Cancer is the growth of abnormal cells. These changes cells grow and they can form into small tumors. The tumors can place pressure on nerves or blood vessels or they can interfere with the function of organs - such as obstructing the intestines. Some cancers grow slowly and it can take years for them to become life threatening - however others can grow very rapidly. Cancers are named according to the type of tissue in which they occur - carcinomas, begin in the tissues of organs (these are the most common gastrointestinal cancers); lymphomas develop in the immune system, particularly in the lymph nodes; sarcomas start on the connective tissue such as muscle or bone.

Cancers can be throughout the digestive tract but the most common sites are the colon and rectum. Symptoms of cancers in the digestive tract include:

• blood in the stool

• difficulty in swallowing

• abdominal pain

• unexplained weight loss

• changes in bowel habits - not related to changes in diet.

You should have any of these symptoms checked by a health professional. If cancers are detected and treated early enough the prognosis is good.

Colorectal cancers begin with changes to the intestinal lining and the development of polyps. While not all polyps become cancerous nearly all colon cancers start as polyps.

Some of the factors that increase the risk of colorectal cancer

• A diet that is high in saturated fats, particularly red meat such as beef, pork and lamb and a diet that is low in fruit and vegetables.

• A diet and lifestyle that increases the level of toxins in the bowel. Toxins cause problems for the body - they irritate tissues, cause cells to breakdown and mutagenic changes to occur.

• Inflammatory bowel disease - ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel disease, Crohn’s disease all increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer.

• Smoking - colorectal cancer rates are higher among smokers than non-smokers.

• Polyps - nearly all colorectal cancers start as polyps.

• Hereditary - if other members of your family have colorectal cancer then you are at increased risk.

Your hereditary predisposition is a factor over which you have little control but there is a lot that you can do to reduce the risks associated with colorectal cancer - as well as other cancers. Having a healthy lifestyle and reducing the toxins that you are exposed to and in particular those that you ingest will greatly assist.

One of the most important things that you can do is to have a clean colon. So then what is colon cleansing? Proper and safe colon cleansing is the process of enabling the body to remove the stored and harmful substances by re-establishing the normal balance and function of the colon and the rest of the digestive process. Only through this thorough process is the body able to begin healing and repair and only then can there be a restoration of health and vitality.

The colon performs many vital functions but one of its most important is the effective removal of toxins from the body. There are many factors that are able to interfere with this elimination process. If the process is slowed or the bacterial balance of the colon is destroyed then toxins that are ingested and are a by-product of normal digestion will be absorbed into the bloodstream. The body will attempt to eliminate then through other routes however these can become overwhelmed. When this occurs the body needs to store the toxins. These stored toxins cause damage to tissue and are the basis of many diseases. They need to be eliminated from the body. Effective colon cleansing provides a safe means for achieving the cleansing of the whole body. When the toxins are effectively removed form the colon then the risks associated with the development of colorectal and many other cancers in the body are reduced.

Discover how to properly cleanse internally to gain and maintain your health and reduce your risk of colorectal cancer with safe colon cleansing (at safecoloncleansing.com). Then get on with really enjoying life.

Dr Jenny Tylee is an experienced health professional who is passionate about health and
wellbeing. She believes that health is not just absence of disease and seeks to actively promote
vitality and wellness through empowering others. She encourages smokers to quit and believes that
the growerz.com/landing.aspx?id=1&to=programs.aspx?progr Growerz
program will enable people to give up smoking for good. She also owns

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Are you suffering from persistent constipation or diarrhea? Have you noticed a tinge of blood in your stool lately? Are you always tired and feeling fatigued? Are you experiencing weight loss, but have not been dieting or engaging in exercise routine? These and many other symptoms should necessitate a visit to a doctor.

Colon cancer is regarded as the second leading cause of most cancer deaths in the United States. Colon cancer is a long-standing disease, which starts as a polyp or a small non-cancerous growth. This small non-cancerous growth will slowly transforms itself into a malignant tumor over a period of 5 to 10 years. People in their thirties and forties are most often predisposed to colon cancer, amounting to about one-quarter of all colon cancer patients.

