis, and when this process breaks down, cancer begins to form. Unlike regular cells, cancer cells do not experience programmatic death and instead continue to grow and divide. This leads to a mass of abnormal cells that grows out of control. What is cancer? - Video A short, 3D, animated introduction to cancer. This was originally created by BioDigital Systems and used in the Stand Up 2 Cancer telethon. Genes - the DNA type Cells can experience uncontrolled growth if there are damages or mutations to DNA, and therefore, damage to the genes involved in cell division. Four key types of gene are responsible for the cell division process: oncogenes tell cells when to divide, tumor suppressor genes tell cells when not to divide, suicide genes control apoptosis and tell the cell to kill itself if something goes wrong, and DNA-repair genes instruct a cell to repair damaged DNA. Cancer occurs when a cell's gene mutations make the cell unable to correct DNA damage and unable to commit suicide. Similarly, cancer is a result of mutations that inhibit oncogene and tumor suppressor gene function, leading to uncontrollable cell growth. Carcinogens Carcinogens are a class of substances that are directly responsible for damaging DNA, promoting or aiding cancer. Tobacco, asbestos, arsenic, radiation such as gamma and x-rays, the sun, and compounds in car exhaust fumes are all examples of carcinogens. When our bodies are exposed to carcinogens, free radicals are formed that try to steal electrons from other molecules in the body. Theses free radicals damage cells and affect their ability to function normally. Genes - the family type Cancer can be the result of a genetic predisposition that is inherited from family members. It is possible to be born with certain genetic mutations or a fault in a gene that makes one statistically more likely to develop cancer later in life. Other medical factors As we age, there is an increase in the number of possible cancer-causing mutations in our DNA. This makes age an important risk factor for cancer. Several viruses have also been linked to cancer such as: human papillomavirus (a cause of cervical cancer), hepatitis B and C (causes of liver cancer), and Epstein-Barr virus (a cause of some childhood cancers). Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) - and anything else that suppresses or weakens the immune system - inhibits the body's ability to fight infections and increases the chance of developing cancer. What are the symptoms of cancer? Cancer symptoms are quite varied and depend on where the cancer is located, where it has spread, and how big the tumor is. Some cancers can be felt or seen through the skin - a lump on the breast or testicle can be an indicator of cancer in those locations. Skin cancer (melanoma) is often noted by a change in a wart or mole on the skin. Some oral cancers present white patches inside the mouth or white spots on the tongue. Other cancers have symptoms that are less physically apparent. Some brain tumors tend to present symptoms early in the disease as they affect important cognitive functions. Pancreas cancers are usually too small to cause symptoms until they cause pain by pushing against nearby nerves or interfere with liver function to cause a yellowing of the skin and eyes called jaundice. Symptoms also can be created as a tumor grows and pushes against organs and blood vessels. For example, colon cancers lead to symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, and changes in stool size. Bladder or prostate cancers cause changes in bladder function such as more frequent or infrequent urination. As cancer cells use the body's energy and interfere with normal hormone function, it is possible to present symptoms such as fever, fatigue, excessive sweating, anemia, and unexplained weight loss. However, these symptoms are common in several other maladies as well. For example, coughing and hoarseness can point to lung or throat cancer as well as several other conditions. When cancer spreads, or metastasizes, additional symptoms can present themselves in the newly affected area. Swollen or enlarged lymph nodes are common and likely to be present early. If cancer spreads to the brain, patients may experience vertigo, headaches, or seizures. Spreading to the lungs may cause coughing and shortness of breath. In addition, the liver may become enlarged and cause jaundice and bones can become painful, brittle, and break easily. Symptoms of metastasis ultimately depend on the location to which the cancer has spread. How is cancer classified? There are five broad groups that are used to classify cancer. Carcinomas are characterized by cells that cover internal and external parts of the body such as lung, breast, and colon cancer. Sarcomas are characterized by cells that are located in bone, cartilage, fat, connective tissue, muscle, and other supportive tissues. Lymphomas are cancers that begin in the lymph nodes and immune system tissues. Leukemias are cancers that begin in the bone marrow and often accumulate in the bloodstream. Adenomas are cancers that arise in the thyroid, the pituitary gland, the adrenal gland, and other glandular tissues. Cancers are often referred to by terms that contain a prefix related to the cell type in which the cancer originated and a suffix such as -sarcoma, -carcinoma, or just -oma. Common prefixes include: Adeno- = gland Chondro- = cartilage Erythro- = red blood cell Hemangio- = blood vessels Hepato- = liver Lipo- = fat Lympho- = white blood cell Melano- = pigment cell Myelo- = bone marrow Myo- = muscle Osteo- = bone Uro- = bladder Retino- = eye Neuro- = brain How is cancer diagnosed and staged? Early detection of cancer can greatly improve the odds of successful treatment and survival. Physicians use information from symptoms and several other procedures to diagnose cancer. Imaging techniques such as X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, PET scans, and ultrasound scans are used regularly in order to detect where a tumor is located and what organs may be affected by it. Doctors may also conduct an endoscopy, which is a procedure that uses a thin tube with a camera and light at one end, to look for abnormalities inside the body. Extracting cancer cells and looking at them under a microscope is the only absolute way to diagnose cancer. This procedure is called a biopsy. Other types of molecular diagnostic tests are frequently employed as well. Physicians will analyze your body's sugars, fats, proteins, and DNA at the molecular level. For example, cancerous prostate cells release a higher level of a chemical called PSA (prostate-specific antigen) into the bloodstream that can be detected by a blood test. Molecular diagnostics, biopsies, and imaging techniques are all used together to diagnose cancer. After a diagnosis is made, doctors find out how far the cancer has spread and determine the stage of the cancer. The stage determines which choices will be available for treatment and informs prognoses. The most common cancer staging method is called the TNM system. T (1-4) indicates the size and direct extent of the primary tumor, N (0-3) indicates the degree to which the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, and M (0-1) indicates whether the cancer has metastasized to other organs in