Link Between Alcohol and Cancer

by | Oct 24, 2024 | Health, Life, Science

Link Between Alcohol and Cancer

New studies were recently published which revealed a very strong link between alcohol consumption and several types of cancers. However, before I discuss those medical studies, allow me to relay several personal experiences and observations from my earlier years.

I vividly remember a Sunday morning when I was 12 years old, in the schoolyard playing basketball with the guys.  There was a 19-year-old guy named Jimmy, who always played with us. However, on this Sunday morning, Jimmy was sitting on the bench looking like a very depressed, sick young man. By the way, when you’re 12 years old, a 19-year-old guy seems so old.

I asked the guys why Jimmy wasn’t playing basketball with us and what was wrong with him. They told me he went out drinking Saturday night and he has a hangover. I asked, what is a hangover? They said you’re looking at it.

I then asked, if drinking leaves you with a nasty hangover, why do people go out drinking? There was no answer, but that brings me to another experience when I was around 18 or 19 years of age. This was during the Disco era and I started going to parties on weekends, where we would dance to disco music, LOL, and have tons of fun.

At almost every dance party, I would often see 2 or 3 guys who were drunk and slobbering all over themselves. I noticed the girls were doing everything they could to avoid those drunks. Once again, if that’s what happens when you drink, I repeatedly asked myself why they were doing that to themselves. I also realized, I was having so much fun on the dance floor, without touching a single glass of alcohol, obviously, I didn’t need it. Why would I ever be dumb enough to start drinking?

In our culture, alcohol is closely related to an array of different celebrations. When you watch TV shows, when a guy meets a woman, he almost always asks her if she wants to go out for a drink? Really? I’ve never done that because I never once tried any form of alcohol, and never missed it.

As we already know, DWI is one of the leading causes of death in America. We also know that drunkenness is often related to various types of violent incidents and/or crimes, especially violence by men towards women.

When I was younger, I read many research articles on health and fitness and several of them had very strong warnings about the negative effects of alcohol on your body and your brain. I realize I’m probably only one in a million who followed that advice, but I wish more people would put their health before drinking.

I want to point out, there was a famous French study which came out in the seventies.  That study came to the conclusion that a glass of wine, once a day was actually good for the health of your heart. Unfortunately, that became a golden rule for many people who thought one or two drinks of wine was actually good for you.

Guess what? Several years ago, scientists decided to revisit that famous study where they learned the study had a serious flaw which was overlooked 50 years ago. They no longer claim that one or two glasses of wine every evening is good for you.  Drinking certain types of alcohol is beneficial for your heart? The new scientific rule, that is a myth.

OK, we can finally discuss the recent medical studies on the relationship between alcohol and cancer.

NIH tells us that alcohol increases the risk for cancers, includi8ng:

  • Oral Cancer
  • Pharynx and Larynx Cancers
  • Colorectal Cancer
  • Liver Cancer
  • Breast Cancer
  • Esophageal Cancer
  • Stomach Cancer

Why does drinking alcohol increase your cancer risk?

There are many reasons why alcohol can increase your cancer risk. These include:

Acetaldehyde: Alcoholic beverages contain ethanol. When the body breaks down ethanol, it becomes acetaldehyde, which is a dangerous carcinogen. “This compound damages DNA and stops our cells from repairing the damage. This matters, because this process allows cancerous cells to grow.

Hormonal effects: Alcohol can affect the levels of hormones like estrogen. The hormones act as messengers that tell our cells to grow and divide. “The more cells divide, the more chances there are for something to go wrong and for cancer to develop.

Reduced nutrient absorption: Alcohol makes it harder for the body to absorb and use nutrients that protect it from cancer. These include vitamins A, B1, B6, C, D, E, K, and folate, iron and selenium. “These are just a few vitamins and minerals that are responsible for immunity, protecting cells from oxidative damage, reducing inflammation and aiding in DNA synthesis and repair.

Why would anyone want to ingest something into their body which damages their immune system?

