“The brain is like a muscle. When it is in use we feel very good. Understanding is joyous.”

Carl Sagan  A scientific astronomer

To understand how this system and health relate you need to understand how it works in the body. What is the muscular system? It is a body system composed of a network of tissues (cartilages, ligaments, tendons, fascias, joints, etc…) that allows the human body to control movement inside and outside of it. As simple as walking to exercise to activities we do from within the body to survive (Ex. heart beating, lungs breathing, veins returning blood to the heart from the legs=activities we don’t focus or concentrate on when awake or asleep.). Our muscles are divided into groups:

1-Skeletal Muscle:   Found in the skeletal system and provides controlled movement. It maintains body movement from our head to our toes=jaw movement, poster, producing heat in the body to simply speaking while you’re standing and so much more. You get the idea that this system plays a vital role in many functions we carry out daily but a lot of times we take this for granted since we use the skeletal muscle for our daily routine functioning that is both voluntary and involuntary.

2-Visceral Smooth Muscle: Found in the digestive tract, urinary tract, and blood vessels; contractions not under voluntary control.

3-Cardiac Muscle: Found only in the heart; contractions not under voluntary control.

Skeletal muscles are organs and do vary in size and shape from long and thin, broad and flat, to bulky masses and some not.

The skeletal muscle is highly vascular. Muscle fatigue and pain result when there is insufficient oxygen delivered to the muscle. Oxygen is the fuel to the human body in making it possible for us to function and survive; without it we can’t live.

You see how important this system is and we need to keep it healthy. Keep your muscular system healthy as a priority in your daily life. By doing this you will not only improve your quality of life, overall, but you will also begin to focus more easily on enjoying what’s truly important in your life. With staying healthy in your life it will increase the risk of you living longer and a more productive one. Prevention of injury to the muscular system and all the systems of the body is the answer to happiness, so start now and the younger the easier and better are the results.

How can you do this, well there are 3 main factors that would highly impact reaching a healthy or healthier muscular system and it’s NEVER too late to get started. They would be:

1-DIET 2-EXERCISE 3-ROUTINELY PRACTICING HEALTHY HABITS

 At first it may seem like a challenge but when it gets in your regular routine of daily living it’s a BREEZE. I can say that because I made changes to a degree with better healthier living. If I can do it so can you. It really isn’t that difficult.

 Let me first inform you what happens to the muscular system as we get older. We become more inactive from our younger years (meaning sedentary lifestyle with no form of activity) and we are more prone to practice poor healthy habits (including what’s in your diet and how you eat). The reason for this is we are no longer in high school with a higher metabolism or in college as well but working crazy hours on the run with the family and don’t have the time like we did but you end up with the following:

                                                                                                                                                                                           As we get older the tissue that comprises everyone’s muscular system decreases in size and relative strength. When muscle fibers die they are replaced by FATTY TISSUE. This makes the movement of muscles more difficult.

“A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks.“

First diet doesn’t necessarily mean you’re on a struggle eating special foods. Diet can simply mean that the foods that your eating and if done regularly eating foods HIGH in FAT, CHO (carbohydrates), CALORIES, and SUGAR you will also be high in your weight count unless you are working out extensively since it allows you to burn off the excess in FAT, CHO, CALORIES and SUGAR that the body doesn’t need. What also plays a role is your activity and this does not include your regular activities of daily living (so work doesn’t count even if you are in a job constantly on your feet, like possibly a Doctor, a traffic controller, or even a Nurse, like myself for over 25 years, in hospital settings…).   So some form of exercise, not having to be aerobic but if you do more power to you, it has to be done daily or every 2 to 3 times a day. Why and how does this help the body?

