Does Anti-tobacco Advertising on Television Help Reduce Adult Smoking?

April 25th, 2012

It is know that adults and youth are exposed to anti-smoking advertising on television but little is know about  about which  ones  or if any are effective.  A new study evaluates the relationship between adults’ smoking behavior and their exposure to advertising sponsored by a variety of sources including states; private foundations, tobacco companies, and pharmaceutical companies marketing smoking-cessation products.

In the study published in the American Journal of Public Health researchers evaluated exposure to smoking related advertising using Nielsen ratings data for the top 75 U.S. media markets between 1999 and 2007 and combined the data with individual smoking data and state tobacco-control-policy data. Variables such as smoking status, intentions to quit, attempts to quit in the past year, and average daily cigarette consumption were included.

Data showed  that markets with higher exposure to state-sponsored media campaigns had less smoking  and higher intentions to quit.   Those with higher exposure to state-sponsored, private organization advertising, and pharmaceutical adverting was associated with less smoking but higher exposure to tobacco industry advertising was associated with more smoking. In addition, it was found that adults who were in areas with more ads for pharmaceutical cessation products were less likely to attempt to quit.  The author said “Since we looked at the total amount of exposure to anti-smoking campaigns–and the campaigns are very different–our data suggests that it may not matter what you say to people, just that you’re saying it a lot.”  The researcher also says that recent increased funding for anti-smoking campaigns may contribute to reduction in smoking among adults in the United States.

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Posted in research, smoking cessation | 1 Comment »

Ellie Peterson Talks about Meditative Yoga on the Holistic Health Show on Saturday.

April 24th, 2012

My third guest on Saturday is Ellie Peterson.  Ellie  is the creator of an innovative technique that brings improved health, enthusiasm and well being through the synergy of affirmations like “I can”, “I am loved”, and “I release fear” with yoga balance/flexibility, cardio, and strengthening, movements. Ellie’s holistic approach is effective in bringing about changed lives because it combines both exercise movements and affirmations into an active process thereby energizing individual’s mind, body and being.  This new, one-of-a-kind fitness program is embraced by any age: elementary & high school students, new mothers, busy working adults and seniors.   Ellie is author of the Meditative Yoga eBook, Meditative Movements book, and Power of Positive Aerobics DVD and as a speaker she inspires people of all ages to affirm themselves as they move

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Posted in Yoga, affirmations, meditation | 1 Comment »

Bill Gottlieb, Leader in the Popular Health Field, and Andrea Beaman, Natural Food Chef, Author and Television Host Are Upcoming Guests.

April 22nd, 2012

Guests of Dr Carl O Helvie, host, the Holistic Health Show on Saturday will be Bill Gottlieb, Andrea Beaman, and Ellie Peterson.

Bill Gottlieb has spent his lifetime learning about and writing about health—and helping millions of Americans achieve their health goals.  For 20 years (1976-1995), Bill worked at America’s leading health and wellness publisher, Rodale, Inc. He started as an associate editor of Prevention Magazine in 1976, and became a senior editor of Prevention in 1978 and assistant managing editor in 1980. In 1982, he was promoted to managing editor of Prevention Magazine Health Books, and in 1984 to executive editor. In 1986, he became editor-in-chief of Rodale Books, including Prevention Magazine Health Books. From 1986 to 1995, Bill was the editorial executive who helped lead Rodale Books from $100 million to $250 million in yearly sales, managing an editorial staff of 125 people, and supervising the publication of 75 books a year, including the mega-selling The Doctors Book of Home Remedies (16 million copies sold).

A longtime spiritual practitioner, Bill decided to leave Rodale in 1995 to become the volunteer publishing director of The Dawn Horse Press, the publication division of his spiritual community, Adidam.

