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 A recent study administered by the Graduate School of bio-resource and Bioenvironmental Sciences at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan determined that among the healthy benefits of brown seaweed, fucoidan extract (FE) also drastically improves the therapeutic efficacy and safety of disease treatments. While the study began to investigate the anti-tumor properties of FE in human cancer cells and further examine its functionality, the results were overwhelmingly optimistic that fucoidan has a positive effect on the entire human body.
For further information on the study, "Fucoidan Extract Induces Apoptosis in MCF-7 Cells via a Mechanism Involving the ROS-Dependent JNK Activation and Mitochondria-Mediated Pathways" by Zhongyuan Zhang (Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences and Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan), Kilchiro Teruya (Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences and Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan), Hiroshi Eto (Daiichi Sangyo Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan) and Sanetaka Shirahata (Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences and Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan)
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Here are some common skin problems that pregnant women face and their solutions.
Oily Skin, Breakouts and Acne
Hormones change and increase during pregnancy which can cause oil gland production to increase and cause oilier skin and breakouts. Changing up your skin care regime can help to control these breakouts. The key to successful skin is not to pick at any blemish which will help prevent scaring.
Pregnancy Mask
Also called melisma and chlosma, is an increase in skin pigmentation that causes the skin to get darker in areas of the face. Usually it appears on the forehead and cheeks. Pregnancy mask is also caused by increase in hormones during pregnancy. During this time it is very important to stay out of the sun and to use sun block – sun exposure can increase the appearance of pigmentation.
Broken Capillaries
These dilated capillaries (tiny dilated blood vessels) are caused by an increase in blood circulation. They usually appear on the face, neck and chest during the last trimester. It is important to limit sun exposure in these regions during pregnancy. The effects usually disappear shortly after delivery; if not, your dermatologist can do laser treatments.
Stretch Marks
Stretch marks appear as pinkish streaks running down your abdomen and/or breast. A lotion with vitamin E may help, but keeping the area hydrated and lubricated can help with minimizing the appearance.
Sensitive Skin
The skin is more sensitive during pregnancy so use simple products and always wear a good sunscreen. The skin is more sensitive to the sun and has a greater chance of getting dark spots on the face. Try to avoid sun exposure, and always wear a hat when in the sun.
Recommendations
Lancer recommends getting facials every three to four weeks and to use the following products during pregnancy. He also suggests that women avoid the following products during pregnancy:
-
 Hydroquinone a skin lightening product;
- Unfortunately, pregnancy often induces darkening
of the skin, but wait until after pregnancy before
considering any skin lightening treatments.
- Tretinoen/ Retin-A used for acne, pigmentation
and anti-aging;
- Topical creams that contain tretinoin should
be avoided.
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 Increased carbohydrate intake was associated with a higher rate of breast cancer recurrence.- Changes in starch intake comprised 48 percent of changes in carbohydrate intake.
- Dietary modifications targeting starch intake warrant further research.
Researchers have linked increased starch intake to a greater risk for breast cancer recurrence, according to research.1
"The results show that it's not just overall carbohydrates, but particularly starch," said Jennifer A. Emond, M.S., "Women who increased their starch intake over one year were at a much likelier risk for recurring."
Researchers conducted a subset analysis of 2,651 women who participated in the Women's Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) Dietary Intervention Trial, a plant-based intervention trial that enrolled about 3,088 survivors of breast cancer. WHEL researchers studied breast cancer recurrence and followed the participants for an average of seven years.
The subset analysis involved an examination of how changes in carbohydrate intake influenced breast cancer recurrence. "The WHEL dietary trial, even though it focused on fruits and vegetables, fiber and fat, didn't really have a specific carbohydrate goal," Emond said.
She and her colleagues obtained carbohydrate intake information from multiple 24-hour dietary recalls at baseline and at one year. In an annual phone interview, participants reported everything they had eaten during the last 24 hours.
At baseline, carbohydrate intake was 233 grams per day. Results showed that women whose cancer recurred had a mean increase in carbohydrate intake of 2.3 grams per day during the first year, while women whose cancer did not recur reported a mean decrease of 2.7 grams per day during the first year.
According to Emond, starches were particularly important. Changes in starch intake accounted for 48 percent of the change in carbohydrate intake. Mean change in starch intake during the first year was –4.1 grams per day among women whose cancer recurred verses –8.7 grams per day among women whose cancer did not recur.
When change in starch intake during one year was grouped into quartiles of change, the rate of an additional breast cancer event was 9.7 percent among women who decreased their starch intake the most during one year, compared with an event rate of 14.2 percent among women who increased their starch intake the most during one year.
