ShortFormBlog: U.S. cancer death rates on the decline
Cancer is complicated. Rates may be declining overall, but are people just living longer with poor health? Reducing exposure to environmental pollutants, quitting smoking, and having a healthy diet with exercise WILL reduce incidences of cancer. Do what you can.
- 1.8% decline in cancer deaths for men in the U.S. from 2004 through 2008
- 1.6% decline in cancer deaths for women in the U.S. over the same period source
» The march of medical advancement: That’s what’s being touted as the cause for this heartening reversal of trend, as reported…
(Source: shortformblog)
Challenges to Effective Cancer Control
Scientific. Political. Social.
Excellent article on challenges to controlling cancer in the U.S. Read on.
What’s the value of a human life?
This is something that our government agencies must grapple with in order to set standards.
The Environmental Protection Agency set the value of a life at $9.1 million last year in proposing tighter restrictions on air pollution. The agency used numbers as low as $6.8 million during the George W. Bush administration.
The Food and Drug Administration declared that life was worth $7.9 million last year, up from $5 million in 2008, in proposing warning labels on cigarette packages featuring images of cancer victims.
The Transportation Department has used values of around $6 million to justify recent decisions to impose regulations that the Bush administration had rejected as too expensive, like requiring stronger roofs on cars.
And the numbers may keep climbing. In December, the E.P.A. said it might set the value of preventing cancer deaths 50 percent higher than other deaths, because cancer kills slowly. A report last year financed by the Department of Homeland Security suggested that the value of preventing deaths from terrorism might be 100 percent higher than other deaths.
More on the NYTimes.
Denmark named Cancer Capital of the World
Between better diagnostics, a high rate of female smokers, and unhealthy eating, some 326 in 100,000 Danes are getting Cancer every year.
iPhone cases, available at Uncommon. They have more styles to choose from, all art designed by pediatric cancer patients. That’s a nice gift, if you’re into gifts.
These designs are based on artwork created by pediatric cancer patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Proceeds from product sales fund patient programs for MD Anderson patients. Summer camps, in-hospital classrooms, a rehabilitation ski trip, college and graduate scholarships and many pediatric activities are funded by the Children’s Art Project. Your purchase is a gift that gives twice–and helps make life better for children with cancer.
This can get overwhelming. The short version is that you can always live with less. What can you cut out starting today?
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FOOD—ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS: CHEMICALS AND BREAST CANCER
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Prescriptions: Pink Reminds Us That Chemicals Abound
How can the ordinary Josephine possibly know that more than 200 chemicals are associated with breast cancer in lab animals and that many of those chemicals are pervasive in their lives as well as the lives of their children and grandchildren?
septemberequinox-deactivated201 asked: Can you please check this out?
http://secondstilyoufade.tumblr.com/post/1261949498/the-hardest-part
Secondstilyoufade sent me the above link, some creative writing that I highly recommend. My response: I hear you loud and clear. Please don’t think I take this lightly, this is what I wrote my Master’s thesis on (toxics in consumer products and the resulting health concerns). My mother is a breast cancer survivor, my aunt ovarian. Awareness is so important, I just don’t know if buying soda with a pink cap is the solution. The point of the article is that a lot of these products that are so-called supporters of the cause, are often contributors. I prefer supporting causes that are clearly working towards prevention. I understand it can be difficult, especially knowing someone who has been through cancer, and that a cure or easing the illness is also important. As a person with an increased risk of cancer myself, I’m interested in knowing how I can prevent it. Thank God I still have my mom and aunt to teach me survival either way.
Consume wisely if you consume at all
And on that note (of cancer), NOT that I’m saying consumer products lead to cancer… well maybe i’m suggesting it. Either way, it doesn’t hurt to cut out whatever you can. Our bodies are amazing machines, you’d be surprised what you can live without. I’m not saying give up everything and be a stinky disheveled mess. Just test your boundaries. To choose wisely, check out the following:
GoodGuide (covers all/most consumer products, and they have an app!)
“I am offended and tired of companies slapping pink ribbons on their products, when their products continue to contain known, suspected or potential carcinogens,” Carol Secter, a board member of Breast Cancer Action Montreal, said at a news conference Wednesday.
The group contends that the Pink Ribbon campaign mainly benefits corporations, many of which still sell products with ingredients linked to cancer.
” Montreal Gazette. An interesting point. I’m all for fighting breast cancer, but all the marketing and PR around the Komen foundation seems a little disconcerting. Read on.Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins a Hoax
I received an email about a Cancer Update from John Hopkins, containing some really interesting and persuasive news on avoiding and treating cancer. A lot of the claims were related to more ‘natural’ remedies for cancer like diet and avoiding other toxins such as those found when microwaving plastic. I was fascinated when I read it, so I went to Johns Hopkins website to see what else they had to say. Unfortunately, their website bashes this chain email as a hoax and does not endorse the details.
They do, however, have a response on their site about each of the claims and their position on it, which is useful, but lacking in some ways. The best of their tips are summed up in their top 8:
1. Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight.
2. Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day.
3. Avoid sugary drinks. Limit consumption of energy-dense foods (particularly processed foods high in added sugar, or low in fiber, or high in fat).
4. Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes such as beans.
5. Limit consumption of red meats (such as beef, pork and lamb) and avoid processed meats.
6. If consumed at all, limit alcoholic drinks to 2 for men and 1 for women a day.
7. Limit consumption of salty foods and foods processed with salt (sodium).
8. Don’t use supplements to protect against cancer. Our experts recommend that people meet their nutritional needs through their food choices. While vitamin supplements can be helpful in people with nutritional deficiencies, evidence suggests that supplementation above what the body can use provides no added health benefit.
Whether you’ve seen the email or not, I recommend reading through their responses. While they firmly disagree with statements like “Cancer is a disease of mind, body, and spirit”, would it really be so bad for research institutions and scientists to accept the possibility that your attitude and the amount of stress and love in your life can have impacts on your health?
