Apples are a quintessential food for health, they are low in fat, low in calorie and an enzyme rich energy food which helps break down and digest other foods. Apples have a thin peel, look for organic, un-waxed apples that aren’t treated with fungicides or pesticides. The health benefits are apples are fiber-rich which gently encourage regularity, improve the ability of the intestinal muscles to move waste through and help lower cholesterol levels. Apples regulate blood sugar against hypoglycemia and diabetes. They keep blood glucose levels up to help you feel full longer during a weight loss diet. Apples reduce your risk of colds and flu.

Nutritionally apples are rich in pectin fiber which binds to and help eliminates gut toxins, keeping the GI tract healthy and smooth. Green apples have more pectin; pectin is a stimulant like caffeine.
Apples are a good source of vitamin A carotenes for antioxidant activity, the flavonoid quercitin plus vitamin C.

Lung Cancer Prevention
According to a study of 10,000 people, those who ate the most apples had a 50 percent lower risk of developing lung cancer. Researchers believe this is due to the high levels of the flavonoids quercetin and naringin in apples.

Breast Cancer Prevention
A Cornell University study found that rats who ate one apple per day reduced their risk of breast cancer by 17 percent. Rats fed three apples per day reduced their risk by 39 percent and those fed six apples per day reduced their risk by 44 percent.

Colon Cancer Prevention
One study found that rats fed an extract from apple skins had a 43 percent lower risk of colon cancer. Other research shows that the pectin in apples reduces the risk of colon cancer and helps maintain a healthy digestive tract.

Liver Cancer Prevention
Research found that rats fed an extract from apple skins had a 57 percent lower risk of liver cancer.

Bone Protection
French researchers found that a flavanoid called phloridzin that is found only in apples may protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and may also increase bone density. Boron, another ingredient in apples, also strengthens bones.

Asthma Help
One recent study shows that children with asthma who drank apple juice on a daily basis suffered from less wheezing than children who drank apple juice only once per month. Another study showed that children born to women who eat a lot of apples during pregnancy have lower rates of asthma than children whose mothers ate few apples.

Alzheimer’s Prevention
A study on mice at Cornell University found that the quercetin in apples may protect brain cells from the kind of free radical damage that may lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

Lower Cholesterol
The pectin in apples lowers LDL (”bad”) cholesterol. People who eat two apples per day may lower their cholesterol by as much as 16 percent.

Diabetes Management
The pectin in apples supplies galacturonic acid to the body which lowers the body’s need for insulin and may help in the management of diabetes.

Weight Loss
A Brazilian study found that women who ate three apples or pears per day lost more weight while dieting than women who did not eat fruit while dieting.

HealthCare Global Enterprises Ltd. (HCG), a leader in oncology care in India, currently manages a network of 20 cancer centers across South Asia. HCG focuses on cancer treatment centres, imaging & laboratory services and clinical trials & research services. The vision of HCG is to provide high quality, integrated, comprehensive cancer treatment to all segments of society. For details log on to www.hcgoncology.com

Cervical cancer has attracted much media coverage in recent years, largely because of Jade Goody’s sad death from the disease, and yet in the run up to Cervical Cancer Prevention Week in 2011 20% of women in the UK fail to attend cervical screening when invited.

A recent survey published by The Eve Appeal gynaecological cancer research charity ‘What Women Know – Report on Awareness Levels of Cervical Cancer amongst Women in England’ indicated that awareness levels of cervical cancer amongst nearly 1400 women of 16 and over were also worrying low.

Each year in the UK 2,800 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed – more than half of these are in women under the age of 50. It is the second most common cancer in women under 35 however is very rare in women under 25.

During Cervical Cancer Prevention Week The Eve Appeal aims to arm women with the knowledge to protect themselves against the disease and to encourage the three stage prevention plan.

Almost all cases of cervical cancer can be prevented by screening and HPV vaccination.

Stage 1 – HPV Vaccination

If you are under 18, get vaccinated. The HPV vaccination is the best way to help protect yourself against developing cervical cancer.

In more than 70% of cervical cancer cases, the cause is infection with one of two strains of HPV (human papilloma virus) which can be prevented by immunisation.

Stage 2 – Cervical Screening

Because the HPV vaccine does not protect against all cervical cancers, it is still vitally important for all women to have cervical screening – more commonly known as a smear test – later in life.

Cervical screening in England is offered to women over the age of 25.

Stage 3 – Know the facts

Know the signs and symptoms and if you experience any, tell your doctor.

Says Gemma Byrne of The Eve Appeal “The earlier cervical cancer is diagnosed, the better the outcome will be, so even if women have been vaccinated and had regular screening, none of these is 100% effective so women owe it to themselves to be aware of the early warning signs”

With support from the Department of Health, The Eve Appeal has been working to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cervical cancer and has published a series of information materials called ‘What women need to know… about cervical cancer’ including a leaflet; postcard and DVD of five fabulous women talking about cervical cancer screening, vaccination and signs and symptoms.

“Our hopes are that the publication of these materials on cervical cancer will give women clear and concise information on the warning signs and symptoms of the disease; provide them with the advice they need to reduce their risk of contracting cervical cancer and encourage them to seek medical help sooner than they might otherwise have done.”

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Get treatment for Cervical Cancer

Bangalore, November 16, 2010: HealthCare Global Enterprises Limited (HCG), South Asia’s largest cancer care network pioneering treatment of highly complicated and recurrent cases of cancer among patients from across the globe, today announced the successful performance of first bloodless bone marrow transplant in Asia.

Curtis Carpenter, a 60 year old patient from the US, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma of mantle cell type in the bone marrow. The patient, who initially underwent chemotherapy in New York, decided to come down to HCG as he could not find appropriate solution to his problem anywhere else. Also since he is a follower of Jehovah’s Witness, he refused blood transfusion.

Commenting on the Carpenter case, Dr Ajaikumar, Chairman,  HCG said, “Autologus Bone Marrow Transplant has been around for long. With reference to Carpenter’s case of lymphoma, the uniqueness of it is that we managed to do a BMT with out blood transfusion. Since the patient refused the same, we have provided a highly personalized care and this was possible by a team of experts headed by Dr. Radheshyam.”

Presenting the case, Dr Radheshyam Nayak, Head – Bone Marrow Transplant Centre, HCG, said, “BMT is a an intensive medical procedure where the patient is given high dose chemotherapy and is supported by either his own preserved bone marrow stem cells or histo-compatible allogenic bone marrow stem cell. We have achieved what was perceived to be impossible because the patient refused to take any allogenic blood or blood product transfusion. The challenge here was to maintain levels of Hb, WBC count and platelets by using a cocktail of growth factors and also manage bleeding episodes by using recombinant factor VII.”

Dr Radheshyam a pioneer in carrying out BMT, has successfully done more than 25 BMT till today & is credited with carrying out the first BMT in Karnataka.

Thanking HCG’s doctors for providing a revolutionary treatment, Carpenter said the autologous transplantation without blood transfusion addressed his sentiments. Impressed with the treatment modalities pursued by HCG and the professional commitment exhibited by the doctors here, he said, many patients from West look towards India as a preferred destination for complicated and serious disorders.

The only other centre in the world which does BMT – Bloodless, is the Centre for Bloodless Medicine at Pennsylvani .