Archive | October 2017

Controllable Risk Factors on Breast Cancer

Oct19

  

Today’s section regarding Controllable Risk Factors you can change if needed which are:

Obesity

Studies have shown a clear association between obesity and increased risk of post-menopausal breast cancer. Because having more fat tissue can increase a woman’s level of estrogen, it is important for a woman to attempt to control her weight, particularly after menopause. Once a woman has stopped menstruating, her levels of estrogen and progesterone are much lower than they once were. Excess fat tissue may cause significant increases in her hormone levels.

Physical Activity

Physical activity not only helps a woman reduce her risk of breast cancer by maintaining a healthy body weight, it may also have its own benefits to risk reduction. Some studies have shown that physical exercise throughout a woman’s life reduces her risk, independent of her weight.

One theory is that exercise may reduce a woman’s risk by limiting menstrual function, and it has been observed that regular physical exercise can delay menarche — the onset of menstruation — when body fat percentage is low. Since breast cancer risk may be significantly influenced by a woman’s lifetime exposure to hormones, reducing that exposure may also reduce her risk.

Alcohol Consumption

Many epidemiological studies spanning the past 20 years have shown an association between alcohol consumption and increased risk of breast cancer. Studies have consistently found that women who consume at least three alcoholic drinks per day are at higher risk for developing breast cancer than women who do not drink alcohol. Furthermore, study findings have shown that for women who drink two alcoholic drinks or more per day, breast cancer risk is related to the amount of alcohol consumed — higher consumption of alcohol equals higher breast cancer risk.

Among other mechanisms, it has been suggested that alcohol may increase a woman’s hormone levels. A recent study fed women specified amounts of alcohol each day, and demonstrated that a woman’s levels of blood estrogen did increase according to the amount of alcohol she consumed. In particular, the breast cancer risk of post-menopausal women, whose bodies make very little estrogen compared with pre-menopausal women, may be affected by alcohol consumption by this mechanism.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

A study conducted by the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) showed that women in the study population who took hormone replacement therapy — combined estrogen and progestin — had a 26 percent increased risk (relative to an average woman) of invasive breast cancer after four to five years of therapy. This finding is consistent with the growing evidence that exogenous (outside) hormones increase a woman’s lifetime estrogen exposure as well as increasing her breast cancer risk.

Breastfeeding

An analysis published in July 2002 pulled together data from 47 previous studies to show that breastfeeding does in fact slightly lower a woman’s risk of breast cancer. The longer a woman breastfed, the lower her risk was. For optimal benefit, we recommend breastfeeding a child for 12 months.  The hormonal balance is different than a non pregnant women who does not breast feed 12 months.

The decision of whether or not to breastfeed is certainly a very personal one. The knowledge that breastfeeding may offer a slight reduction in risk for developing breast cancer is just one of the many factors that will influence how long a woman decides to breastfeed.

QUOTE FOR TUESDAY:

Oct17

“Breast cancer occurs nearly 100 times more often in women than in men. Age: Two out of three women with invasive cancer are diagnosed after age 55.“

National Breast Cancer Foundation (www.nationalbreastcancer.org)

 

 

QUOTE FOR MONDAY:

Oct16

“Benign (non-cancerous) breast conditions are very common, and most women have them. In fact, most breast changes are benign.  Unlike breast cancers, benign breast conditions are not life-threatening.  But some are linked with a higher risk of getting breast cancer later on.”

American Cancer Society

 

QUOTE FOR THE WEEKEND:

Oct15

Every year, as many as 900,000 people in the United States are affected by deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE), and about 100,000 die. Having DVT or PE blood clots can be frightening. DVT and PE blood clots are serious but treatable conditions. Arm yourself with the right information to treat and prevent blood clots.

Xarelto.com

QUOTE FOR THURSDAY:

Oct12

“The kidneys are important because they keep the composition, or makeup, of the blood stable, which lets the body function.  The kidneys filter our blood.”

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (nih.gov).

Part 1 Kidneys anatomy and functions to understand what happens with kidney failure!

Oct12

     kidney failure                   kidney1 

 

 

kidney 3                             kidney4

 

 

The kidneys are important organs with many functions in the body, including producing hormones, absorbing minerals, and filtering blood and producing urine. While they are important and kidney failure can be fatal, a human only needs one healthy kidney to survive.