Weight gain: Consuming more calories than your body burns leads to weight gain. Alcohol can contribute to weight gain from excess calorie intake. Excess weight is linked to over 12 types of cancers.

It increases the risk of tobacco-related cancers: If you drink and smoke, you are probably at an even higher risk for certain cancers including oral and throat cancer. Alcohol may make cells more sensitive to other substances that cause cancer. “The combination of drinking and smoking increases the risk of developing mouth or throat cancer far more than drinking or smoking alone.

What is the best thing to drink if I’m going to have alcohol?

When it comes to managing your cancer risk, there is no alcoholic drink which is better than the others. All of them, including beer, wine and whiskey contain ethanol, which, as described above, is linked to increased cancer risk. Therefore, do not believe the myth that drinking beer or wine is somehow safer than drinking more powerful forms of liquor.

Will it Help if I Stop Drinking?

Research has shown that when you stop drinking, the risk for alcohol-related cancers declines over time,

Can You Prevent Certain Types of Cancer?

by | Jul 13, 2024 | Health, Life

CAN YOU PREVENT CERTAIN TYPES of CANCER?

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in America. There are many different kinds of cancer, so the first question we should ask ourselves, is there something we can do to prevent some, or possibly all cancers? Obviously, we cannot prevent all cancers, but a new clinical study teaches us, there are numerous things we can do to avoid many types of cancer.

One of the leading causes of cancer deaths is colon cancer. Guess what? This is essentially almost 100% preventable, by having a colonoscopy at least once every 5-7 years.

Colon cancer starts with polyps in your colon. It takes approximately 8-10 years for a polyp to become cancerous. If you get regular colonoscopies, the doctor will remove those polyps before they become cancerous. Hence, you just virtually eliminated one of the biggest causes of death in America.

A new study by the American Cancer Society revealed that many types of cancers can be eliminated via lifestyle choices.

  • Smoking was the leading risk factor by far, the study found, contributing to nearly 1 in 5 cancer cases, and nearly a third of cancer deaths.
  • Other key risk factors included
    • excess body weight
    • alcohol consumption
    • physical inactivity
    • diet
    • infections such as HPV

Here’s something else this new study is trying to teach us. Cancer grows because of DNA damage or because it has a fuel source. Other factors, such as genetics and the environment, can also create these biological conditions. However, modifiable risks explain a significantly larger share of cancer cases and deaths than any other known factor. For example, exposure to sunlight can damage DNA and lead to skin cancer, while fat cells produce hormones that essentially feed certain cancers.

With cancer, people usually believe they have no control, but that isn’t true. One of the key findings of this new study is the following. People need to feel a sense of control over many types of cancer.  Modifiable risk factors contributed to more than half of new cases for 19 of the 30 types of cancer evaluated in the study.

There were 10 types of cancer where modifiable risk factors could be attributed to at least 80% of new cases, including more than 90% of melanoma cases linked to ultraviolet radiation and nearly all cases of cervical cancer linked to HPV infection, which can be prevented with a vaccine.

Lung cancer had the largest number of cases attributable to modifiable risk factors. There were more than 104,000 cases among men and 97,000 among women, and the vast majority were obviously linked to smoking.

After smoking, excess body weight was the second largest contributor to cancer cases, linked to about 5% of new cases in men and nearly 11% of cases in women. It was associated with more than a third of deaths from cancer of the endometrium, gallbladder, esophagus, liver and kidney, the new study found.

Another recent study revealed the risk for certain cancers was significantly reduced for people taking popular weight-loss and diabetes medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy.

New studies are teaching us that obesity is emerging, in several ways, as just as big a risk for people as smoking.

Here’s something else the scientists want you to know about cancer prevention. It’s never too late to make these changes. Turning unhealthy behavior around, even later in life, can make a profound difference. And making lifestyle changes to minimize exposure to certain factors can reduce cancer risk relatively quickly, experts say.

