HANDPHONE AND CANCER RISK

Report from Time.com

(PITTSBURGH) — The head of a prominent cancer research institute issued an unprecedented warning to his faculty and staff Wednesday: Limit cell phone use because of the possible risk of cancer.

The warning from Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, is contrary to numerous studies that don't find a link between cancer and cell phone use, and a public lack of worry by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Herberman is basing his alarm on early unpublished data. He says it takes too long to get answers from science and he believes people should take action now — especially when it comes to children.

"Really at the heart of my concern is that we shouldn't wait for a definitive study to come out, but err on the side of being safe rather than sorry later," Herberman said.

PLAY IT SAFE:

Since the handphone went from luxury to necessary, much debate has been going on about this topic. Does the electromagnetic radiation from the handset cause cancer. To be sure, nobody really knows. It just like coffee. Some say its good ,while some say its bad.

We as layman sometimes are at a lost who to believe.

My advice is moderation , yes everything done in moderation may be the answer.

Just like what the doctor says: being safe rather than sorry later is the best bet.

I for one, always use my speaker phone rather then put the phone to my ear. Or if you have a wireless thingy, that will also be good. Why stir the unknown. And if you have very young children try not to allow them to use the phone too often, as their brains are still developing and the radiation from the handphone may actually harm them…CHEERS

PROSTATE CANCER WONDER PILL

REPORT FROM MAIL ONLINE:

British researchers have made a dramatic breakthrough against a lethal form of prostate cancer.

Trials of a new pill have shown that it can shrink tumors in up to 80 per cent of cases, and end the need for damaging chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Experts hailed the advance as potentially the biggest in the field of prostate cancer for decades, capable of saving many thousands of lives.

Scientists believe the technique could also be effective on other tumors, such as breast and bowel cancers.

The drug, abiraterone, was discovered by researchers at the Royal Marsden Hospital in South-West London.

Their leader, Dr Johann de Bono, said patients there had been able to control the disease with just four pills a day and very few side-effects. Its side-effects can include loss of libido, breathlessness, fatigue, fluid retention and weight gain. Some men may be left impotent, but the effects are far less than with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

There are two types, aggressive and non-aggressive, which are often called 'tiger' and 'pussycat'. Men with pussycat cancer can often lead a healthy life, but the tiger variety - a third of cases - is usually fatal within 18 months.

Abiraterone is now being used in a 1,200-patient international study, including at ten sites across the UK. If it is licensed as expected in 2011, it will have to await approval by the rationing watchdog NICE before it is made freely available.

LADIES IF YOU PLAN TO HAVE BABIES AVOID….

COFFEE !!!

Four cups of coffee a day seriously damage a woman’s chances of having a baby, research suggests.

The effect is almost as bad as the problems in pregnancy caused by alcohol, smoking or being overweight, a fertility conference heard.

Women drinking that much caffeine were 26 per cent less likely to have a baby — adding to evidence that it can harm fertility and the health of an unborn baby.

The Dutch researchers followed the health and habits of 9,000 women with fertility problems for up to 13 years.

When the researchers from Radbout University in Nijmegen looked at why some women conceived naturally and others didn’t, they found lifestyle played a critical role.

Those who drank four or more cups of coffee, tea or other caffeinated drinks a day were 26 per cent less likely to have had a baby, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology’s annual conference in Barcelona was told.

Having three or more alcoholic drinks a week had the same effect, while being slightly overweight cut the chances of getting pregnant.

Smoking still appeared to be the most damaging, with more than one cigarette a day cutting the odds by more than a third.

Professor Ledger a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology added that caffeine could also damage sperm, meaning that men should also think about how much tea or coffee they drink.

The British Coffee Association conceded that previous studies had shown a high intake of caffeine delayed conception, but insisted smoking was worse.

Spokesman Zoe Wheeldon said: ‘Scientific evidence demonstrates that for pregnant women or those trying to conceive up to 300mg of caffeine per day is perfectly safe.

AGEING AND MEMORY LOSS

It is said that greatest asset any human can have is his brains and the memory that’s stored in there. Take away the memory and you are noting. The human brain is such a complex organ, that no one even understands 80% of it’s working. Even the most advance storage systems in this world cannot even come close to what our brain is capable of. And even so we use only 20% of the actual capacity of this marvelous organ.

And sadly enough, since it’s a living organ, time catches up with it and as we age its functions also slows down. How often have we put our car keys or glass in our pockets and went hunting down the whole house for it, and getting scolding from our wife’s from being so forgetful. And how many times did you go back to the car to check if you locked it or not. Welcome to the golden age club! Below is an article I cut and paste from channelnewsasia. Read on my friends:

For most people, an occasional memory lapse is part and parcel of normal ageing.

