PreDisease.com Blog

It seems that researchers can’t get enough of vitamin D. There have been many studies in the past few years which have yielded evidence that vitamin D may provide a protective effect against heart disease, multiple sclerosis, premature birth and other conditions.

Now, researchers from Denmark have studied the effects of vitamin D on the immune system and have come to the conclusion that vitamin D plays an important role in marshalling the immune system’s defenses against infectious diseases, such as colds and influenza.

Their research has shown that vitamin D helps to signal “dormant” white blood cells to become active, in order to seek out and destroy invading organisms. White blood cells can be thought of as front-line soldiers in the immune system’s response to bugs. Specifically, vitamin D triggers T-cells, the cells that contain a memory for bugs that the body has been exposed to before. T-cells also target infectious agents that the body has never been exposed to. This research could have implications for the development of new methods to combat old enemies, such as cancer and certain auto-immune diseases.

We get most of our vitamin D from exposure the sun. Our body absorbs ultraviolet rays and converts them into vitamin D. We also obtain vitamin D from foods such as fish, milk, liver, eggs, and foods that have been fortified with vitamin D.

Source: Vitamin D crucial to activating immune defenses

The benefits of breastfeeding for infants have been well documented. These benefits include a reduction in the risk of allergies, eczema, ear infections, gastrointestinal problems, respiratory illnesses and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), to name but a few. But what of the benefits to mothers who breastfeed?

Research in the past has shown that mothers who breastfeed have a lower risk of developing some conditions, such as ovarian and breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and postpartum depression. The latest research shows that breastfeeding can reduce amounts of abdominal fat for years after breastfeeding has ceased. Many women are aware that breastfeeding can help them to lose weight after pregnancy, but now there is proof that breastfeeding can decrease abdominal girth, and that this benefit can last for decades.

Abdominal fat is known to be a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease in women, as well as contributing to the development of metabolic syndrome. Breastfeeding moms will be happy to know that breastfeeding their infants not only conveys a protective health benefit to their infant, but may also help prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes in themselves in later years.

Source: Breast-Feeding Helps Mom Stay Slimmer Later in Life

Most people would rather not think about colorectal cancer, but the fact remains that colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer in males and the fourth in females. Here’s what you need to know about this disease, which is very treatable when diagnosed in the early stage:

• Risk factors for the disease include polyps, hereditary factors and ulcerative colitis
• Colorectal cancers often arise from polyps, and removal of polyps can help prevent the disease
• Early colorectal cancer may not cause symptoms, but regular screening can catch the disease in its early stages
• Diagnosis of the disease is most often made by barium enema or colonoscopy; a biopsy confirms the diagnosis
• Surgery is often the first-line treatment for colorectal cancer
• Western diets are thought to contribute to colorectal cancer (this type of cancer is rare in Africa and Asia)
• About 20% of cases of colorectal cancer are associated with a family history of the disease
• Colon cancer can be present for many years before symptoms are noticed; weight loss, diarrhea, constipation, weakness and abdominal pain may be symptoms of colon cancer
• Anyone over the age of 40 should have yearly exams for colorectal cancer, including a digital rectal exam and testing for occult blood in the stool

Colorectal cancer is best treated by preventing the disease in the first place. When caught early, colorectal cancer can be treated and cured.

Source: Colorectal Cancer

High-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol, acts by carrying cholesterol out of the body. It does this by binding with cholesterol in the intestines so that it is excreted as waste. For this reason, having higher levels of HDL can mean a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

HDL also exerts its protective effects by:

• increasing blood vessel’s ability to expand, or stretch
• reducing the production of harmful chemicals which can damage blood vessels
• repairing existing damage to the walls of blood vessels

Research has shown that the protective effects of HDL are not as evident in people who have diabetes. Researchers compared 10 healthy people with 33 people who had diabetes and who were taking cholesterol-lowering medications and found that the protective benefits of HDL in the diabetic patients were not as effective.

Although this was a very small study, the research shows a possible reason why people with diabetes are also more prone to cardiovascular disease, besides that fact that diabetics often have lifestyle risk factors for heart disease.

Source: Good Cholesterol Not As Protective In People With Type 2 Diabetes

It is a well-known fact that people with the condition known as prediabetes can reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a condition in which fasting blood sugar levels and glucose tolerance test levels are elevated but are still within “normal” range, by modifying risk factors such as weight, diet and exercise.

A new study from researchers at the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the NIDDK (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) found that almost 30% of Americans over the age of 20 had prediabetes, but only a small percentage of these individuals (7.3%) were aware that they had the condition and less than half of these had had their blood tests repeated in the previous three years.

Those with prediabetes were more likely to:

• be male
• older in age
• have a first-generation family member with type 2 diabetes
• be overweight
• have high blood pressure and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease

The take-home message of the research is that there needs to be an increased awareness of what prediabetes is and greater measures to prevent diabetes from developing, including greater promotion and support of healthy lifestyle choices.

PreCrea is a twice-a-day botanical formula designed to help reduce blood sugar levels and promote weight loss.

