Cancer Quick Facts: Get Cancer Quick Facts at Solitarius - Page 25

Obesity and Cancer Rates

Posted on June 13, 2023 by Ken

Women and men face different cancers — depending on where fat falls
© Provided by New York Post

Obesity is known to increase the risk of cancer — but which kinds of cancer?
New research has found that the answer differs between men and women,
and depends in part on where fat is located on the body.
“Doctors and scientists are aware that obesity increases cancer risk, but this connection
is less well known to members of the public,” study author Mathias Rask-Andersen,
a researcher at Uppsala University in Sweden, said in a news release.
To investigate the links between cancer and obesity among men and women, Rask-Andersen and other researchers turned to the UK Biobank, a biomedical database with genetic and health information from more than half a million participants across the UK.

The massive database also includes information on the distribution of fat in participants’ bodies and their cancer history, if any. “An important aspect of obesity-associated disease risk is the distribution of fat in different compartments of the body,” said co-author
Asa Johansson, also of Uppsala University.
“Fat stored in the abdomen is considered more pathogenic [disease-causing] compared
to subcutaneous [below the skin] fat. In addition, the amount of fat stored in different compartments, as well as the rates of most cancers, is known to differ between females
and males,” Johansson said.
Among their findings, the research team discovered that all cancer types except brain, cervical and testicular cancers are associated with obesity.
Men with obesity were found to be at higher risk for breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma. For women with obesity, the highest risks were associated with gallbladder cancer, endometrial cancer and esophageal adenocarcinoma.
Obesity is a well-known risk factor for cancer — but which types, and in whom?

A new study defines how various forms of fat lead to different cancers in men & women.
And in terms of fat distribution versus fat accumulation, there were different effects between men and women for colorectal, esophageal and liver cancer.
For men, body fat accumulation was linked to a high risk for hepatocellular carcinoma,
but the same link was not seen among women. And unlike men, women with a larger proportion of fat stored in the abdomen had a higher risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
“We were surprised to see that there appeared to be a difference in the effect of obesity
on cancer risk, not only between males and females, but also between post- and pre-menopausal females,” Johansson said.
“Most remarkable, obesity is only a risk factor for breast cancer after menopause, probably due to the change in estrogen production in association with menopause,” she added.
The authors noted that rising rates of obesity make their research especially timely.

“Given the rapidly increasing rates of obesity globally, obesity is now the fastest-growing risk factor for overall cancer risk,” Rask-Andersen said. “Measures to prevent and reduce the occurrence of obesity and being overweight are therefore highly motivated.
“However, it is important to consider that reducing weight does not eliminate the risk
of cancer. There are still many individual risk factors that play a much larger impact on specific types of cancer, such as smoking for lung cancer and exposure to sun for skin cancer,” he added. Obesity and Cancer Locations – Bing video

43% of the worldwide population has an obesity-associated gene (FTO), making it the most common gene that can cause obesity.

Whilst Samoa has the highest rates of obesity in men, with a total of 60.8% of its male population. Tonga has 82.8% of their female population living with obesity.

According to the CDC, the average annual medical cost for handling obesity and obesity-related comorbidities was $147 billion in 2008. Image: en.wikipedia.org. Data: Wikipedia · cerbariatrics.com · loudcloudhealth.com · obesityreporter.com
Wikipedia text under CC-BY-SA license

Healthy Living Tips
Common Health Risks of Obesity
Obesity is often associated with physical strain on the body, contributing to disease and other conditions. It can also have an adverse impact on social and emotional well-being, and it’s commonly linked to deep feelings of sadness, self-blame and depression.
These symptoms should not be ignored. Doctors and psychiatrists should work
together to address your total health.
If you struggle with weight, use a BMI calculator to estimate your potential link
to disease risk. The Body Mass Index, or BMI, provides you with the healthy weight
range for your height. While it doesn’t take into account age, gender or activity level,
it is the method most commonly used to indicate the presence of body weight concerns.
Talk to your doctor to find out if your weight is affecting your health and consider the
help of a nutritionist or dietician.

Take control of your weight.
Call an HHC hospital or healthcare center in your area to ask about weight management programs and support groups. It’s all about creating an understanding that obesity can impact the:

MIND
Obesity goes deep. Assumptions and biases that exist around weight can have a real and cumulative impact on mental health and morale. People may internalize this weight bias and blame themselves, leading to depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.

BODY
Weight management is not just about willpower. Many factors are also at play within
our bodies, including genetics and biology, which can impact how we gain, lose and regain weight. These factors make living with obesity a unique journey for everyone and also play a role in physical health, with links to at least 60 other health conditions.

SOCIETY
Weight bias still exists. It leaves people feeling judged in society. Weight bias can be present in most areas of our life, including at work, in the doctor’s office, on the shows we watch, among friends and family, and more. In addition, factors like socioeconomics and cultural influence can sometimes contribute to further biases.

Spirituality
Using the Nurses’ Health Study II cohort, follow-up occurred from 2001 to 2015, with up to 35,547 participants assessed for the religious or spiritual coping and religious service attendance analyses. Cox regression and generalized estimating equations evaluated associations with obesity and weight change, respectively. Religious or spiritual coping and religious service attendance had little evidence of an association with obesity.
Compared with not using religious or spiritual coping at all, the fully adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were minimally different across categories: a little bit (HR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.92–1.18), a medium amount (HR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.96–1.24), and a lot (HR = 1.10; 95% CI: 0.96–1.25) (Ptrend = 0.17).
Compared with participants who never or almost never attend religious meetings or services, there was little evidence of an association between those attending less than once/month (HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.97–1.10), 1–3 times/month (HR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.90–1.13), once/week (HR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.83–1.02), and more than once/week (HR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.82–1.07) (Ptrend = 0.06).

Findings were similar for weight change.
There was no significant association between religious or spiritual coping, religious service attendance, obesity, and weight change. While religion and spirituality are prominent in American society, they are not important psychosocial factors influencing body weight in this sample.

New scientific findings reveal neuroinflammation as key factor in alcohol-induced pain.
12 Foods People Hated As Kids Then Realized Their Parents Just Didn’t Cook It Right.
15 Things You Do That Signals To Everyone Around You That You’re Insecure (msn.com)
Home Depot worker claims she’s ‘too pretty’ to work at the store (msn.com)
The Biggest Food Fads of the Past 50 Years (msn.com)

By shattering these misconceptions, real change will come in understanding that
biology and genetics play a role alongside diet and other factors. Then, it’s about putting
a spotlight on the need we have for better care and compassion from everyone–family, friends, coworkers, strangers and even doctors.

It only takes a spark to light a fire.
Let’s ignite a chain reaction that ends shame and shatters the misconceptions.
It’s bigger than numbers on a scale. It’s bigger than diet and exercise.
It’s bigger than lifestyle choices.
Together, as a movement, community and society, we can create real change.
Join Us on Instagram: It’s Bigger Than Me (@itsbiggerthan) • Instagram photos & videos
and also Make a Plan with Your HCP to Lose Weight & Maintain it | Truth About Weight®

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Survived the Amazon

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Ken

(CNN) — Four young children have been found alive after more than a month wandering the Amazon.

Where they survived like “children of the jungle,” according to Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro. “Their learning from indigenous families and their learning of living in the jungle has saved them,” Petro told reporters on Friday, after announcing on Twitter that they had been found 40 days after they went missing following a plane crash that killed their mother.

Children found after 40 days in Amazon survived by eating ‘cassava flour.’
Story by Stefano Pozzebon

Children found after 40 days in Amazon survived by eating ‘cassava flour’.
Eating cassava flour helped save the lives of four children found alive in the Amazon jungle more than a month after their plane crashed, according to a Colombian military special force official.
The children ate “three kilograms (six pounds) of farina,” a coarse cassava flour commonly used by indigenous tribes in the Amazon region, said spokesperson Pedro Arnulfo Sánchez Suárez.“Days after the crash, they ate the farina which they had carried there… but they (eventually) ran out of food and decided to look for a place where they could stay alive,” Suárez said.
“They were malnourished but fully conscious and lucid when we found them,” he added.
“Their indigenous origins allowed them to acquire a certain immunity against diseases in the jungle and having knowledge of the jungle itself – knowing what to eat and what
not to eat – as well as finding water kept them alive – which would not have been possible
(if they) were not used to that type of hostile environment.”
The four children – 13-year-old Lesly Jacobombaire Mucutuy, 9-year-old Soleiny Jacobombaire Mucutuy, 4-year-old Tien Ranoque Mucutuy and infant Cristin Ranoque Mucutuy – are currently recovering in a hospital in the Colombian capital Bogota after being taken there by air ambulance flown by the Colombian Air Force on Saturday, officials said.
Medical reports say they are dehydrated and still “cannot eat food” – but are well and out of danger. “What’s required now is to stabilize (their health),” Colombian Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez told reporters who were gathered outside the hospital.

The children’s mother Magdalena Mucutuy Valencia was killed in the May 1st plane crash, leaving them alone and stranded in the Amazon jungle. The plane’s pilot Hernando Murcia Morales and Yarupari indigenous leader Herman Mendoza Hernández were also killed in the accident.
The children’s disappearance sparked a massive military-led search operation that saw more than one hundred Colombian special forces troops and over 70 indigenous scouts combing the deep forest.
The four were eventually found in an area clear of trees.
They told officials that they had found a dog – a Belgian Shepherd search dog named Wilson that belonged to special forces. The dog had gone missing on May 18, Suárez said. “The kids told us that they spent three or four days with Wilson and that they (found) him quite skinny,” he added. Reference: Whole 30 diet plan – Bing video

Hopes for the children’s survival waned as the weeks went on.

Amazon Indigenous People- Bing video
Their relatives shared that they endured “many sleepless nights worrying” until the children were found. Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who visited the children
in hospital on Saturday, celebrated their return and said their survival “would be remembered in history.”
“They are children of the jungle and now they are children of Colombia,” Petro said
the children were all together when they were found, adding they had demonstrated
an example of “total survival that will be remembered in history.”

“They are children of the jungle and now they are children of Colombia,” he added.
Revealing their discovery earlier in the day, the Colombian president had tweeted an image that seems to show search crews treating the children in a forest clearing, along with the words: “A joy for the whole country!”
Their grandmother, María Fátima Valencia, said she was “going to hug all of them”
and “thank everyone” as soon as they were reunited in their home city of Villavicencio, where they live.

“I’m going to encourage them, I’m going to push them forward, I need them here,”
she said. The children, who appear gaunt in the photos, were evaluated by doctors before being flown out by the Colombian Air Force on an air ambulance to the Military Transport Air Command in Bogota, the capital, early Saturday morning.
Four medics, including a pediatrician and a neonatologist, provided treatment on board the plane, according to the air force.
“We hope that tomorrow they will be treated at the military hospital,” Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez said earlier Friday night, while praising the Colombian military and indigenous communities for helping find them.
Petro said the children were weak, needed food and would have their mental status assessed. “Let the doctors make their assessment and we will know,” he added.

Their mother, Magdalena Mucutuy Valencia,

Was killed in the crash along with two other adult passengers: pilot Hernando Murcia Morales and Yarupari indigenous leader Herman Mendoza Hernández.

Stranded after plane crash.
Lesly Jacobombaire Mucutuy, age 13, Soleiny Jacobombaire Mucutuy, 9, Tien Ranoque Mucutuy, 4, and infant Cristin Ranoque Mucutuy were stranded in the jungle on May 1, the only survivors of a deadly plane crash.
The children’s subsequent disappearance into the deep forest galvanized a massive military-led search operation involving over a hundred Colombian special forces troops and over 70 indigenous scouts combing the area.
For weeks, the search turned up only tantalizing clues, including footprints, a dirty diaper and a bottle. Family members said the oldest child had some experience in the forest, but hopes waned as the weeks went on.
At some point during their ordeal, they’d had to defend themselves from a dog, Petro said.
He called the children’s survival a “gift to life” and an indication that they were “cared for by the jungle.”
The Colombian president said he had spoken with the grandfather of the children who said that their survival was in the hands of the jungle which ultimately chose to return them.

The grandfather, Fidencio Valencia, said he and his wife had endured many sleepless nights worrying about the children.
“For us this situation was like being in the dark, we walked for the sake of walking.
Living for the sake of living because the hope of finding them kept us alive.
When we found the children we felt joy, we don’t know what to do, but we are grateful
to God,” he said. The children’s other grandfather, Narcizo Mucutuy, said he wants his grandchildren to be brought back home soon.
“I beg the president of Colombia to bring our grandchildren to Villavicencio, where
the grandparents are, where their uncles and aunts are, and then take them to Bogota,”
he said.

FILE – In this photo released by Colombia’s Armed Forces Press Office,

A soldier stands in front of the wreckage of a Cessna C206, May 18, 2023, that crashed in the jungle of Solano in the Caqueta state of Colombia. The discovery of footprints on May 30 of a small foot rekindled the hope of finding the children alive after their plane crashed on May 1. Soldiers found the wreckage and the bodies of three adults, including the pilot and the children’s mother.
Indigenous leader Lucho Acosta, the coordinator of indigenous scouts, credited the
“extra effort” of search and rescue teams and local authorities to find the children in
a statement on Friday.
“They all added a little effort so that this Operation Hope could be successful, and we can hope the kids will emerge alive and stronger than before. We have been hoping together with the strength of our ancestors, and our strength prevailed,” he said.

“We never stopped looking for them until the miracle came,” the Colombian Defense Ministry tweeted. During a press conference Friday evening, Petro said he hoped to speak with the children on Saturday.
“The most important thing now is what the doctors say, they have been lost for 40 days, their health condition must have been stressed. We need to check their mental state too,” he said.
Petro, who was previously forced to backtrack after mistakenly tweeting that they had been found last month, described the children’s 40-day saga as “a remarkable testament
of survival.” This story was first published on CNN.com. “Missing children found after
40 days in Amazon survived like ‘children of the jungle,’ Colombian president says“

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

‘MEDITERRASIAN’ Diet

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Ken

Longevity doctor shares the No. 1 diet he follows to ‘beat diseases and live longer’:
It’s a ‘unique blend’ of foods

This Diet ‘De-Ages’ Your Brain By Months, According to New Study – Search (bing.com)
We’re finding more and more evidence that what we eat contributes to a range of outcomes within the human body, not just weight. Now researchers say that a Mediterranean diet or one high in veg, seafood and whole grains can actually
revert your biological brain age. Veuer’s Tony Spitz has the details.

MediterrAsian – Showcasing the Mediterranean Diet and Asian Diet
Story by Dr. William Li, Contributor

As a doctor and food scientist,
I’ve spent 20 years studying how our diets can help us beat diseases and live longer.
I’ve always taken a natural food-based approach, and much of my diet is inspired by a unique blend of two of the greatest food cultures in the world: Mediterranean and Asia.

I call it the “MediterrAsian” diet. ‘MEDITERRASIAN’ GRILLED SALAD – YouTube
Both the Mediterranean region and Asia have areas known as Blue Zones, where people age better and are overall healthier. The MediterrAsian eating can help you boost immune health and stay healthy.

Here are five staples:

1. Fruits
Apples: An apple a day might keep the doctor away, but three apples a day can help reduce body fat. They’re versatile, great for salads, and delicious as a snack or baked in a dessert.
Pears: Pears are an excellent source of dietary fiber (a medium-sized fruit has 6 grams) for gut health.
Pro tip: to find a ripe pear, hold the fruit by its base with one hand, and with the other, pinch the flesh at the bottom of the stem. If the flesh gives slightly, it’s ready to eat.
Grapefruit: Grapefruit flesh contains disease-fighting flavonoids and vitamin C,
which is a powerful DNA-protecting antioxidant and anti-anti-inflammatory substance.
Avocados: The fats in avocados are healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, which can reduce blood levels of bad LDL cholesterol and lower your risk of heart disease.

2. Vegetables
Broccoli: Broccoli is potent in sulforaphane, which protects stem cells,
improves gut health and metabolism, and amplifies immune responses.
Soy: Soy is eaten as a bean, made into tofu, fermented, and can even be transformed
into wine. It has been associated with lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease by 20% and diabetes by 23%.
Carrots: An ancient root vegetable that originated in Southwest Asia, carrots are a good source of dietary fiber for gut health. A half cup of grated carrot has 2 grams of fiber.
Mushrooms: Mushrooms contain a soluble fiber called beta-D-glucan,
which stimulates defenses to grow new blood vessels needed for healing wounds.
At the same time, it can prevent harmful blood vessels from feeding cancers.

3. Legumes
White beans: Beans are a nutritious food that can help reduce cardiovascular risk factors by lowering blood cholesterol levels. They also contain valuable nutrients like iron, zinc, magnesium and folate.
Lentils: Lentils are a classic legume in Mediterranean cuisine. A half cup of dry lentils contains 18 grams of fiber, which is more than half of the recommended daily intake for men and women.

4. Bottles and jars: Olive Oil Reduces Cancer Risk – Bing video
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO): EVOO is the most desirable form of olive oil.
The “extra virgin” refers to oil that is not refined and contains tiny bits of ripe olives.
The oil and bits are the source of potent polyphenols that activate health defenses.
When I buy EVOO, I scan the label on the bottle to identify which olive varieties were used. Many are made from a variety of olives, which can taste very nice, but I prefer monovarietal oil, which is less likely to be diluted with cheaper oils.
Apple cider vinegar: Studies have found that the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar reduces body fat, improves insulin sensitivity, and lowers blood sugar.
Fermented bean paste: Stroll through the middle aisles of any Asian grocery store,
and you’ll see many kinds of fermented bean paste. Made from fermented soy, they contain bioactives that fight fat cells.

5. Seafood
Salmon: Salmon is high in omega-3s, which get absorbed into fat cells and are metabolized. Then they create proteins that are released like cellular firefighters
into the surrounding fat mass to extinguish the inflammation caused by fat.
Roe: If you’re exploring unique tastes, you must try the roe (eggs) of certain seafoods.
Roe is naturally packed with omega-3s, so it takes remarkably little to get a major dose of healthy fats.
Sardine: Sardines are a time-honored seafood of the Mediterranean. They contain bioactives that can improve metabolism and lower blood cholesterol.

6. Liquids
Matcha tea: Matcha is a green tea known for its vivid green color.
Studies have found that matcha can counter the metabolic effects of a high-fat diet.
Oolong tea: A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed drinking six cups
of oolong tea three days a week improved overall metabolism.
Dr. William Li, MD, is a physician, scientist and the New York Times bestselling author of “Eat to Beat Your Diet: Burn Fat, Heal Your Metabolism, and Live Longer” and “Eat to Beat Disease.” His groundbreaking work has led to the development of more than 40 new medical treatments and impacts care for more than 70 diseases including cancer, diabetes, blindness, heart disease and obesity. Follow him on Twitter @drwilliamli.
Life, Part Two: Seven Keys to Awakening with Purpose and Joy as You Age: Chernikoff, David: Amazon.com: Books

Dying with disease rather than from it (msn.com)
A guide to seven essential elements that will illuminate your path to spiritual realization and wise elderhood. What Carl Jung called “the second half of life” has the potential to be a remarkable curriculum for insight and awakening. When wisely understood, the changes inherent in the aging process become stepping-stones to the actualization of our best human qualities: wisdom, lovingkindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity.
Author David Chernikoff has spent decades pursuing spiritual study and practice with remarkable teachers, including Ram Dass, Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, Father Thomas Keating, Yvonne Rand, and Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi.
In Life, Part Two, he distills lessons from across contemplative traditions to invite readers to embrace seven essential elements of conscious living: embracing mystery, choosing a vision, cultivating intuitive wisdom, committing to inner work, suffering effectively, serving from the heart & celebrating the journey.
These elements culminate in wise elderhood–a state celebrated by indigenous cultures around the world, yet largely unacknowledged in contemporary Western society. For those of us who aspire to live fully and to love well as we age, Life, Part Two is a lucid guidebook that empowers us to personally thrive and to contribute with ever greater clarity and purpose. David Chernikoff on Life Part Two 1/12/22 – YouTube

Don’t miss:
Americans Who Moved Between The East And West Coasts Are Revealing What Gave Them Culture Shock And It
I’m a nutritionist from Japan, home to the world’s longest-living people—here are 6 American foods I never eat
At 100 years old, I’m the ‘world’s oldest practicing doctor’—5 things I never do to live a long, happy life
A Harvard nutritionist shares the 6 best brain foods: ‘Most people aren’t eating enough of’ these
Maybe A Blessing: Chemotherapy shortages push cancer centers toward crisis (msn.com)
Deepak Chopra’s morning routine for better mental and physical health (cnbc.com)
5 L’s for living a long, fulfilling life, from a 102-year-old doctor (cnbc.com)

What are people curious about?

