Healthy Lifestyle Could Cut Our Risk for Colorectal Cancer

A study done in Denmark states that 23% of all colorectal cancers can be prevented by a healthy lifestyle. Five factors were assessed exercise, waist circumference, smoking, alcohol intake, and diet. The study showed that even the modest risk differences in lifestyle may have a substantial impact on colorectal cancer risks.

A lifestyle questionnaire was completed by 57,053 people all were born in Denmark and were 50 to 64 years of age. People with a family history of cancer were excluded, as were those taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and women on hormone-replacement therapy, leaving 55,487 participants.

Most of the participates followed 4 out of 5 of the lifestyle changes:


82% were physically active for at least 30 minutes a day
76% had a waist circumference within the recommended range (below 88 cm for women and 102 cm for men)
64% were nonsmokers (56% had never smoked)
59% had alcohol intake within the recommended limits (fewer than 7 drinks a week for women, and fewer than 14 drinks a week for men).

Only 2% of participants followed all of the dietary recommendations, which included eating at least 600 g of fruit and vegetables daily, eating 500 g or less of red and processed meat a week, eating at least 3 g of dietary fiber, and getting 30% or less of total energy from fat.

During a follow-up of 9.9 years, colorectal cancer was diagnosed in 678 individuals. The more lifestyle recommendations that were followed, the lower the risk for colorectal cancer.

Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Have a Higher Risk For Osteoporosis

According to the American College of Gastroenterology a study of 161 patients with iriitable bowel disease such as ulcerative coloitis and Crohn's disease found that 22% of the patients had a reduction in bone density and a diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis. Of those with low bone density 50% were younger that 40 years old and 40% were deficient in Vitamin D 25-hydroxyvitamin D below 30 ng/mL. The individuals low in Vitamin D had nine times the risk of developing osteoporsis. This is another reason that everyone should get their vitamin D levels checked along with a Dexa scan for preventing osteoporsis.

Vitamin B6, B12 and Folic Acid Can Lower Our Risk for Cardiovascular Disease

A study in Nature Reviews Endocrinology 2010 showed that supplementation of pyridoxine (vitamin B6), folic acid (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12 has been used to decrease levels of plasma homocysteine and the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, these vitamins can effect kidney health and increase the risk of vascular disease in patients with diabeteic nephropathy. So these supplements should not be given in all patients with cardiovascular disease.

Naturopathic Medicine is Cost Effective

"A Focus on Diet, Supplements, and Lifestyle"

A Canadian study showed the the employee's of the Canada Post at risk for cardiovascular disease found that naturopathic treatment produced an overall $1,025 cost benefit per participate.
The participates were provided individual plans with a focus on dietary, supplements and lifestyle. This included a diet of whole foods, exercise at least 30 mins 5 times a week, stress reduction and fish oil supplements. 
Total cost of naturopathic treatment for one year of healthy living was $1,477 compared to $6631 for high blood pressure medication, $6134 for statin drugs, stop smoking program $4238 to $7829 and $626 for aspirin. With the naturopathic approach participants gained seven additional work days compared to 2 days with conventional medicine.
The study showed that 3.3 out of 100 workers will avoid a major cardiac event that they would have suffered without any form of lifetime intervention.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Often Missed in Primary Care

Vitamin B12 deficiency is present in 5% to 20% of the elderly population and may begin in middle age. One common cause, malabsorption, is affected by many factors often seen in the primary care setting, including prolonged use of proton pump inhibitors or metformin, or as a result of gastric bypass surgery. 

The traditional sign of B12 deficiency, macrocytic anemia, can be masked by the folic acid supplementation in all enriched cereals/grains mandated by the US Food and Drug Administration since 1998. Vitamin B12 deficiency often causes neurologic deficits such as numbness and tingling in the arms, dizziness, loss of memory, burning mouth and fatigue etc. 

B12 is vital for optimal function of the immune system. B12 is stored in the liver, but it can take 5 to 10 years for a person to become B12 deficient due to malabsorption; however, demand for B12 markedly increases during times of physical stress, which depletes stores as well. B12 deficiency is common with celiac's disease and crohn's disease. Homecysteine levels are often high with Vitamin B12 deficiency. B12 levels should be checked if any of the above symptoms are present.

Vitamin D effects Testerosterone Levels in Men

Currently, there is great interest in vitamin D because poor vitamin D status is common and has been associated with an increased risk of various chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, depression and cardiovascular diseases as well as all-cause mortality. This study of 2299 men from Clin Endocrinol (2010) shows that low vitamin D levels are associated with decreased sperm count and motility and histological abnormalities of the testis in mice. Low vitamin D levels are also associated with low testerosterone levels.

Men who are having issues with sperm count or moitilt issues should get their vitamin D levels checked. And older men with low testerosterone levels should get their vitamin D levels checked.

The Time Spent Sitting is Independently Associated with Total Mortality

A study done in the American Journal of Epidemiology (2010) shows that reducing time spent sitting, regardless of activity, may improve the metabolic consequences of obesity. The US obesity epidemic is attributed to reduced overall physical activity expenditure. And reduced physical acitivity increases our risk for many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, and various types of cancer including colon and postmenopausal breast cancer.
Numerous studies support an association with sitting time and obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and unhealthy dietary patterns in children and adults. Men and women who spent the least leisure time sitting were leaner, more likely to have never smoked cigarettes, more likely to be employed, and had lower total energy intake. In this large prospective cohort, women who reported sitting for more than 6 hours during their leisure time versus less than 3 hours a day had an approximately 40% higher all-cause death rate, and men had an approximately 20% higher death rate. Mortality rates were approximately 25% lower among men and women who reported the most versus the least daily physical activity.