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that extract waste from blood, balance body fluids, form urine, and aid in other important functions of the body.

They reside against the back muscles in the upper abdominal cavity. They sit opposite each other on either side of the spine. The right kidney sits a little bit lower than the left to accommodate the liver.

When it comes to components of the urinary system, the kidneys are multi-functional powerhouses of activity, for if the kidneys aren’t working, meaning they don’t filter toxic wastes out of our blood stream (with other functions it does) than the waste products don’t get dumped into the urinary bladder from the renal tubes, called right and left ureters. In human anatomy, the ureters are tubes made of smooth muscle fibers that propel urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder. If the kidneys are not working they are not filtering our blood (same principle as filtering beer to make it to perfection, the kidneys do it for our blood to be able to have the cells do their function to the optimal levels with keeping toxins out of the body in preventing many blood problems with more due to acidosis (toxin build up). In the adult, the ureters are usually 25–30 cm (10–12 in) long and ~3–4 mm in diameter.

The kidneys have multiple functions.

Some of the core actions of a healthy kidney or kidneys of a human body include:

  • Waste excretion: There are many things your body doesn’t want inside of it. The kidneys filter out toxins, excess salts, and urea (a toxin), a nitrogen-based waste created by cell metabolism.
  •  * Urea is an organic chemical compound and is essentially the waste produced by the body after metabolizing protein. Naturally the compound urea is produced when the liver breaks down protein or amino acids, and ammonia, the kidneys then transfer the urea from the blood to the urine, when they do filtering of the blood.
  • * Urea is a byproduct of protein metabolism, the ending result.                                                                   *Extra nitrogen is expelled from the body through urea because it is extremely soluble (solid); it is a very efficient process. The average person excretes about 30 grams of urea a day, mostly through urine but a small amount is also secreted in perspiration. Synthetic versions of the chemical compound can be created in liquid or solid form and is often an ingredient found in fertilizers, animal food, and diuretics, just to name a few . Urea is what gives our urine the color yellow.                                                                                                                                                                                                 *In the gastrointestinal tract, blood proteins are broken down into ammonia (could be due to high protein eating to drugs with actual conditions); and goes to the liver converting it to Urea. It is then released into the blood stream where the kidney’s take it up and eliminate it. Urea is then eliminated by the kidney’s, but not produced by it.
  • Urea is synthesized in the liver and transported through the blood to the kidneys for removal.

  • A Healthy Kidney or Kidneys functions in the human body:

  • Water level balancing: As the kidneys are key in the chemical breakdown of urine, they react to changes in the body’s water level throughout the day. As water intake decreases, the kidneys adjust accordingly and leave water in the body instead of helping excrete it which aides in electrolyte balancing in the blood with keeping the body hydrated properly.
  • Blood pressure regulation: The kidneys need constant pressure to filter the blood. When it drops too low, the kidneys increase the pressure. One way is by producing a blood vessel-constricting protein (angiotensin) that also signals the body to retain sodium and water. Both the constriction and retention help restore normal blood pressure.
  • Red blood cell regulation: When the kidneys don’t get enough oxygen, they send out a distress call in the form of erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates the bone marrow to produce more oxygen-carrying red blood cells.
  • Acid regulation: As cells metabolize, they produce acids. Foods we eat can either increase the acid in our body or neutralize it. If the body is to function properly, it needs to keep a healthy balance of these chemicals. The kidneys do that, too.Because of all of the vital functions the kidneys perform and the toxins they encounter, the kidneys are susceptible to various problems.

  • Most people are born with two kidneys, but many people can live on just one. Kidney transplant surgeries with live donors are common medical procedures today.

  • Acute kidney failure is a condition in which the kidneys suddenly lose their ability to function properly. This can occur for many reasons, including:
  • Infection
  • Blood-clotting disorders
  • Decreased blood flow caused by low blood pressure
  • Autoimmune kidney disorders
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Complications from pregnancy
  • Dehydration.
  • Chronic kidney failure – same as acute in that the kidney (s) loses its function.
  • Diseases and conditions that commonly cause chronic kidney disease include:
  • Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Glomerulonephritis (gloe-mer-u-lo-nuh-FRY-tis), an inflammation of the kidney’s filtering units (glomeruli)
  • Interstitial nephritis, an inflammation of the kidney’s tubules and surrounding structures
  • Polycystic kidney disease
  • Prolonged obstruction of the urinary tract, from conditions such as enlarged prostate, kidney stones and some cancers
  • Vesicoureteral (ves-ih-koe-yoo-REE-ter-ul) reflux, a condition that causes urine to back up into your kidneys
  • Recurrent kidney infection, also called pyelonephritis (pie-uh-lo-nuh-FRY-tis)
  • A chronic condition caused the failure to happen called a secondary diagnosis.
  • Learn more tomorrow about Acute and Chronic kidney failure.