Is there anyone out there like myself that had nice legs but in time became bigger where you went from having 2 tone frankfurter legs ( nice and juicy) to 2 fat sausages looking well done (cellulite kicking in) causing you to cover them up with only fitting into dark leggings. Well I resolved this problem and it didn’t take vigorous working out either. It took discipline with the understanding of how the body works in creating pounds of additional fat/cellulite on the body due to diet and not doing routine or any exercise. My arms, abdomen, face with the neck (to some degree) started looking better through my diet change.   I increased my metabolism and kept it at a steady rate=6 small low glycemic meals a day which takes into account the amount of fats, CHOs, sugars, calories and small HIGH PROTEIN meal sizes that you eat.   The ending result when eating high glycemic meals and even large portion low glycemic meals causes fat storage in the body=cellulite, which we see in time. This is due to meals that are too high in calories, fat, sugars, CHO’s. Most adult Americans are overweight (over 60%) this is because many eat more than what the body needs for energy at that one time. After the energy that is needed by the body at that time is used from that meal then the extra energy=free circulating glucose in the bloodstream gets stored somewhere in the body causing an increase in fat storage on the body=Increase in the body weight.   Keep in mind ladies after 40 y/o pre and actual menopause occurs at sometime. This causes the metabolism to slow down even more which in turn causes an increase in the chance of putting weight on at the abdomen, legs, & hips. Our fuel for the body is FOOD&one of the ending products making up our fuel is glucose & when used in excess=a large meal, you store a lot of glucose away=fat storage=Wt. gain.   For further info go to my web page. 1

Another key in keeping healthy and even toning up muscles, especially in the legs is WALKING. This activity helps the body in 2 major ways (without doing major work-outs). One it helps the human body in both toning it (particularly the legs) and losing weight. Than 2 it helps prevent certain diseases, especially if you are still young adolescence or a young adult aged without disease at this time .

What physical activity does (even just walking briskly for 1-2 miles a day or 2-3x a week on a routine basis) will help in weight and health. Other than regular activities of daily living, like walking, burns calories, increases your good cholesterol (HDL) and decreases your unhealthy triglycerides. This helps prevent certain cardiac diseases; like blockages in the arteries=arthrosclerosis or strokes due to blockages or even helping someone already diagnosed with it by maintaining it with other RX methods (Ex. Meds, diet, etc…). Walking and even jogging improve circulation in the legs, and proper circulation helps ward off the development of varicose veins. Exercise also reduces overall high blood pressure and strengthens your entire circulatory system. The higher in the intensity of the activity the higher in number of calories you burn which includes CHO’s.   Activity/Exercise causes your metabolism to increase giving you an extra boost of energy (can even boost up the sex life, you have that extra energy) I have even increased my activity outside at home using the pool and walking with my sweetheart & dogs on our 2+ acres which makes a nice walk for all. It has proven to me that it has improved my sleep from doing the activity at least 4 to 6 hours, if not earlier, before sleeping, since it does increase your metabolism causing you to be more awake at first. Activity in your life can only benefit you, Remember to check with your general practitioner before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have any health concerns/diseases.  If you want to learn more about how to diet with exercise (not necessarily intense workout) and make yourself healthier with even getting others involved to do the same than join me at my website healthyusa.tsfl.com and read the information it provides and see if this is something you would want. No fee, no charge, no donations or hacking. I hope you join me; if I can do it, you can do it. All it takes is a little drive in wanting to feel and even look better for yourself and others being a good mentor (for children, spouse, family, and friends, etc…) to spread healthiness in the USA.   It would benefit everyone (even our healthcare) in time=less disease/illness for the next era and even generation to come. Thank you for coming by reading the site.

“The human brain is at particularly high risk for damage by free radicals because of its high degree of metabolism compared to other tissues, while lacking the levels of antioxidant protection found elsewhere in the body.“

