Happy Monday!

It's raining here in California, which is very rare for us! Everyone comes out and forgets how to drive here in LA...sooo I have a treat for my readers today!

I have a guest author here, Jackie Clark discussing the relationship between Type 2 Diabetes and cancer. This is something we all should be aware of! Thanks Jacki for reaching out!

You can read more from here at:
http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/jackie/bio.htm
http://jackieclarkdailyarc.blogspot.com/

Demystified: The Surprising Connection Between Cancer And Diabetes
By: Jackie Clark

Cancer and diabetes are both life-altering health challenges, but rarely are they thought of as connected. However, doctors have observed a link between the two since the 1950's. Many noticed that among patients diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, or adult onset diabetes, the probability of getting cancer was greater. At the time, the reasons for this correlation were unknown, but studies have since clarified the issue. The answers that researchers have found offer hope for both the prevention and treatment of both diseases.

Typically, when asked about the diabetes and cancer connection, people wonder whether it's a chicken and egg sort of conundrum. In other words, does cancer cause diabetes, or the other way around? The answer is that either disease might trigger conditions that make the other more likely. For instance, risk factors for type-2 diabetes, like obesity and a sedentary lifestyle, also increase the risk of many types of cancers. In fact, a direct link has been established between diabetics and their increased likelihood of being diagnosed with colon, endometrial, breast, liver, lymphatic, blood, and kidney cancers. Viewed scientifically, we see a shared pattern of pathology. Both cancer and diabetes are triggered by imbalances in insulin and hormones. In obese patients, for example, the shared risk may stem from insulin resistance which causes elevated blood sugar levels, as well as the of carrying excessive fatty tissue. Excess fat acts like an additional endocrine organ; over-producing estrogen-like factors that set into motion a cascade of compensatory actions that further upset the delicate balance of hormones. Thus, as estrogen is overproduced, we see breast cancer; when testosterone is knocked out of balance, we see prostate cancer, and so forth. Still some scientists wonder whether the presence of chronic inflammation, a preceding factor for cancer, might also affect the mechanisms that trigger adult onset diabetes.

No matter whether cancer causes diabetes, or the other way around, the solution is clear. As with most of our modern health maladies, a more active lifestyle and nutritious diet are the remedies of choice. No matter what stage of disease progression a person may be experiencing; improvements in these important areas will yield the best results by either preventing disease or lessening its impact. For example, those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma might be tempted, due to discouraging mesothelioma life expectancy averages, to skip lifestyle changes. Yet, no matter what their prognosis, leading a more active life and eating to heal will vastly improve their quality of life. Indeed, this is the goal of all healthcare treatment: to return a patient to vitality and wholeness. Adopting new habits that do just that can make every patient feel better today, while helping many to live for a few more tomorrows.