Certain Hair Products May Increase Breast Cancer Risk

New research findings have uncovered that black women who use certain hair dyes and white women using certain chemical relaxants have a higher risk of breast cancer. The study involved over 4,000 women.

The study found that black women who used dark brown of black hair dyes had a 51 percent higher risk for breast cancer. White women who used hair relaxers had a 71 percent higher risk for breast cancer. Although the study uncovered an association between these hair products and breast cancer risk, it did not explain the connection.

The study’s lead author Adana Llanos explained, “Our findings do not suggest that simply using hair dyes, relaxers or both will cause a woman to get breast cancer. The reality is that we regularly encounter a variety of harmful exposures, which we have no control over.”

The takeaway here is that we should be limiting our exposure to harsh chemicals as much as possible.

Harsh hair products increase cancer risk

There has been a long-standing debate regarding the safety of hair chemicals like dyes and relaxants. There haven’t been many conclusive studies on the topic, so it’s often been unclear whether or not these products are safe to use.

In the past, studies on hair products and safety didn’t include black women. This study is the first of its kind The women in the study were asked about their use of hair products. Among those surveyed were 2,280 breast cancer survivors.

The products that the researchers analyzed included hair dyes, chemical relaxers, and deep conditioners that contained cholesterol or placenta.

It isn’t clear why there’s an association between the use of these hair products and breast cancer. Llanos suggested, “One hypothesis is that the chemical composition of hair products marketed for and used among whites may differ from the products marketed for use by African-Americans. More research is needed to determine specifically which compounds and chemicals are dangerous and even which specific consumer products and brands contain those chemicals.”

After adjusting for other factors, Llanos suggests that the association between hair product use and breast cancer may come down to lifestyle habits.

Don’t fret

Toxicologist Linda Loretz explained, “Those who use cosmetics and personal care products can feel confident that they are protected by a combination of strong federal safety regulations enacted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA] and the science-based safety assessments from the companies that manufacture these products.”

Does this mean that you need to stop treating your hair in fear of breast cancer? No, not necessarily. There are lots of factors that can contribute to a person’s risk of developing breast cancer, such as family history, genetics, and lifestyle habits. If you are concerned about your own risk, you should speak to your doctor.

Don’t Let Q-Tips Make You Deaf – Use This Safe Coconut Oil Trick Instead

Many Americans swab their ears with cotton swabs as part of their regular hygiene routine, hoping to remove excess earwax. Yet, there’s nothing unhygienic about earwax and experts strongly recommend against inserting such swabs into your ear canal.

You see, your ears produce earwax for a reason. Known technically as cerumen, it’s produced by glands in your ear canal. Made up mostly of dead skin cells, earwax also contains other substances, including lysozyme, an antibacterial enzyme, fatty acids, alcohols, cholesterol, and squalene.

Earwax is a substance that’s meant to be in your ears. It aids in your ears’ self-cleaning process, providing protection, lubrication, and antibacterial properties. As explained by the American Hearing Research Foundation:

“Too little earwax increases the risk of infection… at least ten antimicrobial peptides are present in earwax preventing bacteria and fungi from growing.”

The Benefits of Earwax

If you have too little earwax in your ear canal, your ears may feel dry and itchy. However, just the right amount of earwax helps with:

• Preventing dust, bacteria, and other germs from entering and damaging your ear
• Trapping dirt and slowing the growth of bacteria
• Protecting the skin of your ear canal from becoming irritated by water

Your ears should have a healthy amount of earwax, as they’re a self-cleaning part of your body. Excess earwax should move out of your ear canal automatically, as cells there actually migrate naturally.

The removal of earwax is also helped along by movements of your jaw (talking, chewing, etc.), and once it reaches your outer ear it will simply fall out or be removed when you shower or bathe.

Why You Shouldn’t Stick Cotton Swabs in Your Ears

According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF), under ideal circumstances, your ear canals should never have to be cleaned. They state:

“Unfortunately, many people mistakenly believe that earwax should be routinely removed for personal hygiene. This is not so.

