Exercise is particularly important with hormone-dominant cancers like estrogen-positive breast cancer. Fat cells harbor estrogen, so the more weight you lose, the lesser your estrogen load. Having a “spare tyre” is dangerous for people with estrogen-sensitive cancer. Exercise also helps to alleviate many side-effects associated with drugs prescribed for cancer like aromatase inhibitors.

Since I started on the aromatase inhibitor Letrozole (Femara) a couple of months ago, I have been putting on weight, a common side-effect of AIs. This is not good for someone with my condition. I had actually been losing weight steadily over the last couple of years, until Femara came along. Now, it seems to me that no matter what I do I just can’t seem to lose weight. It’s so frustrating.

So I bought myself a pedometer last week, to help keep track of the number of steps I walk daily. The recommendation is to take at least 10,000 steps each day. Not counting the steps I take when I’m indoors, this translates (for me) to two hours of brisk walking. Each time I walk my dog, Ginger, it takes 25-30 minutes, and I do this twice a day. Either I walk her four times daily (ha! ha!) from now on, or I’ll just have to find some other way to get the other 5,000 steps in. So far, by taking an additional long walk each day, I’m averaging 9,000 steps. At least the pedometer reminds me to walk at least 10,000 steps everyday.

I’ve also been looking at other things I can do naturally to help lose weight, like drastically reducing sugar intake. I already hardly consume any sugar, so I’ve just switched from drinking “reduced-sugar” soy milk daily to “sugar-free” soy milk. Hopefully, that will help. I’m also thinking of taking virgin coconut oil daily, as my research shows that it assists weight loss, besides providing many other health benefits.

Weight-bearing exercises are supposed to help burn fat too. I used to have a pair of barbells. Wonder where they are now? Must look for them. Meanwhile, I bought an exercise band yesterday, so I can do some resistance-based stretching and pulling, even while sitting at my computer. I spend hours working at my desk, so every bit of exercise I can work in helps.

If you have any other ideas to help me lose weight safely and quickly, please share. I’m not doing this for vanity’s sake, but for my life.

Call me restless, but sitting still throughout a TV show is a challenge for me, let alone indulging in TV marathons. The minute the commercial break comes on, I like to get up to do something active and productive, such as washing the dishes and tidying up. Given a choice between watching TV and going for a walk, I choose the walk every time. Unless the program is really educational or inspiring, it seems like such a waste of life to spend hours in front of the television set.

I had a really nice walk yesterday when I visited my sister-in-law’s resort home. While everybody else stayed indoors to – you guessed it – watch TV, I enjoyed a lovely, invigorating walk along the coastline. The weather was cool and the sea breeze was refreshing. There were many interesting plants, trees and flowers to discover along the way, as well as beautiful homes to admire. Of course, I sometimes stopped to pat the occasional cat or dog. Gazing across the sea into the distance was a good break for my eyes, accustomed as they are to near-sight activities like reading and working on the computer. The setting sun also gave me my daily dose of Vitamin D as well as therapeutic far infrared rays. What a wonderful, rejuvenating walk that was!

In January, a six-year Australian study reported that living a sedentary lifestyle can shorten your life. Surprise, surprise. Researchers from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in the state of Victoria traced the lifestyle habits of 8,800 adults aged 25 and older. They found that each hour spent in front of the TV daily increased the risk of dying earlier from cardiovascular disease. Published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, the study found every hour in front of the TV was associated with an 11% increased risk of death from all causes, a 9% higher risk of cancer death, and an 18% increased risk of death related to cardiovascular disease (CVD).

The researchers said: “Compared with people who watched less than two hours of television daily, those who watched more than four hours a day had a 46% higher risk of death from all causes and an 80% increased risk of CVD-related death”. They said this association held regardless of other independent and common CVD risk factors, including smoking, high blood pressure and cholesterol, unhealthy diet, excessive waist circumference and leisure exercises.

