Obesity Causes Increased Risk of Kidney Cancer, Kidney Stones, and Stroke

(NaturalNews) Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or greater. BMI is a ratio determined by weight and height. With a large percentage of Americans classified as being obese, research is showing the effects extra weight and obesity have on a person's overall health. Recent studies show that obese people have an increased risk of developing common kidney cancer, kidney stones, and an increased risk of having a stroke.

A study involving 1,640 participants studied the effects of weight on kidney cancer. The average age of patients was 62 and all participants had kidney tumors. The study showed that patients with a BMI of 30 or higher were 48% more likely to develop clear-cell renal cell cancer (RCC). With every 1 point increase in BMI, obese patients increased their odds of getting kidney cancer by 4%.

Out of all the participants, 67% of the obese patients had kidney cancer compared to 57% of non-obese patients. Researchers do not know why there is a link between obesity and kidney cancer. Researchers are looking into a secondary link involving diabetes, hypertension, hormonal changes, and decreased immune function.

A recent study shows that obesity increases the risk of developing kidney stones. Kidney stones are solidified deposits of minerals that are very painful when passing through the urethra. Researchers studied more than 95,000 medical records and 3,257 people had kidney stones in a 4 year period. They found that 1 in 40 people at normal weight or overweight experienced kidney stones compared to 1 in 20 obese people.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University are not clear as to the exact link between obesity and kidney stones. However, they theorize that perhaps people who are obese have different levels of substances in their blood that lead to kidney stones.

Another recent study shows that people who are obese have an increased risk of suffering from a stroke. The study included 13,549 middle-aged participants. Researchers looked at BMI and waist circumference. They found that three factors highly influenced the development of a stroke: sex, ethnicity, and weight. The study found that obesity leads to diabetes and hypertension, which then increases the likelihood of a stroke.

These studies provide a closer look at obesity and its impact on health. Although none of the studies conclude a definite cause-effect relationship, the link is definitely there. Obesity has a negative impact on health and people with a BMI of 30 or higher need to take action to reduce their weight to improve their health.

Heal yourself in 15 days by recognizing your innate healing power (part two)

When you scrape your elbow, a bit of blood oozes out to clean the wound and wash away bacteria. It then forms a protective scab that keeps out invading microorganisms while your skin has a chance to heal underneath. There, some real magic takes place: Your skin cells innately recognize the need to divide and grow to fill the wound. A cancer-like process is unleashed at the cellular level, activating nearby cells to divide and grow. Your DNA is replicated in the nucleus of each cell with the help of some of the most astounding nanotechnology every witnessed in human civilization. (The best scientists in the world can't even come close to recreating it.)

As your cells multiply, nutrients and building blocks are carried to them through a blood supply that adapts to the particular size and shape of the wound. If a blood vessel was destroyed in your accident, the growth of new blood vessels is spontaneously initiated to take their place, and they grow into the tissues within mere hours.

As your skin cells fill in the previous wound, the replication effort is delicately turned off, one by one, so that replicating skin cells don't keep replicating beyond what they need to -- a process that would cause the creation of a skin tumor. Your body's cells know exactly when to grow and exactly when to turn off, and when it's all said and done, you're left with a perfect replacement for the skin you previously lost.



Completely automatic healing

The truly amazing part of all this is not the cancer-like processes that are delicately controlled by your body wisdom; it's not even the fact that your body has the ability to re-grow lost cells -- it's the fact that all this takes place without any conscious involvement on your part.

Healing yourself is automatic, in other words. You don't have to direct blood to the wound, direct the cells to start replicating, direct the molecular waste products to be carried away and decide when cell replication should be stopped. All this happens without your involvement -- even without your awareness! Much of it happens while you sleep, in fact. While your conscious mind is dreaming, your innate body wisdom is working the biochemistry and energetic transformations necessary to repair your tissues.

You can't stop this process even if you wanted to. You could try to focus all your mental power on your skin not healing, and yet your skin would heal itself anyway.