In 1997, he returned to for-profit publishing. Since then, he has:

  • Written 10 health books that have sold more than 2 million copies, including the bestselling Alternative Cures.
  • Written hundreds of articles for many national publications, including Prevention, Reader’s Digest, Bottom Line Personal and Bottom Line Health, Self, Men’s Health and Natural Solutions.
  • Worked as an editorial and marketing consultant for many companies, including Time-Warner, Hearst and Boardroom Inc.
  • Formed the book packaging and editorial consulting company, Good For You Books, which packaged the award-winning Healing Spices (Sterling, 2011).
  • Trained as a Holistic Health Coach with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Bill also has extensive media experience. He was the spokesperson in a commercial for The Doctors Book of Home Remedies that was broadcast 50,000 times and generated sales of 2 million copies. He has appeared on national television and radio—including Good Morning America, CNN, NPR—and dozens of local TV and radio shows. He recently was the featured spokesperson in an infomercial for his book Speed Healing (Bottom Line Books), which was broadcast in cities nationwide. Bill lives in northern California.  More information is available at: http://www.billgottliebhealth.com

My second guest, Andrea Beaman is a Natural Foods Chef, author, and television host dedicated to alternative healing and green, sustainable living.  Andrea was a featured contestant on Bravo’s hit reality TV show, Top Chef (season 1).  She is a regularly featured food and health expert on CBS News, and has appeared on Barbara Walters, The View, Emeril Live and Whole Living on Martha Stewart Radio.  She is the host of the Award Nominated Fed UP! A cooking show that educates guests and viewers how to cook for, and cure, bodily ailments.  She maintains www.AndreaBeaman.com, her personal website that offers recipes, video blogs, food tips, holistic health coaching, books, DVD’s, and other health-related information.

Andrea teaches fun cooking classes and health seminars to a wide base of clients and students at The Institute For Integrative Nutrition, the Natural Gourmet Cooking School, The James Beard House, The Open Center, and other schools around the country, to over 2000 students annually.

Andrea is the author of The Whole Truth – How I Naturally Reclaimed My Health, and You Can Too! and The Eating and Recipe Guide – Better Food, Better Health, and Health is Wealth – Make a Delicious Investment in You!

She is featured in the Top Chef Cookbook, Escape From Corporate America, Integrative Nutrition Case Histories and Louise Hay’s Modern-Day Miracles.  She has contributed articles to Women’s Health Magazine, Whole Living, Forbes Traveler, Dish Du Jour, Physician Assistant Magazine, Quick & Simple, Delicious Magazine, Nick Jr. Magazine, Delicious Living, and others. More information is available at: http://www.AndreaBeaman.com

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Posted in alternative health, natural products, nutrition | Comments Closed

Can Injectable Contraceptives Increase Breast Cancer Risks in Young Women?

April 20th, 2012

A new study published in Cancer Research found that the recent use of an injectable form of progestin-only birth control of a year or more doubles the risk of breast cancer in young women. Although this contraceptive, depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) ,contains the same kind of progestin as the menopausal hormone therapy regime found in earlier clinical trials  to increase breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women, few studies had previously studied the link with young women.

There were 1,028 women age 20 to 44 diagnosed with breast cancer in the study and 919 age-matched controls without a history of breast cancer. Of these about 10 percent reported using DMPA, which is consistent with usage patterns nationally. In their study researchers found that recent DMPA use within 5 years for a 12 month or longer period was associated with a 2.2 fold increase risk of invasive breast cancer but this risk seemed to dissipate within months after contraception use was discontinued.  Those in the study who used the contraceptive for less than a year or had stopped the contraceptive more than a year earlier did not have the risk of breast cancer.

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Posted in breast cancer, research | 1 Comment »

Are All Herbal Remedies Safe?

April 18th, 2012

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science concluded that aristolochic acid (AA), a component of a plant.  used in herbal medicine may lead to kidney failure and upper urinary tract cancer (UUC) in those exposed to the toxin. Previous studies have also shown that AA is a powerful nephrotoxin and carcinogen associated with chronic kidney disease and upper urinary tract cancer. In a study of 151 UUC patients in Taiwan where the incidence is the highest of anywhere reported worldwide and where AA has been widely used the researchers concluded the exposure to AA is the primary contributor to the incidence of UUC in Taiwan. The researchers work builds on work previously carried out in the Balkans.

An analysis of National Health Insurance data in Taiwan over the years of 1997 and 2003 showed widespread use of AA in herbal medications. From a random sample of 200,000 of all insured people in Taiwan, about 1/3 of those prescribed medicines consumed herbs containing AA.