The findings suggested that any prolonged sedentary behavior, such as sitting at a desk, may pose a health risk. Said researcher Professor David Dunstan, head of the institute’s physical activity laboratory in the division of metabolism and obesity: “The human body was designed to move, not sit for extended periods of time. For many people, on a daily basis, they simply shift from one chair to another – from the chair in the car to the chair in the office to the chair in front of the television set.”

These findings applied not only to the overweight but also to those of a healthy weight: “Even if someone has a healthy body weight, sitting for long periods of time still has an unhealthy influence on their blood sugar and blood fats. In addition to doing regular exercise, avoid sitting for prolonged periods and keep in mind to ‘move more, more often’. Too mush sitting is bad for health.”

I’m off to walk my dog now!

Compounds called endocrine disrupters have long been suspected to be behind health disorders such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, brain cancer, diabetes, heart problems, liver disease and even behavioural changes.

An endocrine disrupter which is one of the world’s highest production volume chemicals, bisphenol A (BPA), is estimated to be detectable in the bodies of more than 90% of the population in the US and Europe. More than 2.2 million tonnes of bisphenol A are produced annually, mainly for making plastics such as containers, baby bottles and food packaging. It’s even used to line cans.

In June 2009, the US Endocrine Society presented research showing that this chemical can affect women’s hearts and permanently damage the DNA of mice. Scientists in January 2010 reported that exposure to bisphenol A has been linked to heart disease, confirming earlier findings. The study was led by Dr. David Melzer, professor of epidemiology and public health at the Peninsula Medical School in Exeter, England. Dr, Melzer’s team studied data on 1,493 people aged 18 to 74. Their research confirmed that BPA also plays a role in diabetes and some forms of liver disease.

In a previous study, using data from a US government national nutrition survey in 2006, American and British scientists examined the effects of bisphenol A and found that high levels of the chemical in urine samples were associated with heart disease.

Pressure has been mounting to ban the use of the chemical in food packaging and bottles. Food and drug regulators in countries such as the US, Canada and the United Kingdom have been examining the safety of bisphenol A. Canada plans to outlaw plastic bottles made with BPA. The organization Breast Cancer UK in December 2009 urged the British government to do the same because they said there was compelling evidence linking bisphenol A to breast cancer risk.

In 2008, US government toxicologists at the National Institute of Health expressed concerns about BPA’s harmful effects on the development of the prostate and brain, as well as behavioural changes in foetuses, infants and children.

US environmental health advocacy groups are urging a federal ban on bisphenol A. “There’s enough research to take definitive action on this chemical to reduce exposure in people and the environment”, said Dr. Anila Jacob of non-profit organisation the Environmental Working Group.

Governments don’t move as fast as an individual can. What are YOU going to do TODAY to protect yourself and your loved ones from the harmful effects of endocrine disrupters like bisphenol A?

Estrogen is actually not a single hormone, but a family of hormones with varying chemical strengths. Some are dangerous, others are less so. Estradiol, an aggressive form of estrogen, is one troublemaker. Research shows that some prostate cancers are driven by a chemical called DHT – produced when estradiol attacks the male hormone, testosterone.

Two in three breast cancers are driven by estrogen, specifically estradiol. This troublesome hormone can cause healthy cells to mutate and stem cells to stay in their rapidly dividing state. It can lower oxygen levels in the cell by 40 per cent, cause malfunctioning of the transport systems across the cell membrane, poison the cell and even help the spread of the cancer message. Trouble starts when dangerous forms of estrogen bind to cell receptor sites, feeding the cancer.

When you have an estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) cancer, you need to avoid adding to the estrogen pool in your body. However, we are constantly exposed to chemicals in our environment, personal care products, household products and our foods which act like estrogen in the body. Examples of some external estrogen-like chemicals are pesticides, BPA, phthalates, toluene, perfumes, and parabens. These exogenous estrogens are called xenoestrogens. Some can be just as harmful as the more aggressive natural estrogens like estradiol.

Xenoestrogens are not the same as phytoestrogens, which are natural estrogens or estrogen-mimics derived from plants. Typically, xenoestrogens are far more potent and dangerous. They can wreak havoc on our endocrine system, creating a host of health problems.

