Sun “light” is actually a form of electromagnetic radiation. There are three types of electromagnetic radiation that are emitted by the sun that make it through the atmosphere and reach us; ultraviolet radiation, visible light and infrared radiation. It is the ultraviolet radiation that makes us feel warm when we are out in the sun but it is also the form of sun’s radiation that is believed to cause skin cancer. On the scale of electromagnetic waves, visible light is only a very narrow band of waves in the middle between ultraviolet and infrared radiation. If you think about visible light as being the color red at the low frequency end and going up to the color violet at the high frequency end, ultraviolet is the next higher up form of radiation from the visible color violet and infrared is the band of waves just down from the visible color red. You can’t see either ultraviolet or infrared radiation. Except for rare cases, visible light and infrared radiation from the sun are not dangerous to your health. Ultraviolet radiation however can be very dangerous to your skin and is a significant contributor to skin cancer.

There are 3 types of ultraviolet radiation: UVA (tanning rays). UVB (sunburn rays) and UVC (dangerous cancer causing rays). UVA is the shortest frequency and longest wavelength of the three and is not filtered out by the earth’s atmosphere at all. Since it is not filter out UVA is pretty much the same intensity from sunrise to sunset. Glass windows do not block UVA. It used to be thought that UVA was not a danger as far as skin cancer is concerned but recent studies indicate that the cumulative effect can be just as dangerous as UVB and UVC. UVB is partially filtered by the earth’s ozone layer and is at its greatest intensity at noon. It is currently the most dangerous form of ultraviolet radiation from the sun and can burn, wrinkle, age your skin and cause skin cancer. UVB and UVC cannot go through glass. UVC is currently completely blocked out in the atmosphere by the earth’s ozone layer. But as the ozone layer recedes there is a danger that more and more UVC will not be filtered out and contribute to the spread of skin cancer.

Several government agencies and weather reporting services have developed a UV Index to help people avoid the dangers of UV radiation. The UV index is a number from 0 to 11 or more that is a daily forecast of the predicted risk if you are out in the sun too much. A UV index of 2 or less means the risk is low, wear sunglasses if it is bright out and cover up if out for more than an hour. If the UV index is over 6 many weather reporting agencies will issue a UV Warning asking that you actively reduce your exposure to sun and stay indoors between 11 AM and 4 PM. In most northern climates, the UV index rarely gets to 6.

The skins reaction to UV radiation varies widely from person to person. Heredity, skin coloration and exposure to industrial chemicals are all considered to be contributing factors. However, there is little doubt that the more time you spend out in the sun the greater is your danger of getting skin cancer.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to skin-cancer-guides.com/ Skin Cancer

Tags: skin cancer

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Tags: skin cancer

It was a great summer. What fun it was ripping and running on the beach. It was perfect and memorable, but you definitely spent too much time in the sun. Even though you use the best and most doctor recommended SPF protection there is on the market you’re still not at peace about being in the sun. In fact you’re a bit paranoid about it. You keep having that little nagging thought, the one about your family’s skin cancer historical track record. You’re not that naïve. It really could happen to you. Are you in search of more ways to protect yourself against skin cancer? Believe it or not drinking tea could give you that extra edge of protection against skin cancer.

That’s right. Specific teas can actually provide an armor-like protection for your skin. They act as a barrier against the sun’s harmful rays that commonly occur during overexposure, which can destroy the cells that promote skin health. When skin cells are destroyed they automatically affect the general overall health of the skin. Those powerful rays can literally break down defenses that not only protect the skin from cancer causing substances and environmental toxins but also weaken the remaining cell’s ability to keep the skin supple and youthful. It just about puts the skin’s safeguard operations at a stand still so serious is this breakdown and destruction of cells. That would explain why you see some 30, 40 and 50-year-old women sporting more wrinkles than they should. The Overexposure to the sun undoubtedly has a high and unrecoverable cost. Here’s a strong warning to young women.

Tea, black and green teas specifically have been studied for their effectiveness in skin protection and were surprisingly found to be quite the avant-garde when it comes to being a barrier against skin cancer. If you have a preference of one tea over the other, know that although both are powerful, some different tests have shown that black tea packs a bigger punch to the cancer enemy we’re trying to fight against. Black tea has many more antioxidants than green, but drink them both for varied good protection. Educate yourself about the different teas because they are not all the same in their benefits. In another study teas containing bergamot oil, such as the popular Earl Grey tea, instead of protecting the skin were found to make the skin more susceptible to the sun’s damaging rays. That’s quite a disappointment to Earl Grey tea lovers, but far better to know this than not.