In fact, attempting to remove earwax with cotton-tipped swabs, bobby pins, or other probing devices can result in damage to the ear, including trauma, impaction of the earwax, or even temporary deafness. These objects only push the wax in deeper, and can block the ear canal entirely.”

Under normal circumstances, earwax is only produced in the outer one-third of your ear canal. One of the primary risks of cotton swabs is they can push the earwax into the deeper part of your ear canal, near the eardrum. As AAO-HNSF noted:

“When a patient has wax blockage against the eardrum, it is often because he has been probing the ear with such things as cotton-tipped applicators, bobby pins, or twisted napkin corners. These objects only push the wax in deeper.”

When earwax is pushed deep into your ear where it doesn’t belong, it can bring fungus, bacteria, and viruses from the outer ear into the inner ear, increasing the risk of infection. It can also block your ear canal, leading to hearing loss, or even cause a ruptured eardrum.

It’s a vicious cycle, too, because the more you rub your ears with cotton swabs, the more histamine will be released, which makes your skin irritated and inflamed. This, in turn, may make you want to insert a cotton swab again, leading to additional dryness and irritation.

There’s even research showing earwax impaction may alter cognitive function in the elderly via its affect on hearing. In one study, when impacted earwax was removed hearing improved significantly, as did the participants’ cognitive function.

Put Down the Cotton Swab – Try This Instead

Most people do not need to clean their ears regularly. However, the following symptoms may indicate you have an excess of earwax buildup that needs attention:

• Noticeable wax accumulation
• Tinnitus (ringing in your ears)
• Severe itching in your ears
• Frequent earaches
• Partial loss of hearing
• Foul odor in your ears
• Discharge from your ears
• A feeling of fullness in your ears
• A sensation your ears are plugged

An ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor, or otolaryngologist, can remove earwax using a special suction, miniature instruments, and a microscope. If your eardrum is perforated, manual removal by a physician is recommended, however in most other cases you can clear earwax blockages at home.

The simplest way to do this is to first soften the wax by placing a few drops of olive oil, coconut oil, or water in your ear. Then, pour a capful of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide in each ear to flush the wax out. It’s worth noting that using plain sterile water, or a sterile saline solution, to soften earwax works just as well as oil or over-the-counter eardrops.

As an aside, the hydrogen peroxide trick (pouring a capful of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide in your ears) also works remarkably well at resolving respiratory infections, like colds and flu. You will hear some bubbling, which is completely normal, and possibly feel a slight stinging sensation. Wait until the bubbling and stinging subside (usually 5 to 10 minutes) then drain onto a tissue and repeat with the other ear.

If You’re Still Having Trouble With Wax Buildup…

If the home remedies don’t seem to be enough, high-pressure irrigation of your ear canal with a syringe may be necessary to remove troublesome wax. This should only be done by a professional, as if it’s done improperly it can damage your ear drum. Additionally, you should not irrigate your ears if you have diabetes, a perforated eardrum, a tube in your eardrum, or if your immune system is weakened.

If you suffer from a more serious impaction or you can’t get results at home, you may need to get the earwax removed by a physician who can manually remove the wax using microsuction, an otoscope, and other appropriate instruments.

Earwax Buildup Is Often a Sign of Omega-3 Deficiency

While most people’s ears are self-cleaning, there are some who seem to have trouble with excess wax buildup on a regular basis. If this applies to you, you may want to regularly soften and remove your earwax using peroxide, or visit a specialist every six to 12 months for a routine preventive ear cleaning.

However, you will also want to be sure to increase your intake of omega-3 fats, as frequent excess buildup of earwax can oftentimes be traced back to an omega-3 deficiency.

Often, the remedy is quite simple: eat more omega-3s or take a high-quality animal-based omega-3 supplement like krill oil. Good dietary sources of omega-3 include sardines, anchovies, and wild-caught Alaskan salmon.

Once you’ve cleared out any excess buildup or impaction, and are making sure you’re getting sufficient amounts of omega-3, it will normally prevent a recurrence. If the wax does return, it’s a clue that you have a serious omega-3 fat deficiency, and you may want to consult with a natural health care practitioner who can help ensure you’re getting the proper daily dose.