That's because your body is a powerful self-healing organism. It heals itself automatically, innately, without your conscious awareness or involvement. Your ability to heal yourself is so powerful that you can't stop yourself from healing!

Personal History of Cancer

Personal history of cancer: A person who has already had colorectal cancer may develop colorectal cancer a second time. Also, women with a history of cancer of the ovary, uterus (endometrium), or breast are at a somewhat higher risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease: A person who has had a condition that causes inflammation of the colon (such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease) for many years is at increased risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Diet: Studies suggest that diets high in fat (especially animal fat) and low in calcium, folate, and fiber may increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Also, some studies suggest that people who eat a diet very low in fruits and vegetables may have a higher risk of colorectal cancer. However, results from diet studies do not always agree, and more research is needed to better understand how diet affects the risk of colorectal cancer.

Cigarette smoking: A person who smokes cigarettes may be at increased risk of developing polyps and colorectal cancer.

Because people who have colorectal cancer may develop colorectal cancer a second time, it is important to have checkups. If you have colorectal cancer, you also may be concerned that your family members may develop the disease. People who think they may be at risk should talk to their doctor. The doctor may be able to suggest ways to reduce the risk and can plan an appropriate schedule for checkups. See the "Screening" section to learn more about tests that can find polyps or colorectal cancer.

Screening

Screening tests help your doctor find polyps or cancer before you have symptoms. Finding and removing polyps may prevent colorectal cancer. Also, treatment for colorectal cancer is more likely to be effective when the disease is found early.

To find polyps or early colorectal cancer:

People in their 50s and older should be screened.

People who are at higher-than-average risk of colorectal cancer should talk with their doctor about whether to have screening tests before age 50, what tests to have, the benefits and risks of each test, and how often to schedule appointments.

The following screening tests can be used to detect polyps, cancer, or other abnormal areas.
Your doctor can explain more about each test:

Fecal occult blood test (FOBT): Sometimes cancers or polyps bleed, and the FOBT can detect tiny amounts of blood in the stool. If this test detects blood, other tests are needed to find the source of the blood. Benign conditions (such as hemorrhoids) also can cause blood in the stool.

Sigmoidoscopy: Your doctor checks inside your rectum and the lower part of the colon with a lighted tube called a sigmoidoscope. If polyps are found, the doctor removes them. The procedure to remove polyps is called a polypectomy.

Colonoscopy: Your doctor examines inside the rectum and entire colon using a long, lighted tube called a colonoscope. Your doctor removes polyps that may be found.

Double-contrast barium enema: You are given an enema with a barium solution, and air is pumped into your rectum. Several x-ray pictures are taken of your colon and rectum. The barium and air help your colon and rectum show up on the pictures. Polyps or tumors may show up.

Digital rectal exam: A rectal exam is often part of a routine physical examination. Your doctor inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into your rectum to feel for abnormal areas.

Virtual colonoscopy: This method is under study. See "The Promise of Cancer Research."

Colon Cancer

Colon cancer: Cancer that forms in the tissues of the colon (the longest part of the large intestine). Most colon cancers are adenocarcinomas (cancers that begin in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids).

Estimated new cases and deaths from colon cancer in the United States in 2009:

New cases: 106,100 (colon); 40,870 (rectal)
Deaths: 49,920 (colon and rectal combined)

The Colon and Rectum

The colon and rectum are parts of the digestive system. They form a long, muscular tube called the large intestine (also called the large bowel). The colon is the first 4 to 5 feet of the large intestine, and the rectum is the last several inches.

Partly digested food enters the colon from the small intestine. The colon removes water and nutrients from the food and turns the rest into waste (stool). The waste passes from the colon into the rectum and then out of the body through the anus.

Malignant tumors are cancer:

Malignant tumors are generally more serious than benign tumors. They may be life- threatening.
Malignant tumors often can be removed. But sometimes they grow back.
Malignant tumors can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs.

