Best Foods to Prevent Cancer: Making Positive Changes in Your Diet

Cancer can affect anyone from any part of the world. It is one of the leading causes of death in the world, particularly in the developing countries, however a large of such deaths can be avoided. Researchers have shown that most of the cancer-related deaths are somehow connected to lifestyle choices such as smoking, drinking, a lack of physical activities, and unhealthy diet. About 30 percent of cancer cases can be prevented with healthy lifestyle changes. Researchers and doctors recommend relying on some healthy foods to prevent cancer and a healthy diet can be one of the most effective ways to fight cancer.

Your diet has a huge effect on your health including the risk of developing a cancer. While some foods can help you ward off cancer causing infections and cancer itself, others may turn the tables in favour of cancer causing agents. Changing your diet to add more natural and healthy foods to prevent cancer can help prevent cancer before it’s late.

Plant-Based Diet

One of the best diets suitable for preventing cancer is primarily based on plants. A plant-based diet includes vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Such a diet hardly undergoes any processing which allows the foods to hold the nutrition and escape any harmful ingredients that usually get inside the foods during processing. Start eating foods that come directly from vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, and grains and minimize the amount of processed foods in your diet. For example; instead of drinking processed apple juice eat a fresh apple. Fresh plants and vegetables make the best foods to prevent cancer.

Get More Fibre

Several researches have suggested over time that eating a fiber rich diet can reduce the risk of bowel cancer. Fiber rich foods such as, bread, breakfast cereals, rice, pulses, wholegrain pasta, fruit and vegetables can help keep your bowel healthy and prevent constipation.

Avoid Red And Processed Meat

Despite the high protein and nutritional value, red and processed meat has been associated with an increased risk of bowel cancer. People who eat a more of red and processed meats are at a higher risk of getting bowel cancer as compared to people who eat less of such meats. Researchers have shown that vegetarians are about fifty percent less at risk for cancer as compared to people who eat meat. It is recommended to set your daily limit at less than 70 grams of such meats.

Beta-Carotene Supplements

Beta-carotene has been found to promote the development of lung cancer in smokers and people with high exposure to asbestos. Avoid beta-carotene often found in antioxidant supplements to avoid the higher risk of developing cancer as posed by the compound.

Besides the dietary changes, stop smoking as tobacco use is the largest preventable known cause of cancer. Also reduce your drinking to moderate amounts as drinking too much alcohol can pose increased risk of several cancers including mouth cancer, pharynx and larynx cancer. If you really want to stay healthy for long, start making wise lifestyle changes and switch to natural and healthy foods to prevent cancer.

Beat Bowel Cancer with these Treatment Options

When cancer cells start developing in the colon or rectum the condition is called colon, rectal or sometimes, bowel cancer. This cancer is caused by the unusually large growth of cells that can attack other parts of the body leading to various symptoms like blood in the stool, bowel movement change, abnormal weight loss, and fatigue.

Once diagnosed, there are many treatment options a patient can look up to cure the condition. Your list of treatment methods can include the following options.

People suffering from bowel cancer should be put under the supervision of a multidisciplinary team (MDT). It is team of specialists who will work to give the best treatment possible to cure the patient completely. This team will comprise of a specialist cancer surgeon, an oncologist, a radiologist, pathologist, radiographer and specialist nurse. There can be other members in the team such as a physiotherapist, dietitian and an occupational therapist. While this team of specialists will decide upon the kind of treatment for you, they would consider the following factors:

• the type and size of your cancer
• your overall health
• how far the cancer has spread in the body
• what grade cancer it is

Based on this, the following treatment can be given:

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Radiotherapy
• Biological therapy

Surgery

A surgery to treat bowel cancer is only possible if it is in an early stage. It is only possible at this stage to remove a small piece of lining of the colon wall. This procedure is known as local excision.

When the cancer spreads into the muscles surrounding the colon, it becomes necessary to remove the entire section of the colon in order to receive the perfect treatment for bowel cancer. Removing some part of the colon is known as colectomy.

Chemotherapy

There are three ways in which chemotherapy can be used to cure bowel cancer:

• Therapy prior to surgery for rectal cancer combined with radiotherapy.
• Therapy given after surgery to prevent cancer from recurring.
• Therapy given to reduce the spread of advanced bowel cancer and to control the symptoms.

