ALCOHOLIC DRINKS COULD RAISE LIVER CANCER

People who have three or more alcoholic drinks per day could be raising their odds for liver cancer, according to a report from a panel of experts.

But there was good news for java lovers: The report, from the World Cancer Research Fund International, found "strong evidence" that drinking coffee might actually lower a person's odds for liver cancer.

In drawing together the report, researchers tracked data on 8.2 million people who took part in 34 studies worldwide. There were a total of 24,500 liver cancer cases among the participants in the studies.

The objective was to determine how diet, weight and physical activity affect the risk of liver cancer. The studies were gathered and reviewed by a team at Imperial College London in England, and then independently assessed by a panel of international experts.

Along with the increased risk associated with having three or more alcoholic drinks a day, the investigators also found that being overweight or obese boosts the chances of developing liver cancer.

One other major global culprit driving liver cancer: foods contaminated by aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are toxins produced by fungi, often resulting from the improper storage of food. These toxins are generally found in foods from warmer, developing regions of the world, the researchers said.

Foods that may be affected by aflatoxins include cereals, spices, peanuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts, chili peppers, black pepper, dried fruit and figs, according to the report.

The findings about coffee and overweight/obesity are new. The findings about alcoholic drinks and aflatoxins were in a 2007 report.

According to the report's authors, you can reduce your risk of liver cancer by maintaining a healthy weight and by either not drinking or limiting alcohol intake to a maximum of two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women, the new report said.

Article by WebMD News HealthDay - By Robert Preidt

ROLE OF SKIN EXFOLIATION

Desquamation often becomes patchy or slows down when skin ages or becomes damaged. Inadequate desquamation is what underlies dry or blemished skin. Dry skin simply looks flaky. Blemished skin may include clogged pores, acne, skin spots, or redness. Each of these conditions can benefit from actively exfoliating your skin to renews its youthful, glowing appearance.

Herbal skin care products can be especially powerful for promoting desquamation. The key is to use natural skin care products that are not irritating and that provide deep cleansing.

Removing Dead Skin Cells

It may be surprising to learn that the outer layer of your skin consists entirely of dead skin cells. You are literally covered with them! Normally these outer cells have been dead for at least a month. They are crucial for forming a protective layer against damage by microbial infection and by environmental toxins, including overexposure to UV light. Normal skin sheds millions of dead skin cells every day. The amount of skin shedding is balanced with the formation of new cells for maintaining the integrity of the outer protective layer of cells.

This natural balance gets thrown off kilter when shedding slows down due to aging or external damage. This imbalance may cause the normally protective layer of dead skin cells to thicken beyond what is necessary, which causes dull-looking skin. That is when taking an active role in skin exfoliation becomes important for restoring the proper cycle of shedding and regeneration.

Exfoliating Dry Skin

By the way, skin begins to dry out even before it becomes flaky-looking. A simple home test will tell you whether your skin is getting too dry. Gently rub a small piece of clear tape on your forehead. After you carefully remove it, look for any little pieces of flaky skin on the tape. They indicate dead skin cells that are not being removed quickly enough by healthy desquamation.

Removing dry skin cells is particularly important before using rehydrating creams. Rehydrating dead cells makes little sense. They should instead be removed beforehand by active exfoliation. Winter is the season when exfoliation is particularly important, since skin dries out more in cold air that holds less moisture. Indoor air in winter can be super-dry when it is heated by a natural gas furnace.

Exfoliating Blemished Skin

Skin cell buildup can clog pores, trap oil in follicles, cause patchy redness, and promote the growth of acne-causing bacteria. Any of these conditions will benefit tremendously from an active exfoliating program with the right herbal formulas. Such formulas consist of a mixture of herbs that cleanse, disinfect, and reduce inflammation while invigorating skin in preparation for applying anti-aging and moisturizing products.

Care must be taken to avoid common skin care ingredients that are overly drying or inflammatory. Such ingredients often include strong anti-bacterial agents and inflammatory organic acids. Especially watch out for substances such as alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA; e.g., glycolic acid) and beta-hydroxy acids (BHA; e.g., salicylic acid), since these are powerful oxidizing agents. Oxidizing agents may temporarily reduce wrinkles by inflaming cells to make them puff up to look smooth. However, this not truly beneficial for skin.

Reversing Skin Wrinkling

As the skin's natural desquamation slows, the accumulation of dry skin cells create a wrinkled appearance. This is when herbs that promote the structural proteins, collagen and elastin, in the lower levels of the epidermis can trick the skin into acting young again.

Many herbs impart such activities, led by green tea and also including Chinese Angelica root, white mulberry, and white peony, among others.

Check out the all-natural herbal formulas for exfoliating skin and for reversing the effects of skin aging, available online at NaturalSkinRX.com. Top products include the Exfoliating Scrub and the Vitality Anti-Aging Serum by Jadience Herbal Formulas.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Dennis_Clark,_Ph.D.

GUIDE TO FUNGAL NAIL INFECTION

A fungal nail infection occurs when a fungus attacks a fingernail, a toenail, or the skin under the nail, called the nail bed. Fungi (plural of fungus) can attack your nails through small cuts in the skin around your nail or through the opening between your nail and nail bed.

If you are healthy, a fungal nail infection probably won't cause serious problems. But it may look bad, hurt, or damage your nail or nail bed.

A fungal nail infection could lead to more serious problems if you have diabetes or a weak immune system. Talk to your doctor about the best way to treat a nail infection if you have one of these problems.

Yeasts, molds, and different kinds of fungi can cause fungal nail infections. Most are caused by the same type of fungus that causes athlete's foot.

Fungi grow best in warm, moist places, and they can spread from person to person. You can get a fungal nail infection from walking barefoot in public showers or pools or by sharing personal items, such as towels and nail clippers. If you have athlete's foot, the fungus can spread from your skin to your nails.

