Cinco Vidas

We all want to try to prevent cancer—or if we already have it, we’re looking for ways to beat it. With all the information coming at us, however, it can sometimes be confusing. Is there no simple way to increase our odds of living healthier?

We did a previous post on Dr. David Schreiber’s book Anticancer: A New Way of Life, and I wanted to expand on his recommendations. Schreiber went through chemotherapy and surgery for brain cancer. Altogether, he’s battled with the disease for 15 years, and attributes his recent seven-year experience of being cancer free to a regimen that boosts the body’s natural defenses. (more…)

How do you do it? How can you ever tell your child that you may not always be there for him or her?

If you’re facing terminal cancer, you already have a lot on your mind. You have to deal with your own emotions on the issue, and make preparations for your family.

But when it comes to children, the choices are so much more difficult. We want to protect them from pain, and so many times, we may think that hiding the truth is best. However, according to Lisa Barkely, clinical psychologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital in the United Kingdom, children tend to sense the truth anyway, and hiding it from them can increase their fear. (more…)

For an average of five days per month, every month, many women are exposed to the ingredients that make up tampons and sanitary pads. You would think these items would be safe, especially since they come in contact with such a sensitive area, with potential to spread any product chemicals to the rest of the body.

Over the past few years, however, there has been concern about “dioxins” in these products, and what health dangers they may present to women. Dioxin is a by-product of the chlorine bleaching process and other manufacturing processes used to produce paper and rayon products. Tampons, for example, are usually made of cotton and rayon—rayon being a synthetic fiber made from wood pulp. During that process, dioxin is created. Up until the late 1990s, a chlorine bleaching process that also produces dioxin was used on both the rayon and cotton used in tampons. (Today’s bleaching process is chlorine free.) (more…)

You may have heard about the dispersants British Petroleum (BP) is using to try to break up the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. The main one is called “Corexit,” which was originally developed by Exxon. (They used it in the Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska in 1989.) It’s a detergent, like a dishwashing detergent. You know how soap breaks up oil—this is the same idea. The hope is that it will break the oil film into smaller droplets that will then mix with the seawater. This makes it less visible, though it doesn’t actually do anything to remove it. (more…)

Do you think you have to run a marathon or become a vegetarian to significantly lower your risk of cancer? Not true! Little things you do everyday can significantly increase your odds of remaining cancer-free. Try adding these to your daily routine.

Walk. Exercise is one of the best ways to keep your weight under control and reduce your cancer risk. Exercise—even without weight loss—has shown in studies to chase cancer away. The American Cancer Society recommends 30 minutes a day of aerobic activity. You can accomplish this with a 30-minute walk, or try swimming, jogging, playing tennis or raquetball, or anything that gets your heart pumping. NOTE: If you’re over 45 years old, try adding 45 minutes twice weekly of strength training to fend off muscle loss. (more…)

When you’re talking about toxic ingredients in personal-care products, you’re talking about chemistry. That’s what it is, really—manufacturers combining various chemicals to come up with a formula that creates the desired results. Up until now, formulators haven’t really thought a lot about the safety of the chemicals they were using. Sure, they avoided things that were overtly poisonous or damaging, but after all, they were paid to produce a result, so if they needed to add something at a low amount to make the formula work, they figured it was okay. (more…)

Enjoy the occasional morning grapefruit? Then you’re in luck. It’s full of health benefits, including the ability to help your liver clear toxins out of the body. However, you’re probably aware of the debate about this fruit—does it help prevent cancer or contribute to it? We’ve gathered some information here to help you decide.

According to The World’s Healthiest Foods (WHFoods), “grapefruit juice increases the production and activity of liver-detoxification enzymes responsible for preparing toxic compounds for elimination from the body.” Apparently it works in two steps—first, it increases the activity of stage-1 enzymes that work on toxins to make them more attractive to stage-2 enzymes. Then, it increases the activity of stage-2 enzymes that protect cells against toxins and oxidative stress. So if you’re looking for a natural detox, you may want to start with this tasty fruit.
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It’s like a blister, puffy and uncomfortable, that may form after you’ve had a mastectomy. In fact, it’s the most frequent postoperative complication after breast-cancer surgery, especially if the lymph glands in the armpit were removed. It’s called a “seroma,” a nice-sounding name for a condition that can cause discomfort, pain, and extended hospital stays.

“I had a bilateral mastectomy last week and came home with drains on both sides,” says fighter Louise414. “Shortly thereafter the drain on the right side stopped working. I saw the surgeon again thinking he would somehow fix the drain. Instead he removed it. I immediately developed seroma.” (more…)

Think a facial is an extravagant expense during cancer treatments? Think again! Since your skin is especially dry and fragile during chemotherapy and radiation, and your stress levels are up, a facial is just the thing to bring you some much needed moisturization and relaxation—and to help promote your healing.

“Treatments for breast cancer are so draining,” says survivor Sylvia. “I felt wonderful after my pedicure and mini-facial.” According to Nicole Martin, writing for Bella Magazine (June/July 2005), “Facials were once considered luxury only for the wealthy, but now they are considered as important as going to your dentist. They are known to help resolve current problems and prevent future ones.” (more…)

If you’re a meat-eater, nothing quite satisfies like a tender, juicy steak or a glistening slab of prime rib. It’s full of protein, B vitamins, and selenium, and serves as a staple of the American diet. Now if you’re smart about health, you’ll know to limit your servings to 1-2 a week, to avoid high cholesterol and fat intake, but there’s one more thing you need to be careful of, whether you’re consuming meat or dairy products—growth hormones.

According to Science News, about 2/3 of American cattle raised for slaughter are injected with hormones to make them grow faster, while dairy cows are given a genetically engineered hormone called rBGH to increase milk production. The USDA and FDA claim these hormones are safe, but the European Union (EU) begs to differ. (more…)