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CNA
a day ago
- CNA
How your diet influences your colorectal cancer risk
Katie Kennedy had always thought that colorectal cancer primarily affected older men. So she was shocked when, at 48, she was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. 'It just didn't compute,' especially since she had always been healthy and active, said Kennedy, now 55, a communications consultant in Westwood, Massachusetts. There has been an alarming increase in colorectal cancer diagnoses in younger people, and it's now one of the top causes of cancer-related deaths in those under 50. Experts don't know what's causing the uptick, said Dr Kimmie Ng, an oncologist and the director of the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. But at any age, factors like obesity, smoking, alcohol use, a lack of physical activity and a poor diet can increase the risk. While other types of cancer have been associated with what people eat, colorectal cancer has a particularly strong link, Dr Ng said. In a 2019 study, researchers estimated that nearly 40 per cent of colorectal cancer cases in the United States could be traced back to poor diet. That may be because food directly contacts 'the insides of our intestines,' Dr Ng said, and it influences the balance of 'good' and 'bad' microbes in our guts. FOCUS ON FIBRE-RICH WHOLE FOODS Following a diet that prioritises fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes can reduce your risk of colorectal cancer, said Dr Edward Giovannucci, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. Fibre is especially protective, said Dr Heather Greenlee, a professor of cancer prevention at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle. You should aim for about 30 grams of fibre per day, she added. (You can get about that much in a day if you eat an apple and a cup each of broccoli, cooked quinoa and cooked lentils.) On average, adults in the United States consume about half as much. Eating a variety of fiber-rich foods feeds your gut microbes and promotes the growth of more 'good' bacteria, which may outcompete certain ' bad' gut microbes that can produce toxins that damage DNA in the cells lining the colon and rectum. Kennedy, who has been cancer free since 2019, was happy to learn that coffee – one of her ' favourite things in life' – was associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. Coffee, tea, fruits and vegetables can be anti-inflammatory and may protect against the development of cancer or its recurrence, Dr Ng said. GET ENOUGH CALCIUM Research suggests that calcium-rich foods like milk, yoghurt, tofu and dark leafy greens can reduce your risk. Calcium may attach to certain harmful compounds in the gut, preventing them from damaging cells lining your colon and rectum, Dr Giovannucci said. In a study published this year of nearly 500,000 people aged 50 to 71 in the United States, those who consumed the most calcium from food and supplements had a 29 per cent lower risk of developing colorectal cancer over more than 20 years than those who consumed the least amount of calcium. The evidence linking calcium with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer is strongest when it comes from food, especially dairy products, but research suggests that calcium supplements may be similarly protective, Erikka Loftfield Cronin, an epidemiologist at the National Cancer Institute who led the calcium study, wrote in an email. Experts recommend that most adults get around 1,000 to 1,200 milligrammes of calcium per day. (You can get about 400 milligrams from a cup of yoghurt or a half cup of tofu.) Yogurt has the added benefit of containing probiotics, which may prevent certain 'bad' bacteria linked to colorectal cancer from taking up residence in your gut, Dr Giovannucci said. LIMIT ALCOHOL, RED AND PROCESSED MEATS, AND SUGARY DRINKS Alcohol can increase the risk of colorectal cancer and at least six other types of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, it's best to not drink alcohol at all; if you do, they suggest limiting your consumption to no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women. There's also evidence that regularly consuming processed meats like deli meats, bacon, jerky, sausages and hot dogs, as well as unprocessed red meats like beef, pork and lamb, increases the risk of cancer, especially when charred, smoked or cooked at high temperatures, said Carrie Daniel-MacDougall, a nutritional epidemiologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. According to one recent analysis, diets high in red meats were associated with a 30 per cent increase in the risk of colorectal cancer, and those high in processed meats were associated with a 40 per cent increase. Avoid processed meats as much as possible, Dr Daniel-MacDougall said, and limit red meat to one serving per week. Choose fish, poultry, tofu or legumes instead, she said. Dr Daniel-MacDougall also suggested cutting back on ultraprocessed foods and drinks such as sugary sodas and most packaged desserts and snacks, which recent studies have linked to poor gut health and a greater risk of developing colorectal cancer. These foods often contain additives that may negatively affect the gut microbiome or the protective lining of the intestines, she said. Kennedy now avoids most ultraprocessed foods. Cooking at home – with plenty of fresh vegetables, tofu, fish and yoghurt – has become a passion. And she's given up red and processed meats entirely. 'A hamburger smells good on the grill,' she said, but 'the smell does it for me now.' Diet is important, but it's not everything. Experts recommend that most people get a colonoscopy or an at-home stool test, which can catch early signs of colorectal cancer and prevent it from developing further, starting at age 45. For general health, federal officials recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, such as walking, jogging, biking or swimming, as well as strength training twice per week. Following that advice can reduce your risk of colorectal cancer, Dr Greenlee said. A recent study found that physical activity also prevented new or recurring colon cancers in survivors. Your risk of cancer develops over many years and is influenced by your genetics, too, experts said. There's no guarantee that eating well and exercising will prevent it, but they will likely cut your chances – and reduce your risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and other health conditions, too. 'Everything that's good for colon cancer is actually good for overall health,' Dr Giovannucci said.
