3 Secrets to Shielding Your Brain from Memory Loss

If you expect to live into your 80s and beyond, which I dare say most of us do, there’s an important statistic you need to be aware of…

According to the National Institute on Aging, by the time you reach your 80s, you have a 50% chance of suffering from significant cognitive decline. That’s right, the odds that you’ll literally lose your mind by the time you’re in your 80s are no better than the toss of a coin!

Cognitive decline

It’s sad but true — there is no cure for age-related cognitive decline, and experts say that the problem is becoming increasingly widespread. But that doesn't mean you have to be a “sitting duck,” just waiting to become another victim.

While the cause of this sharp rise in age-related cognitive decline is not fully understood, one thing is for sure — if you want to keep your mind and memory intact as you age, you can’t risk a passive “it won’t be me” mentality.

There may not be a cure for cognitive decline, this doesn't mean you’re helpless. Just a few simple steps can help stack the odds in your favor for an active brain and healthy memory throughout your life.

The Sad Truth: If You Wait for Treatment…

It’s Too Late

If concern about losing your cognitive abilities prompts you to ask your doctor about prevention strategies, you probably won’t be happy with the answer you get. You’ll most likely be told that there’s little you can do and no need to worry. But according to NIH’s National Institute on Aging, the sad truth is that current drugs are only marginally effective at treating brain decay and have many side effects. So why aren't doctors focusing their attention on prevention?

Memory loss

Brain decay is terrifying — from losing your memories and being unable to recognize familiar faces… to losing the ability to take care of yourself. My advice to you, whether you’re 45 or 75, is to start protecting your mind now, before you become just another sad statistic.

The 3 Secrets to Life-Long Brain Health

What I’ve learned is that amazing new research is proving that specific nutrients, along with a healthy diet and lifestyle, may be the secret remedy long overlooked by traditional medicine. The science shows that these nutrients have an undeniable positive impact on brain health.

Old people suffered from Cognitive decline

Based on my research, the following three nutrients are the “best of the best” and what I believe to be the overlooked “secrets” to preventing cognitive decline.

1. This Antioxidant Is the Brain’s Fountain of Youth

Your brain depends on the powerful antioxidant CoQ10 to keep it healthy. This makes sense since CoQ10 is a primary player in your body’s energy production processes, and your brain has incredibly high demands for cellular energy.

Research shows that a deficit of CoQ10 severely compromises brain function, leading to sluggish thinking and memory impairment. Yet, far too many people are deficient in CoQ10, especially seniors. That’s because as you get older, your body produces less and less CoQ10.

However, when you do have adequate levels, your mind and memory thrive! According to a UCSD study, proper levels of CoQ10 can slow brain deterioration by 44%. Furthermore, studies show that people with high levels of CoQ10 have sharper mental acuity, better motor abilities and more mental energy. CoQ10 also benefits your heart and overall energy levels.

It’s important to take the right kind of CoQ10, since many supplements out there are junk. I’ll cover this in more detail in my “buyer’s guide” below.

2. The Omega-3 That Your Brain Craves

One particular omega-3 called DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is absolutely critical to optimal brain function. As you age, your brain’s ability to absorb DHA declines and your levels can drop significantly. This literally starves your mind, compromising both brain function and memory retention.

The results of scientific studies on the brain protecting effects of DHA are incredibly compelling. For example one study showed a 60% decrease in cognitive decline in those who had a regular intake of DHA. Additionally, research has shown that those suffering from cognitive decline have dramatically lower levels of DHA in their brains.

Omega-3 rich fish oil

Overall, if you really dig into the research, it’s basically irrefutable that DHA can speed up brain wave activity, help to create more synapses in the brain and preserve healthy memory function.

Sadly, too many people have critically low levels of DHA, especially people over the age of 65. However, I recommend you take only a specific type of DHA to make sure you’re not doing more harm than good — more on that later.

3. One of the Most Powerful Brain Protectors Ever

Here are 2 factoids about the nation of India. The first one you’ll probably find only moderately interesting, and perhaps not too surprising. However, the second one might wow you.

