Constipation and Cancer?

Kristin is back with Part 2 of her series on colon health and constipation...

Constipation is not typically a serious condition. However, there’s good reason pay attention to your bowel habits and your colon. The Canadian Cancer Society ranks colorectal cancer as the second leading cause of death from cancer in men and women combined. Like all cancers, there is no single cause, but diet and lifestyle modifications are on the list and are modifiable risk factors. What does this mean? It means that if you’re able, you can change your habits now to help reduce the risk of developing colon cancer.

Here is the list of possible causes of colorectal cancer provided by Canadian Cancer Society:

• age – particularly after 50
• having polyps (small growths on the inner wall of the colon and rectum)
• family history of colorectal cancer - especially if the relative (parent, sibling, child) developed colorectal cancer before the age of 45
• having familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC)
• inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)
• diet high in red meat (beef, pork, lamb and goat)
• processed meat (ham, salami, sausage, hot dogs)
• alcohol consumption
• smoking
• physical inactivity
• obesity
• ethnic background – people of Ashkenazi (Eastern European Jewish) descent
  

Read more about colorectal cancer from the Canadian Cancer Society.

In case you missed the rest of this series:

• Tips for Colon Health: Symptoms and Causes
• Tips for Colon Health: Staying Regular Part 1

Image source: www.nj.com

Looking for some good and informative reads?

Read on for eight Webber Naturals archival gems!

It's the weekend and we've got some great Webber Naturals posts from the past. With articles and tips being published everyday, it's easy for useful information to get buried in the archives. I did some digging and I've decided it's time for us to put on our glasses and brush up on our health facts! Here are eight informative posts that will keep you in the know:

I love to sleep. Fortunately for me, it's an extremely important part of our lives. Unfortunately, I, like so many others, probably do not get enough Zzz's every night. Read The Importance of Sleep for a fabulous infographic and learn why sleep is so valuable!

Feeling stressed? Deep Breath, and Relax... Breathing for healing: how the right breathing method can help you heal.

Busy schedules call for innovative fitness! Margaret Peters worked her journalistic muscle and shares how you can squeeze a workout into your day: Get Fit in a Flash? 20 Second Fitness

Coffee drinkers rejoice! There may be more to coffee than just keeping you awake! Find out in Woohoo! Coffee's Good for You!

With new TV show seasons starting up again this week after the summer hiatus, you may see more of actress and Vampire Diaries star, Nina Dobrev. I don't know about you, but every time I see her, I wish I had her flawless skin! Read Get Skin Like Nina Dobrev's with Webber Naturals and find out how you can get the Photoshop finish naturally!

That said, ladies, we will most likely still be using makeup. Know what not to put on your face. I'm Talking Toxin-free Makeup, Webber Naturals' tips for healthy skin, inside and out!

Gentlemen, I haven't forgotten you, sirs. We know life keeps you busy and you could use some quick and concise information to keep you healthy. Webber Naturals expert, Dr. Stephanie Rubino, has shared her Essential Health Tips for Men on the Go: Part 1 and Essential Health Tips for Men on the Go: Part 2!

And there you have it! Now you've got the tools to be a smart owl too! Have a great weekend everyone!

Image source: Amy Hamilton Art Prints

Suffering from migraines but don't want to fill your system with all the drugs? Webber Naturals has got the expert nutritional advice for you!

Webber Naturals expert Dr. Stephanie Rubino has done the research and now she's sharing how your nutrition can do to treat migraine headaches...

If you have ever experienced a migraine, you know first-hand how it can negatively impact your daily routines. Migraine headaches can be extremely painful and are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. You just want to lock yourself away in a dark room. More women suffer from migraine headaches than men, and migraines can be triggered by a number of factors such as stress , irregular sleep , hormone imbalances, skipping meals and smoking.

An increasing number of people are opting to ditch the migraine drugs for alternative, more natural therapies to help prevent and treat migraines. Unfortunately there is not one single treatment that would be effective for each person. Acupuncture, yoga, osteopathy, exercise, chiropractic, herbal medicines and nutrients have all received attention for their benefit in helping migraine sufferers. Let’s take a look at some of these therapies.

Diet

Identification of foods that may trigger migraine symptoms and restriction of these foods (once known) may help some people prevent migraine attacks. The following foods, beverages and additives are thought to trigger, or increase symptoms, and may need to be avoided by susceptible individuals.

• Alcoholic drinks (red wine, beer)

• Aged or strong cheese

• Aspartame, nitrites, sulfites

• Caffeine-containing drinks

• Chocolate

• Citrus fruits

• Cured meats (hot dogs, bacon, ham, salami)

• Fatty or fried foods

• Food dyes and additives

• Ice cream, yogurt, sour cream

• Meat and vegetable extracts

• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

• Nuts

• Pickled herring, chicken livers

• Pork and seafood

• Tomatoes

• Foods containing tyramine (examples: soy sauce, miso, cured meats and aged cheese)

• Foods containing phenylethylamine (examples: cheesecake, yellow cheeses, and citrus fruit)

• Foods containing histamine (examples: bananas, tofu, miso, tomatoes, wine, and yeast)

Avoidance of the above foods may not be the complete answer and I know it can be difficult to stay away from all of these foods, but it’s a good idea to keep a diet journal to help you identify any possible food triggers. Note any appearance of migraine symptoms after the consumption of a particular food. If you are able to identify your food triggers then avoidance of those foods may be helpful. You can also speak to your health care provider about the available tests to identify your food sensitivities. Eating inconsistently throughout the day may also cause low blood sugar levels, which can also trigger a migraine. Eating every 3 hours and focusing your diet on whole grains, good quality proteins , fruits and vegetables is a great nutritional foundation for prevention.

Nutrients

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

CoQ10 is a versatile antioxidant needed for energy production in the body and it has shown benefit in the treatment of many conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Now there is promising evidence from randomized controlled trials that supports the use of CoQ10 in migraine prevention or treatment. In one study, patients taking CoQ10 (100 mg three times per day) found CoQ10 was well tolerated and superior to placebo for reducing attack frequency, headache days and the number of days with nausea in the third month of treatment.

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

Riboflavin is an important nutrient for body growth and red blood cell production, and various clinical trials have looked at the use of a high-dose of it in migraine prevention. In one study, patients were randomized to receive 400 mg of riboflavin or placebo for three months. Riboflavin was superior to placebo in reducing attack frequency and headache days. The proportion of patients who improved by at least 50% was 15% for placebo and 59% for riboflavin. It has been suggested that high-dose riboflavin (400 mg per day) is worth trying in patients with at least two migraines per month. At this dose, it is best to take riboflavin on its own and not as part of a multivitamin.

Magnesium

Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body such as maintaining normal muscle and nerve function, supporting the immune system, and keeping bones strong. There is evidence that suggests a magnesium deficiency is involved in the development of migraines. Triggers for migraines, including stress, menstruation, alcohol ingestion, and some diuretics, are also known to cause magnesium depletion. Clinical studies have found that magnesium may reduce the intensity of migraine headaches. Magnesium supplementation appears to be a simple, safe, and effective way to reduce the frequency and/or severity of migraines. The general recommendation for magnesium intake is 300-400 mg daily.

Other nutrients such as fish oils , melatonin , vitamin B12 and folic acid have also been investigated for their roles in migraine prevention and treatment. Remember, always speak to your health care provider to determine which nutrients would be best for you.

Stay tuned for the rest of my migraine tips!

Image source: The Linos, Inc., Recharge Nutrition