Indoor Air Pollution: Look at the Causes and Solutions

According to the EPA, air pollution indoors is often two to five times worse than it is outside. In extreme cases, air pollution inside can be a hundred times worse than outside. The reason is partly because numerous chemicals, like cleaning supplies, hair sprays and perfumes, are used inside the home. Another part of the problem is that many items inside our homes and materials used in home construction are notorious for letting off poisonous gasses - for years. Carpets, shower curtains, paints, upholstery, plywood, particle board, cabinets, computers, and synthetic materials all let off poisonous gasses and chemicals. Because most homes are well insulated, it leaves those poisons trapped inside for us to breathe.

However, there's a solution and as with most problems, the solution comes from nature - and not from a chemical company. NASA studies show that having ample plants indoors can detoxify up to 85 percent of indoor air pollution.

Acting like a filter for the air, some plants mop up formaldehyde. Others remove benzene, carbon monoxide, and trichloroethylene. Unfortunately, all of these chemicals are common in the air of most homes. If you're wondering how the air inside your home became quite so toxic, have a look at some sources of common chemicals.

New evidence shows selenium and omega-3s prevent colon cancer

When scientists gathered in Houston recently for the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, they heard groundbreaking evidence about how colon cancer can be prevented. The new data wasn't about drugs or surgery, either. Instead, two separate research groups concluded natural substances appear to protect from often deadly colon malignancies.

Colon cancer, which the American Cancer Society estimates is diagnosed in over 108,000 Americans each year, is intricately linked to adenomas, also called polyps. These lesions grow in the large bowel and start off as benign. However, they can turn into cancerous tumors and 70 to 80% of all cancers of the colon (the longest part of the large intestine) and rectum result from adenomas-turned-malignant.

So, in hopes of preventing future cancerous growths, polyps found during colonoscopies are snipped off and biopsied. Unfortunately though, pre-cancerous polyps often return.

But scientists at the National Institute for Cancer Research in Genoa, Italy, conducted a long term study that shows the risk of pre-cancerous polyps (dubbed colorectal metachronous adenomas) coming back after they've been removed can be greatly reduced. The key? Taking specific antioxidants, including a selenium-based compound.

"Our study is the first intervention trial specifically designed to evaluate the efficacy of the selenium-based antioxidant compound on the risk of developing metachronous adenomas," said Luigina Bonelli, M.D., head of the unit of secondary prevention and screening at the National Institute for Cancer Research, in a statement to the media.

Radiation Treatment for Cancer Causes Diabetes in Children

People who are undergo radiation therapy for childhood cancers are significantly more likely to develop diabetes as adults, according to a new study conducted by researchers from Emory University and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

A number of studies have found that radiation, chemotherapy, and other such treatments significantly shorten the lives of childhood cancer survivors.

"As a result of their curative therapies, childhood cancer survivors face an increased risk of morbidity and mortality," the researchers wrote. Nearly 75 percent of such children develop a chronic health condition within 30 years of diagnosis, while 42.4 percent develop severe, disabling or life-threatening health conditions. Because cardiovascular disease is a major killer of childhood cancer survivors, the researchers examined the effect of radiation treatment on the risk of diabetes, a major correlate of cardiovascular mortality.

The researchers examined diabetes rates in 8,599 people who had been diagnosed with cancer before the age of 21, between 1970 and 1986. These rates were compared with 2,936 of their cancer-free siblings, who were randomly selected. All participants were screened for diabetes in 2003.

After adjusting for other diabetes risk factors including age, body mass index, ethnicity, exercise, income, insurance and race, the researchers found that those who had undergone cancer treatment as children were 1.8 times more likely to have diabetes as adults than their siblings were. Those who had been treated with abdominal radiation were 2.7 times more likely to have diabetes, while those who had been treated with whole-body radiation were a shocking 7.2 times more likely to be diabetic.

Risk increased with radiation dose used, and decreased with age at diagnosis. People diagnosed with cancer before the age of five had 2.4 times the diabetes risk as those diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 20.

A previous study found that childhood cancer survivors were five to 10 times more likely to suffer from heart disease than their cancer-free siblings, and significantly more likely to suffer from kidney disease.

Sources for this story include: www.reuters.com; www.sciencedaily.com

Coffee Lowers Risk of Diabetes and Liver Fibrosis, Hepatitis and Prostate Cancer

Drinking coffee can lower the risk of liver fibrosis, hepatitis, and type 2 diabetes; new research has shown. Coffee has also been shown to lower the risk of prostate cancer, and even Alzheimer's disease and stroke. It is the caffeine in the coffee that is the active ingredient, but other sources of caffeine, such as green tea, black tea and chocolate may be helpful in reducing health risks, though the study showed that coffee reduced the risk for fibrosis.