What are some sources of xenoestrogens? Here are some bad guys to watch out for:

Nail varnishes and cleaners – these may contain xylene, formaldehyde and toluene, ingredients associated with health risks like damage to DNA and the liver, skin and respiratory irritation, and neurotoxins. Toulene, an estrogen-mimic, also affects the endocrine system.

Perfume and products with synthetic fragrances – these can be a mixture of over 100 different ingredients, and they are not all required to be named on the label. You need to be vigilant, as several are potent endocrine system disrupters and estrogen mimics. Toluene, for instance, is used in the manufacture of many perfumes.

Swedish research shows that 75 per cent of ordinary, everyday perfumed products used on the body produced DEHP – a very powerful estrogen mimic – once in the blood stream. The researchers discovered that that three-quarters of toiletry products tested contained DEHP and phthalates. Synthetic fragrances, perfumed body sprays, hairsprays and hair products were the main culprits. US research with pregnant women found that DEHP was so powerful that 11 per cent of male offspring born to mothers with high DEHP levels had genital defects. Another study concluded that some testicular cancers can start in the womb because of the use of synthetic fragrances or other xenoestrogens on the skin during pregnancy.

Men should not be complacent as DEHP is also found in soaps, shaving foam and aftershave. Practically all these products contain synthetic perfumes.

Cleaning agents, textiles, plastics, cosmetics and some kinds of paper – these are typical sources of a chemical called 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), an endocrine disrupter as well as an estrogen-mimic. 4-nonylphenol has proven to be a breast cancer threat , as reported by the Journal of Applied Toxicology in 2005. It has also been reported to affect semen quality.

Plastics and plastic additives – bisphenol A (BPA) is an ingredient previously used as a fungicide which is now used to manufacture many plastics and plastic additives. It is an endocrine disrupter, mimicking hormones like estrogen. Epoxy resins containing bisphenol A are used as coatings on the inside of almost all food and beverage cans, including bottle caps. Even water supply lines are coated with this chemical.

Bisphenol A is a key component in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic, a clear and nearly shatter-proof plastic used to make a variety of common products including baby and water bottles, sports equipment, medical and dental devices, dental fillings and sealants, eyeglass lenses, CDs and DVDs, and household electronics. Bisphenol A is a popular color developer in thermal paper and in carbonless copy paper.

Flexible plastics, toys, toiletries and other personal care or beauty products – these widely contain phthalates, another endocrine disrupter and estrogen-mimic. Like other endocrine disrupters, phthalates can elevate estradiol production and cause chromosomal damage. Phthalates leach from certain plasticisers used in plastic bottles, used to contain anything from drinking water to hair shampoo and other personal care products.

Cosmetics like face creams, lipsticks etc – many contain estrogen mimics. Dr Ana Soto of Tuft’s experimented with 10 such estrogen mimics, all normal product ingredients designated as safe levels by the US Government. In studies with rats she got a full estrogen response, the sort of effect you might see from the most potent form of estrogen, estradiol. That was just 10 ingredients! How many more estrogen mimics are you exposed to each week in your own home? Probably hundreds.

Finally (for this post any way) sodium lauryl sulphate in soaps, bubble bath, shampoos, dishwashing detergent and so on can increase the permeability of the skin by up to 40 per cent. This just allows more hormone mimics to pass into the blood stream. If you’re still using personal care and household products with sodium lauryl sulphate, for goodness sake WAKE UP! There are alternative, safe toiletry, skin care and household products available today. At least one brand, Neways International, avoids using 3,000 questionable ingredients, including the estrogen-mimics mentioned here.

If you haven’t already done so, switch to using personal care and household care products which are free from questionable ingredients, like xenoestrogens. It could save your life.

Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastics flexible. The specific phthalates found in the toy were dibutyl phthalates (DBP) and diethylhexyl phthalates (DEHP). The US has classified DEHP as a “probable human carcinogen” while the European Chemical Agency calls it a “Substance of Very High Concern”.