Asian diet – Search (bing.com)
Blood Type Diet – Bing video
Cajun Diet – Search (bing.com)
Caribbean diet for optimal health.
DASH diet

Diabetic diet
Dr. Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet
Elixir diet for optimal health – Search (bing.com)
F – F A C T O R _ Diet – Search (bing.com)
The flexitarian diet: what it is, and how to get started (msn.com)

Glycemic diet – Search (bing.com)
Heart Healthy diet – Search (bing.com)
Indonesian Diet – Search (bing.com)
Jenny Craig Diet
Keto diet
La Weight Loss Meal plans;
Mayo Clinic diet
Mediterranean diet

New Mayo Clinic Diet
Noom Diet

Nutrisystem diet
Nutritarian diet
Okinawa Diet.
Ornish diet

Pescatarian
Paleo diet

Pritikin diet
South Beach diet
Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes, or TLC diet

Vegetarian Diet

Volumetrics diet
WeightWatchers
Y Diet Healthy Eating for a Healthy Weight, Nutrition, and Physical Activity | CDC
Zone diet

Best Diets Overall 2023 – Expertly Reviewed – US News Health
What Was Before The Big Bang? | Unveiled | Watch (msn.com)
Confirms US Regions Are Basically Different Countries (msn.com)
Top 12 Popular Diets – Bing video

This is for information purposes only, and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors, and not to be considered as the opinion of Microsoft. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns. (scoresbroadcast.com)

Marijuana is seen as a tool for enlightenment,

But what does Buddhism actually say about it?
Buddhism is not the most popular religion in North America with less than 1 percent
self-identifying, but its ideas permeate our culture. From song lyrics by the Beastie Boys and spiritual themes in Star Wars, to the publicly professed faith of celebrities including Orlando Bloom, Harrison Ford and Richard Gere. Steve Jobs claimed to be a Buddhist. And nothing reflects the image of zen, peaceful state of mind than someone consuming marijuana.

And, the name Buddha translates to “Awakened One” in Sanskrit.
Buddhism is one of the world’s largest religions and originated 2,500 years ago in India. Buddhists believe that human life is one of suffering and that meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good behavior are the ways to achieve enlightenment or nirvana.
The Four Noble Truths comprise the essence of Buddha’s teachings, though they leave much left unexplained. They are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering.

Buddhism strongly discourages alcohol and other substances that intoxicate.
This is despite the great diversity of Buddhist traditions across various countries. Alcohol has been frowned upon since the beginning of the religion. Consuming marijuana can help you quiet your mind and reach a zen-like tranquility or temporary enlightenment, but seems to be a bit at odds with Buddhism’s beliefs on intoxicants.

Related video: Experimental drug shows promise for marijuana addiction (NBC News).
The Dalai Lama isn’t that keen on recreational marijuana use, but the spiritual leader told supporters in Mexico in 2014 that he supports legal, medicinal marijuana when the drug has been shown to have value.
In Buddhism, the Fifth Precept is frequently interpreted to mean “refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to heedlessness”, although in some direct translations, the Fifth Precept refers specifically to alcohol. Cannabis and some other psychoactive plants are specifically prescribed in the Mahākāla Tantra for medicinal purposes.
Medical marijuana has converted from all walks of life and Buddhism is one of its fans.
Considering the healing nature, fewer side effects and low cost, Buddhists appreciate the prop tiers of cannabis. A Buddhist quote is “May all beings have happy minds.”
For those who consume, you can take as you want.

This article Buddhism And Marijuana: Is Weed OK? originally appeared on Benzinga.com.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Chimps Versus Human

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Ken

Chimps Love Drinking Beer – Search (bing.com)

Researchers have recorded several chimpanzees in the wild drinking fermented palm sap, or palm wine, from raffia palm trees, according to a study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science. Palm wine has an average of 3.1% alcohol by volume but goes as high as 6.9%—more than most beers. And the chimpanzees aren’t just having a sip.

Researchers estimated that some of the chimpanzees were consuming as much as 85ml of alcohol, or about a bottle of wine. Some became visibly inebriated, even falling asleep soon after drinking. One even became restless, agitatedly moving from tree to tree while the other chimps were preparing to sleep, Dr. Kimberley Hockings, who led the research team, told BBC News.

The joys of palm wine aren’t just known to chimpanzees.
The local people in the Bossou area of Guinea, where the study occurred, also drink the palm wine, harvesting it by tapping the trees at the crown and collecting the sap in plastic containers. The chimpanzees, though, use a different method. Here’s Victoria Gill, reporting for BBC News: Chimpanzee – Search (bing.com)

Researchers working in the area had already witnessed chimpanzees climbing the trees – often in groups – and drinking the naturally fermented palm sap. The chimps used drinking tools called leaf sponges – handfuls of leaves that they chew and crush into absorbent sponges, dip into the liquid and suck out the contents.

To work out the extent of the animals’ indulgence, the scientists measured the alcohol content of the wine in the containers and filmed the chimps’ “drinking sessions.”

Related: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/social-skills/

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/great-minds-think-alike/

It plays right into the drunken monkey hypothesis.
Which was first posited by Robert Dudley back in 2004. Dudley suggested that human’s primate ancestors may have followed the scent of fermenting fruit to find food. Once they got there, the naturally occurring ethanol may have spurred their appetites, and so those who ate the fruit may have increased their caloric consumption. So, at one time, it was beneficial to be attracted to ethanol.

Chimps, which share a common ancestor with humans, could have the same inclination toward ethanol that humans do. In fact, a recent study showed that humans and African apes shared the genetic mutation that enabled them to metabolize alcohol.

Still, it remains rare for chimpanzees to voluntarily consume alcohol. Just 51 drinking events by individual primates were observed from 1995 to 2012, and one adult male accounted for 14 of those events.
A fascinating breakthrough in animal psychology has revealed that young chimpanzees combine various gestures, vocalizations, and facial expressions in a manner reminiscent
of the communication development observed in human infants.

This research is a product of diligent work carried out by psychologists at Durham University, who ventured deep into understanding the dynamics of chimpanzee communication.
During their investigation, the research team discovered that young chimps have a unique ability to combine different communication signals, an evolutionary trick that possibly enhances their ability to convey messages across different situations such as play and conflict. Intriguingly, they observed that this talent matures as the chimps transition from infancy to adolescence.

Why this study is important
Let’s delve into the specifics. The combined signals that these young primates utilize include a multitude of expressions and behaviors. For instance, they were seen combining playful open-mouth faces with laughter, or physically touching another chimp while whimpering, and even baring their teeth paired with squeaks.
Understanding these “multimodal” forms of communication has substantial implications for human linguistics and behavioral studies. It sheds significant light on the evolutionary path of communication in humans and our closest ape relatives, contributing to our understanding of the emergence of our own language skills.
The study, a collaboration between Durham University and the University of Portsmouth, gained recognition through its publication in the journal Animal Behaviour.. The research took place at the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust sanctuary in northern Zambia, where 28 semi-wild chimpanzees, aged one to 11 years, were observed.

What the research team learned:

Contrary to previous studies.
That focused on isolated forms of communication signals, this research was unique as it examined how chimpanzees combined these signals as they matured and in different contexts. The team found that chimpanzees of all ages consistently used standalone communication signals such as grunting, arm movements, or facial expressions in various situations.
However, it was interesting to note that as the chimpanzees aged, they were more likely
to merge different communication signals. This practice was particularly evident during encounters of aggression or play, two scenarios where clear communication is paramount to avoid undesirable consequences. The older adolescent chimpanzees demonstrated a higher tendency to utilize a mix of signals instead of singular gestures or expressions, especially in aggressive contexts.
“When we think about human language, we know that it is a combination of different
types of communication such as speech, facial expressions, and gestures. The way we communicate likely has deep evolutionary roots that are shared with some of our closest living relatives such as apes. Our study provides evidence that the way chimpanzees communicate with increased complexity as they get older is consistent with the development of communication we see in human infants,” said Emma Doherty.

Insights into human evolution
The research team suggests that the development of this multi-layered mode of communication among young chimpanzees could offer valuable insights into our own evolution. However, they added that further studies are needed to observe multimodal signals in wild primates to understand better how different environments impact communication development.
Furthermore, they proposed that studying multimodal communication, as opposed to observing individual signals in isolation, could provide more robust evidence of how communication evolved in apes, and by extension, in humans.
“A lot of the focus of research so far into communication, both in humans and other animals, looks at individual communication signals independently, but we know humans combine these signals all the time from early infancy.
As a close relative of humans, apes give us a snapshot into how these signals could have evolved into multimodal communications, ultimately culminating in human language,” said study co-author Dr Zanna Clay.

Learning more about ourselves by observing chimpanzees
Related video: Chimps and Babies Basically Communicate In the Same Way (Buzz60) – Search (bing.com)

These discoveries underscore the similarities between human communication and
our nearest animal relatives. By studying the development of young chimpanzees’ communication and their ability to combine signals, the researchers have not only broadened our understanding of primate communication but have also brought us a step closer to unravelling the complexities of our own language evolution.
As we continue to push the boundaries of our knowledge, research like this reinforces our connection with the animal kingdom and reminds us of the shared evolutionary heritage we possess. Who knows, in the near future, we may even uncover more ways in which our forms of communication mirror those of the animal kingdom.

After all, understanding the evolution of communication in animals may pave the way for more profound insights into human language development and the intriguing interplay of nature and nurture.
In essence, by peering into the communication patterns of our closest living relatives, we may just be getting a glimpse of our own ancient past and the evolutionary milestones that have shaped the complexity and diversity of human communication.
As we move forward, further exploration of multimodal communication in primates could offer more definitive answers and add exciting chapters to our understanding of the story of human evolution.
This noteworthy research was made possible through funding from various entities, including a Durham University Doctoral Scholarship, the British Association of Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology, and the Lucie Burgers Foundation for Comparative Behavioural Research.

More about the similarities between humans and chimpanzees
Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives in the animal kingdom, and we share many biological and behavioral similarities with them, given our shared ancestry.

Genetic similarity
Chimpanzees and humans share nearly 99% of their DNA. This genetic similarity is one of the primary reasons why scientists study chimpanzees to understand human biology and evolution better.

Social behavior
Like humans, chimpanzees are highly social animals. They live in large communities and exhibit complex social behaviors such as cooperation, competition, alliance formation, and even aggression. They also demonstrate empathy and altruism, engaging in behavior such as grooming each other and sharing food.

Communication
As highlighted in the previous article, chimpanzees use a wide range of gestures, facial expressions, and vocalizations to communicate, much like humans. They use these signals in combination, showing that they have multimodal communication capabilities that could be the precursors to human language.

Tool use and problem-solving
Chimpanzees are among the few animal species known to use tools. They’ve been observed using sticks to fish for termites, stones to crack open nuts, and leaves as sponges to absorb drinking water. This tool displays their problem-solving abilities and cognitive sophistication.

Emotion and Intelligence
Chimpanzees exhibit a wide range of emotions, including joy, sadness, fear, and anger, similar to human emotions. They’re also very intelligent, capable of learning sign language, playing computer games, and even recognizing themselves in mirrors, a sign of self-awareness.

Bipedalism
While not their primary mode of locomotion, chimpanzees can walk on two legs (bipedalism), especially when carrying food or tools, suggesting that our common ancestor may have also been capable of bipedal locomotion.

Cultural transmission
Chimpanzees also show evidence of culture, in that different groups of chimpanzees have different behaviors and traditions, such as unique ways of grooming or using tools, which they pass down through generations.
These similarities provide a window into our own evolutionary past, offering crucial insights into human biology, behavior, culture, and the roots of our language. Understanding our shared traits with chimpanzees, as well as appreciating the differences, helps us understand our place in the natural world.

There are more than 100 types of cancers that affect millions of men and women.

But do animals suffer from cancer?
Research has found cancer that affects wild animals like the Tasmanian devil facial tumor disease, sea turtle fibropapillomatosis and sea lion genital carcinoma and that human activities have contributed to development of these cancers. However, the prevalence of cancer among humans is thought to be higher than animals.

Why Chimps Don’t Get Cancer and What That Means for Humans

Do Chimps Get Cancer – Search (bing.com)
New research has shown why chimps, our closest cousins, don’t develop as many cancers as we do. Chimps and humans share about 96 percent of our DNA and it is the four percent that accounts for the difference in cancer rates among chimps and humans.

Researcher Soojin Yi from Georgia Tech analyzed brain samples of humans and chimps to find that certain modifications in the DNA structure raises the risk of cancer in humans.
“Our study indicates that certain human diseases may have evolutionary epigenetic origins. Such findings, in the long term, may help to develop better therapeutic targets or means for some human diseases,” said Yi, a faculty member in the School of Biology.
The modification called methylation doesn’t change the genetic structure of the DNA but alters the way it is expressed.

DNA methylation represses gene expression or puts it in ‘off’ mode.
Yi and her research team collected samples from the prefrontal cortex of the brains of humans and chimpanzees. They then generated genome-wide methylation maps of the brains. They found lower levels of methylation in human brains than chimps.
They also found that most of the genes that had low levels of methylations were the drivers of protein binding and cell metabolism. Researchers say that this explains why we are particularly susceptible to certain diseases.

“This list of genes includes disproportionately high numbers of those related to diseases. They are linked to autism, neural-tube defects and alcohol and other chemical dependencies. This suggests that methylation differences between the species might have significant functional consequences. They also might be linked to the evolution of our vulnerability to certain diseases, including cancer,” added Yi.

The study was published in the American Journal of Human Genetics.
You may have heard that humans and chimpanzees have something like 96 percent of our DNA in common. So why, then, are diseases like cancer so common in humans but so rare in chimps? If our DNA is nearly identical, shouldn’t we be at risk for many of the same diseases?

DNA Methylation
According to one study, the difference is due to something called DNA methylation,
which involves the chemical modification of DNA. Basically, methylation modifies some
DNA positions in the genome, and can also signal cells to switch specific genes to the
“off” position. Evidently, humans & chimps have different patterns of DNA methylation.

So even though we may share many of the same genes, the ways our cells switch these common genes on and off differs. And because at least some of these genes are linked to diseases including cancer, variations in the way DNA methylation happens among humans and chimps may help explain why chimps seem to avoid diseases common in humans.

15 Habits Guaranteed to Make You Irresistibly Attractive
and Impress Everyone Around You (msn.com)
Here’s How To Figure Out How Many Steps To Take Each Day
If You Are Trying To Lose Weight (msn.com)
‘I’m a Doctor Who Studies Sleep—Here’s What I Eat Before Bed
To Make Sure I Get Plenty of Rest’ (msn.com)
Mindfulness shows promise in reducing anxiety and depression
among people with autistic-like traits (msn.com)

Gene Expression And Environments
So what explains the differences among human and chimp DNA methylation?
It may be partly biological; scientists know environmental factors can affect methylation.
So, studying methylation in humans and chimps could also give scientists clues about how genetics and environment combine to make humans more vulnerable to cancer and other diseases. Another kind of animal that rarely gets cancer? Elephants.

Chimpanzees on a ketogenic diet have been observed to have a decreased seizure frequency and improved cognitive performance. The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that has been shown to have positive effects on various medical conditions, including epilepsy.

DMT chimpanzees on keto diet – Search (bing.com)

What is a chimpanzees diet – Search (bing.com)

DMT chimpanzees on keto diet – Sinfras

Resources And Further Reading:
Nordling, Lisa. “Scientists are studying a chimpanzee diet to treat human diseases, including cancer.”
Quartz: Africa. July 4, 2017. Accessed September 10, 2018.
Varki, Nissi M. Varki, Ajit. “On the apparent rarity of epithelial cancers in captive chimpanzees.” Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2015 Jul 19; 370(1673): 20140225.
“New insights into why humans are more susceptible to cancer and other diseases.” Eureka Alert! August 23, 2012. Accessed October 3, 2018.

Zeng, Jia. Konopka, Genevieve. Hunt, Brendan G. Preuss, Todd M. Geschwind, Dan. Yi, Soojin V. Divergent Whole-Genome Methylation Maps of Human and Chimpanzee Brains Reveal Epigenetic Basis of Human Regulatory Evolution. Am J Hum Genet. 2012 Sep 7; 91(3): 455â€“465.Â Doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2012.07.024
Divergent Whole-Genome Methylation Maps of Human and Chimpanzee Brains Reveal Epigenetic Basis of Human Regulatory Evolution – PMC (nih.gov)

The Worst Foods That Cause Visceral Fat Accumulation, Heart Disease, And More.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer#Preventing%20Cancer
Staying socially active may help seniors maintain optimal health (msn.com)
How Your Endocrine System Affects Your Mental Health (msn.com)
25 Best Micro Habits That Will Fix 80% of Your Problems (msn.com)
Can houseplants protect you from cancer-causing air pollutants?
Study: Our DNA Influences How Much We Drink (msn.com)
New research makes a bold claim (msn.com)
Youth Switch (longevitydiscovery.com)

Chimps Love Drinking Beer – Search (bing.com)

Researchers have recorded several chimpanzees in the wild drinking fermented palm sap, or palm wine, from raffia palm trees, according to a study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science. Palm wine has an average of 3.1% alcohol by volume but goes as high as 6.9%—more than most beers. And the chimpanzees aren’t just having a sip.

Researchers estimated that some of the chimpanzees were consuming as much as 85ml of alcohol, or about a bottle of wine. Some became visibly inebriated, even falling asleep soon after drinking. One even became restless, agitatedly moving from tree to tree while the other chimps were preparing to sleep, Dr. Kimberley Hockings, who led the research team, told BBC News.

The joys of palm wine aren’t just known to chimpanzees.
The local people in the Bossou area of Guinea, where the study occurred, also drink the palm wine, harvesting it by tapping the trees at the crown and collecting the sap in plastic containers. The chimpanzees, though, use a different method. Here’s Victoria Gill, reporting for BBC News: Chimpanzee – Search (bing.com)

Researchers working in the area had already witnessed chimpanzees climbing the trees – often in groups – and drinking the naturally fermented palm sap. The chimps used drinking tools called leaf sponges – handfuls of leaves that they chew and crush into absorbent sponges, dip into the liquid and suck out the contents.

To work out the extent of the animals’ indulgence, the scientists measured the alcohol content of the wine in the containers and filmed the chimps’ “drinking sessions.”

Related: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/social-skills/

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/great-minds-think-alike/

It plays right into the drunken monkey hypothesis.
Which was first posited by Robert Dudley back in 2004. Dudley suggested that human’s primate ancestors may have followed the scent of fermenting fruit to find food. Once they got there, the naturally occurring ethanol may have spurred their appetites, and so those who ate the fruit may have increased their caloric consumption. So, at one time, it was beneficial to be attracted to ethanol.

Chimps, which share a common ancestor with humans, could have the same inclination toward ethanol that humans do. In fact, a recent study showed that humans and African apes shared the genetic mutation that enabled them to metabolize alcohol.

Still, it remains rare for chimpanzees to voluntarily consume alcohol. Just 51 drinking events by individual primates were observed from 1995 to 2012, and one adult male accounted for 14 of those events.
A fascinating breakthrough in animal psychology has revealed that young chimpanzees combine various gestures, vocalizations, and facial expressions in a manner reminiscent
of the communication development observed in human infants.

This research is a product of diligent work carried out by psychologists at Durham University, who ventured deep into understanding the dynamics of chimpanzee communication.
During their investigation, the research team discovered that young chimps have a unique ability to combine different communication signals, an evolutionary trick that possibly enhances their ability to convey messages across different situations such as play and conflict. Intriguingly, they observed that this talent matures as the chimps transition from infancy to adolescence.

Why this study is important
Let’s delve into the specifics. The combined signals that these young primates utilize include a multitude of expressions and behaviors. For instance, they were seen combining playful open-mouth faces with laughter, or physically touching another chimp while whimpering, and even baring their teeth paired with squeaks.
Understanding these “multimodal” forms of communication has substantial implications for human linguistics and behavioral studies. It sheds significant light on the evolutionary path of communication in humans and our closest ape relatives, contributing to our understanding of the emergence of our own language skills.
The study, a collaboration between Durham University and the University of Portsmouth, gained recognition through its publication in the journal Animal Behaviour.. The research took place at the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust sanctuary in northern Zambia, where 28 semi-wild chimpanzees, aged one to 11 years, were observed.