Fact 1:The nation of India has the highest consumption rate of the spice turmeric in the word. Turmeric is the primary spice used in curries. 

Fact 2:India has one of the lowest rates of cognitive decline in the world, with a death rate that is 8 times lower than that of the U.S.

What’s the connection between these two facts? The answer can be found in a powerful antioxidant called curcumin, which is a component of the curry spice turmeric. In fact, research shows that curcumin has profound protective benefits for the brain.

Curcumin rich in Tumeric

One study shows that curcumin turns on a key gene signal involved with nerve protection, which boosts antioxidant enzymes in the brain and helps to prevent neurodegeneration. Other research has shown that curcumin not only has positive benefits on memory, but also acts as a potent anti-inflammatory. However, it’s important to take a standardized extract of curcumin to make sure you’re getting therapeutic amounts of the active ingredient.

So How Do You Put These 3 Secrets to Good Use?

I want to remind you that by the time you reach 80, you have a 50% chance of suffering from cognitive decline.

That’s why I firmly believe that CoQ10, DHA and curcumin are the best tools available to you for brain protection, along with healthy eating, exercise and keeping your mind active. However, readers ask me all the time how they can put these secrets to good use on a practical basis.

It’s important to understand that you can’t just take any supplement. If you’re not careful, you could end up wasting your time and money, and more importantly, missing out on the opportunity to prevent something terrible from happening.

Suggested daily dosages

Here are some quick tips for you: 

• CoQ10: Many CoQ10 supplements contain “fake” CoQ10 synthesized from tobacco leaves of all things. Look for the words “trans-form” on the label to make sure it’s natural CoQ10. Don’t take less than 100 mg per day. 
• DHA: Lots of DHA supplements have too little DHA to be beneficial. 100 mg is a good amount. I prefer plant-based DHA, so I don’t have to worry about any marine pollutants like mercury. 
• Curcumin: The “good stuff” in curcumin is called curcuminoids. And too many supplements have too little of it. Look for a supplement that provides about 200 mg per day and is standardized to 95% total curcuminiods.

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5 Reasons to Kick Plastic Containers Out of Your Life

Plastic has its role in modern society. It’s an essential part of our cars, computers, mobile phones, children’s toys – and practically most everything we use on a day-to-day basis. But there’s one place where plastic has worn out its welcome – and that’s as a container for the food we eat and the water we drink.

The bottom line is that plastic is made from toxic materials. It’s a known fact that these toxins can leach into whatever they come into contact with. And it’s a known fact that when the compounds that make up plastic are ingested, they damage your body on a cellular level and cause health problems.

Plastic in our daily life

The pundits will say that the human body can easily handle the “small” amounts (which the government insultingly likes to call “acceptably safe levels”) of toxins that are ingested from plastic. But I find this excuse to be one of the world’s biggest cop-outs. If the human body wasn't designed to ingest plastic, then no amount is good.

Here are 5 reasons why you should avoid plastic containers:

Toxic Compounds in Plastic can Make You Really Sick.

It’s typical to suffer from a variety of health problems as you age. But is this just “part of getting older”? Or is this perhaps the result of a toxic overload in the body? It’s common knowledge that illness and disorders such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, heart disease, vision impairment and many others health problems are all on the rise. Could this be in some way associated with the increasing amount of plastic in our lives? Plastic food and beverage containers became popular fairly recently (in the 1970s) and have become ubiquitous in our lives since then. More and more research is proving that toxic compounds found in plastic cause health problems ranging from cancer to infertility.

Don't use plastic as your drinking bottle

There’s no Such Thing as a Safe Plastic.

Plastics that contain the super toxic compound bisphenol A (BPA) have been in the news a lot lately. And for this reason, consumers have been duped into thinking that if a product is “BPA-free” it’s perfectly safe. But this is a lie. Lots of companies have caught on to the fact that they can sell more of a product if it’s labeled as “BPA-free.” But guess what? It may be BPA-free, but in its place, these companies are using BPS, a close cousin of BPA that may be equally as toxic! The bottom line is – you can’t 100% trust that any plastic doesn't contain compounds that are toxic to your body.

