Big jump in endometrial cancer among Singapore women
Endometrial cancer is now the fourth most common cancer among women in Singapore, compared to its eighth spot about 10 years ago. Doctors say the disease is affecting an increasing number of women over 40 years old.
Wong Lee Pheng, who is in her 50s, discovered she had endometrial cancer in September last year, after experiencing excessive bleeding for a few days. Ms Wong said: “Shocked. I mean I burst into tears of course, because (I) cannot believe cancer can happen to me.”
She was one of about 60 women who sought treatment for endometrial cancer at the National University Hospital (NUH) last year. NUH says that of the 60 women, more than 90 percent are over 40 years old and about 80 percent were diagnosed as having stage one endometrial cancer.
Dr Joseph Ng, a consultant at NUH Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, said: “If we look at all the other cancer profiles, we’ll probably find that endometrial cancer is probably one of the fastest growing cancers.”
Endometrial cancer is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system. The cancer arises in the tissue layer that lines the uterine cavity and causes heavy and irregular vaginal bleeding. At its advanced stage, it spreads to neighbouring organs such as the bowel, bladder and lymph nodes, with painful symptoms. Dr Ng said that an ageing population and lifestyle factors have contributed to the rise in endometrial cancer statistics.
The people of Okinawa live the longest. They survive mainly on fish, rice and vegetables.
Okinawan centenarians tend to stay lean throughout their lives by eating fewer calories than they burn off during the day. But retaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) is just one piece of the longevity puzzle; maintaining a stable weight is every bit as important.
Research has linked yo-yo dieting to elevated risks of hypertension, endometrial cancer, and a preponderance of body fat in the upper body, a risk factor for heart disease. If you’re a yo-yo dieter, take a long, hard look at your approach to weight loss. If your BMI is over 25, by all means take steps to reduce it by exercising more and eating less, but choose activities and foods you can live with for the long haul. “The most effective way to restrict your calorie intake is to gradually reduce the portion sizes of foods you already eat,” says Lisa Young, RD, PhD, author of The Portion Teller (Doubleday, 2005).
The Fountain of Youth: Daily Exercise
Okinawan elders are surprisingly fit. Many of the physical activities they engage in — gardening, practicing traditional dance and tai chi, or simply walking to a friend’s house — give them more energy and contribute to their sense of community. The regimen sticks because it’s woven into their lives. Okinawans also tend to get their daily exercise in the evenings, which can help relieve the day’s tension and prime the body for rest.
Rule 1. Eat to 80% full
The result of this rule for Okinawans is that they end up eating fewer calories than most people. They tend not to gain too much weight as a result, and coupled with their active lifestyles (they farm and garden and generally stay active, even into their 100s), it keeps them very healthy.
Rule 2: Eat healthy foods, mostly plants.
They eat way more veggies than most people (mostly green and yellow ones), as well as whole grains, tofu, fish and other legumes. They eat very little sugar, and very little meat, dairy or eggs. This contradicts low-carb diets such as the Zone, Atkins, Paleo and others — I’m not saying those don’t work for whatever your goals are, but I am saying that a mostly plant-based diet has been proven to work well for the Okinawans.
Get Active Too
Heart Disease, Breast Cancer and now Endometrial Cancer! It is so important these days to eat healthy (organic if possible) and exercise regularly.
I think it is also very important to live in a clean air environment. I had my toxin levels checked out because I lived in NYC after 9-11. I grew concerned after my dog died of cancer shortly thereafter.
If you want to find a health center to check your toxin levels, you can find one along with alot of other valuable health information at http://www.naturalawakeningsmag.com