DNA was extracted from the 151 UUG patients believed to be associated with aristoloochic acid.  Researchers found a metabolite of AA bound to the DNA in the kidney cortex of 83 percent of the UUC patients. This caused alteration in the properties of genomic DNA that is a critical step in the development of cancer. In addition, TP53. a gene associated with many forms of cancer, was found in a majority of the UUC patients.  Researchers said the study clearly demonstrates that the presence of AL-DNA in the kidney cortex resulting from the reaction of the AA with the DNA, and the specific mutations in tumor tissue, are biomarkers of exposure to AA. They recommend public health efforts to eliminate aristolochic acid nephropathy and related upper urinary tract cancer.

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Posted in Cancer, research | 1 Comment »

Interviews on Whole Foods, Vegan and Vegetarian Diets and Weight Loss Now Available.

April 15th, 2012

Yesterday, Dr Carl O Helvie, host,  interviewed Dr Janice Stanger, Debbie Johnson, Trudy Scott, and Susan Schenck on diet and weight loss on the Holistic Health Show.

Dr Janice Stanger has a PhD in Human Development and Aging and is certified in plant based nutrition. She is author of The Perfect Formula Diet: How to Lose Weight and Get Healthy Now with Sic Kinds of Whole F0ods. More information was presented earlier on this blog and can also be found at: http://www.perfectformuladiet.com

Debbie Johnson is Best Selling author of Think Yourself Thin and five other booksand uses a technique she calls “focused imagination.”  More information was presented earlier on this blog and can also be found at: http://www.thinkyourselfthin.com

Trudy Scott is a food mood expert and author of the Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your anxious Mind,. Improve Your Mood & End Craving. More information was presented earlier and can also be found at: http://www.antianxietyfoodsolution.com

Susan Schneck is a raw food coach and author of the 2 time award winning book The Live Food Factor: The Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirtit & Planet. More information was presented earlier and can be found at: http://www.livefoodfactor.com

Enjoy the interviews below:

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Posted in Podcast, Uncategorized, nutrition, weight loss | 4 Comments »

Are Exercise and Caffeine Protective Against Sun Exposure Skin Cancer?

April 13th, 2012

A new study reported at the American Association of Cancer Research last week concluded that the combined effects of exercise and caffeine consumption may prevent skin cancer and also prevent inflammation related to other obesity-linked diseases. These results were found in a mouse model study but the researcher believes  “we may extrapolate these findings to humans and anticipates that we we would benefit from these combination treatments as well.”

Using mice at high risk of developing skin cancer researchers evaluated the effects of caffeine and exercise and found that mice that took a dose of caffeine and exercised on a running wheel had 62% fewer skin tumors. In addition, the volume of tumors also decreased by 85% compared with mice that did not exercise or take caffeine.  Positive effects were also found for either intervention alone but to a lesser degree.  Findings were a 27% reduction in skin tumors for caffeine only mice and a 61% reduction in tumor size. They found the tumor activity was reduced by 35% and the tumor volume by 70% in exercise-only mice. They also found that combined exercise and caffeine reduced weight and inflammation when mice were fed a high-fat diet of omega-6 fatty acid-rich  foods for two weeks.  These results were again higher when the two interventions were combined than with either one alone.

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Can Eating Cruciferous Vegetables Improve Breast Cancer Survival?

April 11th, 2012

A new study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting reported that breast cancer survivors who eat cruciferous vegetables such as greens, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli may improve their chances for survival.  Subjects for the study included 4,886 Chinese survivors of stage 1 to 4 breast cancer diagnosed  between 2002 and 2006 that were part of the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study.  Subject’s data were adjusted for demographics, clinical characteristics, and lifestyle factors and there continued to be a reduced risk of total mortality for the group who ate more cruciferous vegetables during the first 36 months after diagnoses. There was also reduced mortality for breast cancer specific mortality and for disease recurrence.  As women ate more cruciferous vegetables their risk of death or cancer recurrence decreased. Statistics showed that women who were in the highest quartiles of intake of vegetables daily had a 62% reduced risk of total mortality, 62 % reduction risk of breast cancer mortality, and 35 percent reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence compared to women in the lowest quartile of vegetable intake. The researchers said further research is needed.