Let’s start with how the brain operates; think of the human body as a car for a moment. The brain of the car is a computerized disc that allows a lot of the operations to take place in making the engine and more run proper and safely when the key is turned on (if that car is at least late 1980’s or newer). The battery is like the nervous system allowing connection of electrical currents to many parts of the car enabling them to do their job (Ex. lights turned on at night). Well we can’t live without the brain (sort of like the computerized disc in the car).   Our nervous system works with the brain in allowing currents to be sending messages to our body parts to function (sort of like our car battery). To provide a MD with accuracy in evaluating how your brain is operating or if dysfunctional (Ex. Seizure disorder, Alzheimer disease-dementia, etc…) he or she uses a tool that is called an electroencephalogram (EEG) and he looks at your brain waves (alpha, beta, delta, & theta waves). Well how the car is diagnosed is through a diagnostic scanner that connects to your car telling the mechanic how the car is functioning, to see why certain car lights are on at the dash board when they shouldn’t be (ex. Like when the brake light or engine light or temperature light is on) well the doctor uses as a diagnostic tool also to evaluate these brain waves of the human body called an electroencephalogram (EEG). Well during certain times of human functioning the brain shows certain brain waves which gives information to MD’s on the patient’s brain normality regarding its function. There are the 4 traditional brain waves that researches in 1930-1940 have identified. These brain waves show us what is going on in the body. The following is a breakdown of what these waves represent in action:

Alpha-appear when you are relaxed and calm.

Beta-appear when we are actively thinking or actively doing problem solving

Delta-appear during sleep

Theta-are associated with deep relaxation (like a hypnotic relaxation), in sleep, and visualization.

These brain waves are measured in what we call Hertz=Hz, for abbreviation. So Alpha=(8-13 Hz), Beta=(13-38 Hz), Delta=(below 4 Hz) Theta=(4-7 Hz).

Since these brain waves were introduced into medical profession, other types of brainwaves have been identified and the traditional 4 have been further subdivided into 2 other groups; they are: 1)Sensory Motor Rhythm- This involves with some brain and motor function and 2)Gamma rhythm- This is more involved with mental activity of the brain. Our overall brain activity is a mix of all the frequencies at the same time, some in greater quantities and strengths than others.

So what is the meaning of all this?  The answer is Balance with having Flexibility. This generally means being able to shift ideas or activities when we need to or when something is just not working. We don’t want to regularly produce too much or too little of any brainwave frequency. Just like the car, if you’re constantly in overdrive or the opposite it will stress the overall engine and its associated parts to the point that the car is no longer running effectively or productively. This is the same with the brain; it should not constantly be in cognitive thinking or problem solving 24 hours/7days a week, but not a zombie either. Living your life in keeping your brain waves balanced along with eating a balanced diet and doing regular exercise (2 to 3 times a week up to daily) with rest will help you maintain a good weight that is beneficial for your mind and body. Same principle as the car just constantly doing one of these activities, staying in the same gear or activity mode will hurt you (Ex. Prevent vitamin deficiency like calcium deficient which puts bones at risk of getting a fractured or broken bone. From too much work out with no rest=sprain or injury of the body.   Without staying within a healthy weight can put you at risk for anorexia or obesity and both can cause injury to the body, like anemia or cardiac/diabetic diseases.)

How do you make or manage a healthy brain? Well, first being able to control the brain through balance and flexibility with resilience; that is the capacity of humans to come out of an extreme shock, damage, injury and trauma followed by getting back to a normal life (like run with the ball but don’t drop it.) Simply it is saying we bounce back positive after a negative stress in our lives (deep depression, become hateful or resentful, drink heavy to increasing or a smoker with increasing packs smoked/day rather than quitting cold turkey=unhealthy for the brain and their overall body).   This is surely not saying it’s easy but that is why brain training yourself with healthy habits will help you deal with stress in your life better. Stay in a negative state, this keeps your brain in the same mode (Ex. Depression) and become stagnated. It can be hard to get out of especially the longer you stay in it; and it brings yourself down further into the negativity (depression, lack of confidence in oneself). So whatever stresses, injury, emotional hard time, pain, or fatigue that is due to never balancing your life (brain waves) you need to take the step to support your health both mentally and physically by directing your brain waves to something else positive in particular. It may not always be simple but no matter the hardship there is someone else in this world in the same boat as you or worse off than you. The more you think along those lines the easier it gets in dealing with life. Without brain balance, flexibility with resilience we holistically cannot function effectively; just like the car without the battery or computerized disc in today’s vehicle the car won’t function properly, unless it runs on electricity but it still won’t function correctly if the computerized disc is not working. We need all our brain waves balanced to sustain our wellness and health. Again, this generally means being able to shift ideas or activities when we need to or when something is just not working (like being healthy). We don’t want to regularly produce too much or too little of any brainwave frequency.