Toys made from plastic claims to be BPA Free and safe, do they?

Plastics can Cause Fertility and Reproductive Problems.

The ability to produce a healthy child is a wondrous miracle and an amazing event in one’s life. But toxic compounds found in plastic could be making this difficult, if not impossible, for millions of people. What was once speculation is now becoming fact as more and more research is proving that this is a very real problem. For example, almost all plastics contain toxic chemicals that have a negative effect on immunity and hormone regulation, both of which directly affect fertility. Specifically, BPA has been found to make it more difficult for women to conceive and to cause increased risk of miscarriages. New research is also showing that toxins found in plastic can cause birth defects and developmental problems in children.

Another problem cause by plastic pollution - Infertility

Chemicals in Plastic can Make You Fat.

There are lots of reasons why nearly two-thirds of American adults are either overweight or obese. But one of them may be the vast amounts of plastics our food and beverages come in contact with. After all, America is the world’s largest consumer of disposable plastic containers. Interesting new research published in Environmental Health Perspectives explains that a chemical widely used in plastics, called bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), may actually cause stem cells to become fat cells. According to one of the study’s authors, “Exposure to these kinds of chemicals can reprogram your metabolism and make it more likely for you to store calories instead of passing them through.” Have you found that losing weight is next to impossible, despite eating less and exercising more? Perhaps it’s chemicals in plastics that make losing weight harder than it needs to be.

Chemicals in Plastic can make me become Fat?

Plastics are Just Terrible for Our Planet.

Whether you are a hardcore environmentalist or if being “green” is low on your list of priorities, the fact of the matter is that you live on planet Earth, and so will your children and your children’s children. We all have a responsibility to keep the planet has livable as possible. Firstly, plastics are in most cases made from petrochemicals through an energy intensive process that itself creates lots of pollution and toxic discharge. The fact is, every plastic container you use is making the planet less habitable. Also, most plastic in the world is not recycled and usually ends up in landfills, where it degrades very slowly. According to Wikipedia, “Since the 1950s, one billion tons of plastic have been discarded and may persist for hundreds or even thousands of years.”

Tons of non-biodegradable plastic in wasteland

What Are Your Best Solutions?

Like I said earlier, plastics are a nearly unavoidable part of our everyday lives. But there is a big difference between the plastic on your computer and the plastic that may come into contact with your lunch. You don’t eat your computer. The best solution, which is affordable, convenient and really safe is glass and certain types of metal. Here are some great solutions I've found.

• Break-proof glass water bottles: This glass water bottle has a rubber coating that prevents breakage. It makes water taste amazing! I take mine everywhere I go and it helps me avoid using plastic water bottles.
• Stainless steel straws: My kids don’t use plastic straws anymore, and instead use these stainless steel straws.
• Stainless steel containers: Dump your plastic Tupperware and instead go for stainless steel containers. Glass containers are great too, but most of them still have plastic lids.
• Glass water coolers: If you have a water cooler at your home or office, more and more companies are offering glass containers instead of plastic ones.
• Alternative to non-stick cookware: The coating on your non-stick cookware may be a type of plastic. Instead choose ceramic cookware or enameled cast iron.

Sneaky Sources of BPA

Even if you remove all plastic from your food and water supply, there are still some sneaky ways that highly toxic BPA can find its way into your life. Here are the most common:

• Cash register receipts: This usually shocks most people. But if you handle a receipt with your hands, then eat your food with your hands, BPA is getting in your system. Avoid receipts or wash your hands immediately after touching one.
• The lining of most canned foods.
• Some baby bottles and pacifiers
• Many toys and other children’s products
• Some aluminum water bottles (stainless steel is generally safe)
• Canned soda and beer

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The Dark Side of Coffee

Are you tired all the time? Incredibly, most of the patients I see complain of persistent, ongoing fatigue. Sometimes lack of sleep is a factor, but in almost all cases, there is another, often overlooked factor at play.

