folicacid-related stories
Cervical Health: Common Sense Prevention and Treatment Options
Advice, Health, Healthy Eating, Hormone Diet
Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues and improve their overall health.
A couple of weeks ago we discussed natural and nutritional methods for reducing your risk of breast cancer. This week I would like to touch on another very important topic for women -- cervical dysplasia. Cervical dysplasia is a term used to describe the occurrence of abnormal, sometimes pre-cancerous cells in the cervix, the lowest part of the uterus. Having regular PAP smears is the single most important habit a woman can adopt to detect dysplasia.
The stages of dysplasia can be classified as mild, moderate or severe. Early diagnosis of dysplasia is important as the majority of mild cases may regress on their own, but they can be treated with proper defensive measures. In more severe or untreated cases, the risk of invasive cervical cancer is much higher. This progression into cervical cancer may occur slowly over the years or may evolve aggressively over a shorter period of time.
Early detection and treatment of dysplasia is essential for cancer prevention. For this reason, most physicians remove suspicious cervical lesions right away and see their patients every three to six months for regular PAP smear tests to rule out a recurrence.
Six risk factors and common sense treatment options after the jump.
Ten Tips to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk
Advice, Happiness, Health, Healthy Eating, Hormone Diet
Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, in 2010:
- An estimated 23,200 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 5,300 will die of it.
- An estimated 180 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 50 will die of it.
- On average, 445 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every week.
- On average, 100 Canadian women will die of breast cancer every week.
Here are some simple tips to stay healthy and cancer-free.
Garlic and Onions Have Many Health Benefits: Try Rice and Veggie Recipe
Health, Healthy Eating, Holistic Recipe
Last weekend my boyfriend made me dinner and because he is typically a steak and frites kind of guy, I was quite impressed with his choice of wild and brown rice with tons of veggies made to accompany our grilled fish. While healthy is not usually his first priority when it comes to food, he knows vegetables are a sure way to charm his nutritionist girlfriend. And thus, consider this is my personal guarantee to you that this recipe is both easy and delicious and has my nutritionist seal of approval. There were three local ingredients in this recipe: garlic, onions and asparagus and the remaining items didn't travel too far across mama earth to get to the kitchen. Fresh onions and garlic in Ontario this time of year are amazing so I implore you to check out your local farmers' market and simply follow your nose to the freshest ingredients.
As anyone who has done even the smallest amount of cooking knows, garlic and onions go into just about every recipe, which is a good thing according to the many experts and nutritionists like myself who consider them superfoods with seemingly endless health benefits.
Health benefits and recipe after the jump
Abnormal Pap Smears? Quit Smoking and Eat More of These Foods
Advice, Health, Healthy Eating, Eat This
Each week, holistic nutritionist Joy McCarthy tells us about a common health problem she's seen in her practice and how she came to a solution. This Week's Client: Mandy, a 33-year-old nurse who smokes and loves frozen dinners.
The Problem: Mandy originally came to me for help losing a stubborn ten pounds, but I ended up consulting her on her recurring abnormal pap smears.
Cervical dysplasia (otherwise known as an "abnormal" pap smear) is generally regarded as a precancerous lesion. This doesn't mean that cancer has developed, but if left untreated, it can lead to the big C. Your risk increases if you smoke, take oral contraceptives or if you have low levels of certain nutrients – vitamin C, B6, beta carotene, folic acid and selenium.
Mandy was enthusiastic and eager to make some lifestyle changes, but we had our work cut out for us: She smoked, took the birth control pill and although she ate reasonably healthy most of the time, she had no variety in her diet at all and ate frozen dinners far too often. My aim was to improve her nutritional status and encourage her to quit smoking.
There are many theories as to why smoking is a major risk factor for cervical cancer such as smoking depresses immune function, induces vitamin C deficiency, as well as the fact vaginal cells may concentrate carcinogenic compounds from inhaled smoke. I suggested she start Genestra's Stop Smoking homeopathic remedy that other clients (even ones who smoked for over 30 years) have great success with, along with a custom-tailored nutrition plan.
Nutritional considerations after the jump.
Do You Have Too Much Estrogen? Imbalance Can Cause Weight Gain
Advice, Happiness, Health, Hormone Diet
Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.