The chemotherapy taken for bowel cancer usually has a combination of medicines given to the patient to kill cancer cells. These medications can be transfused into the patient’s body in the form of a tablet, drip, or as a combination of both.

The best-suited treatment for you can be decided by our health care provider. The best you can do to fight the cancer is to stay aware about its symptoms and take preventive measures wherever possible.

How to Sponge bath a Newborn baby

Newborn baby sponge baths are highly recommended by the American Academy of Paediatrics, especially during the initial weeks, until the umbilical area has properly healed. Sponge bathing is also suitable for premature babies as their skin may be sensitive to tolerate water splashes. The below guidelines can help new mothers sponge bath their newborn baby:

• Lay your baby in a cot or on a cushioned surface. You can place some pads or soft wash towels underneath to provide extra comfort. Remove the clothing and the diapers and cover the body with a light soft towel.
• Take a cotton ball moistened with water and clean his eyes carefully. Take another cotton ball and clean the inside of his nose. Similarly, with fresh moistened cotton balls, clean his cheeks, forehead and behind his ears. 
• In a tub of tepid water, dip a soft wash cloth and squeeze out excess water. Gently rub the cloth on the baby’s head to remove the cradle cap. This will not go in one day, but after a few sponging sessions, it will start falling off slowly. You can then use a soft baby brush to remove the cradle cap completely. Then wipe off the water from his head with a dry soft towel.
• With a wet wash-cloth, clean the neck, skin folds, genitals and the diaper areas slowly. Then wash the arms, legs, folds of fingers and toes, hands and feet clean. Wipe the wet areas gently with a dry towel.
• After final washing, place the baby in a big soft towel and dry off the residual water from the body.
• Clean the umbilical cord carefully by using a Q-tip and rubbing alcohol.
• Apply baby lotion all over the body, hands and feet barring eyes, mouth and ears.
• To wrap up the sponge bathing process, put on fresh diapers and clothing on him.

A sponge bath for newborns is ideal as it prevents the chances of catching a cold considerably. Also, since the area around the umbilical cord is prone to infection, it is important to avoid water seepage into that area. Newborns do not usually get very dirty so a daily sponge bath is sufficient to keep them clean. During a sponge bath, it is recommended to cover the upper part of the baby’s body with a cloth while washing the bottom and vice versa. The baby’s wash towels must be regularly disinfected to avoid any skin rash.

Health Checklist for Women Over 40

Dress, check! Make-up, check! Shoes, check! Office presentation, check! Home chores, check! But did you check your health yet? Well, you must! Women in their 40s need to be proactive to stay fit and healthy beyond middle age.

A few health check-up for your overall health can help you detect any problems early and getting the right treatment for it. You must know what to look out for in terms of health to feel in the prime of your health and heave greater self-confidence than ever before.

Make a health checklist and paste it to your refrigerator for a gentle reminder about your health updates.

                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

 Weighty Issues

40s is a cruel age-range. Women who have been slim all their lives, may find themselves putting on pounds in their 40s. Ageing makes you to gain an average of a pound a year. With weight gain comes high blood pressure and diabetes.

The cons of weight gain don’t end just here. The hormones fall, this alters the fat distribution around the buttocks, upper thighs, and abdomen. You may call it the middle-age spread.

Do prevent weight gain, do not cut out on meals but make sure your calories work in the form of lean proteins, fruit and vegetables, and whole grains.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

 Exercise Regularly

The 40s make your testosterone levels to fall- it is the hormone that helps maintain muscle mass. So, you need to challenge your muscle mass in order to prevent losing five pounds of it per decade as you age.

Cardio exercise can help you shed excess pounds or maintain your weight. But also include strength training too to build up lean muscle tissue. The general goal is to include at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day in your routine.

Build You Bone Strength

The biggest health risk for women in their 40s is osteoporosis; you can feel your bones going thin because of lower hormone levels.
The lifetime risk of osteoporosis for women is almost 50 per cent and in men is 20 per cent. Eating a balanced diet and doing regular weight –bearing exercises can help treat the condition and possibly reduce its effects.

