Smoking and Cancer - Could You Be Killing Your Family?

Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable deaths in the developed world. It is connected with some of the most serious conditions such as cancer, heart disease and stroke. Here we'll have a look at the effect of smoking on cancer.

Smoking and cancer - the facts

Thousands of cancer deaths a year are caused by smoking. It is estimated that 30% of all cancer deaths in the USA can be put down to smoking. When you look at cancers of the organs most affected by smoking the figures are even more shocking. About 87% of lung cancers are due to smoking. And even if you are a non-smoker you are not in the clear. It is thought that that 3,000 people a year die from lung cancer as a result of passive smoking - breathing in the smoke from other people's cigarettes. It's a sad thought that smokers could be killing the people closest to them; their friends, family and loved ones.

How does smoking cause cancer?

Cigarette smoke contains a mix of over 4,000 chemicals, of which at least 60 are known to be carcinogenic (cancer-forming). These include benzene, cadmium, chromium and polonium-210 (radon). Because smoking is highly addictive the body is exposed to these carcinogens on a repetitive basis. These substances cause the DNA in cells to alter and this can lead to cancer.

Will quitting help?

If you give up smoking you will reduce your chances of getting cancer or suffering other health related problems. The sooner you give up the better your chances of leading a healthier life. People that give up before the age of 50 are twice as likely to survive the next 15 years as people that continue to smoke.

What help is available to give up?

There's now more advice, help and products available to help you quit than ever before. The products that you can chose to help include nicotine replacement products such as nicotine gum and nicotine patches. You can either contact your doctor or buy nicotine gum over the counter. These products will help with the cravings. You are twice as likely to give up using a nicotine product than going 'cold-turkey'.

Other ways to help you quit include prescription drugs that you need to obtain from your doctor. These can help by reducing your desire for cigarettes. Some people have also found hypnotherapy to be of use to them.

What works best stop smoking pills or stop smoking gum? Find out about the different ways to quit at http://www.stop-smoking-quit-tips.com

Have You Read About Turmeric For Cancer Prevention? by Gordon Hall

Studies concerning turmeric for cancer prevention are convincing. All have been positive. To date, there is no conflicting evidence. The antioxidant inhibits the formation, growth and spread of cancer cells. Clinical trials are currently underway concerning multiple myeloma, pancreatic cancers, colon cancers and many other forms of the disease. But, before you run out and buy a supplement, take a few minutes to read this article.

Like drugs, antioxidants are absorbed at different rates and in different amounts when taking orally. In the case of some antioxidants, little or none is absorbed into the bloodstream. Researchers would say that the antioxidant has low "bioavailability". If they were developing a drug, they would find ways to enhance the absorption or they would recommend injection, to get 100% bioavailability. Supplement manufacturers have learned how to enhance the bioavailability of antioxidants and other nutrients, but many manufacturers don't make use of the knowledge.

Studies concerning turmeric for cancer prevention indicate that the active antioxidant in the plant is curcumin. Curcumin has very low bioavailability. When eaten or taken in the form of an uncoated tablet, very little ends up in the bloodstream. The same is true of resveratrol, SAM-e and other nutrients.

The manufacturer can address the issue by including an enteric coating. They can also make use of specific combinations of nutrients that enhance the activity and bioavailability of each other. For example, supplements containing the vitamins A, C and E combined are more readily absorbed than those containing the individual ingredients.

Studies concerning turmeric for cancer prevention indicated that combining it with piperine (from black pepper) and green tea extract increases the bioavailability and enhances the cancer-fighting activity of each of the individual compounds. As far as we know, every antioxidant and natural anti-inflammatory has at least some anti-cancer activity.

When it comes to treatment, studies concerning vitamin C and vitamin E have been conflicting. But, there is quite a bit of evidence to suggest that in their natural form, both of those antioxidants are as beneficial as turmeric for cancer prevention. Other nutrients that are known to be beneficial include resveratrol, bilberry, vitamin D3, calcium, green tea, silymarin, grape seed extract, black cumin seed and lycopene.

When it comes to calcium and vitamin D3, researchers have found that low levels circulating in the bloodstream are associated with heart disease and cancer. They are unsure if the low levels are caused by the diseases or if the diseases were caused by the low levels. Either way, it is safe to say that supplementation can't hurt.

There's no need to go overboard. More is not necessarily better. But, it is next to impossible to get all of the nutrients that you need on a daily basis, without supplementation. Some of the better supplements contain all of the vitamins, minerals and extracts mentioned in this article, as well as many others. Instead of simply taking turmeric for cancer prevention, why not take a multi-nutritional supplement? That's the best way to reduce your risk and improve your chances. Visit my website today to learn about a multi-nutritional supplement that I've discovered that I'd like to share with you.

About the Author
Gordon Hall is fervent about enabling you and everyone to live a healthy lifestyle, and is an ardent reviewer of herbal, vitamin and mineral extracts. To discover which supplements Gordon recommends after far ranging and extensive research. Visit his website now at : http://www.your-supplement-resource-site.info

Marijuana Stops Spread of Breast Cancer Tumor by Cooper Hill

A non-psychoactive chemical that occurs naturally in the marijuana plant may prevent breast cancer from spreading, according to a study published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics.

Researchers found that a chemical called cannabidiol (CBD) affects the activity of a gene known as Id-1 in patients with hormone-independent breast cancer. In embryos, Id-1 is responsible for helping cells grow and spread, but is supposed to remain inactive in adults. In human adults, it is found only in metastatic cancer cells, or cancer cells that are spreading throughout the body. "When [the Id-1 genes] wake up, they are very bad," said senior researcher Pierre Yves-Desprez. "They push the cells to behave like embryonic cells and grow. They go crazy, they proliferate, they migrate."

According to Desprez, shutting off the activity of Id-1 can make cancer far less lethal. Tumors, Desprez says, can be "removed easily by surgery," but if the cancer is spreading then the disease becomes much more difficult to contain. "[Id-1 is like] an [orchestra] conductor," Desprez said. "If you shoot the violinist, the orchestra just continues to play." "In this case, you shoot the conductor, and the whole orchestra is going to stop," he said.

Because CBD occurs in only very small quantities in the cannabis plant, the researchers do not recommend smoking marijuana as a cancer treatment. To be effective, CBD will either have to be artificially synthesized or extracted and concentrated. The chemical's major advantage, according to the researchers, is its apparent non-toxicity.

"Right now we have a limited range of options in treating aggressive forms of cancer," co-author Sean D. McAllister said. "Those treatments, such as chemotherapy, can be effective but they can also be extremely toxic and difficult for patients. This compound offers the hope of a non-toxic therapy that could achieve the same results without any of the painful side effects."

The researchers also expressed hope that CBD will also prove effective against other cancers that rely on Id-1, including brain, colon and prostate cancer.

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