Humpday Humor

by Gary Varvel, originally uploaded by the Health Advocate.
The World Health Organization has now increased it’s pandemic alert to phase 5 which means there has been human-to-human spread of the H1N1 virus (swine flu) into two or more countries.  Most of the cartoonist commenting on the recent events surrounding swine influenza took the ‘just when [...]

Read Full Post »

Humpday Humor

by Steve Kelley, originally uploaded by the Health Advocate.

It is simply undeniable, our diets really do affect our health and overall risk for disease. This week, cartoonist Steve Kelley reminds us.

Read Full Post »

Do Ethnic Minorities Have Less Access to Cancer Screening

The most commonly occurring cancers vary greatly according to race and ethnicity. For example:

While the gap (as compared to non-Hispanic whites has narrowed since 1991) African Americans are more likely to develop and die from cancer than any other racial or ethnic group. The most common cancers among men in 2009 are projected to be prostate (34%), lung (16%), and colorectal (10%) cancer, and among women, breast (25%), lung (12%), and colorectal (11%) cancer. For all cancer types, African Americans are far more likely to be diagnosed in advanced stages of disease, when the cancer is less treatable. African Americans are also less likely than whites to survive 5 years after a diagnosis, regardless of cancer type and stage of diagnosis.

Cancers associated with viral infection are the most common caners in Hispanics/Latinos. Women have the second highest number of cases of cervical cancer (which is often caused by humanpapliloma virus) while cases of liver cancer (which is often caused by the hepatitis virus) are twice as high in Hispanic men and women as in non-Hispanic whites.

Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders are more likely to develop and die from both liver and stomach cancers than all other racial or ethnic groups (except in the case of stomach cancer where their prevalence and death rates are second to those of African Americans).

Medical researchers focusing on areas of health care disparities continue investigations to elucidate these figures. The interrelationship between multiple factors continues to yield reasons that are complex.

Read Full Post »

Do Race & Ethnicity Affect Cancer Risk

Racial and ethnic minority populations continue to grow such that by mid-century, Latino, black and Asian populations are expected to represent the majority of people living in the US, according to the Census Bureau. This is already the case for the nation’s largest metropolitan areas and it is increasingly becoming the case in smaller communities fueled by the growing Latino population. In light of this fact, minority health and health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities is not a issue for special populations but rather an issue that concerns us all especially as we examine the health status of the population as a whole. Nevertheless, the third week in April (19-25) is set aside as National Cancer Minority Awareness Week.

Do race and ethnicity affect cancer risk?

Each year, cancer statistics continue to show that minority groups are more likely than the general population to develop and/or die from certain types of cancer. As researchers continue to unravel the multiple contributing factors to this issue there are things that individuals can do for themselves.

Read Full Post »

How Can You Boost Your Workout

Fitness Friday. If a journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step, this might be the next step (at least for walkers).  Last month, I discussed walking as one of the easiest and most reliable forms of physical activity to incorporate into a fitness lifestyle.  Another key to staying active is setting goals [...]

Read Full Post »

Do You Have Type II Diabetes

Do you have type II diabetes? Early diagnosis is critical to successful treatment and delaying or preventing some of its complications such as heart disease, blindness, kidney disease, stroke, amputation and death.

Read Full Post »

How Do You Take Your Tea? Sugar, Honey or HFCS

common question to tea drinkers has been sugar or honey? But if your tea is already sweetened and comes in a can or a bottle it is most likely sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Competition from companies like Honest Beverages forced Snapple to re-evaluate its own ingredients list recently. High-fructose corn syrup is an artificial sweetener and preservative that is created when one of the sugars contained in cornstarch is converted from glucose to fructose. The result is a sweetener that is made up of both glucose and fructose. This extremely sweet substance extends the shelf life of processed foods. And it is these two characteristics that have helped high-fructose corn syrup become such a widespread food ingredient since the late 1970s.

Read Full Post »

March 12, 2009 is World Kidney Day

Tomorrow, March 12 is World Kidney Day. Last month we discussed how heart disease is the leading cause of death for American women. Unfortunately, too few Americans realize, however, that chronic kidney disease is another life-threatening illness that often goes undetected until it reaches very advanced stages.

Read Full Post »

Eat Right

Featured Health Observance. National Nutrition Month® is an education and information campaign created by the American Dietetic Association. This makes the month of March a good time to focus our attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating habits. Diet and exercise create a solid foundation for our health and wellness. You may not be fully aware, however just how much diet and exercise also contribute to the presentation and progression of chronic conditions like obesity, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

Read Full Post »

Begin With Just One Step

Fitness Friday. Last month in the debut post of this series, I emphasized the importance of integrating fitness routines into your lifestyle for lasting success. Walking is an ideal fitness choice for several reasons.
* Can be done almost anywhere
* Low-impact on the body
* Requires no practice
* Requires no equipment
* and it’s FREE

Read Full Post »