What the research team learned:

Contrary to previous studies.
That focused on isolated forms of communication signals, this research was unique as it examined how chimpanzees combined these signals as they matured and in different contexts. The team found that chimpanzees of all ages consistently used standalone communication signals such as grunting, arm movements, or facial expressions in various situations.
However, it was interesting to note that as the chimpanzees aged, they were more likely
to merge different communication signals. This practice was particularly evident during encounters of aggression or play, two scenarios where clear communication is paramount to avoid undesirable consequences. The older adolescent chimpanzees demonstrated a higher tendency to utilize a mix of signals instead of singular gestures or expressions, especially in aggressive contexts.
“When we think about human language, we know that it is a combination of different
types of communication such as speech, facial expressions, and gestures. The way we communicate likely has deep evolutionary roots that are shared with some of our closest living relatives such as apes. Our study provides evidence that the way chimpanzees communicate with increased complexity as they get older is consistent with the development of communication we see in human infants,” said Emma Doherty.

Insights into human evolution
The research team suggests that the development of this multi-layered mode of communication among young chimpanzees could offer valuable insights into our own evolution. However, they added that further studies are needed to observe multimodal signals in wild primates to understand better how different environments impact communication development.
Furthermore, they proposed that studying multimodal communication, as opposed to observing individual signals in isolation, could provide more robust evidence of how communication evolved in apes, and by extension, in humans.
“A lot of the focus of research so far into communication, both in humans and other animals, looks at individual communication signals independently, but we know humans combine these signals all the time from early infancy.
As a close relative of humans, apes give us a snapshot into how these signals could have evolved into multimodal communications, ultimately culminating in human language,” said study co-author Dr Zanna Clay.

Learning more about ourselves by observing chimpanzees
Related video: Chimps and Babies Basically Communicate In the Same Way (Buzz60) – Search (bing.com)

These discoveries underscore the similarities between human communication and
our nearest animal relatives. By studying the development of young chimpanzees’ communication and their ability to combine signals, the researchers have not only broadened our understanding of primate communication but have also brought us a step closer to unravelling the complexities of our own language evolution.
As we continue to push the boundaries of our knowledge, research like this reinforces our connection with the animal kingdom and reminds us of the shared evolutionary heritage we possess. Who knows, in the near future, we may even uncover more ways in which our forms of communication mirror those of the animal kingdom.

After all, understanding the evolution of communication in animals may pave the way for more profound insights into human language development and the intriguing interplay of nature and nurture.
In essence, by peering into the communication patterns of our closest living relatives, we may just be getting a glimpse of our own ancient past and the evolutionary milestones that have shaped the complexity and diversity of human communication.
As we move forward, further exploration of multimodal communication in primates could offer more definitive answers and add exciting chapters to our understanding of the story of human evolution.
This noteworthy research was made possible through funding from various entities, including a Durham University Doctoral Scholarship, the British Association of Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology, and the Lucie Burgers Foundation for Comparative Behavioural Research.

More about the similarities between humans and chimpanzees
Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives in the animal kingdom, and we share many biological and behavioral similarities with them, given our shared ancestry.

Genetic similarity
Chimpanzees and humans share nearly 99% of their DNA. This genetic similarity is one of the primary reasons why scientists study chimpanzees to understand human biology and evolution better.

Social behavior
Like humans, chimpanzees are highly social animals. They live in large communities and exhibit complex social behaviors such as cooperation, competition, alliance formation, and even aggression. They also demonstrate empathy and altruism, engaging in behavior such as grooming each other and sharing food.

Communication
As highlighted in the previous article, chimpanzees use a wide range of gestures, facial expressions, and vocalizations to communicate, much like humans. They use these signals in combination, showing that they have multimodal communication capabilities that could be the precursors to human language.

Tool use and problem-solving
Chimpanzees are among the few animal species known to use tools. They’ve been observed using sticks to fish for termites, stones to crack open nuts, and leaves as sponges to absorb drinking water. This tool displays their problem-solving abilities and cognitive sophistication.

Emotion and Intelligence
Chimpanzees exhibit a wide range of emotions, including joy, sadness, fear, and anger, similar to human emotions. They’re also very intelligent, capable of learning sign language, playing computer games, and even recognizing themselves in mirrors, a sign of self-awareness.

Bipedalism
While not their primary mode of locomotion, chimpanzees can walk on two legs (bipedalism), especially when carrying food or tools, suggesting that our common ancestor may have also been capable of bipedal locomotion.

Cultural transmission
Chimpanzees also show evidence of culture, in that different groups of chimpanzees have different behaviors and traditions, such as unique ways of grooming or using tools, which they pass down through generations.
These similarities provide a window into our own evolutionary past, offering crucial insights into human biology, behavior, culture, and the roots of our language. Understanding our shared traits with chimpanzees, as well as appreciating the differences, helps us understand our place in the natural world.

There are more than 100 types of cancers that affect millions of men and women.

But do animals suffer from cancer?
Research has found cancer that affects wild animals like the Tasmanian devil facial tumor disease, sea turtle fibropapillomatosis and sea lion genital carcinoma and that human activities have contributed to development of these cancers. However, the prevalence of cancer among humans is thought to be higher than animals.

Why Chimps Don’t Get Cancer and What That Means for Humans

Do Chimps Get Cancer – Search (bing.com)
New research has shown why chimps, our closest cousins, don’t develop as many cancers as we do. Chimps and humans share about 96 percent of our DNA and it is the four percent that accounts for the difference in cancer rates among chimps and humans.

Researcher Soojin Yi from Georgia Tech analyzed brain samples of humans and chimps to find that certain modifications in the DNA structure raises the risk of cancer in humans.
“Our study indicates that certain human diseases may have evolutionary epigenetic origins. Such findings, in the long term, may help to develop better therapeutic targets or means for some human diseases,” said Yi, a faculty member in the School of Biology.
The modification called methylation doesn’t change the genetic structure of the DNA but alters the way it is expressed.

DNA methylation represses gene expression or puts it in ‘off’ mode.
Yi and her research team collected samples from the prefrontal cortex of the brains of humans and chimpanzees. They then generated genome-wide methylation maps of the brains. They found lower levels of methylation in human brains than chimps.
They also found that most of the genes that had low levels of methylations were the drivers of protein binding and cell metabolism. Researchers say that this explains why we are particularly susceptible to certain diseases.

“This list of genes includes disproportionately high numbers of those related to diseases. They are linked to autism, neural-tube defects and alcohol and other chemical dependencies. This suggests that methylation differences between the species might have significant functional consequences. They also might be linked to the evolution of our vulnerability to certain diseases, including cancer,” added Yi.

The study was published in the American Journal of Human Genetics.
You may have heard that humans and chimpanzees have something like 96 percent of our DNA in common. So why, then, are diseases like cancer so common in humans but so rare in chimps? If our DNA is nearly identical, shouldn’t we be at risk for many of the same diseases?

DNA Methylation
According to one study, the difference is due to something called DNA methylation,
which involves the chemical modification of DNA. Basically, methylation modifies some
DNA positions in the genome, and can also signal cells to switch specific genes to the
“off” position. Evidently, humans & chimps have different patterns of DNA methylation.

So even though we may share many of the same genes, the ways our cells switch these common genes on and off differs. And because at least some of these genes are linked to diseases including cancer, variations in the way DNA methylation happens among humans and chimps may help explain why chimps seem to avoid diseases common in humans.

15 Habits Guaranteed to Make You Irresistibly Attractive
and Impress Everyone Around You (msn.com)
Here’s How To Figure Out How Many Steps To Take Each Day
If You Are Trying To Lose Weight (msn.com)
‘I’m a Doctor Who Studies Sleep—Here’s What I Eat Before Bed
To Make Sure I Get Plenty of Rest’ (msn.com)
Mindfulness shows promise in reducing anxiety and depression
among people with autistic-like traits (msn.com)

Gene Expression And Environments
So what explains the differences among human and chimp DNA methylation?
It may be partly biological; scientists know environmental factors can affect methylation.
So, studying methylation in humans and chimps could also give scientists clues about how genetics and environment combine to make humans more vulnerable to cancer and other diseases. Another kind of animal that rarely gets cancer? Elephants.

Chimpanzees on a ketogenic diet have been observed to have a decreased seizure frequency and improved cognitive performance. The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that has been shown to have positive effects on various medical conditions, including epilepsy.

DMT chimpanzees on keto diet – Search (bing.com)

What is a chimpanzees diet – Search (bing.com)

DMT chimpanzees on keto diet – Sinfras

Resources And Further Reading:
Nordling, Lisa. “Scientists are studying a chimpanzee diet to treat human diseases, including cancer.”
Quartz: Africa. July 4, 2017. Accessed September 10, 2018.
Varki, Nissi M. Varki, Ajit. “On the apparent rarity of epithelial cancers in captive chimpanzees.” Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2015 Jul 19; 370(1673): 20140225.
“New insights into why humans are more susceptible to cancer and other diseases.” Eureka Alert! August 23, 2012. Accessed October 3, 2018.

Zeng, Jia. Konopka, Genevieve. Hunt, Brendan G. Preuss, Todd M. Geschwind, Dan. Yi, Soojin V. Divergent Whole-Genome Methylation Maps of Human and Chimpanzee Brains Reveal Epigenetic Basis of Human Regulatory Evolution. Am J Hum Genet. 2012 Sep 7; 91(3): 455â€“465.Â Doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2012.07.024
Divergent Whole-Genome Methylation Maps of Human and Chimpanzee Brains Reveal Epigenetic Basis of Human Regulatory Evolution – PMC (nih.gov)

The Worst Foods That Cause Visceral Fat Accumulation, Heart Disease, And More.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer#Preventing%20Cancer
Staying socially active may help seniors maintain optimal health (msn.com)
How Your Endocrine System Affects Your Mental Health (msn.com)
25 Best Micro Habits That Will Fix 80% of Your Problems (msn.com)
Can houseplants protect you from cancer-causing air pollutants?
Study: Our DNA Influences How Much We Drink (msn.com)
New research makes a bold claim (msn.com)
Youth Switch (longevitydiscovery.com)

12 Bad Habits That Make You Age Faster (msn.com)
Why Don’t Chimpanzee Get Cancer – Search (bing.com)
Parts Of The Bible That Science Agrees With (msn.com)

Endocrine System of a Chimpanzee – Search (bing.com)
12 Common Habits Behind Your Lack of Energy (msn.com)
Healthy Habits of People Who’ve Aged Gracefully (msn.com)
5 Mindset Coach Tips For Owning Your Self-Confidence (msn.com)
What happens to your body when you don’t sleep enough (msn.com)

6 Signs You Aren’t Drinking Enough Water, According to Doctors (msn.com)
Half The Gut Microbes In Our Primate Ancestors Abandoned Us (msn.com)
How your brain stays focused on conversations in a noisy room (msn.com)
Alzheimer’s Cure Stuns Scientists Who Create Artificial Solution (msn.com)

19 Things Mentally Strong People Do and 6 Things They Never Do (msn.com)
15 Severe Addictions That Don’t Get Anywhere Near Enough Attention (msn.com)
Master Your Morning Routine With The Following 15 Small Good Habits (msn.com)

Yin and Yang: How Ancient Ideas of Balance Can Help Your Mental Health (msn.com)
18 of the Most Stupid Choices Men Can Make That Will Destroy Their Lives (msn.com)
If You’re Over 50, These Are the Most Important Foods and Drinks To Avoid (msn.com)
The mystery of boron: What is this mineral and why is TikTok talking about it? (msn.com)

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Taking Steps Across Ohio

Posted on June 11, 2023 by Ken

Taking A Step by Taking Many Steps.
Rissa Reel has spent time living in Delphos and St. Mary’s.
She’s decided to “Walk for the Voiceless” this summer. Her goal was to start June 22nd, 2021, and she made it an impressive 800 miles from Flint, MI to Kansas City in 54 days! This summer she intends to finish her Kansas City to Los Angeles raising awareness for various issues, such as sexual crimes, mental health, child abuse and neglect.
I can’t walk that far!

Jun 2, 2023
Rissa Reel is preparing to walk from Cincinnati to Cleveland to raise funds for
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke Counties. Rissa, who has also done
several walks before for mental health awareness, talks about this upcoming walk.
Click to Listen
To listen to Rissa Reel on Spectrum sharing her story:
Click Here
To learn more about Rissa’s walk and her life:
Click Here

On June 5 Rissa Reel, originally from St. Mary’s but now residing in Michigan, began
her walk across Ohio from Cincinnati to Cleveland to raise awareness for Big Brothers
Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County.
Reel has done two other walks to help end the stigma and bring awareness to mental health issues. Her first walk was 800 miles from Michigan to Kansas and her second
was for the DMAN Foundation based in Detroit that helps individuals with physical
and mental disabilities. She chose to support the DMAN Foundation on her second
walk because her brother has cerebral palsy.
“I think the biggest thing to do is to share my story, show other people that they’re not alone in some of the hardships they may have faced,” said Reel. “You can keep going, you can go anywhere you set your mind to. That’s my big motto, you just have to keep going, keep taking a step, they all add up.”

For her third walk, about 275 miles from Cincinnati to Cleveland, Reel has been working to raise awareness and donations for Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Shelby and Darke County before her walk has even begun. Her website https://takingastep.com/ contains more information about her walk and her personal experience with BBBS. When she was growing up in Sidney and St. Marys BBBS provided her with mentor-ship and support during some of the more difficult times in her childhood and now she wants to give back to the organization that supported her.
“Big Brothers Big Sisters is pretty important to me, because they helped me when I was a child. I was part of their program, I was little and I was provided a mentor-ship and a peer just to be outside of my home life, which wasn ’t so good,” said Reel. “It was nice to be at the school with other people that were similar in age and able to be there for me whenever I needed resources with homework or whatnot.
So that was really special for me because I didn’t have that at home or anywhere else outside of them. I like to devote all of my walks to kids, for my first walk I got to raise awareness for a children’s home in Flint, Michigan. I think that our kids are our future
and I just want to do everything for our future.”

On her website is a link to her PayPal account and a link to BBBS of Shelby and Darke County for supporters of Reel and her cause can donate. The majority of money donated to Reel is going to BBBS unless the donor specifically notes the donation is for her use on her walk across Ohio. So far, Reel has raised around $300 for BBBS through speaking events, T-shirt sales and donations.
“She was a former little, so that’s exciting for us. Getting to know Rissa, I can tell that
she is very driven to make a difference in the lives of children,” said Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County Katie Price. “Between that and her experience of being a little, she knows, from a personal perspective, how important it is to have that mentor in your life, to have that person who really just links arms with you and helps you truly achieve your fullest potential.

We’re honored that she also embraces our mission, our vision is for all youth to achieve their full potential and our mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships to ignite the power and promise of youth and when we find someone who is on the same wavelength with that and who really wants to see our youth thrive, we’re just honored because that means that they see the value in what we’re doing and they see and potentially experience that same impact that we work so hard to provide.”
On June 8, from noon to 1 p.m. the BBBS of Shelby and Darke County is welcoming Reel as she makes her way through the area to an open house event at the Sidney BBBS office, 2840 Wapakoneta Ave., to recognize Reel’s hard work. “If you see me out there — on the road, say hi, honk your horn, anything to make that contact with me it keeps me going out there,” said Reel.

SIDNEY — Tarissa “Rissa” Reel began her walk “Taking a Step Across Ohio.”

From Cincinnati to Cleveland on Monday, June 5, and by Thursday, June 8, arrived
in Sidney to meet the team at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County.
“It’s been really interesting to just be back in my birth town, to be honest,” said Reel.
“It’s really nice to see what they’re doing with my birth town and then to also be here
and experience all of the love from everyone that’s a part of this, it feels great.”
Originally her walk was estimated to be about 275 miles from Cincinnati to Cleveland,
but for safety reasons she added approximately 30 miles to travel through towns and also
avoid major roads and even use bike trails. Reel has been working to raise awareness and donations for Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Shelby and Darke County before her walk has even begun.

Her website https://takingastep.com/ contains more information about her walk and her personal experience with BBBS. When she was growing up in Sidney and St. Marys, BBBS provided her with mentor-ship and support during some of the more difficult times in her childhood and now she wants to give back to the organization that supported her.
So far, Reel has raised around $500 to donate to BBBS of Shelby and Darke County and hopes to raise more as she continues her walk. As of June 8, Reel has walked 102.3 miles and has travelled through numerous communities including Troy, Piqua and Sidney. Along her route so far she has come across multiple kind strangers who have given her water or snacks and even offered rides she had to turn down. One family even gave her homemade cookies to keep her energized as she travels towards Cleveland.

Rissa and logistics man Justin Davis take a break for lunch in Sidney.

With the recent forest fires in Canada and the smoke travelling into the area and the air quality alerts that are in place, Reel continues to push forward while listening to her body and ensuring she cares for herself as much as possible, especially because she spends her nights camping along trails or in safe locations. Other concerns Reel is dealing with along the way include heat rash and muscle fatigue.
“People keep sending me stuff (about the air quality) and I can notice it a little bit just in my breathing, because breathing is a really big part of what I’m doing while I’m averaging a 15 minute mile pace,” said Reel. “I’ll feel a little bit heavy, but I just try to maintain watching my body and feeling it and if I just need to take a second to breathe a little bit more, then I do that.”

“I have had an amazing experience honestly; it’s been very beautiful.
It’s been nice to see the beauty of Ohio, because I’ve had some rough experiences in Ohio and some rough memories from my childhood and even my young adult life,” said Reel. “It’s been nice to meet all of the kind people that I’ve really needed along the way.
Reel plans to make her arrival in Cleveland by June 14 and from there, her next project will be to finish her walk from Michigan to California, which she started with her walk from Michigan to Kansas, by walking from where she left off in Kansas to California.
During her visit to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County, Reel was presented with a plaque honoring her for her advocacy and dedication to BBBS and
a bag of snacks to keep her going as she finishes her walk.

Bonus: One True Step: Finding a Cure for Breast Cancer – YouTube

This is a story of women who have been through breast cancer.
But the message is true of any huge life challenge. When the path isn’t easy or clear, even the smallest step makes a difference. And even when we are alone, we are surrounded by more love than we can imagine. The lyrics and music of One True Step were written by Lucy Mathews Heegaard, after witnessing many friends go through breast cancer.

19 People Who Destroyed Their Entire Lives With One Simple Mistake (msn.com)

‘Nobody works, nobody gives a damn’ anymore due to ‘socialism,’ says 93-year-old cofounder of Home Depot (msn.com)

Ep. 148 || Rissa Reel’s 800 mile journey for the voiceless | Threads Podcast: Life Unfiltered Episode on Amazon Music

Ep. 148 || Rissa Reel’s 800 mile journey for the voiceless | Threads Podcast: Life Unfiltered | Podcasts on Audible.com

Threads Podcast: Life Unfiltered – Ep. 148 || Rissa Reel’s 800 mile journey for the voiceless on Stitcher

WCSM Radio – We Do It For You !! – WCSM Radio – WCSM Headline News

Fundraiser by Rissa Reel : Walking for the Voiceless (gofundme.com)

A Reel Long Walk for Mental Health Awareness || Threads Podcast™

Rissa on Instagram: “

Has to be tiresome …. Rissa Reel (@rissthewalker) • Instagram photos and videos

https://www.facebook.com/tarissa.glynn.1

Taking A Step by Taking Many Steps.
Rissa Reel has spent time living in Delphos and St. Mary’s.
She’s decided to “Walk for the Voiceless” this summer. Her goal was to start June 22nd, 2021, and she made it an impressive 800 miles from Flint, MI to Kansas City in 54 days! This summer she intends to finish her Kansas City to Los Angeles raising awareness for various issues, such as sexual crimes, mental health, child abuse and neglect.
I can’t walk that far!

Jun 2, 2023
Rissa Reel is preparing to walk from Cincinnati to Cleveland to raise funds for
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke Counties. Rissa, who has also done
several walks before for mental health awareness, talks about this upcoming walk.
Click to Listen
To listen to Rissa Reel on Spectrum sharing her story:
Click Here
To learn more about Rissa’s walk and her life:
Click Here

On June 5 Rissa Reel, originally from St. Mary’s but now residing in Michigan, began
her walk across Ohio from Cincinnati to Cleveland to raise awareness for Big Brothers
Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County.
Reel has done two other walks to help end the stigma and bring awareness to mental health issues. Her first walk was 800 miles from Michigan to Kansas and her second
was for the DMAN Foundation based in Detroit that helps individuals with physical
and mental disabilities. She chose to support the DMAN Foundation on her second
walk because her brother has cerebral palsy.
“I think the biggest thing to do is to share my story, show other people that they’re not alone in some of the hardships they may have faced,” said Reel. “You can keep going, you can go anywhere you set your mind to. That’s my big motto, you just have to keep going, keep taking a step, they all add up.”