CNA
a day ago
- CNA
Canadian government moves to end Air Canada strike, seeks binding arbitration
OTTAWA: The Canadian government on Saturday (Aug 16) moved to end a strike by Air Canada 's cabin crews and require binding arbitration to break their contract impasse, an action that the country's largest carrier had sought but unionized flight attendants fiercely opposed. Thousands of Air Canada flight attendants walked off the job just before 1am ET (1pm, Singapore time), after months of negotiations over a new contract. In anticipation of the stoppage, the airline canceled nearly all of its 700 daily flights, forcing more than 100,000 travelers to scramble for alternatives or stay put. The most contentious issue in the contract negotiations has been the union's demand for compensation for time spent on the ground between flights and when helping passengers board. Attendants are currently paid only when their plane is moving. Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said at a news conference she had asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board to impose binding arbitration on both sides and order an immediate end to the strike. Still, it may take days before the board grants the request and for the airline to fully restore its operations. "This is not a decision that I've taken lightly, but the potential for immediate negative impact on Canadians and our economy is simply too great," Hajdu said. Air Canada had asked Prime Minister Mark Carney's minority Liberal government to make the request, but the Canadian Union of Public Employees said it wanted a negotiated solution, as binding arbitration would take pressure off the airline. The minister said the government preferred negotiated settlements to labor disputes, but the current impasse showed the two sides would not find a solution soon enough to spare the economy further damage. She said Canada had already experienced "unprecedented attacks on trade," referring to tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on US-bound shipments. Minutes after the announcement, CUPE blasted the government's decision. "The Liberal government is rewarding Air Canada's refusal to negotiate fairly by giving them exactly what they wanted," it said in a statement posted on X. Henly Larden, an Air Canada flight attendant and a vice-president at CUPE, called the government's move "incredibly disgusting." "Air Canada should come and join us in good faith and address the matters that really resonate with our members,' a visibly emotional Larden said in a shaken voice at Vancouver airport. Air Canada had no immediate comment about Hajdu's decision, saying "it is premature to comment as the CIRB process is underway." CUPE spokesperson Hugh Pouliot told Reuters that the strike will end only when the CIRB issues binding arbitration notice to the parties, which could take a few days. Air Canada also said it was premature to comment about restarting the airline. Earlier it indicated it would take four to five days to resume full operations, Hajdu said, assuming the board granted the government's request, which it usually does. While passengers have generally voiced support for the flight attendants on social media, Canadian businesses, already reeling from a trade dispute with the US, have urged the federal government to impose binding arbitration and cut short the strike. "With both parties declaring an impasse in negotiations, with valuable cargo grounded and passengers stranded, the government made the right decision to refer the two sides to binding arbitration," Matthew Holmes, chief of public policy for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement. WAGE DISPUTE While the most contentious topic was compensation for time spent on the ground, there was also disagreement over broader wage issues. The carrier had offered a 38 percent increase in total compensation for flight attendants over four years, with a 25 percent raise in the first year, which CUPE said was insufficient. The union has said Air Canada offered to compensate flight attendants for some work that is now unpaid at 50 percent of their hourly rate. A source close to the negotiations told Reuters the union was looking for parity on wages with Canadian leisure carrier Air Transat. Its flight attendants approved a contract last year that provided for total compounded increases of 30 percent over five years, making them the highest paid in the industry in Canada. Air Canada did not confirm if such a proposal had been put forth by the union. Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada component of CUPE, said in a press conference in Toronto earlier on Saturday that there were no bargaining sessions scheduled between the two sides, which have held on-and-off negotiations for months. Earlier in the day outside Toronto Pearson International Airport, the country's busiest, hundreds of cabin crew waved flags, banners and picket signs. Union officials called on members to assemble outside all of the country's major airports, including in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. Montreal-based Air Canada had said the suspended flights included those operated by its budget arm, Air Canada Rouge. Flights by Air Canada's regional affiliates - Air Canada Jazz and PAL Airlines - were operating as usual. Hajdu told reporters she had also asked the country's industrial relations board to extend the terms of the existing collective agreement until a new one is determined by the arbitrator. The Canada Labour Code gives the government the right to ask the industrial relations board to impose binding arbitration in the interests of protecting the economy.