But if you find yourself forgetting things you typically remember, such as a loved one’s birthday or your weekly golf game, or if your family notices that you have been more forgetful than usual, there may be a cause for concern.

Such signs may indicate that you have mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition which is often known as the "in-between stage of normal ageing and dementia", said Dr Adeline Chuo, head and consultant of the geriatric medicine division at Changi General Hospital.

According to Dr Charles Siow, a consultant neurologist, headache and pain specialist at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, MCI occurs when a person has cognitive problems with memory or other mental functions severe enough to be noticeable to other people but does not meet the clinical criteria for dementia.

What’s worrying is that people with MCI are generally at a higher risk of developing dementia, a brain disease which affects about 22,000 people over the age of 65 here. People with dementia lose their ability to remember, orientate, as well as other cognitive and emotional functions gradually.

At around the age of 60, a person has a 1- to 2-per-cent chance of developing dementia each year but the risk for MCI patients can be 10 to 15 times higher, said Dr Chuo.

Unfortunately, MCI is hard to diagnose. The elusive condition doesn’t even show up in tests which are used to diagnose dementia.

More often than not, MCI is diagnosed based on a doctor’s clinical judgment.

Unlike in dementia, where the symptoms are more severe, people with MCI can still “function independently and carry out routine activities”, said Dr Siow, who sees about 20 to 30 cases of MCI each year.

It also doesn’t help that many people think the forgetfulness is due to normal ageing, said Dr Chuo.

“It’s normal to be a little forgetful as we age because we start to lose neurons after the age of 30, which can affect our ability to remember things. But if it starts to impair our day-to-day life, that becomes worrying,” she added.

Interestingly, although the decline in their cognitive abilities is subtle, Dr Chuo said that most of her MCI patients are usually the first ones to notice that they have a memory problem.

Other signs of MCI include friends and relatives noticing that you’re becoming more forgetful than usual. Or you feel you’re “worse off when you compare your cognitive abilities to someone of the same age and education level”, added Dr Chuo.

Although MCI cannot be prevented or cured, Dr Siow said that gingko biloba and Vitamin E may help or slow down its progression.

Still, it’s important to raise awareness about MCI because of its high correlation with dementia. Both doctors and patients would be alerted to the early signs of dementia, so treatment can be sought before the condition deteriorates.

Symptoms to look out for

Not all memory problems mean you have MCI. But you may want to see a doctor if you experience the following:

• You notice a decline in your cognitive abilities.

• Your relatives or close friends tell you that you have been more forgetful than usual lately.

• Compared to a person of the same age and education level, you’re a little worse off.

WOMEN COFFEE DRINKERS WILL LIVE LONGER?

A US research published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine, that women who drink two to three cups of coffee a day can reduce heart disease by as much as 25%!

And the strange thing the study found was it only helps women and not men?.

The researchers are at a lost to explain why coffee appeared to have no effect on the death rates of men.

The study contradicted fears that coffee is bad for the health. Drinking as much as six cups a day did not raise the risk of premature death in either sex.

Those who drank decaffeinated coffee also had lower death rates than those who abstained.

The scientists were unsure whether the coffee itself was cutting the risk of dying prematurely - or whether something else in the lifestyle of female coffee drinkers protects them.

'The possibility of a modest benefit of coffee consumption on heart disease, cancer, and other causes of death needs to be further investigated.'

Coffee contains antioxidants and tannins which are good for the heart and arteries. Past studies have suggested it can also be good for the liver and help reduce the risk of asthma attacks. ..DAILYMAIL

HE PUT HIS LIFE UP FOR BET AND WON!

daily mail:

When Jon Matthews was told he was terminally ill and should not make plans for Christmas he began preparing for the end.

He wrote a will and paid for his funeral.

The 58-year-old former salesman had placed a £100 wager at odds of 50/1 that he would remain alive until June 1, 2008 - at which time he would become by his doctors' best estimates the patient to survive longest after being diagnosed with the terminal disease mesothelioma.

Yesterday, Mr Matthews's determination to beat the odds was rewarded. He wore a jacket, hat and broad smile as he picked up his £5,000 winnings from a betting shop near his home.

Mr Matthews, who lives in a village outside Milton Keynes, said: 'The doctors said I wouldn't live until the end of the year. They said don't make any plans for Christmas.

'Last year I thought, "Well, I've survived Christmas and I don't feel too bad".

'I'm not really a betting man, just once a year or so, but I got hold of William Hill and placed a bet. They checked all the facts out and that's why they gave me odds of 50/1.