Coffee is good or bad?

If you rely on coffee or other caffeinated beverages, sugary foods or medication to provide you with the energy you need to make it through the day, please keep reading. I’m going to explain why you’re so tired all the time, and how you can fix the problem and restore your natural energy levels safely and quickly

Feeling tired without a cup of coffee?

Research shows that an astounding 80% of Americans use caffeinated beverages every morning for an energy boost. The fact is, we have become accustomed to consuming huge amounts of caffeine to keep pace with our busy lifestyles and stressful schedules.

The Dark Side of Caffeine

Although caffeine (along with sugar and stimulants like medication for Attention Deficit Disorder) can help boost energy temporarily, it does so at a significant expense. For example, research from Duke Medical School found that the average daily caffeine consumption of many Americans may raise heart attack and stroke risk by up to 20-30%, due to caffeine’s effects in raising blood pressure and increasing blood flow.

Feeling tired always

Additionally, and importantly in the case of those struggling with fatigue, caffeine pushes the body to release more stress hormones, which can leave you feeling burned out and fatigued in the short and long term.

The Hidden Cause of Energy Burnout, Weight Gain and Health Problems

Two small glands near your kidneys, called the adrenal glands, play a large role in producing energy and helping the body to manage stress. Caffeine, sugar and stimulant medications have a significant impact on these glands and drive them to release more of the body’s primary stress hormones, including epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol.

Coffee lover just can't stop drinking

Chronic elevations in cortisol levels can lower your immunity, disrupt your sleep, make you anxious, lower your energy, accelerate the aging process, affect your fertility, kill your sex drive, cause food cravings and increase your weight even if you manage to resist the cravings.

Even worse, when the adrenal glands have been artificially pushed by caffeine and stimulants for too long, they can become exhausted. The ability of the gland to produce even adequate levels of cortisol becomes compromised, and that’s when you may start to experience fatigue, brain fog, decreased ability to handle stress, poor immunity or auto-immune conditions, low body temperature and a general feeling of burnout. This state, called adrenal fatigue, has become epidemic in our society due to hectic lifestyles, poor nutrition and the over-consumption of stimulants like coffee, sugar and certain medications.

If you are among the majority with adrenal fatigue, what can you do? First, you’ll want to get more sleep if at all possible and reduce or eliminate your consumption of sugar, caffeine and stimulant medications (working with your doctor). Second, you’ll want to support your adrenals to coax them back to full vitality.

High sugar content in coffee

Unfortunately, modern medicine does not offer us many solutions to being burned out and tired. Anti-anxiety drugs or antidepressants may be suggested if your mood is starting to suffer. Or stimulant medications, which only make the matter worse, are recommended if the fatigue is persistent. Of course, none of these pharmaceutical interventions address the issue of stressed adrenal glands or help to restore balance to the output of adrenal-related stress hormones.

Is There a Natural Solution for Increased Energy and Vitality? 

Luckily, nature has provided us with tools that can improve our energy levels by supporting our natural stress response and boosting our body’s natural energy production without depleting us. As a holistic physician and pioneer in the natural health industry, I have spent years studying and researching nature’s pharmacopeia to bring you a safe, effective and healthy way to boost your energy.

Some study connects between coffee and stress

It’s important to understand that certain nutrients in the B vitamin family are closely linked to supporting the body’s response to stress and assisting the adrenal system in increasing energy and stamina. Vitamins B12, B6 and B5 in particular play critical roles in energy production and have all been shown to enhance adrenal function and cortisol balance during times of stress. Vitamin B12 also facilitates a biochemical reaction in the body necessary for the production of energy while vitamin B6 is vital to over 100 enzymes that catalyze energy producing reactions in the body. Vitamin B5 is part of a co-enzyme complex that is required by the body in order to make energy from food.

Many people are deficient in these vitamins and notice considerable increases in their energy level once they begin taking them in supplemental form. I always recommend B vitamins to my patients with adrenal fatigue, as well as vitamin C and calcium, which are also helpful when someone has been dealing with prolonged stress.