CNA
2 days ago
- CNA
Exercising in the heat can boost your fitness – here's how to do it safely
Tish Hamilton is a veteran of 59 marathons and five ultramarathons. The 63-year-old former executive editor of Runner's World also lives in Savannah, Georgia, where training through summer heat and humidity is a given. And while the conditions are unpleasant, she has come to appreciate them, knowing that come fall, she'll perform at her best. 'I don't think I ever get used to it,' Hamilton said, 'but I know how good it's going to feel once the humidity breaks.' It's not in her head. Research suggests that exercising in warm, humid conditions can provide what some call 'poor man's' altitude training – improving performance in endurance sports like triathlon, cycling and running. In the first few weeks of training in hot conditions, your body sends more blood to the skin's surface to create sweat. This leaves less of it for your muscles, which is one reason you often get tired more quickly in early summer. But your body adjusts by creating more blood, as well as more red blood cells, over four or five weeks, similar to what happens to your body after three weeks at altitude. You may also experience a boost in your VO2 max, the maximum rate at which your body uses oxygen while exercising. While you won't necessarily feel the benefits during the thick of summer training, you likely will on the first cool days of fall. 'I've both experienced it personally and seen it with my athletes,' said Steve Magness, a running coach in Houston and author of The Science Of Running.' 'All of a sudden you get a huge boost, and you realise that summer really did pay off.' When summer is at its hottest, it's certainly fine to take your workouts indoors. But if you'd like to take advantage of the summer's payoff, here's how to do it safely. UNTIL YOU ACCLIMATE, ADJUST Before you even begin training in the heat, it's important to set expectations, Magness said. 'You will go from feeling good to feeling miserable,' he explained. 'Go slow, and don't worry about your miles or workout intensity.' Research varies on how long it takes to acclimate to summer conditions, but after about two weeks or so, you should begin to better tolerate higher temperatures and humidity. 'Start with small doses of training outside, like 30 minutes of easy activity,' said Jill Patterson, a cycling coach in Virginia and three-time national USA Cycling Gran Fondo champion. 'Be consistent about getting out.' Once you start, try to spend a few workouts a week in the heat. That's not to say that you should torture yourself. If the midday heat is just too much where you live, try other times, but stay outside the whole 30 minutes if you can. Plan to take more breaks, throw your normal pace out the window and pay close attention to how you're feeling. Monitor your thirst level, and make sure to hydrate more often than usual. Any signs of dizziness, headaches, confusion or chills are red flags to call it quits. Different exercisers will respond differently to heat training and you should talk to your doctor before beginning, especially if you have a medical condition. You can also try wearable patches that measure your sweat rate, fluid and sodium loss. For the best accuracy, wait until you've acclimated to the heat first. If it helps, you can also cool down by putting ice in your hat or sports bra, or pouring cold water over your head. TRAINING AFTER ACCLIMATION Even after you acclimate to hotter conditions, you may never be as fast or feel as good as you do in cooler temperatures. But you should be able to handle a similar training level. 'Focus more on the feeling you want versus the pace you want,' Magness said. 'If you want something harder, go after it, but be willing to stop or modify if you aren't tolerating it well.' For example, watch for a large jump in heart rate or breathing rate. Also pay attention to your ability to talk – if you could previously say a sentence at a certain speed but now can barely talk, dial it back or walk. This is a good time to check your ego at the door, Hamilton said: 'I switch from focusing on how many miles I'm running to how much time I'm on my feet.' Keep an eye on the weather for days when the heat and humidity take brief breaks. 'On those good days, do your favourite hard workout, and you'll get an indication that your fitness has improved,' Magness said. While you acclimatise in just a couple of weeks of heat training, you need to continue outdoor workouts to make gains and sustain them. You can maintain them on just a few sessions a week, until they begin to wane about a month after cooler temperatures set in. Once fall arrives, you'll get the reward you've worked so hard for all summer. 'When you get that beautifully cool, low humidity day, you appreciate how much less effort it takes,' said Hamilton. 'You feel like a million bucks.'
