There are many facts known about leukemia and if someone is dealing with the problem it’s these facts they need to know. Like all cancers, leukemia happens for a reason as its not some mysterious illness that science can’t fathom. For instance it’s exceptionally rare in S.E. Asia but is prevalent in all western developed countries.
It is essential for every woman, especially those who are 35 years of age and above to recognize the symptoms of ovarian cancer. Even those women who have just a simple cyst or a benign growth on an ovary should take the proper precautions as this cyst could tend to develop into cancer during the later years. More than 20,000 women are affected by ovarian cancer every year. The number of women who suffer form breast cancer is about ten times more.
Here is some basic information on the various symptoms of ovarian cancer:
The screening techniques that exist are inconsistent at best, making detection of ovarian cancer a very difficult task. Making it even more complex is the fact that ovarian cancer symptoms are often unclear and can be confused easily with other diseases, often leading to its misdiagnosis. Because of its lower rate of incidence, ovarian cancer is often sidelined while a lot of attention is paid to the diagnosis and treatment of the more prolific forms of cancer. While this is expected, it by no means diminishes the threat that ovarian cancer poses.
Some of the more common symptoms of ovarian cancer include:
Chronic fatigue
Unusual changes in menstruation
Feeling of pain or intense pressure in the abdomen, pelvis area, back or legs
Overly frequent urination
Diarrhea or constipation
Nausea
Indigestion
Most of these ovarian cancer symptoms are also typical of many other medical conditions, making the disease very difficult to diagnose. In light of this, doctors often use risk factors to determine the presence of ovarian cancer.
An individual has a higher risk factor for contracting ovarian cancer symptoms if two or more than two close family members including a sibling has had ovarian or breast cancer or if any family member has had a history of breast cancer before the age of fifty. Genetics are another major risk factor for ovarian cancer. An inherited altered gene, which is still not considered a confirmed symptom is nevertheless a high risk factor and can contribute to ovarian cancer symptoms.
As with many other cancers, the earliest ovarian cancer symptoms are almost always unnoticeable. Surveys that have been carried out among the general population of women in the United States, reveal some alarming statistics:
The risk of any woman developing cancer during her lifetime is 1.48%.
Estimates indicate that more than 22,000 women are likely to develop ovarian cancer in 2007. Of these, more than 15,000 are likely to succumb to the disease. These numbers are not inclusive of those women who are genetically predisposed to ovarian cancer and are at a higher risk of developing the disease.
Dietary Deficiency: Is There a Connection?
What is anemia and what is the cause of anemia? There are various types of anemia, but in general, anemia is a blood disease. First, let me explain the function of the blood and how it works. The blood has several main functions: 1) to carry oxygen from our lungs to tissues in our body; 2) to carry waste products from the foods we eat; 3) to regulate the ability to clot; 4) to regulate our body temperature; 5) to regulate the amount of water and electrolytes in our body; and 6) to protect us from harmful organisms through antibodies and our white blood cells.
There are 3 kinds of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The red blood cells carry oxygen, white blood cells fight off infection, and platelets clot our blood. Aplastic anemia is when your body stops producing enough blood cells. If your body stops producing enough blood cells, then you are at risk of bleeding to death (hemopheliacs suffer from this) or you are at risk of getting diseases (AIDS patients are susceptible to this).
So what does diet have to do with any this? Well, although a healthy diet is the foundation of all things, Aplastic anemia, studies show that it can come from the following factors:
a) Radiation during chemotherapy
b) Exposure to toxic substances
c) Auto immune disorders
d) Certain medications
e) Pregnancy
Although the above factors seem to have nothing to do with diet, they are all indirectly related to poor dietary practices.
How Does Loss of Iron Increase Your Risk?
There are various types of anemia and therefore, various causes of anemia. Hemolytic anemia occurs when the red blood cells are destroyed before new ones can be reproduced. Doctors always first look for iron deficiency as a risk factor in patients when they are presented with anemia. There are various symptoms displayed when one has anemia, but more often than not, the most common symptom is fatigue.
The Function of Bone Marrow and Depletion of Cell Count
Another cause of anemia lies in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is responsible for reproducing new blood cells, but when someone has hemolytic anemia, the marrow cannot keep up with its production of new red blood cells with the rate of the premature destruction of the red blood cells. The depletion of cells jeopardizes the patient’s health.
Sickle Cell – What’s the Correlation?
Sickle cell anemia is caused by genetics. The cause of this type of anemia is inheritance. African Americans are often susceptible to sickle cell as they are in contracting tuberculosis (tb). Researchers don’t know why this is.
Normally our blood cells are round and they flow through the vessels of our body easily. Sickle cells are bean shaped, which doesn’t allow them to flow through the vessels. As a result, they get stuck in the vessel and these cells block blood from freely flowing to other parts of the body. The result is pain, serious infections and/or damage to the organs.
In sum, all types of anemia are serious. Although some types of anemia are rarer than others, such as Aplastic anemia, anemia is still a disease of the blood. Given the importance of the function of the blood, it is important that people schedule routine check ups with their physician, get plenty of iron, eat a healthy diet which includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, and exercise.
There are basically three types of kidney cancer:
1. Renal Cell Carcinoma: Renal cell carcinoma is cancer that forms in the lining of very small tubes in the kidney that filter the blood and remove waste products.