Craving for another cup of coffee? Think twice!

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Good News for Morning Coffee Cravers

Say Good Morning to Better Health!

Your cup of coffee just got a whole lot more health cred. Three new studies point to our a.m. brew as a way to ward off disease. Grab a cup and sip in the latest health benefits of coffee.

Coffee Cuts Cancer Risk

Researchers from Imperial College London found that women who drank three cups of coffee daily had an 19 percent lower risk of developing endometrial cancer compared to those who drank less than one cup a day. It isn't clear how coffee has this effect but one theory is that coffee reduces estrogen levels and another is that the oxidants in coffee may help slow or prevent cell damage that tends to allow cancer cells to proliferate.

Reduce Cancer Risk?

Coffee May Keep Your Arteries Clear

According to a study published in the journal Heart, drinking 3 to 5 cups of coffee a day may keep the arteries free of calcium deposits, which could lead to hardening of the arteries and stroke. We should note that this study didn't show a cause and effect relationship between coffee and less calcium, only a strong association.

Keep Your arteries clear

Coffee Reduces Multiple Sclerosis Risk

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. Researchers at John Hopkins University found that the caffeine in coffee may have neuroprotective properties that suppress the formation of the cells that are associated with MS. They came to this conclusion when they found that women who abstained from coffee for a year were 1.5 times more likely to develop MS than women who consumed at least four cups a day during that time.

Reduce the risk of MS?

We love good news in the morning. Are you pouring another cup yet?

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The Myth of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Fish oils come from fatty fish, also known as oily fish, specifically the tissue of fatty fish, such as trout, mackerel, tuna, herring, sardines, and salmon.

Fish oils are of interest to nutritionists and health care professionals because of two main ingredients: DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) - both types of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega 3 fatty acids

The fillets of oily fish contain up to 30% oil; this figure may vary. White fish, on the other hand, only contain high concentrations of oil in the liver, and have much less oil. Apart from omega-3 fatty acids, oily fish are also good sources of vitamins A and D. Whitefish also contain these nutrients, but at much lower concentrations.

Health experts commonly tell people that oily fish have more health benefits than white fish. However, their recommendations have never been compellingly proven scientifically in large population studies.

Many health authorities around the world advise people to consume either plenty of oily fish or to take supplements, because of their supposed health benefits. Studies over the last ten years have produced mixed results regarding the benefits of the dietary intake of fish oils.

What are Omega-3 fatty acids?
Omega-3 fatty acids are types of fat commonly found in plant and marine life oils. There are two types which are plentiful in fatty fish:

• Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is an Omega-3 fatty acid that is found in fatty fish. When we talk about omega-3 fatty acids in fish, we are usually referring to EPA. EPA is a precursor to prostaglandin-3, a platelet aggregation inhibitor, thromboxane-2 and leukotriene-5. Fish do not produce EPA, they obtain it from the algae they eat. 
• DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is an omega-3 fatty acid that is a main component of the human retina (in the eye), sperm, and cerebral cortex (in the brain). 40% of all the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the brain consist of DHA. DHA makes up 60% of the PUFAs in the retina. Half of the neuron's plasma membrane weight is composed of DHA. Breast milk is rich in DHA. 

How true are the fish oil health claims?
Over the last ten years, there have been dozens of studies on fish oils and omega-3 oils. Some have backed up these claims, while others have not.

Salmon

Fish oils are said to have several health benefits if they are included in a human diet, including:

Fish oils are said to help people with multiple sclerosis (MS)

However, a study carried out by researchers from University Hospital in Bergen, Norway, in April 2012 found that omega-3 fatty acids do not help people with MS.

Prostate cancer

Fish oils reduce men's risk of developing prostate cancer if they follow a low-fat diet, one study found, while another linked omega-3 levels to a higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that omega fish oils raise prostate cancer risk. The authors, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center reported that high fish oil intake raises the risk of high-grade prostate cancer by 71% and all prostate cancers by 43%.

