A new study (Bonn et al., 2014) published online in the journal of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention reported lower rates of all-cause and prostate cancer-specific mortality in men who engaged in regular exercise. Although these findings can’t prove causation, they are a good reminder to move your body with daily physical activity for long-term health – especially after cancer diagnosis. The details: This study used data from the National Prostate Cancer Register of Sweden Follow-up study. Subjects were 4623 men with localized prostate cancer. Men who biked or walked 20 minutes a day or exercised more than one hour per week had a 26% lower rate of mortality...
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Filtered by author: David Guinther
XY Wellness Diet: Why Low-Glycemic is Critical
It’s a new year and a perfect time to review the evidence behind the basic principles of the XY Wellness diet. We recommend a fresh, organic, low-glycemic diet that minimizes inflammation and enhances the immune system. Last week we discussed inflammation and gluten’s ability to put your cells through unnecessary chronic stress. Today, we recap the meaning and importance of eating foods that share a low glycemic index. First, it never hurts to clear up definitions. The word “glycemic” is a distant relative of the Greek word glykys, which means “sweet.”Words like glucose, glycerin, and glycol all share this common ancestor. It makes sense, then, that when something is...
Hey, Let's Cut the Bull: The Truth about Protein Sources
Protein is essential to a wide range of bodily functions and in building and repairing muscle. No argument there. What I do object to is how the meat and dairy industries have spent millions, if not billions, on convincing us that the only source of high quality protein are their products. This is simply not true. Proteins consist of twenty amino acids, of which eleven are naturally synthesized by our body. We are able to get the remaining nine, which are also known as Essential Amino Acids, from the foods we eat and the nutritional support with which we complement our diet. So to be clear, our body needs to ingest these nine Essential Amino Acids, not protein per se. This is a key...
Are "Low T" Treatments a Fountain of Youth for Men?
Today we welcome a guest writer, David DeLuca, to share his perspective on hormone replacement therapy for men: From countless sources we hear a dangerous and seductive message: “youthfulness is good, and aging is bad.” We see advertisements for all sorts of drugs, ointments, and even surgical treatments that aim to hide the outward effects of aging. Some celebrities exfoliate their skin by bathing in wine. Yes, bathing in wine. A less outrageous technique, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), is marketed as a treatment for hypogonadism, a decrease in hormones that results in reproductive dysfunction. HRT promises boundless energy and a happier life to men and women alike. But the...
Demystifying Detoxification with Actionable Advice
What is detoxification? The term is as widely used as it is misunderstood. The underlying concept is that the toxins that accumulate in your body can cause illness and disease, and that by ridding your body of these toxins you are boosting your body's innate ability to heal. The goal of detoxification is to convert toxins into a water-soluble form that can enter your bloodstream, be processed by your liver, and then be eliminated through urine or fecal matter. Where are these toxins coming from? Primarily from you. Most toxins enter your body along with the food you eat, the water you drink, and the air you breathe. Rather than stopping all 3 of these activities, you can reduce your...
Pesticide-free Eating Made Easy
Let's talk food. Although whole foods are a better nutritional choice than processed, within the category of whole foods you have a chance to do far better for yourself. Today we'll examine if and when organic is worth the premium in price, and give you a cheat sheet to make it easy to make better decisions. What is the problem with "conventional" produce? "Conventional" produce is exposed to pesticides (e.g., herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides) that cannot always be completely washed away. By contrast, "organic" produce is not exposed to pesticides. In other words, Conventional = Organic +...
Dietary Supplement Industry: Heal Thyself!
Big Pharma has plenty of "bad players" and greed-driven excesses, but our Dietary Supplement industry does need to clean up its act or risk the false panacea of more FTC & FDA regulation. Here is pointed & funny take on the matter from John Oliver, who comes from the UK, which is far more regulated in this area: At XY Wellness, we applaud any effort to weed out players in the health care industry who are exploiting the ill and vulnerable. In fact, please see my manifesto (yes, it is a bit of a rant) on this very topic. All the Best, David
Dysfunction in the Medical Industry
Our medical industry is suffering from systemic dysfunction. The drivers behind much of this dysfunction are two-fold: conflict of interest and lack of transparency. The net result is eroded trust and reduced effectiveness. As a society, we can and must do better. Doing so will require us to collectively demand more from the various participants in the system. Today I would like to share with you our perspective here at XY Wellness on what the core issues are, and on what reforms we would like to see take place. To begin, we believe that the potential side effects of a recommended course of treatment should never be more serious than the health condition now being treated. We believe...
Anti-tumor Activity: How To Encourage It
Let’s start with some definitions: Abberant cell growth (or cancer) occurs in the absence of natural cell death causing cells to grow and divide without end. Tumor formation is the process where cells divide and form a neoplasm. Not all tumors are malignant. Malignant tumors are comprised of cancer cells that are potentially life-threatening. Angiogenesis is the process where new blood vessels grow from existing ones. It is a normal process in the body, but is also involved in the process where a dormant or benign tumor changes into a malignant one. Metastasis is the process where cancer cells spread, typically through the lymphatic system. How is prostate cancer different than...
Cancer: How to Talk to the Newly Diagnosed
How do you talk to the newly diagnosed? There is no more a potent reminder of how fragile and fleeting life is than being diagnosed with cancer. You may have family or friends who have been affected by cancer. Based on that, you may think that you understand what they are going through and how best to support and help them. You don’t. Unless you have had the words “you have cancer” directed at you, you have no idea.And I know this first-hand. I thought I understood, but apparently mortality is nothing more than an abstract concept until it is not. Today, I want to share with you three suggestions on how best to talk to and help a loved one who is newly diagnosed with prostate or...