WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF HAVING A STROKE

Oct 18, 2018 | Healthy Tips

By Mark Stibich, PhD

Controlling blood pressure and losing weight can make a difference

A study published in The Lancet called INTERSTROKE confirmed that people can reduce their risk of having a stroke by making lifestyle changes. The study found that modifiable risk factors are responsible for 88 percent of stroke risk. The excellent news here is the “modifiable” part of the equation — most of these factors can be completely avoided, or at least modified.

That’s great, you say until you look at the list. Most of us know that stopping smoking and losing weight are no-brainers for improving your health, and many of us would have done these things years ago if we knew how to go about it strategically. Learning how important lifestyle changes are for reducing stroke risk can be motivational.

Major health improvements can be made if the goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-based, also known as S.M.A.R.T. goals for lifestyle change.

Here are the top 10 ways to cut your risk of stroke by almost 90 percent.

1. Control Your Blood Pressure

While there are medications to control hypertension (high blood pressure), lifestyle change is a key component of keeping blood pressure down. Following the DASH Diet and avoiding salt can help.

2. Stop Smoking

Smoking not only increases the risk of stroke, it is estimated to subtract 10 years from one’s lifespan. Getting tips, strategies, stories, and encouragement from people who have successfully quit smoking can be inspirational. And if that doesn’t help, consider how smoking results in premature aging.

3. Lose Weight, Especially Around Your Abdomen

You might be surprised at how easy it is to incorporate easy weight loss methods into your life. Not only can you find yourself dropping pounds, but by slowing down and being more mindful of your food, you may also find yourself enjoying meals much more.

4. Manage Your Diabetes

People with diabetes are at a higher risk of stroke than the general population. This risk is much higher when the diabetes is poorly-managed and blood glucose levels are elevated over long periods. It is important to take your diabetes seriously (even if you don’t feel “bad” from high blood sugar), which involves sticking to your treatment strategies, among other things. This will not only go a long way in reducing your risk of stroke but also will help bring down the likelihood of other complications.

5. Get Active

We know we should be exercising, but many of us simply don’t like it and when you don’t like to do something, it is very easy to find lots of excuses not to do it. Instead of starting from a place of trying to do something you simply hate to do, why don’t you wipe the slate clean and look at exercise from a new perspective? Learn to like, even love, exercise, and it will be much easier to commit to an exercise habit.

6. Improve Your Diet

There are many opinions about what exactly constitutes a healthy diet, which often leaves the average person confused to the point that they give up. However, there are some things that are pretty universal here — more vegetables, less trans fats, fewer trips through fast food restaurants.  Add fruit to increase your longevity and adopt an overall longevity diet plan.

7. Limit Alcohol, Avoid Binge Drinking

Clearly, drinking heavily is bad for your health, but much research shows that two or fewer drinks per day can be good for you, especially red wine. Any more than that starts working against you and harming your health. Heavy drinking also increases stroke risk by 45 percent and there is a link between alcohol and brain aging.

8. Improve Your Good Cholesterol

The idea here is to improve your HDL (good cholesterol) to LDL (bad cholesterol) ratio more HDL and less LDL is the idea. The goal is to have your HDL/LDL ratio above 0.3, with the ideal being above 0.4. Of course, there are medications, such as statins, that can help you do this, but there are some lifestyle changes to be made as well, even fun ones, such as eating more dark chocolate or fish.

9. Manage Heart Disease

As we age, our hearts have to adapt to our changing bodies our arteries lose flexibility, our heart walls thicken and it becomes harder for our hearts to keep up with increased demand. All of these things (and others) are made worse when we have heart diseases, such as coronary artery disease, angina or other problems that can lead to heart attacks. There are several approaches to managing heart disease, which involves medications, diet, and exercise many of the same things that will also reduce the risk of stroke.

10. Avoid Stress, Treat Depression

We know that we feel worse when we are “stressed,” but there is also significant evidence that stress impacts the frequency of negative health events, like a stroke. Depression also has serious physical consequences and can lead to victims neglecting their health.