Fish oils reduce men's risk of developing prostate cancer

Post-natal (post-partum) Depression

Fish oils protect from post-partum depression - Dr. Michelle Price Judge, of the University of Connecticut School of Nursing, said after carrying out a study in 2011 "DHA consumption during pregnancy at levels that are reasonably attained from foods has the potential to decrease symptoms of postpartum depression."

 Protect from post-partum depression

Mental Health Benefits

Fish oils help young people with behavioral problems, especially those with ADHD.

Memory Benefits

Working memory can improve in healthy young adults if they increase their Omega-3 fatty acids intake, researchers reported in the journal PLOS One (October 2012 issue).

Protection from Alzheimer's disease

Claims were made for many years that regular fish oil consumption would help prevent people from developing Alzheimer's disease. However, a major study in 2010 found that fish oils and a placebo were no different in Alzheimer's prevention.

Protection from Alzheimer's disease

In contrast, a study published in Neurology in 2007 reported that a diet in fish, omega-3 oils, fruit and veggies reduces dementia and Alzheimer's risk.

Protecting from Vision Loss

Adequate dietary consumption of DHA protects people from age-related vision loss, Canadian researchers reported in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.

Benefits for the Fetus

Omega-3 consumption boosts fetal cognitive and motor development - scientists from L'Université Laval Laval found that omega-3 consumption by the mother during her last three months of pregnancy improved her baby's sensory, cognitive and motor development.

How can vegans make sure their omega-3 fatty acid intake is sufficient?
Without proper planning, vegans and vegetarians have a much higher risk of being omega-3 deficient than humans who eat animal-sourced proteins.

A vegan consumes no animal-sourced protein at all, not even honey, while a vegetarian may include eggs and dairy in their diet. The risk of not consuming enough omega-3 fatty acids is higher for vegans than vegetarians if they do not plan their diets well. Which foods are rich in omega-3 fatty acids

Leafy Dark Green Vegetables rich in Vitamin D

The following foods are rich in omega-3 fatty acids:

• Oily fish - anchovies, herring, sardines, salmon, trout, and mackerel. 
• Flax Seed
• Hempseed 
• Perilla oil 
• Spirulina 
• Walnuts 
• Eggs (especially the ones that have "high in omega-3 written on the shell) 
• Chia seeds 
• Raddish seeds, sprouted raw 
• Fresh basil 
• Leafy dark green vegetables, such as spinach 
• Dried tarragon

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6 Reasons Why You Should Sleeping Naked

Pack away the flannel pajamas: A handful of studies and surveys show sleeping naked could actually be good for you.

Six reasons why you should consider it: 

You may like your partner more: 

A 2014 survey of Brits by Cotton USA (which promotes cotton products that likely include both pajamas and sheets) found that 57 percent of those who slept nude reported being happy in their relationship.

Improve your relationship

That was 9 percentage points more than PJ wearers, followed by 43 percent of nightie wearers. Onesie wearers—they apparently exist—brought up the rear at 38 percent, per the Daily Mail. 

It could help prevent diabetes: 

It's a bit of a stretch, but here's the logic: Adults have small amounts of brown fat (aka "good fat") in their bodies, and a 2014 study looked at how bedroom temperature affected the fat.

The four-month study was small: just five males who slept in rooms heated to 66-, 75-, or 81-degrees. After four weeks spent at the coldest temp, the men had almost twice as much brown fat, and their insulin sensitivity was better, which a researcher says could lower their diabetes risk. 

Prevent diabetes?

Four weeks at 81 degrees undid all the benefits. Though the New York Times points out the test subjects slept in hospital scrubs, going naked could help prevent overheating. 

It's better for your lady health:

Cosmopolitan cites advice from Dr. Jennifer Landa, who points out that an overly warm environment could spur too much yeast or bacteria to grow in the vaginal area. By passing on PJs, you'll have a better chance of giving air access to the region, preventing infections. 