After stratifying patients by tumor grade, Emond and colleagues found that the increased risk was limited to women with lower-grade tumors. Therefore, these results indicate a need for more research on dietary recommendations that consider limited starch intake among women with breast cancer.
Resources:
1 Results presented at the 2011 CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 6-10, 2011.
Copyright© 2001-2011 American Association for Cancer Research
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Written by John Stanley
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 It takes time to become a recognised leader in retailing, but the slip down the ladder can happen rapidly. This really came home to me when Tiger Woods came to play golf in my home town of Perth recently. After 623 weeks as the best golfer in the world he has slipped rapidly to 56th in the world. The same can happen to retailers, often for different reasons, but the lessons can be just as hard to learn.
Lesson One: Keep To Your Values and Your Brand Strategy
The last few years have been difficult for all businesses. Retailers have been especially hurt during the GFC and many are finding it a slow journey of recovery. The easy way for the competitor to gain market share it is to announce to the consumer they have a cheaper offer than yours. Price is and has always been an issue in the consumers mind, but you cannot let it dominate your marketing strategy. The fashion industry around the world has seen numerous brands damaged by the 70 percent off sale strategy that has occurred over the last three to four years. It works for some time and it will work for some retailers, but by over focusing on a price strategy at the expense of the values within the brand can dilute the brand in the customers mind. Retailers need to look at what the perception of the brand is in the customer's eyes and then start building on that perception. Only one retailer can "own" the cheapest price perception, other retailers have to find their unique selling proposition.
Lesson Two: Keep To Knitting
When retailing gets more difficult there is a tendency to look at what can you add to the range to encourage people to buy your products. I always remember visiting a supermarket that was in financial trouble. The owner, being aware of the problem, went to the Middle East and introduced a cheap clothing and table lamp line into the store in an effort to boost sales. The customer was expecting to come in to the store to purchase groceries, not clothes and table lamps. The owner had missed one of the important lessons. When retailing gets tough you keep to "knitting" and become the destination for what you do in the customer's eyes. It can be difficult, but the consumer will look to the perceived retail expert, that includes having a wide and deep range in your core retail activity zone and not diversifying so you look like a "me to "retailer.
Lesson Three: Do Not React By Copying
Yes, you should always keep an eye on the competition, but you should not copy the competition. The competition will be flattered if you do copy them, but it will not win you many new customers in the long run. Copying just adulates the competition and in the customers eyes says you are a "me to" retailer, rather than a retailer who is out there creating your own experiences for the consumer
Lesson Four: Be A Proactive Leader
You need a strategy that you can own that differentiates you from the competition. This means developing your own ideas that are unique to you. This may mean you need to look at retailers in other retail sectors that are doing something different and translating their ideas to your own retail sector. It is rare to find new and novel ideas by just looking at your own retail sector.
Lesson Five: Where Are the Winners?
What are the winners in your store and what are the losers in your store. Shed as many of the losers that you can whilst still maintaining your integrity in the eyes of the consumer and promote the winners in your store. I work with many retailers that do not even know the winning and losing products in their store. Get to know them and develop them.
By following these five lessons you can ensure that you are able to maintain your leadership and keep your competition guessing about what you are going to do next.
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 Dr. Joshua L. Fox suggests following the guidelines below for mole prevention and protection:
- Lead by example. A recent French study found that parents who wore a t-shirt when exposed to the sun influenced their kids to do the same. As a result, the kids developed fewer new moles over the next year than the kids of parents who did not wear protective clothing while in the sun. Applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen (for UVA & UVB) with an SPF of at least 15, wearing a hat, avoiding peak sun hours (between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.) and seeking shade are other sun-smart measures to follow yourself and instill in your child. Also be sure to encourage your child to protect his or her eyes with sunglasses, to prevent the development of eye problems such as cataracts later in life.
- Check your child's moles every month to detect changes. You might even mark the moles on a body illustration or take photos to record their location, shape, size and color. Do not forget to look on the scalp, palms, nails and between the fingers and toes, as well as areas that are frequently exposed to the sun, such as the face, arms, legs, neck, chest and ears.
- See a dermatologist if you find a suspicious mole on your child's body. "If a mole on your child's skin suddenly changes size, shape or color or bleeds, or it starts to get bigger, make an appointment with a dermatologist to look at it," Fox advises, "It may need to be removed with a scalpel." Kids who have fair skin, a lot of moles and freckles, or irregular moles should see a dermatologist for regular skin checks, he adds.