Phthalates are widely used. They are in soft PVC products like packaging, flooring, mats, milk bottles, toys, food containers and so on. Soft PVC products contain over 40% of phthalates by weight. The “new car” smell that motorists love comes from phthalates emitting from the dashboards of vehicles that have been in the sun. As the motor vehicle cools downs, the phthalates re-condense as an oily film on the inside of the windscreen. Yet another reason not to buy new cars.

I always avoid heating food up in plastic containers. Plastics with recycling codes 3 and 7, in particular, tend to contain phthalates. I also stay away from personal care products which contain phthalates. Yes, many cosmetics, fragrances, soaps, shampoos, lotions, deodorants and even baby powder contain phthalates. Phthalates are popularly used to enhance fragrances in skin care, hair care and beauty products like perfumes, hair spray, and nail polish. These chemicals are also found in environmental products like wood finishers and lubricants.

Manufacturers are sneaky. Phthalates are rarely listed on the ingredients label. Be smart; look out for proxy ingredients like “fragrance”.

A 2009 survey on phthalate levels in the environment by the US Centre For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that exposure to these chemicals was extremely widespread. Concerned, US authorities warned that DEHP was particularly likely to cause serious development problems in the sexual reproductive systems of young male children. Phthalates act as hormone disrupters. DBP and DEHP, especially, disrupt aromotase, an enzyme crucial to the metabolism of sex hormones. These chemicals cats as anti-androgens, or anti-male hormones.

In 2003, a Boston study discovered that men exposed to phthalates had fewer sperm, which also tended to be weaker and deformed. Statistics shows that male infertility is increasing at an alarming rate in industrialized nations, where exposure to phthalates is high. Two common male birth defects are undescended testes and hypospadias (a penile deformity).

Even more alarmingly, it is women of child-bearing age who have the most exposure to phthalates, very likely because of their heavy usage of personal care products containing harmful ingredients like phthalates. Not only are they in danger of producing male babies with sexual development problems, but they are also at risk of developing cancer. Are you using phthalate-free skin care products?

Safety-conscious company Neways International avoids using at least 3,000 questionable ingredients – including phthalates – in its personal care products, such as skin care, hair care, oral hygiene and beauty products. Instead, it uses safe and gentle ingredients as well as technological processes. What’s in the personal care products you use?

Beauty at any price – is it worth dying for?

My family was well-to-do, so we indulged in anything we liked. The dining table groaned with meat dishes, the larder was well-stocked with snacks, chocolates and other confectionery – you get the picture. As for personal care and household care products, we had all the well-known brands. Nothing but the “best” for us. What ingredients went into those products? Who knew and who cared? We were washed and powdered, and we smelled nice. That’s all that mattered.

From my teens, I bought lots of beauty products. They were a mix of unknown brands as well as famous brands. Skin care, hair products, cosmetics, I had the works. All I cared about was whether they made me look and smell good. In those days, what did anybody know about harmful and even carcinogenic ingredients in personal care products? We believed that well-known brands would only be made of the best ingredients, certainly nothing questionable or damaging to health. We never realised that the personal care and beauty products which we used daily could potentially harm us and make us sick.

We’ve come a long way, baby. Consumers today are better-informed about the dangers of common beauty and personal care ingredients such as:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
Propylene Glycol
Ethanol / alcohol
Fluoride
Mineral Oil
Petrolatum
Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA)
Retinoic Acid
Avobenzone
Homosalate
Benzophenone
Formaldehyde
PEGs
Parabens
Ceteareth-20
Diethanolamine (DEA)

There are many more toxic chemicals and harmful ingredients we are exposed to at home which can cause illnesses like cancer, respiratory problems, eye problems like cataracts, liver and kidney ailments, Alzheimer’s Disease, and allergic reactions. Many of these harmful ingredients are in products we love to slather on our skin, apply on our eyes, put in our hair and clean our mouths with.