Another surprising protection afforded by the tea is in the temperature and the strength at which it is enjoyed. If you drink it very hot and very strong, you are helping yourself to some lower chances of developing skin cancer. And make sure it has some caffeine in it. Apparently tests show that caffeine is an important ingredient in tea as a protective ally against the sun. Teas tested without caffeine had no measurable protective effect at all. Caffeine or no caffeine; you will have to decide. You know the odds.

Here’s one last helpful tip you might find interesting. Don’t waste that tea at the bottom of the cup. Why? It has also been found to be effective if you rub it on your skin. No joking here. Green tea especially is increasingly being added to many skin care product formulations because it really does provide a safeguard to your skin. There you have it, another out of the ordinary but powerful ally against skin cancer.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to

Tags: skin cancer

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The two words “breast cancer” shake all women to the core – more so than any other disease, even though heart disease takes far more lives than breast cancer.

Try your hand at these 24 true/false questions about breast cancer (mostly). The answer key is at the end. No peeking now until you answer all the questions. I’m watching you!

1. In 1970, 1 in 20 women were diagnosed with breast cancer; today, 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer. T or F?

2. According to Dr. John McDougall, it takes 100 days for one breast cancer cell to divide into two cells; about 6 years for one breast cancer cell to divide into 1 million cells, which is only as big as the tip of a pencil and undetectable; and 10 years to multiply into 1 billion cells, the size of an eraser on a pencil. T or F?

3. There is no such thing as early detection of breast cancer. T or F?

4. Only 3% to 5% of breast cancer can be attributed to genes. T or F?

5. According to three major studies, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) causes increase of breast cancer, strokes, heart problems, and clots in lungs and legs. T or F?

6. The incidents of breast cancer decreased after the use of HRT decreased. T or F?

7. Clinical trials show that the extract from the plant, black cohosh, is just as effective as HRT (70 %) in reducing hot flashes without the dangerous side effects of HRT. T or F?

8. A plant-based diet leads to gentler menopause. T or F?

9. Early menses (before 12) and late menopause (after 55) increase risk of breast cancer. T or F?

10. There is a high correlation between eating animal products and early menses and late menopause. T or F?

11. Walking 4 hours per week decreases breast cancer risk by 33%. T or F?

12. Fiber found in whole plants, not fiber by itself, reduces breast cancer risk. T or F?

13. Elevated cholesterol increases risk of breast cancer. T or F?

14. Increased body fat increases risk of breast cancer. T or F?

15. Increased dietary fat increases risk of breast cancer. T or F?

16. When diagnosed with breast cancer, women with near ideal body weight have greater chance for survival than women with higher body weights. T or F?

17. Breast cancer risk is 400% higher in the U.S. than it is in Japan. T or F?

18. The death rate from breast cancer is 5x higher in the U.S. than it is in rural China. T or F?

19. Increased estrogen levels significantly increase risk of breast cancer. T or F?

20. Estrogen levels significantly increase from eating the typical American diet, high in fat, animal protein, and low in dietary fiber. T or F?

21. According to T. Colin Campbell in “The China Study,” breast cancer can mostly be prevented by eating a plant-based diet and avoiding dietary fats and animal protein. T or F?

22. According to Dr. Campbell, the people around the world who eat the most animal protein have the most cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. T or F?

23. Okay, guys, you aren’t off the hook. In 2001 Harvard review of research, there is a significant correlation between prostate cancer and dairy products.
T or F?

24. In the U.S., 1 in 10 men die from prostate cancer; in China, 1 in 100,000 die from prostate cancer. T or F?

Okay, you can now peek at the answer key and find out how much you know about your body and breast cancer.

Every statement is absolutely true! Great work, my friend!

Dr. Leslie Van Romer is a health motivational speaker, writer, and lifestyle coach. Visit DrLeslieVanRomer.com DrLeslieVanRomer.com for more inspiration.

Tags: breast cancer, cancer risk, prostate cancer

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Anna /M241, is a 50-year-old female from Acheh, Indonesia. She had a lump in her right breast sometime in 2000. She refused medical treatment. Instead she went to Jakarta to seek alternative treatments. These did not help her. The breast lump grew bigger and in December 2004, it developed into a lacerated wound and bled. She went back to Acheh and enlisted the help of a medical doctor to take care of her wound. At the same time she continued with other alternative treatments. Unfortunately, this doctor had been swept away by the tsunami that struck the city not long ago.