To detect osteoporosis, one must get a bone mineral density test done which is an indicator of bone strength and osteoporosis risk. Women with previous fragility fractures; a family history of osteoporosis; on medications that cause bone loss; or have problems with calcium absorption should get this test done for sure with their doctor’s discretion.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Control Stress and Anxiety

Age brings in stress with it. Women in their 40s need to need to be supreme jugglers, often balancing the needs of a job, children and ageing parents.

Make time for yourself to beat stress and anxiety. Relax and take good care of yourself like you care for your dear ones.

Keep Your Heart Healthy

It is important to keep coronary risk factors as low as possible because heart disease is the biggest killer. Quit smoking if you so; smoking is the biggest risk factor for heart disease. With this, maintain an ideal weight, follow a healthy diet and take regular exercise.

To make sure you do not suffer from any heart ailments, take the following tests:

Blood cholesterol test- High cholesterol is associated with increased risk of heart disease. This test measures amount of total cholesterol, "bad" LDL, and "good" HDL cholesterol circulating in the blood. Levels of triglycerides, another blood fat, are also usually checked. It should be taken every 5 years starting at the age of 20.

Blood pressure check- It measures blood pressure, an indicator of heart risk. Check your blood pressure at least every other year starting at the age of 18.

Fasting plasma glucose- It measures blood sugar, an indicator of diabetes risk. Get it done every three years if in normal range or at your doctor's discretion at the age of 45, or younger if you are overweight and have other risk factors.

Keep a Tab on Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is the 11th most common cancer among women in the UK but cervical screening saves approximately 4,500 lives per year in England. To get screened for cervical cancer take the following tests:

Pap smear and pelvic exam- It checks for cervical cancer and you should take it every three years, or as recommended by your doctor, starting from the age of 21.

Pap smear plus HPV DNA test and pelvic exam- Some experts recommend this test as more precise means to check for cervical cancer. You can get screened for it every five years after the age of 30.

Beware of Breast Cancer

One in eight women is at the risk of getting breast cancer and age 40 makes the disease more common. In fact, the majority of breast cancers (80 per cent) occur in women over the age of 50.

With a family history of breast cancer you should commence screening 10 years before the age your relative was diagnosed. Tests that diagnose breast cancer are:

Mammogram- It checks for breast cancer and should be taken every 1 to 2 years, depending on your risk. You should start at age 40-50 or earlier with certain risk factors.

                                                                                                                                                       Doctor’s Breast Exam- It may detect breast cancers missed by mammography. If you are in your 40s, take this test annually; if younger, you can get screened for it every three years.

Finally, being self-aware and doing self-health checks is the vital first stage as it will help detect symptoms which could indicate more significant health problems. Make a note if anything about your health doesn’t seem normal. Speak to your doctor early so that the symptoms can be fully assessed.

How To Get Pregnant Faster

There are a variety of reasons you may want to get pregnant fast. Maybe you want to space your children a certain number of years apart, or maybe you are trying to beat your biological clock. You might want to get pregnant because your partner is in the military and you'd like to conceive before deployment, or you may not have a specific reason for getting pregnant quickly -- you are just eager to become parents!

The tips below will help you learn how to get pregnant faster, but it's important to realize they will not work for everyone, and "faster" for some may mean conception in a month or two, while "faster" for another may mean pregnancy within a year or two.

Unfortunately, pregnancy isn't something that can be planned exactly. So many factors come into play, including the fertility of you and your partner, your menstrual cycle and ovulation, your overall health, and your current life style.

If you can't get pregnant as quickly as you'd like, don't blame yourself. Keep in mind that while 62% of couples will get pregnant after three months of serious trying, and 92% conceive within a year, one in 10 will experience infertility and need help.

Tip #1 for Getting Pregnant Fast: Have Lots of Sex

You probably already know you need to have sex to get pregnant, and you may even know that you need to aim for ovulation to increase your chances. What you may not know is that having sex often, every other day or every two days, for the entire month is good for baby making.

Having sex at least three to four times a week boosts your chances for success because...

• It increases the possibility of having sex on your most fertile days. If you're only aiming for ovulation, and you make a mistake, you may totally lose that month. If you have sex every other day or every two days, you're likely to have sex at least once, if not twice, during your most fertile time.
• Frequent sex improves sperm health. Healthier swimmers means you'll be more likely to conceive.
• Sex after ovulation may even help with conception. To be clear, you can't conceive if you only have sex after ovulation. But some preliminary research has indicated that semen exposure may play a role in the implantation stage of the embryo.

