By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Information circulating about the dangers of plastic containers has created fear and confusion. Are plastic containers toxic? Do harmful chemicals leach out into its contents? Do we need to discard all plastic containers? Recently, I interacted in a live health chat on MedHelp about the safety of plastics. Scientist, Joe Schwarcz, PhD, Director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society talked about “The Real Truth About Plastics: What…
Read More...Alcohol and Cancer: What You Ought to Know
Guest post submitted by MD Anderson Cancer Center When you raise your glass at this year’s holiday toast, choose your beverage wisely. Research shows that drinking even a small amount of alcohol increases your chances of developing cancer, including oral cancer, breast cancer and liver cancer. Yet, other research shows that drinking small amounts of alcohol may protect the body against coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Some evidence even suggests that red wine…
Read More...Holiday Exercise Made Easy
Guest post submitted by MD Anderson Cancer Center Forget the excuses for not exercising this holiday season. Even if you’re too busy to make it to the gym or your usual spinning class, you can still get the 30 minutes of daily moderate physical activity that your body needs to help fight off many forms of cancer and other diseases. All it takes is adding some heart-pumping twists to the tasks already on your holiday…
Read More...How to Filter Cancer Prevention Headlines
Guest post submitted by MD Anderson Cancer Center Most of us can’t keep up with all the new ways to avoid cancer. Thanks to the Internet, we now have an unlimited supply of cancer knowledge at our fingertips. But, how can we filter out the good, the bad and the questionable? Below are steps to help you tease out the facts when reading that next big news story on preventing cancer. Says who? Don’t just…
Read More...Nutritional Supplements: Do You Really Need Them?
Guest post submitted by MD Anderson Cancer Center Aisles in grocery stores and pharmacies are stacked with vitamins, minerals, herbs or other plants that you take in pill, capsule, tablet or liquid form. And, many of us buy these supplements and take them regularly, hoping to lower our chances of getting cancer and other diseases. But do supplements really work wonders? Should you take them to help prevent cancer? Our experts say beware. “Don’t be…
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