Sunny Health

There has been research conducted about the link between white bread and cancer. Well, is it really related then?

The research was carried out by the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmalogical Research in Milan. It claimed that consumers who ate a lot of bread doubled their risk of getting cancer. Experts, however, have said that this claim needs to be further explored before they can come to a more definitive conclusion.

Whether or not there is a link between white bread and cancer, it is better to look at a healthier alternative: Wholemeal Bread.

So what is the main difference between white bread and wholemeal bread?

Both white flour and wholemeal flour are the two main types wheat flour. In wholemeal flour, whole grain is used, which also means that nothing is lost during milling. White flour on the other hand, is refined. This means that the bran and nutrient packed germ are separated from the rest of the grain, resulting in a great loss of nutrients.

There are many different types of flour between these two main types of flour. Namely ‘brown flour’ which has a higher extraction rate than white flour. It contains more bran which contributes to its darker colour. The wholemeal flour contains all parts of the grain: the fibre-rich bran (outer layer), the endosperm (middle layer) and the germ (inner layer). The bran provides fibre, B vitamins, minerals, protein and other phytochemicals. The endosperm contains carbohydrates, proteins and small amounts of B vitamins. Whole grain foods are an important part of the diet because they provide many nutrients. The regular consumption of whole grain foods has been liked by researchers to a reduction of several diseases including heart disease and cancer, especially colon cancer.

Besides, its nutritional value, wholemeal bread is something that people can eat on the go. Easily affordable, it is also easy to make and ingredients can be easily found.

So why not make a wholemeal sandwich for lunch? It can be easily packed or brought around.

Here are some suggestions for wholemeal sandwich combinations you may want to consider:

- Tuna, Red Onion and Coriander

- Scrambled Egg and Watercress

- Roasted Chicken and Roaster Bell peppers

As for the dressing, a simple splash of olive oil will do the trick. If olive oil is not what you like, feel free to stir up your own dressings. You can consider using herbs such as black pepper or oregano because they are a great source of flavour. Another healthy alternative is to use tofu mayonnaise which provides

Enjoy a healthy wholemeal sandwich today!

Antioxidants are substances are guards against cancer causing molecules known as free radicals. Antioxidants interact with and stabilize free radicals, preventing free radical damage. Examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C, E, and A, and other substances.
There is now scientific evidence from chemical, cell culture, and animal studies indicating that antioxidants can slow or possibly prevent cancer. However, information from recent clinical trials is less clear. In recent years, large scale, randomized clinical trials have reached inconsistent conclusions.
Five large scale clinical trials published in the 1990s reached differing conclusions about the effect of antioxidants on cancer. The studies examined the effect of beta carotene and other antioxidants on cancer in different patient groups. However, beta carotene appeared to have different effects depending upon the patient population.
From their results, they concluded that:
- a combination of beta carotene, vitamin E, and selenium significantly reduced incidence of both gastric cancer and cancer overall.
- Lung cancer rates increased significantly with beta- carotene and were not affected by vitamin E.
- A possible increase in lung cancer associated with antioxidants.
- There were no change in cancer rates associated with beta carotene and aspirin taken by U.S male physicians
- Among women age 45 years or older, there was no benefit or harm from beta carotene supplementation.
Antioxidants fight free radicals (molecules with incomplete electron shells which make them more chemically reactive than those with complete electron shells.) Tobacco smoke and radiation can also lead to free radical formation. The most common form of free radicals is oxygen, which steals electrons from other molecules when it is radicalized (electrically charged), causing damage to the DNA and other molecules. Long term damage may become irreversible therefore leading to cancer. Antioxidants neutralize electrical charge and prevent the free radicals from taking electrons from other molecules.
Antioxidants can be found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and some meats, poultry and fish.
Here are a list of foods where you can find antioxidants:

• Beta-carotene is found in many foods that are orange in colour, including sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, squash, apricots, pumpkin, and mangos. Some green, leafy vegetables, including collard greens, spinach, and kale, are also rich in beta-carotene.
• Lutein, best known for its association with healthy eyes, is abundant in green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, and kale.
• Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found in tomatoes, watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, pink grapefruit, blood oranges, and other foods. Estimates suggest 85 percent of American dietary intake of lycopene comes from tomatoes and tomato products.
• Selenium is a mineral, not an antioxidant nutrient. However, it is a component of antioxidant enzymes. Plant foods like rice and wheat are the major dietary sources of selenium in most countries. The amount of selenium in soil, which varies by region, determines the amount of selenium in the foods grown in that soil. Animals that eat grains or plants grown in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium in their muscle. In the United States, meats and bread are common sources of dietary selenium. Brazil nuts also contain large quantities of selenium.
• Vitamin A is found in three main forms: retinol (Vitamin A1), 3,4-didehydroretinol (Vitamin A2), and 3-hydroxy-retinol (Vitamin A3). Foods rich in vitamin A include liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, egg yolks, and mozzarella cheese.
• Vitamin C is also called ascorbic acid, and can be found in high abundance in many fruits and vegetables and is also found in cereals, beef, poultry, and fish.
• Vitamin E, also known as alpha-tocopherol, is found in almonds, in many oils including wheat germ, safflower, corn, and soybean oils, and is also found in mangos, nuts, broccoli, and other foods.

We all have heard that stress may lead to higher risk in cancer. But in fact, there is no scientifically proven relationship between cancer and stress. Scientists know that psychological stress can affect the immune system and hence, the body’s fighting system against diseases such as cancer.

The body responds to stress by releasing stress hormones such as adrenaline which enable a person to react with more agility. Stress hormones increase blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar level. High levels of stress can cause the body harm.

Chronic stress can increase risk of obesity, heart disease, depression and various other illnesses. Stress also leads to unhealthy behaviours such as overeating, smoking or drug and alcohol abuse, therefore affecting cancer risk.

Studies have shown that relationship between psychological factors such as stress and cancer have produced conflicting results. Although the results of some studies have indicated a link between various psychological factors and an increased risk of developing cancer, a direct cause and effect relationship has not been proven. Some studies have shown an indirect relationship between stress and certain types of virus related tumours. Evidence from both animal and human studies suggest that chronic stress weakens a person’s immune system, which in turn may affect the incidence of virus associated cancers such as Kaposi sarcoma (cancer of connective tissue such as bone, cartilage, or fat) and some lymphomas (cancer of the immune system).

Recent research with animals (with a disease similar or the same as disease in humans) suggests that the body’s neuroendocrine response ( release of hormones into the blood in response to stimulation of the nervous system) can directly alter important processes in cells that help protect against the formation of cancer, such as DNA repair and the regulation of cell growth.

Some scientists have suggested that the effects of stress on the immune system can in turn affect the growth of some tumours. However, recent research with animals indicates that the body’s release of stress hormones can affect cancer cell functions directly.

A review of studies that evaluated psychological factors and outcome in cancer patients suggests a link with certain psychological factors, such as feeling helpless or suppressing negative emotions, and the growth or spread of cancer, although this relationship was not consistently seen in all studies. In general, stronger relationships have been found between psychological factors and cancer, although this relationship is not consistent with all studies.

Although it has yet to be proven if stress has a direct link with cancer, it has been proven that stress does indeed have an effect on your body. Without a strong, healthy body, how can one expect to win the battle with cancer? It is important that we have a happy healthy outlook on life. We need to keep a good balance in life, Mind, Body and Soul.

Not too much, not too little, just enough.

Cardio is short for cardiovascular, which refers to the heart. Cardiovascular exercise is exercise that raises your heart rate and keeps it elevated for a period of time. The kinds of exercise that are associated with cardiovascular workouts are things like jogging, fast walking, and swimming where there is no break in the routine. Exercises that stop and start, like Pilates, are generally not considered cardio exercise, though Pilates can be done in a cardio way, and can certainly be combined with cardio workouts to great effect.

One of the cheapest, easily available ways of doing cardio exercises is jogging.