The most recent coffee study was published in January 2010 in the journal, Hepatology, and titled, "Increased caffeine consumption is associated with reduced hepatic fibrosis". One hundred and seventy seven patients were studied over a six-month period. The group was comprised of close to half male and female, with 112 chronic hepatitis sufferers. The participants consumed 308 mg of caffeine a day, the same as 2.25 cups of coffee.

Another study, published in the journal Arthritis Rheumatism in 2007, concluded that coffee consumption lowered uric acid levels, which is the cause of gout and osteoarthritis.

The research on coffee and diabetes was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The findings also indicated that tea and decaffeinated coffee also helped reduce the risk of diabetes. Every cup of coffee consumed equaled a seven percent reduction in diabetes risk. This study was collected from over 18 various studies on coffee, totaling nearly a half million participants.

In December 2009, research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference showed that coffee reduced the risk of prostate cancer because of its effect on blood sugar, insulin and glucose metabolism. The research was collected from over 50,000 men, from 1986 to 2006. Men who drank the most coffee had a 60 percent lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer, compared to the men who drank no coffee.

The more coffee you drink, the lower is the risk of diabetes and other chronic health conditions, the research suggests. Further research is needed to confirm these findings, but the indications are that the morning cup of Joe may be good for your long-term health.

Acupuncture improves sex drive and decreases hot flashes

A recent study conducted by Henry Ford Hospital in Michigan revealed that acupuncture has even more benefits than previously thought for patients with breast cancer. In addition to reducing hot flashes better than drug therapy, acupuncture is effective at boosting the sex drive and overall sense of well-being in women undergoing intensive breast cancer treatment.

Published in the Journal of Oncology, the study highlights the superiority of acupuncture in improving the quality of life for breast cancer patients without imposing negative side effects like drugs do. Dr. Eleanor Walker, lead author of the study and division director of breast services in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Henry Ford, confirmed this to be true when explaining the details of the study.

Two groups, one receiving acupuncture for their symptoms and the other receiving Venlafaxine drug therapy, were observed over a 12 week period. Initially, all the women experienced a 50 percent reduction in hot flash and night sweat symptoms. At the end of the treatment period, however, the group that received Venlafaxine experienced an immediate increase in symptoms while the acupuncture group did not.

The purpose of the study was to focus on alternative treatments to Venlafaxine that would better alleviate the negative side effects of breast cancer treatment and ultimately encourage women to continue participating in it.

According to the National Cancer Institute, 13 percent of women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. Since conventional treatment is long and difficult, researchers hope to alleviate some of the associated misery with methods other than drug therapies that only make the situation more difficult.

Obesity Causes Increased Risk of Kidney Cancer, Kidney Stones, and Stroke

Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or greater. BMI is a ratio determined by weight and height. With a large percentage of Americans classified as being obese, research is showing the effects extra weight and obesity have on a person's overall health. Recent studies show that obese people have an increased risk of developing common kidney cancer, kidney stones, and an increased risk of having a stroke.

A study involving 1,640 participants studied the effects of weight on kidney cancer. The average age of patients was 62 and all participants had kidney tumors. The study showed that patients with a BMI of 30 or higher were 48% more likely to develop clear-cell renal cell cancer (RCC). With every 1 point increase in BMI, obese patients increased their odds of getting kidney cancer by 4%.

Out of all the participants, 67% of the obese patients had kidney cancer compared to 57% of non-obese patients. Researchers do not know why there is a link between obesity and kidney cancer. Researchers are looking into a secondary link involving diabetes, hypertension, hormonal changes, and decreased immune function.

A recent study shows that obesity increases the risk of developing kidney stones. Kidney stones are solidified deposits of minerals that are very painful when passing through the urethra. Researchers studied more than 95,000 medical records and 3,257 people had kidney stones in a 4 year period. They found that 1 in 40 people at normal weight or overweight experienced kidney stones compared to 1 in 20 obese people.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University are not clear as to the exact link between obesity and kidney stones. However, they theorize that perhaps people who are obese have different levels of substances in their blood that lead to kidney stones.

Another recent study shows that people who are obese have an increased risk of suffering from a stroke. The study included 13,549 middle-aged participants. Researchers looked at BMI and waist circumference. They found that three factors highly influenced the development of a stroke: sex, ethnicity, and weight. The study found that obesity leads to diabetes and hypertension, which then increases the likelihood of a stroke.

These studies provide a closer look at obesity and its impact on health. Although none of the studies conclude a definite cause-effect relationship, the link is definitely there. Obesity has a negative impact on health and people with a BMI of 30 or higher need to take action to reduce their weight to improve their health.

Healing cancer naturally: Charlotte Gerson joins NaturalNews Talk Hour

This week's NaturalNews Talk Hour features Charlotte Gerson, Founder of The Gerson Institute, discussing "Healing Cancer Naturally". Discover what conventional medicine has kept secret for decades about the cancer treatment industry. Charlotte will reveal what the mainstream media doesn't tell you about your treatment options for cancer.

