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