In February 2007, Anna came to Penang to seek medical treatment. Due to the advanced stage of the disease, no radiotherapy or surgery was indicated. Anna was asked to undergo chemotherapy. She underwent four cycles of chemotherapy at a private hospital. She suffered total hair loss but no other adverse side effects. Each cycle of chemotherapy, given at three-weekly interval, costs RM 3,000. However, each trip to Penang for this treatment would come to about RM 7,000. It is indeed difficult to imagine such financial burden endured by a family who had lost their home to the tsunami. Because of this, Anna’s husband explained that they could NOT effort further chemotherapy and asked if they could turn to our therapy instead.

Anna came to see us on 5 August 2007. She appeared healthy and did not have any problem. The chemotherapy had helped her. Her lacerated wound had dried up and the tumor had shrunk significantly. The pains that she suffered earlier had subsided. She had gain weight and felt much better than before the chemotherapy.

A CT scan done on 9 May 2007, however, was most disappointing. It showed extensive metastasis to the pectoralis muscles and ribs. There were numerous well defined 4 to 25 mm nodules scattered in both lungs. The cancer had also spread to the lymph nodes. I asked Anna if the oncologist had told her the results of the scan. Her husband replied: “No. The hospital gave us the films and we went home. We did not understand what it was all about.”

I asked them: “What did you expect when you came to the hospital for chemotherapy?” Both of them replied: “I expected to be cured.”

Comment

It took me a while to regain my composure after looking at her scan. I was unsure if I should explain the results. I did not want to make her life miserable by telling her the bad news – after all, is this not the responsibility of her oncologist? I hesitated but her husband probed me to tell them the truth, which I did. The metastases in Anna’s lungs were too numerous to count. While chemotherapy had helped her with the lacerated wounds, it was obvious that the treatment did not help her lung metastases.

Chemotherapy had helped make Anna’s life better. The lump has also shrunk. If four cycles were good for her, does it mean that more chemotherapy (up to eight cycles) would be better? Indeed this is debatable – more does not necessarily mean better! While chemotherapy did not hurt Anna, it certainly hurt the pocket – I would not say “bank balance” because I am not sure if there was any bank left after the tsunami.

I pointed out to Anna that it was a mistake not to remove the lump (or her breast) when she first detected it. Surgery could have saved her all the miseries that followed. In this regard, I would advise women to have the lumps in their breasts removed if possible. I asked Anna’s husband why they still continued with the ineffective treatments after knowing that the lump had gone bigger. Why wait for so long? Common sense should tell us that if after trying an alternative therapy for a month or two and it does not work or the condition deteriorates, patients should reevaluate their strategies – move on to something that is more effective or evidence-based.

However, I also highlighted the good side of what she did. I know of numerous patients who died within two to three years after doing what their doctors told them to do — mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Some even suffered severe pains and had bloated stomach before their death. So, undergoing medical treatment would not guarantee that everything would be fine.

Anna had breast tumor in 2000 and it is now 2007 and she is still alive and did not suffer any difficulties. She ought to be grateful for this blessing. I am reminded by what I have read. At a lecture at the American Cancer Society Conference in New Orleans on 3 July 1969, Professor Hardin Jones, University of California, Berkeley, was supposed to have said: “My studies have proved conclusively that untreated cancer victims live up to four times longer than treated individuals. If one has cancer and opts to do nothing at all, he will live longer and feel better than if he undergoes radiation, chemotherapy or surgery.”

In Malaysia, like elsewhere too, doctors often blame the herbs when things go wrong. Doctors want to have the first shot at cancer using their chemotherapy or radiotherapy. And if these fail they advise patients to go home and seek “hospice help” or go for herbs. Over the past decade, CA Care is the recipients of these terminally ill and medically give-up cases. I began to have the impression that going for invasive treatments at the first sign of cancer need not be a wise move. Sometimes, patients die because of the treatment rather than the cancer. Anna took the less traveled road. She sought alternative treatments and when these failed she turned to the invasive, toxic medical intervention – perhaps dealing out her last card. It has been seven years and she is still alive. I repeat, many who took the well-trodden road barely manage to live three to four years. So, Anna’s adventure is not wrong, no matter how “foolish” doctors may think it is.

For more information about complementary cancer therapy visit: cacare.com cacare.com, NaturalHealingForYou.com NaturalHealingForYou.com, BookOnCancer.com BookOnCancer.com

Tags: breast cancer, chemotherapy, healing, mastectomy

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Tags: breast cancer, chemotherapy, healing, mastectomy