Add caption

It's how our ancestors did it: 

If you're a Paleo-dieter who eats like a caveman, why not sleep like one, too? Neurologist Rachel Salas with the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep in 2013 told the Wall Street Journal that "back in the cave days," people slept naked.

It was, in part, a means of protection from predators, and that feeling of safety could be imparted by sleeping similarly in modern day. 

It could be better for the immune system: 

Mic reports that when skin-on-skin contact occurs, our adrenal glands get a message: lighten up on the production of the stress hormone cortisol.

Better Immune response?

As one doctor explains, "Cortisol suppresses the immune response." Skin-to-skin contact also increases levels of oxytocin, which can have positive effects on blood pressure and healing, says Salas. 

Body temp affects sleep: 

A 2004 study found that for sleep to "initiate normally," core body temp matters.

Cold temperature boost your sleeping efficiency

Per a researcher, "Studies of sleep onset insomniacs show that they consistently have a warmer core body temperature immediately before initiating sleep, when compared with normal healthy adults."

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Understanding Colorectal Cancer

Any cancer - a growth, lump, tumor - of the colon and the rectum is a type of colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is also known as bowel cancer. The UK National Health Service says colorectal cancer is the most common cancer globally today. However, the World Health Organization says it is the second most common cancer, after lung cancer. A US study found that incidence rates among adults younger than age 50 years are increasing.

Colorectal cancer rates are increasing worldwide

A colorectal cancer may be benign or malignant. Benign means the tumor will not spread, while a malignant tumor consists of cells that can spread to other parts of the body and damage them.

Cancer Cell replicating

What is the colon? What is the rectum?

The colon and rectum belong to our body's digestive system - together they are also known as the large bowel. 

The colon reabsorbs large quantities of water and nutrients from undigested food products as they pass along it.

Anatomy of Colon

The rectum is at the end of the colon and stores feces (stools, waste material) before being expelled from the body.

What are the signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer? 

• Going to the toilet more often. 
• Diarrhea. 
• Constipation. 
• A feeling that the bowel does not empty properly after a bowel movement. 
• Blood in feces (stools). 
• Pains in the abdomen. 
• Bloating in the abdomen. 
• A feeling of fullness in the abdomen (maybe even after not eating for a while). 
• Vomiting. 
• Fatigue (tiredness). 
• Inexplicable weight loss. 
• A lump in the tummy or a lump in the back passage felt by your doctor. 
• Unexplained iron deficiency in men, or in women after the menopause. 

As most of these symptoms may also indicate other possible conditions, it is important that the patient sees a doctor for a proper diagnosis. Anybody who experiences some of these symptoms for four weeks should see their doctor.

How do people get Colorectal Cancer?

Experts say we are not completely sure why colorectal cancer develops in some people and not in others. However, several risk factors have been identified over the years - a risk factor is something which may increase a person's chances of developing a disease or condition. The possible risk factors for colorectal factors are: 

• Being elderly - the older you are the higher the risk is. 
• A diet that is very high in animal protein. 
• A diet that is very high in saturated fats. 
• A diet that is very low in dietary fiber. 
• A diet that is very high in calories. 
• A diet that is very high in alcohol consumption. 
• Women who have had breast, ovary and uterus cancers. 
• A family history of colorectal cancer. 
• Patients with ulcerative colitis. 
• Being overweight/obese. 
• Smoking. This study found that smoking is significantly associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer and death. 
• Being physically inactive. 
• Presence of polyps in the colon/rectum. Untreated polyps may eventually become cancerous. 
• Having Crohn's disease or Irritable Bowel Disease have a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer. 

How common is colorectal cancer?

According to WHO (World Health Organization) colorectal cancer is the second most common tumor among both men and women (after lung tumors). 

40% of people who are diagnosed with colorectal cancer are already at an advanced stage of the cancer. For these patients surgery is probably the most likely option. 

Colorectal cancer tends to affect men and women equally. However, men tend to develop it at a younger age.

