Fats And Its Connection To Cancer

a fatty meal

FAT. This three-letter word plays a very significant part in our diet and overall level of health and fitness.

Saturated fat, Trans fats, polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat are the different dietary fats. Fats in the form of monounsaturated fat help raise levels of protective HDL cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fat is valued for its ability to help lower total cholesterol. We should try to limit our intake of saturated fats and Trans fats for they contribute to weight gaining and a raised cholesterol level.

The main sources of saturated fat are from animal products: red meat and whole-milk dairy products, including cheese, sour cream, ice cream and butter. However there are also plant-based sources of saturated fat, principally coconut oil and coconut milk, palm kernel oil, cocoa butter, and palm oil.

Animal-based fats were once the only Trans fats consumed, but by far the largest amount of Trans fat consumed today is created by the processed food industry as a side effect of partially hydrogenating unsaturated plant fats (generally vegetable oils). These partially hydrogenated fats have displaced natural solid fats and liquid oils in many areas, notably in the fast food, snack food, fried food and baked good industries.

Animal fats does not produce cancer but it is considered to be catalyst of it. The U.S. National Academy of Sciences states that total dietary saturated fat correlate best with an   increase in cancer risk, and that 70 percent of saturated fat comes from animal products.

Other research shows that the body’s natural mechanisms aren’t built to handle lithocholic acid, a toxic byproduct of dietary fat, in the volume generated by high-fat diets. The new findings show that body is inable to cope with large amounts of lithocholic acid, produced when the body process cholesterol. The body produces bile acids when it breaks down cholesterol, part and parcel of dietary fat. Those bile acids go to the small intestine and are broken down into secondary bile acids, one of which is lithocholic acid. Most secondary bile acids circulate to the liver, but only a little bit of lithocholic acid does so. Much of it remains in the small intestine, then moves into the colon, or large intestine.

If we reduce our fat intake to up to 20 percent of the calories will most likely reduce us from the risk up to 30 percent in colon, rectal, breast, ovary and endometrial cancer. Studies suggest that there is no additional benefit in reducing fat intake below 20 percent of the calories.

By reducing animal and total fat, obesity is also reduced. Less fat in your diet means less fat in your in your body while more fat in your diet means more fat in your body resulting to obesity, just that pure and simple. Obesity is cancer risk. It increases the risk for breast, endometrium, ovary, prostate, gallbladder and colon cancer.

High -fiber diet that includes whole grain breads, cereals, and legumes helps lower total fat to less than 30 percent of calories.

Water, how important is it to you?

water

How long will you survive without food and water? A person could survive only eight to ten days without water, whereas it takes weeks or even months to die from a lack of food. That’s how important water is to our body. Every body cell, tissue and organ needs water to function. Actually two thirds of our body is made up of water. If we dried out, we would only weight only half as much.

Our brains function in a watery gel. Our blood flows because of its water content. Water circulates through our blood and lymphatic system, transport nutrients and oxygen to the cells. It is essential to metabolism, providing a medium for complex chemical reactions. Water is the agent that removes wastes products and excess we have eaten through urine and sweat and stools. Water softens stools to prevent constipation. Water also maintains the natural balance between dissolved salts and water inside and outside of cells. Our joints and soft tissues depend on the cushioning that water provides for them. Water lubricates the air flowing over our nasal passages. It coats the tiny air sacs of our lungs and permits them to expand and contract without collapsing, by acting as a solution for the “surfactant” or surface tension lowering chemical in the lungs. While water has no caloric value and therefore is not an energy source, without it in our diet we could not digest or absorb the foods we eat or eliminate the body’s digestive waste.

Water also helps regulate body temperature. When exercising or, when we are exposed to increase temperatures, water helps prevent heat exhaustion.

When we do not drink sufficient water, the blood concentrates. With a hematocrit value higher than 50, cardiovascular events double in men and increase fourfold in women. So, drink more water than your thirst mandates you.

How much water a person need depends largely on the volume of urine and sweat lost daily, and water needs are increased if a person suffers from diarrhea or vomiting or undergoes heavy physical exercise. At least 6-8 glasses of water per day is needed by our body for the various organs to work efficiently.

