PharmaPassport Health Tips Blog

February 3, 2011

Breast Cancer: an occupational hazard for firefighters

Filed under: cancer — Tags: breast cancer, cancer, cancers, development of cancer, firefighters, hazard, prostate — sgordon @ 5:35 pm

In Manitoba on Tuesday December 14th, more than fifty firefighters, mainly women, sat in the visitor’s gallery, waiting as the Province’s Labor Minister Jennifer Howard, introduced Bill 6. Bill 6 is a document that expands coverage to firefighters for four work related cancers, which includes breast cancer. Meaning, that those who work as a firefighter, has coverage against four work related cancers. It will also give worker-compensation benefit will be paid for firefighters who suffer from primary-site prostate, skin cancers, and multiple myeloma.

In 2002, Manitoba recognized cancer as an occupational risk for firefighters. President of The United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg, Alex Forest explained that firefighters lay their lives on the line during deadly situations, but also face a higher risk of developing cancer in the later years. Firefighters need some form of protection if they work in a deadly field that gives individuals a higher risk of developing cancer, which is why action has been taken place.

Since Manitoba’s step to change, six other Canadian provinces, several U. S states and in some European Countries have copied this law. The government of Manitoba is being applauded for recognizing the dangers firefighters lives are in.

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August 12, 2010

7 Health Benefits of Blueberries

Filed under: anti-aging,being healthy,belly fat,cholesterol — Tags: aging, anti-aging, belly fat, cancer, cholesterol, copper, heart disease, iron, lose weight, vision, vitamin A, vitamin b, vitamin c, zinc — Amanda @ 4:35 pm

Blueberries are ripe and local during the summer months, the perfect reason to eat them as snacks or in pies. You may not know, however, that blueberries are also exceptional for the health in numerous ways

Anti-Oxidant Rich - Blueberries have the highest ant-oxidant capacity of all other fresh fruit. Blueberries contain large amounts of vitamin C, vitamin B complex, vitamin E, vitamin A, copper, selenium, zinc, and iron. All of these components boost the immune system and prevent infections.

Help Slim Belly Fat – New studies suggest that blueberries can help reduce belly fat as well as risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. A blueberry rich diet in a study on rats resulted in lower cholesterol, less abdominal fat, and lower triglycerides in the subjects. There was also an improvement in glucose and insulin control.

Anti-Aging – Blueberries have components that neutralize the free radicals in your body that can cause aging. Being full of anti-oxidants these sweet berries are your best defense against wrinkles.

Healthy Heart – Blueberries have the amazing ability to improve cardiac muscles, and reduce bad cholesterol. Blueberries are often used as a supplement to cure heart disease.

20/20 Vision – According to clinical studies, blueberry extract high in anthocyanosides has been found to slow down vision loss. Blueberries can prevent and slow down all age-related eye problems due to their high anti-oxidant levels. Other components in blueberries like flavanoids, vitamin A, zinc, phosphorus, and selenium are beneficial and essential for good eye health.

Increased Mood – Blueberries increase the production of the feel-good hormone dopamine. This hormone is a natural neurotransmitter that moderates mood, brain function, and motor skills. Those who are low in dopamine levels tend to have brain disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.

Cancer – Blueberries can be beneficial to cancer patients because they contain compounds such as Pterostilbene, Ellagic Acid, Anthocyanin (anti-oxidant), copper, and Vitamin C that work together to help prevent and even cure cancer.

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June 24, 2010

6 Uses for Melatonin

Filed under: health-tips — Tags: ADHD, breast cancer, cancer, cancer cells, epilepsy, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, melatonin, prostate cancer, seizures, sleep, sleep deprivation, sunburns, uv light, vitamin e — Amanda @ 6:44 pm

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the brain and helps regulate other hormones and the body’s internal clock. Melatonin plays a huge role in when we fall asleep and wake up. When it’s dark out, your body produces more melatonin. When it is light out, the production of melatonin levels decreases. If you are exposed to bright lights at night, or darkness during the day, your body’s normal melatonin cycles. Jet lag, and shift work can drastically affect your melatonin levels. You can increase your melatonin levels by spending time in the sunlight, sleeping in complete darkness, and following your body’s urges to sleep and wake up. You can also visit a doctor for melatonin supplements. Melatonin is available in tablets, capsules, cream, and lozenges that dissolve.

Uses for Melatonin

Better sleep - Melatonin supplements can help you sleep if you have insomnia or disrupted sleep rhythms, or if you have naturally low melatonin levels. Studies found that melatonin reduces the time it takes to fall asleep, increases the number of sleeping hours, and boosts alertness during the day. The study found that melatonin supplements work better on people over the age of 55 who have insomnia. For people with primary insomnia, melatonin helped them fall asleep faster, sleep better, be more alert in the morning, and improve their overall quality of life.

