Are Canker Sores Linked To Your Diet?

While there is no one cause of canker sores (aphthous ulcers) and there still is a lot to be understood about them, it seems for some people their frequent mouth ulcers may be related to their diet. This is two-fold: they may be eating foods that are triggering their sores and/or they may not be eating enough of the right foods, thereby causing a nutritional deficiency.
Foods that Might Trigger Mouth Sores
Let’s look at the “wrong” foods. Some people may be allergic to certain foods or just have a sensitivity to something without having an outright allergy. Foods that are high in acid may be particularly problematic. It’s not just the typical acidic foods you think of like tomatoes and pineapple or citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit, but also berries such as strawberries, blackberries and raspberries and, regrettably, chocolate and coffee, which are both high on the acid scale. Did you know that cranberries and pomegranates are also very acidic? While they are both high in antioxidants and other goodies, they can in fact cause acid reflux for some people, so if you get frequent canker sores you may want to avoid them as well.
Other foods that may cause mouth sore outbreaks in people who are predisposed include nuts; walnuts in particular. Gluten, a protein found in cereal grains is also a potential problem for people with sensitivities. You will find gluten in just about every pasta, bread and baked product from noodles and pizza crust to flour tortillas, muffins, cookies, cakes, pies, doughnuts and all your other favorite baked goods. Wheat, barley, rye, spelt (a species of wheat), and products derived from them all contain gluten. Oats may or may not contain gluten; you can buy gluten-free oats.

Keep a Food Journal
If you suspect that something you are eating is causing your mouth ulcers, start logging every bite. While this may seem tedious, it is the best way of pinpointing problematic foods.
Nutritional Deficiencies
It appears that being deficient in certain vitamins and nutrients can also cause mouth sores. Recent research studies point to low levels of vitamin B12 as well as iron, zinc, and folate. In addition to considering supplementing your diet with these nutrients by taking a mult-vitamin or B12 supplement, you may want to increase your intake of these nutrient-specific foods.
Foods high in Vitamin B12: Red meat, lamb, shellfish including clams, oysters and mussels, fish like mackerel, salmon, tuna and cod, liver, dairy products including eggs, cheese and supplemented milk, as well as supplemented soy milks and soy yogurts.
To increase your intake of folate (folic acid), eat more fruits and vegetables. Beans, peas and lentils, dark leafy greens like spinach and collard greens, asparagus, as well as avocados, broccoli, papaya, seeds and nuts are all high in folic acid.
To get more iron in your diet, consider iron-rich foods such as red meat, liver, tuna, and egg yolks. If you shun steaks, and want vegetarian sources, try plant sources including beans, lentils and chickpeas, dark leafy greens like spinach and collards, dried fruits including raisins and prunes, tomato juice, sunflower seeds, and artichokes.
Foods high in zinc include oysters, sesames seeds and tahini (sesame seed paste used in hummis and other Middle Eastern dishes), low fat roast beef, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate and cocoa powder, lamb and peanuts.

Article Source: http://www.streetarticles.com/nutrition/are-canker-sores-linked-to-your-diet

Does Your Breast Size Have Anything To Do With Your Breast Cancer Risk?

Breast cancer is one of the most frightening types of cancer that women face. Many of them concentrate on their risk factors, knowing that there are certain types of this disease that fly under all known radars, sneaking up on its victim who may not have a single one of the risk factors. Some women who by all rights have every risk factor previously discovered never develop cancer. In the world of health care, there is no such thing as absolutes and exacts. Now, a commercial DNA testing facility has announced that it has concluded an internal study that reveals that breast size as well as the discovery of certain genes may show a woman's risk of breast cancer over her lifetime. That study, according to lead researcher, Nick Eriksson, shows that women with larger breasts have a higher risk of certain types of breast cancer.


Published in the journal, BMC Medical Genetics, the research looked at variations known as single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs. These variations occur when a single nucleotide in the DNA strand is changed in some way. Some SNPs do not cause any change in cell health or behavior while others may make them far more susceptible for certain types of illness or disease, including cancer. Eriksson and his DNA company claim to have found seven of these SNPs which are associated with breast size and breast cancer risk. They made that connection after studying the discovery of the SNPs in genetic makeup of each of the tested subjects and then comparing those findings to their self reported breast size.
The logical conclusion, according to the journal entry is that a woman with larger breasts would have more breast cells that in turn would increase her risk for breast cancer to develop. Eriksson's study used 16,000 females who had already employed the company, 23andMe, to study their DNA for other purposes. After finding the seven SNPs in those samples, Eriksson contacted the women for additional information.
Critics are quick to point out that the study is lacking on a number of fronts. First, it was too widely written from the beginning, with too many variables allowed.. Some of the information that was gathered was not independently confirmed. Other information, including family health history and other breast cancer risk factors were not covered by the study. Additional studies may be designed to look at the links between the SNPs and breast cancer risk in general as well as for those who do have larger breasts.

source:   http://www.streetarticles.com/breast-cancer/does-your-breast-size-have-anything-to-do-with-your-breast-cancer-risk