Our show runs this Thursday evening at 6pm Pacific / 9pm Eastern, and registration is FREE. Simply enter your email address in the registration form on the right column of this page and you'll receive call-in details for the broadcast.

The NaturalNews Talk Hour is a "behind the scenes", up close and personal look at the most important issues of our time. Protect the health of yourself and your family by learning the best kept secrets of optimal health, freedom and the pursuit of happiness.

Jonathan Landsman, host of NaturalNews Talk Hour, says "Cancer is NOT what you think it is… Charlotte Gerson will shed light on your darkest fears and reveal how brainwashed our society has become with regard to cancer therapies. Invite your friends and join us for an amazing conversation filled with common sense, hope and love."

With participation by the Health Ranger, the NaturalNews Talk Hour features top-notch guests like Drs. Julian Whitaker, Bernie Siegel, T. Colin Campbell plus many other notable experts on healthy living.

Reader feedback about the talk hour has been extremely positive. One listener sent us this testimonial about the show:

I heard the NaturalNews Talk Hour interview with Dr. Leonard Horowitz about "The REAL Da Vinci Code" and it was worth every cent of my long distant call (2¢/min – total cost $1.20) from South-Shore of Montréal, Québec, Canada. Sound was clear and the topic... enlightening and eclectic."
- Benoit L.

New study: mango prevents and halts growth of colon and breast cancer cells

Take a bite of a juicy, sweet mango and you are experiencing a delicious taste enjoyed by countless people from ancient times until today. According to the Orlando-based National Mango Board (NMG), a mango industry-sponsored research, promotion and consumer information program, mangos are known to be rich in vitamins C and A, as well as fiber. However, because little has been documented about any specific health benefits of eating the fruit, NMB has commissioned a variety of scientific studies to investigate these issues.

So far, this research initiative has turned up an unexpected and groundbreaking discovery: in laboratory experiments in Texas A&M University's AgriLife Research department mango fruit prevented or stopped cancer growth in certain breast and colon cell lines.

Food scientists Dr. Susanne Talcott and her co-researcher husband, Dr. Steve Talcott, used the five varieties of mangos (Kent, Francine, Ataulfo, Tommy/Atkins and Haden) most common in the US and specifically tested polyphenol extracts from the fruit on colon, breast, lung, leukemia and prostate cancer cells. Polyphenols are natural substances in plants that are antioxidants with the potential to protect the body from disease. The Talcotts zeroed in on evaluating polyphenolic compounds in mangos known as gallotannins, a class of natural bioactive compounds believed to help prevent or block the growth of cancer cells.

War on Cancer is a Dismal Failure

Almost four decades ago, Richard Nixon signed the National Cancer Act of 1971 and the "war on cancer" began- or so the mainstream media would like us to think. The so-called war on cancer is not only a dismal failure but has also become an outright lie perpetuated by big business. Not only are more people dying of cancer than ever before but more people are getting cancer at earlier ages than ever before.

According to Newsweek writer Sharon Begley, "Cancer is on track to kill 565,650 people in the United States this year - more than 1,500 a day, equivalent to three jumbo jets crashing and killing everyone aboard 365 days a year."

However, finding the cure for cancer might just put the pharmaceutical industry out of business and would certainly end the careers of countless doctors and so called "researchers." Therefore it is in the best interest of these and related institutions to suppress all knowledge of real, proven cancer cures that do exist and have existed for thousands of years.

Since no one can patent a natural cure and make money off of it, the cures are suppressed and even attacked by big companies and the media. Not only does the "cure" for cancer exist, but it has existed for thousands of years. The "cure" is not a magical pill or a chemical concocted in a lab, but purely a detoxification program that prevents cancer from surviving and thus cures it.

Your body is designed to heal itself. Think about when you get a cut. In a few days your body has healed your wound and the cut disappears. It is the same with disease. When you prevent your body from being able to heal- by flooding it with toxic substances such as unhealthy food, pharmaceutical drugs, chemotherapy and more- your body is unable to fight off the overload of toxins, and therefore you become sicker and sicker. However, when you feed your body what it needs such as pure, raw, alkalizing foods and juices then it is able to repair itself of any disease.

Billions of dollars are spent on cancer research- the research of concocting chemicals in pharmaceutical labs to sell more drugs to innocent and desperate patients who so badly want to believe that this drug is their magical cure. According to Cancer researcher Ty Bollinger, chemotherapy has a 97 percent fatality rate. "The cancer 'box' is largely the creation of multinational pharmaceutical companies attempting to peddle their poisons in an effort to increase shareholder profits," says Bollinger. "Sadly, these profits are oftentimes generated at the expense of the dying cancer patient."