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Posted in breast cancer, nutrition, research | 2 Comments »

Whole Food, Vegan, Raw and Other Ways For Good Nutrition and Weight Loss

April 8th, 2012

On the Holistic Health Show next Saturday my first guest will be Janice Stanger, Ph.D.  (far left) an author, educator, and health industry expert. Her mission in writing The Perfect Formula Diet: How to Lose Weight and Get Healthy Now with Six Kinds of Whole Foods is to help people and the planet through a whole foods, plant-based diet.  Janice was motivated to research plant-based nutrition by the examples of her two daughters, who stopped eating meat at ages 11 and 13. She spent 14 years critically analyzing scientific findings until perfecting the whole foods discoveries she wants to share with you now.

Janice has a Ph.D. in Human Development and Aging from University of California, San Francisco – one of the country’s leading health sciences campuses. She is certified in plant-based nutrition through the T Colin Campbell Foundation and eCornell. She also has an M.B.A from University of California, Berkeley. More information is available at: http://www.perfectformuladiet.com

My second guest is Debbie Johnson( 2nd from left). As Best-selling author of Think Yourself Thin and author of five other books, Debbie Johnson has traveled world-wide giving workshops and media interviews, on both national and local levels.
She is also a Success Trainer and has worked with sports professionals as well as businesses for thirty years with great results, using a technique she developed herself called “focused imagination.” She used this technique to be successful in sales and business, then applied it to her extra forty pounds, lost it all with her technique, and has kept it off for over 25 years! She is the only expert in this unique area.
Johnson has appeared on national network television shows such as The Carol and Marilyn Show and The Other Side. Radio interviews are a natural for Johnson, who has done hundreds, from local to national levels. She has been interviewed for Cosmo, Redbook, Women’s World, first for Women, Bottom Line Personal and more, including a Japanese magazine called “Uno.”
Johnson presently resides in Hot Springs, South Dakota. More information is available at: http://www.thinkyourselfthin.com

My third guest is Trudy Scott (3rd from left). Trudy is a Food Mood Expert and Nutritionist, speaker and author of The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood & End Cravings, published June 2011 by New Harbinger. Trudy has a nutrition practice with a focus on Food, Mood and Women’s Health. Trudy loves to share the amazing healing powers of food and nutrients, and how they can be used to eliminate anxiety and other mood problems. She is President of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals and is a member of Alliance for Addiction Solutions and Anxiety Disorders Association of America. Trudy publishes an electronic newsletter entitled Food, Mood and Gal Stuff, available at http://www.everywomanover29.com and http://www.antianxietyfoodsolution.com She lives in Northern California with her wonderful husband and they enjoy windsurfing, mountain-biking and skiing.  Trudy’s goal for all her clients: “You can be your healthiest, look your best and feel on-top-of-the-world!”

My last guest (far right) is Susan Schenck. Susan, LAc, is a raw food coach, lecturer, and author of the 2-time award winning book, The Live Food Factor, The Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit & Planet, which has gained a reputation as the encyclopedia of the raw food diet—as well as Beyond Broccoli, Creating a Biologically Balanced Diet When a Vegetarian Diet Doesn’t Work. Go to http://www.livefoodfactor.com to get the first chapter of her book by signing up for the newsletter

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Can Fungal Infections Mimic Cancer?

April 6th, 2012

In a report published online in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases researchers discussed  an emerging fungal infection in the Southwestern United States and other desert regions that mimics cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. The fungus known as Basidiobolus ranarum is usually found in the soil, decaying organic material and the gastrointestinal tract of fish, reptiles, amphibians, and bats.

Forty four cases from around the world were studied by the researchers including 19 from the United States with 17 from Arizona, and one from Utah. Eight of the cases died.

Because Basidiolomycosis is usually a subcutaneous infection developing after traumatic innoculation of the fungus under the skin  in tropical areas finding it in the gastrointestinal tract of individuals in arid areas is unusual. The researchers say “the exact mode of acquisition of this gastrointestinal infection is unclear, although consumption of contaminated food or dirt is the favored hypothesis.” More studies are needed to determine how it is contracted, what underlying diseases might predispose to it, and what is the best way to treat it. Those individuals with the condition had non-specific symptoms such as abdominal pain or a mass that could be felt on examination. Before a definitive diagnoses was made it was believed these patients had abdominal cancer, diverticulitis, or inflammatory bowel disease. Successful treatment for most patients consisted of surgical resection and prolonged antifungal therapy.

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