Colon cancer doesn’t show any visible symptoms during the early stages. During the later stages however, a person suffering with colon cancer may exhibit any or all of the following symptoms:

1. Diarrhea or constipation that persists for a long time.

2. Unusual abdominal gas, or cramping.

3. Episodes of physical fatigue without known reasons.

4. Apparent loss weight and appetite.

5. Stools that are narrow, almost the diameter of a pencil.

6. Bloody stools.

7. There is pain and tenderness felt in the lower abdomen.

8. Changes in fecal diameter, color and frequency of movement lasting more than two weeks.

Although colon cancer claims to be second among the causes of cancer deaths, the frequency rate can be lowered if only its detection is done early. The polyps and early stage cancer that are discovered before any symptoms are produced most often offer a cure rate as high as 100 percent.

Your doctor should annually test your stool for hidden blood. A procedure called sigmoidoscopy can also be done to diagnose colon cancer. Sigmoidoscopy utilizes a flexible lighted tube with a camera that sits on its tip. This instrument is then inserted into the lower third of the colon. Observations reveal that almost half of all cancers in this area are found in the lower third portion of the colon. Another procedure called colonoscopy is done to check for growths throughout the entire length of the large intestine. An x-ray can also be an alternative diagnostic procedure. A barium enema is given to a patient. An opaque liquid fills the colon, which then becomes visible on X-ray film.

Colon cancer treatments may include chemotherapy and surgery. Those suffering from the advanced form of colon cancer may require chemotherapy. If surgery is the form of treatment, your surgeon will usually remove any polyps found during colonoscopy. If the detection of the tumor is done early, part of the colon affected with the tumor is removed surgically, the colon is restored back to its normal function, and complete healing is expected. However, if the cancer has already reached a wide area including the colon wall, lymph and blood vessels, chemotherapy is thus required. If the cancer involves a large tumor, temporary or permanent colostomy may be required. Re-routing the colon through an opening in the abdomen does this. The wastes pass through the opening and into a pouch outside the patient’s body.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to colon-cancer-guide.com/ Colon Cancer

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Tags: cancer patient, cancer treatment, chemotherapy, colon cancer, healing

If you don’t know by now: Wear Your Sunscreen! Suncreen with SPF 15 or higher can significantly reduce the possibility of melanomas, the malignant tumors that contribute to skin cancer. The good news is that melanomas, when recognized and treated early, are almost 100% curable. The big problem with malignant melanomas lies in their being ignored, undetected or untreated, causing the cancer to spread elsewhere in the body. In 2007, the United States population is estimated at encountering close to 60,000 new instances of melanoma, according to the American Cancer Society.

Self-examination is the best way to combat these melanomas. Your Dermatologist can provide professional care annually and instruct you on how to competently check your body for melanomas. These self-exams should be performed monthly, looking out for two kinds of moles, normal moles (round, brown blemishes or “beauty marks”) and dysplastic nevi (atypical moles). If there is a history of melanoma in your family, you are at a greater risk for skin cancer. There are three main types of skin cancer; basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Self-examination gives you a higher chance of catching unusual moles and potentially saving your life. If, upon examining, you find any moles that are raised, bleeding, oddly shaped or different than the last time you checked them, see your Dermatologist immediately. A good rule of thumb is to follow the skin cancer ABCDE rule.

A- asymmetry: look for abnormalities in symmetry – does it look the same on both sides?

B-border: blurry, uneven or rough edges in an early melanoma

C- color- multi colored moles or moles that have changed color. Moles can range from brown, black, tan, red, white, blue, pink, purple or gray.

D- diameter- Melanomas are typically larger than your average mole, about the size of a pencil eraser or larger than 1-4 “ in diameter.

E- Elevation/Evolving- any mole that has an uneven surface, is raised or changes in color, shape or size should be brought to your doctor’s attention. Additionally, bleeding, scabbing or itching are also warning signs of potential melanoma.

Men and women should pay close attention to areas of the body that are repeatedly exposed to the most sun including the chest, neck, tips of the ears, face, hands, back and lower legs, forearms and shoulders. Dangerous UVA and UVB rays from the sun and repeated exposure to these rays can effectuate skin cancer. If you live in a very sunny climate, like Australia, Arizona or Florida you are at a higher risk for skin cancer. If you have experienced major sunburns as a child, this can also be a contributing factor. It is very important to shield yourself from the sun with protective clothing, high SPF sunscreen (15, 30 or higher) and wear it on your face daily. Even in Winter! If you have pale skin, are susceptible to sunburns, have light-colored eyes, work outside in the sun often, use tanning booths, or have many existing moles you are at a higher risk of contracting skin cancer. People who have had chemotherapy or diseases such as HIV, lymphoma or other immune system destructive diseases are also at a higher risk for melanoma.