For her third walk, about 275 miles from Cincinnati to Cleveland, Reel has been working to raise awareness and donations for Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Shelby and Darke County before her walk has even begun. Her website https://takingastep.com/ contains more information about her walk and her personal experience with BBBS. When she was growing up in Sidney and St. Marys BBBS provided her with mentor-ship and support during some of the more difficult times in her childhood and now she wants to give back to the organization that supported her.
“Big Brothers Big Sisters is pretty important to me, because they helped me when I was a child. I was part of their program, I was little and I was provided a mentor-ship and a peer just to be outside of my home life, which wasn ’t so good,” said Reel. “It was nice to be at the school with other people that were similar in age and able to be there for me whenever I needed resources with homework or whatnot.
So that was really special for me because I didn’t have that at home or anywhere else outside of them. I like to devote all of my walks to kids, for my first walk I got to raise awareness for a children’s home in Flint, Michigan. I think that our kids are our future
and I just want to do everything for our future.”

On her website is a link to her PayPal account and a link to BBBS of Shelby and Darke County for supporters of Reel and her cause can donate. The majority of money donated to Reel is going to BBBS unless the donor specifically notes the donation is for her use on her walk across Ohio. So far, Reel has raised around $300 for BBBS through speaking events, T-shirt sales and donations.
“She was a former little, so that’s exciting for us. Getting to know Rissa, I can tell that
she is very driven to make a difference in the lives of children,” said Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County Katie Price. “Between that and her experience of being a little, she knows, from a personal perspective, how important it is to have that mentor in your life, to have that person who really just links arms with you and helps you truly achieve your fullest potential.

We’re honored that she also embraces our mission, our vision is for all youth to achieve their full potential and our mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships to ignite the power and promise of youth and when we find someone who is on the same wavelength with that and who really wants to see our youth thrive, we’re just honored because that means that they see the value in what we’re doing and they see and potentially experience that same impact that we work so hard to provide.”
On June 8, from noon to 1 p.m. the BBBS of Shelby and Darke County is welcoming Reel as she makes her way through the area to an open house event at the Sidney BBBS office, 2840 Wapakoneta Ave., to recognize Reel’s hard work. “If you see me out there — on the road, say hi, honk your horn, anything to make that contact with me it keeps me going out there,” said Reel.

SIDNEY — Tarissa “Rissa” Reel began her walk “Taking a Step Across Ohio.”

From Cincinnati to Cleveland on Monday, June 5, and by Thursday, June 8, arrived
in Sidney to meet the team at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County.
“It’s been really interesting to just be back in my birth town, to be honest,” said Reel.
“It’s really nice to see what they’re doing with my birth town and then to also be here
and experience all of the love from everyone that’s a part of this, it feels great.”
Originally her walk was estimated to be about 275 miles from Cincinnati to Cleveland,
but for safety reasons she added approximately 30 miles to travel through towns and also
avoid major roads and even use bike trails. Reel has been working to raise awareness and donations for Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Shelby and Darke County before her walk has even begun.

Her website https://takingastep.com/ contains more information about her walk and her personal experience with BBBS. When she was growing up in Sidney and St. Marys, BBBS provided her with mentor-ship and support during some of the more difficult times in her childhood and now she wants to give back to the organization that supported her.
So far, Reel has raised around $500 to donate to BBBS of Shelby and Darke County and hopes to raise more as she continues her walk. As of June 8, Reel has walked 102.3 miles and has travelled through numerous communities including Troy, Piqua and Sidney. Along her route so far she has come across multiple kind strangers who have given her water or snacks and even offered rides she had to turn down. One family even gave her homemade cookies to keep her energized as she travels towards Cleveland.

Rissa and logistics man Justin Davis take a break for lunch in Sidney.

With the recent forest fires in Canada and the smoke travelling into the area and the air quality alerts that are in place, Reel continues to push forward while listening to her body and ensuring she cares for herself as much as possible, especially because she spends her nights camping along trails or in safe locations. Other concerns Reel is dealing with along the way include heat rash and muscle fatigue.
“People keep sending me stuff (about the air quality) and I can notice it a little bit just in my breathing, because breathing is a really big part of what I’m doing while I’m averaging a 15 minute mile pace,” said Reel. “I’ll feel a little bit heavy, but I just try to maintain watching my body and feeling it and if I just need to take a second to breathe a little bit more, then I do that.”

“I have had an amazing experience honestly; it’s been very beautiful.
It’s been nice to see the beauty of Ohio, because I’ve had some rough experiences in Ohio and some rough memories from my childhood and even my young adult life,” said Reel. “It’s been nice to meet all of the kind people that I’ve really needed along the way.
Reel plans to make her arrival in Cleveland by June 14 and from there, her next project will be to finish her walk from Michigan to California, which she started with her walk from Michigan to Kansas, by walking from where she left off in Kansas to California.
During her visit to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County, Reel was presented with a plaque honoring her for her advocacy and dedication to BBBS and
a bag of snacks to keep her going as she finishes her walk.

Bonus: One True Step: Finding a Cure for Breast Cancer – YouTube

This is a story of women who have been through breast cancer.
But the message is true of any huge life challenge. When the path isn’t easy or clear, even the smallest step makes a difference. And even when we are alone, we are surrounded by more love than we can imagine. The lyrics and music of One True Step were written by Lucy Mathews Heegaard, after witnessing many friends go through breast cancer.

19 People Who Destroyed Their Entire Lives With One Simple Mistake (msn.com)

‘Nobody works, nobody gives a damn’ anymore due to ‘socialism,’ says 93-year-old cofounder of Home Depot (msn.com)

Ep. 148 || Rissa Reel’s 800 mile journey for the voiceless | Threads Podcast: Life Unfiltered Episode on Amazon Music

Ep. 148 || Rissa Reel’s 800 mile journey for the voiceless | Threads Podcast: Life Unfiltered | Podcasts on Audible.com

Threads Podcast: Life Unfiltered – Ep. 148 || Rissa Reel’s 800 mile journey for the voiceless on Stitcher

WCSM Radio – We Do It For You !! – WCSM Radio – WCSM Headline News

Fundraiser by Rissa Reel : Walking for the Voiceless (gofundme.com)

A Reel Long Walk for Mental Health Awareness || Threads Podcast™

Rissa on Instagram: “

Has to be tiresome …. Rissa Reel (@rissthewalker) • Instagram photos and videos

https://www.facebook.com/tarissa.glynn.1

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

WHAT LURKS IN THE WOODS

Posted on June 11, 2023 by Ken

Nicole Bell, author of, What Lurks in the Woods: The Struggles and Hope in the Midst of Chronic Illness, recounts her late husband’s struggle with Lyme disease and Alzheimer’s.

Nicole Bell is a mom and successful entrepreneur who has advanced her professional career as an engineer and program manager. She became an executive in a fast-growing medical device company, where she built a world-class team in surgical robotics. But in 2017, Nicole’s husband was diagnosed with a devastating disease, and she was forced into her most challenging roles yet: caregiver and medical proxy. Unsatisfied with the doctors’ answers, Nicole set out on a journey using her engineering mindset to search for the root causes of her husband’s illness. She eventually found them and sought treatment—a process that changed her and her entire view of modern medicine.

About the Author — Nicole Danielle Bell
Nicole grew up near Boston and earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT and a Master’s of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University. She currently lives near Raleigh, North Carolina, with her two children and dogs.

My story started with a tick bite. How I lost my husband to undiagnosed Lyme disease
When my husband’s cognitive abilities began to decline, doctors thought he had early onset Alzheimer’s. We later learned he had multiple tick-borne infections.

June 1, 2022, 10:01 AM EDT / Updated June 5, 2023.

By Nicole Bell, as told to Genevieve Brown – Search (bing.com)
It was 2016 when I got a call at work. It was the house alarm company. My husband, Russ, who picked up the kids from school each day, had arrived home and wasn’t able to turn the blaring alarm off. I got home later that day and everything was fine.
But I noticed Russ asking repetitive questions. Forgetting what time to pick up the kids. And he couldn’t remember the alarm code — the same one we had used for years.

In the time leading up to the alarm company incident, things between Russ and me had not been good. He was moody and irritable. He was angry. I thought we were headed toward divorce. But now I know those were the very first signs of tick-borne illness.

Bell describes her late husband as “outdoorsy,” and said she immediately thought of ticks when his mental abilities began to suffer. But when bloodwork showed up normal and a doctor misdiagnosed him with Alzheimer’s, tick-borne illnesses fell off her radar.

Because Russ was very outdoorsy, and because I knew he had ticks on him over the years, Lyme disease was actually one of the first things that came to mind when I started looking into the symptoms of my husband’s cognitive decline. The thing was, though, that Russ had never had a fever or a rash associated with ticks that we knew of, and when tested with the standard Lyme screener had come up negative.

We also got bloodwork from an integrative medicine doctor to take a deeper look at what was happening with Russ. It showed nothing out of the ordinary. Tick-borne illnesses, like Lyme, fell off my radar. Russ went to a neurologist for cognitive testing and his decline was far worse than I even suspected. He wasn’t able to do simple math patterns that my 6-year-old could easily do at the time. He was a computer scientist and electrical engineer.
I was flabbergasted. The neurologist said he either had a stroke event or Alzheimer’s.

An MRI showed no stroke event.
A PET scan showed severe deficiencies in metabolism patterns, consistent with late-stage Alzheimer’s. He was 60. Early onset Alzheimer’s, however, is not typically a quick decline without a genetic component, which Russ didn’t have. In Russ’ case, though, the decline was swift. But after about nine months, I accepted the diagnosis.
That is, until I spoke to my brother, Scott, whose wife had been suffering from chronic illness for years and also had just been diagnosed with multiple tick-borne illnesses.
Scott told me, “I think this is what’s going on with Russ.”

Russ was tested with a PCR test, the same way we now test for COVID-19, which looked
for the organism itself rather than the antibodies. Russ had three tick-borne infections —
the three Bs as they’re known — Borrelia (otherwise known as Lyme disease), Bartonella
and Babesia.

(Editor’s note: While Bell does not know which tick-borne infection caused the illness resembling Alzheimer’s, Elizabeth Landsverk, M.D., who specializes in the treatment of dementia and Alzheimer’s, told TODAY that untreated Lyme disease can cause brain fog and neurological symptoms that mirror the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, as well as “toxic scarring to the brain.”)

We had wasted 15 months. Still, there was hope.
Infections, at least, can be treated. So that’s what we did. And the next year can only be described as a roller coaster. Antibiotics would help, and then Russ would come off them and decline. Some of the more well-known symptoms of Lyme came up — joint pain, swelling in his knees. But cognitively, he continued to decline.

After 18 months of treatment, I made the most difficult decision of my life —
to move Russ to a respite care facility. It was three years ago this month.
For a time, Russ was OK. He had socialization I couldn’t provide at home.

He was receiving good medical care.
I visited him almost every day and helped with showering and things of that nature.
It went on that way until March 2020. Then COVID hit, and I couldn’t see Russ for six months.

“The man who had once been so engaging — the life of the party — was vacant,” Bell said of her late husband. “The man who had once been so engaging — the life of the party — was vacant,” Bell said of her late husband. I finally did see him because he was moved to a hospital because of a seizure.
It was September of 2020. He had lost so much weight. He was hunched over. The man who had once been so engaging — the life of the party — was vacant. People asked if I thought he recognized me. I didn’t think so. Russ passed away in January of 2022.

Throughout this journey, I journaled. I had lost my partner, the person I communicated with every day. Journaling my experiences was an outlet. It was during 2020 that I wrote my memoir, “What Lurks in the Woods.” It was published on Oct. 23, 2021 — Russ’s 65th birthday. I wanted to honor his life, but also to raise awareness for tick-borne illnesses. They don’t always present in a typical manner, and if you or a loved one is experiencing sudden mood changes, anxiety or depression, I encourage you to find a Lyme-literate doctor through the database of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). I wish I had done that sooner.

This interview has been edited and condensed.
Episode 216: What Lurks in the Woods – an interview with Nicole Bell – Tick Boot Camp
Can you briefly summarize your husband’s experience with Lyme disease & Alzheimer’s?
Russ’s first symptoms were personality changes. He became moody, irritable, and sometimes outright nasty. He’d retired early to be “Mr. Mom” to our two young children, so I rationalized it as unhappiness with that choice. We went to therapy, but it didn’t help, and I thought divorce was imminent. Then in 2016, I realized his memory was failing.
He forgot simple things, like the code to our house alarm and the time to pick up the kids. After a series of doctors, he was diagnosed with late-stage early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. We were just figuring out something was wrong, but his disease was deeply entrenched.

How many doctors did you have to see,
and how long did it take to get an accurate Lyme diagnosis?
Like most Lyme patients, it was a journey. We started with an integrative practitioner,
who tested him for various causes, including Lyme. But Russ tested negative for Lyme
on a Western Blot, and all of his other lab work was “normal.” The doctor referred us
to a neurologist, and that’s when Russ was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.
But the diagnosis never made sense to us because Russ had no genetic predisposition or comorbidities. We went to four different neurologists, searching for alternate answers.
We got nothing. One of them told me, “Shit Happens,” when I begged for an explanation.
I still cringe at that moment. Ironically, the doctor who figured it out was my brother.
He encouraged me to get Russ tested with a lab specializing in Lyme instead of the CDC-recommended Western Blot. That’s when we finally got our answers. Russ tested positive for the three B’s—Borrelia, Bartonella, and Babesia, the bacteria causing Lyme disease and two common co-infections. But over 15 months had passed, we had wasted critical time.


What made your brother suspicious that it was Lyme disease?
Well, his wife had suffered from health issues for years. They finally figured out she
was battling Lyme and several coinfections, and he started researching the conditions.
He found research papers linking Lyme to Alzheimer’s and instinctively knew it was the cause of Russ’s decline.
Lyme was my first thought when I realized Russ was sick. Russ was a hunter and was always in the woods. I pulled dozens of ticks off him over the years, but he never had the tell-tale fever and rash. Still, we suspected tick-borne illness as a cause, and I asked that very first doctor to test him. But his Western Blot came back negative, and we went in search of other answers.
You desperately searched for answers regarding your husband’s diagnosis.
You also faced many doctors who brushed you off. What have you learned from this,
and how should others speak up for themselves in similar situations?

I believe patients need to be their own advocates. If a doctor isn’t genuinely interested in uncovering the root causes of your illness, then get another doctor. We wasted over a year with neurologists who chastised me for digging deeper. I wish we’d spent that time with a functional practitioner committed to finding causes rather than treating symptoms.
What would you like doctors to know?
As for doctors, I would want them to know two things. First, the standard CDC test for Lyme is grossly inadequate. A study in 2020 demonstrated that it is only 29% accurate.
I can’t think of any other disease where this type of performance would be deemed acceptable and “the gold standard.” Second, ticks carry so much more than Lyme.
There are dozens of bacteria, viruses, and parasites that ticks transmit. Doctors need to educate themselves and consider these tick-borne illnesses when diagnosing patients.
Tell us about your new book! What made you speak out and share your story?
The book started as something for my family and me. I began journaling to cope with the craziness that chronic illness brings. The more I wrote, the more I realized that processing our journey through writing was helping me heal. Along the way, writing took on a more significant meaning, and I knew that our story could also help others.

How about those without?

What can others with Lyme & chronic illness hope to get out of reading about it?
I think people suffering from tick-borne illness will connect with the rollercoaster of suffering from a disease that many believe doesn’t exist. I’m an engineer, and I came to the space open-minded and craving facts. I used that scientific mindset to show how broken our medical system is but in a real-life, engaging way.
But honestly, for those suffering from Lyme, the book’s best use may not be for them—it may be for the people around them. Our story can engender support by letting their loved ones walk the life of tick-borne illness. Many folks outside the Lyme world have said our story opened their eyes. And I now know people who got tested because of the book and tested positive. While I’m not happy they have tick-borne diseases, I’m glad our story helped them get answers.

When and where can we buy it?
It is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble in paperback and eBook.
https://www.amazon.com/What-Lurks-Woods-Struggle-Chronic/dp/1955711011/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-lurks-in-the-woods-nicole-bell/1140009487
What did Russ’s treatment protocol look like?
We were treated with broad-spectrum oral and IV antibiotics for over six months.
We then transitioned to a more targeted set of antibiotics, including newer therapies such as Dapsone. All the while, he was on supplements and herbs to support his immune system, detoxify, and restore much-needed vitamins and minerals.
Unfortunately, despite working with well-respected Lyme doctors, we couldn’t reverse
the course of his disease. In May of 2019, I couldn’t care for him at home any longer and placed him in a residential care facility. His decline continued, and he passed away from his illness on January 14, 2022. The journey has been heartbreaking and has left our two kids, ages 8 and 11, without their dad.

How did your family and friends act during this time?
In the beginning, we isolated ourselves. Dementia is challenging to live with, particularly when afflicted so young. Russ didn’t want people to see his decline, and his mood swings were so intense that I didn’t think I could get help from others. Not reaching out to friends and family for assistance was one of my biggest mistakes.
Since I’ve opened up about our experience, friends and family have been a fantastic support network for me. We’ve developed a loving tribe for which we are immensely grateful.
What if any recommendation do you have for convincing the NIH, CDC, and IDSA that Lyme and tick-borne diseases are chronic and constitute a major, growing epidemic in the United States?
I’ve worked in medical devices for the past 15 years, and a common expression at the FDA is, “In God we trust, all others must bring data.” I think data is the key. We need to support organizations like GLA that fund critical research initiatives in Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. In the end, science will win. Research has shown and will continue to show that tick-borne pathogens are at the root of many chronic illnesses. As this scientific evidence mounts, NIH, CDC, and ISDA will change their position. I’m so thankful for GLA and the work you do to get us there.

What do you wish you had known when you first started?
How would you encourage patients embarking upon their Lyme journey?
I tell people that they need to own their wellness journey. I know this sounds intimidating because most of us aren’t doctors or experts in disease. But you don’t need to be an expert in medicine or even a tick-borne illness; you only need to be an expert in yourself.
You know when you feel good or bad, and it’s up to you to communicate it.

Watch how you respond to treatment.
Keep a symptoms journal. Summarize everything you notice in a way the doctor can understand. If you have the right doctor, they will partner with you to find the roots of your disease and restore your health.
The other thing I would say is don’t ignore symptoms. We wasted precious time rationalizing the early changes in Russ. If we’d dug in sooner and demanded answers,
I think Russ would still be with us. I hope others can learn from our journey so that their story ends differently.
***
A note from GLA:
It is critical that we share our heroic accounts with this disease,
both good and bad. Like a growing chorus, accounts like Russ’s will tip the scales.
Lyme has claimed innumerable victims, but as we continue to share our voices,
we can ensure that their legacies are not in vain and pave the way for answers.

Our hope is that Russ’s story is a call to action and underlines why GLA’s work is so necessary. On behalf of Russ, it is our great task to continue his fight by conquering Lyme disease, once and for all. In consideration of Russ’s story, we would direct you
or anyone you know experiencing symptoms to find an LLMD as early as possible.
Visit the GLA referral program for assistance.

Bite Me: How Lyme Disease Stole My Childhood, Made Me Crazy, and Almost Killed Me: Hilfiger, Ally, Hilfiger, Tommy: 9781455567058: Amazon.com: Books
Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons by Kris Newby, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)
Lyme disease patients fight for their lives while academics fight each other. That’s just wrong. (nbcnews.com)
10 “Everyday” Habits That Are Slowly Killing You. Are You Doing Something About Them? (msn.com)
Dr. Steven Phillips, MD and co-author of the best-selling book, Chronic – Bing video
Search Results for Lyme Disease | Cancer Quick Facts (solitarius.org)
These Small Life Changes Could Help You Live to 100 (msn.com)

Russ-Nicole-Pre-Wedding-Dinner (3) — Nicole Bell, author of, What Lurks in the Woods: The Struggles and Hope in the Midst of Chronic Illness, recounts her late husband’s struggle with Lyme disease and Alzheimer’s.

Nicole Bell is a mom and successful entrepreneur who has advanced her professional career as an engineer and program manager. She became an executive in a fast-growing medical device company, where she built a world-class team in surgical robotics. But in 2017, Nicole’s husband was diagnosed with a devastating disease, and she was forced into her most challenging roles yet: caregiver and medical proxy. Unsatisfied with the doctors’ answers, Nicole set out on a journey using her engineering mindset to search for the root causes of her husband’s illness. She eventually found them and sought treatment—a process that changed her and her entire view of modern medicine.

About the Author — Nicole Danielle Bell
Nicole grew up near Boston and earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT and a Master’s of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University. She currently lives near Raleigh, North Carolina, with her two children and dogs.

My story started with a tick bite. How I lost my husband to undiagnosed Lyme disease
When my husband’s cognitive abilities began to decline, doctors thought he had early onset Alzheimer’s. We later learned he had multiple tick-borne infections.

June 1, 2022, 10:01 AM EDT / Updated June 5, 2023.