Cancer Patients May Benefit From Gingseng

Cancer patients are often faced with terrible side effects, not only from the disease that they are battling but the treatments that are meant to help them with that battle. One of the most common of the side effects is fatigue which may keep them from being able to work or enjoy regular activities. According to research by the Mayo Clinic, higher doses of American Gingseng may help with fatigue in some but not all cancer patients. That information is being presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
In the study, 340 people who were either being treated for cancer in some form or had just completed their treatment routine, were asked to take a pill every day. Half of the people took a high dose (2000 milligrams) of pure American ginseng while the other half were given a placebo. The study ran for eight weeks and the patients rated their fatigue on a standardized scale with numerical rankings. At the end of the study, the people who had been taking the ginseng pills reported feeling much less fatigue than the others did, ranking their levels as twenty points lower on the numerical scale. Critics of the study cited the fact that ginseng is a known stimulant making the findings a little obvious.
Debra Barton, PhD., the lead researcher and author of the findings warned that ginseng was not for everybody and had to be obtained in its purest form for the study. Commercially available ginseng is processed using ethanol which may be dangerous to those who are fighting breast cancer because some of the compounds become hormone like.
Ginseng has been found to be beneficial in other studies as well. A University of Maryland study showed that ginseng could be used to safely lower the blood sugar levels in people with Type II Diabetes. Another study showed that the natural stimulant could be used to slow or stop the growth of colorectal cancer cells. It has also been used for centuries to reduce the length of common colds and to boost the immune system. None of those studies specified the type of ginseng being studied, however. There are several types of the root including Siberian, Korean and American.
Although natural, ginseng is not without its risks and side effects however. Common side effects include headaches, nausea and vomiting, insomnia and elevated blood pressure. Ginseng also interferes with certain medications and should only be taken with a doctor's approval.

source:   http://www.streetarticles.com/cancer/cancer-patients-may-benefit-from-gingseng

Terlalu Banyak Duduk dan Kurang Olahraga Sebabkan Diabetes

Diabetes melitus tipe 2 merupakan salah satu penyakit metabolisme yang menyerang orang dewasa. Studi menyebut risiko terserang diabetes meningkat jika melakukan dua hal ini. Apa itu?

Peneliti Dr Janne Tolstrup dari University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, mengatakan terlalu banyak duduk dan kurang olahraga berperan besar dalam meningkatkan  risiko terserang diabetes tipe 2, terutama bagi orang-orang yang kelebihan berat badan atau obesitas.

Kabar baiknya, risiko ini juga dipengaruhi oleh frekuensi olahraga dan berat badan. Dr Tolstrup mengatakan risiko diabetes bisa berkurang jika aktivitas fisik diperbanyak meskipun waktu duduk lebih dari 8 jam per hari.

"Jika Anda memiliki berat badan normal dan tidak mungkin menghindari duduk terlalu lama karena pekerjaan, usahakan diri Anda untuk lebih aktif bergerak di waktu senggang. Hal ini dapat mengurangi risiko terserang diabetes," tutur Dr Tolstrup, dikutip dari Reuters, Kamis (24/3/2016).

Studi Dr Tolstrup dilakukan kepada 72.000 orang. Kebiasaan duduk dan jam kerja mereka dipantau selama periode 2007 dan 2008. Lima tahun kemudian, Dr Tolstrup dan timnya mengecek risiko diabetes partisipan.

Kurang lebih 50 persen partisipan duduk selama 6,3 jam per hari. Ditemukan juga bahwa mereka yang duduk lebih dari 10 jam per hari biasanya berumur muda, berpendidikan tinggi, kurang aktivitas fisik dan memiliki kelebihan berat badan.

Hasil penelitian menemukan bahwa mereka yang duduk lebih dari 10 jam per hari berisiko lebih tinggi 15 persen mengidap diabetes daripada mereka yang duduk kurang dari 6 jam per hari. Peneliti menyebut berat badan dan aktivitas fisik sangat berpengaruh terhadap peningkatan risiko.

sumber: http://health.detik.com/

Beverage Alcohol Can Increase Risk of Oral Cancer

There have been many studies prove that consuming alcoholic beverages, especially if excessive can lead to various health problems.

Even recently, Henry Clover, a dentist say, a glass of wine at night can dry out the mouth, scrape calcium from the teeth and bad breath left.

When eating acidic foods or beverages such as orange, fruit juice, coffee or chocolate, cause enamel white, protective, layer of calcium on the surface of the teeth begin to dissolve.

This is because, the acid is able to soften the enamel and dissolve calcium. Well, when the softened enamel, can get under the nerve and cause sensitivity and pain.

Similar things happen in alcoholic beverages, because these types of drinks are very acidic. And, fizzy or carbonated wine is the worst of all alcoholic beverages.

"Surprisingly, the beer is not too bad for the teeth, as it has quite a lot of calcium, which promotes hardening of the teeth," Clover said as quoted by the Daily Mail.

However, the effect of alcohol not only on dental health, but also can increase the risk of oral cancer.

According to Cancer Research UK, as many as 75 to 80 percent of oral cancer patients say they frequently drink alcohol.

"Drinking to excess, especially in combination with smoking, a risk factor for oral cancer," said Dr. Clover.

However, he added, people who drank alcohol within the limits of the daily recommended not to worry. "But binge drinking is a risk factor itself and, when combined with smoking, increases the risk to 30 times," added Dr. Clover.

This is because alcohol can have a direct effect on the cells that line the inside of the mouth, including the gums and cheek.

article source: http://suara.com/lifestyle/2014/08/08/184229/minuman-alkohol-bisa-tingkatkan-risiko-kanker-mulut/