The Following Ear-Cleaning Methods Are Not Recommended

In addition to avoiding cotton swabs or other probing objects to clean your ears, AAO-HNSF also recommends avoiding the use of oral jet irrigators and ear candles. Ear candling involves putting a hollow cone-shaped device or “candle,” typically made of linen or cotton soaked in wax or paraffin, in your ear canal and lighting it on fire.

The person undergoing the procedure lies on his or her side. A paper plate or other collection device is placed above the ear, and the candle is inserted through a hole in the plate into the ear canal. The candle is lit and trimmed as it burns down.

After the candle burns down and is removed from the ear, a cotton swab is used to clean visible wax from the ear, and oil is sometimes applied as a finishing touch. Proponents and practitioners of candling maintain the procedure removes wax and other impurities from your ear.

The process by which this purportedly happens is as the smoke moves down the candle into your ear and back out again, a vacuum is created that pulls out wax and other debris from your ear into the hollow candle. However, research published in the journal Laryngoscope measured this pressure and concluded that no negative pressure was created.8The same research also revealed that no earwax was removed during candling, and that candle wax was actually deposited in some test subjects’ ears.

Additionally, serious injuries may result from ear candling, including external burns, ear canal obstruction with candle wax, and even a perforated eardrum. Remember, earwax has been designed by nature as a cleaning mechanism for your ears. For most, the wax moves through the ear canal and eventually makes it to the outside, taking any dirt and other accumulated matter with it. Typically, only earwax that has reached the opening of your ear should be removed.

Search Results 4 Foods That Can Painfully Dissolve Gallstones and Kidney Stones Faster Than Any Medication

Your gallbladder is responsible for storing bile and sending it to your intestines to break down fatty foods. When you eat a meal that has a high fat content, the intestines require bile to break down the fatty food. Ideally, you’re gallbladder is then told to send bile to your intestines and help in the digestion process!

Unfortunately, a lot of people deal with a malfunctioning gallbladder, and the most common cause of this gallbladder dysfunction is gallstones.

The bile that is stored in the gallbladder is full of cholesterol, which in this case is a good thing, but when the cholesterol begins to outweigh the bile, problems can arise. If the cholesterol balance is off in your bile, the cholesterol can actually start to crystallize!

When your cholesterol crystallizes, gallstones are formed, and this is an extremely common, and painful experience!

You’re more at risk of getting gallstones if you are:

• Eating fatty foods regularly
• Overweight
• Obese
• Pregnant
• Suffering from liver disease or diabetes
• On birth control

In order to lower your chances of getting gallstones or to relieve gallbladder pain (for those with the above characteristics or those without) you should try and add the following foods to your regular diet!

1. LENTILS

Studies have proven that women and men that consume more lentils, beans, and peas are less likely to develop gallstones.

It is believed that the high fiber content in these foods is what makes them remedies for gallstones and other gallstone pain. If you’re looking for foods will more fiber, I would also recommend chick peas, whole wheat grains, and fiber filled fruits like oranges!

2. SALMON

The omega 3 fatty acid content in salmon is extremely good for gallstones because it fills the body with good monounsaturated fat, unlike the fat found in junk food. Monounsaturated fats can lower your cholesterol, which takes a strain off your gallbladder, decreases the chances of your cholesterol overpowering your bile, and inhibits crystallization.

3. FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WITH VITAMIN C

Eating fruits with vitamin C is essential in avoiding gallstones! When you are vitamin C deficient, your risk of gallstones increase astronomically because vitamin C synthesizes your bile with cholesterol. When vitamin C isn’t there to do this job, the cholesterol will not be able to blend with the bile and crystallization will occur.

My favorite vitamin C filled foods are:

• Oranges
• Kiwis
• Guava
• Yellow bell peppers
• Dark green leafy vegetables

4. ALMONDS

A handful a day keeps the doctors away! Almonds are a great source of calcium and magnesium; both of which are crucial in properly managing your cholesterol and bile balance.

If almonds aren’t your thing, try having a little bowl of plain organic yogurt everyday! Better yet add some vitamin C filled fruits! A double-whammy of gallstone protection!