Cancer cells can break away from a malignant tumor and spread to other parts of the body. Cancer cells spread by entering the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. The cancer cells form new tumors that damage other organs. The spread of cancer is called metastasis.
When colorectal cancer spreads outside the colon or rectum, cancer cells are often found in nearby lymph nodes. If cancer cells have reached these nodes, they may also have spread to other lymph nodes or other organs. Colorectal cancer cells most often spread to the liver.

When cancer spreads from its original place to another part of the body, the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the original tumor. For example, if colorectal cancer spreads to the liver, the cancer cells in the liver are actually colorectal cancer cells. The disease is metastatic colorectal cancer, not liver cancer. For that reason, it is treated as colorectal cancer, not liver cancer. Doctors call the new tumor "distant" or metastatic disease.

Bladder Cancer

Bladder Cancer: Cancer that forms in tissues of the bladder (the organ that stores urine). Most bladder cancers are transitional cell carcinomas (cancer that begins in cells that normally make up the inner lining of the bladder). Other types include squamous cell carcinoma (cancer that begins in thin, flat cells) and adenocarcinoma (cancer that begins in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids). The cells that form squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma develop in the inner lining of the bladder as a result of chronic irritation and inflammation.

Estimated new cases and deaths from bladder cancer in the United States in 2009:

New cases: 70,980


Deaths: 14,330

Incidence & Mortality

The bladder is a hollow organ in the lower abdomen. It stores urine, the liquid waste produced by the kidneys. Urine passes from each kidney into the bladder through a tube called a ureter.

An outer layer of muscle surrounds the inner lining of the bladder. When the bladder is full, the muscles in the bladder wall can tighten to allow urination. Urine leaves the bladder through another tube, the urethra.

There are three types of bladder cancer that begin in cells in the lining of the bladder. These cancers are named for the type of cells that become malignant:

Transitional cell carcinoma: Cancer that begins in cells in the innermost tissue layer of the bladder. These cells are able to stretch when the bladder is full and shrink when it is emptied. Most bladder cancers begin in transitional cells.

Squamous cell carcinoma: Cancer that begins in squamous cells, which are thin, flat cells that may form in the bladder after a long- term infection or irritation.

Adenocarcinoma: Cancer that begins in glandular (secretory) cells that may form in the bladder after a long-term inflammation or irritation.
Cancer that is only in cells in the lining of the bladder is called superficial bladder cancer. The doctor might call it carcinoma in situ. This type of bladder cancer often comes back after treatment. If this happens, the disease most often recurs as another superficial cancer in the bladder.

Cancer that begins as a superficial tumor may grow through the lining and into the muscular wall of the bladder. This is known as invasive cancer. Invasive cancer may extend through the bladder wall. It may grow into a nearby organ such as the uterus or vagina (in women) or the prostate gland (in men). It also may invade the wall of the abdomen.

When bladder cancer spreads outside the bladder, cancer cells are often found in nearby lymph nodes. If the cancer has reached these nodes, cancer cells may have spread to other lymph nodes or other organs, such as the lungs, liver, or bones.

When cancer spreads (metastasizes) from its original place to another part of the body, the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the primary tumor. For example, if bladder cancer spreads to the lungs, the cancer cells in the lungs are actually bladder cancer cells. The disease is metastatic bladder cancer, not lung cancer. It is treated as bladder cancer, not as lung cancer. Doctors sometimes call the new tumor "distant" disease.

Healthy Home

Colder temperatures can bring some relief to those allergic to mold and pollen. But winter doesn't mean the end of runny noses, itchy eyes and wheezing for asthma and allergy sufferers.

Spending more time indoors can mean more problems with dust mites, pet dander, cigarette smoke, gas fumes and household sprays and chemicals, any of which can trigger asthma symptoms.

Mold grows anywhere and needs little more than moisture and oxygen to thrive.

The Center for Children's Health at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, offer these tips for minimizing the chances of an allergic reaction or asthma flare-up during the winter:

* Mold and dust mites thrive in humidity, so keep indoor humidity level below 35 percent.
* Turn on exhaust fans when showering and cooking to remove excess humidity and cut down on odors.

