To anyone stopping by here, I don’t think I’ll be posting anything in the foreseeable future. Too much going on! Maybe something sporadically, who knows? I don’t!
Take great care of yourself, always. Wholeness, Health and Healing to you, MW
Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse Diagnosed with Cancer
Managing the Impact of Early Trauma on Cancer Treatment
The incidence of survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) diagnosed with cancer is unknown. It is estimated that one in three women and one in six men in the United States are survivors of CSA. Survivors of CSA diagnosed with cancer are presented with multiple and potentially accumulating traumas.
The re-traumatizing nature of a cancer diagnosis and treatment affects all elements of the CSA survivor’s care and may impede her/his treatment. To date, the impact of CSA on the medical treatment of people with cancer has been unexplored with the existing studies on female survivors of CSA with cancer focusing on the post-treatment experience and their higher incidence of sexual dysfunction.
This article describes the impact of CSA on the cancer treatment of 18 survivors of CSA and the clinical interventions used to address the unique psychosocial needs of this population. Anecdotal information suggests that the survivors of CSA may find aspects of the cancer experience reminiscent of their history of abuse.
All 18 survivors of CSA experienced distressing memories of their abuse during their cancer treatment. Fifteen CSA survivors presented traumatic memories that were inaccessible to conscious thought processes prior to their cancer diagnosis.
Psychodynamic interventions address issues of disruption in the cancer treatment, non-adherence, and difficulties in relationships with the health care team. Containment of intense affect and distressing thoughts rather than exploration improved CSA survivors’ adherence with cancer treatments. The acquisition of self-comforting skills helped CSA survivors feel less re-victimized by their cancer experience.
The establishment of an environment of internal and external safety improved communication with the health care team. Health care/psychosocial clinicians’ awareness and use of appropriate interventions can minimize the affects of re-traumatization and enhance the CSA survivor’s treatment experience.
The Official Journal of the Association of Oncology Social Work Volume: 24 Issue: 1 ISSN: 0734-7332 Pub Date: 8/9/2006
Any Type of Alcohol Drink Raises Breast Cancer Risk, New Study
Article Date: 28 Sep 2007 - 4:00 PDT
A large US study suggests that it did not matter whether women drank beer, wine or spirits, they all raised the risk of breast cancer to the same extent. And more than three alcoholic drinks a day raised breast cancer risk by 30 per cent, compared to women who had less than one drink a day, said the researchers.
The results showed that:
- There was no difference in breast cancer risk between wine, beer and spirit consumption.
- Even between red and white wine, the impact was the same.
- In terms of overall alcohol intake, women who had between one and two drinks a day had a 10 per cent higher breast cancer risk compared to those who had one drink a day.
- The risk went up to 30 per cent for women who had more than three drinks a day.
- The results were the same for all age and ethnic groups.
Excerpt From Prostate Cancer Foundation:
Low-Fat, Vegetarian Diet May Stall Prostate Cancer
Fiber and other nutrients found in plant-based diets may affect prostate cancer by altering levels of certain hormones that can feed tumor development. A number of studies, though not all, have suggested that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables may help ward off prostate cancer, while “Western”-style diets heavy in animal fat and dairy products may increase a man’s risk of developing the disease. In the current study, researchers reviewed 25 previously published studies that examined the effects of plant-based diets on prostate cancer development or progression. Overall, the evidence suggests that diets high in fiber, fruits and vegetables, and low in meat and dairy, can help battle the disease, they report in the journal Nutrition Reviews.
Diet and Nutrition Facts - Cancer Project
What Exactly is the Healthiest Diet?
Doctors and researchers agree that cancer-protective diets are built from plant-based foods: fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.
These foods are:
- Rich in complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
- Rich in cancer-fighting phytochemicals such as isoflavones and isothiocyanates, and antioxidants such as vitamin C, beta-carotene, selenium, and lycopene.
- High in fiber.
- Naturally low in fat (especially animal fats) and salt, and cholesterol-free.
- Build your diet from a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.
- Include daily servings of brightly-colored fruits and vegetables and dark green, leafy vegetables.
- Avoid foods from animal sources.
- Select foods low in fat and salt.
- Choose whole or minimally-processed foods over highly-processed foods and supplements.
- Use care to prepare and store food safely.
Other important steps you can take to keep your body strong and healthy include:
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine.
- Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages.
- Completely avoid using tobacco in any form.
Click on the link above for detailed information about each guideline.
- Choose predominantly plant-based diets rich in a variety of vegetables and fruits.
- If eaten at all, limit intake of red meat to less than three ounces daily.
- Limit consumption of fatty foods, particularly those of animal origin. Choose modest amounts of appropriate vegetable oils.
- Limit consumption of salted foods and use of cooking and table salt. Use herbs and spices to season foods.
- Limit alcoholic drinks to less than two drinks a day for men and one for women.