Water is replenished by drinking liquids. However NOT ALL liquids we drink counts as water, caffeinated drinks such as soft drinks, tea or coffee and alcohol based drinks increase the output of urine and thus dehydrate the body. So instead of ordering those things when you dine out, just simply say,”Water please.”

Newborn Do's And Don'ts

All of us are so excited to meet the new member of our family. “I’m so excited to see if to whom does the baby looks like”, my grandma exclaimed. Little boy, my nephew,  was just born yesterday and we are preparing a welcome party for him today.

Not only that, I also made a research on taking care of a newborn because taking care of them involves learning a whole new skill set. Here are few tips I’ve learned that can help first-time parents feel confident about caring there newborn. The things to do and things not to do with your baby:

DO breastfeed your baby exclusively. It is recommended to exclusive breastfeed the baby on his or her first six months of life, and that there is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding.

DO select an iron-fortified infant formula if breastfeeding may not be possible.

DON’T feed your baby low iron formulas, homemade formulas, cow or goat milk as a substitute to iron-fortified formula.

DON’T feed your baby juice or even water. If you think that they are thirsty, just feed them with breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula because it provides everything babies need nutritionally until they start eating solid foods.

DON’T heat your baby’s bottles in the microwave. Microwave ovens heat liquids unevenly, and so can leave super heated pockets of formula in your baby’s bottle. Even if you vigorously shake the bottle afterwards, heating bottles in the microwave should be avoided.

DON’T start your baby on solid foods before 4 months of age, especially if allergies fun in the family.

DO remember that a newborn baby needs to be fed every 2 to 3 hours. If you’re breastfeeding, give your baby the chance to nurse about 10–15 minutes at each breast. If you’re formula-feeding, your baby will most likely take about 2–3 ounces (60–90 milliliters) at each feeding. Generally, it’s recommended that babies be fed on demand — whenever they seem hungry. Your baby may cue you by crying, putting fingers in his or her mouth, or making sucking noises. However,

DON’T focus too much on how much, how often and how regularly your baby eats. Instead, look for contentment between feedings, alertness, good skin tone and steady weight gain. Call your baby’s doctor if you need to awaken your newborn frequently or if your baby doesn’t seem interested in eating or sucking.

DO remember that babies often swallow air during feedings, which can make them fussy. You can prevent this by burping your baby frequently. Try burping your baby every 2 to 3 ounces (60–90 milliliters) if you bottle-feed, and each time you switch breasts if you breastfeed. If your baby tends to be gassy, has gastroesophageal reflux, or seems fussy during feeding, try burping your baby every ounce during bottle-feeding or every 5 minutes during breastfeeding.

DON’T shake your baby. Shaking your baby can cause Shaken Baby Syndrome. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, ‘shaken baby syndrome is a severe form of head injury that occurs when a baby is shaken forcibly enough to cause the baby’s brain to rebound (bounce) against his or her skull. This rebounding may cause bruising, swelling, and bleeding (intracerebral hemorrhage) of the brain, which may lead to permanent, severe brain damage or death.

If you need to wake your infant, don’t do it by shaking — instead, tickle your baby’s feet or blow gently on a cheek.

DO respond to your baby when he or she cries. Crying is a baby’s way of communicating one of his or her needs. Crying can be upsetting. You will gradually begin to recognize your baby’s different crying patterns and, as you get to know her better, will be able to anticipate her needs.

DO provide an environment with a lot of social interaction. This includes eye contact, talking, listening and touching. For infants, the attachment contributes to their emotional growth, which also affects their development in other areas, such as physical growth. Physical closeness can also promote an emotional connection.

DON’T allow stuffed animals, soft bedding or improper or extra mattresses in your baby’s crib to ensure that your baby doesn’t get tangled in them or suffocate.

DO put your baby to sleep on his back, this is one of the best ways to prevent the risk of SIDS ( Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). But be sure to alternate the position of your baby’s head from night to night (first right, then left, and so on) and or have a tummy time when your baby is awake to prevent the development of a flat spot on one side of the head.

DON’T expect your newborn baby to sleep through the night. Newborns typically sleep for periods of 2–4 hours. The digestive system of babies is so small that they need nourishment every 2-3 hours. You can expect your baby to sleep for 6-8 hours by the time they are about three months old.

