Neon Tommy

Although promising steps forward have been made in the diagnosis, treatment, and survivability of many common cancers, new research released in the medical journal Cancer says that incidents of obesity-related cancers are on the rise.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of adults in America, and nearly 20% of adolescents between the ages of two and 19, are considered obese. Excessive weight — 30 pounds or more over a healthy weight based on height and gender — and sedentary lifestyle are considered risk factors for breast, colorectal, kidney, pancreatic, lower esophageal and uterine cancers. The effect of extra weight on the body’s production of insulin and metabolic hormones may cause changes that lead to the growths of cancers.

The Wall Street Journal reports that:

While the precise link isn’t understood, fat cells can encourage the body to produce more substances such as insulin or hormones that can stimulate tumor growth, scientists say. Obese postmenopausal women may have higher levels of free estrogens and androgens, a risk factor for breast, ovarian and uterine cancers. Adenocarcinoma, in the lower esophagus, develops mostly in people who suffer from chronic stomach-acid reflux, often triggered by excess weight.

It has invaded every frat house, fitness gym and grocery store.

Protein powder has evolved from a fitness trend to a widely used supplement. Weight lifters and dedicated gym goers obsess over protein powder but both dietitians and personal trainers prefer natural sources of protein.

Protein helps your body build muscle and tone lean muscle and can be found in multiple foods such as diary, meat, fish and beans but protein powder is a concentrated, manufactured form derived from various sources. 

“Your body absorbs protein better when it comes from natural food products than manufactured powders,” according to Stephanie Kagel, a personal trainer in Los Angeles. However many people do not have time to cook healthy, protein-filled meals and snacks multiple times a day. 

The convenience is partly why protein powder works extremely well for some people. Powder is easy to add to a beverage or healthy smoothie to have on the go. Many brands also manufacture numerous flavors and add artificial sweeteners. The powders are also useful for vegans or vegetarians who might have difficulty eating enough protein, said Kagel. 

There are assorted types of protein powder: whey protein, soy protein, egg protein, casein protein and plant protein. Each type obtains protein from a different source. For example, whey protein comes from milk and soy protein comes from soybeans. Each type of protein also has various brands. Some brands add additional ingredients, like vitamins and artificial sweeteners. 

According to bodybuilding.com, choosing the right protein depends on your diet and desired speed of absorption. Whey protein is usually taken right after a work out because it is fast absorbing, whereas casein protein is digested slower and better before bed.

However soy, vegetable and egg protein are vegetarian and lactose-free options for those with diet restrictions. There are also low carbohydrate powder choices. Kagel recommends Vega and takes it herself, which a plant protein. “Its all natural, organic and vegan,” said Kagel, “There’s a chocolate shake that’s delicious.”

Exercise Changes Human DNA

Your Zumba instructor may be on to something more than hip-swaying Latin dance moves.

It has long been known that exercise reaches aspects of health from cardiovascular fitness to  sex drive, and new research reveals that physical activity has the ability to change the very building blocks of human DNA.

Scientists from Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute determined through biopsies of muscle tissue that exercise modifies the chemical and structural properties of DNA, engaging genes that help muscles become accustomed to strenuous movement. According to the study, the biochemical process of methylation produces a tag that flips the genetic switch.

Sciencenews.org reports:

Scientists analyzed biopsied cells from thigh muscles of adults who had completed low- and high-impact cycling workouts. After the more strenuous workout, muscle cells had fewer methyl groups attached to DNA and higher levels of blueprints for energy-regulating proteins compared with cells that had undergone a low-impact workout.

Changes were seen almost immediately after the generally inactive subjects completed exercise.  

Physical activity is believed to enhance the body’s production of endorphins and norepinephrine, relieving symptoms of depression, lowering blood pressure, and improving the immune system; the study suggests that the relationship between health and the body’s chemical operations reaches to the genetic code.

In a Foxnew.com article, study leader Juleen Zierath said:

Our muscles are really plastic. We often say ‘You are what you eat,’ well, muscle adapts to what you do.  If you don’t use it, you lose it, and this is one of the mechanisms that allows that to happen.