Bottom Line

By taking steps to improve in these areas, you will no doubt feel better along the way. In addition to reducing your risk for stroke, you will also reduce your risk of heart attacks.

WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF HAVING A STROKE

CANCER IN CHILDREN

Oct 3, 2018 | Healthy Tips

Key facts

Cancer is a leading cause of death for children and adolescents around the world and approximately 300,000 children aged 0 to 19 years old are diagnosed with cancer each year. [1]

The most common categories of childhood cancers include leukemias, brain cancers, lymphomas and solid tumours, such as neuroblastoma and Wilms tumour. [1-2]

In high-income countries, more than 80% of children with cancer are cured, but in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) only about 20% are cured. [2-3]

Childhood cancer generally cannot be prevented or screened.

Improving outcomes for children with cancer requires early and accurate diagnosis followed by effective treatment.

Most childhood cancers can be cured with generic medicines and other forms of treatments including surgery and radiotherapy. Treatment of childhood cancer can be cost-effective in all income settings. [2]

Avoidable deaths from childhood cancers in LMICs result from lack of diagnosis, misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, obstacles to accessing care, abandonment of treatment, death from toxicity, and higher rates of relapse.

Childhood cancer data systems are needed to drive continuous improvements in the quality of care, and to drive policy decisions.

The problem

Cancer is a leading cause of death for children and adolescents worldwide.  In high-income countries, more than 80% of children with cancer are cured, but in many LMICs, only 20% are cured [2-3].

The reasons for lower survival rates in LMICs include an inability to obtain an accurate diagnosis, inaccessible therapy, abandonment of treatment, death from toxicity (side effects), and excess relapse, in part due to lack of access to essential medicines and technologies addressing each of these gaps improves survival and can be highly cost-effective [2-3].

What causes cancer in children?

Cancer occurs in people of all ages and can affect any part of the body. It begins with genetic changes in a single cell that then grows out of control. In many cancers, this results in a mass (or a tumour). If left untreated, cancer generally expands, invades other parts of the body and causes death.

Unlike cancer in adults, the vast majority of childhood cancers do not have a known cause. Many studies have sought to identify the causes of childhood cancer, but very few cancers in children are caused by environmental or lifestyle factors. Cancer prevention efforts in children should focus on behaviours that will prevent the child from developing preventable cancer as an adult.

Some chronic infections are risk factors for childhood cancer and have major relevance in low- and middle-income countries. For example, HIV, Epstein-Barr virus and malaria increase the risk of some childhood cancers. Other infections can increase the child’s risk of developing cancer as an adult, so it is important to be vaccinated and other pursue other methods such as early diagnosis or screening to decrease chronic infections that lead to cancer, whether in childhood or later.

Current data suggest that approximately 10% of all children with cancer have a predisposition because of genetic factors. Ongoing research is needed to identify factors impacting cancer development in children.

Improving outcomes of childhood cancer

Because it is generally not possible to prevent cancer in children, the most effective strategy to reduce the burden of cancer in children is to focus on a prompt, correct diagnosis followed by effective therapy.

Early diagnosis

When identified early, cancer is more likely to respond to effective treatment and result in a greater probability of survival, less suffering, and often less expensive and less intensive treatment. Significant improvements can be made in the lives of children with cancer by detecting cancer early and avoiding delays in care. A correct diagnosis is essential to treat children with cancer because each cancer requires a specific treatment regimen that may include surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy.