Well now you know how the basics of how the brain operates, how the brain waves have to operate to stay healthy but now we need to know how do we reach that step and that’s tomorrow’s article Part 2 but if you want to know how to get healthier for your brain and the body overall right now than go to my website http://healthyusa.tsfl.com/. , otherwise see you tomorrow for Part 2.

Some of the risk factors for stroke cannot be controlled, such as your age or family history. But you can take steps to lower your risk by changing the factors you can control.

CDC-Center for Disease Control and Prevention

There are 2 types of strokes:

1-Hemmoragic-a blood vessel that bursts in the brain causing lack of oxygen to be supplied to the area of the brain (a lobe) where the vessel ruptured.  Lack of oxygen to any area of the body tissue=starvation to the tissue; where in this case is the brain=a stroke.

2-Blockages-These blockages caused by the following: blood clots, athero-sclerosis, a common disorder, it happens due to fat, cholesterol, with even tar from smoking, or other substances that build up in the walls of the arteries forming hard structures called plaque and in time creating a blockage in the vessel interfering with blood supply providing oxygen to tissue and if blocked in the brain=high probability of a stroke occurring if not taken care of.   “Recommended related to Heart Disease” by Web MD which states that atherosclerosis is the key cause of heart attacks & strokes including it’s the number one killer in the United States.  Risk Factors for atherosclerosis include high blood pressure (b/p)=arteriosclerosis, blood level of high bad cholesterol (LDL), blood level of low good cholesterol (HDL), smoking, diabetes, and history of heart attacks in your nuclear family.  Definitely a healthy diet, having exercise in your life, and your weight within the therapeutic body mass index level will help prevent, if not treat, atherosclerosis.

                                                                                                                                                                              The Risk Factors of this disease, especially diet & sedentary lifestyle:

1. High Blood Pressure (b/p)-This is also known as the diagnosis hypertension.  In understanding how hypertension works let’s use a metaphor:  Think of a blood vessel as a long thin balloon and if we stand on it the pressure will increase inside the balloon causing the diameter of the balloon to swell up.  If you continue to step on the balloon adding additional pressure this causes it to finally reach it’s total amount of pressure or when you exceed the total level of pressure this results in popping the balloon.  Similar concept with high b/p, that’s if the pressure keeps rising in our blood vessels due to blockage or vasoconstriction (which is making the vessels diameter more narrow=increased pressure in the vessels) sooner or later a vessel bursts somewhere in the body due to the b/p passing it’s total level in the amount of pressure that it can handle in the circulatory system which can result into a burst of an artery, like in the brain causing a stroke or in a vessel near the heart causing a myocardial infarction (but this is another topic some other day).  Think of food,  a human being not eating leads into starvation, well for blood cells lack of oxygen=starvation to the cells.  This causes in both situations or cases a lack of nutrition (the tissue is lacking oxygen).  With a stroke, not enough oxygen is getting to the brain resulting from either a hemorrhage (loosing too much blood=loosing to many cells=oxygen (food for tissue) or a blockage preventing 02 getting to the area.  Though many people have increased b/p due to only 2 things diet leading them to obesity, and lack of exercise due to a sedentary lifestyle, which could be changed and resolve the problem in most cases.  Increased b/p can also be due noncompliance- like continuing to smoke, or not following the healthy regimen the M.D. ordered for you as a patient.  The overall healthy regimen for a person with hypertension would be a low sodium diet (preventing further vasoconstriction), even low in cholesterol/fat/1800-2000 calories a day (preventing obesity or further weight gain), balancing rest with exercise and the b/p medications taken as prescribed, by their M.D.    So for many Americans hypertension can be controlled just by diet with balancing exercise with rest.  For others it might take a little more like doing which is what I just mentioned with following your medication regimen as ordered and going to your doctor having your b/p monitored, as your M.D. prescribes. ________________________________________________________________                                                                                                                                                                            2. 2. Smoking-For starters, this unhealthy habit puts you at risk for high blood pressure since it causes vasoconstriction (narrowing) of the vessels in our body due to the nicotine.  The answer to this risk factor is simply quit this unhealthy habit.  Smoking adds to the plaque building up in the vessels.  Centers for Disease state that in 2010 the leading cause of death was heart disease followed by cancer than to chronic respiratory disease and lastly stroke.  Over time a healthy diet balanced with exercise daily or every 2 days for 30minutes would help decrease the cardiac disease and stroke.  The American Lung Association states that smoking is directly responsible for approximately 90 percent of lung cancer deaths and approximately 80-90 percent of COPD (emphysema and chronic bronchitis) deaths.

