EXERCISE is a “wonder drug” for cancer survivors and may even prevent the disease coming back, according to a report published today.

Macmillan Cancer Support said physical activity should be “prescribed” by doctors after “hard evidence” showed it can significantly help recovery and prevent other long-term illnesses. Rather than patients being told to “rest up” as in the past, doctors must encourage people to get moving as soon as they feel able.

A review of more than 60 studies for the charity found people undergoing treatment for cancer – as well as survivors – could benefit from exercise.

Women with breast cancer who exercise for 150 minutes a week at moderate intensity have a more than 40% lower risk of dying and recurrence of disease compared to women who are active for less than one hour a week.

During treatment, being active does not worsen people’s fatigue and has positive effects on mood and wellbeing, the study said.

Results of two studies on bowel cancer also show the risk of dying or the disease coming back is cut by about 50% in patients taking six hours a week of moderate intensity exercise.

Once treatment has finished, exercise can reduce the impact of side effects, such as swelling around the arm, anxiety, depression, fatigue, impaired mobility and changes to weight. “Long term, it is an effective way to help recover physical function, manage fatigue, improve quality of life and mental health, and control body weight,” the report said. The research also showed exercise had an impact on preventing recurrence of a few specific cancers.

Prostate cancer patients have around a 30% lower risk of dying from the disease and a 57% lower rate of disease progression if they do three hours of moderate intensity exercise a week.

Researchers in Denmark say cholesterol deposits on eyelids — xanthelasmata — may predict a greater chance of heart disease.

The Copenhagen University Hospital and University of Copenhagen researchers point out half of the people with the deposits have normal blood cholesterol levels so the lesions may be an important independent marker of underlying artery disease.

The study established either the presence or absence of xanthelasmata in 12,939 people. Of these, 1,903 developed heart attacks, 3,761 developed ischemic heart disease and 8,663 died during up to 33 years of follow-up.

Xanthelasmata predicted 51 percent increased risk of heart attack and 40 percent increased risk of ischemic heart disease. Those with xanthelasmata also had a 17 percent increased risk of death after adjustments for well-known cardiovascular risk factors, including blood cholesterol levels.

In an article to be published in the November 15th issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, researchers have found that mercury is likely to be one of the multiple causes of Alzheimer’s disease. Mercury is one of the most toxic natural substances. It poses a danger to humans and may lead to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Researchers found that the symptoms and features of Alzheimer’s disease were reproduced or accelerated when mercury was introduced.

The experimental research literature indicates that animal and cell models reproduce all the features of Alzheimer’s disease when mercury is given. For instance, one of the more widely known uses of mercury is in amalgam dental fillings, the most common type of fillings used by dentists. Studies of low-dose human exposure, such as to dentists and their staff, show that exposure to mercury is significantly correlated with neurological or psychological harm, or both.

Mercury can be introduced to the body in several ways because it evaporates at room temperatures. It can be taken up as a gas, reaching the brain directly, via the nose, or indirectly via the blood. It then crosses the blood-brain barrier and gets trapped inside the brain, where it can accumulate over long periods of time.

“The situation is similar to the early 1970’s regarding smoking: enough experimental evidence existed, but human studies were inconclusive at the time and were under attack by groups with a vested interest,” said Professor Harald Walach, PhD, Viadrina European University and Samueli Institute Fellow. “To wait until irrefutable evidence has accumulated is not the best option in view of what we already know about the toxicity of mercury.

Prophetic words ….Luke

Dried plums, or prunes, improve bone health in people of all ages, but may be most helpful for post-menopausal women, U.S. researchers say.

Bahram H. Arjmandi of Florida State University and colleagues at Oklahoma State University tested two groups of post-menopausal women over a 12-month period. The first group, consisting of 55 women, was instructed to consume about 10 prunes each day, while the second group — a comparative control group of 45 women — was told to consume a similar amount of dried apples.

All of the study’s participants received daily doses of calcium of 500 milligrams and vitamin D of 400 international units, Arjmandi says.

“Over my career, I have tested numerous fruits, including figs, dates, strawberries and raisins, and none of them come anywhere close to having the effect on bone density that dried plums, or prunes, have,” Arjmandi says in a statement. “All fruits and vegetables have a positive effect on nutrition, but in terms of bone health, this particular food is exceptional.”

The study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, found the group that consumed dried plums had significantly higher bone mineral density in the ulna — one of two long bones in the forearm — and spine, in comparison with the group that ate dried apples.

This was due, in part, to the ability of dried plums to suppress the rate of bone resorption, or the breakdown of bone, which tends to exceed the rate of new bone growth as people age, Arjmandi says.

What are the chances that you are buying and bringing BPA right into your own home? Probably pretty good, and there is reason to be concerned.

BPA – or bisphenol-A – shows up in a lot of the products we use each and every day and it is linked to developmental problems, cancers, heart disease, diabetes, and infertility. BPA is a compound that makes plastic softer and is commonly used in food packaging and packaging products in general. BPA is used extensively in epoxy resins lining food and beverage containers and as a monomer in polycarbonate plastics in many consumer products. Widespread and continuous exposure to BPA, primarily through food but also through drinking water, dental sealants, dermal exposure, and inhalation of household dusts, is evident from the presence of detectable levels of BPA in more than 90% of the US population.

For those want to reduce their exposure to this controversial chemical, here are five top ways to do just that.

1) Be Particular About Your Plastic

BPA can be found in plastic food containers and water bottles. It’s best to drink water from a stainless steel or a “BPA-free” labeled bottle. If you are using plastic food containers or buy food in a plastic container, check the bottom. BPA is used in polycarbonate (PC) containers that are often marked No. 7. Plastics with the recycling numbers No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 are safer choices.

2) Make Better Choices for Your Baby

BPA can actually leach into liquid formula sold in metal cans. Most manufacturers now offer baby bottles made without BPA but as a general rule, hard, clear plastic often contains BPA while soft, cloudy plastic usually does not. Avoid baby bottles marked “PC” or No. 7 on the bottom.

3) Cut Down on Canned Foods

BPA is also found in the lining of many canned food and juices. The chemical can actually leach from the liner into the food itself. Seek out cans labeled “BPA-free” and choose food items packaged in glass or tetrapak pouches to reduce BPA exposure. Experts also recommend rinsing canned fruit and vegetables with water before eating to reduce exposure.

4) Careful How You Handle Those Receipts

Several studies have found BPA in thermal paper including cash register receipts. If you don’t need the receipt, leave it or ask the cashier not to print one. If you need it, be sure to wash your hands after handling.

Certainly, never let your children handle store receipts. You can tell if the receipt is printed on thermal paper if it makes a mark when you scratch it.

5) Glass Is Good

There is evidence that BPA can leach into food when it is heated in plastic containers in a microwave, even those that labeled as “microwave safe.” To reduce potential exposure, heat your food in a glass or ceramic container.

The bottom line? Reducing BPA exposure is an important way to create a healthier home for you and your family. Do Your Part when buying and using products to make sure they won’t contaminate your food, your body, or our planet.