Early diagnosis consists of 3 components:

awareness by families and accessing care

clinical evaluation, diagnosis and staging (determining the extent to which a cancer has spread)

access to treatment

Early diagnosis is relevant in all settings and improves survival for many cancers.⁶ Programmes to promote early and correct diagnosis have been successfully used in countries of all income levels, often through collaborative efforts of governments, civil society, and non-governmental organizations, with vital roles played by parent groups. Childhood cancer is associated with a range of warning symptoms that can be detected by families and by trained primary health care providers.⁶

Screening is generally not helpful for childhood cancers. In some select cases, it can be considered in high-risk populations. For example, some eye cancers in children can be caused by a mutation that is inherited, so if that mutation is identified in the family of a child with retinoblastoma, genetic counselling can be offered and siblings monitored with regular eye examination early in life. Genetic causes of childhood cancers are relevant in only a handful of children with cancer. There is no high-quality evidence to support population-based screening programmes in children.

Treatment

A correct diagnosis is essential to treat children with cancer because each cancer requires a specific treatment regimen that may include surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Access to effective diagnosis, essential medicines, pathology, blood products, radiation therapy, technology and psychosocial and supportive care are variable and inequitable around the world.

However, a cure is possible for more than 80% of children with cancer, in most cases with inexpensive generic medications that are listed on the WHO List of Essential Medicines (EML). WHO EML for children, defined as those meeting the priority health care needs of the population, includes 22 cytotoxic or adjuvant medicines and 4 hormone treatments for childhood cancer. Children who complete treatment require ongoing care to monitor for cancer recurrence and to manage any possible treatment-related toxicity.

Palliative care

Palliative care relieves symptoms caused by cancer and improves the quality of life of patients and their families. Not all children with cancer can be cured, but relief of suffering is possible for everyone. Paediatric palliative care should be appropriately considered as a core component of comprehensive care starting when the illness is diagnosed and continued regardless of whether or not a child receives treatment with curative intent.⁷

Palliative care programmes can be delivered through community- and home-based care to provide pain relief and psychosocial support to patients and their families. Adequate access to oral morphine and other pain should be provided for the treatment of moderate to severe cancer pain, which affects more than 80% of cancer patients in the terminal phase.

WHO response

In 2018, WHO launched the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer with partners to provide leadership and technical assistance to support governments in building and sustaining high-quality childhood cancer programmes. The goal is to achieve at least 60% survival for all children with cancer globally by 2030. This represents an approximate doubling of the current cure rate and will save an additional one million lives over the next decade. The objectives are to:

Increase capacity of countries to deliver best practices in childhood cancer care

Prioritize childhood cancer and increase available funding at the national and global levels

WHO and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) collaborate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other UN organizations and partners, to:

increase political commitment for childhood cancer diagnosis and treatment;

support governments to develop high-quality cancer centres and regional satellites to ensure early and accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for children with cancer;

develop standards and tools to guide the planning and implementation of interventions for early diagnosis, treatment and palliative and survivorship care inclusive of the needs of childhood cancers;

improve access to affordable and essential medicines and technologies;

support governments to safeguard families of children with cancer from financial ruin and social isolation as a result of cancer care.

This initiative is part of the implementation of the World Health Assembly Resolution Cancer Prevention and Control through an Integrated Approach (WHA70.12), which urges governments and WHO to accelerate action to achieve the targets specified in the Global Action Plan and 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development to reduce premature mortality from cancer.

References

Steliarova-Foucher E, Colombet M, Ries LAG, et al. International incidence of childhood cancer, 2001-10: a population-based registry study. Lancet Oncol. 2017;18(6):719-731.

Gupta S, Howard SC, Hunger SP, et al. Treating Childhood Cancer in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. In: Disease Control Priorities, volume 3.  http://dcp-3.org/chapter/900/treating-childhood-cancers-low-and-middle-income-countries

Howard SC, Zaidi A, Cao X, et al. The My Child Matters programme: effect of public-private partnerships on paediatric cancer care in low-income and middle-income countries. Lancet Oncol. 2018;19(5):e252-e266.

Zhang J, Walsh MF, Wu G, Edmonson MN, Gruber TA, et al. Germline Mutations in Predisposition Genes in Pediatric Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2015 Dec 10;373(24):2336-2346.