On top of eating well, you must also maintain a healthy lifestyle when trying to avoid or relieve gallbladder pain. Here’s a list of fun, easy ways to stay active and healthy!

• Incorporate a walk into you everyday! (I started writing letters to my friends and family again, so that I would be encouraged to walk to my local post office regularly!)
• Try keeping a diet diary! (This will help you keep track of progress!)
• Use a step counter and try to meet a goal by the end of the week.
• Purchase healthy cookbooks so that you’re limited to healthy, low-fat recipes!

11 Scary Effects Of High Cholesterol On The Body

The Effects of High Cholesterol on the Body

Our bodies need healthy levels of cholesterol to function. Cholesterol is a fatty substance made by the liver and distributed throughout the body. It allows our bodies to make vitamin D and hormones, and makes up bile acids. We also get less than 25 percent of our body’s cholesterol from the foods we eat, especially animal fats.

High cholesterol means you have a lot more cholesterol in your blood than you need. Most people who have high cholesterol don’t have any obvious symptoms. A simple blood test can tell you if you have high cholesterol. If you do have high cholesterol, dietary changes, exercise, and targeted medications can help lower it and reduce your risk of developing heart disease.

Circulatory System

Cholesterol moves through your bloodstream via lipoproteins. There are two kinds of lipoproteins, and we need them both. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) transport cholesterol around to where it’s needed. If there’s too much cholesterol, it may be deposited into the arteries. LDL is commonly referred to as “bad cholesterol.” High-density lipoproteins (HDL) take the extra cholesterol from your tissues and cells and return it to your liver for repurposing. That’s why HDL is called “good cholesterol.”

The job of the arteries is to move blood from your heart to other parts of your body. Too much LDL and not enough HDL makes it more likely that your arteries will develop plaque, a hardened mixture of cholesterol, fat, and other elements.

As coronary arteries narrow, it’s harder for blood to make it through to your heart. If an area of plaque breaks open, it can result in a blood clot, which can block blood flow altogether. This puts you at great risk of having a heart attack. Symptoms of reduced blood supply to the heart include chest discomfort, pressure, and pain (angina). You may also have pain in your jaw, neck, shoulders, arms, or back. Angina can be mistaken for indigestion.

If blood flow to one section of heart muscle is blocked, the result is a heart attack. That means the heart muscle is dying. Blood flow has to be restored fast, or there’s a risk of permanent heart damage or death.

When plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your brain, your brain is deprived of oxygen. Brain cells quickly become damaged and start to die (stroke). Symptoms include sudden weakness and numbness. Depending on the area of the brain involved, you may have trouble speaking, seeing, or moving your limbs. A stroke can cause brain damage, disability, or death.

Plaque can also build up and interfere with blood flow to your arms and legs (peripheral arterial disease). If the blood supply to your limbs is blocked, you may feel numbness or pain. There’s an increased risk of infection in those limbs. Lack of blood can cause tissue death (gangrene).

Digestive System

High cholesterol can create a bile imbalance, leading to gallstones. According to the National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse, more than 80 percent of gallstones are cholesterol stones.

A buildup of plaque in your arteries can also block blood flow to your kidneys and stomach. Intestinal ischemic syndrome is when there’s a blockage in arteries leading to the intestines or bowel. Symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and bloody stools.

Why Greek Mountain Villagers Have Healthy Hearts

Scientists have pinpointed one reason why people living in isolated villages in Greece may enjoy long and healthy lives.

They found a new genetic variant, common among villagers, which appears to protect the heart by lowering levels of "bad" fats and cholesterol.

Despite a diet rich in animal fat, the people of Mylopotamos in northern Crete do not suffer from cardiovascular disease.

And they really love their cheese.

What's special about these Greek villages?

The isolated villages of Zoniana and Anogia are high up in the mountains on the island of Crete.

Few people move in or out of the villages and the inhabitants are known for living well into old age.

Heart problems, heart attacks and strokes - all types of cardiovascular disease - are rare, and that's despite a diet which includes plenty of lamb and local Cretan cheese.

There is a cheese festival held every year in the villages, by the way.

Unhealthy, then?