QUOTE FOR WEDNESDAY:

Oct11

“When beginning a weight loss diet, it is tempting to try to lose weight as quickly as you can. However, not only are crash or fad diets highly likely to fail, they can also have a significant negative impact on your health.  A low-carb diet is generally used for losing weight. Some low-carb diets may have health benefits beyond weight loss, such as reducing risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. ”

www.healthline.com

Part II 10 of the best foods to burn fat!

Oct11

Low-Carb Meats And Fish

12. Catfish

Carb count:  0 grams per 3 ounces

More flavorful than tilapia, farmed catfish is an inexpensive way to load up your muscles with pure, high-quality protein. American-farmed catfish is also considered a sustainable option from the fish counter. Fillets are great steamed, grilled, oven-roasted, or pan-seared. This swimmer is a good source of vitamin B-12, which your nervous system needs in order to function properly.

catfish

13. Canned Pink Salmon

Carb count:  0 grams per 1/2 can

Branch out from tuna and try this healthy canned fish option. Pink salmon is affordable and tends to be lower in mercury than tuna. Canned salmon is also a good way to reel in plenty of the omega-3 fats that have been shown to reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness and stimulate muscle protein synthesis.[5]

14. Chicken Drumsticks

Carb count:  0 grams per 3 ounces

While go-to chicken breasts can be as exciting as C-SPAN, budget-friendly drumsticks have richer flavor and their juicy meat is less prone to drying out during cooking. Beyond being a protein payload (24 grams in each 3-ounce serving), drumsticks supply selenium, an antioxidant that may help ease exercise-induced oxidative stress.[6]

chicken

15. Ground Turkey

Carb count: 0 grams per 3 ounces

Inexpensive ground turkey is an easy way to infuse your meals with carb-free protein. Use it for burgers and meat sauces, or brown it in a pan and stir in low-carb vegetables. To trim fat calories, look for packages made with ground white meat.

Nutrition Bonus: As with other poultry, turkey contains a full arsenal of the essential amino acids that can pump up your muscles.

16. Pork Tenderloin

Carb count: 0 grams per 3 ounces

When not overcooked, the “other white meat” has good juicy flavor and a much less painful price tag than its beef counterpart. It also provides a stellar 6:1 protein-to-fat ratio. Look for unseasoned pork tenderloin to avoid excess salt and other questionable ingredients. On top of all the protein, pork tenderloin is a good source of thiamine (vitamin B-1), needed to make the energy you use to lift heavy stuff.

tenderloin

17. Top Sirloin Steak

Carb count: 0 grams per 3 ounces

This cut of beef is one of the leaner options at the supermarket, making it a smart way to get  your fill of protein with zero carbohydrate cost. It takes particularly well to marinades, which serve to tenderize the meat further. Red meat like sirloin beef is a natural source of creatine, which can help you throw down at the gym. You can up the nutritional ante by splurging for steak sourced from grass-fed cattle.

18. Roast Beef

Carb count:  0 grams per 2 ounces

For the most part, deli-style roast beef is spared the sugars that can be added to turkey and other lunchmeats. Surprisingly, it’s also one of the leaner options at the deli counter. The highly absorbable form of iron in beef can help during those suffer fests in the squat rack.

beef

19. Bison

Carb count:  0 grams per 3 ounces

When it comes to grilled steak or burgers, consider your options beyond beef. Game meats like bison and elk are becoming easier to find at the butcher counter, and research shows that when bison is raised on the range, its meat is richer in omega-3 fats than traditionally-raised cattle.[7]

Other Low-Carb Meats And Fish

  • Cornish game hen
  • Halibut
  • Ground beef
  • Turkey breast
  • Chicken thighs
  • Canned sardines

LOW-CARB DAIRY

20. Gruyere Cheese

Carb count:  0 grams per ounce

Forget the mundane mass-produced cheese slices—this hard cheese from Switzerland has a great nutty flavor that’ll win you over. It also melts beautifully, making it a perfect way to add excitement to everything from steamed broccoli to low-carb pizza. This cured cheese is a top-notch source of calcium, a mineral involved in bone-building.

