Contents
Testicular Cancer

Cigarettes Cause Erectile Dysfunction

TV Impact

Cuddling Helps

Western Diet Causes Colon Cancer

Breast Augmentation and Suicide

Multivitamin Supplements

Cold and Chill Connection

At Play With DNA

Testicular Cancer
Testicular cancer has risen 42 percent in the past 25 years and incidence is five times higher in whites than in blacks. It's also the most common cancer among 15- to 35-year-old men.  An American Academy of Pediatrics' study "Teaching Testicular Self-Examination: Education and Practices in Pediatric Residents" found that less than 40 percent of the pediatric residents studied taught testicular self-exam to their adolescent patients.

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Cigarettes Cause Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is often associated with atherosclerosis. Smoking is a well-recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease and studies have shown there are strong parallels and shared risks among smoking, coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, and erectile dysfunction. According to a study reported at the American Heart Association's 43rd Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, men who smoked daily had 60 percent higher risk of erectile dysfunction, compared to men who never smoked. The data showed a dose-related impact of smoking: the risk of erectile dysfunction was lower in men who smoked fewer cigarettes, but still increased compared to non-smokers. The effect of smoking remained significant after considering other factors known to affect erectile function such as age, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes and body mass index (BMI).  Many smokers say they are not ready to quit, despite the dire warnings about heart, lung and other health problems. Perhaps the news that they could be jeopardizing their sexual function will change their minds.  You don't want to change your mind even if cigarettes take your sex life up in smoke, don't worry more help is on its way! German drug maker Bayer won approval on March 7th to sell Levitra, a new impotence drug, across the European Union that it hopes will win business from Pfizer's lucrative Viagra treatment. Bayer expects its Levitra drug, which it is marketing together with Britain's Glaxo SmithKline, to bring in up to 1 billion euros (US$1.1 billion) a year, once it secures approval in the United States as well.  Hwever, prevention is better than cure.  If you smoke and find you cannot stop on your own, get help. If you fail the first time or two, keep trying. Studies show that people who successfully quit often try several times before they kicked their habit for good. Novel approaches may work for you, such as hypnosis or nicotine inhalers; one of these may be successful even if your previous attempts were not.

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TV Impact
According to a study presented in the March issue of the journal Developmental Psychology by psychologists L. Rowell Huesmann and colleagues at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, people who watch violent television as children behave more aggressively even 15 years later. The effect appeared in both sexes and regardless of how aggressive a person was as a child, researchers found. The study linked violent TV viewing at ages 6 to 9 to such outcomes as spouse abuse and criminal convictions in a person's early 20s.  The American Psychological Association has concluded that viewing violence on TV or other mass media does promote aggressive behavior, particularly in children. Other mental-health and medical groups have taken similar stands. Another large study released on March 10th shows just how bad super-sized burgers and nonstop tube time can be for one's health.  In January, a federal judge in New York City threw out a class-action lawsuit blaming McDonald's food for obesity, diabetes and other health problems in children. He said this risk is common knowledge.  Surprisingly, common sense is the most uncommon commodity in this world!

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Cuddling Helps
Cuddling may be good medicine for the heart according to a report presented in Phoenix in the beginning of March at the American Psychosomatic Society meeting. A brief hug and 10 minutes of handholding with a romantic partner greatly reduce the harmful physical effects of stress. Studies in U.S. and Parisian cafes show that French couples spend about three times as much time touching as Americans.  Adding to mounting evidence that emotions affect the heart, another study by Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., presented at Phoenix shows that happy adults with heart disease are 20% more likely than equally ill, dour patients to stay alive for 11 years.