A nail with a fungal infection may:Turn yellow or white and Get thicker.

·         Crumble and split, and it may separate from the skin.

When you have a fungal nail infection, it can be uncomfortable or even painful to wear shoes, walk, or stand for a long time. The fungus could also spread to other nails or your skin. Over time, the infection can cause permanent damage to your nail or nail bed.

Your doctor will diagnose a fungal nail infection by looking at the nail, asking about your symptoms and past health, and possibly doing tests to look for fungi.

Whether to treat a fungal nail infection is up to you. If it isn't treated, it won't go away. It might get worse.

If you decide to treat a fungal nail infection, you can try a nonprescription antifungal medicine that comes in a cream, lotion, or nail polish. Your doctor can also prescribe a stronger medicine. You may need to use this medicine for a few weeks or for as long as a year. Even so, it may not get rid of the infection.

Anti-fungal pills give the best chance of curing a severe fungal nail infection. But they may cost a lot and have serious side effects. You will need to see your doctor for regular testing if you take these pills.

Fungal nail infections often come back after treatment. It is important to take steps to prevent this.

·         Before bed, wash and dry your feet carefully.

·      Wear sandals or roomy shoes made of materials that allow moisture to escape. Let shoes dry for 24 hours before you wear them again.

·         Wear socks. Change them if your feet get sweaty.

·         Do not share nail files or clippers, socks, towels, or other personal items.

·         Wear flip-flops or shower sandals in wet public areas, such as locker rooms or showers.

Learning about fungalnail  infection:	·            What is a fungal nail infection? ·         What causes it? ·         Can I prevent a fungal nail infection? ·         What are the symptoms? ·         What happens in a fungal nail infection? ·         What increases my risk for getting a fungal infection?
Being  diagnosed:	·         Who can diagnose a fungal nail infection? ·         How is it diagnosed?
Getting  treatment:	·         How is a fungal nail infection treated? ·         What medicines will I need to take? ·         Will I need surgery? ·         What other treatments might be recommended? ·         Should I take oral antifungal pills to treat a fungal nail infection?
Living with a  fungal  nail infection:	·         How can I manage a fungal nail infection at home? ·         When should I call my doctor? Article by WEBMD.COM

LOW CHOLESTEROL FOOD LIST

Healthy eating starts with having the right heart-healthy foods in your kitchen. They help lower cholesterol and keep your blood pressure in check. If you aren't sure which foods to buy, print this list to take to the supermarket.

Refrigerator Essentials

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, fruits and veggies also have fiber, which lowers cholesterol and improves heart health. Pull them out first when you want something to eat. Remember, you need 5 cups of fruits and vegetables a day.

·         Apples

·         Berries

·         Bell peppers

·         Broccoli

·         Cauliflower

·         Celery

·         Dark leafy greens

·         Eggplant

·         Grapes

·         Kale

·         Oranges

·         Pears

·         Squash

·         Tomatoes

·         Zucchini

Dairy and Dairy Alternatives: Dairy is a great source of calcium. Just skip the cream, and choose low-fat or nonfat options.

·         Buttermilk, low-fat or nonfat

·         Cheese, nonfat or reduced-fat

·         Cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, nonfat or 1%

·         Cream cheese, nonfat or light

·         Creamers, nonfat

·         Milk, skim or 1%

·         Sour cream, nonfat

·         Yogurt, nonfat or 1%

Soy milk, almond milk, and other non-dairy products may also be options. Check to see if they're fortified with calcium and other nutrients. When shopping for these drinks, choose the unsweetened products to avoid added sugar.

Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Meat Substitutes: The American Heart Association suggests two servings of fish a week. Eat more heart-healthy tofu and other soy protein, too. Limit fatty cuts of meat.

·         Beef, lean cuts and lean ground round or sirloin

·         Chicken or turkey breasts and tenders, skinless, boneless

·         Chicken or turkey, ground

·         Fish, high in omega-3s, such as herring, mackerel, salmon, trout, tuna

·         Pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat

·         Seitan

·         Tempeh

·         Tofu

Frozen Foods: When your favorite fruits and veggies are out of season, choose frozen ones for nutritious desserts, side dishes, and snacks.

·         Fruits without added sugar (for example, frozen blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries)

·         Soybeans (edamame)

·         Vegetables and vegetable blends without added sauce, gravy, or sodium

Pantry Essentials

Beans, Grains, Soups, and Sauces: Beans and whole grains offer fiber to help lower your cholesterol.

·         Barley

·         Beans, canned, reduced-sodium: assorted cans of beans such as black, garbanzo, kidney, navy, and pinto

·         Beans, dried: Choose your favorite beans.

·         Broth, reduced-sodium chicken, beef, or vegetable

·         Cereals, whole-grain (Note: Choose cereals that have 5 or more grams of dietary fiber and fewer than 8 grams of sugar per serving.)

·         Cornmeal

·         Flaxseed, ground or whole

·         Flour, whole wheat

·         Grains such as wheat berries, couscous, polenta, millet, bulgur, and quinoa

·         Oat bran

·         Oats, rolled, steel-cut, or Irish

·         Pasta sauce, low-fat or fat-free

·    Pasta, whole wheat, spelt, or kamut (Note: These whole-grain pastas come in bowtie, fettuccini, lasagna, spaghetti, fusilli, spiral, elbow macaroni, and ravioli varieties.)

·         Rice: brown, wild, and brown basmati

·         Soups, low-sodium, and 98% fat-free cream of mushroom

·         Soy flour

·         Tomato paste

·         Tomatoes, whole or diced, reduced-sodium

·         Vegetarian or nonfat refried beans   Article by WEBMD....VISIT THEIR SITE FOR MORE