* Replace your furnace filter every two to three months and use high-efficiency filters, which can remove up to 30 times more allergens. Keep the furnace fan turned on.
* Clean thoroughly to reduce dust mites, which eat household dust, a mix of shed hair, flakes of skin, soil particles, clothing fibers and pollen. Vacuum floors and furniture using a vacuum with a HEPA filter frequently. Don't keep many old books, stuffed animals and knickknacks, which are also places where mites collect.
* Mites multiply in carpeting, so, if possible, go with hardwood or tile floors in bedrooms. Consider using allergy covers for mattresses, box springs and pillows. Hot water kills dust mites, so try to wash bed linens and nightclothes in water above 130 degrees.
* First frost kills most mold outdoors. Even so, keep children from playing in areas that mold prefers, such as dark, damp wooded areas and piles of fallen leaves.
* When using a humidifier, maintain it properly. Keep it clean and change the water frequently to avoid mold and bacteria growth. Spray central humidifiers with an anti-mold agent.
* If you have dog and cat allergies, avoid being in households with pets, or at least keep contact to a minimum. Keep pets out of the bedroom if you are allergic.

If you think you have a mold problem and can’t afford help, Children’s Mercy Hospital offers a program called “The Healthy Home Program. To qualify for this program you must:

* Live in the Kansas City Metropolitan area.
* Have a child between 2 and 17 years of age, with asthma, allergies, sinus problems, constant cough, or other constant health problems.
* Your child stays at your home at least four nights per week.
* Own your home, or have lived in the same rental unit the last six months and plan to be there the next 12 months.
* Meet the HHP Median Family Income guidelines.

Get Expert Advice to Avoid the Traps

The best thing you can do if you are in the market for the right coverage for you and your employees, is to consult an insurance broker who specializes in group insurance. An experienced broker will interview you to determine your needs and then present you with plan options that best fit those needs at the lowest possible cost.

For your own peace of mind, get an idea of the types of coverage you may want to offer your employees. Conducting an employee survey to find out what benefit plans and issues interest them the most can be very helpful.

For instance, ask them to rank the following benefits in order of importance.

Medical Care – HMO
Medical Care – HSA
Medical Care – PPO
Dental Care
Chiropractic Care
Life Insurance
Long Term Disability Income Replacement
Retirement/401K
Section 125 Cafeteria Plans
Vision Care

Try to get an idea of how frequently they and/or their dependents would use each of these benefits.

Some employees may be interested in additional coverage. So, ask them if you were to offer them voluntary/employee paid benefits at low cost and group rates through payroll deduction, which of the following benefits would they be interested in?

Accident Coverage
Life Insurance
Critical Illness
Long Term Care
Cancer Coverage
Long Term Disability
Hospital Income
Group Legal Plan

After reviewing the answers to these questions, you should have a better concept of the types of benefits you want to offer. Now, it is time to consult the expert.

Not all brokers have the same experience or style. Ask other business owners for referrals if they have found a good broker. You want a broker that asks you the right questions to get an accurate group health profile so they can design the right [plans for your group.

Information they ask should include:

Has anyone been advised to have surgery in the last six months, or anticipate hospitalization for any other reason?

Has anyone been treated for a serious illness, been hospitalized or had surgery in the past 5 years (e.g. AIDS, Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Juvenile Diabetes, Mental Illness, Renal Disease, Substance Abuse)?

Are any employees or their dependents pregnant?

Has anyone had a medical expense of $5,000 or more in the past 12 months?

Has any employee missed 10 or more consecutive days of work in the past 12 months due to illness or injury?

Are there any employees who are not actively at work performing his or her duties full time due to illness or injury?

Are all covered employees listed on the employer's DE6 (quarterly state tax report)?

Are there any current or former employees or dependents currently on medical continuation (COBRA, State Continuation, and Extended Benefits)?

Is anyone apt to have a continuing expense from an existing mental or physical disorder?

All of the information the broker gathers will be used to design a personalized plan that best suits the needs of you and your employees. Having all of this information influences the design of your perfect plan.

Consulting an expert will save you time and money and will help you to offer the best group insurance benefits to your employees.