By Nicole Bell, as told to Genevieve Brown – Search (bing.com)
It was 2016 when I got a call at work. It was the house alarm company. My husband, Russ, who picked up the kids from school each day, had arrived home and wasn’t able to turn the blaring alarm off. I got home later that day and everything was fine.
But I noticed Russ asking repetitive questions. Forgetting what time to pick up the kids. And he couldn’t remember the alarm code — the same one we had used for years.

In the time leading up to the alarm company incident, things between Russ and me had not been good. He was moody and irritable. He was angry. I thought we were headed toward divorce. But now I know those were the very first signs of tick-borne illness.

Bell describes her late husband as “outdoorsy,” and said she immediately thought of ticks when his mental abilities began to suffer. But when bloodwork showed up normal and a doctor misdiagnosed him with Alzheimer’s, tick-borne illnesses fell off her radar.

Because Russ was very outdoorsy, and because I knew he had ticks on him over the years, Lyme disease was actually one of the first things that came to mind when I started looking into the symptoms of my husband’s cognitive decline. The thing was, though, that Russ had never had a fever or a rash associated with ticks that we knew of, and when tested with the standard Lyme screener had come up negative.

We also got bloodwork from an integrative medicine doctor to take a deeper look at what was happening with Russ. It showed nothing out of the ordinary. Tick-borne illnesses, like Lyme, fell off my radar. Russ went to a neurologist for cognitive testing and his decline was far worse than I even suspected. He wasn’t able to do simple math patterns that my 6-year-old could easily do at the time. He was a computer scientist and electrical engineer.
I was flabbergasted. The neurologist said he either had a stroke event or Alzheimer’s.

An MRI showed no stroke event.
A PET scan showed severe deficiencies in metabolism patterns, consistent with late-stage Alzheimer’s. He was 60. Early onset Alzheimer’s, however, is not typically a quick decline without a genetic component, which Russ didn’t have. In Russ’ case, though, the decline was swift. But after about nine months, I accepted the diagnosis.
That is, until I spoke to my brother, Scott, whose wife had been suffering from chronic illness for years and also had just been diagnosed with multiple tick-borne illnesses.
Scott told me, “I think this is what’s going on with Russ.”

Russ was tested with a PCR test, the same way we now test for COVID-19, which looked
for the organism itself rather than the antibodies. Russ had three tick-borne infections —
the three Bs as they’re known — Borrelia (otherwise known as Lyme disease), Bartonella
and Babesia.

(Editor’s note: While Bell does not know which tick-borne infection caused the illness resembling Alzheimer’s, Elizabeth Landsverk, M.D., who specializes in the treatment of dementia and Alzheimer’s, told TODAY that untreated Lyme disease can cause brain fog and neurological symptoms that mirror the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, as well as “toxic scarring to the brain.”)

We had wasted 15 months. Still, there was hope.
Infections, at least, can be treated. So that’s what we did. And the next year can only be described as a roller coaster. Antibiotics would help, and then Russ would come off them and decline. Some of the more well-known symptoms of Lyme came up — joint pain, swelling in his knees. But cognitively, he continued to decline.

After 18 months of treatment, I made the most difficult decision of my life —
to move Russ to a respite care facility. It was three years ago this month.
For a time, Russ was OK. He had socialization I couldn’t provide at home.

He was receiving good medical care.
I visited him almost every day and helped with showering and things of that nature.
It went on that way until March 2020. Then COVID hit, and I couldn’t see Russ for six months.

“The man who had once been so engaging — the life of the party — was vacant,” Bell said of her late husband. “The man who had once been so engaging — the life of the party — was vacant,” Bell said of her late husband. I finally did see him because he was moved to a hospital because of a seizure.
It was September of 2020. He had lost so much weight. He was hunched over. The man who had once been so engaging — the life of the party — was vacant. People asked if I thought he recognized me. I didn’t think so. Russ passed away in January of 2022.

Throughout this journey, I journaled. I had lost my partner, the person I communicated with every day. Journaling my experiences was an outlet. It was during 2020 that I wrote my memoir, “What Lurks in the Woods.” It was published on Oct. 23, 2021 — Russ’s 65th birthday. I wanted to honor his life, but also to raise awareness for tick-borne illnesses. They don’t always present in a typical manner, and if you or a loved one is experiencing sudden mood changes, anxiety or depression, I encourage you to find a Lyme-literate doctor through the database of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). I wish I had done that sooner.

This interview has been edited and condensed.
Episode 216: What Lurks in the Woods – an interview with Nicole Bell – Tick Boot Camp
Can you briefly summarize your husband’s experience with Lyme disease & Alzheimer’s?
Russ’s first symptoms were personality changes. He became moody, irritable, and sometimes outright nasty. He’d retired early to be “Mr. Mom” to our two young children, so I rationalized it as unhappiness with that choice. We went to therapy, but it didn’t help, and I thought divorce was imminent. Then in 2016, I realized his memory was failing.
He forgot simple things, like the code to our house alarm and the time to pick up the kids. After a series of doctors, he was diagnosed with late-stage early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. We were just figuring out something was wrong, but his disease was deeply entrenched.

How many doctors did you have to see,
and how long did it take to get an accurate Lyme diagnosis?
Like most Lyme patients, it was a journey. We started with an integrative practitioner,
who tested him for various causes, including Lyme. But Russ tested negative for Lyme
on a Western Blot, and all of his other lab work was “normal.” The doctor referred us
to a neurologist, and that’s when Russ was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.
But the diagnosis never made sense to us because Russ had no genetic predisposition or comorbidities. We went to four different neurologists, searching for alternate answers.
We got nothing. One of them told me, “Shit Happens,” when I begged for an explanation.
I still cringe at that moment. Ironically, the doctor who figured it out was my brother.
He encouraged me to get Russ tested with a lab specializing in Lyme instead of the CDC-recommended Western Blot. That’s when we finally got our answers. Russ tested positive for the three B’s—Borrelia, Bartonella, and Babesia, the bacteria causing Lyme disease and two common co-infections. But over 15 months had passed, we had wasted critical time.


What made your brother suspicious that it was Lyme disease?
Well, his wife had suffered from health issues for years. They finally figured out she
was battling Lyme and several coinfections, and he started researching the conditions.
He found research papers linking Lyme to Alzheimer’s and instinctively knew it was the cause of Russ’s decline.
Lyme was my first thought when I realized Russ was sick. Russ was a hunter and was always in the woods. I pulled dozens of ticks off him over the years, but he never had the tell-tale fever and rash. Still, we suspected tick-borne illness as a cause, and I asked that very first doctor to test him. But his Western Blot came back negative, and we went in search of other answers.
You desperately searched for answers regarding your husband’s diagnosis.
You also faced many doctors who brushed you off. What have you learned from this,
and how should others speak up for themselves in similar situations?

I believe patients need to be their own advocates. If a doctor isn’t genuinely interested in uncovering the root causes of your illness, then get another doctor. We wasted over a year with neurologists who chastised me for digging deeper. I wish we’d spent that time with a functional practitioner committed to finding causes rather than treating symptoms.
What would you like doctors to know?
As for doctors, I would want them to know two things. First, the standard CDC test for Lyme is grossly inadequate. A study in 2020 demonstrated that it is only 29% accurate.
I can’t think of any other disease where this type of performance would be deemed acceptable and “the gold standard.” Second, ticks carry so much more than Lyme.
There are dozens of bacteria, viruses, and parasites that ticks transmit. Doctors need to educate themselves and consider these tick-borne illnesses when diagnosing patients.
Tell us about your new book! What made you speak out and share your story?
The book started as something for my family and me. I began journaling to cope with the craziness that chronic illness brings. The more I wrote, the more I realized that processing our journey through writing was helping me heal. Along the way, writing took on a more significant meaning, and I knew that our story could also help others.

How about those without?

What can others with Lyme & chronic illness hope to get out of reading about it?
I think people suffering from tick-borne illness will connect with the rollercoaster of suffering from a disease that many believe doesn’t exist. I’m an engineer, and I came to the space open-minded and craving facts. I used that scientific mindset to show how broken our medical system is but in a real-life, engaging way.
But honestly, for those suffering from Lyme, the book’s best use may not be for them—it may be for the people around them. Our story can engender support by letting their loved ones walk the life of tick-borne illness. Many folks outside the Lyme world have said our story opened their eyes. And I now know people who got tested because of the book and tested positive. While I’m not happy they have tick-borne diseases, I’m glad our story helped them get answers.

When and where can we buy it?
It is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble in paperback and eBook.
https://www.amazon.com/What-Lurks-Woods-Struggle-Chronic/dp/1955711011/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-lurks-in-the-woods-nicole-bell/1140009487
What did Russ’s treatment protocol look like?
We were treated with broad-spectrum oral and IV antibiotics for over six months.
We then transitioned to a more targeted set of antibiotics, including newer therapies such as Dapsone. All the while, he was on supplements and herbs to support his immune system, detoxify, and restore much-needed vitamins and minerals.
Unfortunately, despite working with well-respected Lyme doctors, we couldn’t reverse
the course of his disease. In May of 2019, I couldn’t care for him at home any longer and placed him in a residential care facility. His decline continued, and he passed away from his illness on January 14, 2022. The journey has been heartbreaking and has left our two kids, ages 8 and 11, without their dad.

How did your family and friends act during this time?
In the beginning, we isolated ourselves. Dementia is challenging to live with, particularly when afflicted so young. Russ didn’t want people to see his decline, and his mood swings were so intense that I didn’t think I could get help from others. Not reaching out to friends and family for assistance was one of my biggest mistakes.
Since I’ve opened up about our experience, friends and family have been a fantastic support network for me. We’ve developed a loving tribe for which we are immensely grateful.
What if any recommendation do you have for convincing the NIH, CDC, and IDSA that Lyme and tick-borne diseases are chronic and constitute a major, growing epidemic in the United States?
I’ve worked in medical devices for the past 15 years, and a common expression at the FDA is, “In God we trust, all others must bring data.” I think data is the key. We need to support organizations like GLA that fund critical research initiatives in Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. In the end, science will win. Research has shown and will continue to show that tick-borne pathogens are at the root of many chronic illnesses. As this scientific evidence mounts, NIH, CDC, and ISDA will change their position. I’m so thankful for GLA and the work you do to get us there.

What do you wish you had known when you first started?
How would you encourage patients embarking upon their Lyme journey?
I tell people that they need to own their wellness journey. I know this sounds intimidating because most of us aren’t doctors or experts in disease. But you don’t need to be an expert in medicine or even a tick-borne illness; you only need to be an expert in yourself.
You know when you feel good or bad, and it’s up to you to communicate it.

Watch how you respond to treatment.
Keep a symptoms journal. Summarize everything you notice in a way the doctor can understand. If you have the right doctor, they will partner with you to find the roots of your disease and restore your health.
The other thing I would say is don’t ignore symptoms. We wasted precious time rationalizing the early changes in Russ. If we’d dug in sooner and demanded answers,
I think Russ would still be with us. I hope others can learn from our journey so that their story ends differently.
***
A note from GLA:
It is critical that we share our heroic accounts with this disease,
both good and bad. Like a growing chorus, accounts like Russ’s will tip the scales.
Lyme has claimed innumerable victims, but as we continue to share our voices,
we can ensure that their legacies are not in vain and pave the way for answers.

Our hope is that Russ’s story is a call to action and underlines why GLA’s work is so necessary. On behalf of Russ, it is our great task to continue his fight by conquering Lyme disease, once and for all. In consideration of Russ’s story, we would direct you
or anyone you know experiencing symptoms to find an LLMD as early as possible.
Visit the GLA referral program for assistance.

Bite Me: How Lyme Disease Stole My Childhood, Made Me Crazy, and Almost Killed Me: Hilfiger, Ally, Hilfiger, Tommy: 9781455567058: Amazon.com: Books
Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons by Kris Newby, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)
Lyme disease patients fight for their lives while academics fight each other. That’s just wrong. (nbcnews.com)
10 “Everyday” Habits That Are Slowly Killing You. Are You Doing Something About Them? (msn.com)
Dr. Steven Phillips, MD and co-author of the best-selling book, Chronic – Bing video
Search Results for Lyme Disease | Cancer Quick Facts (solitarius.org)
These Small Life Changes Could Help You Live to 100 (msn.com)

Dr Alan MacDonald speaks about Lyme disease – Bing video
Dr Alan MacDonald Lyme – Bing video

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Secretariat: 50 Years Later

Posted on June 10, 2023 by Ken

The Darley Arabian (foaled c. 1700)
Was one of three dominant foundation sires of modern Thoroughbred horse racing bloodstock. The other two founders were the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerley Turk. This bay Arabian horse was bought in Aleppo, Syria, by Thomas Darley in 1704 and shipped to Aldby Park in England, as a present for his brother.^[1]

One author in 1840 described Darley Arabian’s arrival in England during the reign of Queen Anne as the event which “forms the great epoch from which the history of the Turf [as in “turf racing“] should be dated”.^[2]
There he stood at stud, usually private but sometimes open to outside mares. He was the leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland in 1722. By all accounts, the Darley Arabian stood about 15 hands high and was of substantial beauty and refinement.^[3]

The Darley Arabian sired the undefeated Flying Childers.
He also sired Bartlett’s Childers, an unraced brother of Flying Childers, who was the great-grandsire of the extremely influential Eclipse. The Darley Arabian was to become the most important sire in the history of the English Thoroughbred.^[3] His son Bulle Rock was the first Thoroughbred to be exported to America, in 1730.^[4]
Most Thoroughbreds can be traced back to Darley Arabian. In 95% of modern Thoroughbred racehorses, the Y chromosome can be traced back to this single stallion.^[5][6] This is mainly through his descendant, Eclipse, who is the direct male ancestor of 95% of all thoroughbreds and in the pedigree of many of the rest.^[7]

Bob Coglianese, Credit: with taking the famous photograph
from the 1973 Belmont Stakes.

Secretariat Was in A League of His Own at The Belmont.
The 1973 Belmont Stakes was the 105th running of the Belmont Stakes
at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, held on June 9, 1973.
Facing a field of five horses, Secretariat won by 31 lengths, the largest margin of victory in Belmont history, in front of a crowd of 69,138 spectators. His winning time of 2 minutes and 24 seconds still stands as the American record for a mile and a half on dirt. The event was televised and broadcast over the radio.
The length is commonly used in Thoroughbred horse racing, where it describes the distance between horses in a race. Horses may be described as winning by several lengths, as in the notable example of Secretariat, who won the 1973 Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths. In 2013, the New York Racing Association placed a blue-and-white checkered pole at Belmont Park to mark that winning margin; using Equibase’s official measurement
of a length—8 feet 2 inches (2.49 m)—the pole was placed 253 feet 2 inches.
[84 yards 14 inches] or (77.17 m) from the finish line.^[2]

Secretariat was widely viewed as the favorite to win by most sportswriters and people; however, the added distance and the possibility of running too slow for a distance or running too fast too soon could potentially cause him to lose. Out of the starting gate, Secretariat and Sham traded the lead.
Around the three-quarters mile marker Sham began to fade and Secretariat began to extend an advantage. Twice a Prince and My Gallant overtook Sham to take second and third, respectively. Sham finished last, behind Pvt. Smiles, who was in last before Sham slowed severely.

Remembering … Sham (horseracingnation.com)
Sham spent most of his long stallion career at Spendthrift Farm, where he enjoyed a successful, but not spectacular career as a stallion, before later moving on to Walmac Farm. He sired many stakes winners, but none of his progeny would possess the great talent or the heart of their sire. It would be that great heart that eventually gave way.
On the morning of April 3, 1993, Sham was found dead in his stall, by a heart attack.
Sham was 23. An autopsy would reveal his heart to be about twice the normal size for a thoroughbred. Ironic or telling, only Secretariat‘s heart was found to be bigger. He may have been second to Secretariat in life, and then in death, but there should be no shame in that. Sham was a fantastic horse, who in his greatness brought out the ultimate greatness from our sport’s very best.

The victory in the Belmont, when combined with Secretariat’s previous victories in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, meant he completed the Triple Crown
of Thoroughbred Racing. This was significant, as Secretariat became the ninth horse
to complete the feat and broke a 25-year drought where no horse had completed the achievement.
According to Jockey Club records, Secretariat sired 341 winners (51.4%) and 54 stakes winners (8.1%) from 663 named foals; Thoroughbred Times credited Secretariat with 57 stakes winners. He had a notable influence on breeding through his maternal grandsons A.P. Indy, Chief’s Crown, Choctaw Ridge, Dehere, Gone West, Storm Cat and Summer Squall. Ron Turcotte Jockey FOX – Search (bing.com)

Secretariat sired 663 horses while this woman tracked them down.
Here’s how she finds them.

Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal
March 17, 2023·

Secretariat sired 663 progenies between 1975 and 1990.
That’s an almost incomprehensible amount of children of which to keep track.
Over the past 50 years, journalist and author Patricia McQueen has become an expert on the topic. She has been tracking Secretariat’s bloodline and its impact on the horseracing world for decades. Secretariat is arguably the greatest racehorse of all time. He set the record for the fastest run of the Kentucky Derby in 1973, which still holds today.
This month, she released a book called “Secretariat’s Legacy,” which deep dives into some of his most successful offspring and highlights some of his last living daughters and sons.

A little less than two months away from the 50th anniversary of his record-setting
Kentucky Derby win, McQueen says of that 660-plus, there are only two known to be living today.

These survivors stayed largely out of the public eye following their unsuccessful racing careers. Trusted Company, a mare, is 34 years old and lives at Bright Futures Farm in Pennsylvania. Maritime Traveler was from Secretariat’s final crop in 1990, and it was
only last year that he emerged from his quiet life on a Florida farm.
The end of his offspring: A day with Secretariat’s last known daughter, Trusted Company
McQueen says the more she wrote articles about “Secretariats,” as she calls his progeny, the more links she found to his daughters and sons that were still alive.

The Triple Crown winner’s final crop was born in 1990 the year after he died.
Secretariat’s youngest surviving daughters and sons turned 33 this year —
which is very old for a horse.

Jockey Ron Turcotte guides Secretariat toward the finish line to win the 1973 Kentucky Derby. Could there be any other unknown Secretariats? Maybe.

Here’s what to know about McQueen’s research and her search for the daughters
and sons of Secretariat. How long has McQueen been following Secretariat’s offspring?

Trusted Company is the 34-year-old daughter of Secretariat that stays at Bright Futures Farm in Pennsylvania. March 2, 2023

McQueen started paying attention to Secretariat’s offspring with the first crop of foals in 1975. She kept scrapbooks with clippings from his racing career and his early stud career. Once Secretariat died, she pivoted and began photographing as many of his last crop as possible. McQueen has always had an interest in his descendants, she said, and she started thinking about writing a book in the early 2000s.

Secretariat was an exceptional animal and that meant there were high expectations for
his career as a sire. Many of those fell short. “I always felt he was unfairly called a ‘bad sire’ and wanted to do something about it,” McQueen said. “I really ramped up the research in the past dozen years.” What kind of research did McQueen do to find the 11 survivors she featured in her book?

Trusted Company is the 34-year-old daughter of Secretariat that stays at Bright Futures Farm in Pennsylvania. March 2, 2023

It is extremely difficult to find horses that are in private hands, McQueen said.
Larger farms where horses are used for breeding stock are much easier to follow.
“If a mare never had foals, and a stallion had no progeny, and for geldings [a castrated male horse], it’s almost impossible (to find them) other than through word of mouth,” McQueen said. More often than not, people with ties to the Secretariats found her.
She published an article about Innkeeper in 2016 on thoroughbredracing.com when the youngest Secretariats were already 26 years old. That story brought out a few more links
to the iconic Triple Crown winner, including Fast Market, who was the last known stakes winner among Secretariat’s progeny. Interest and contacts continued to bloom from there.
You may like: Jog, bit, breeze? Horse racing terms to keep you in the know for Kentucky Derby 2023. How did McQueen stumble upon Trusted Company?

Bev Dee, owner of Bright Futures Farm, feeds cookies to
– Trusted Company. March 2, 2023

By mid-2018 McQueen thought she had found all the remaining Secretariats, so she was surprised when a woman, who worked in animal welfare in New Jersey, contacted her about some horses who needed to be rehomed.
One of the horses in the herd, Trusted Company, was believed to be one of Secretariat’s progeny. McQueen didn’t really have any experience in retirement care for horses, but this person had found articles she had written about Secretariat’s other offspring.
Through her work as a journalist, McQueen made a connection at Bright Futures Farms, a nonprofit sanctuary for elderly horses. She met the founder, Bev Dee, while photographing Fast Market, and she liked how Dee cared for elderly horses no one else seemed to want. Together Dee and McQueen researched Trusted Company and verified her identity through foal photos accessed through the Jockey Club Registry. Trusted Company
lived in a foster home until Dee had the space to bring her to Bright Futures in 2018.

How did McQueen learn about Maritime Traveler?