Last week's column on 8 Hormonal Imbalances That Stop You From Losing Weight received a lot of feedback so I've decided to follow it up over the coming weeks with discussions on the cause and natural treatment options for each of the eight conditions. This week's topic: Estrogen Dominance.Estrogen balance is essential for achieving and maintaining fat loss. In men and premenopausal women, too much estrogen, a condition called estrogen dominance causes toxic fat gain, water retention, bloating and a host of other health and wellness issues. While premenopausal women with too much estrogen tend to have the pear-shape body type with more weight at the hips, both men and menopausal women with this excess exhibit an apple shape with more fat accumulation in the abdominal area. Researchers have now identified excess estrogen to be just as great a risk factor for obesity – in both sexes – as poor eating habits and lack of exercise.
Estrogen dominance can also be an issue for men, as testosterone and progesterone naturally decline with age or stress, and estrogen conversely rises. This hormonal shift impacts not only the physique but also prostate health. Statistics show that shockingly high numbers of men who live to the age of 65 and older will develop prostate cancer, likely due to estrogen exposure.
Causes of Estrogen Dominance after the jump
A Vitamin Cocktail to Live Longer and Healthier
Health, Healthy Eating, Eat This
Longevity is a hot topic these days, which isn't surprising considering the largest generation of the last 100 years, the baby boomers, are beginning to hit their golden years. In response to that, more and more interest in how we can live longer has come to the fore and analysis of centenarian's lifestyles and eating habits has become common front page coverage. And, of course, anti-aging beauty products are flying off the shelves. If fighting the sands of time is one of you priorities, here's some good news to aid in your battle.A new study conducted at Canada's McMaster University, published in the current issue of the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine, found they were able to extend the lifespan of mice by an impressive 10 percent using thirty different vitamins, minerals. and herbs. They based the carefully chosen nutrient subjects on dosages recommended for humans and adjusted for mouse body size.
Unlike past studies of this type, the researchers decided to look for "youthful markers" as well as lifespan. In this way they were really looking at quality of life while aging rather than just how long the mice lived. They looked at declining physical movement as a biomarker of aging and mortality risk.
Swiss Chard: A Leafy Green Packed With Nutrients
Health, Healthy Eating, Eat This
Last week I suggested, chlorella as a great green way to nutritionally participate in St. Paddy's Day (particularly to detox after too much green beer), and in continuing with our green theme, I would like to introduce a favourite leafy green: swiss chard.
Swiss chard is actually a member of the beet family, although, unlike beets, we only tend to eat the greens rather than the root. Swiss chard is an excellent source of manganese, magnesium, vitamin K,vitamin E, folic acid, selenium and has about as much vitamin C as an orange. It's also a good source of calcium, potassium, iron and zinc. Swiss chard is a good source of the B vitamin niacin, which is helpful in keeping that cholesterol count low and those energy levels up.
Leafy greens, including Swiss chard, are great sources of a phytonutrient category called carotenes. This includes beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A and an antioxidant in its own right. Swiss chard also contains the carotene phytonutrients zeaxanthin and lutein, both vitally important for eye health and found to decrease chances of suffering macular degeneration. Lutein has been shown in studies to prevent and reverse, to a certain extent, issues with immunity, cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Female Hair Loss is Tramautic: Diet Tips and Vitamins That Can Help
Happiness, Health, Hormone Diet
Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.
Losing your hair, especially as a female, is traumatic. For reasons of vanity, obviously, but then also because it's something that you feel you have absolutely no control over. This problem affects millions of women leading to depression, anxiety, a loss of self-esteem and withdrawal from friends, family and daily activities. Losing your hair can mean losing your vitality and lust for life-it's never something that should be taken lightly by your health care provider. Any sudden hair loss should be taken seriously. Some physicians might say: "It's because you're getting older" or "It's because of your hormones," but if you think you're losing hair, your physician had better listen, because most likely, you are. The most important issue for the successful treatment of hair loss is to determine the cause, of which there are many. Even the pattern of hair loss can help to establish the root source. For example, women may lose hair from the crown of the head-similar to male pattern baldness-with an elevation of testosterone levels whereas nutritional deficiencies may cause generalized hair loss over the whole head. Let's look at a few of the possible causes and some options for proper treatment and assessment.