There is another aspect of your life which can help prevent cancer from spreading throughout your body, and that is STRESS. Studies found that two people facing almost identical medical issues had very different outcomes, based on the level of stress in their body. Someone under severe stress has a significantly reduced ability for their body to fight off inflammation, or other types of threats which can cause the spread of cancer. If you can find a way to eliminate, or reduce the level of stress in your body, that will definitely help prevent several forms of cancer from spreading.

Cancer is something your body fights every single day as your cells divide. It’s a risk that you face every day, and that also means that a reduction of the risks can benefit you big time.

Personal Story

This little story isn’t specifically about cancer, but it’s definitely related to the premise of this article. About 3 or 4 years ago, I read about a professional basketball player who was in a very serious motor vehicle accident. The doctor who treated him, said he would probably die within 60-90 days at most.

Six months later, the basketball player was almost fully recovered. Reporters asked the doctor why his prediction never happened. The physician said, I didn’t factor in the very high level of fitness the patient had. He was so physically fit, his body was able to fight off the inflammation and other negative impacts of the motor vehicle accident. 

This is a critical lesson about the importance of being on a regular exercise program and how it can help fight off negative elements in your body. The above reminded me of a study I read about many years ago.

Once of the conclusions of that study was the following. Two people can have the same physical assault on their immune system, and one can survive, while the other persons succumbs to the attack. Why did one survive? Because they were so physically fit, just like the professional basketball player, they could fight off the inflammation and attacks on their immune system.

Finally, I have one more similar story. In the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic, Americans were dying in huge numbers. 60 Minutes did a report on the people who were dying from Covid-19 by visiting hospitals treating victims of the pandemic. Those seriously ill covid patients were placed on ventilators, in an attempt to keep them alive. The 60 Minutes reporter asked the doctors and nurses if there was any one thing most of the patients on ventilators had in common. The answer was, YES, obesity.

 

 

 

LES MISERABLES – 25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

by | Jun 26, 2024 | Entertainment, Life

LES MISERABLES – 25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Last night I saw this movie.. As a young guy, I used to love the MGM musicals with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. They were so much fun because the dance scenes and songs were fabulous. I also loved watching Broadway musicals

But Les Miserables was a different kind of musical experience, unlike any I’d ever seen in my life.  I may not have the correct term for this genre, but I felt as if I was watching an exciting operetta in English.

Use whatever term you want to describe the performance, it was the most incredible musical I ever saw. Every aspect of the film felt as if it was near perfect.

  • It took place in a large, magnificent London theater in the year 2010, with a huge, sellout crowd.
  • The camera angles were exquisite. I felt as if I was in the theater, watching the performance live.
  • The orchestra and the quality of the music was outstanding throughout the entire film.
  • The costumes were creative and colorful.
  • Every musical number was special. There wasn’t one moment in the show where I wanted to move onto the next song. That’s how good each song was.

Finally, never in my life did I see so much talent on one stage. The cast was huge, I couldn’t even begin to count the number of people on stage. If that wasn’t enough, they had a large chorus sitting behind the orchestra.

I don’t know how the producers found so many extraordinarily talented people for one show. Every member of the cast was outstanding, producing one masterful performance after another. Their voices and expressions, captured by the outstanding camera angles, were literally fabulous!

As stated above, this show was quite unique, I’ve never seen anything like it. I love aspects of life which are unique and different. This movie qualified in that regard big time. As much as I love MGM Musicals and Broadway Shows, I thought this was definitely the greatest musical I ever saw.

NOTE: The only complaint I have is the running time of the movie, which is slightly less than 3 hours. At one point in the film, I thought I was watching a vibrant, rousing finale, which received a long, standing ovation from the audience. That seemed like the perfect ending to a very exciting musical. However, I was dead wrong. That was not the finale, it was only HALFTIME, I mean INTERMISSION. In the movie, intermission lasted a mere thirty seconds. I’m LOL!