Apart from aiding weight loss, there are many health benefits to jogging. For example, it was shown in one study that individuals who ran more than 50 miles per week had significantly greater incrases in HDL cholesterol (the good fat) and significantly greater decreases in body fat, triglyceride levels, and te risk of coronary heart disease than individuals who ran less than 10 miles per week. In addition, long distance runners had a nearly 50% reduction in high blodd pressure and more than a 50% reduction in the use of medications to lower blood pressure and plasma cholesterol levels.

Besides the known health benefits, jogging can also result in better skin, a better glow. Also, in most cases, “perpetual perspiration” = less pimples or at least perspiring from exercise does that. Running also helps you ‘wake up’ other parts of your body. You will be more alert and aware of your surroundings. Without exercise, you would probably have been sleep walking through your entire life.
Besides health benefits, one also gets a sense of accomplishment, and naturally, self confidence. After dragging yourself out of bed and completing those rounds, having a good sweat, don’t you feel good about yourself?

How do I get started on jogging?Get a good pair of shoes, one that will lessen the impact on your feet when you hit the ground. A comfortable attire of shorts and tee shirt should be a good combination to go jogging in. You could spend good money and buy a good sports tee and shorts, and this would motivate you to jog more, because you know you look good in that attire. However, if you do not want to spend, any good pair of shorts and tee would be good.

Here's an interval plan that will get you started.
1. Select the amount of time that you plan to jog/run for, let's say, 30 minutes.

2. Start with a five-minute brisk walk to warm up.

3. When you feel ready, start to jog. If you get out of breath, slow down and keep jogging, or walk again until you catch your breath. This could take one to two minutes.

4. Once you've caught your breath, go ahead and jog again until you feel you've had enough. At that point, walk again.

5. Repeat this series of walking/jogging intervals for 30 minutes, or whatever duration you select.

Personally, I grab my ipod, fill it with great fast tracks and start jogging two rounds around my estate. It may be hard at first, but you can try to give yourself incentives. Such as rewarding yourself, with wearing your favourite piece of clothing, after you finish your jog.

The treadmill is a good option. It helps you regulate your speed and measures how many calories you are losing. This is a wonderful choice because you are then inspired to work harder on the treadmill. Knowing how much you are losing helps you gauge how much effort you are putting into running Using the treadmill is also great for people lazy to go out. You also will not be subjected to the mercy of weather.
However, the downside is, you do not get to see the scenery as you would in an outside environment. The scenery you get on a treadmill is pretty much the same.
If you are using a treadmill, steadily increase your speed while jogging. Start at a slow but docile speed. I would suggest a starting speed of 5.5 mph, before slowly increasing the speed. How fast to go later on, really depends on the individual.
It is good to push yourself, but do not increase to a speed that you cannot manage. If you find yourself having difficulty breathing, it is probably a sign to slow down. Jogging a good 15-20 minutes thrice a week should be sufficient in aiding a healthy lifestyle.

In my post on Thursday, April 30, 2009, I was asked by a reader about the guidelines for food. Well, I guess, it is true everybody has their own way of eating/ living healthily.

I shall list myself as an example. Recently, I went from a UK size 12 to a size 8. How did I do it? Well, I would say pure motivation. Many people have really different ways of losing weight. I didn’t follow any specific guidelines because I believed that I would not follow them because I didn’t have the discipline to do so. Also, many diet/ exercise books are not tailored for each and everybody’s personal lifestyle. However, I did take some of the tips I read from the books and the net and used them to make small but significant changes to my lifestyle. Here are some of the things I did:

Exercise:
Well, this is expected isn’t it? Most good weight losing books tell us to exercise. What kind of exercises? There are many exercises that you can see all over the internet. The general consensus is that doing exercises that work your legs help you lose the most weight. Running, jogging, breeze walking and swimming are common exercise choices. I find personally that jogging to be a favourite. I have heard that swimming helps you work the most parts of your body because you work your arms and legs. But I after struggling in the pool for weeks beside my national swimmer friend, I decided it was not my thing.

When to exercise? You can exercise any time you want. The ideal is to work out in the morning. With your metabolism running in the morning, your heart beat will be faster for the rest of the day, therefore increasing your metabolism for the rest of the day. Some people also say that working out in the morning helps them feel refreshed. However, in my own experience, I feel that doing heavy exercising can make you tired. Perhaps the key, especially if you have work for that day, is to do light exercises.