Had I known years ago what I know today, I probably would have avoided using most kinds of commercial skin care, hair and other beauty products, and gone natural as far as possible (safe personal care products were virtually unheard of until recent years). Had my parents known what many people know today, I’m sure they would have made better dietary choices.

Today, half my siblings – including myself – have been afflicted with cancer. One lost the battle. My other siblings grapple with a variety of health problems. My father spent the last 30 years of his life fighting a host of medical conditions. My mother has been in poor health for many years and her memory comes and goes. Sheer coincidence?

Prevention is obviously better than cure. We cannot undo the damage that has already been done, but we can do our best from now on to protect ourselves and our loved ones. This is particularly essential for those who are already dealing with health conditions like cancer. Boycott personal care and household products which use inferior and potentially harmful ingredients. Choose brands which avoid using questionable ingredients. Safety-conscious Neways International avoids using more than 3,000 questionable ingredients, and counting. What about the brands you use? What poison are you putting on your skin today?

Propylene glycol, parabens, PEGs, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulphate, alcohol, petrolatum and talc are some widely-used ingredients which are potentially harmful and even carcinogenic. These are just a few of thousands of questionable ingredients which are used in bath products, skincare, make-up and other personal care products. You may not know it, but what you apply daily on your face and body may be making you sick and aging you prematurely.

Before I buy any personal care or beauty products, I read the ingredients on the label thoroughly. Nine out of 10 times, I end up putting the item back on the shelf. Even so-called “natural” or “organic” personal care products often contain questionable ingredients. When your family has a history of cancer as bad as mine does, you learn to get picky about what you expose yourself to, whether in food, the environment or personal care and household products. Any guest who stays in my home for a while will probably leave in better health than if they had stayed at a six-star hotel, because my family is so fussy about the safety and quality of the products we use.

This weekend brought happy news to me and many other safety-conscious consumers. My favorite safety-conscious health and wellness company, Neways International, launched a new skincare and beauty line which is comprehensive and effective while avoiding the use of at least 3,000 questionable ingredients, like toxins, dioxins, irritants, carcinogens, and contaminants. Can you think of any brand which has achieved this? Three cheers for Neways!

Ingredients and technologies used by Neways are typically safer and superior in quality than those typically used by many commercial brands. What’s got me even more excited is that Neways’ new True Touch skincare and cosmetics range uses a dizzying array of newly-discovered or little-known botanical ingredients. I pride myself in being well-informed, but Neways is now using healthy ingredients and technologies which are totally new even to me. Neways is also using more environmentally-friendly ingredients, such as bamboo, an environmentally-sustainable agricultural product (it’s the world’s fastest-growing plant) in the True Touch skin exfoliator called Clarifier.

After one beauty workshop yesterday, where I got to try many of the skincare products from Neways’ new True Touch line, my body was left tingling. Not just because the products had refreshed and invigorated my skin, but because I was excited to get the whole range home for my family to use. The products are so good they’re like vitamins and antioxidants for the skin, almost good enough to eat. No wonder they leave the skin looking and feeling great.

If you know of any other beauty brand which avoids using at least 3,000 questionable ingredients, while providing a range of skincare and make-up products as wide, comprehensive, effective and luxurious as Neways’ True Touch line, please write about it here. The more beauty options we have which are safe and healthy– and, preferably, even nourishing and healing – the better. Why put up with inferior and harmful personal care products anymore? Hallelujah!

It’s all our fault that Billy’s ill. Cats are fussy about cleanliness, and can make themselves ill simply by refusing to use the litter box when it’s not clean enough for them. The cat litter should have been changed on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, but we were so busy with the festivities that we waited longer than we should have to put in fresh litter. We were so caught up that we didn’t even notice that Billy had been having trouble relieving himself.

It breaks our hearts to see Billy so weak, and in pain, now. He’s so weak that he’s been soiling himself, so he’s often wet with urine. Cats hate to be dirty, so this must be so revolting for Billy. Of course, we wipe him clean several times a day. Poor baby.

Every time something like this happens, I am reminded that it could have been prevented. Had I taken more care, had I not been lazy, or procrastinated, had I been more observant, had I not been complacent …. You know how it goes.

