Health : Health Buzz: Dogs Can Detect Colon Cancer |
| Health Buzz: Dogs Can Detect Colon Cancer Posted: 03 Feb 2011 10:56 AM PST Study: Dog Detects Cancer Better Than Routine Blood Test Can Forget teaching Fido to heel or roll over—new research suggests dogs can be trained to sniff out cancer. An 8-year-old black Labrador named Marine was 97 percent accurate in detecting colon cancer among watery stool samples collected from nearly 200 patients with and without the disease, according to a study by Japanese researchers. Her success rate was even more impressive than that of the routine fecal occult blood test, which missed about 30 percent of patients' cancers, The Boston Globe reports. The dog identified patients with both early-stage cancer and advanced malignancies. Canines are known for their keen sense of smell —up to 1 million times more sensitive than ours—and can identify cancer based on chemical compounds the disease emits. But Marine wasn't showing off a new trick: She began training as a cancer-detection dog in 2005, and had already proven her ability to identify the scent of 12 cancer types in patient breath samples. Past research suggests dogs can detect lung cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and bladder cancer from blood, urine, and tissue samples. Think More Protein, Fewer Carbs to Maintain Weight Loss It's a sad, well-worn fact that 90 percent of folks who lose weight fail to keep the pounds off. That abysmal success rate has left nutritionists scrambling to figure out how to help dieters maintain their weight loss without feeling like they have to stay on a "diet" in perpetuity, U.S. News reports. Well, a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine may provide a template for post-dieters to follow. It turns out, those who fill their plates with more protein and fewer processed carbohydrates—not all carbs are created equal—are better able to maintain their weight loss than those who eat a similar number of calories but shun protein for pasta, bagels, and bread. Processed carbs, often packed with sugar and white flour, fall into the category of high-glycemic index foods because they cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels, which promotes the storage of body fat. "The results indicate that even a modest increase in dietary protein or a modest reduction in glycemic-index values was sufficient to minimize weight regain and promote further weight loss in obese patients after a successful weight-loss diet," write the Danish study authors. The study included nearly 800 overweight volunteers who lost an average of 23 pounds by following a low-calorie diet and were then randomly assigned to one of several eating plans in an effort to prevent weight regain over six months. Weight regain was less in those assigned to eat higher amounts of protein and "low-glycemic index" carbohydrates like high-fiber fruits, vegetables, and whole grains compared to those who were told to eat less protein and more high-glycemic index foods like white rice, French fries, and sugary cereal. Those who ate more protein also were more likely to continue losing weight than those who ate mostly carbohydrates, even the unprocessed ones. [Read more: Think More Protein, Fewer Carbs to Maintain Weight Loss.]
For Health Benefits, Try Tai Chi The gentle, 2,000-year-old Chinese practice of tai chi is often described as "meditation in motion." But the Harvard Women's Health Watch newsletter suggests a more apt description is "medication in motion," Courtney Rubin writes for U.S. News. Tai chi, the most famous branch of Qigong, or exercises that harness the qi (life energy, pronounced "chee"), has been linked to health benefits for virtually everyone from children to seniors. Researchers aren't sure exactly how, but studies show that tai chi improves the quality of life for breast cancer patients and Parkinson's sufferers. Its combination of martial arts movements and deep breathing can be adapted even for people in wheelchairs. And it has shown promise in treating sleep problems and high blood pressure. Tai chi is credited with so many pluses, physiological and psychological, that Chenchen Wang, an associate professor of medicine at Tufts University, set out last year to analyze 40 studies on it in English and Chinese journals. Wang found that tai chi did indeed promote balance, flexibility, cardiovascular fitness, and strength. In a study comparing it with brisk walking and resistance training, a tai chi group improved more than 30 percent in lower-body strength and 25 percent in arm strength, nearly as much as a weight-training group and more than the walkers. [Read more: For Health Benefits, Try Tai Chi.] This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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