Cut Risk of Lung Cancer with Leafy Greens and Vitamins
Health, Healthy Eating, Eat This
A new study from the Journal of Cancer Research, supported by the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), published findings that show promise for the prevention of lung cancer. The study found that folate, multivitamins and green leafy vegetables may reduce the risk of lung cancer in current and former smokers.The consumption of certain micronutrients may lessen a process called methylation, which has an effect on gene signaling. Since many genes in lung tumors, including those responsible for cell division and other significant cell processes, are methylated, researchers speculated that nutrients decreasing methylation may reduce risk of lung cancer.
The nutrients studied included a multivitamin rich in phytochemicals like vitamin C, carotenoids, lutein, folic acid, vitamin A and vitamin K. Researchers also showed that reduced gene methylation occurred with consumption of these micronutrients as components of green leafy vegetables.
Antioxidant-Packed Artichokes for Lower Cholesterol
Health, Healthy Eating, Eat This
Admittedly, artichokes are a food I haven't explored much. I've had artichoke hearts fairly often in various salads, but I could count on one hand the number of times I've actually sat down to a whole, steamed artichoke. I was served it once along with a delicious butter sauce when I went to dinner at a friend's house and really enjoyed it. Since we're smack dab in the middle of the second artichoke season right now (the biggest one being in the spring), I may just have a chance to give it another try -- and so do you.Artichokes grow mainly in warmer climates, and their season begins in the fall, continuing through to the spring, unless interrupted by frost. While peak production happens in spring, when markets are filled with them and their prices drop, there is often a mini-season in the fall, depending on the weather.
Artichoke has traditionally been used as a treatment for digestive health disorders. They have also been found to lower blood cholesterol levels, have a preventative effect on heart disease and atherosclerosis, and a protective effect on the liver, enhancing its detoxification reactions.
More artichoke benefits after the jump...
Nine Tips to Boost Your Energy...When You Can't Take a Nap
Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.
Have you ever been caught grabbing a bit of shut-eye at your desk? What was your excuse to your boss? New sleep research may be your best answer.
A 2002 study from Harvard University considered worker burnout over four days of training and the effect of napping. As the four days of training wore on, the workers began to experience burnout. But the good news is - the study found that workers who were allowed to take a 30-minute nap on the second day of a four-day training session experienced less decline in visual tasks. A one-hour nap was actually found to return performance back to normal in the last two sessions.
That is not to say that curling up for an hour or so at the office should be sanctioned, but keeping it to less than 30 minutes might not be so far-fetched. It seems that half-hour naps should not only be recognized as acceptable by companies, but also beneficial. This is old news to many European countries where afternoon siestas are standard practice and many shops close for an hour or so each afternoon.
Afternoon drowsiness is a major problem for many corporations: it is estimated that lost productivity costs billions of dollars every year. A possible solution is to allow 20 to 30 minutes of napping per day when it is deemed necessary, creating a work environment that may actually help boost workplace productivity rather than hinder it. In today's fast-paced society and tough economy, however, most companies frown on napping in the workplace rather than encourage it.
Can't squeeze in a nap? Use these nine tips to boost your energy and productivity during the day:
Worst Date Ever, The Truth About Your Beer Belly and More
Each morning, we dish out a few links we love.
Think your last date was bad? This trumps it for sure -- this guy stole her car when they met for dinner.
Got a bit of a paunch? Booze isn't to blame, but your tendency to binge-drink is.
Listen up, 20-something ladies: Apparently you should be taking folic acid -- even if you're not planning on getting pregnant any time soon.
Got aches and pains? Find out if ibuprofen is OK during a workout or not.
Here's a yummy way to slim down -- apparently, blueberries help fight fat.
Paula Abdul Might Be a Big Fat Liar, Stress is Best and More
Each morning, we weigh in on the day's hottest headlines.
Ok, this is a bit much -- Paula Abdul recently told reporters that not only has she never done or been addicted to drugs, she's never been drunk either and has yet to do any time in a rehab facility for more than a vacation. Your thoughts?
We're told to avoid it but apparently, stress adds years to your life! Um, I'm going to pretend I didn't read that and head to the beach instead ...
Got a bad back? Apparently, acupuncture is by far the most effective treatment.
Um, ick. Researchers are saying that a single cough or sneeze can contain nearly 20,000 viruses. For the love of Pete people, cover your mouth. Yes, I'm talking to you, guy on the train this morning who sneezed all over the centre hand rail.
Ladies, thinking of starting a family any time soon? Start taking your folic acid, like, now.