Health Savings Accounts

Health Savings Accounts (HSA) are becoming more popular as the cost of health insurance continues to increase.

An HSA is a special bank account that is set up in conjuctions with the enrollment in a high deductible health plan (HDHP).

You, your employee or an eligible family member can make tax free contributions to the HSA. The HSA will earn interest that is not taxed and any withdrawals to pay for qualified medical expenses are also not taxed. Any funds remaining in the account at the end of each year is carried over to the next year.

The contribution to an HSA each year is limited to the amount of the HDHP deductible or $2,650 for individuals and $5,250 for families, whichever is less. You or your employee may not contribute to an HSA once you or your eomployee becomes eligible for and enrolled in Medicare. Your or your eomployee can make withdrawals to pay for qualified medical expenses by check or debit card just as you would with any other bank account.

Your employee owns the HSA so that your employee can keep the account even if he changes health insurance plans or jobs. However, if the owner of the account is not enrolled in an HDHP, he can no longer make contributions to the account.

An HDHP is a health insurance plan that has a high deductible of, at least, $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for families, adjusted each year for the cost of living. Despite the high deductibles most HDHPs will cover preventative care in full. To be enrolled in an HDHP, the enrollee cannot be covered by any other health insurance coverage, including under a spouse's plan, that is not a HDHP.

An HSA provides a method for you or your employees to reduce health insurance costs by enrolling in a less expensive HDHP as long as you or your employees are willing to finance, through the HsA, the medical expenses that are incurred, up to the amount of the deductible.

You should consult with a tax advisor to determine eligibility requirements and tax advantages before you decide to participate in an HSA.

If you and your employees decide that an HSA is a good alternative to the more traditional health insurance plans, The United State Federation of Small Businesses (USFSB) can offer you, from selected carriers, this less costly option.

Another way USFSB can help you reduce your costs for medical services is through the use of a Medical Discount Card. It is important to note that this is not insurance. The Medical Discount Card can be used, at participating health care providers, to obtain reduced cost for the services that are rendered as long as you are prepared to pay for the services at that time.

The Annual Deductible of a Health Insurance Policy

Now, some health care procedures, like office visits, preventative care and generic drug prescriptions, may have a set co-pay. For anything that has a set co-pay, the amount of that co-pay does not count towards your deductible. Now you may not be happy about that, but you must understand that these co-pay amounts are lower than you would pay without the coverage.

How Does the Annual Deductible Work?

Say your policy has an annual deductible of $1,000. By its definition as noted above, you would be responsible for paying for $1,000 worth of health care expenses (excluding co-pays as mentioned above) for the calendar year. Once you have paid for health care services that total $1,000, the insurance company steps up and contributes to any additional costs as outlined by your policy.

In a typical PPO plan, this usually means that you will have to pay for a percentage of the cost. The insurance company negotiates how much the service will cost with the service provider. You pay your percentage and the insurance company pays the balance.

Annual deductibles are either based on the individual or on the family if more than one person is covered by the policy. The individual deductible applies to each covered person separately. In the case of an individual deductible, each member must meet the annual deductible before the insurance company contributes to the costs of that individual.

Family deductibles apply to all covered members of a family. Depending on the guidelines, meeting the deductible can be shared by two or more family members.

This leads us to one of the most common family deductible formats, the two member max.

The Two Member Max Clause:

If your policy covers more than one person, you may see a footnote on the annual deductible that says "2 member max". Effectively then, two of the people covered on the policy must each meet the deductible before the insurance company will help pay for the health care costs of all covered members.

What is just one person meets the deductible? If one person meets the deductible then the insurance company will contribute to that person's health care costs and not any of the other covered members. And, this person's future expenses do not count towards any other member's deductible. A second member must also meet the deductible before the insurance company will contribute to their health care expenses.

If there are more than two people covered under the policy, once two of the members have reached the deductible, the insurance company will contribute to all members' health care costs.

Don't let your annual deductible take you by surprise. Know what it is and how it is structured.