- Do not eat charred food. Consume the following only occasionally: meat and fish grilled in direct flame, cured and smoked meats.
- Avoid being overweight and limit weight gain during adulthood. Take an hour’s brisk walk or similar exercise daily.
Long-Term Use of Dark, Permanent Dye May Raise Lymphoma Risk
By Daniel J. DeNoon
WebMD Medical News
Jan. 26, 2004
Excerpt — Long-term use of permanent hair dye — in dark colors — doubles a person’s risk of certain blood cancers, new research shows.Earlier studies have linked permanent hair dyes to bladder cancer as well as to the group of diseases known as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma rates are up all over the world. Nobody knows why, says Yale researcher Tongzhang Zheng, ScD.
Zheng suspected that hair dyes might play a role. Use of hair dye is increasing. And the products — especially the permanent types in dark colors — may expose users to dangerous chemicals. So Zheng led a research team that analyzed hair dye use in 601 women with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and in 717 similar women without cancer.
So should women stop using permanent hair dyes?
“Hair coloring is a personal decision for all kinds of reasons,” Zheng tells WebMD. “But if I am the person, if semi-permanent or temporary dyes could serve my issue, I would do it. Because these contain much less of the ingredients linked to cancer.”
Hair dye cancer alert BBC News UK
Most concerns surround dark-coloured, permanent dyes used every four to six weeks.
Scientists are particularly worried about two chemical ingredients, para-phenylenediamine and tetrahydro-6-nitroquinoxaline.
These chemicals have been shown to damage the body’s genetic material, and to cause cancer in animals.
It is not the first time that fears have been raised about the safety of permanent hair dyes, which have previously been linked to arthritis and damage to unborn children.
Bladder risk
Last year a study by the University of Southern California found women who used permanent hair dyes at least once a month were up to three times more likely to develop bladder cancer.
Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association
The researchers also found that long-serving hairdressers were also at increased risk.
No such link has been found between cancer and semi-permanent and temporary hair dyes.
I used to think I needed chemical highlights and dyes to look better and meet societal beauty ideals pushed by the media. Now, I love and honor my chemical free hair exactly the way nature intended it to be. In Strength, MW
Red Meat Linked to Cancer2005/01/11
People who eat a lot of red meat or processed meats may be raising their risk for colon cancer. Although this link has been shown before, a new study by American Cancer Society researchers helps explain the relationship.
A Few Ounces a Day Raised Risk
The people who ate the most red meat in both time periods were 30%-40% more likely to develop cancer in the lower part of the colon, compared to people who ate the least. People who ate the most processed meats were 50% more likely to develop colon cancer and 20% more likely to develop rectal cancer compared to those who ate the least.
So how much meat are we talking about?
For red meat (beef, lamb, pork), the researchers defined “high” consumption as 3 or more ounces per day for men — or about the amount of meat in a large fast-food hamburger. For women the “high” amount was 2 or more ounces per day.
For processed meat (bacon, sausage, hot dogs, ham, cold cuts) “high” consumption was 1 ounce eaten 5 or 6 days per week for men, and 2 or 3 days per week for women. A slice of bologna weighs about 1 ounce; 2 slices of cooked bacon weigh a little more than half an ounce.
Researchers aren’t certain what it is about red meat that might influence cancer risk. The iron and fat it contains may be culprits. For processed meat, the salt, smoke residue, and nitrates and nitrites used as preservatives may play a role.
Oct. 10, 2005 — Red meat, but not poultry, fish, or dairy consumption, is associated with an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer
according to the results of a prospective study published in the Oct. 5 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Comparing the highest with the lowest quintiles, intakes of pork and of total red meat were each associated with 50% increases in risk. Intake of poultry, fish, dairy products, eggs, total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol were not associated with pancreatic cancer risk.
Although intake of total and saturated fat from meat was associated with statistically significant increases in pancreatic cancer risk, intake of total and saturated fat from dairy products was not.
Burning incense, popular in places of worship and in people’s homes, could be a cancer risk. Researchers in Taiwan found that the smoke produced by burning incense is laden with cancer-causing chemicals. Levels of one chemical believed to cause lung cancer were 40 times higher in a badly ventilated temple in Taiwan than in houses where people smoke tobacco.
Incense burning also creates more pollution than road traffic at a local intersection. Ta Chang Lin, of the National Cheng Kung University in Tainan told New Scientist magazine: “We truly hope that incense burning brings only spiritual comfort, without any physical discomfort. But there is a potential cancer risk. We just cannot say how serious it is.”
Air Samples
Dr Lin’s team collected air samples from inside and outside a temple in Tainan City and compared them to samples at a traffic intersection. Incense burning caused more pollution than traffic. Inside the temple, they found very high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a large group of highly carcinogenic chemicals that are released when certain substances are burnt. Total levels of PAHs inside the temple were 19 times higher than outside and slightly higher than at the intersection. A PAH called benzopyrene, which is thought to cause lung cancer in smokers, was found in very high quantities inside the temple.