 

 

A Letter to Biden’s Campaign Manager

by | Jun 25, 2024 | Life, Politics

BIDEN vs TRUMP in 2024

Three days before the first debate on June 27th, I sent the following letter to Biden’s campaign manager, Ms. Julie Chavez Rodriguez, and to the Vice-President. I tried sending it to the President, but one can only send him an email with less than 2,000 characters.

I’m convinced that one of the main reasons President Biden is behind in the polls, the Biden election strategy is seriously flawed. He must make it very clear to the American people this is the election of your lifetime. Biden must take the emphasis away from the individual candidates, as in Biden vs. Trump! He should instead make the overall campaign issue the following.

This election is about saving Democracy, Freedom, and our Constitution, versus watching America transition over to FASCISM and a Dictatorship. Americans have a critically important choice in 2024. You can vote to preserve our Democracy and Constitution, or you can vote to implement a DICTATORSHIP.

A vote for Trump means you will be putting someone in power who has no respect for “The Truth”, “Science”,  “The Rule of Law”, our Constitution, or women’s rights. We will have a government which will decide what school children can or cannot read. They will bring the Christian bible into public schools, they will treat immigrants as if they are useless trash, and worst of all, he will become Vladimir’s puppet. That will mark the end of our NATO alliance and probably just like Europe in the 1930s, there will be more invasions coming from Russia, assisted by Comrade Trump.

Biden must use Trump’s own words to portray and describe the threat he poses to our Democracy. Before I talk about that, it’s very important to understand why America, and our Democracy, is in grave danger.

GERMANY ANALOGY

America is confronted with many of the same dynamics which happened in the early 1930s in Germany. That was when the huge, dangerous, Hitler cult began to amass power and control of the country. 

In Germany, when you saw the Fuhrer, you clicked your heels, raised your right arm, and yelled, “Heil Hitler! Nobody dared defy the Fuhrer in any way, shape, or form. Essentially the same dynamic is happening inside the Republican Party in the year 2024. This is terrifying to anyone who recognizes the potential damage the Trump Cult poses to America. More on this later in the article.

Just as with Germany during the early 1930s, our voters are facing the choice of a lifetime. The dynamics are eerily similar. All one must do is replace the name Hitler with Trump, and then replace the word Jews with Liberals.

Hitler: Germany’s problems are caused by Jews! Get rid of the Jews and Germany will be great again!

Trump: America’s problems are caused by LIBERALS! Get rid of the Liberals and America will be great again!

What happened in Germany?

I’m confident there were millions of good Germans who knew Hitler was a piece of human garbage, but they probably never took his threat to capture power seriously.  We saw what happened, as Hitler and Germany started WWII and almost destroyed the world.

I’m afraid the same dynamic is happening in America. Millions of good Americans will probably stay at home during this election, and the result will be a disaster for our country, freedom, and world peace

THE FOX PROPAGANDA NETWORK and the German Analogy

The Fox Propaganda Network spent the last two decades brainwashing millions of their dedicated viewers into believing their problems are caused by those evil LIBERALS. Get rid of them so White Christians and the church will rule our country! We can return to the America of the 1950s.

One cannot underestimate the power of Fox and how it has impacted our country. Millions of Americans, who are addicted to Fox, and make up the Trump Cult, justify the use of force and/or any other means to support their Supreme Commander.

That is exactly what happened during the attack on the U.S. Capitol Building and U.S. Capitol Police on January 6. Approximately 141 police officers were injured, and the lives of Nancy Pelosi and Mike Pence were threatened. Why? Because the rioters actually believed they were defending and protecting America.

How in the world could anyone possibly believe that attacking the U..S. Capitol building, injuring 141 police officers, and threatening the lives of Nancy Pelosi and Mike Pence, is a patriotic act? The answer is obvious. This illustrates the dangerous power of BRAINWASHING inside of a CULT.

Remember when Republicans took pride in being the party of Law & Order? In 2024, the exact opposite is true, as they attack prosecutors and judges who dare attempt to enforce the law against their Supreme Leader.