Tests and Diagnosis for colorectal cancer

Screening can detect polyps before they become cancerous, as well as detecting colon cancer during its early stages when the chances of a cure are much higher. The following are the most common screening and diagnostic procedures for colorectal cancer: 

Fecal occult blood test (blood stool test)

This checks a sample of the patient's stool (feces) for the presence of blood. This can be done at the GP's (general practitioner's, primary care physician's) office. However, most patients are given a kit that explains how to take the sample at home. The patient then returns the sample to the doctor's office, and it is sent to a laboratory.

However, a blood stool test is not 100% accurate - it might not detect all cancers because not all of them bleed. Even cancers that do bleed often do not do so all the time. Therefore, it is possible that a patient has a negative result, even though he/she has cancer. Even if blood is detected, this may be caused by other illnesses or conditions, such as hemorrhoids. Some foods may suggest blood in the colon, when in fact, none was present. 

Tumor Marker Test

Carcino Embryonic Antigen (CEA) 

CEA measurement is mainly used as a tumor marker to monitor colorectal carcinoma treatment, to identify recurrences after surgical resection, for staging or to localize cancer spread through measurement of biological fluids. CEA levels may also be raised in gastric carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, lung carcinoma, breast carcinoma, and medullary thyroid carcinoma, as well as some non-neoplastic conditions like ulcerative colitis, pancreatitis, cirrhosis, COPD, Crohn's disease, hypothyroidism as well as in smokers.

Blood test

Cancer Antigen CA 19.9

Moderate to high levels of CA 19.9 are found in pancreatic cancer, other cancers, and in several other diseases and conditions. The highest levels of CA 19-9 are seen in cancer of the exocrine pancreas. CA19-9 can be elevated in many types of gastrointestinal cancer, such as colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma

Flexible sigmoidoscopy

The doctor uses a sigmoidoscope, a flexible, slender and lighted tube, to examine the patient's rectum and sigmoid (the sigmoid colon is the last of the colon, before the rectum). The test does not generally take more than a few minutes and is not painful; but might be uncomfortable. There is a small risk of perforation of the colon wall. If the doctor detects a polyps or colon cancer he/she will then carry on a colonoscopy to examine the entire colon and take out any polyps that are present - they will then be examined under a microscope.

A sigmoidoscopy will only detect polyps or cancer present at the end third of the colon and the rectum. If there are any in any other parts of the digestive tract it will not detect them. 

Processed Meat and junk food increases the risk

Barium enema X-ray

Barium is a contrast dye that is placed into the patient's bowel in an enema form - it shows up on an X-ray. In a double-contrast barium enema air is added as well. The barium fills and coats the lining of the bowel, creating a clear image of the rectum, colon, and occasionally of a small part of the patient's small intestine. This procedure is often carried out along with a flexible sigmoidoscopy to detect any small polyps the barium enema X-ray may have missed. If the barium enema X-ray detects anything abnormal, the doctor may recommend a colonoscopy. 

Colonoscopy

The doctor uses a colonoscope, which is much longer than a sigmoidoscope. A colonoscope is a long, flexible and slender tube which is attached to a video camera and monitor. The doctor can see the whole of the colon and rectum. Any polyps discovered during this exam can be removed there and then - sometimes tissue samples (biopsies) may be taken instead. Taking biopsies does not hurt.

Although colonoscopies are painless, some patients are given a mild sedative to calm them down. Prior to the exam the patient may be given a large amount of laxative fluid to clean out the colon (enemas are rarely used). Bleeding and perforation of the colon wall are possible complications, but extremely rare. 

CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy)

A CT (computerized tomography) machine is used to take images of the colon. The patient needs to have a cleared colon for this exam to be effective. Even if anything abnormal is detected, the patient will then need conventional colonoscopy. A study found that CT colonography may offer patients at increased risk of colorectal cancer an alternative to colonoscopy that is less-invasive, is better-tolerated and has good diagnostic accuracy. 

Ultrasound scan

Sound waves are used to help show if the cancer has spread to another part of the body.

A affordable diagnostic method

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

This gives a three-dimensional image of the bowel and may help the doctor in his/her diagnosis.

Prevention is better than Treatment

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