Search Results for: blog obesity amp breast cancer

10 Breastfeeding Facts from WHO

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American society seems to have a different attitude toward breastfeeding sometimes than the world at large. I was shocked when I started nursing my first child a few years ago to learn that the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until the age of 2. I had always thought that one year old was the recommended age, although I knew that many cultures breastfeed far beyond that. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding until 1 year. I have always breastfed my children until about 14 months of age. I am determined to breastfeed. This has not been an easy task … Continue reading →

Not All Breast Cancer Patients Need Chemotherapy

Two recent studies took a look at whether or not chemotherapy is the best treatment for breast cancer — with interesting results. The studies were reported at the 31st Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, an annual gathering of scientists from around the world. One study found that women were less likely to have a relapse or die if treated with a less harsh drug than the standard chemotherapy drug, Adriamycin. One study (from Loyola University in Chicago, IL) used a gene test to help predict whether or not a woman actually needs chemotherapy to treat breast cancer — or … Continue reading →

Can You Beat Breast Cancer with Housework?

A new study is in Great Britain involving the different types of exercise and their beneficial effects has found that doing housework may substantially lower a woman’s risk of breast cancer. I admit, my first reaction to reading these study results was – who conducted the study? Men who don’t want to clean the house? Actually, the research included studies that previous examined the link between breast cancer and exercise. Those studies indicated that women needed to exercise 30 to 45 minutes five days a week. This study conducted by the Cancer Research UK that wanted to examine a variety … Continue reading →

Fat Cells May Prevent Cancer Fighting Mechanism

We have known for a long time now that obesity increases our cancer risk. New studies have found though that fatty tissue actually decreases the body’s ability to fight cancer. This study was performed in mice, and by decreasing their percentage body fat (with surgery or by running three to five km a day on training wheels) made them more able to fight skin cancer. Researchers at Rutgers University performing this study on mice suggest that fat cells could potentially be secreting compounds that counteract the body’s main anti-tumour defense systems. This system is called apoptosis and is pretty much … Continue reading →

Breast Cancer Awareness: Surgery & Fitness

For women who have undergone a lumpectomy or mastectomy and must follow it up with radiation therapy, a walking program of moderate intensity can help to improve fitness and maintain hemoglobin levels. Doctors and fitness experts have known that aerobic exercise helps women undergoing chemotherapy to preserve their red blood cells. A recent study involved twenty-one patients who were surgically treated for breast cancer and undergoing radiation therapy 5 days per week for 7 weeks. The patients were randomly assigned to aerobic exercise and to flexibility training. Thirteen were in the first group and eight in the second. The protocol … Continue reading →

The Fitness Blog: Week in Review – Sept 23-29

Fitness Blog’s: The Week in Review Sept 23-29 It’s been a terrifically busy week here in the Fitness blog and you’d think after 10 months of talking about fitness, I’d be tired of it, but I’m far from that date. We’re winding September down and we’re heading into October. Be sure to check out the September End of the Month Fitness Goal Check today and be back here tomorrow to start our run on October fitness. We’re going to talk a lot about Women’s Fitness in October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In the meanwhile, here’s a review … Continue reading →

Breast Cancer Awareness – Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

The first Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Race for the Cure took place in 1983. I was just 11 years old that year and I remember hearing about it. This year, I plan to participate in the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Race for the Cure at one of the local races in Dallas. It will be late October, and I’m only planning to walk the 1k. I will likely take my daughter with me to enjoy the walk, side by side and hand in hand. The Race for the Cure is about more than just raising funds. … Continue reading →

Breastfeeding Can Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, (which is in October), I will be writing a series of blogs about breastfeeding and breast cancer. Last year there were 269,730 women who were diagnosed with breast cancer. The American Cancer Society offered a sobering estimate that there would be about 275,000 cases of it diagnosed this year. Did you know that studies have suggested that breastfeeding can reduce your risk of breast cancer? A number of studies, although not all, suggest that there is a link between extended breastfeeding and reducing your risk of breast cancer. Some studies suggest that you … Continue reading →

Obesity & Breast Cancer

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Research continues into the connection between obesity and breast cancer. Upper body and abdominal obesity are areas of the greatest concern. Statistics show that half of breast cancer cases have occurred in women who were obese. Studies also indicate that breast tumors that are cancerous are very difficult to locate in women that have an excess of 20% body fat. The link between the two conditions is entirely statistical and while scientists and research physicians are still trying to explore what links the two – the fact is they do seem to be linked. While I am not going to … Continue reading →

Like Mother, Like Daughter?

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Many people believe that a daughter will grow to become very much like her mother, in terms of personality, personal preference, and physicality. It seems that there might be something to this little piece of folk wisdom. Researchers in London have been studying to find out how much of the similarities between mother and daughter are due to genetics. It turns out that genetics play a big part. Recently, researchers from the United States, China, and Austria found a genetic mutation that can be passed down from a mother to her offspring through mitochondrial DNA. This particular genetic mutation contributes … Continue reading →