Five Simple Steps to Preventing Disease

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Preventing DiseaseFive fresh pieces of health news provide proven ways that we can prevent disease and improve overall health. They are all about what fish, acupuncture, teeth cleaning, doctors, and a little, white pill.

1. Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death. Cancer prevention in this case can be assisted by eating more fish. People who live in countries with high levels of fish consumption are known to develop the disease less frequently. A new study marks regular fish consumption at a 12% reduced risk, stemming from studies in 1990 and 2011. The protective effect of fish is more
prominent in rectal cancer than in colon cancer, 21% and four percent, respectively.

RECOMMENDED: Why women in particular may consider aspirin. 

2. Researchers in Montrealreport that the use of unconventional smoking cessation aids — including acupuncture and hypnotherapy — results in substantial help quitting. A meta-analysis of 14 trials found that smokers on hypnotherapy were 4.55 times more likely to abstain from smoking. Acupuncture was also very beneficial at 3.53 times more likely.

 3. How about those teeth? Regular tooth scaling is associated with a decreased risk for future cardiovascular events. A study in Taiwan included nearly 11,000 subjects who had undergone tooth scaling, and another 11,000 subjects who had not. During an average follow-up period of seven years, the group that had undergone tooth scaling had a lower incidence of heart attack, stroke and total cardiovascular events. The more often you get scaling, the greater the protection. Surely a health secret we don’t consider enough.

4. Elsewhere, researchers found that primary care doctors can be a great resource for helping the moderately obese shed pounds. Patients received behavioral modification sessions and a diet plan partially or fully supplemented by meal replacements at either a primary care clinic or a specialized weight center. Primary care clinics were as effective as weight loss centers at reducing weight, and were better at reducing body fat. Twelve weeks of treatment led to a loss of 11% body weight.

5. Low-dose aspirin, a common strategy for preventing heart disease, could also reduce nonvascular deaths, including cancer deaths. A meta-analysis of 23 randomized studies by Canadian researchers offers conclusive evidence that low-dose aspirin offers cancer preventive effects, and showed significant treatment effects after approximately four years of follow-up.

 So there you have it: five great tools for living longer and healthier.