Take a moment to examine the nature of Trump’s criminal cases. The judges and prosecutors in the Trump criminal cases require around the clock security. Why? Because inside of their cult, if it helps protect or get Trump in power, violence and law breaking is justified.  If given the opportunity, members of the cult will assault and/or kill prosecutors and judges. That’s exactly what would happen in Russia if someone tried to prosecute Vladimir.

It’s very difficult for people to grasp the immense danger this poses to “The Rule of Law” and our Democracy. People see this happening, but they refuse to believe their own eyes, or they don’t understand what’s happening.  

America! Please wake up and believe what you are seeing.  I realize it’s hard to process, but this terrifying form of behavior by the Republican Party is actually happening in our country.

If Trump gets back in power, just as Hitler went after the Jews, he will go after those evil Liberals with a vengeance. He’s telling America that’s what he will do! Please listen to his own words!

MAGA?

Just like Germany in the 1930s, members of the Trump Cult are so brainwashed, they actually believe the MAGA false concept of Trump Making America Great Again. The reality is, Comrade Trump is Vladimir’s number one friend and ally in America. Trump supporters should replace the initials MAGA with MRG [Make Russia Great!]

President Biden should consider the possibility of taking a page out of the Trump playbook, whereby he calls our President “Sleepy Joe”. I think the President should think about referring to his opponent as “Comrade Trump”, Vladimir’s best friend and ally in America.

Intelligent, observant people understand that Comrade Trump is trying to become the Vladimir Putin of America.

  • He called Vladimir a genius after Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.
  • Trump is doing everything possible to block aid for Ukraine.
  • He wants to dismantle and destroy NATO for Vladimir
  • Comrade Trump told Vladimir it was OK to attack certain NATO countries. This is unbelievable! We are witnessing a potential American president showing his allegiance to a vicious, violent dictator, instead of the international alliance, which has protected western democracies since the end of WW II.
  • Just like Vladimir, Trump said he would use the Justice Department to imprison his political opponents. Only in Russia, they often wind up falling out of windows or being poisoned.
  • When he was President, Trump repeatedly said “THE FREE PRESS is an ENEMY of the PEOPLE! Only dictators talk like that.
  • Trump said Covid-19 was a Democratic Hoax which would disappear the day after the election.
  • Then the Trump propaganda experts demonized a scientist named Fauci and told members of the cult to instead listen to Trump.
  • As a result, several hundred thousand members of the cult died. If they would have instead listened to a scientist named Fauci, they would have worn masks and gotten vaccinated against Covid-19.

Biden must send a message to voters across the country. Do you want to support Vladimir Putin and Russia, or do you want to defend Democracy, NATO, and our Constitution?

In addition to the usual swing state voters, I think Biden should focus on four different groups during his campaign. I believe these 4 groups can make a difference in the upcoming election.

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES – Almost 3 Million Voters!

  • Trump said he would do away with the non-partisan civil service system and replace it with a Trump loyalty program.
  • Trump said he will move government agencies out of D.C. into Red States.
  • This means large numbers of federal employees will almost certainly lose their job and we’ll have a government modeled after Russia, where loyalty to a Supreme Leader takes precedence over loyalty to our Constitution.
  • Trump didn’t say this, but we definitely know his Cabinet members will have to swear loyalty to Trump instead of the Constitution.

JEWISH PEOPLE

The following is literally mind boggling and almost incomprehensible. However, if you understand the power of brainwashing and being a member of a cult, it actually makes sense.

  • Can you possibly believe there is a significant number of Jewish people (including billionaires) who will vote for the same candidate that Nazis love and worship?
  • As incredible as Jewish people aligning themselves with Nazis seems, it is actually happening. Significant numbers of Jewish voters are so brainwashed, they see nothing wrong with voting for the same man who is loved by Nazis.
  • Pictures are often more powerful than words. Biden must show America [Jews] photos of NAZIS with Swastikas at Trump rallies.
  • It’s important to associate the name Trump with NAZIS.