Well, this kind of diet would normally be a recipe for lots of health complications.

That's because eating foods that contain saturated fats raises the level of cholesterol in the blood, and high levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The villagers do get type 2 diabetes at the same rate as the general Greek population, but they don't seem to suffer from the usual consequences, such as diabetic kidney disease.

So what's different about their genes?

That's exactly what researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute wanted to know.

Was there something in the villagers' genetic make-up that protected their hearts against disease?

Their research, published in Nature Communications, identified a new genetic variant which has heart-protecting qualities.

It is associated with lower levels of "bad" natural fats and "bad" cholesterol - which are important for lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The variant appears to be virtually unique to the population of the two mountain villages.

Out of thousands of Europeans who have undergone genome sequencing, only one other person in Italy possesses this variant, the researchers said.

How do they know?

To solve the puzzle, they sequenced the entire genome of 250 villagers.

That means they took blood samples, extracted the DNA - the operating instructions for each one of us which determine how we look and who we are - and analysed a string of three billion letters which make up their human genome.

Then they used the results to get a more detailed view of more than 3,000 villagers who had already been through genotyping (a shortcut to acquiring some genetic information).

What does this mean for me?

This discovery isn't a reason to go out and eat your weight in animal fat and cheese.

That wouldn't be recommended at all - because the rest of us don't possess this genetic variant.

But scientists say they can use their discovery to work out which genetic variants play a role in causing complex diseases.

This can give clues as to why some people develop heart disease and some don't.

In this study, using this isolated population, they found a genetic variant no-one had seen before - and it's linked to the most common cause of death worldwide, cardiovascular disease.

But there's still much to find out.

Scientists can't tell why the variant is present - it could be to do with how the villagers live their lives, the environment they live in or it could have been passed down the generations.

So isolated populations are useful?

Very. Other research teams are looking at different isolated populations, such as the Amish in the United States, the Inuit in northern Greenland and the Orkney Islanders, in Scotland, to see what else they can discover about the secrets to staying healthy.

Guava Leaf Tea Fights Cancer, Lowers Cholesterol and Treats Diabetes

You probably heard about Guava which is well known tropical fruit throughout the world. However, have you heard about its leaves which show even more benefits? The young leaves of the guava evergreen tree have been used for ages in traditional medicine in tropical countries for a variety of health conditions. The leaves of guava are even more beneficial than the fruit. In fact, according to research issued in the Journal of Food and Chemistry in 2007, the antioxidant properties of guava leaf extracts may be even greater than those of dried guava fruits.

People in Asian countries steep guava leaves in boiling water and drink the extract as a folk remedy for diabetes. These leaves contain many beneficial substances, including powerful antioxidants like vitamin C and flavonoids such as quercetin. It contains a number of other Phytochemicals such as anthocyanins, carotenoids (especially lycopene), essential oils, fatty acids, flavonoids, phenols, lectins, tannins, saponins and triterpenes, and vitamins.

Drinking a tea made by infusing guava leaves in boiling water may be helpful in treating diarrhea, cold and flu, lowering cholesterol, preventing diabetes, and it even exhibits anti-cancer properties. Herbalists around the world uses this tea to treat everything from diabetes and digestive problems to toothaches, acne, wrinkles, cough, inflammation, arthritis, gout but also to prevent hair loss. Traditional medicine recommends drinking a cup of guava leaf tea daily to develop protection against common colds and the flu.

And now let’s take a look at top 8 Guava Leaf Tea Health Benefits:

1. ANTI-DIABETIC

The regular drinking of Guava Leaf Tea with every meal helps pre-diabetic and diabetic patients. Japan has approved guava leaf tea for specified health uses to aid in the treatment and prevention of diabetes. In fact, Japan has conducted several clinical trials that support guava tea’s anti-diabetic properties; drinking the tea frequently helped lower blood glucose (after-eating) in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Components in the tea hinder the absorption of two types of sugars, maltose, and sucrose, thus helping to control blood sugar levels after eating. Two studies were performed to explain the effects (both published in ‘Nutrition & Metabolism’).