• Among adults who have ever smoked, 70% started smoking regularly at age 18 or younger, and 86% at age 21 or younger.³
• Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body, and is a main cause of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema). It is also a cause of coronary heart disease (CAD), stroke and a host of other cancers and diseases.________________________________________________________________Cholesterol is also found in some foods, such as seafood, eggs, meats and dairy products.LDL can cause plaque build-up. Plaque is a thick, hard substance that can clog arteries. Recent studies show that high levels of LDL and triglycerides (blood fats) raise the risk of ischemic stroke. Plaque can also increase risk of a transient ischemic attack (TIA) where stroke symptoms go away within 24 hours.  Stroke verses TIA=Nonreversible verses Reversible. Stroke is scarring to the brain where TIA doesn’t.  Like Heart Attack verses Angina, Heart Attack is scarring to the heart verses no scarring to the heart with Angina. Both Angina and TIA are just lack of oxygen to the heart and the brain, causing the symptoms due to lack of oxygen=ischemia.  Both heart attack and stroke are both a lot worse than just ischemia.  They both get to the point where there in no oxygen causing actual permanent damage to the organ since the problem never reversed=scarring to the heart and brain.High cholesterol levels or plaque build-up in the arteries can block normal blood flow to the brain and cause a stroke. High cholesterol may also increase the risk of heart disease and atherosclerosis, which are both risk factors for stroke._{Many things can affect the b/p levels & cholesterol levels. Some can be changed and some cannot.   We can change 3 things.  You can change, anyone can change, it’s up to you in deciding whether to do it or not and being able to discipline yourself with having the power to do it. They are:}2-Weight — Being overweight can increase your cholesterol levels.                                                                                                                                                         These 3 things can prone you to high blood pressure (B/P), a stroke, & cardiac disease and even other diseases.  I just had a dear friend who I’ve known almost 35 years that survived coronary artery bypass surgery over 55 y/o, with 5 blockages (2 100% blocked and 3 at least 80% blocked).  That was a set up for a silent heart attack if he didn’t have the surgery but he was lucky in getting symptoms of chest pain and fatigue/lethargy due to these blockages.  This made him go the doctor.  He stopped smoking the day before the surgery.   His life had taken a 360 turn and stopped in his daily routine and life schedule.  It had begun all over again at almost 60.   Without controlling your blood pressure therapeutically or ending your smoking or eating healthy with living healthy habits the heart at first will be able to compensate with living unhealthy habits but over time the heart may find it so hard to function or work that the heart starts to fail in doing its job effectively (it decompensates causing failure if no changes are made).  Again let’s take the car, you do maintenance to the vehicle it will operate and last longer, well the exact principle with the human body.  Pretty simple isn’t it.
• If you don’t eat a healthy diet, keep your weight in a therapeutic range, properly exercise than expect a high odds they will be leaning more towards a shortening of your life span.  You can control your diet, weight and your exercise the right way with a little direction.  We are here for just direction in helping you maintain a good diet including weight and giving you guidance through Dr. Anderson’s book called Dr. A’s healthy habits in giving you knowledge about routine exercise, all 4 food groups and how to eat them in healthy proportions.  It explains how the metabolism works with 3 meals as opposed to 6 meals with how the body works regarding the foods you eat.  It tells you so much more.   It allows you to know the information for changes that you may need to take to lessen risks of certain diseases occurring in your life through modification with diet and healthy habits.  This allows you to make the choice on your life where you can make it more enjoyable and less restricted now and at retirement by sticking to a good health diet and healthy habits, not for 3 or 6 months but for life.  You make all the decisions in what you want to do with your body with what’s acceptable.  Join me in living a healthier life with starting a spread throughout America for a healthier country.  Go to healthyusa.tsfl.com. and take a peek it doesn’t cost a dime.
• 3-Exercise — People who are not active tend to have higher cholesterol levels.   
• 1-Diet — Foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol can increase cholesterol levels. 
• ________________________________________________________________
• The second main type of cholesterol is high-density lipoprotein (HDL), often called the “good” cholesterol. High levels of HDL may reduce stroke risk.
• Because cholesterol does not dissolve in the blood on its own, it must be carried to and from cells by particles called lipoproteins. There are two main types of lipoproteins: low-density lipoproteins (LDL)=the bad cholesterol and high-density lipoproteins=the good cholesterol (HDL).
• 3. High Cholesterol-The National Stroke Association states the following about cholesterol: Cholesterol is a soft, waxy fat (lipid) that is made by the body. It is found in the bloodstream and in all of your body’s cells. The body needs cholesterol to form cell membranes, some hormones and vitamin D.
• So let’s take a car for instance, if the transmission is bad and not repaired by a mechanic the engine will be effected and soon fail completely.  Now let’s take the lungs, if they are bad and you don’t go to a doctor to help treat the problem the heart will be effected at some point to failure in function and vice versa.  If a smoker doesn’t quit it causes COPD=Emphysema (this does take over years) and it will affect the heart in time to not function as effectively with someone who has healthy lungs.  Worse, if you don’t quit smoking you increase the risk of getting CAD (coronary artery disease) and add to the problem atherosclerosis if you already have the diagnosis which is caused by fatty materials (lipids), fibrous tissue with tar (from the smoking) causing blockages in the vessels.  You also have a risk at lung cancer.

HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The problem with being overweight or obese, as measured by weight and height, is that it raises our risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. 　But did you know that being obese can actually increase our risk of getting cancer and may even worsen our chances of surviving after a cancer diagnosis?　 In fact, the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II showed significant increases in cancer occurrence in people who are the most overweight.　 This link is stronger in some cancer types –including breast cancer after menopause, and cancers of the colon and rectum, pancreas, kidney, esophagus, endometrium  — that can be associated with a major increase in risk.

Being obese appears to be a problem for cancer survivors as well.　 Studies have shown worse survival for obese women with breast cancer; obese men with prostate cancer are more likely to have an aggressive form of cancer and it is more likely to come back after surgery. 　In light of this more recent data, the American Cancer Society recently released new healthy living guidelines for cancer survivors.

The relationship between body weight and cancer becomes more alarming when we consider just how many people in the United States are overweight or obese. Today, only 1/3 of adults are at a healthy body weight for their height. Another 1/3 are considered “overweight” and the remaining 1/3 are in the “obese” category. (About 17 % of children and adolescents are obese).　 These rates are 300% higher than in 1980.)

AMERICA wake up we have to turn this around for the better unless we don’t care about making this the home of the best country to live in a better one for all.  We need to get healthier people especially if you have a condition, illness or disease that will let you but always get clearance by your doctor before making changes; to maintain your safety.

In a few years, obesity will replace smoking as the number one preventable cause of many common cancers, according to Professor Jeffrey M. P. Holly, Ph.D. With a grant from American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR), Professor Holly is examining how fatty acids affect the actions of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), which may promote cancer. He is also looking at two phytochemicals that may interfere with the actions of IGFs and form part of a diet to prevent cancer.

Obesity results from a long-term energy　imbalance that increases a person’s storage of fat and circulating levels of fatty acids. These higher levels of fatty acids can cause resistance to insulin, which is a hormone essential to regulating the body’s metabolism. Insulin resistance has been associated with the development of diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.

IGFs work in the body in a similar way to insulin. For a long time, Professor Holly, a Clinical Sciences Professor at the University of Bristol, U.K., has studied how these similar substances affect metabolic conditions such as diabetes. But for the past few years　- as more recent research has shown that IGFs may be an important risk factor for colon, prostate and premenopausal breast cancer　- he has looked at how obesity increases cancer risk through effects upon secretion and action of insulin and IGFs.