Bev Dee, owner of Bright Futures Farm, looks at a book called Secretariat’s Legacy.
Trusted Company is highlighted as the last daughter of the great Secretariat.

In the fall of 2022, a new, astute administrative assistant at Bridlewood Farm in Florida read a story McQueen had written about what were believed to be the final two living Secretariats at the time: Trusted Company, and Border Run, who died in late 2022.
The clerk knew of an old stallion on the property with a tie to Secretariat, and she reached out to McQueen, who previously photographed Maritime Traveler in 1993.
You may like:Who has won the most Kentucky Derby races?
Kentucky Derby trivia facts you should know
Maritime Traveler had a pitiful racing career, and he’d been living at Bridlewood for
years as a “tease,” which is a horse who helps identify when mares are ready to breed.
McQueen published her story about finding a Maritime Traveler on thoroughbredracing.com in February.

Does McQueen think there are any more Secretariat progenies out there?

Trusted Company, right, and Catch This T are best friends at Bright Futures Farm
in Pennsylvania. March 2, 2023.

McQueen says surprises like Trusted Company and Maritime Traveler are just “magical.”
She thought she’d discovered the last of the survivors as early as 2018, but Maritime Traveler didn’t resurface until late last year.
“It’s true that it’s not ‘impossible'” to find another one, McQueen said in March.
“But it is highly unlikely. Age 33 is very, very old for a thoroughbred.”
How do I find McQueen’s book and articles about Secretariat’s offspring?
McQueen’s book “Secretariat’s Legacy” is available online at secretariatslegacy.com.
She also has several articles available online at thoroughbredracing.com.
Features columnist Maggie Menderski writes about what makes Louisville, Southern Indiana and Kentucky unique, wonderful, and occasionally, a little weird. If you’ve got something in your family, your town or even your closet that fits that description —
she wants to hear from you. Say hello at mmenderski@courier-journal.com
or 502-582-4053.

This article originally appeared in Louisville Courier Journal:
How is author tracking Kentucky Derby winner Secretariat’s offspring?

‘It was love at first sight, and love at first ride’ –
Ron Turcotte’s experience of being Secretariat’s jockey | Belmont Stakes
No, climate change alone doesn’t cause forest fires | Watch (msn.com)
Kenny Rogers Farewell Concert Celebration « Internet Archive
Dying with disease rather than from it (msn.com)
New York ~ New York Song – Bing video

The Darley Arabian (foaled c. 1700)
Was one of three dominant foundation sires of modern Thoroughbred horse racing bloodstock. The other two founders were the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerley Turk. This bay Arabian horse was bought in Aleppo, Syria, by Thomas Darley in 1704 and shipped to Aldby Park in England, as a present for his brother.^[1]

One author in 1840 described Darley Arabian’s arrival in England during the reign of Queen Anne as the event which “forms the great epoch from which the history of the Turf [as in “turf racing“] should be dated”.^[2]
There he stood at stud, usually private but sometimes open to outside mares. He was the leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland in 1722. By all accounts, the Darley Arabian stood about 15 hands high and was of substantial beauty and refinement.^[3]

The Darley Arabian sired the undefeated Flying Childers.
He also sired Bartlett’s Childers, an unraced brother of Flying Childers, who was the great-grandsire of the extremely influential Eclipse. The Darley Arabian was to become the most important sire in the history of the English Thoroughbred.^[3] His son Bulle Rock was the first Thoroughbred to be exported to America, in 1730.^[4]
Most Thoroughbreds can be traced back to Darley Arabian. In 95% of modern Thoroughbred racehorses, the Y chromosome can be traced back to this single stallion.^[5][6] This is mainly through his descendant, Eclipse, who is the direct male ancestor of 95% of all thoroughbreds and in the pedigree of many of the rest.^[7]

Bob Coglianese, Credit: with taking the famous photograph
from the 1973 Belmont Stakes.

Secretariat Was in A League of His Own at The Belmont.
The 1973 Belmont Stakes was the 105th running of the Belmont Stakes
at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, held on June 9, 1973.
Facing a field of five horses, Secretariat won by 31 lengths, the largest margin of victory in Belmont history, in front of a crowd of 69,138 spectators. His winning time of 2 minutes and 24 seconds still stands as the American record for a mile and a half on dirt. The event was televised and broadcast over the radio.
The length is commonly used in Thoroughbred horse racing, where it describes the distance between horses in a race. Horses may be described as winning by several lengths, as in the notable example of Secretariat, who won the 1973 Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths. In 2013, the New York Racing Association placed a blue-and-white checkered pole at Belmont Park to mark that winning margin; using Equibase’s official measurement
of a length—8 feet 2 inches (2.49 m)—the pole was placed 253 feet 2 inches.
[84 yards 14 inches] or (77.17 m) from the finish line.^[2]

Secretariat was widely viewed as the favorite to win by most sportswriters and people; however, the added distance and the possibility of running too slow for a distance or running too fast too soon could potentially cause him to lose. Out of the starting gate, Secretariat and Sham traded the lead.
Around the three-quarters mile marker Sham began to fade and Secretariat began to extend an advantage. Twice a Prince and My Gallant overtook Sham to take second and third, respectively. Sham finished last, behind Pvt. Smiles, who was in last before Sham slowed severely.

Remembering … Sham (horseracingnation.com)
Sham spent most of his long stallion career at Spendthrift Farm, where he enjoyed a successful, but not spectacular career as a stallion, before later moving on to Walmac Farm. He sired many stakes winners, but none of his progeny would possess the great talent or the heart of their sire. It would be that great heart that eventually gave way.
On the morning of April 3, 1993, Sham was found dead in his stall, by a heart attack.
Sham was 23. An autopsy would reveal his heart to be about twice the normal size for a thoroughbred. Ironic or telling, only Secretariat‘s heart was found to be bigger. He may have been second to Secretariat in life, and then in death, but there should be no shame in that. Sham was a fantastic horse, who in his greatness brought out the ultimate greatness from our sport’s very best.

The victory in the Belmont, when combined with Secretariat’s previous victories in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, meant he completed the Triple Crown
of Thoroughbred Racing. This was significant, as Secretariat became the ninth horse
to complete the feat and broke a 25-year drought where no horse had completed the achievement.
According to Jockey Club records, Secretariat sired 341 winners (51.4%) and 54 stakes winners (8.1%) from 663 named foals; Thoroughbred Times credited Secretariat with 57 stakes winners. He had a notable influence on breeding through his maternal grandsons A.P. Indy, Chief’s Crown, Choctaw Ridge, Dehere, Gone West, Storm Cat and Summer Squall. Ron Turcotte Jockey FOX – Search (bing.com)

Secretariat sired 663 horses while this woman tracked them down.
Here’s how she finds them.

Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal
March 17, 2023·

Secretariat sired 663 progenies between 1975 and 1990.
That’s an almost incomprehensible amount of children of which to keep track.
Over the past 50 years, journalist and author Patricia McQueen has become an expert on the topic. She has been tracking Secretariat’s bloodline and its impact on the horseracing world for decades. Secretariat is arguably the greatest racehorse of all time. He set the record for the fastest run of the Kentucky Derby in 1973, which still holds today.
This month, she released a book called “Secretariat’s Legacy,” which deep dives into some of his most successful offspring and highlights some of his last living daughters and sons.

A little less than two months away from the 50th anniversary of his record-setting
Kentucky Derby win, McQueen says of that 660-plus, there are only two known to be living today.

These survivors stayed largely out of the public eye following their unsuccessful racing careers. Trusted Company, a mare, is 34 years old and lives at Bright Futures Farm in Pennsylvania. Maritime Traveler was from Secretariat’s final crop in 1990, and it was
only last year that he emerged from his quiet life on a Florida farm.
The end of his offspring: A day with Secretariat’s last known daughter, Trusted Company
McQueen says the more she wrote articles about “Secretariats,” as she calls his progeny, the more links she found to his daughters and sons that were still alive.

The Triple Crown winner’s final crop was born in 1990 the year after he died.
Secretariat’s youngest surviving daughters and sons turned 33 this year —
which is very old for a horse.

Jockey Ron Turcotte guides Secretariat toward the finish line to win the 1973 Kentucky Derby. Could there be any other unknown Secretariats? Maybe.

Here’s what to know about McQueen’s research and her search for the daughters
and sons of Secretariat. How long has McQueen been following Secretariat’s offspring?

Trusted Company is the 34-year-old daughter of Secretariat that stays at Bright Futures Farm in Pennsylvania. March 2, 2023

McQueen started paying attention to Secretariat’s offspring with the first crop of foals in 1975. She kept scrapbooks with clippings from his racing career and his early stud career. Once Secretariat died, she pivoted and began photographing as many of his last crop as possible. McQueen has always had an interest in his descendants, she said, and she started thinking about writing a book in the early 2000s.

Secretariat was an exceptional animal and that meant there were high expectations for
his career as a sire. Many of those fell short. “I always felt he was unfairly called a ‘bad sire’ and wanted to do something about it,” McQueen said. “I really ramped up the research in the past dozen years.” What kind of research did McQueen do to find the 11 survivors she featured in her book?

Trusted Company is the 34-year-old daughter of Secretariat that stays at Bright Futures Farm in Pennsylvania. March 2, 2023

It is extremely difficult to find horses that are in private hands, McQueen said.
Larger farms where horses are used for breeding stock are much easier to follow.
“If a mare never had foals, and a stallion had no progeny, and for geldings [a castrated male horse], it’s almost impossible (to find them) other than through word of mouth,” McQueen said. More often than not, people with ties to the Secretariats found her.
She published an article about Innkeeper in 2016 on thoroughbredracing.com when the youngest Secretariats were already 26 years old. That story brought out a few more links
to the iconic Triple Crown winner, including Fast Market, who was the last known stakes winner among Secretariat’s progeny. Interest and contacts continued to bloom from there.
You may like: Jog, bit, breeze? Horse racing terms to keep you in the know for Kentucky Derby 2023. How did McQueen stumble upon Trusted Company?

Bev Dee, owner of Bright Futures Farm, feeds cookies to
– Trusted Company. March 2, 2023

By mid-2018 McQueen thought she had found all the remaining Secretariats, so she was surprised when a woman, who worked in animal welfare in New Jersey, contacted her about some horses who needed to be rehomed.
One of the horses in the herd, Trusted Company, was believed to be one of Secretariat’s progeny. McQueen didn’t really have any experience in retirement care for horses, but this person had found articles she had written about Secretariat’s other offspring.
Through her work as a journalist, McQueen made a connection at Bright Futures Farms, a nonprofit sanctuary for elderly horses. She met the founder, Bev Dee, while photographing Fast Market, and she liked how Dee cared for elderly horses no one else seemed to want. Together Dee and McQueen researched Trusted Company and verified her identity through foal photos accessed through the Jockey Club Registry. Trusted Company
lived in a foster home until Dee had the space to bring her to Bright Futures in 2018.

How did McQueen learn about Maritime Traveler?

Bev Dee, owner of Bright Futures Farm, looks at a book called Secretariat’s Legacy.
Trusted Company is highlighted as the last daughter of the great Secretariat.

In the fall of 2022, a new, astute administrative assistant at Bridlewood Farm in Florida read a story McQueen had written about what were believed to be the final two living Secretariats at the time: Trusted Company, and Border Run, who died in late 2022.
The clerk knew of an old stallion on the property with a tie to Secretariat, and she reached out to McQueen, who previously photographed Maritime Traveler in 1993.
You may like:Who has won the most Kentucky Derby races?
Kentucky Derby trivia facts you should know
Maritime Traveler had a pitiful racing career, and he’d been living at Bridlewood for
years as a “tease,” which is a horse who helps identify when mares are ready to breed.
McQueen published her story about finding a Maritime Traveler on thoroughbredracing.com in February.

Does McQueen think there are any more Secretariat progenies out there?

Trusted Company, right, and Catch This T are best friends at Bright Futures Farm
in Pennsylvania. March 2, 2023.

McQueen says surprises like Trusted Company and Maritime Traveler are just “magical.”
She thought she’d discovered the last of the survivors as early as 2018, but Maritime Traveler didn’t resurface until late last year.
“It’s true that it’s not ‘impossible'” to find another one, McQueen said in March.
“But it is highly unlikely. Age 33 is very, very old for a thoroughbred.”
How do I find McQueen’s book and articles about Secretariat’s offspring?
McQueen’s book “Secretariat’s Legacy” is available online at secretariatslegacy.com.
She also has several articles available online at thoroughbredracing.com.
Features columnist Maggie Menderski writes about what makes Louisville, Southern Indiana and Kentucky unique, wonderful, and occasionally, a little weird. If you’ve got something in your family, your town or even your closet that fits that description —
she wants to hear from you. Say hello at mmenderski@courier-journal.com
or 502-582-4053.

This article originally appeared in Louisville Courier Journal:
How is author tracking Kentucky Derby winner Secretariat’s offspring?

‘It was love at first sight, and love at first ride’ –
Ron Turcotte’s experience of being Secretariat’s jockey | Belmont Stakes
No, climate change alone doesn’t cause forest fires | Watch (msn.com)
Kenny Rogers Farewell Concert Celebration « Internet Archive
Dying with disease rather than from it (msn.com)
New York ~ New York Song – Bing video

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Targeted Therapy

Posted on June 8, 2023 by Ken

Two New Cancer Wonder Drugs Show ‘Unprecedented’ Results in Boosting Survival Rates

Short Story by David Wetzel • 8h ago
Two new cancer pills that could greatly improve survival rates and prevent
recurrence among cancer patients were showcased this week in Chicago.
Osimertinib, a lung cancer drug, and Ribociclib, a breast cancer pill, were
also introduced this week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology,
an annual meeting.

A doctor. By: MEGA© Knewz

Osimertinib, which is to be taken once daily, was found to drop the risk
of deaths in lung cancer patients by 50 percent in a long-running international study.
Ribociclib, meanwhile, rapidly increased the survival rate in breast cancer patients and was shown to prevent the disease from recurring in patients.

“Targeted therapies have been a major advance in treating deadly cancers,” Dr. Marc Siegel, professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, told Fox News Digital.
“Osimertinib targets an abnormal protein on the surface of some cancers (in this case lung) and targets it for destruction,” he explained. “Ribociclib targets abnormal growth hormones in breast cancer, and is being used earlier in the treatment process to boost survival.”

Controlled Drugs in Pill Form. Pexels/Pixabay© Knewz

Osimertinib, also known as Tagrisso and produced by AstraZeneca,
was studied by a team at the Yale Cancer Center in New Haven, Connecticut.

Related video: Report: Shortage of Cancer Drugs (Dailymotion) – Search (bing.com)
Results from the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine on June 4, focused on patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer, the most common type
of lung cancer.

That form is also known to have high recurrence rates in the later stages.
“ADAURA (the name of the trial) used osimertinib in the setting of lung cancer where patients already had surgery, and the results are impressive,” Dr. Roy Herbst, who led the study, said in a news release. “We’re moving this effective drug therapy into the earliest stages of disease.”

The study focused on 628 patients, and 88 percent of them who took osimertinib after surgery survived for another five years. That’s compared to 78 percent from the group
who took a placebo. The Ribociclib study, meanwhile, was done by researchers from the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Center in Los Angeles.

Ribociclib, also known as Kisqali, was found to extend survival rates and decrease
the rate of recurrence in patients. The researchers found those who took Ribociclib
reduced their chance of recurrence by 25 percent.

Pills. By: MEGA© Knewz

“Adding Ribociclib to hormonal therapy led to a significant improvement in
iDFS (invasive disease-free survival),” a news release stated. “The three-year
iDFS rates were 90.4% in the Ribociclib group compared with 87.1% in the
hormonal therapy alone group. “Overall, the addition of Ribociclib reduced
the risk for recurrence by 25%.”

The mortality rate was 51 percent lower for those who took the drug.
“This has led to an unprecedented – and honestly amazing – 88% five-year survival
in these lung cancer patients, a considerable improvement from the 78% seen in the placebo,” Dr. Suresh Nair, a physician in chief at the Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute in Allentown, Pennsylvania, said.

A doctor. By: MEGA — Two New Cancer Wonder Drugs Show ‘Unprecedented’ Results in Boosting Survival Rates

Short Story by David Wetzel • 8h ago
Two new cancer pills that could greatly improve survival rates and prevent
recurrence among cancer patients were showcased this week in Chicago.
Osimertinib, a lung cancer drug, and Ribociclib, a breast cancer pill, were
also introduced this week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology,
an annual meeting.

A doctor. By: MEGA© Knewz

Osimertinib, which is to be taken once daily, was found to drop the risk
of deaths in lung cancer patients by 50 percent in a long-running international study.
Ribociclib, meanwhile, rapidly increased the survival rate in breast cancer patients and was shown to prevent the disease from recurring in patients.

“Targeted therapies have been a major advance in treating deadly cancers,” Dr. Marc Siegel, professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, told Fox News Digital.
“Osimertinib targets an abnormal protein on the surface of some cancers (in this case lung) and targets it for destruction,” he explained. “Ribociclib targets abnormal growth hormones in breast cancer, and is being used earlier in the treatment process to boost survival.”

Controlled Drugs in Pill Form. Pexels/Pixabay© Knewz

Osimertinib, also known as Tagrisso and produced by AstraZeneca,
was studied by a team at the Yale Cancer Center in New Haven, Connecticut.

Related video: Report: Shortage of Cancer Drugs (Dailymotion) – Search (bing.com)
Results from the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine on June 4, focused on patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer, the most common type
of lung cancer.

That form is also known to have high recurrence rates in the later stages.
“ADAURA (the name of the trial) used osimertinib in the setting of lung cancer where patients already had surgery, and the results are impressive,” Dr. Roy Herbst, who led the study, said in a news release. “We’re moving this effective drug therapy into the earliest stages of disease.”

The study focused on 628 patients, and 88 percent of them who took osimertinib after surgery survived for another five years. That’s compared to 78 percent from the group
who took a placebo. The Ribociclib study, meanwhile, was done by researchers from the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Center in Los Angeles.

Ribociclib, also known as Kisqali, was found to extend survival rates and decrease
the rate of recurrence in patients. The researchers found those who took Ribociclib
reduced their chance of recurrence by 25 percent.

Pills. By: MEGA© Knewz

“Adding Ribociclib to hormonal therapy led to a significant improvement in
iDFS (invasive disease-free survival),” a news release stated. “The three-year
iDFS rates were 90.4% in the Ribociclib group compared with 87.1% in the
hormonal therapy alone group. “Overall, the addition of Ribociclib reduced
the risk for recurrence by 25%.”

The mortality rate was 51 percent lower for those who took the drug.
“This has led to an unprecedented – and honestly amazing – 88% five-year survival
in these lung cancer patients, a considerable improvement from the 78% seen in the placebo,” Dr. Suresh Nair, a physician in chief at the Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute in Allentown, Pennsylvania, said.

Researchers say fasting can rejuvenate your immune system and weaken cancer cells.

WCPO – 9 brings you the latest trusted news and information for the greater Cincinnati Tri-State area, including Northern Kentucky and Indiana. ‘Starving away’ cancer: One of our reporters tried it – YouTube

The REAL Cure for Cancer – YouTube

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Don’t Smoke

Posted on June 6, 2023 by Ken

Earl died a long time smoker in 2003 from lung cancer. RIP 1942-2003

What Does Smoking Do To Your Body – Bing video
A systematic review of the influence of smoking cessation on prognosis after early-stage lung cancer diagnosis found that five-year survival rates in 65-year-old patients were estimated to be 33% in continuing smokers and 70% in those who stopped.
If you continue to smoke it increases your risk of a secondary cancer immensely.
And by Drinking and smoking together raises the risk of these cancers many times more than drinking or smoking alone. This might be because alcohol can help harmful chemicals in tobacco get inside the cells that line the mouth, throat, and esophagus. Alcohol may also limit how these cells can repair damage to their DNA
caused by the chemicals in tobacco.

Half of my IQ is because of Wilson’s knowledge on Home Improvement.
Bing Videos | The Life and Sad Ending of Earl Hindman – YouTube

Earl John Hindman (/ˈhaɪndmən/; October 20, 1942 – December 29, 2003)^[1] was
an American actor, best known for his role on the television sitcom Home Improvement, which ran from 1991 to 1999). Hindman played the role of the kindly unseen neighbor Wilson W. Wilson, Jr.; more accurately, Wilson was partially seen, because of a running gag that only the top of his face was visible as he talked to his neighbor from the other side of a tall fence. ^[2]Hindman died of lung cancer on December 29, 2003, at the age of 61, in Stamford, Connecticut.^[5]

Wilson Quotes Home Improvement – Bing video
Here’s an article about it from his hometown of Stamford, CT.