BLACK PEOPLE

  • Just as it’s important to show voters pictures of NAZIs with their Swastikas at Trump rallies, it’s equally important to show black people photos of KKK Members at Trump rallies flying Confederate flags.
  • Ask them a similar question to the one you must ask Jewish voters. WHY are you voting for the SAME CANDIDATE who is LOVED and ADMIRED by MEMBERS of the KKK? Yes, that’s the same KKK, with their CONFEDERATE FLAGS, boldly displayed at Trump public rallies?
  • It’s important to associate the name Trump with the KKK.

OBAMACARE:

Many voters already know the Republicans want to degrade Social Security, but millions of Trump Cult members are on Obamacare, and they need to know something very important.

Unfortunately, most of them are so dumb, they don’t even know their health care is coming from Obamacare. Maybe that’s why they’re voting against their own best interests? President Biden must make the following very clear to them, because healthcare is so important to everyone.

How in the world can you vote for a candidate who wants to destroy your health care insurance program?

BACKGROUND CHECK:

The following is something President Biden should regularly use in his campaign speeches. If Trump was applying for a federal job which required passing a background security check, he would be rejected. But he’s running for President and it’s mind boggling that no background security check is required?

In addition to being a pathological liar, the man is both a criminal and a traitor. Biden must pound that concept into the voters.

The next element of Biden’s strategy should revolve around something all of us never imagined could ever be an issue in an election for President of the United States. It’s hard to believe, but we must recognize what is happening. Only brainwashed members of a CULT could possibly support someone who has no character or integrity.

TRUMP is

  • A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR
  • In 2020, he pardoned an array of Convicted Felons who worked closely with him during his four years in office.
  • Trump was facing 91 FELONY INDICTMENTS, and now has 34 FELONY CONVICTIONS
  • Emphasize the HUNDREDS of STOLEN TOP SECRET-CLASSIFED Documents he stole and stored in his private Florida home.
  • Remind everyone, he was asked multiple times to return the documents and Trump refused every time.
  • If Trump would have returned the stolen Top-Secret Documents, as requested multiple times, he would have never been charged.
  • WHY IS TRUMP REFUSING TO RETURN THE STOLEN DOCUMENTS?
  • Trump doesn’t read anything. There’s only one possible reason he wanted those top secret-classified documents in his private home and refused to return them to the federal government.
  • Trump obviously wanted to sell our nuclear, and other national state secrets, to his idol and hero, Vladimir.

Another German Analogy:

Just like Hitler, no member of the Republican Party is allowed to disagree with, or to in any way, shape, or form, defy the Supreme Leader of the party. Every member of the cult clicks their heels and obeys all orders coming from their Supreme Commander, the Fat Orange Fuhrer.

This is exactly what happened when Republicans recently had an opportunity to support the most powerful Border Security Bill of our lifetime. Come on, we know Republicans go to sleep at night dreaming of Hunter Biden’s laptop and the Border.

But after their Supreme Commander ordered them to block and/or vote NO on this powerful border security bill, (because Biden would get the credit), they clicked their heels and dutifully obeyed. Obviously, obeying Trump was more important than implementing powerful border security.

Liz Cheney and Nikki Haley Dynamic

Liz Cheney had the most conservative voting record in Congress. However, that voting record was totally ignored, as she was expelled from the party because she placed the Constitution ahead of Comrade Trump.

Nikki Haley made several horrible comments about Trump during her campaign. She essentially said America cannot survive another four years of Trump. However, she recently stated she’s going to vote for him. What?

Why did Nikki Haley change her mind so quickly? Because she saw what happened to Liz Cheney.

Just as with Hitler, and currently with Vladimir, nobody in the Republican Party is allowed to disagree with and/or defy their Supreme Leader. They must always demonstrate fealty to their Fuhrer. Otherwise, they will become an enemy of the Cult and will suffer the consequences.

If Trump is elected, just like Germany, that same dynamic will take over our county.  Biden must repeatedly ask the voters if this is the America you want, where nobody is allowed to disagree with or challenge their Supreme Leader, the fat orange Fuhrer.