Let’s try our best to make 2010 a safe and healthy year for our loved ones and ourselves. Don’t let a slip-up cause you grief. Be blessed!

This year we expected more of the same except, of course, some heads would be a little grayer and the children would be a little taller. We will gather together again, indeed, this week, but not to celebrate Christmas. We’ll be gathering for the funeral of the family’s only child, a 10-year old boy. Tragically, he died of a heart attack during the weekend, while on a family holiday. He had been an active, boisterous child, with no apparent health problems. Everyone’s still in shock. How could a seemingly healthy child die of cardiac arrest?

A couple of years ago, some relatives also lost their only son. He was 20 years old, physically fit and a competitive sportsman. In fact, he had been competing with his team in a rowing competition overseas when their boat capsized when they had completed the race and were making their way to shore. Four other young men drowned together with him. Had they followed the safety rules which included waiting to be towed back to the banks of the river, rather than attempting to navigate the unfamiliar, raging river themselves, they might still be alive today.

We still don’t know what caused our friends’ 10-year old boy to have a heart attack. Perhaps the strain of mountain-climbing was just too much for his little body to bear. There must have been some warning signs that he was unwell. Perhaps he was pushed to take on more than he could handle. Of course, we’ll never ask our friends’ these questions. They loved their son dearly and they’re already drowning in guilt.

We can do our best to eat healthily and exercise regularly, but all our efforts will come to naught if we’re complacent. Let’s always take precautions wherever we are, especially when engaging in potentially dangerous activity in unfamiliar territory. Let’s not ignore that strange growth on the body. Let’s always heed warning signs, including the still, small voice within us which sometimes causes us to feel uneasy about something we’re about to do. Let’s never fail to ask God for protection for ourselves as well as our loved ones. I bless my husband in the name of Jesus every time he leaves our home, and pray for his wellbeing. Whenever any of my family members travel, I always pray for their protection.

Let’s never make the mistake of taking what we have for granted. Complacency can kill.

Then puberty came along when I was only about 11 years old. And the weight started accumulating insidiously on my previously gangly frame. Before I realized it, I was chubby. By the time I was 13, I had ample curves. Boys were looking at me in funny ways. I was often teased about being well-endowed for my age. It was so embarrassing.

As the years went by, more weight crept on. Crash and fad diets helped me lose some of the fat, but the lost pounds – and more – always returned eventually. I put on weight gradually, just a pound or two each year, not enough to raise a red flag. I more or less accepted that I had a more womanly figure than most. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was around 135 pounds, way too much for a petite frame.

Since then, I’ve learned that being overweight or obese is a contributing factor for cancer. Fat is BAD NEWS. Estradiol, the most dangerous form of estrogen, resides in fat cells, so fat is particularly bad for those with estrogen-dominant cancer. Most breast cancers are estrogen-positive. Thank God, I’ve shed more than 20 pounds in the last couple of years. I’m looking forward to losing another 10 pounds.

Fat people shouldn’t be treated like pariahs, but do you know that the American Institute for Cancer Research just reported a few days ago that obesity causes more than 100,000 incidents of cancer in the US every year?

The group, which funds research on the link between diet and the disease, said 49 percent of endrometrial cancers, which originate in the womb, and 35 percent of esophageal cancers are linked to excess body fat.

“It’s clearer than ever that obesity’s impact is felt before, during and after cancer, it increases risk, makes treatment more difficult and shortens survival,” said Laurence Kolonel of the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii.

Scientists have long seen a link between obesity and certain types of cancer, but the study — extrapolated from US cancer incidence data — is among the first to conclude the link exists on such a scale.

Researchers have yet to pin down the exact link between obesity and cancer, but some have suggested that fat tissue may produce heightened levels of sex hormones that spur cancer growth or that fat lowers immune function.

If the link is proven to be true, cancers could be expected to balloon in tandem with US body sizes. According to the government-backed Centers for Disease Control, 34 percent of American adults aged 20 and over are obese. Red alert!