In memory of Earl Hindman – YouTube
By Gabrielle Birkner | Stamford Advocate
Posted December 30, 2003, 10:47 AM EST.

STAMFORD, Conn. — Fans of the popular sitcom “Home Improvement,”
might not recognize Earl Hindman’s face. It was the actor’s voice that would almost always give him away, said his wife of 27 years, the Rev. Molly McGreevy, of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Stamford. “Earl had a very deep voice,” she said. “It was very rich, very warm and very recognizable.”

Mr. Hindman, 61, of Stamford, who died of lung cancer Monday, Dec. 29, at Stamford Hospital, was best known for his role as the wise and eccentric neighbor, Wilson, was on “Home Improvement.” The television series ran for eight years on ABC and starred Tim Allen. On the show, Mr. Hindman’s face was always partially obstructed by the fence that separated his home from that of the sitcom’s main character, Tim “The Toolman” Taylor, played by Allen.

Before “Home Improvement” went off the air in 1999, Mr. Hindman — a Stamford resident since 1976 — commuted back and forth to tapings in Los Angeles. “When they were taping, he’d be in L.A. for two or three weeks, and then he’d be back for about two weeks,” McGreevy said. Before landing the job on “Home Improvement,” Mr. Hindman played Lt. Bob Reed for 14 years on the ABC soap opera, “Ryan’s Hope.”

“He was the kind of actor you depended on,” said Helen Gallagher, one of his “Ryan’s Hope” co-stars. “He was a very steady and very talented actor and such a down-to-earth human being.” Mr. Hindman’s friends and family said yesterday the actor was remarkably unaffected by the relative fame his television work brought him. “He was not impressed with himself — not in the least,” McGreevy said. “He was a person who was never changed by success.”

Even as his acting career flourished, McGreevy said her husband remained a modest man who enjoyed stamp and coin collecting, listening to country music and playing poker with his friends. He also liked to build models from his collection of Erector sets, which he bought on the online auction site, eBay.

Three weeks ago, while undergoing chemotherapy,
Mr. Hindman shared a room with another cancer patient who was an avid
“Home Improvement” fan. “When she heard Earl’s name, she said, ‘Oh my God.
That’s my favorite show,’ ” McGreevy recalled. “We spent the whole rest of the
chemo session laughing. . . . He was the funniest human being I ever met.
Even after 27 years of marriage, he could always crack me up.”

Ilene Kristen, who played Hr. Hindman’s sister on “Ryan’s Hope, recalled the actor’s sense of humor. “He was a hoot,” she said. “He had great comedic timing — and just a naturally funny person.” Mr. Hindman was versatile and performed in a range of theater, film and television productions. “He had this tremendous ability to do both half-hour sitcom work and classics like Shakespeare and Moliere,” said Paul Hilepo of Hartig Hilepo Agency, which represented Mr. Hindman.

During a career that spanned more than three decades:
Mr. Hindman took the stage in “Henry V” at the New York Shakespeare Festival,
acted in films, including ” 3 Men and a Baby” & “Silverado,” made numerous guest
appearances on such drama series as “Kojak” and “Law and Order.” Most recently,
he performed in “Julius Caesar” at the Theatre for a New Audience in New York City.
His performance won him the Actor’s Equity Callaway Prize for best performance in
a professional production of a classic play.

Born Oct. 20, 1942, in Bisbee, Ariz., he was the son of Eula Hindman. Tucson, Ariz., and the late Burl Hindman. Before moving to Stamford, Mr. Hindman lived in New York City and Tucson. In addition to his mother and his wife, he is survived by a sister, Anna Dean Shields of Payson, Ariz.; and a brother, Ray Hindman of Tucson. Private funeral services for Mr. Hindman will be at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Stamford.

For the last decade of the 20th century, “Home Improvement” was a reliably pleasant, well-rated ABC family sitcom embraced by millions of American households. The show chronicled the ups and some downs of the suburban Detroit Taylor clan, with an accident prone TV personality father (Tim Allen, whose stand-up routine was the basis for the show), mostly understanding wife (Patricia Richardson), and three boys (all played by actors with triple names: Taran Noah Smith, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Zachery Ty Bryan) to rear and raise.

With the help of their wise neighbor (Earl Hindman), handyman sidekick (Richard Karn), “tool girls” (Pamela Anderson, and later Debbe Dunning), friends and family, things also needed fixing, and they used all the (Binford) tools at their disposal to build them back up over 8 seasons and 204 episodes. “Tool Time” was the home improvement show within the show “Home Improvement,” and both shows made a star out of Tim Allen, an actress out of Pamela Anderson, a mystery out of what Earl Hindman’s face actually looked like and a video game for Super Nintendo.

“Improvement” also gave us that signature gruffly grunt Tim Taylor constantly used to reinforce his manliness, putting to shame all other grunts in the world. The show garnered 34 Emmy nominations, and won 7 (mainly in the “Lighting Direction” category — because whenever anybody thinks back on the show, the first thing they marvel at is how well it was lit).

“Home Improvement” closed up shop in 1999, but continues on in heavy syndication to this day. As with any show that runs for over 200 episodes, its fanbase came to love the charming characters it visited with week after week — and like any show that has been
off the air for multiple decades, some beloved characters are no longer with us today.
So, let’s look back and say farewell to the “Home Improvement” actors you may not
know passed away.

Earl Hindman as Wilson W. Wilson Jr.
When Tim and his family sought advice or needed to vent, they often went into their backyard and talked things over with their ever dependable, omniscient and plainspoken philosophic neighbor Wilson W. Wilson, played by Earl Hindman. The character was based on Tim Allen’s childhood neighbor, who was too short to see over the fence, as well as the mythopoetic men’s movement leader and writer Robert Bly. Wilson was forever obscured by a fence and a hat, which was the show’s long-running gag that grew even more complicated and humorous as they let him out of the house and into the world more often.

After (mostly) appearing in every episode, his face was finally revealed to the audience in the series finale curtain call. Not being fully seen on camera initially upset Hindman’s own mother, but she settled into his role and then would get upset when she could see his face. “I’m becoming the best-known unknown actor,” Hindman said. But he certainly enjoyed the anonymity — “I like being able to go out and not be recognized and harassed like everybody else would be.”

Hindman’s face started to get recognized back in the ’70s, coming into sight in “The Parallax View,” dishing on the soap “The Doctors,” causing train delays in “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three,” and later playing Johnny Cash’s brother in the 1983 TV movie “Murder in Coweta County,” and J.T. in “Silverado.” Outside of “Home Improvement.”

Hindman had his most well-known role as detective Bob Reid on the soap “Ryan’s Hope,” where a haircut for another project once caused a brouhaha with the show’s producers. Fittingly, his final contribution to television was lending his voice as the narrator of the “Tim Allen Presents: A User’s Guide to ‘Home Improvement'” retrospective from 2003. That same year, Hindman died of lung cancer, at age 61.

Read More: HOW TO DETOXIFY YOUR LUNGS – Detoxification for Smokers
https://www.looper.com/home-improvement-actors-you-may-not-know-passed-away/
Earl Hindman: How the ‘Home Improvement’ Wilson Actor Died (popculture.com)
The Reason Wilson From Home Improvement Never Showed His Face (looper.com)
Home Improvement: The Series Finale (1999) FULL VHS : Internet Archive

Earl died a long time smoker in 2003 from lung cancer. RIP 1942-2003

What Does Smoking Do To Your Body – Bing video
A systematic review of the influence of smoking cessation on prognosis after early-stage lung cancer diagnosis found that five-year survival rates in 65-year-old patients were estimated to be 33% in continuing smokers and 70% in those who stopped.
If you continue to smoke it increases your risk of a secondary cancer immensely.
And by Drinking and smoking together raises the risk of these cancers many times more than drinking or smoking alone. This might be because alcohol can help harmful chemicals in tobacco get inside the cells that line the mouth, throat, and esophagus. Alcohol may also limit how these cells can repair damage to their DNA
caused by the chemicals in tobacco.

Half of my IQ is because of Wilson’s knowledge on Home Improvement.
Bing Videos | The Life and Sad Ending of Earl Hindman – YouTube

Earl John Hindman (/ˈhaɪndmən/; October 20, 1942 – December 29, 2003)^[1] was
an American actor, best known for his role on the television sitcom Home Improvement, which ran from 1991 to 1999). Hindman played the role of the kindly unseen neighbor Wilson W. Wilson, Jr.; more accurately, Wilson was partially seen, because of a running gag that only the top of his face was visible as he talked to his neighbor from the other side of a tall fence. ^[2]Hindman died of lung cancer on December 29, 2003, at the age of 61, in Stamford, Connecticut.^[5]

Wilson Quotes Home Improvement – Bing video
Here’s an article about it from his hometown of Stamford, CT.

In memory of Earl Hindman – YouTube
By Gabrielle Birkner | Stamford Advocate
Posted December 30, 2003, 10:47 AM EST.

STAMFORD, Conn. — Fans of the popular sitcom “Home Improvement,”
might not recognize Earl Hindman’s face. It was the actor’s voice that would almost always give him away, said his wife of 27 years, the Rev. Molly McGreevy, of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Stamford. “Earl had a very deep voice,” she said. “It was very rich, very warm and very recognizable.”

Mr. Hindman, 61, of Stamford, who died of lung cancer Monday, Dec. 29, at Stamford Hospital, was best known for his role as the wise and eccentric neighbor, Wilson, was on “Home Improvement.” The television series ran for eight years on ABC and starred Tim Allen. On the show, Mr. Hindman’s face was always partially obstructed by the fence that separated his home from that of the sitcom’s main character, Tim “The Toolman” Taylor, played by Allen.

Before “Home Improvement” went off the air in 1999, Mr. Hindman — a Stamford resident since 1976 — commuted back and forth to tapings in Los Angeles. “When they were taping, he’d be in L.A. for two or three weeks, and then he’d be back for about two weeks,” McGreevy said. Before landing the job on “Home Improvement,” Mr. Hindman played Lt. Bob Reed for 14 years on the ABC soap opera, “Ryan’s Hope.”

“He was the kind of actor you depended on,” said Helen Gallagher, one of his “Ryan’s Hope” co-stars. “He was a very steady and very talented actor and such a down-to-earth human being.” Mr. Hindman’s friends and family said yesterday the actor was remarkably unaffected by the relative fame his television work brought him. “He was not impressed with himself — not in the least,” McGreevy said. “He was a person who was never changed by success.”

Even as his acting career flourished, McGreevy said her husband remained a modest man who enjoyed stamp and coin collecting, listening to country music and playing poker with his friends. He also liked to build models from his collection of Erector sets, which he bought on the online auction site, eBay.

Three weeks ago, while undergoing chemotherapy,
Mr. Hindman shared a room with another cancer patient who was an avid
“Home Improvement” fan. “When she heard Earl’s name, she said, ‘Oh my God.
That’s my favorite show,’ ” McGreevy recalled. “We spent the whole rest of the
chemo session laughing. . . . He was the funniest human being I ever met.
Even after 27 years of marriage, he could always crack me up.”

Ilene Kristen, who played Hr. Hindman’s sister on “Ryan’s Hope, recalled the actor’s sense of humor. “He was a hoot,” she said. “He had great comedic timing — and just a naturally funny person.” Mr. Hindman was versatile and performed in a range of theater, film and television productions. “He had this tremendous ability to do both half-hour sitcom work and classics like Shakespeare and Moliere,” said Paul Hilepo of Hartig Hilepo Agency, which represented Mr. Hindman.

During a career that spanned more than three decades:
Mr. Hindman took the stage in “Henry V” at the New York Shakespeare Festival,
acted in films, including ” 3 Men and a Baby” & “Silverado,” made numerous guest
appearances on such drama series as “Kojak” and “Law and Order.” Most recently,
he performed in “Julius Caesar” at the Theatre for a New Audience in New York City.
His performance won him the Actor’s Equity Callaway Prize for best performance in
a professional production of a classic play.

Born Oct. 20, 1942, in Bisbee, Ariz., he was the son of Eula Hindman. Tucson, Ariz., and the late Burl Hindman. Before moving to Stamford, Mr. Hindman lived in New York City and Tucson. In addition to his mother and his wife, he is survived by a sister, Anna Dean Shields of Payson, Ariz.; and a brother, Ray Hindman of Tucson. Private funeral services for Mr. Hindman will be at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Stamford.

For the last decade of the 20th century, “Home Improvement” was a reliably pleasant, well-rated ABC family sitcom embraced by millions of American households. The show chronicled the ups and some downs of the suburban Detroit Taylor clan, with an accident prone TV personality father (Tim Allen, whose stand-up routine was the basis for the show), mostly understanding wife (Patricia Richardson), and three boys (all played by actors with triple names: Taran Noah Smith, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Zachery Ty Bryan) to rear and raise.

With the help of their wise neighbor (Earl Hindman), handyman sidekick (Richard Karn), “tool girls” (Pamela Anderson, and later Debbe Dunning), friends and family, things also needed fixing, and they used all the (Binford) tools at their disposal to build them back up over 8 seasons and 204 episodes. “Tool Time” was the home improvement show within the show “Home Improvement,” and both shows made a star out of Tim Allen, an actress out of Pamela Anderson, a mystery out of what Earl Hindman’s face actually looked like and a video game for Super Nintendo.

“Improvement” also gave us that signature gruffly grunt Tim Taylor constantly used to reinforce his manliness, putting to shame all other grunts in the world. The show garnered 34 Emmy nominations, and won 7 (mainly in the “Lighting Direction” category — because whenever anybody thinks back on the show, the first thing they marvel at is how well it was lit).

“Home Improvement” closed up shop in 1999, but continues on in heavy syndication to this day. As with any show that runs for over 200 episodes, its fanbase came to love the charming characters it visited with week after week — and like any show that has been
off the air for multiple decades, some beloved characters are no longer with us today.
So, let’s look back and say farewell to the “Home Improvement” actors you may not
know passed away.

Earl Hindman as Wilson W. Wilson Jr.
When Tim and his family sought advice or needed to vent, they often went into their backyard and talked things over with their ever dependable, omniscient and plainspoken philosophic neighbor Wilson W. Wilson, played by Earl Hindman. The character was based on Tim Allen’s childhood neighbor, who was too short to see over the fence, as well as the mythopoetic men’s movement leader and writer Robert Bly. Wilson was forever obscured by a fence and a hat, which was the show’s long-running gag that grew even more complicated and humorous as they let him out of the house and into the world more often.

After (mostly) appearing in every episode, his face was finally revealed to the audience in the series finale curtain call. Not being fully seen on camera initially upset Hindman’s own mother, but she settled into his role and then would get upset when she could see his face. “I’m becoming the best-known unknown actor,” Hindman said. But he certainly enjoyed the anonymity — “I like being able to go out and not be recognized and harassed like everybody else would be.”

Hindman’s face started to get recognized back in the ’70s, coming into sight in “The Parallax View,” dishing on the soap “The Doctors,” causing train delays in “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three,” and later playing Johnny Cash’s brother in the 1983 TV movie “Murder in Coweta County,” and J.T. in “Silverado.” Outside of “Home Improvement.”

Hindman had his most well-known role as detective Bob Reid on the soap “Ryan’s Hope,” where a haircut for another project once caused a brouhaha with the show’s producers. Fittingly, his final contribution to television was lending his voice as the narrator of the “Tim Allen Presents: A User’s Guide to ‘Home Improvement'” retrospective from 2003. That same year, Hindman died of lung cancer, at age 61.

Read More: HOW TO DETOXIFY YOUR LUNGS – Detoxification for Smokers
https://www.looper.com/home-improvement-actors-you-may-not-know-passed-away/
Earl Hindman: How the ‘Home Improvement’ Wilson Actor Died (popculture.com)
The Reason Wilson From Home Improvement Never Showed His Face (looper.com)
Home Improvement: The Series Finale (1999) FULL VHS : Internet Archive

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Malignant Flu

Posted on June 6, 2023 by Ken

A Malignant Flu May Soon Evolve to Infect and Kill Humans, Report Says
© Getty Images

Vaccines for Your Children By Age | CDC
I get it when I was a kid I had Measels, Mumps and chicken pox on my list, but I lived through them. But today those childhood disease rarely happens because of vaccines. However. the mandatory vaccine requirements can make a kid feel like a pin cushion
and be a bit overwhelming.

A mink farm in Spain is the site of research regarding the spread of avian influenza.
Researchers believe the bird flu was transmitted across minks in the farm—a troubling mammal-to-mammal spread. The outbreak at mink farms opens a new worry for health researchers. Scientists fear that that mammal-to-mammal transmission could lead to global catastrophe.

RELATED VIDEO: How to deal with the Influenza virus
which is spreading across states (India Today) – Bing video

Last fall, on a mink farm in Spain, H5N1 (avian influenza) spread across the animals.
The outbreak also resulted in the death or culling of the entire group of 50,000 minks.
Why should you care? Because it may have marked the first known case of mammal-to-mammal transmission of the deadly virus known as the bird flu, according to a new study. And that doesn’t portend anything good for humans.
The bird flu has proven scary enough with its occasional spread from birds to mammals of all sorts, but the study published in Eurosurveillance calls the latest devastation of mink illnesses and deaths especially concerning. “Our findings also indicate that an onward transmission of the virus to other minks may have taken place in the affected farm,”
the study authors write.

That raises the alarm that humans could be next.
“This signals the very real potential for the emergence of mammal-to-mammal transmission,” Michelle Wille, a University of Sydney researcher, tells CBC News.
“It could have deadly consequences,” Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist, tells CBC News. “This is an infection that has epidemic and pandemic potential.
I don’t know if people recognize how big a deal this is.” Well, that’s comforting.

Well, that’s comforting.
The H5N1 avian influenza is notorious for a near 100-percent mortality rate in birds. While mammals aren’t catching the virus at the same rate as birds, they aren’t immune
to the effects: bird flu has a global WHO mortality rate of greater than 50 percent for humans.
So far, the human infections link to contact with an infected bird, which is why the mammal-to-mammal possibility becomes the troubling part of this entire scenario.
If a mammal, such as a mink, can become an intermediary host, the virus can then
mutate to pose an even greater risk to other mammals, including humans.

“And so what’s concerning about this.”
Louise Moncla, a University of Pennsylvania school of veterinary medicine assistant professor, tells CBC News, “is that this is exactly the kind of scenario you would expect
to see that could lead to this type of adaptation, that could allow these viruses to replicate better in other mammals—like us.”After weeks of suffering from fatigue and shortness of breath in the fall of 2016, Hunter Brady went to the doctor, who diagnosed him with the flu. But when the 16-year-old’s prescribed treatment didn’t relieve his symptoms, a second opinion revealed the Florida boy had stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma. Fatigue, chills, fever, weight loss, swollen lymph nodes and persistent cough are common symptoms of the flu. But they also are common symptoms of some cancers, especially hematologic malignancies, such as lymphoma and leukemia.

As flu season approaches, there may be rare cases when patients who think they have
the flu are later diagnosed with cancer, says Mashiul Chowdhury, MD, Chief of Infectious Diseases at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), though he says there is no need for anyone to be alarmed, stressing that the occurrences are rare.
“The symptoms of the flu or an infection often are similar to symptoms of cancer because some of the mechanisms are quite similar,” Dr. Chowdhury says. “Your immune system is down. So, you feel a malaise, you have a fever. Then you go to get a chest X-ray and you get a bad surprise—cancer.”

Cases of common symptoms.
While it is rare for cancer to be inaccurately diagnosed as the flu, several cases have made headlines. For instance: In 2012, a woman who fought through weeks of flu symptoms was later treated at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, for thyroid cancer.
In 2016, Jaime Luis Gomez, known as rapper Taboo and a former member of pop group The Black Eyed Peas, said in an interview that he thought his pain, headaches and shortness of breath were brought on by the flu. He was later diagnosed with stage 2 testicular cancer.
The inaccurate diagnoses should not cause panic. Dr. Chowdhury says patients who
have been diagnosed with the flu or have flu-like symptoms should not be alarmed or immediately think they have something other than the flu. But if symptoms worsen or do not get better after two weeks, they should see a doctor. “If you have an infection, and this is especially important for older people, and it lasts longer than the average period, then there should be concern,” Dr. Chowdhury says. “Then you need to go tell your doctor this is not going away.”

Cancer may increase flu risk.
It’s also important to know that patients who are undergoing cancer treatment may
be at a higher risk for catching the flu, because their immune system may be weak.
As flu season approaches, here are some tips for cancer patients and their caregivers
that may help reduce the risk of getting sick: Get the flu vaccine.

The American Cancer Society says flu vaccines are safe for cancer patients.
But check with your doctor first. Make sure your family members and caregivers
also are vaccinated. Avoid crowds or wear a mask if you must be in a large group.