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Written by Rose Linkens
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The Australian Aboriginal peoples have long recognized tea tree as multi-faceted healing oil, even though the rest of the world thought it was just a weed. Long used by tribesmen to cure infected wounds, reduce poisons in the system (especially those given by spider bites) tea tree was only recognized by Western cultures in the early 1900s.
Melaleuca alternafolia (Tea Tree) is a small tree similar to cypress. It grows to about 20 feet and is now cultivated in plantations though its original home was in marshy areas. Tea trees have great vitality and can continue to flourish even when chopped down and is ready for cutting again in two years. The best oils are produced in Australia. The oil is obtained by steam distillation.
Tea tree is most importantly used to help the immune system fighting off infection. It activates the white corpuscles to aid in the defense against invading bacteria and helps to shorten the duration of an illness. It has properties that are antibiotic (combats infection) antiseptic (helping to control infection), a bactericide (kills bacteria), and fungicide (kills fungus). As aromatherapy is a therapy that affects body and mind, we find that tea tree lends a note of revitalization especially after a shock.
These amazing properties make tea tree oil especially useful for acne, athletes' foot, cold sores, ringworm, would healing insect bites and stings, colds and flu and thrush (yeast infections).
Tea tree blends with several essential oils very well. Lemon adds an uplifting scent and will bolster its antiseptic properties. These two oils together make a great pre-op massage product. Just blend 10 drops total (for example six of tea tree and four of lemon) per ounce of massage oil. Putting one drop of each essential oil lemon and tea tree per ounce of water makes a great antiseptic room spray. This spray is perfect for hospital or sick rooms to disinfect. Just shake the bottle each time before use and spray, allow sitting on the surface for a few seconds before wiping the surface with a clean towel; giving a room a lovely uplifting scent. Cypress lends a woody feel to tea tree and is good to use for those with athletes foot. Place six drops total cypress and tea tree combined into a spray bottle filled with a 50/50 mixture of distilled water and 70 percent alcohol. Shake before each use and spray on feet. Allow the mist to dry, and experience relief from this troubling problem. This spray can also be used in sneakers and other shoes as a gentle disinfectant.
Tea tree's reputation as a remedy for acne is well known and very, very popular. Tea tree will help to kill bacteria, act as an anti-inflammatory and cuts through oil on the most severe case of acne. As a specialist in aromatic blending, my custom products can be layered with several essential oils to create a custom blend for an individual client's condition but the following are a few of my favorite two part blends for acne.
In a dark glass bottle blend equal drops of pure essential oil of tea tree and…
- Sage (Salvia officinalis) – for hormonal type acne;
- Lavender (Lavendula officinalis) – for redness
and inflammation;
- Grapefruit (Citrus paradise) – for blackheads to enhance desquamation of surface cells;
- Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica) – for over active oil glands.
Use your blends in the following ways:
- Place one drop per ounce of distilled water into a spray bottle. Shake before each use and use as a gentle toner. Close eyes before spraying the face.
- Place two drops in a clay mask, stir well and use as a finishing mask during facial therapy.
- Use two to four drops per ounce of a neutral gel cleanser.
- Use four drops per ounce in massage oil such as jojoba for a light facial massage.
Remember – pure essential oils are the very concentrated essence of plants. Do not use them on the skin neat (plain) as they can cause irritation especially when the skin is already inflamed. It is best to always use a medium of dispersion (water, lotion, oil, masks, et cetera) to dilute the essential oil which enhances its effectiveness. Do not place essential oil on or in the eyes and do not ingest. Enjoy exploring tea tree and other essential oils to enhance your skin care practice and positive results in your facial therapy.
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Whether caused by sun damage, skin inflammation or aging, the origins of dark spots and uneven complexion lie deep within the skin. "Melanin is what gives skin its color and in excess can result in the appearance of dark spots and discoloration," explains Dr. Ranella Hirsch, board-certified dermatologist. "This can be the result of UV exposure or subsequent to inflammatory skin conditions such as acne. Dark spots affect many skin types and can be quite upsetting to those affected." In the following question and answer session, Hirsch explains the facts about uneven pigmentation and dark spots.
Question: What is the most common cause of brown spots?
Hirsch: Exposure to the sun's harmful UV rays is the number one cause of brown spots.
Question: Are there certain areas of the body where brown spots are more common?
Hirsch: The areas with the greatest sun exposure, like the face, hands and décolleté are the most prone to sun spots.
Question: I've heard that acne can leave behind brown spots, too. Is this true?
Hirsch: In patients with darker complexions, breakouts can be followed by sustained dark spots, which are clinically referred to as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).
Question: Are certain ethnicities more prone to uneven pigmentation?
Hirsch: People with darker skin naturally have more melanin at baseline, making them more likely to pigment as a response to
skin irritation.
Question: Are brown spots permanent?
Hirsch: Dark spots caused by UV exposure will typically not go away without some sort of treatment.
Question: What is the top preventative measure I can take to prevent and/or lessen the appearance of brown spots?
Hirsch: Wear sunscreen everyday (yes, even in the winter). Also, be sure to reapply sunscreen often when exposed to the sun for extended periods of time. Sunscreen defends your skin against brown spots in two ways:
- It prevents new spots from forming.
- It stops pre-existing spots from darkening.
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CDC relea.ses the most comprehensive melanoma report in the U.S. to date
More than 45,000 cases of melanoma occurred in 45 states and the District of Columbia each year during 2004 through 2006, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. Melanoma is the third most common skin cancer, but is more dangerous and more likely to cause death than any other skin cancer, causing 8,000 U.S. deaths and costing billions of dollars each year.
The report, "Melanoma Surveillance in the United States," is published online, see link below, and appears in the November 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. The supplement was developed in collaboration with the American Academy of Dermatology, the largest dermatology group in the U.S.
"Melanoma is a devastating disease that takes an economic toll on individuals, their families, and society in terms of premature death and lost productivity," said Marcus Plescia, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. "New policies and prevention strategies are needed to address the leading preventable causes of melanoma, enabling people to be healthier, live longer, and continue to be productive."
Melanoma involves cells called melanocytes, which produce a skin pigment called melanin responsible for skin and hair color. Melanoma can spread very rapidly. Although it is less common than other types of skin cancer, the rate of melanoma is
steadily increasing.
It is important to find and treat melanoma and any other form of skin cancer early. If left untreated, they can grow quite large and invade nearby tissues, causing scarring, disfigurement and loss of function in some parts of the body and, in some cases, death.
The journal supplement of 15 articles focuses on melanoma surveillance, trends and survival rates. Many of the studies used data from CDC's National Program of Cancer Registries and the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program – together covering the largest percentage of the U.S. population ever studied.
Significant Findings From Articles Included In the Supplement:
- According to a study led by Donatus Ekwueme, Ph.D., CDC, deaths caused by melanoma accounted for $3.5 billion in lost productivity each year. Deaths among men accounted for $2.4 billion of lost productivity (an average of $441,903 per man), and deaths among women accounted for $1.2 billion of lost productivity (an average of $401,046 per woman). The study also found that a person who died of melanoma between 2000 to 2006 died 20 years prematurely, compared to 17 years from other cancers.
- A study led by Xiao-Cheng Wu, M.D., M.P.H., New Orleans School of Public Health, examined racial and ethnic variations in melanoma incidence and survival and found that melanoma rates were higher among white females aged 50 and younger, Hispanic females aged 50 and younger, and Asian Pacific Islander females aged 40 and younger, compared to their male counterparts. This study also found that Hispanics, American Indian/Alaska Natives, and Asians were diagnosed with melanoma at younger ages than whites and blacks.
- Hannah Weir, Ph. D., CDC, examined melanoma in adolescents and young adults, and found incidence was higher among females compared to males, increased with age, and was higher in non-Hispanic whites compared to Hispanic whites, blacks, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, and Asian and Pacific Islanders.
- In 2005, 34 percent of adults had been sunburned in the past year, and in 2004, 69 percent of adolescents experienced sunburn the previous summer according to a study led by David Buller, Ph.D., Klein Buendel, Inc., which examined the prevalence of sunburn, sun protection, and indoor tanning behaviors.
- A study led by Todd Cartee, M.D., Emory University, surveyed a small group of dermatologists and found that many were not aware of reporting requirements, although physicians are required by law to report melanomas to central cancer registries.
CDC Recommends the Following Steps to Protect Against Skin Cancer:
- Seek shade, especially during midday hours.
- Wear clothing to protect exposed skin.
- Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade the face, head, ears and neck.
- Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block as close to 100 percent of both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays as possible.
- Use sunscreen with sun protective factor 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection.
- Avoide indoor tanning.
For information about CDC's efforts in skin cancer prevention: www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/
For more information from the American Academy of Dermatology on skin cancer: www.aad.org/skin-conditions/dermatology-a-to-z/skin-cancer
For PDF copy of the Melanoma Supplement Proof: http://www.eblue.org/webfiles/images/journals/ymjd/MelanomaSupplementProof.pdf
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Scope This
