Personalized Responsibility Has Role in Cancer Fight - The news about cancer continues to be good. A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that death rates decreased by 1.6 percent annually from 2004 to 2008 for lung, colorectal and prostate cancer. Death rates from breast cancer have remained stable — but steep declines occurred in the early 2000s because of reduced use of hormone replacement therapy. But the death rates from certain cancers are increasing.

Keeping Abreast With Blood - One in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. Early detection boosts the odds of successful treatment and long-term survival, but current diagnostic technologies can be problematic.

Diabetes, the Modern-Day Plague - Diabetes is a very common disease in the Western World which is increasing due to our bad lifestyles, i.e. over-eating, little or no exercise, and high fat diets leading to cholesterol and triglyceride problems; it is also made worse by a persons age and genetic predisposition.

Live Today, Diet Tomorrow - The biggest problem with dieting is that, well, you have to stick with it day in and day out. But a new study presented at the recent San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium suggests cutting calories sometimes, in this case carbohydrates, may result in better weight loss than counting calories all of the time.

Beyond Addiction: Holiday Ornaments - Pearls of perspective from an unlikely source shine like holiday ornaments in this season.

Sitting Down Too Long Is Hazardous to Health - A new study published in the European Heart Journal found that the risk of colon and breast cancer was significantly higher in those who spent the better part of the day sitting. And the risk is higher irrespective of whether you are sedentary or active, fat or thin or have multiple medical diseases.

Less Macho, More Daddy - The hormonal rollercoaster that women ride during and after pregnancy is well known and well documented. Men, it's popularly presumed, just sit on the sidelines, watching, maybe eating popcorn and smiling sympathetically.

The World's Worst Snack -- and More Summer Shorts - Is it a sign? Is the Empire self-destructing in new and unusual ways?
Is it a sign? Is the Empire self-destructing in new and unusual ways? Consumer snacks have hit an all-time, heart-stopping low. 

10 Ways to Amp Up Your Energy - With a few minor adjustments in habits, lifestyle and attitude, you can turn the struggle into a pleasant journey that will leave you happy, satisfied and more fulfilled.

'Stop Trying To Save Me' - The audience shared a breathless pause, and I sensed we all hung by the same intimate thread of our own experience, with our own families. And with Martin Sheen and his family, too.

Using Web Judiciously for Health Care Concerns - A few years ago, I asked my mother if she knew how to Google. Astonished, she looked at me and told me she loved to dance. She was an expert in the cha-cha, but she was not interested in these "new modern dances." It was then that I committed to buying her a computer, and when I last visited her in South Africa, I took her a state-of-the-art laptop.

Well News: A Wrinkle With Time = Those laugh lines may be no laughing matter.

Nutrients Best Obtained From Wise Diet, Not Pills - The foods we eat contribute to life expectancy and disease risk. Many foods and additives are touted as promoting health by adding fiber, vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids or unique compounds that have significant health benefits.

No Debate on This, Health Care Reform Begins at Home - The debate on health care reform is coming back to Congress. It's not going to be pretty. Scare tactics, misinformation and nose-growing fabrications may cause depression and confusion. And no matter where you stand on the politics of it, you'll want to close your eyes and rest your head in the Valium soup when it comes to judging what's best for you and your family.

Depression Often Comes With the Arrival of Winter - As colder weather rapidly approaches, many health practitioners are keenly aware that the "winter blues" is more than just an expression.

Red, Rich and Risky - There are many risk factors for basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer in people with European ancestry. Generally speaking, the biggest and most obvious risk is cumulative exposure to sunlight.
Studies Show Statins are Overprescribed and Overrated - For people at risk of heart disease, cholesterol-lowering statins were once thought to be a miracle drug — a "catchall" medicine that could prevent strokes, heart attacks and even Alzheimer's disease. But new data show that statins, like all medications, have their limitations.

De-Aging: The Miracle of Each Moment - "Anti-aging is defensive thinking," Kaz explains to me one day after breakfast, sitting high atop a hill, overlooking an endless sea. "De-aging is more active. Each moment we have a choice." Kaz takes a breath, and so do I. I've heard him talk about de-aging before. This time, I'm taking notes.

Study of Centenarians Yields Tips for Longevity - In a survey of 100 centenarians, researchers funded by United Health Care uncovered some very interesting — and inspirational — information. More importantly, these adults who have experienced 100 years of life offer a model of health for all of us to follow.

How to Fight WLP! The Last Battle of the Bulge - Connie — an old friend with a new perspective — lost 52 pounds over the last eight months, and she's got 38 wiggly ones to go. Until now, everything's been over-the-moon great. After a lifetime of stupid gimmicky starvation diets that never worked, Connie has seen the light, and it's not spelled l-i-t-e.

The Zen of Fitness: Calm Your Mind, Activate Your Health - It doesn't matter where your stress comes from — bad news, unsatisfying job, no job, technology-abused kids. What does matter is your plan for how to deal with stress in a way that melts it, releases it, prevents it from damaging your heart, raising your blood pressure, stiffening arteries, suppressing your immune system, frying your brain.

Beyond Addiction: Always Hope - The impetus for my initial idea for this week's column was the experience of a colleague of mine at Hazelden who found himself suddenly facing end-of-life issues, even though it turns out he was in perfectly good health. But that story of insight and inspiration will have to wait; a real tragedy in my hometown grabs this space for now.

Fosamax Side Effect is Confusing but Rare - Osteoporosis afflicts millions of Americans, and proven medical therapies have brought great relief for this painful illness. But recent reports have examined the risk of developing an unusual fracture of the femur (thigh bone) in patients who are prescribed long-term use of bisphosphonate medications, the common first-line defense for treatment of osteoporosis.

BlackBerry-aholic - For dinner the other night, I ate too much, and my stomach growled. Instinctively, I reached for the BlackBerry on my belt. I thought it was buzzing. It wasn't.

Happy Healthy 2010! Live It, Love It, Begin Again - I met a guy at a holiday party last week who had recently lost a lot of weight. A lot. I was meeting him for the first time, so I had no idea, but those in the room who knew him were amazed, impressed, jealous. How did he do it? Weight Watchers? Stomach stapling? Cabbage soup?

 Lifelong Health: Knowledge is Vaccine for Swine Flu Paranoia - Swine flu, or H1N1, is spreading across the country, primarily affecting children and young adults who cluster together in schools and colleges. This is leading to a heightened fear and paranoia about the virus, fears that may only get worse as the vaccine becomes available and doctors must ration who receives it.

A Contagion Called Loneliness - Loneliness is like a bad cold, say researchers at the University of California San Diego, Harvard and the University of Chicago. Lonely people tend to share their loneliness with others, gradually creating a larger group of lonely, disconnected people who drift and reside on the fringes of social networks.