Breast cancer - Studies suggest that low melatonin levels are associated with breast cancer risk. Women with breast cancer have lower levels of melatonin than those who do not have breast cancer. Experiments found that low levels of melatonin help the growth of cancer cells, whereas adding melatonin to these cells slows their growth. Other experiments found that melatonin can strengthen the effects of certain chemotherapy drugs used to treat breast cancer. A study of women who were taking tamoxifen for breast cancer but saw no improvement added melatonin to their medication schedule and found that their tumors shrunk in size in 28% of women.

Prostate cancer - Men with prostate cancer have lower melatonin levels than men without prostate cancer. Melatonin has been found to block the growth of prostate cancer cells. Taking melatonin supplements combined with conventional medical treatment improved survival rates in 9 out of 14 men with prostate cancer.

Sunburns - Studies tested melatonin alone and combined with topical vitamin E before exposure to UV light and found that gels, ointments, or lotions containing melatonin can protect against sunburn and other skin damage.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Studies suggest that people with IBS can take melatonin to reduce symptoms like abdominal pain. There were also some preliminary studies that found melatonin can help to improve other symptoms of IBS such as bloating and frequency of bowel movements. Further studies are required.

Epilepsy- Melatonin can reduce the frequency and duration of seizures in children with epilepsy. Talk to your doctor to find out if melatonin supplements can help your child.

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June 21, 2010

5 Reasons Why You Should Take Multivitamins

Filed under: health-tips — Tags: arthritis, calcium, cancer, folic acid, high cholesterol, menopause, pregnancy, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin c, vitamin e, vitamins — Amanda @ 6:02 pm

The food quality on the market today is not like it used to be and the human body needs a specific amount of vitamins to function properly. Since we get most of our vitamins from the food we eat, sometimes a multivitamin is needed to compensate for the vitamin deficiency’s in our diets. If you aren’t convinced that multivitamins are a necessity, here are some other reasons why you should take them.

1. Our bodies need to use more nutrients than normal to detoxify and eliminate substances from environmental pollution in the air, water, and food. The antioxidants including vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E are likely to decrease at a more rapid rate due to this pollution.

2. The busy schedules of our lives are contributing to our lack of vitamins. Our wavering eating habits, lazy chewing, eating on the run, and stress are causing poor digestion. This makes it hard for our bodies to take in all of the nutrients from our food.

3. Certain health conditions can increase your need for vitamins. During pregnancy, a woman’s body requires more folic acid and during menopause, they are more susceptible to calcium deficiencies. In addition, the use of pharmaceutical drugs can increase the body’s vulnerability to vitamin deficiencies since most medications reduce essential nutrients in the body.

4. The food industry isn’t helping our vitamin deficiencies. Modern agricultural techniques are leaving the soil deficient of minerals causing the food grown there to share the same deficiencies. After the foods have been harvested, they are often stored for long periods of time and transported great distances. This depletes the food of important vitamins. The processing, preserving, and cooking involved with our food doesn’t help either. This also contributes to nutrient depletion and makes it difficult for us to be nutritiously satisfied from foods alone.

5. Vitamins and minerals will improve your overall health. Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Folic Acid, Beta Carotene, and Vitamin B6 have all been proven to help in the treatment of high cholesterol, arthritis, birth defects, and even cancer

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June 7, 2010

Two Year old Indonesian Baby is addicted to Cigarettes

Filed under: health-tips — Tags: cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, nicotine, quitting smoking, secondhand smoke, smoking baby — Amanda @ 11:37 pm

There have been recent reports about a two year old baby named Ardi Rizal in Indonesia who is addicted to nicotine and smokes over 40 cigarettes a day. Ardi was given his first cigarette by his parents in order to provide him with pain relief but he has become addicted and now throws tantrums if he doesn’t get his fix. His parents, unwilling to make him stop smoking, feel that his habit is uncontrollable. His father Mohammed said “He looks pretty health to me, I don’t see the problem.” His mother is unable to deny him of cigarettes because of his tantrum throwing and withdrawal complaints.

The baby is already dealing with the effects of cigarettes as he can barely move by himself. He can no longer keep up with the other toddlers. Being so young his body cannot handle the toxicity of the cigarettes and condition is on a path to quick deterioration.

Child advocates are publicizing the damage that second hand smoke can do to a child, and they are speaking out about the pressure put on children to smoke in countries where 1/3 of the population uses tobacco and cigarettes as a mean of narcotics where they can be bought for a few cents.

Even parents in North America are underestimating the damage that second-hand smoke can do to their children. Even parents that smoke outside are putting their children at risk. Cigarettes don’t need to be smoked near children to damage a child’s health. Kids can still absorb some of the nicotine through the fumes that contaminate dust particles settle in carpets, toys, and furniture. The worst part is that these fumes can contaminate household objects for many months before they dissipate. The American Lung Association has found that secondhand smoke exposure causes disease and premature death in children and adults who don’t smoke, secondhand smoke contains hundreds of chemicals known to be toxic or carcinogenic (formaldehyde, benzene, arsenic, ammonia ect), and secondhand smoke causes 3,400 deaths from lung cancer and up to 69,600 deaths from heart disease every year. It is important to think about young Ardi Rizal’s condition and consider quitting smoking in order to protect your family’s health and well-being.