You could even aim to have sex every day of your cycle, but for most people, this will lead to burnout. Not to mention it's really not necessary.

Tip #2 for Getting Pregnant Fast: Optimize Your Baby Making Sex

You may be able to get pregnant faster if you optimize your conception sex. One important thing to be aware of is that regular personal lubricants, like Astroglide and KY Jelly, are harmful to sperm. They prevent some of the sperm from swimming to their destination and the chemicals in these lubricants kill many of them off. (Note, however, that these lubricants cannot be used to prevent pregnancy.)

The best lubricant for conception is your own cervical fluid. But if this is an issue for you, there are sperm-friendly options available.

• Are Personal Lubricants Like Astroglide and KY Jelly Sperm Friendly?
• Top Sperm Friendly Lubricants

It's debatable whether sexual position or lying down after sex will help you conceive. However, research on IUI treatment found that lying down after insemination boosts pregnancy rates. Could this apply to sexual intercourse? It's impossible to say, but if you're trying to conceive faster, you may want to at least try out lying on your back after sex for a few minutes. Just in case.

• What Sexual Positions Can You Get Pregnant With?
• Does Lying on Your Back Help with Getting Pregnant?

On the other hand, if missionary position is a big turn off for you, maybe more creative positions would help. Research has found that sexual arousal plays a role in how much sperm is ejaculated. Female orgasm may also help with conception.

Having passionate sex may help you get pregnant faster. So have fun and enjoy yourselves!

• Is Female Orgasm Important for Getting Pregnant?
• Conception Sex vs Just-for-Fun Sex

Tip #3 for Getting Pregnant Fast: Use an Ovulation Predictor Kit or Ovulation Monitor

There are a number of ways to detect your most fertile days, the two days prior to ovulation. For example, you can chart your body basal temperature, check for fertile cervical mucus, track cervical changes, or use a saliva ferning microscope.

The problem with all these methods is they have a steep learning curve. For BBT charting, figuring out how to get your temps right in the morning and interpreting your chart is an issue, and another big issue is that a BBT chart only shows you when you ovulated after it's already happened (and it's too late to have sex to make a baby on those days.) BBT charting can work wonders when you're open to trying for a few months, but not if you want to get pregnant now.

You may have an easier time using ovulation predictor kits or ovulation monitors if you're trying to get pregnant fast. OPKs are like pregnancy tests, in that you pee on a stick or strip of paper. Unlike pregnancy sticks, they are a tad tricky to interpret, but most women figure them out. Ovulation monitors take much of the learning curve out of OPKs, as a digital device tells you when you're most fertile. No interpretation of lines involved! They are more expensive, though.

You may want to combine charting with OPKs, as there are advantages to charting besides detecting ovulation. However, when it comes to pure ovulation detection, if you're going for speed and you're not an experienced charter, OPKs or ovulation monitors are your best bet.

• All About Ovulation Predictor Kits
• How and Why to Keep a Fertility Calendar
• Seven Signs of Ovulation

Tip #4 for Getting Pregnant Fast: Do What You Can to Optimize Your Health and Fertility

In the short term, things you can do to optimize your health and fertility include...

• Getting enough sleep. Odd sleep and wake cycles can throw off your menstrual cycle, which is unlikely to lead to infertility but could make getting pregnant fast more difficult.
• Eating a balanced diet and drinking enough water. Shun extreme diets or binging when you're trying to conceive.
• Lowering stress, if at all possible. It's debatable whether or not stress leads to infertility, and the current research indicates it likely doesn't. However, acute stress can throw off your cycle. If you want to get pregnant in a month or two, one off cycle can put a serious dent in your plans.
• For the men, keeping the family jewels away from the heat. Hot tubs, laptops placed directly on the lap, seat warmers, and sitting too long with the legs close together can all increase the scrotal temperatures, which can negatively impact sperm counts.
• Washing your hands and staying away from sick people. Illness can throw off your cycle.
• Cutting back on caffeine. It's unclear what, if any, effect caffeine has on fertility, but if you want to conceive quickly, cutting back to 300 mg per day (that's one cup of brewed coffee or two cups of black tea) may be worth it.
• Quit smoking and cut down on alcoholic drinks, and this is for the men and the women. Not an easy one for some, but something that may not only improve your health now but also help you have a healthier pregnancy and be a good example to your future child.