Levels were up to 45 times higher than in homes where residents smoked tobacco, and up to 118 times higher than in areas with no indoor source of combustion, such as cooking fires.
Incense is another source of indoor air pollution. When burned, incense sticks release particulate matter into the air. The tiny particles are easily inhaled into the lungs and can irritate airways. Several studies have linked exposure to incense smoke with cancer, asthma and contact dermatitis (skin irritation). One study reported that children whose parents burned incense during pregnancy or while nursing had a higher risk for leukemia. Carbon monoxide and benzene are also released when incense burns, as well as fragrance chemicals like musk compounds, for which there is little toxicity or health data, though they are persistent in the environment.
The burning of candles or incense also releases polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, are released, according to a study reported in the New Scientist. PAHs are common outdoor air pollutants (they also result from gas and diesel fuel burning) that may cause cancer and low birth weight. One Taiwanese study collected air samples from inside a temple where incense is burned regularly and compared them with samples taken outside and from a busy intersection nearby. The PAH levels from the temple were 19 times higher than the outdoor samples, and slightly higher than at the intersection.
Candles Smoke Checnet HealtheHouse
Candles are also a source of indoor air pollution, according to the EPA, leaving black soot deposit (BSD) on floors and surfaces. Scented candles create the most soot.
BSD is primarily made up of elemental carbon, but may also contain phthalates and volatile organic compounds like benzene and toluene, which can cause cancer and neurological damage. BSD can be inhaled while airborne, but may also settle on surfaces like floors. BSD is especially attracted to electrically charged surfaces such as freezers, plastic blinds, TVs and computers.
Children may ingest BSD, after touching the floor or other surfaces and then putting their hands in their mouths. BSD, when inhaled, can lodge deep in the lungs, the lower respiratory tract or alveoli (very tiny tissue inside the lungs).
by Annie Berthold-Bond, Care2.com Producer, Green Living Channels
Unfortunately, an emerging air quality problem is soot from candles. The major culprits are scented and aromatherapy candles.
Unfortunately, soot from candles can also be toxic. Breathing soot is not recommended at all. The soot particles can travel deep into the lungs. Those with asthma, lung or heart disease are particularly vulnerable. To make matters worse, many scented and aromatherapy candles are made with paraffin and synthetic fragrance oils. Paraffin is a petroleum product - a byproduct of oil refining - and most fragrance oils used for candle making are petroleum-based synthetics. The soot from these materials can contain carcinogens, neurotoxins and reproductive toxins. Testing and air chamber analysis by the Environmental Protection Agency has found the following compounds in a random group of over 30 candles tested.
Acetone
Benzene
Trichlorofluoromethane
Carbon disulfide
2- Butanone
1, 1, 1-Trichloroethane
Carbon tetrachloride
Carbon Black (soot) Particulate Matter <2.5 microns
Trichloroethene
Tetrachloroethene
Toluene
Chlorobenzene
Ethylbenzene
Styrene
Xylene
Phenol
Cresol
Cyclopentene
Lead
Lead (Inorganic Airborne Contaminant)
The smoke from burning essential oils may contain potential carcinogens, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Essential oils are naturally high in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which have short and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to 10 X higher) than outdoors.
JEDDAH, 24 January 2007 — A study from the National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan, suggests that burning incense considerably increases the risk of people contracting respiratory problems, even lung cancer. The smoke that comes out of burning incense is similar to vehicular exhaust, which is a mixture of chemicals, such as carbon monoxide. Dr. Sayed Oraby, a consultant pulmonologist at Jeddah’s Dr. Erfan & Bagedo Hospital, told Arab News that he agreed with the study’s conclusions. “It provokes the bronchi (airways) in the lungs, especially in people who suffer from asthma,” he said. He stressed that the danger increases with the long-term exposure to incense smoke.
Soy VS Paraffin Wax Candles EcoMall
Palm Wax Candles, Daily Om
March 23, 2007
Palm Wax Candles
Gift of the Week
A candle’s flickering flame provides more than illumination - it exudes warmth that beautifies everything its light touches and offers a focal point upon which we can center our awareness. For this reason, candles have played an important role in many manifestations of spiritual consciousness, from the distant past to the present day. All candles are not created equal, however. Palm wax candles are crafted from a renewable, environmentally friendly form of wax derived from palm tree berries, which are naturally pressed and distilled without the use of any chemical solvents.
There are also some very attractive, authentic looking battery powered “candles,” that create the ambiance of candlelight while maintaining a soot-free, flame-free environment. You can often find them at local stores such as Bed, Bath and Beyond, Linens n Things, or Google search for online retailers. MW