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May 31, 2010

4 Serious Dangers of Sunscreen

Filed under: health-tips — Tags: cancer, melanoma, skin cancer, sunscreen, uv rays, UVA, UVB, vitamin A — Amanda @ 8:38 pm

For many years we’ve believed that sunscreen is a safe and effective way to prevent skin cancer from UVA and UVB rays. After all, that’s how it’s been marketed for decades. However recent studies found that there are a number of health risks associated to sunscreen use. Whether or not the dangers are worth giving up your sunscreen routine is up to you.

1. Increased risk of Cancer

Researchers have found an increased risk of melanoma in sunscreen users. Scientists argue that people who use sunscreen stay out in the sun longer and absorb more radiation, or that free radicals that are released as the sunscreen breaks down in sunlight may be part of it. One possible reason for this is that poor sunscreens with bad UVA protection agents have been at the top of the consumer market for 30 years due to their lower prices. All public health industries still believe you should still use sunscreen, but they also think shade, clothing, and time of day should be important things to remember.

2. A higher SPF doesn’t mean longer protection

People who use sunscreen with a high SPF think they are completely immune to sun damage, but that is not the case. Scientists say that there is no evidence that using a sunscreen with an SPF of 85 allows people to remain in the sun longer than they would when using a sunscreen with a lower SPF. In 2007 the FDA published regulations that would prevent companies from labeling sunscreen with an SPF higher than 50. The FDA believed that higher values are misleading – that high SPF products may make people stay in the sun too long and increase their risk of skin cancer. In addition, a sun block with SPF 60 only blocks 1 – 1.5% more of UV rays than an SPF 30.

3. Sunscreen doesn’t necessarily prevent skin cancer

The FDAs draft of sunscreen safety regulations in 2007 said “the FDA is not aware of data demonstrating that sunscreen use alone helps prevent skin cancer”. The International Agency for Research on Cancer agrees. They recommended using hats and shade as primary barriers. Sunscreen should not be the only form of protection against skin cancer. In fact, in the US, the FDA’s 32 year effort to set enforceable guidelines for consumer protection has stalled. There has been an abundance of problems in existing products including false claims about sun block protection and inadequate UVA protection. Hopefully these problems with existing products will be fixed when the FDA’s rules take effect. However, there will still be loopholes in sunscreen quality as the FDA does take toxicity into effect when testing products for safety.

4. The vitamin A added to sunscreen may speed cancer production

Recent information from the FDA shows that a type of vitamin A may speed up the development of skin tumors and lesions when applied to the skin under UV rays. This type of vitamin A is commonly added to sunscreens and is present in 41% of all sunscreen products. The industry adds this particular form of vitamin A to its sunscreens because it is an anti-oxidant that prevents aging. The vitamin A is approved for indoor use, but after a study, there is a possibility that it results in cancerous tumors when applied to the skin that is exposed to sunlight.

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May 27, 2010

Chewing Gum Is Good For You

Filed under: health — Tags: cancer, chewing gum, clean teeth, gum, improve digestion, improve memory, lose weight, multiple sclerosis, reduce stress — Candace @ 12:27 am

In schools, chewing gum is normally prohibited. (Gum is completely outlawed in Singapore. )This is because gum is found on every surface available: the bottom of desks and chairs, the floor, and recently I found gum on the inside of the bass drum. Despite the numerous garbage cans, strategically placed around the school, gum ends up everywhere but where it should. Unfortunately, if gum was allowed in school, and kids kept it in their mouth or in the garbage, it would be very beneficial to their academic life.

Chewing Gum Improves Memory – Chewing gum can help improve memory because it produces more oxygen and more glucose which disposes more CO2. The increased glucose level feeds the body and mind. Through a study conducted on 75 individuals it was found that gum chewers scored 24% higher on short term memory tests and 36% higher on long term memory tests.

Gum is a Stress Reliever – Psychiatrists believe that chewing gum can reduce tension and liberate nervous energy. The rhythmic chewing of gum has a stress relieving result.

Gum Improves Digestion – Chewing gum improves the intestines ability to transport substances. This also increases saliva flow and promotes swallowing, ultimately preventing acid reflux.

Gum Aides in Weight Loss – Chewing gum sends a signal to your brain that you are more full than you are in reality. Your brain therefore does not think you are hungry or need as much food and you eat less, resulting in weight loss.

Gum Improves Oral Health – Sugar free gum is good for your oral health. It stimulates saliva which prevents tooth decay. This eventually neutralizes plaque acids, and strengthens tooth enamel.

The disadvantage of chewing gum is that you may exhaust your stomach and intestines with the constant gum chewing. This may contribute to ulcers, burns, or and risks of contracting certain types of cancers. Chewing gum has aspartame which is not good in the long run as it may contribute to certain cancers, multiple sclerosis, and other diseases.

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