Recently, he and his research colleagues realized that “no one had looked at what effect eating fatty foods has on IGFs, especially now that we know that IGFs may be related to nutrition-dependent cancers.”

Focus on Two Fatty Acids

With funding from AICR (American Institute of Cancer Research), Dr. Holly and his research team have begun a series of experiments on malignant and healthy breast cells. They will see what impact the most abundant circulating fatty acids　- palmitate and oleate　- have on these cells by way of the production and activity of IGFs. Palmitate is a saturated fatty acid, while oleate is an unsaturated fatty acid.

“We’re looking at three aspects of these cells’ functions: their metabolism, their growth and their survival,” said Dr. Holly. “For cancer to develop, cell growth and survival are critical.”

Normally, when a cell becomes damaged, it is genetically programmed to die prematurely.　 This process is called apoptosis.

IGFs, however, interfere with apoptosis. “IGFs are known to be the most potent, powerful signal in the body telling the cells not to commit suicide,” said Dr. Holly. “If there is too strong an IGF signal in the body, damaged cells may live and grow into tumors. That’s the most plausible link between high IGF levels and high rates of some cancers.”

Palmitate and oleate are known to affect insulin-related metabolic conditions differently. Palmitate appears to make the body more resistant to insulin, while oleate reduces resistance to insulin. But it is too early in Dr. Holly’s two-year experiment to know how the two fatty acids affect actions of IGF.

The Flavonoid Effect

As part of his AICR-funded project, Professor Holly will see whether two flavonoids　- epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), found in green tea, and luteolin, found in olive oil　- affect the growth of both the malignant and healthy cells. He will expose the cells to the flavonoids under various conditions to determine how strong their influence is.

Professor Holly chose to examine flavonoids as possible cancer-preventive agents in this obesity-related study because the fat we consume is not our body’s only source of fatty acids. Our bodies have the ability to make some of their own fatty acids when needed. In fact, certain cancers, like breast cancer, tend to make huge amounts in order to maintain their growth rate. Flavonoids are known to inhibit this process. This inhibition may partly explain why a diet high in vegetables and fruits protects against cancer in many studies.

Professor Holly suggests that the benefits of eating a lot of vegetables and fruits may be negated by a high-fat diet, because there would be a surplus of fatty acids to feed cells.

Although his research project is in a preliminary stage, the investigation is important because it could show how certain diets, especially those low in fat, can help prevent cancer. His study may also demonstrate that some diets may be more beneficial for people undergoing cancer treatment.

“Most treatments, like radiation therapy and chemotherapy, encourage cancer cells to die,” said Dr. Holly. “If we can manipulate the environment within the body to make cell death easier, these therapies may be more effective. One way to do this may be to turn off some of the signals from IGFs that encourage malignant cells to survive.”

Obesity is associated with increased risks of the following cancer types,&possibly others as well:

Esophagus/Pancreas/Colon and rectum/Breast (after menopause) /Endometrium (lining of the uterus)/Kidney/Thyroid/Gallbladder

One study, using NCI Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data, estimated that in 2007 in the United States, about 34,000 new cases of cancer in men (4 percent) and 50,500 in women (7 percent) were due to obesity. The percentage of cases attributed to obesity varied widely for different cancer types but was as high as 40 percent for some cancers, particularly endometrial cancer and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

A projection of the future health and economic burden of obesity in 2030 estimated that continuation of existing trends in obesity will lead to about 500,000 additional cases of cancer in the United States by 2030. This analysis also found that if every adult reduced their BMI by 1 percent, which would be equivalent to a weight loss of roughly 1 kg (or 2.2 lbs) for an adult of average weight, this would prevent the increase in the number of cancer cases and actually result in the avoidance of about 100,000 new cases of cancer.

***Come back tomorrow for Part 2 and see case studies that support this article with how to try to prevent this through living healthier habits, healthy dieting, and balancing rest with exercise.  You may just want to take a peek, hope I see you tomorrow.***