21. Butter

Carb count:  0 grams per tablespoon

Since butter has been found to not actually be that bad for you, it has once again found a place in frying pans and home baking.[8] For a rich-tasting riff on mashed potatoes, try blending steamed cauliflower with butter, fresh thyme, and a couple pinches of salt.

butter

22. Eggs

Carb count:  1 gram per 2 large eggs

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Who cares, since both supply plenty of protein power with little to no carbs. Plus, Canadian scientists recently discovered that eggs are a surprisingly good source of antioxidants to help mop up those cell-damaging free radicals.[9]

eggs

23. Cottage Cheese

Carb count: 6 grams per cup

Old-school bodybuilders popularized cottage cheese for a reason: It’s jam-packed with slow-digesting casein protein (28 grams per cup), which slays hunger and builds muscle over a longer period than whey protein. Sodium levels can vary greatly, so compare brands carefully.

24.  Plain Greek Yogurt

Carb count:  9 grams per cup

In recent years, Greek yogurt has gone from an obscure item in the dairy aisle to a cultured rock star, thanks to the 23 grams of muscle-boosting protein per cup. Of course, if you want to keep the carb count low, you’ll have to opt for plain versions that are not pumped full of sugar.

greek yogurt

25. Goat Milk

Carb count:  11 grams per cup

This up-and-coming milk contains less carbs than cow’s milk, is easier to digest, and according to recent research is richer in a number of nutrients such as omega fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fatty acid that may help torch body fat.[10]

Other Low-Carb Dairy Products

  • Brie cheese
  • Goat cheese
  • Monterey cheese
  • Ricotta
  • Plain kefir
  • Sour cream
  • Cream cheese

LOW-CARB PLANT PROTEINS

26. Tofu

Carb count: 3 grams per 3 ounces

Tofu isn’t only for vegetarians! It also offers an inexpensive low-carb protein option for carnivores who want a night off from meat. When you add tofu to sauces or other foods, it soaks up flavors brilliantly. Try it as a cheap protein in stir-fry, or marinate it like you would steak and slap it on the grill.

tofu

27. Tempeh

Carb count: 9 grams per 3 ounces

Tempeh is a meaty patty that’s made from a base of fermented soybeans, making it a respectable protein source. As a fermented product like yogurt or sauerkraut, it’s believed that tempeh contains a healthy population of ultra-healthy probiotics. Its flavor can be described as smoky, nutty, and earthy in a mushroomy kind of way. Try crumbling it up and adding it to chili, stir-fry, tacos, soups, casseroles, and pasta sauce.

28. Canned Pinto Beans

Carb count:  18 grams per 1/2 cup

Among canned beans, pinto beans contain some of the lowest carbohydrate numbers, but still boast significant amounts of plant-based protein—12 grams in each serving. You can use them to add a quick protein hit to salads and scrambled eggs. Their wallop of fiber can help reduce a spike in blood sugar caused by carbohydrates in a meal.

beans

29. Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas)

Carb count:  5 grams per ounce

This seed boasts 7 grams of protein and a whole lot of crunch in each serving. The carbs here are all slow-digesting, so they’ll give you sustained energy. Seeds from other gourds, like acorn squash, have similar properties. Toss them in oil and toast in the oven.

Other Low-Carb Plant Proteins

  • Hemp seeds
  • Edamame
  • Unsweetened soy milk

LOW-CARB SNACKS

30. String Cheese

Carb count:  0 grams per 3 ounce

Good for kids and adults alike, prepackaged string cheese is one of the most convenient and tasty low-carb snacks around. Your growing muscles will also benefit from the extra shot of high-quality dairy protein. As with regular cheese, the stringy version offers up plenty of bone-strengthening calcium.

string cheese

31. Jerky

Carb count:  3 grams per ounce

It can be a challenge to find packaged snacks that deliver respectable amounts of protein without an overload of the refined carbohydrates that can blow up your physique. One great exception: jerky. Still, be careful to select options where the chewy meat such as beef or turkey is not bathed in sweeteners.