'The longest the doctors have ever heard of anyone surviving mesothelioma after diagnosis was 25 months. Today is 25 months and a week so I've beaten that record.'

William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said: 'We had never been asked to accept a bet of this nature before, but as Jon approached us directly and was adamant that it would give him an additional incentive to battle his illness, we offered him the bet he wanted.

'Never, in 30 years in the business, have I been so pleased to pay a winning client £5,000.'

SMOKING CAN CAUSE BLINDNESS

Report from CAN

Most people know that smoking can cause stroke and diseases such as lung and throat cancers, but many are unaware that taking that puff can also cause blindness.

This is according to the first cross-cultural survey between Singapore's Alexandra Hospital and Scotland's Ninewell Hospital, which polled over 200 respondents in the two countries.

While more than eight in ten are aware of the more common diseases afflicting smokers, only about three in ten regard blindness as a smoking-related condition.

The fact is, experts say, smoking increases the risk of age-related deterioration of the retina by four times and triples the risk for cataract clouding.

By the way today is tobacco free day!

MEDITERRANEAN DIET PREVENTS DIABETES!

THE Mediterranean diet, which is famously beneficial for the cardiovascular system, also helps protect against diabetes, according to a paper published online today by the British Medical Journal.

The mainstays of the Mediterranean diet are olive oil, fish, grains, fruit, nuts and vegetables, usually supplemented by a modest amount of red wine. Meat and dairy products have only a minor role.

Researchers at the University of Navarra in northern Spain recruited 13,753 people with graduate-level education between December 1999 and November 2007 and who had no history of diabetes when they were enrolled.

Their health and dietary habits were then tracked in detail over the following months and years.

During the follow-up period - an average of 4.4 years over the range of participants - 103 people became diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, with a large preponderance of cases among those who did not follow the basics of the Med diet.

Those who adhered to the diet most strictly enjoyed a relative reduction of 83 per cent in the risk of diabetes.

Intriguingly, many people in this group also had the biggest accumulation of risk factors for the disease - they were older, were fatter, had a family history of diabetes, more sedentary lifestyle or were ex-smokers.

But they appear to have been shielded by the diet, the authors say. ..theaustralian

COCA-COLA TO PHASE OUT CONTROVERSIAL CHEMICAL

Soft drink giant Coca-Cola is phasing out a controversial additive that has been linked to hyperactivity and causing damage to DNA.

The chemical Sodium Benzoate, also known as E211, is used to stop fizzy drinks going mouldy.

But recent research has shown that the chemical can deactivate parts of DNA, the genetic code in the cells of living creatures.

Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology research at Sheffield University found that the additive could switch off vital parts of DNA that could be linked to cirrhosis of the liver and Parkinson's disease.

He has also called for further research into the chemical.

In combination with vitamin C (CORR) sodium benzoate can form a potentially cancer-causing substance, benzene.

The move will mean that by the end of the year no can will contain E211 - and it plans to remove it from its other products as soon as possible.

Coca-Cola said it had begun removing sodium benzoate from Diet Coke production in January.

A company spokesperson said: 'We are continuously looking at emerging trends and listening to our consumers thoughts about ingredients.

The company stressed that E211 was an approved additive by many worldwide bodies including the European Food Standards Agency.

HIV INFECTED DOCTOR DELIVERS 200 BABIES IN UK

DAILY MAIL:

Almost 200 new mums are having HIV tests after the medic who delivered their babies was found to have the virus.

Women who had Caesarean section operations at two hospitals in Essex have been sent a letter urging them to be HIV tested in case they have contracted the disease.

Worried mums are facing an anxious wait for the results of a fingerprick blood test to see if they have been accidentally infected.

Angelique Millington, 32, a hospital healthcare assistant from Southend, who has a 15-month-old son Joshua, is having her HIV test today.

HIV scare: Basildon Hospital, Essex is one of two hospitals where mothers may have contracted the deadly virus. She said: "I can't eat, I can't sleep. It's such a worry. They have put the fear of God into me. "I'm so scared to go along for the test. I'm petrified and embarrassed.

"I'm a healthcare assistant at a hospital in London and I know the risks. I'm just so worried about me and my son.

"They say they are sorry for the distress. This has made me so angry, why has it taken them 15 months to contact me?"

Tracy Cause, 33, from Leigh-on-Sea, was rushed into surgery in July last year when her son Callum's heart-rate dropped. She is terrified he may have been infected by the medic.

She said: "The birth was traumatic enough and took me a long time to get over. To have this on top is unbelievable.

"I was cut wide open to get my baby out and my whole body and baby were exposed too. Sorry doesn't really cut it.

"The staff say my son doesn't need the test because as a baby his immune system would have been so low if he had HIV he would have been gone by now. but I want to know he's OK and will be getting him tested too."