Eric Hartwell oversees “The World’s Best Homepage” intended to be a user-generated resource where YOUR opinion counts. Anybody can contribute and all are welcomed. Visit us to read, comment upon or share opinions on theworldsbesthomepage.com/blog/category/health/ health and visit our associated site free-content-resource.com articles for free.

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Tags: chemotherapy, lymphoma, melanoma, skin cancer

In recent years, green tea has received a lot of attention for its purported ability to prevent, and possibly even treat, cancer. But, is all the hype really meaningful? Can green tea really help in our battle to wipe out cancer?

Well, apparently the answer is yes. It seems that one of the most important tools that we have in our cancer preventing tool box is anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are very effective at combating free radicals that are created in our bodies as we process food.

The free radicals produced by our bodies’ damage our cells and our DNA, and eventually lead to disease if we don’t combat them. Anti-oxidants are our most important defense against the damage of free radicals. One way that we can help prevent cancer is to eat a diet that is full of anti-oxidants.

Where Can I Find Anti-oxidants?

Anti-oxidants occur naturally in fruits and vegetables. They are also in abundance in the Camellia sinensis plant, which just happens to be the tea plant.

So, to help reduce your risk of cancer, your diet should be rich in fruits, vegetables and tea. But, why is all the discussion about the health benefits of green tea, and not tea in general?

The answer is in the processing. Black tea is fermented during processing; this processing converts the natural anti-oxidants into another state, reducing their health benefits. Green tea is not fermented, and goes through less processing in general, so it retains more of the anti-oxidants in their natural state. This is why it is recommended that you consume green tea for your health.

What proof is there that it really prevents cancer?

There have been many studies in recent years that have supported the theory that green tea prevents cancer. One important study was conducted by the Saitama Cancer Center Research Institute in Japan. This study showed that when mice were fed EGCG (the most potent anti-oxidant in green tea) from green tea, the EGCG showed up in the organs where the cancer was located, and appeared to have an effect on the cancer cells.

Further, a study on breast cancer patients showed that a high daily intake of green tea was associated with a lower recurrence rate among breast cancer patients in Stages I and II.

There are many other studies that lead to the conclusion that green tea is beneficial in the prevention and treatment of cancer, particularly certain types of cancer.

So, just how much green tea do I need?

One question that often arises about the consumption of green tea for health benefits is just how much is required to make a difference. Well, it’s a very good question, and one for which we don’t have a definitive answer.

Though there’s no prescription for an amount of green tea that will reduce your risk of cancer, or treat your cancer once it’s occurred, we do believe that you should drink quite a bit if you’re doing so for health benefits.

The reason that researchers wondered if green tea might be healthful in the first place was because of the low incidence of cancer in Asian cultures. And, in these cultures, the consumption of green tea is very high.

It is estimated that in China, most people drink 4-5 cups of tea per day. In Japan, the consumption is even higher, with many Japanese drinking 8-10 cups per day. In Japan, green tea is available in vending machines and many Japanese keep a bottle of this favorite beverage with them nearly all the time.

Now, if this sounds like too much green tea for you, start slowly. Even drinking 2-3 cups a day may be beneficial for your health. You can work your way up to larger quantities over time.

Many people wonder if iced green tea is as beneficial as hot tea. And, the answer is yes; there is no difference in the health benefits whether you drink your tea hot or iced.

In addition, many people wonder about drinking flavored green teas. Green tea in its natural state has a bit of a grassy flavor that is unpleasant to some. So, many tea purveyors mix the green tea with fruit flavors to enhance the taste, and it’s just as healthy as drinking green tea straight.

My personal favorite right now is Republic of Tea’s Pomegranate Green tea. It’s delicious and I get the anti-oxidant benefits of both green tea and pomegranates.

There still much research that’s needed about the health benefits of drinking green tea. Hopefully, in a few years, we’ll know exactly how much we should drink and exactly what we can protect ourselves against, and what diseases we can treat with green tea. But for now, at least we can be confident that green tea is good for us, giving us an extra dose of those healthful anti-oxidants that keep us young and healthy.

Jon M. Stout is the Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. Golden Moon Tea carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox teas, which are processed slowly and handcrafted with extreme care. At their website, you can learn more about their current

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Tags: breast cancer, cancer patient, prevent cancer, treatment of cancer