There are other things you can do to improve your fertility and overall health that take more effort and time. A big one is making sure your weight falls within healthy limits. Being just slightly overweight has been shown to decrease fertility.

Nuts Lower Cholesterol Levels

Your heart might actually benefit from nuts. You think we’re kidding. Well, not really. We have reasons to back this claim! Nuts can dramatically reduce risk of heart disease by dilating blood vessels and preventing any sort of hardening of blood vessels.

Recently, there was research being conducted in order to identify potential reason behind how nuts help in reducing coronary disease and lower cholesterol levels.  The conclusions are quite healthy and revolutionary. The Nurses’ Health Study, for instance, found out that those people who ate five or more ounces of nuts per week cut down risk of developing heart diseases by 35 percent in comparison to those who didn’t.

So, while you try and decide which nuts are healthy for you keep in mind that ideally, they must be high on monounsaturated fats and have lower amounts of saturated fats. High monounsaturated fats actually lower the low density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterols levels in the blood. You would be quite happy to know that almonds, pistachios and walnuts contain high amounts of unsaturated fats! So, won’t you grab your share?

WHY NUTS ARE HEART HEALTHY?

Researchers say that nuts contain heart-healthy substances that lower cholesterol levels. These include:

• Unsaturated fats: Apparently, and as mentioned above unsaturated fats lower bad cholesterol levels.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids help our heart by preventing dangerous heart rhythms which can cause heart attacks. Other than nuts, omega-3 fatty acids are also found in fish.
• L-Arginine: Nuts contain lots of l-arginine that improves health of the artery walls and make them more flexible and less prone to blood clots that block rhythmic flow blood flow.
• Fiber: Nuts are high in fiber content and once we eat nuts we feel much fuller and eat lesser thereafter. Nuts can in this way help in preventing diabetes.
• Vitamin E: It is widely believed, although researchers aren’t still very sure, that vitamin E helps stop plaque sedimentation on our arteries that later constrict them, interrupt the rhythm of blood flow and cause coronary heart disease (CAD)or heart attack. In short, it helps in improving health line of the arteries.

Thus, include nuts which are powerhouse of good nutrition in your diet. In fact, we’d ask you to go nuts!

Top 8 health benefits of cluster beans

Cluster beans better known as guar or gavar are rich in fibre and low in calories. It contains various vitamins namely vitamin A, B and K and minerals such as potassium, iron and calcium in addition to other nutrients. This green vegetable is packed with numerous health benefits:

Good for diabetics

Cluster beans contain glyconutrients that help in controlling blood sugar levels in the body. They are low in glycemic index. Read about 10 ways to control diabetes naturally

Strengthens bone health

Guar beans contain calcium that helps in strengthening the bones. The presence of phosphorus in this vegetable aids in fortifying the bones and enhances bone health. Read more about 7 surprising foods for healthy bones

Great for heart health

Gavar exerts heart healthy effects by lowering the blood levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the body. The presence of dietary fibre, potassium and folate in this vegetable prevents the heart from various cardiovascular complications. Read more about Top 7 foods that can help bring down cholesterol

Helps manage blood pressure

The hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties of cluster beans make them the best natural aid for hypertensive patients.

Recommended during pregnancy

Iron and calcium present in cluster beans fills up the deficiencies of these minerals in the pregnant women. This vegetable is loaded with high levels of folic acid that prevent the fetus from numerous birth defects and also various pregnancy related health issues. Vitamin K contained in cluster beans is good for the bones and helps with better fetal development. Read about 10 diet dos and don’ts during pregnancy by expert dietician

Increases blood circulation

The presence of iron in gavar increases hemoglobin production and stimulates oxygen carrying capacity of the blood resulting in better blood circulation.

Acts as digestive aid

Cluster beans work as a good laxative, stimulating bowel movement and improving your digestive system. They also help in flushing the unwanted toxins from the stomach and prevent digestion-related problems. Read more about how wrong food combinations can lead to indigestion and gas

Calms the brain

Hypoglycemic properties of cluster beans help in soothing the nerves. They are also found to reduce anxiety and tension and calm the person mentally. Read more about foods that can boost your immunity