2. Renal Pelvis Carcinoma: Renal pelvis carcinoma is cancer that forms in the center of the kidney where urine collects.
3. Wilms Tumor: Wilms tumor usually develops in children under the age of five.
This year, it is estimated that there will be 54,390 new cases diagnosed. It is also estimated that there will be 13,010 deaths caused by the disease.
People are born with two kidneys. One is located on each side of the spine in the lower abdomen. The good news is that people can live full lives with a normal life expectancy with only one. It is important to note here that all tumors found in the kidneys are not cancerous. As a matter of fact, most cancers found are benign.
Most often, renal cell carcinoma and renal pelvis carcinoma develop in people over the age of 40. There is no way to determine who is more likely to develop the disease but there are some factors that raise the risk.
Smoking: Smoking both cigarettes and/or cigars raises the risk of developing all kinds of cancer, including kidney cancer.
Obesity: Obesity seems to be a major risk factor in developing this type if cancer.
Gender: Men are more likely to get the disease than women. About 20,000 men and 12,000 women learn they have kidney cancer each year in the United States.
Occupation: Iron and steel workers and workers who are exposed to asbestos and cadmium are more likely to develop kidney cancer.
Type 2 diabetes is getting increasingly common in developed countries. Other developing countries are seeing a fast emerging trend of the disease. Diabetes type 2 is caused by insulin deficiency and hyperglycemia. Although this disease is more common in adults over 40, it is increasingly seen in young teenagers and even children. This worrying trend is linked to the rising rates of obesity as well as inactivity.
MAJOR RISK FACTORS FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES
Here are some of the major risk factors for type 2 diabetes:
1) Age – As people age, the chances of getting diabetes type 2 is considerably higher. So for those who are older than 45 years, they are at a higher risk of getting the disease.
2) Overweight – Being overweight is another strong risk factor especially the person is heavier in the center.
3) Genetic factors – Having someone with diabetes in the family puts you at a higher risk.
4) Certain ethnic groups such as such as native americans, african americans, Latino americans, pacific islanders and Asian individuals who are at higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
5) People with high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes.
6) Women at risk – women who have had a big baby of more than 9lbs are at higher risk of having type 2 diabetes. Other risk factors include women who had gestational diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, irregular menstrual cycles and developing facial hair.
Of all these common risk factors, the most common are those who have family history as well as those who are gaining weight in the middle.
HOW TO CONTROL TYPE 2 DIABETES
Diabetes can be one of the hardest diseases to treat as it does not go away. It is always there with you, day in and day out. It will affect your daily life in what you do and what you eat. You have to be always conscious of your blood sugar as you can’t let it go too high to avoid complications. The next best thing you can do to help yourself is to control the disease.
The main cause of type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance and insulin deficiency. So the first thing you want to do is to help reduce the resistance of insulin. Exercising and losing weight can help reducing resistance to insulin and thus control type 2 diabetes. The other way is using pills which your doctor will recommend to you. However,due to the advance technology as well as rising awareness of using alternative way to treat type 2 diabetes, herbal and natural supplements are increasingly popular.
Here are a few of the natural/alternative herbs which have worked for many diabetics:
1. Bitter melon has long been regarded as the natural cure for diabetes. This fruit is known for its abilities to regulate blood glucose level. In fact, bitter melon is recommended by the Dept of Philippines as one of the best herbal medicines for managing diabetes.
2. Gymnema sylvestre is a herb native to the tropical forests of southern and central India where it has been used as a naturopathic treatment for diabetes for nearly two millennia. This herb has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels when used for an extended period of time. The active ingredient is thought to be gurmenic acid which has structure similar to saccharose. Extracts of Gymnema is not only claimed to curb sweet tooths but also for treatment of as varied problems as hyperglycemia, obesity, high cholesterol levels, anemia and digestion.
3. Cassia (Cinnamomum aromaticum or Chinese cinnamon) is a close relative to cinnamon. In fact, when cinnamon is said to be beneficial for diabetes, it is actually cassia, a less delicate version of the true cinnamon. A 2003 study published in the DiabetesCare journal followed Type 2 diabetics ingesting 1, 3 or 6 grams of cassia daily. Those taking 6 grams shows changes after 20 days, and those taking lesser doses showed changes after 40 days. Regardless of the amount of cassia taken, they reduced their mean fasting serum glucose levels 18-29%, their triglyceride levels 23-30%, their LDL cholesterol 7-27%, and their total cholesterol 12-26%, over others taking placebos. The effects, which may even be produced by brewing a tea from cassia bark, may also be beneficial for non-diabetics to prevent and control elevated glucose and blood lipid levels.
4. Chromium – Starting in the 1960s reports have shown that Chromium helps cells respond properly to naturally produced insulin. Current estimates show that 90% of Americans are lacking in this essential mineral nutrient.
5. Helps to improve circulation in the little capillaries in the hands and feet. Also valuable in balancing the digestion and strengthening the immune system.
6. Mulberry leaves is know to effectively help regulate blood sugar levels. Drink as tea can help to reduce absorption of sugar and carbohydrates. It is also a good source of antioxidants, vitamin C and carotene.
Beside these, there are others less known herbs for controlling diabetes. These herbs when combine together in the right balance can be very powerful in helping you manage diabetes. However, it is important to research on these supplements to ensure they indeed do what they claim. ProvenHealthCare.com provides informative reviews and articles on alternative methods of controlling diabetes.