A Natural Approach to Curing and Preventing Acne

By Dr. Ben Kim

DrBenKim.com

Of the many health challenges that I help people overcome through natural methods, one of my favorites is acne. It’s a favorite because I have yet to meet a person who hasn’t recovered from acne, no matter how severe the case, with appropriate changes in diet and lifestyle. Once a person identifies and addresses the root causes of acne, it predictability melts away.

There is nothing quite like seeing the relief and happiness that people experience as they recover from acne that they have suffered with for months or years. I will never forget one gentleman – a professor at a top naturopathic school – whose chronic acne completely disappeared within two weeks of following my suggestions. Tears filled his eyes as he spoke about the many years he suffered with acne despite trying numerous creams, cleansers, nutritional supplements, and oral drugs.

Many people in developed countries suffer with acne at some point in their lives. Rather than identify and address the root causes of acne, many people turn to creams, cleansers, and sometimes drugs to relieve their symptoms. While these approaches may produce temporary results for some, they rarely lead to lasting improvement because they do not take into account dietary and lifestyle factors that cause acne to begin with.

These symptom-based approaches reminds me of a time when my kitchen faucet broke off and a powerful geyser of water exploded upward, taking a bite out of the ceiling. My first reaction was to cram the broken faucet in place. It took every last bit of my strength to hold this faucet down against the upward force of water. If I budged even a bit, water would shoot out in all directions with incredible force. Being the quick thinker that I am, I stood there for about five minutes, growing exhausted from holding this faucet down. It finally dawned on me that I had to reach down underneath the sink and turn off the water supply. During the few seconds it took for me to let go of the broken faucet and reach down to turn off the water supply, it was like having an open fire hydrant in my kitchen. The kitchen and I ended up soaked, but it sure felt great to know that no more water would come flying out of the broken faucet!

When I see people use creams, cleansers, and drugs to deal with acne, I can’t help but think that they are trying awfully hard to solve their problem, just as I struggled to hold the water down with the broken faucet, when a more effective and permanent solution exists. You can use creams, cleansers and drugs to deal with acne with temporary and limited success, but wouldn’t it be way better to keep acne from developing in the first place? I’m sure that once you identify and address the root causes of acne, you will feel just as relieved and happy as I did when I made that final turn on the water supply valve.

Here are my guidelines to solving acne naturally:

1. Avoid the worst triggers of acne; pasteurized dairy products, fried and deep-fried foods, hydrogenated oils, sugar, salty snacks, preservatives like sulphates, and highly processed foods that contain gluten.
   
   
2. Eat mainly whole, unprocessed foods, with vegetables making up at least 50% of the total volume of your diet. Specifics of your ideal diet depend on a variety of factors, including your body type, ethnic background, health history, and current health status.
   
   
3. Get enough sleep to feel refreshed when you wake up. It is during deep, restful sleep that your body is able to most efficiently repair damaged skin.
   
   
4. Do not rub your acne with abrasive towels or loofahs. Aggressively rubbing your acne can cause the underlying infection to spread, which can result in new spots. Sometimes, abrasive rubbing can create enough irritation to cause an infection that leads to acne. Instead of rubbing your face dry after washing, make it a habit to pat dry or even air dry.
   
   
5. Use as little soap and make-up as possible. Using soap on a daily basis is only necessary if you work with gas, coal, or oil. For most people who don’t wear make up, washing with cold water is enough to have clean and healthy skin. Washing with only cold water is what people have done through most of world history.
   
   
6. If your weather allows, expose your skin to sunshine each day, even if it’s for a few minutes. Just be sure not to burn yourself. Natural sunlight has remarkable healing and recuperative powers for your skin.
   
   
7. Consider taking a high quality probiotic. Having lots of good bacteria living in your intestines will provide protection against toxins that can contribute to acne formation. Lots of good bacteria in your intestines is also helpful for your immune system, which plays a significant role in maintaining healthy skin. My wife and I use Dr. Ben Kim's Greens.
   
   
8. If you are not seeing changes as quickly as you would like, consider doing a short water or juice fast, which can accelerate healing of your skin.