The new mum has had a fingerprick test which indicates she has tested negative for HIV.

She added: "I can't believe someone who worked with mothers and babies could have this disease and my have passed it on.

"The letter from the hospital said they were aware it could be upsetting but that doesn't even come close. My partner partner Stuart and my family have been in pieces."

Basildon Hospital has sent out 126 warning letters and 66 have been posted to patients at Southend Hospital.

The medic worked at both of the hospitals between 2006 and 2007 but is now said to have been moved to a "risk free" role.

Dr Stephen Morgan, medical director of Basildon NHS Trust said: "We regret some of our patients could have been exposed to the risk of HIV infection.

Dr Grahame Tosh, medical director at Southend Hospital, added: "We are very sorry some of our patients could have been exposed to the risk of HIV infection whilst in our care.

"It is important to stress transmission of HIV from an infected healthcare worker to a patient is very rare. Such instances have only been reported three times worldwide and never in the UK.

New mums caught up in the HIV scare are being offered immediate HIV tests and counselling.

CURE FOR BAD MEMORY

The Peninsula Medical School and the University of Reading studied the ability of blueberries to improve memory. The results of this research showed that fruits like blueberries, which are high in phytochemicals, can improve and even reverse age-related memory deficits while offering many other health benefits for the body. The studies also show that improvements are possible for both long term and short term memory function.

To date, the mechanism of how fruits like blueberries improve memory and brain function is unclear, but it is believed that the phytochemicals they contain cross the blood brain barrier and affect learning and memory by enhancing existing neuronal (brain cell) connections. The researchers are also suggested that the improvement in memory is directly related to stimulated “signaling proteins” that can be found in the the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the part of the brain that controls memory and learning.

In a study, patients who added blueberries to their daily diet over a period of 12 weeks noticed improvements in their mental function, specifically spatial working memory, in as little as 3 weeks. The additional good news about blueberries is that besides the benefits it provides for memory function, you can enjoy this healthy snack daily and your entire body will reap the benefits of its antioxidants.

VIAGRA THE SIDE-EFFECT NO ONE TOLD ABOUT?

Ten years since its launch, there seems no end to Viagra's success. The male sex drug has become one of the world's best known brand names and has restored sexual function to an estimated 27million men worldwide.

The number of users continues to increase by the week, in the process making Pfizer, its manufacturer, untold millions.

Viagra has changed the lives of millions of men - but at what cost to women?

So far, however, there is no equivalent wonder pill for women, and whether Viagra use has caused equal delight among the often middle-aged female partners of the men taking it is another matter.

Indeed, many of them are battling with the mood swings and low libido induced by menopause, just as their husbands are experiencing sexual rejuvenation.

Have women been forgotten?

Doctors agree that a healthy sex life is important to the well-being of most people, and anything they can do to assist that is valuable. The problem, it seems, is that women have been left out of the equation - as Miranda Hopkins unhappily discovered.

The greater problem is that in many cases, just as the older man's sex drive is being rejuvenated by Viagra, his wife is experiencing the menopause, with its negative effect on libido.

Studies of the social effects of treating sexual dysfunction in older couples have revealed a regular complaint that male doctors are often only too happy to treat male patients on their own, without making any inquiries about the state of a man's relationship with his wife or partner.

Female sexual dysfunction has received similar scrutiny as the drugs industry relentlessly searches for new conditions open to a medical label. But so far, efforts to treat women have not been successful.

'Fixing a man's sexual function while doing nothing for the woman is not helpful. We know that half of the men who get Viagra from their doctors never go back for a repeat prescription - not because it doesn't work, but because their partners don't like it.'

So while we know that a healthy sex life is important for both genders, interest in helping women is lagging way behind the interest in helping men.

'That might all change when there is more hope of offering women effective treatment, but it is not happening yet.'..DAILYMAIL

MUSIC LOWERS BLOOD PRESSUE

LISTENING to half an hour of music each day may significantly lower your blood pressure, according to research reported at the American Society of Hypertension meeting in New Orleans this week.

In the study, researchers found that people with mild hypertension (high blood pressure) who listened to classical, Celtic or Indian (raga) music for just 30 minutes a day for one month had significant reductions in their blood pressure.

Blood pressure readings obtained one and four weeks later showed that systolic blood pressure - the top number in the blood pressure reading - dropped significantly in the music listeners. In contrast, the control group experienced only small, non-significant reductions in blood pressure.

'In light of these devastating statistics, it is reassuring to consider that something as simple, easy and enjoyable as daily music listening combined with slow abdominal breathing, may help people naturally lower their blood pressure.' -- REUTERS