DO support your baby’s head and neck to avoid injuries. A new baby is not strong enough to support her own head, cradle the head when carrying your baby and support the head when carrying the baby upright or when you lay him or her down.

DON’T leave your baby alone on places where he or she could fall like changing table or bed or a couch.. Make sure cribs meet current safety standards.

High Blood Pressure or Hypertension

hypertension

My father died of hypertension at the age of thirty seven and  my first degree cousin at thirty five. They’re just some of our relatives who died of hypertension. Yes, there case may be of hereditary caused, but  lifestyle does its contribution too.

Hypertension is also called high blood pressure, is an increasingly important medical and public health issue. Worldwide prevalence estimates for hypertension is about 1 billion and about 7.1 million death per year may be attributable to hypertension.

Because of the new data on lifetime risk of hypertension and the striking increase in the risk of cardiovascular complications associated with levels of blood pressure previously considered to be normal, the current Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7) report has introduced a new classification that includes the term “prehypertention” for those with BP ranging from 120-139 mmHg systolic and, or 80-89 mmHg diastolic. This new designation is intended to identify those individuals in whom early intervention by ADOPTION OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLE could reduce blood pressure, decrease the rate of progression of blood pressure to hypertensive levels with age, or prevent hypertension entirely.

If the rise in Blood Pressure with age could be prevented or reduced, much of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and stroke might be prevented.

Embracing healthy lifestyle is critical for prevention of high blood pressure. Reduced physical activity; excess dietary sodium intake; excess body weight; excess alcohol intake; inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables,and potassium are some of the underlying factors of  hypertension.

Do you have boundaries?

boundary

Base on social aspect, our boundaries label us who we are and what is important to us. Setting limits beyond which we cannot allow ourselves to be pushed against our will. It is a border which we will not go, and which we cannot allow others to come. Having a boundary is having  a mean of protection from others who might hurt or control us in some way, yet without offending them. So, setting boundaries means loving ourselves.

Practicing a healthy lifestyle means having  the temperance. Temperance is moderation in things good for, and abstinence from things bad for us. This means that we have to avoid the excess, set a limitation or boundaries, even that which is good.

Our immune system is our physiological barrier or boundary that protects us from illness. It does a great job of keeping people healthy and preventing infections. It protects us from infection with layered defenses of increasing specificity. It is designed to defend you against millions of bacteria, microbes, viruses, toxins and parasites that would love to invade your body.

Having temperance or boundaries on stress, diet, sleep and exercise affects our immune system. We need to be subjected to stress to attain goals but excess of it or subjecting yourself to long periods of stress has more chance of developing infections. Deficiency in proteins and vitamins; too much of sugar and fats; alcohol intake; and lack of sleep and exercise does weaken our immune system.

Optimism- An Operant of Our Sanity

Optimism is the operant of our sanity. It plays a major role in our physical, mental and spiritual health. All of us can have perfect health, optimistic views plus healthy lifestyle results to life extending benefits. Research showed that optimistic people are better achievers, are tougher in the face of difficulties and cope with stress more easily than their more negative counterparts.

Regular exercise, adequate rest, right diet and avoidance of caffeine leave us calmer and less tense thus promoting optimism. Optimism is an attitude that can be learned and practiced. It will help you develop physical and mental health and a longer life. By reading inspirational books, avoiding negative environments, making every effort to seek the company of positive individuals and celebrating your strengths instead of complaining your weaknesses. Pessimists can begin to exercise their optimistic muscle. Bible and inspirational books will both inspire and teach pessimists how to motivate themselves to a positive desirable action.

Develop an optimistic attitude so potent that it will infiltrate from your conscious into your subconscious mind. What affects your mind also affects your body. Thus, thinking good thoughts will ameliorate the way you feel. Optimistic people are happy people. Optimism plus happiness help boast our immune system even against cancer and other incurable diseases. It brings into the reality the possibility of unbelievable.

The more you share your optimistic attitude, the more you will become optimistic. So, transmit optimism to others. Optimism can be a source of physical, mental and spiritual energy to you and people around you.