Source: Diabetes Risk Reduction Behaviors Among U.S. Adults With Prediabetes, Geiss et al, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, April 2010

Spring is upon us, and with the reemergence of the sun and longer days comes unhealthy behavior that can increase your risk of skin cancer. Many people mistakenly believe that tanning is safe in small doses, despite evidence to the contrary.

Essentially, a tan is the result of damage to the skin. Exposure to ultraviolet light results in the darker colororation of the skin that many people seek, believing that they appear healthier or more attractive when they have a tanned appearance. The reality is that a tan is the result of damage, and damage to cellular DNA may result in melanoma or other skin cancers. Tanning beds are believed by many to be safer than the sun, a belief that is false according to cancer experts. There has been much controversy over the past few years, with tanning bed owners vigorously defending their product while scientists refute the claim that tanning beds are safe to use.

To lower the risk of skin cancer, you should avoid the sun as much as possible. If you plan to be in the sun, you should use an approved sunscreen with an SPF (sun protective factor) of at least 30. Cover your skin as much as possible, and wear a hat to shield both your head and your eyes. Children should have sunscreen applied by a responsible adult and should have sunscreen reapplied if they enter water. Using these simple measures can help you avoid both skin cancer and premature aging of the skin, which is accelerated by sun exposure.

New research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology has discovered that women who take HRT (hormone replacement therapy) may be at higher risk of developing lung cancer.

The large study, which included 36,588 women taking HRT containing both estrogen and progesterone, found that post-menopausal women taking HRT had a 50% higher risk of lung cancer. Women who took only estrogen without progesterone (unopposed estrogen) did not appear to be at higher risk of developing lung cancer.

The length of time a woman took HRT was related to their risk of developing lung cancer, as well as the later stage at which the disease was diagnosed. Other factors known to contribute to the development of lung cancer were considered, such as age and smoking status.

New recommendations for HRT state that women should take HRT for the shortest time possible, but there may be many women who have taken HRT for long periods of time, before the studies were done which pointed to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease with long-term HRT therapy. These women may be at higher risk for lung cancer and this begs the question: could HRT therapy be part of the reason that lung cancer rates have been increasing in women?

PreMenora is an all-natural botanical formulation that is taken twice daily to ease the symptoms of menopause.

Source: Hormone therapy linked to lung cancer risk

Knowing your genotype for low-fat or low-carb diets could significantly increase your chances of dieting success. Researchers followed 133 women for a year after they submitted to a genetic test to determine which type of diet their body would respond best to.

The test, which involved obtaining a sample from the inside of the women’s cheeks, was able to differentiate those women who would respond well to a low-carb diet versus women who would do better on a low-fat diet. By following the diet that their genes were naturally programmed for, the women were able to lose as much as 2 ½ times the weight of women without the genetic predisposition.

For years scientists have wondered why, when two people strictly follow the same regimented diet, one person would lose weight and one would not. The answer, according to this study, lies in our genes. Knowing which way your body is programmed might mean that dieting will prove more successful for those who diet according to their needs.

Researchers caution that further study with larger groups is necessary, but state the findings from this study had statistical relevance, and the genetic test may provide another weapon in the fight against obesity.

Source: Genes Point to Best Diets

New guidelines for prostate screening state that men aged 50 and older should discuss their risk of prostate cancer with their physician and decide whether the benefits of screening for prostate cancer is greater than the risks. Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in men; in 2009, approximately 27,000 men lost their lives to prostate cancer.

The problem lies in the fact that really effective prostate screening tests have not been developed. At present, prostate screening consists of performing a rectal exam to check for prostate irregularities and a blood test, the PSA, or prostate-specific antigen. The problem with the PSA blood test is that it can yield false-positive results. Many prostate cancers are slow growing and not immediately life-threatening, meaning that men may undergo treatments for prostate cancer that can have potentially devastating side effects, such as impotence and incontinence. The other side of the coin is that not testing may result in some cancers not being diagnosed.

The American Cancer Society is focusing on education, recommending that screening counseling should be provided prior to screening taking place, so that men are aware of the shortcomings of prostate screening, as well as the risks of not screening. The bottom line? Men should be armed with the most current information and should decide for themselves whether or not they should be screened for prostate cancer.

Source: Let men decide on prostate screening, cancer society says

Many people believe that taking aspirin (ASA) daily will help prevent a heart attack or stroke. Is there any validity to the idea that aspirin can be used to prevent cardiovascular disease?

Aspirin is a potent anti-inflammatory and pain killer; almost everyone has taken aspirin for a headache or for other body pains. However, aspirin is also a blood thinner, and it is this property that people who take daily aspirin are hoping to exploit for their own good. Aspirin is often prescribed as a preventative agent for those who have already suffered a heart attack or stroke.

A trial of almost 30,000 people, both men and women, who did not have heart disease was undertaken to determine if aspirin would prevent future heart disease. The result? Aspirin did not prevent cardiovascular disease but did raise the risk of bleeding internally in the stomach, brain or elsewhere.

The conclusion of the study’s authors was that aspirin is effective for the secondary prevention of heart attack and stroke but was not effective in preventing an initial event. The risk of bleeding, although small, outweighs the benefit of taking aspirin daily to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Source: The Benefits of Popping an Aspirin (and Some Risks)