the body. A small tumor that has not spread to lymph nodes or distant organs may be staged as (T1, N0, M0), for example. TNM descriptions then lead to a simpler categorization of stages, from 0 to 4, where lower numbers indicate that the cancer has spread less. While most Stage 1 tumors are curable, most Stage 4 tumors are inoperable or untreatable. How is cancer treated? Cancer treatment depends on the type of cancer, the stage of the cancer (how much it has spread), age, health status, and additional personal characteristics. There is no single treatment for cancer, and patients often receive a combination of therapies and palliative care. Treatments usually fall into one of the following categories: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy, or gene therapy. Surgery Surgery is the oldest known treatment for cancer. If a cancer has not metastasized, it is possible to completely cure a patient by surgically removing the cancer from the body. This is often seen in the removal of the prostate or a breast or testicle. After the disease has spread, however, it is nearly impossible to remove all of the cancer cells. Surgery may also be instrumental in helping to control symptoms such as bowel obstruction or spinal cord compression. Radiation Radiation treatment, also known as radiotherapy, destroys cancer by focusing high-energy rays on the cancer cells. This causes damage to the molecules that make up the cancer cells and leads them to commit suicide. Radiotherapy utilizes high-energy gamma-rays that are emitted from metals such as radium or high-energy x-rays that are created in a special machine. Early radiation treatments caused severe side-effects because the energy beams would damage normal, healthy tissue, but technologies have improved so that beams can be more accurately targeted. Radiotherapy is used as a standalone treatment to shrink a tumor or destroy cancer cells (including those associated with leukemia and lymphoma), and it is also used in combination with other cancer treatments. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy utilizes chemicals that interfere with the cell division process - damaging proteins or DNA - so that cancer cells will commit suicide. These treatments target any rapidly dividing cells (not necessarily just cancer cells), but normal cells usually can recover from any chemical-induced damage while cancer cells cannot. Chemotherapy is generally used to treat cancer that has spread or metastasized because the medicines travel throughout the entire body. It is a necessary treatment for some forms of leukemia and lymphoma. Chemotherapy treatment occurs in cycles so the body has time to heal between doses. However, there are still common side effects such as hair loss, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. Combination therapies often include multiple types of chemotherapy or chemotherapy combined with other treatment options. Immunotherapy Immunotherapy aims to get the body's immune system to fight the tumor. Local immunotherapy injects a treatment into an affected area, for example, to cause inflammation that causes a tumor to shrink. Systemic immunotherapy treats the whole body by administering an agent such as the protein interferon alpha that can shrink tumors. Immunotherapy can also be considered non-specific if it improves cancer-fighting abilities by stimulating the entire immune system, and it can be considered targeted if the treatment specifically tells the immune system to destroy cancer cells. These therapies are relatively young, but researchers have had success with treatments that introduce antibodies to the body that inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells. Bone marrow transplantation (hematopoetic stem cell transplantation) can also be considered immunotherapy because the donor's immune cells will often attack the tumor or cancer cells that are present in the host. Hormone therapy Several cancers have been linked to some types of hormones, most notably breast and prostate cancer. Hormone therapy is designed to alter hormone production in the body so that cancer cells stop growing or are killed completely. Breast cancer hormone therapies often focus on reducing estrogen levels (a common drug for this is tamoxifen) and prostate cancer hormone therapies often focus on reducing testosterone levels. In addition, some leukemia and lymphoma cases can be treated with the hormone cortisone. Gene therapy The goal of gene therapy is to replace damaged genes with ones that work to address a root cause of cancer: damage to DNA. For example, researchers are trying to replace the damaged gene that signals cells to stop dividing (the p53 gene) with a copy of a working gene. Other gene-based therapies focus on further damaging cancer cell DNA to the point where the cell commits suicide. Gene therapy is a very young field and has not yet resulted in any successful treatments. How can cancer be prevented? Cancers that are closely linked to certain behaviors are the easiest to prevent. For example, choosing not to smoke tobacco or drink alcohol significantly lower the risk of several types of cancer - most notably lung, throat, mouth, and liver cancer. Even if you are a current tobacco user, quitting can still greatly reduce your chances of getting cancer. Skin cancer can be prevented by staying in the shade, protecting yourself with a hat and shirt when in the sun, and using sunscreen. Diet is also an important part of cancer prevention since what we eat has been linked to the disease. Physicians recommend diets that are low in fat and rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Certain vaccinations have been associated with the prevention of some cancers. For example, many women receive a vaccination for the human papillomavirus because of the virus's relationship with cervical cancer. Hepatitis B vaccines prevent the hepatitis B virus, which can cause liver cancer. Some cancer prevention is based on systematic screening in order to detect small irregularities or tumors as early as possible even if there are no clear symptoms present. Breast self-examination, mammograms, testicular self-examination, and Pap smears are common screening methods for various cancers. How to eat to prevent cancer - Video A guide to some everyday foods that contain nutrients that may help reduce your risk of getting cancer. Video by Howcast. Cancer / Oncology news Medical News Today is a leading resource for the latest headlines on Cancer and Oncology. So, check out our cancer news section. You can also sign up to daily medical news alerts or our weekly digest medical newsletters to ensure that you stay up-to-date with the latest news. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This what is cancer? information section was written by Peter Crosta for Medical News Today, and may not be re-produced in any way without the permission of Medical News Today. For more information and links regarding this article, please click on the link below. This news insert is taken from the following food news Website For more information and to view this website you can do so by clicking on the link below www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/cancer-oncology/whatiscancer.php

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