The Chemical Examination of Urine

test strips for chemical examination of urine

The usual chemical examination of urine are performed using reagent strip method. These reagent systems are available as dip and read for rapid, sensitive and convenient analysis of many constituents in the urine.

Reagent strips provide a speedy way for performing medically significant chemical analysis for protein, glucose, ketone, bilirubin, urobilinogen, nitrite, leukocytes, blood, pH and specific gravity of urine. Semi-quantitative value of results are reported as negative, trace, 1+, 2+, 3+, or 4+.

PROCEDURE involves dipping the reagent strip completely but briefly into a well-mixed, unspun, urine sample; draining excess urine from the strip when withdrawing it from the specimen by blotting it on absorbent paper; waiting the exact timing recommended for each chemical reaction to take place; and comparing the colored reactions against the manufacturer’s chart under good lighting.

Clinical significance of chemical test:
PROTEIN. Occurrence of this is the most suggestive of renal disease.
GLUCOSE. It is the most commonly performed on urine because of its value in the revealing and monitoring of diabetes mellitus.
KETONE. Testing for urinary ketones is most valued in the management and monitoring of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.
BILIRUBIN. The appearance of bilirubin in the urine gives an early indication of liver disease.
UROBILINOGEN. Increase urine urobilinogen is observed in liver disease and hemolytic disorders.
NITRITE. It gives a quick screening test for the existence of urinary tract infection.
LEUKOCYTE. It offers more standardized way for the detection of leukocytes.
BLOOD. Positive result for this signals the occurrence of intact red blood cells, hemoglobin, or myoglobin. Each of these has different clinical implication.
pH. It helps in determining the presence of systemic acid-base disorders of metabolic or respiratory origin and in management of urinary conditions that needs the urine to be maintained at a specific pH.
SPECIFIC GRAVITY. It provides a clue of the urinary total solute concentration.

Note: Have knowledge on sources of error including interfering substances, sensitivity, and specificity of each test on the reagent strip.

The Physical Examination of Urine

urine samples

The physical examination of urine consist of the determination of urine color, clarity or transparency, and specific gravity. Examination of these characteristics provides initial information concerning disorders such as glomerular bleeding, liver disease, inborn error of metabolism, and urinary tract infection.

COLOR
The urine color ranges from almost colorless to black. These variations may be due to ingested materials, physical activity, normal metabolic functions, or pathologic conditions. Common reporting of normal urine color may vary slightly among laboratories, it includes straw, pale yellow, light yellow, yellow, dark yellow and amber.

The yellow color of urine is due largely to the presence of a pigment called urochrome. Uroerythrin (pink color) and urobilin (orange-brown color) pigments are also present in urine but in smaller quantities and contribute little to the color of normal, fresh urine. Because urochrome is excreted at a continuous and steady rate, the intensity of the yellow color in a fresh urine specimen gives a rough assessment of urine concentration. A dilute urine will be pale yellow and a concentrated sample will be dark yellow.

Colors like straw, pale yellow, yellow, dark yellow and amber will not always signify normal urine, it can be pathologic too. Orange, yellow-green, yellow-brown, green, blue-green, pink, red, brown, black are some of the colors of pathologic or abnormal urine samples.

TRANSPARENCY
Color and transparency or clarity are routinely checked at the same time by visibly examining the mixed urine specimen, that is placed in a clear container, in front of a light source. Common description of urine color includes clear, hazy, cloudy, turbid,and milky.

Fresh voided normal urine is typically clear and transparent, especially if it is midstream clean-catch specimen. Nonpathologic or normal causes of urine turbidity is maybe due to any of the following: squamous epithelial cells; mucus; amorphous urates, phosphates, or carbonates; fecal contamination; semen or spermatozoa; radiographic contrast media; talcum powder; or vaginal creams.

Pathologic or abnormal causes of urine turbidity is maybe due to any of the following: red blood cells, white blood cells, bacteria, yeast, non-squamous epithelial cells, abnormal crystals, lymph fluids, or lipids.

SPECIFIC GRAVITY
It is an assessment of the kidney’s ability to reabsorb vital chemicals and water. It aids in the assessment of renal tubular function. Normal random urine samples may range from 1.003 to 1.035, depending on the patient’s  amount of hydration.  Most random samples  fall between 1.015 and 1.025.