2. CANCER SUPPORT

Guava Leaf extracts, but also leaf oil, the seeds, and whole plant extracts have been evaluated for possible chemotherapeutic utilization. It displays activity against different human cancer cell lines including colon, prostate, and epidermal cancers, but also melanoma and leukemia. Specifically, guava leaves are able to inhibit different human carcinoma cell lines.

The leaves are quite high in two compounds, powerful antioxidant lycopene, and flavonoid quercetin. Numerous studies have shown that lycopene represents an important role in lowering the potential risk of cancer. Quercetin has anti-cancer properties as well. Guava leaves, in fact, may lower the risk of cancer; particularly breast, prostate and oral cancer.

3. ANTI-VIRAL, ANTIBACTERIAL

Guava leaf tea presents strong anti-bacterial activities, and several studies confirm it. Also, traditional medicine uses dried leaves to treat viral infections such as common cold and flu. Furthermore, it helps with a critical condition such as Dengue Virus Infection.

A laboratory research published in the issue of the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 1999 proclaimed that extracts of dried guava leaves effectively restrained the growth of Staphylococcus aureus; Staph A. is a common cause of skin infections, respiratory diseases, and food poisoning. Actually, 90% of eczema victims are carrying Staph A on their skin. That is why guava leaves are so great for your skin problems as well.

4. CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS

According to a few studies and laboratory research, Guava leaf tea may benefit your whole cardiovascular system. The tea helps lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides while keeping the good cholesterol in balance. Composites in the leaves may contribute to reducing blood pressure and heart rate, according to an article published in 2005 in “Methods and Findings in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology.” They found that lab animals with high blood pressure fed guava leaf extract had reduced heart rates and blood pressure.

5. MENSTRUAL PAIN

Guava pain relieves pain in general, but it is particularly useful in dysmenorrhea, which is pain during menstruation, painful periods, or menstrual cramps. There was a larger study in Mexico in 2007 which shows a significant reduction in menstrual pain compared to ibuprofen.

6. INTESTINAL BENEFITS, DIARRHEA

Guava leaves are commonly used as an antidiarrheal globally. They contain specific compounds which have a natural antibiotic activity that helps kill certain types of pathogens. In fact, Guava leaf tea may help to inhibit a variety of diarrhea-causing bacteria. People with diarrhea who drink this type of tea may experience stools improvements, less abdominal pain, less watery stools and experience a faster recovery.

7. TOPICALLY – HAIR LOSS, SKIN HEALTH, ORAL CARE

Skin Health

The American Journal of Chinese Medicine published research which showed that guava leaves are helpful against specific bacteria causing acne. The leaves also alleviate itching. In addition, they are beneficial in enhancing the quality of the skin such as wrinkles. Another guava leaves use in skin problems includes treatments of blemishes such as dark and red spots on your face. And as mentioned earlier, it is even helpful in conditions like eczema.

Oral Health

Herbalists around the world recommend the use of guava leaves paste to maintain good oral hygiene. They exhibit anti-plaque properties and are effective in preventing and healing oral problems. Guava leaf tea works as a wonderful home remedy for a toothache, swollen gums, and also oral ulcers. You can grind the leaves into a paste and apply it to your teeth and gums to treat these problems.

Hair Health

Guava leaves are a popular natural remedy for Hair Loss. In fact, Guava leaves have taken the internet by storm with claims of it being a wonder remedy for hair loss. It is also gaining popularity as a hair thickening component that supports fast hair growth. There are no studies to back this up, so you can try it and see for yourself. Due to the potent compounds and vitamins in the guava leaves, I am quite sure your scalp can only benefit from this hair mask.

8. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, ARTHRITIS

Guava leaf extract has potent anti-inflammatory properties thanks to its high flavonoid content, especially quercetin. Inflammation is at the core of most illnesses, particularly chronic diseases. In fact, Guava leaves are full of analgesic and anti-inflammatory attributes that have been shown to alleviate arthritis pain. Some folk medicine recipe advises to crush fresh guava leaves into a paste and apply to the swelling joints to reduce the swelling. Several published papers came to the same conclusion – guava leaf extract is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent and helps with arthritis and gout.