For me, I had a trampoline at home and decided to start of with them. Ipod in hand, I jumped 15 mins and then went on to 20 mins.

Diet:
Diet, is another commonly known component in big plans to lose weight. You are, really what you eat. Most weight loss plans involve eating clean. Eating clean is basically avoiding fried foods, and the known ‘put on weight foods” Basically, the bottom line is, if you know its bad for you, leave it alone. It is often difficult to keep to diets especially if you have a busy lifestyle, or really bad discipline. The important thing is to have a good nutritional balance in your eating.

There are some that rely solely on dieting. Whether dieting alone helps you lose weight, I really do not know. All I can say is this, prior to making the changes to my lifestyle, I was, for four years 56 kg. (I am now currently 48 kg) My mother, a health nut, made sure our family ate healthily. We always had a vegetable dish, a fish or meat and an egg. We hardly ate pork or beef or any other red meat. Deep Frying was a big no no in my mother’s kitchen. We ate at home most of the time, because my mother considers outside food unhealthy and expensive. On top of this, we always had fruit before dinner. My father and I would often joke sarcastically that we were having rabbit food. We basically lived on rabbit food, but I was not losing weight.

So, eating healthy alone helps you lose weight? I’m not so sure.

Motivation:
The last secret to losing weight is: YOU HAVE TO WANT IT BAD. I once heard someone on tv say “ if you want it bad enough, life will open its doors to you’ The more you want to lose weight the more you will push yourself, the more changes you will make to your life. One of the things I did, though superficial and slightly materialistic, was to flip through magazines and look at celebrities and think , ‘Gosh, I really want to look like that. The truth is, under all this extra weight I’m carrying, I really actually do look like that.” Confidence is key, and knowing that at the end you can achieve weight loss is helpful to your weight loss program.

In the following posts, I intend to look into further details on losing weight, focusing on dieting and eating well. Even if you have no intention to lose weight do keep in mind that exercising and having a proper diet are essential to a healthy lifestyle. Watch this space!

How can we understand cancer patients? We know that they are suffering, but we will never know what it is that they are going through till we ourselves are in their shoes (something we hope will never befall on us.)

Cancer Patients’ lives are faced with such irony. They want to have knowledge, for knowledge is power. But at the same time, knowledge, can and will hurt you. The treatment is a long and torturous process; some recover, some do not. They often have to make difficult decisions.

It is hard for the patients but it is as hard for loved ones to stand by and watch helplessly as the patient deteriorates.

I guess the only way we can make things any easier is to just be there. We don’t necessarily need to ‘cheer them up’ because often, we don’t know how to.

In my own attempt to understand cancer patients, I came across a blogger who lost the cancer battle recently:

http://shinscancerblog.blogspot.com/

Shin Na was a South Korean Born US citizen, she was also a TV news reporter and a legal assistant. At the end of her life she lived in Singapore with her husband Tony and her tow young children. In her blog, she puts up happy pictures of her cherubic looking children. The way she and her husband writes is in a tone that accepts but at the same time, happy. It is indeed an inspiration to read. Although she is dying, her face is filled with a healthy glow and you forget for awhile that she is indeed sick.

The blog chronicles her even after her death through her husband, Tony and her good friend Michelle.

In her blog, she seems happy, in the company of her loved ones. Although, ultimately, it was a lone battle she had to fight, her loved ones were there all the way for her. It is when you see such loving photos, that you feel inspired by her and a warm, chicken soup for the soul feeling that indeed, love does exist.

In her blog, she writes with some humour. She said “This is the part in the movie where I say 'I'm dying' but it doesn't seem real and here I am carrying on as if nothing is wrong; and nothing is wrong. That's why they call it the silent killer.” She saw her life as a movie and she, the lead actress.


She faced death with courage and love, and although death did indeed conquer her, taking away her life, her love and courage shone through.

http://www.asiaone.com/Just%2BWoman/About%2BMe/Well%2BBeing/Story/A1Story20071030-33099.html