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Western Diet Causes Colon Cancer
Colon cancer is the third most common cancer among men and women in the United States and the second leading cause of total cancer death in the U.S., according to data from the American Gastroenterological Association. More women over the age of 75 will die of colorectal cancer than from breast cancer. Despite these numbers, many women do not consider colorectal cancer a major threat to their health. Women who fill their diets with red or processed meats, french fries, white bread and sugary desserts may have an increased risk of colon cancer, according to Major Dietary Patterns and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Women from the February 10, 2003 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers followed more than 76,000 women for 12 years to determine how their dietary patterns affect the risk for colon and rectal cancers. They identified two main patterns: the "prudent" diet consisting primarily of fruit, vegetables and whole grains and the "Western" diet consisting mainly of red meat, fried foods, refined grains and desserts. The results revealed a significant association between the Western diet and the risk of colon cancer.  The findings of this study underscore the importance of dietary habits.

Breast Augmentation and Suicide
Women who undergo cosmetic surgery for breast augmentation are more likely to commit suicide than women from the general population, finds a study in the first week of March issue of BMJ.  Researchers identified 3,521 Swedish women aged 15-69 years who had had breast implants between 1965 and 1993. They compared the observed number of deaths with the expected number of deaths from suicide, unintentional injury, cardiovascular diseases, malignancies, and other causes over an average of 11 years. Given the well documented link between psychiatric disorders and a desire for cosmetic surgery, the increased risk for death from suicide may reflect a greater prevalence of psychopathology rather than a causal association between implant surgery and suicide.

Multivitamin Supplements
American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine reports that in a new randomized, controlled trial a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement reduced the incidence of infection and related work absenteeism among healthy people aged 45 or older. The results were most significant in people with type 2 diabetes. In this group, only 17 percent of those who took the multivitamin reported getting an infection compared to 93 percent of those who took the placebo.

Effects of Sleep Deprivation, A First Systematic Study

Visceral Fat in Women
According to a surprising new study published in the rapid access issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, for elderly women, the location of excess fat may be more important for their cardiovascular health. In a study of 1,356 women ages 60-85, Danish researchers found that excessive fat stored mostly in their abdominal area (visceral fat) and other central parts of the body is more strongly implicated in the development of atherosclerosis and impairments in blood sugar metabolism that can progress to type 2 diabetes.

Meat Protein and Kidney Disease
According to American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, data from 1,624 women in the prospective Nurses Health Study show that high total protein intake, particularly animal protein, may accelerate loss of kidney function in women who had mild chronic kidney disease at the beginning of the study period.  

Recipes

Mushroom and Corn Toast Ingredients:  2 brown bread slices, 50 gm fresh mushroom, 50 gm baby corn, 10 ml. olive oil,10 gm garlic (chopped), 2 gm fresh basil (chopped), 2 gm crushed pepper, Salt to taste. Directions: Toast the brown bread slices lightly and keep aside. Boil the mushrooms and the baby corn separately till cooked. When cool, coarsely chop the mushrooms and baby corn. In a heavy bottomed pan heat the oil and sauté the garlic till golden. Add crushed pepper and basil to the sautéed garlic and cook for some more time. Add the chopped mushroom, baby corn and salt to taste. Stir. Take the pan off the fire. Cool. Spread the mixture on the toasted bread and gratin ate (or grill, or toast) till done. Womenfitness.net Contents

Banana Mango Smoothie Ingredients: 1-cup yogurt made from skimmed milk, 2/3 cup unsweetened apple juice (freezing the apple juice in ice cube trays before use makes the beverage much thicker), 1 medium ripe banana (frozen), 1 medium mango peeled and diced ground nutmeg for garnish. Directions: Place the yogurt, apple juice, mango and banana slice in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and sprinkle with nutmeg. Womenfitness.net Contents

Source: The primary sources cited above,  New York Times (NYT), Washington Post (WP), Mercury News, Bayarea.com, Intellihealthnews, Deccan Chronicle (DC), the Hindu, Hindustan Times, Times of India, AP, Reuters, AFP, womenfitness.net etc.

Vepachedu Educational Foundation, Inc Copyright Vepachedu Educational Foundation Inc., 2003.  All rights reserved.  All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for special medical conditions or any specific health issues or starting a new fitness regimen. Please read disclaimer.