Wash hands frequently.
If you think you may have been exposed to the flu, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. A doctor may choose to prescribe prophylactic antibiotics that may ease symptoms or prevent the flu from developing. Learn more about the flu-like symptoms associated with leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Dr. Steven Pergam of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center receiving his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine on December 29, 2020. Image: courtesy of Dr. Steven Pergam.

COVID-19 Vaccines and People with Cancer.
Many people being treated for cancer have questions about COVID-19 vaccines and
how COVID may affect their cancer treatment. This Q&A was developed in consultation
with Steven Pergam, M.D., of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, to answer some of those questions. Dr. Pergam was a co-leader of a committee formed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) that developed recommendations on COVID-19 vaccination in cancer patients
If you have a question that isn’t answered here, click the “Chat Now” button in the box below to connect with an NCI information specialist. CDC, NCCN, and other cancer-related organizations urge cancer patients to get COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots. Why?
Data show that people with cancer and others with weakened immune systems are at
high risk for severe complications from COVID-19. Vaccines have been shown to decrease the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19, even among people with cancer.
Plus, we now have evidence that the virus can persist in immunocompromised people, which may lead to the rise of new variants. Therefore, vaccinating these individuals—
and the population as a whole—continues to be important to slow the spread of the
virus and save lives.

COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention recommends that everyone aged
6 months and older stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccination. That includes most people with underlying medical conditions, including cancer.
Are there any patients undergoing active cancer treatment who should not get vaccinated?
For patients who have just had a stem cell transplant or received CAR T-cell therapy, who are typically receiving immunosuppressive therapy, we continue to recommend that they delay COVID-19 vaccination (or revaccination as is recommended for patients undergoing these therapies) until at least 3 months after they’ve completed treatment. That’s based on data that [other] vaccines have had limited efficacy during periods when these patients are their most immunosuppressed.

All other patients who are being treated for cancer, including those getting aggressive chemotherapy, should get vaccinated and boosted without delay. Will receiving the vaccine during cancer treatment make the cancer treatment less effective?
No. There is no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, make cancer therapy less effective. And survivors, those not undergoing active cancer treatment.
Are there any reasons they shouldn’t get vaccinated?
Many cancer survivors have weakened immune systems, so they may be at high risk of severe and/or persistent COVID-19. Cancer survivors also tend to be older and have other comorbidities—heart disease, kidney or lung dysfunction—so they’re going to have other reasons that will put them at risk for developing severe COVID-19.
These are all reasons for them to get vaccinated.

COVID-19: What People with Cancer Should Know

Learn how to protect yourself from COVID-19 and find the latest guidance
on vaccines and boosters. And what about those who may be undergoing treatment soon, such as somebody just diagnosed with cancer or whose treatment has been delayed by the pandemic?
The best approach is to get the vaccine as soon as you can. However, we do recommend delays for patients undergoing stem cell transplant and those getting CAR T-cell therapy. In addition, cancer patients who are about to undergo surgery should wait a few days to up to 2 weeks after surgery to get vaccinated. This helps doctors know whether any symptoms—for example, a fever—are due to the surgery or the vaccine.

Can COVID-19 vaccines cause cancer?
Can the vaccines cause cancer to recur or make it more aggressive?
There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause cancer, lead to recurrence, or
lead to disease progression. Furthermore, COVID-19 vaccines do not change your DNA (i.e., your genetic code). Can getting vaccinated cause a rise in tumor markers or signs of cancer recurrence just after a vaccination?
We are not aware of any evidence that suggests vaccines can affect cancer biomarkers in this way. However, we do know that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines can lead to enlarged lymph nodes, particularly those in your armpit, called axillary lymph nodes. Developing new swelling in the armpit of your vaccinated arm a few days after getting your shot likely means the vaccine is producing a good immune response.

Some recently vaccinated people who have had imaging scans have had these lymph
nodes “light up,” so our committee recommends talking to your cancer care team about any upcoming scans to make sure that they are aware of your recent vaccine.

They may want to delay your scan unless it is urgent.
If you do get swelling after being vaccinated, and it doesn’t go away after about a week, make sure to tell your doctor.I have lymphedema from lymph node surgery in one of my arms.

Can I still get the shot in that arm?
Patients with lymphedema or those who have had a lymph node dissection in one arm,
say for treatment of breast cancer, should get vaccinated in the other arm. Patients with lymphedema are at increased risk of infection and should avoid vaccinations in the affected arm.

If you have lymphedema in both arms, then the thigh can also be used as an alternate
site for vaccine injection. In either case, if you have any lymphedema or have had a lymph node dissection, make sure you tell the personnel working at the vaccination site and they can vaccinate you in your other arm.
Is one COVID-19 vaccine better than another for people with cancer or cancer survivors?
In most situations, the bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are preferred over the protein subunit Novavax vaccine or the adenovirus-vector Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine. However, the Novavax or Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine can be used in people who cannot or will not receive an mRNA vaccine.
Are researchers collecting data on how effective the vaccines are in people with cancer?

A number of research groups are studying COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in people with cancer, from those with solid tumors to those receiving bone marrow transplants.
For example, there are researchers looking at people who have blood cancers, like CLL or CML, because they are more likely to have immunodeficiency over a long period of time. Data from immunosuppressed patient populations have indicated that additional COVID-19 vaccine doses in the primary series and boosters can help improve immune responses in some people with cancer.

How do my patients respond to these vaccines?
Every cancer doctor wants to know the answer to the question:
There are lots of analyses that still need to be done—and so many subgroups of cancer patients and cancer treatments that require additional study. The more data we have that characterize vaccine responses in individual cancer populations, the better we can advise patients. Do COVID-19 vaccines provide less protection to cancer patients or survivors?

COVID-19 Vaccine Protection Limited in Some People with Cancer

Vaccines appear to be least effective in people with blood cancers, studies find.

Studies show that, compared with people who have never had cancer, COVID vaccines may be less effective in some people with cancer—in particular, patients with blood cancers (such as leukemia and lymphoma) or those receiving aggressive chemotherapy that weakens their immune systems.
The expectation is that most patients will respond to the vaccine.
Patients with cancer may not see the 90% protection from hospitalization
[from the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines] seen in the general public.
But any amount of protection is still a major benefit—particularly since these vaccines are best at preventing major complications from COVID-19. Guidelines for the general public change based on community risk, novel variants & vaccine levels throughout the country.

However, layers of prevention remain important for people with cancer, even if they
are vaccinated, particularly those with hematologic malignancies, those who are getting chemotherapy or radiation, and those with other health conditions known to increase risk for COVID-19. We continue to recommend that these patients wear masks when in public places and avoid large get-togethers and crowds. These efforts are important because if you get COVID-19 it may lead to delays in your cancer treatment.
Existing COVID-19 vaccines do not prevent COVID-19 in all of those who get vaccinated, but they can prevent cancer patients from developing severe COVID-19 disease or hospitalization. What about family members and caregivers of those with cancer?

Is it important that they get vaccinated?
This is an underappreciated question. If you think about a vaccine strategy, if some
people with cancer aren’t going to be fully protected by the COVID-19 vaccine, one of the best ways to protect them is to give the vaccine to people who will respond well. And that means anybody who they spend time with. So, anybody who is a caregiver, a loved one, or is in close contact with somebody with cancer, it’s important for them to get vaccinated and boosted, wear masks when out and about, avoid crowds, and take any other preventive measures.

These steps can help decrease a caregiver’s risk of developing symptomatic infections
and symptomatic people are more likely to transmit the virus to people around them.
Vaccines and other precautions are also thought to help prevent transmission.
So, when caregivers and loved ones take precautions, they may be less likely to get the virus and bring it home. How do you see the approach to vaccination and booster shots changing over the coming months and years?
We know that immunity to coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, wanes over time. Additionally, viral variants like Omicron can emerge that are better able to escape our immune responses. For these reasons, yearly boosters may be needed. Further research into the frequency and timing of additional boosters is ongoing, as are studies looking at more “variant-specific” boosters.

BONUS: Are vaccines Safe for Cancer Patients – Bing video

Cancer patients and the COVID-19 vaccines — A Malignant Flu May Soon Evolve to Infect and Kill Humans, Report Says
© Getty Images

Vaccines for Your Children By Age | CDC
I get it when I was a kid I had Measels, Mumps and chicken pox on my list, but I lived through them. But today those childhood disease rarely happens because of vaccines. However. the mandatory vaccine requirements can make a kid feel like a pin cushion
and be a bit overwhelming.

A mink farm in Spain is the site of research regarding the spread of avian influenza.
Researchers believe the bird flu was transmitted across minks in the farm—a troubling mammal-to-mammal spread. The outbreak at mink farms opens a new worry for health researchers. Scientists fear that that mammal-to-mammal transmission could lead to global catastrophe.

RELATED VIDEO: How to deal with the Influenza virus
which is spreading across states (India Today) – Bing video

Last fall, on a mink farm in Spain, H5N1 (avian influenza) spread across the animals.
The outbreak also resulted in the death or culling of the entire group of 50,000 minks.
Why should you care? Because it may have marked the first known case of mammal-to-mammal transmission of the deadly virus known as the bird flu, according to a new study. And that doesn’t portend anything good for humans.
The bird flu has proven scary enough with its occasional spread from birds to mammals of all sorts, but the study published in Eurosurveillance calls the latest devastation of mink illnesses and deaths especially concerning. “Our findings also indicate that an onward transmission of the virus to other minks may have taken place in the affected farm,”
the study authors write.

That raises the alarm that humans could be next.
“This signals the very real potential for the emergence of mammal-to-mammal transmission,” Michelle Wille, a University of Sydney researcher, tells CBC News.
“It could have deadly consequences,” Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist, tells CBC News. “This is an infection that has epidemic and pandemic potential.
I don’t know if people recognize how big a deal this is.” Well, that’s comforting.

Well, that’s comforting.
The H5N1 avian influenza is notorious for a near 100-percent mortality rate in birds. While mammals aren’t catching the virus at the same rate as birds, they aren’t immune
to the effects: bird flu has a global WHO mortality rate of greater than 50 percent for humans.
So far, the human infections link to contact with an infected bird, which is why the mammal-to-mammal possibility becomes the troubling part of this entire scenario.
If a mammal, such as a mink, can become an intermediary host, the virus can then
mutate to pose an even greater risk to other mammals, including humans.

“And so what’s concerning about this.”
Louise Moncla, a University of Pennsylvania school of veterinary medicine assistant professor, tells CBC News, “is that this is exactly the kind of scenario you would expect
to see that could lead to this type of adaptation, that could allow these viruses to replicate better in other mammals—like us.”After weeks of suffering from fatigue and shortness of breath in the fall of 2016, Hunter Brady went to the doctor, who diagnosed him with the flu. But when the 16-year-old’s prescribed treatment didn’t relieve his symptoms, a second opinion revealed the Florida boy had stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma. Fatigue, chills, fever, weight loss, swollen lymph nodes and persistent cough are common symptoms of the flu. But they also are common symptoms of some cancers, especially hematologic malignancies, such as lymphoma and leukemia.

As flu season approaches, there may be rare cases when patients who think they have
the flu are later diagnosed with cancer, says Mashiul Chowdhury, MD, Chief of Infectious Diseases at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), though he says there is no need for anyone to be alarmed, stressing that the occurrences are rare.
“The symptoms of the flu or an infection often are similar to symptoms of cancer because some of the mechanisms are quite similar,” Dr. Chowdhury says. “Your immune system is down. So, you feel a malaise, you have a fever. Then you go to get a chest X-ray and you get a bad surprise—cancer.”

Cases of common symptoms.
While it is rare for cancer to be inaccurately diagnosed as the flu, several cases have made headlines. For instance: In 2012, a woman who fought through weeks of flu symptoms was later treated at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, for thyroid cancer.
In 2016, Jaime Luis Gomez, known as rapper Taboo and a former member of pop group The Black Eyed Peas, said in an interview that he thought his pain, headaches and shortness of breath were brought on by the flu. He was later diagnosed with stage 2 testicular cancer.
The inaccurate diagnoses should not cause panic. Dr. Chowdhury says patients who
have been diagnosed with the flu or have flu-like symptoms should not be alarmed or immediately think they have something other than the flu. But if symptoms worsen or do not get better after two weeks, they should see a doctor. “If you have an infection, and this is especially important for older people, and it lasts longer than the average period, then there should be concern,” Dr. Chowdhury says. “Then you need to go tell your doctor this is not going away.”

Cancer may increase flu risk.
It’s also important to know that patients who are undergoing cancer treatment may
be at a higher risk for catching the flu, because their immune system may be weak.
As flu season approaches, here are some tips for cancer patients and their caregivers
that may help reduce the risk of getting sick: Get the flu vaccine.

The American Cancer Society says flu vaccines are safe for cancer patients.
But check with your doctor first. Make sure your family members and caregivers
also are vaccinated. Avoid crowds or wear a mask if you must be in a large group.

Wash hands frequently.
If you think you may have been exposed to the flu, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. A doctor may choose to prescribe prophylactic antibiotics that may ease symptoms or prevent the flu from developing. Learn more about the flu-like symptoms associated with leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Dr. Steven Pergam of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center receiving his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine on December 29, 2020. Image: courtesy of Dr. Steven Pergam.

COVID-19 Vaccines and People with Cancer.
Many people being treated for cancer have questions about COVID-19 vaccines and
how COVID may affect their cancer treatment. This Q&A was developed in consultation
with Steven Pergam, M.D., of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, to answer some of those questions. Dr. Pergam was a co-leader of a committee formed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) that developed recommendations on COVID-19 vaccination in cancer patients
If you have a question that isn’t answered here, click the “Chat Now” button in the box below to connect with an NCI information specialist. CDC, NCCN, and other cancer-related organizations urge cancer patients to get COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots. Why?
Data show that people with cancer and others with weakened immune systems are at
high risk for severe complications from COVID-19. Vaccines have been shown to decrease the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19, even among people with cancer.
Plus, we now have evidence that the virus can persist in immunocompromised people, which may lead to the rise of new variants. Therefore, vaccinating these individuals—
and the population as a whole—continues to be important to slow the spread of the
virus and save lives.

COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention recommends that everyone aged
6 months and older stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccination. That includes most people with underlying medical conditions, including cancer.
Are there any patients undergoing active cancer treatment who should not get vaccinated?
For patients who have just had a stem cell transplant or received CAR T-cell therapy, who are typically receiving immunosuppressive therapy, we continue to recommend that they delay COVID-19 vaccination (or revaccination as is recommended for patients undergoing these therapies) until at least 3 months after they’ve completed treatment. That’s based on data that [other] vaccines have had limited efficacy during periods when these patients are their most immunosuppressed.

All other patients who are being treated for cancer, including those getting aggressive chemotherapy, should get vaccinated and boosted without delay. Will receiving the vaccine during cancer treatment make the cancer treatment less effective?
No. There is no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, make cancer therapy less effective. And survivors, those not undergoing active cancer treatment.
Are there any reasons they shouldn’t get vaccinated?
Many cancer survivors have weakened immune systems, so they may be at high risk of severe and/or persistent COVID-19. Cancer survivors also tend to be older and have other comorbidities—heart disease, kidney or lung dysfunction—so they’re going to have other reasons that will put them at risk for developing severe COVID-19.
These are all reasons for them to get vaccinated.

COVID-19: What People with Cancer Should Know

Learn how to protect yourself from COVID-19 and find the latest guidance
on vaccines and boosters. And what about those who may be undergoing treatment soon, such as somebody just diagnosed with cancer or whose treatment has been delayed by the pandemic?
The best approach is to get the vaccine as soon as you can. However, we do recommend delays for patients undergoing stem cell transplant and those getting CAR T-cell therapy. In addition, cancer patients who are about to undergo surgery should wait a few days to up to 2 weeks after surgery to get vaccinated. This helps doctors know whether any symptoms—for example, a fever—are due to the surgery or the vaccine.

Can COVID-19 vaccines cause cancer?
Can the vaccines cause cancer to recur or make it more aggressive?
There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause cancer, lead to recurrence, or
lead to disease progression. Furthermore, COVID-19 vaccines do not change your DNA (i.e., your genetic code). Can getting vaccinated cause a rise in tumor markers or signs of cancer recurrence just after a vaccination?
We are not aware of any evidence that suggests vaccines can affect cancer biomarkers in this way. However, we do know that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines can lead to enlarged lymph nodes, particularly those in your armpit, called axillary lymph nodes. Developing new swelling in the armpit of your vaccinated arm a few days after getting your shot likely means the vaccine is producing a good immune response.

Some recently vaccinated people who have had imaging scans have had these lymph
nodes “light up,” so our committee recommends talking to your cancer care team about any upcoming scans to make sure that they are aware of your recent vaccine.

They may want to delay your scan unless it is urgent.
If you do get swelling after being vaccinated, and it doesn’t go away after about a week, make sure to tell your doctor.I have lymphedema from lymph node surgery in one of my arms.

Can I still get the shot in that arm?
Patients with lymphedema or those who have had a lymph node dissection in one arm,
say for treatment of breast cancer, should get vaccinated in the other arm. Patients with lymphedema are at increased risk of infection and should avoid vaccinations in the affected arm.

If you have lymphedema in both arms, then the thigh can also be used as an alternate
site for vaccine injection. In either case, if you have any lymphedema or have had a lymph node dissection, make sure you tell the personnel working at the vaccination site and they can vaccinate you in your other arm.
Is one COVID-19 vaccine better than another for people with cancer or cancer survivors?
In most situations, the bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are preferred over the protein subunit Novavax vaccine or the adenovirus-vector Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine. However, the Novavax or Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine can be used in people who cannot or will not receive an mRNA vaccine.
Are researchers collecting data on how effective the vaccines are in people with cancer?

A number of research groups are studying COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in people with cancer, from those with solid tumors to those receiving bone marrow transplants.
For example, there are researchers looking at people who have blood cancers, like CLL or CML, because they are more likely to have immunodeficiency over a long period of time. Data from immunosuppressed patient populations have indicated that additional COVID-19 vaccine doses in the primary series and boosters can help improve immune responses in some people with cancer.

How do my patients respond to these vaccines?
Every cancer doctor wants to know the answer to the question:
There are lots of analyses that still need to be done—and so many subgroups of cancer patients and cancer treatments that require additional study. The more data we have that characterize vaccine responses in individual cancer populations, the better we can advise patients. Do COVID-19 vaccines provide less protection to cancer patients or survivors?

COVID-19 Vaccine Protection Limited in Some People with Cancer

Vaccines appear to be least effective in people with blood cancers, studies find.

Studies show that, compared with people who have never had cancer, COVID vaccines may be less effective in some people with cancer—in particular, patients with blood cancers (such as leukemia and lymphoma) or those receiving aggressive chemotherapy that weakens their immune systems.
The expectation is that most patients will respond to the vaccine.
Patients with cancer may not see the 90% protection from hospitalization
[from the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines] seen in the general public.
But any amount of protection is still a major benefit—particularly since these vaccines are best at preventing major complications from COVID-19. Guidelines for the general public change based on community risk, novel variants & vaccine levels throughout the country.

However, layers of prevention remain important for people with cancer, even if they
are vaccinated, particularly those with hematologic malignancies, those who are getting chemotherapy or radiation, and those with other health conditions known to increase risk for COVID-19. We continue to recommend that these patients wear masks when in public places and avoid large get-togethers and crowds. These efforts are important because if you get COVID-19 it may lead to delays in your cancer treatment.
Existing COVID-19 vaccines do not prevent COVID-19 in all of those who get vaccinated, but they can prevent cancer patients from developing severe COVID-19 disease or hospitalization. What about family members and caregivers of those with cancer?

Is it important that they get vaccinated?
This is an underappreciated question. If you think about a vaccine strategy, if some
people with cancer aren’t going to be fully protected by the COVID-19 vaccine, one of the best ways to protect them is to give the vaccine to people who will respond well. And that means anybody who they spend time with. So, anybody who is a caregiver, a loved one, or is in close contact with somebody with cancer, it’s important for them to get vaccinated and boosted, wear masks when out and about, avoid crowds, and take any other preventive measures.

These steps can help decrease a caregiver’s risk of developing symptomatic infections
and symptomatic people are more likely to transmit the virus to people around them.
Vaccines and other precautions are also thought to help prevent transmission.
So, when caregivers and loved ones take precautions, they may be less likely to get the virus and bring it home. How do you see the approach to vaccination and booster shots changing over the coming months and years?
We know that immunity to coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, wanes over time. Additionally, viral variants like Omicron can emerge that are better able to escape our immune responses. For these reasons, yearly boosters may be needed. Further research into the frequency and timing of additional boosters is ongoing, as are studies looking at more “variant-specific” boosters.

BONUS: Are vaccines Safe for Cancer Patients – Bing video

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment