For me, summer is the time when I drink iced tea. I like all kinds of tea on a hot day – iced black tea, half and half (aka Arnold Palmer), and those great shaken teas at coffee shops. Tea is awesome and can be healthy. In fact, I’ve found green tea particularly appealing because it is so good for you. Green tea is made from Camellia sinensis leaves and buds that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process used to make oolong and black teas. For those interested in managing their caffeine intake, eight ounces of green tea contain about 35 mg of caffeine, about half the amount... Read More

It’s Movember, the time when men grow mustaches to raise awareness for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health, and big health issues for men. The Movember Foundation is dedicated to improving quality of life for men, 60% of whom don’t go to the doctor and only 7% of whom actually talk about their health. Men still die an average of six years earlier than women, due to health conditions that are largely preventable. Compared to women, men are more likely to: Smoke and drink Make unhealthy or risky choices Put off regular checkups and medical care If you have family and friends,... Read More

Helping a loved one get through cancer treatment is never easy. They may be experiencing physical, emotional, or mental pain; they may be worried about what the near future will bring, not only for themselves but for the people they love. Living with a cancer diagnosis can bring on stress, anxiety, and depression, and those are not easy things to cope with. It’s important to help your loved one find ways to relax and ease stress, so they can improve their quality of life and help their bodies and minds heal. One of the best ways to start is by helping your loved one focus on their mental health.... Read More

In 2018, an estimated 1.7 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and over 600 thousand people will die from the disease. Recently, a phase I trial was conducted testing a personalized vaccine’s ability to hold an aggressive group of cancers in check. The trial is the first step to determining if a vaccine can stop cancer in its tracks. The promising new cancer vaccine cured up to 97 percent of tumors in mice and will soon be tested in humans for the first time. Researchers from Stanford University will test the therapy in about 35 people with lymphoma by the end of... Read More

A report was published this week in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention that links gum disease with an increased risk of several types of cancer in postmenopausal women. Periodontal disease was tied to a 14 percent higher risk of developing any type of cancer, but the greatest risk was for esophageal cancer, which was more than three times more likely in older women who had gum disease than those who didn’t. In addition, gum disease was associated with a higher risk of lung cancer, gallbladder cancer, melanoma and breast cancer. women who smoked and had gum disease... Read More

It may not seem like a Colorado issue to talk about obesity but, make no mistake, our state is getting fatter, we just aren’t as fat the rest of the U.S. When my sister died of ovarian cancer 17 years ago, scientific research didn’t really make a connection between obesity and that particular cancer.  My sister was obese when she was diagnosed and I wondered if that wasn’t a contributing factor at least. A recent study conducted by an international team of researchers has identified eight additional types of cancer linked to excess weight and obesity: stomach, liver, gall bladder,... Read More