CANCER IN CHILDREN

DIABETIC DIET: 16 FOODS THAT HELP REGULATE BLOOD SUGAR

Sep 26, 2018 | Healthy Tips

BY SBG-TV

Diabetes can be sneaky, with symptoms that are not always obvious but that cause lasting damage.

Prevent problems by incorporating these 16 foods to regulate your blood sugar levels, as recommended by Healthline and WebMD.

Protein

Protein is a great food choice for diabetics because it doesn’t affect blood sugar levels. It also creates a feeling of fullness while it builds and repairs your body. Protein sources to consider for blood sugar control include Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs and lean meats.

Vegetables

Whether you prefer them raw, cooked or roasted, vegetables do more than just add color to your plate. Choose diabetic-friendly, low-carb veggies like mushrooms, onions, eggplant, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts and zucchini.

Low-carb greens

Popeye had it right. Spinach, chard and kale are powerful foods with a low-carb punch. Pack your diet with these time-tested foods, and you will bring real power to the fight against high blood sugar.

Sour cherries

Fruits are sometimes frowned upon in the diabetic community, but there are some with a low glycaemic index. Food with low GI scores won’t raise blood sugar and can prevent a spike. Sour cherries have a low GI and a chemical called anthocyanins. The National Institutes of Health has shown that anthocyanins may reduce your risk of developing diabetes and obesity. Anthocyanins inhibit some digestive enzymes and slow down digestion. They also help reduce blood sugar spikes following starch-rich meals.

Blackberries and blueberries

Sour cherries aren’t the only fruits you can add. Blackberries and blueberries won’t raise blood sugar levels as much as their fruity friends. These berries are high in fibre and have the highest concentrations of anthocyanins.

Low-calorie drinks

While water is your dietitian’s drink of choice, spruce it up by infusing it with nutrients from vegetables and fruits. Add lemons and cucumbers to water for flavor and to slow your reach for sugary drinks.

Apple cider vinegar

Healthline.com recommends drinking 20 grams of apple cider vinegar in 40 grams of water before a meal to prevent blood sugar spikes. The acetic acid in it reduces certain enzymes in the stomach and can improve insulin sensitivity after meals.

Eggs

Eggs get a bad rap because of their link to high cholesterol. However, eggs can provide satiety and curb cravings without raising blood sugar levels. Both prediabetics and diabetics can benefit from the protein and nutrients.

Whole grains and high-fibre

Fasting insulin rates after eating whole grains are 10 percent lower, according to a report by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The high content of fiber, phytochemicals, and nutrients found in whole grains work to regulate blood sugar.

Beans

Legumes like dried beans, peas and lentils help you feel full longer while providing a low-glucose alternative. Soft-style beans can be combined as a dip with other vegetables to add variety.

Healthy fat

While the wrong kind of fat can be harmful, good fats are essential. Some good fat choices are olive oil, avocado and fish (salmon, halibut, albacore tuna, mackerel and trout).

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids

Polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids improve insulin sensitivity. These fatty acids trigger feelings of satiety while positively impacting blood pressure and inflammation levels. Avocados, peanut butter, other nuts and seeds are sources of monounsaturated fatty acids.

Garlic

A study shows how garlic can lower blood glucose levels. Garlic supplements, raw or cooked garlic, or aged garlic can all help.

Chia seeds

They may be small, but chia seeds are loaded with healthy fats, omega-3s, calcium, fibre, and antioxidants. They help lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

Cacao

Cacao is a foundational ingredient for chocolate and cocoa butter. High in antioxidants and a flavanol called epicatechin, cacao seeds help control blood glucose production by activating key proteins. Cacao also balances blood sugar — even in those who already have diabetes.

Almonds

These tasty, protein-rich nuts help control blood sugar levels following meals. Consuming 2 ounces of almonds per day lowers levels of fasting glucose and insulin.

DIABETIC DIET: 16 FOODS THAT HELP REGULATE BLOOD SUGAR