32. Walnuts

Carb count: 4 grams per ounce

Not only can walnuts help you snack your way through a low-carb diet, but their lofty level of mega-healthy omega-3 fatty acids is another good reason to go nuts for them. When purchasing nuts, opt for salt-free to keep your sodium intake in check.Walnuts also supply copper, a mineral required for proper energy production in the body.

walnuts

33. Kale Chips

Carb count:  8-12 grams per ounce

Kale transforms into an addictively crunchy snack when crisped in the oven, and still gives you tons of vitamins C, K, and A. You can make them yourself, or find them premade in health food

Other Low-Carb Snacks

  • Sausage sticks (Pepperettes)
  • Mixed nuts
  • Pecans
  • Hazelnuts
  • Sunflower seeds

LOW CARB GRAINS AND FLOURS

34. Almond Flour

Carb count: 6 grams per 1/4 cup

Made from finely ground almonds, paleo-approved almond flour can help turn your pancakes or other baked goods into much more suitable fare for your six-pack. Beyond helping you slash the carbs, almond flour also has higher amounts of protein, heart-friendly monounsaturated fat, and the supercharged antioxidant vitamin E than grain-based flours do.

almond flour

35.  Shirataki Noodles

Carb count:  0 grams per 3 ounce

These translucent noodles are made from the powdered root of the Asian konjac yam plant and consist mostly of an indigestible fiber called glucomannan, giving each bowlful a zero net carb cost. Shirataki noodles have a mild taste on their own, but they soak up the flavors of accompanying sauces and spices very well. To use, drain and rinse well, then give the noodles a quick boil.

36. Amaranth

Carb count:  23 grams per 1/2 cup

Grains are never going to be the lowest-carbohydrate option at the grocer, but South American amaranth contains less than others. Like quinoa, amaranth is a source of essential amino acids. Amaranth becomes viscous once cooked in water, as it releases its starch. Swap it for oats for breakfast. This gluten-free grain supplies significant amounts of manganese, a mineral required for proper metabolism.

Other Low-Carb Grains/flour

  • Hazelnut flour
  • Coconut flour
  • Peanut flour
  • Low-carb wraps
  • Wheat germ

LOW-CARB DRINKS

37. Unsweetened Iced Tea

Carb count:  0 grams per cup

While sweetened bottled tea is a sugar bomb, straight-up tea is a thirst-quencher that won’t cause you to lose the battle of the bulge. If you choose green tea, you’ll take in the antioxidants that researchers at Pennsylvania State University found can rev up your fat-burning metabolism when paired with an exercise program.[11]

tea

38. Unsweetened Almond Milk

Carb count: 2 grams per cup

If you’re looking for a moo-free option to add to your protein shakes or cereal, this nut-based drink is a good choice that won’t come close to breaking the carb bank. Just be sure to select cartons labelled “unsweetened” to sidestep the added sugars pumped into many non-dairy beverages.

39. Maple Water

Carb count:  3 grams per cup

Think of maple water—the clear liquid from the maple tree before it’s boiled down into syrup—as the North American answer to coconut water, but with half the amount of sugar. Each sip has a subtle taste of the same flavor that you pour on your almond flour flapjacks. Maple water is naturally rich in manganese to help promote better bone health.

40. Tomato Juice

Carb count:  10 grams per cup

The first rule of low carb is you do not drink fruit juice. But tomato juice is way lower in carbs and sugar than other juices, and high in nutrients: In a study published in Nutrition Journal, athletes who sipped antioxidant-rich tomato juice had less post-exercise inflammation than those who didn’t, which could speed-up recovery.[12] Look for low sodium versions to beat the bloat.

Other Low-Carb Drinks

  • Club soda
  • Sugar-free seltzer water
  • Unsweetened hemp milk
  • Herb tea
  • Water with BCAAs

THE BEST – WATER since no fat, no carbs, no calories and little side effects if any with stomach (if not limited in amount of water in your diet by your MD)!

Always check with your doctor on diet changes who should know your medical history better than anyone if you tell them all about you medical problems and if they are treating them!

 

 

QUOTE FOR TUESDAY:

Oct10

“The idea behind the low-carb diet is that decreasing carbs lowers insulin levels, which causes the body to burn stored fat for energy and ultimately leads to weight loss.”

MAYO CLINIC