Ian Gawler: Out on a Limb

21 September 2015

Alcohol and cancer risk

Is the odd glass of beer likely to give you cancer? What about a couple of glasses of wine regularly over a meal? The research has very clear and possibly disturbing answers on this, so this week we investigate what alcohol is, what it does in our bodies and important questions like does red wine prevent cancer?

Then there is some breaking news on the subject, and my old friend and valued colleague Dr Nimrod Sheinman returns to present around Australia (see the Events Section below) but first,

Thought for the day

The world is too much with us.
Getting and spending,
We lay waste our powers.

William Wordsworth

In an earlier blog we examined the alcoholic content of various drinks and their impact on health generally. That blog came with general recommendations for the consumption of alcohol generally and may well be worth revisiting (see the link below), but this time we investigate the specific connections between alcohol, cancer and stress; connections that make for fascinating reading.

What is alcohol ?
Alcohol is actually the common term for ethanol or ethyl alcohol, a chemical produced by the fermentation of sugars and starches by yeast.

We drink it in beer, wine, and liquor, and it is commonly found in medicines, mouthwashes, household products, and essential oils.

What is the evidence that drinking alcohol is a cause of cancer?
The evidence is very strong.

Research shows that heavy or even regular alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing cancers of the oral cavity (excluding the lips), pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), oesophagus, liver, breast, colon, and rectum, while the risk of developing cancer increases the more alcohol a person drinks.

The National Toxicology Program of the US Department of Health and Human Services lists consumption of alcoholic beverages as a known human carcinogen – cause of cancer. Based on data from 2009, an estimated 3.5% of all cancer deaths in the United States are alcohol related.

The Million Women Study in the United Kingdom provided a more recent, and slightly higher, estimate of breast cancer risk at low to moderate levels of alcohol consumption: every 10 grams of alcohol consumed per day was associated with a 12% increase in the risk of breast cancer.

However, for two cancers – renal cell (kidney) cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) - multiple studies have shown that increased alcohol consumption is associated with a decreased risk of cancer. A meta-analysis of the NHL studies found a 15 % lower risk of NHL among alcohol drinkers. The mechanisms by which alcohol consumption would decrease the risks of either renal cell cancer or NHL are not understood.

How does alcohol increase the risk of cancer?
Here are some of the many ways that have been identified

1. The ethanol in alcoholic drinks is metabolised into acetaldehyde, which is a probable human carcinogen that can damage both DNA and proteins.

2. Alcohol generates reactive oxygen molecules that can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids (fats) through oxidation.

3. Alcohol impairs the body’s ability to break down and absorb a variety of nutrients that are cancer protective including Vit A, the Vit B complex, Vits C, D and E, folate and carotenoids.

4. Alcohol increases blood levels of oestrogen, the female sex hormone linked to the risk of breast cancer.

5. Alcoholic drinks may also contain a variety of carcinogenic contaminants that are introduced during fermentation and production, such as nitrosamines, hydrocarbons, phenols and asbestos fibres.

How does the combination of alcohol and tobacco affect cancer risk?

Again the research is clear. Those who use both alcohol and tobacco have a much greater risk of developing cancers than people who use either alcohol or tobacco alone.

In fact, for oral and pharyngeal cancers the risks associated with using both alcohol and tobacco are multiplicative; that is, they are greater than would be expected from adding the individual risks associated with alcohol and tobacco together.

How do a person’s genes affect their risk of alcohol-related cancers?
A person’s risk of developing an alcohol-related cancer is influenced by the genes that encode (and regulate) enzymes involved in metabolizing alcohol.

For example, one way the body metabolizes alcohol is through the activity of an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, or ADH. Many individuals of Chinese, Korean, and especially Japanese descent carry a version of the gene for ADH that codes for a "superactive" form of the enzyme that speeds the conversion of alcohol to toxic acetaldehyde. As a result, when people who have the superactive enzyme drink alcohol, acetaldehyde builds up and this results in a higher risk of pancreatic cancer.

Another enzyme, called aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), metabolizes toxic acetaldehyde to non-toxic substances. Some people, particularly those of East Asian descent, carry a variant of the gene for ALDH2 that codes for a defective form of the enzyme. In people who have the defective enzyme, acetaldehyde builds up when they drink alcohol.

The accumulation of acetaldehyde has such unpleasant effects (including facial flushing and heart palpitations) that most people who have the ALDH2 variant are unable to drink large amounts of alcohol. Therefore, most people with the defective form of ALDH2 have a low risk of developing alcohol-related cancers.

However, some individuals with the defective form of ALDH2 can become tolerant to the unpleasant effects of acetaldehyde and consume large amounts of alcohol. Epidemiologic studies have shown that such people have a higher risk of alcohol-related cancers.

Can drinking red wine help prevent cancer?
Laboratory research has found that certain substances in red wine, such as resveratrol have anticancer properties. Grapes, raspberries, peanuts, and some other plants also contain resveratrol. However, clinical trials in humans have not provided evidence that resveratrol is effective in preventing or treating cancer.

Breaking news - the latest research findings

Even Modest Drinking Increases Breast Cancer Risk

Having just one drink per day increases breast cancer risk, according to a study just published in the British Medical Journal.

For women, having just one alcoholic drink per day increased the risk for alcohol-related cancers (mainly breast cancer) by 13 percent, compared with those who consumed no alcohol. Many previous studies have found moderate alcohol intake increases breast cancer risk.

Among men, colorectal cancer was the principal alcohol-related cancer.

References:

Cao Y, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ, Giovannuci EL. Light to moderate intake of alcohol, drinking patterns, and risk of cancer: results from two prospective US cohort studies. BMJ. 2015;351:h4238.

Scoccianti C, Lauby-Secretan B, Bello PY, Chajes V, Romieu I. Female breast cancer and alcohol consumption: a review of the literature. Am J Prev Med. 2014;46:S16-S25.

What I do
I gave up alcohol when diagnosed with cancer and continued to be an alcohol free zone for around 20 years. Then it seemed I was avoiding alcohol more out of habit than good reason, given that in my view modest amounts occasionally are not problematic and it is often easier in social situations to have a little; and I do like a cold beer on a hot day and an occasional glass of good wine.

The beer I drink at home is the Coopers brand, Birrell’s. It is very low alcohol, tastes great and is bought off the shelf in the Supermarket (due to its 0.5% alcohol content).

When out I usually drink Cooper’s Light as it is low alcohol and naturally brewed and Birrells is not usually sold at restaurants and the like. Artificially brewed beers have a strong association with increased risks of bowel cancer.

So I am not wanting to sound like a wowser, but Ruth and I often share one glass of wine between ourselves when we eat out, and often do not actually finish it all.

Recommendations
Everyone knows moderation makes sense. Alcohol free days are really helpful if you are drinking regularly.

And do remember to drink responsibly :)

Enjoy!

RELATED BLOGS
Alcohol, health and wellbeing

A volatile mix – stress, epigenetics and cancer

NOTICEBOARD

Details of all coming programs Ruth and I will be presenting are on our website: www.iangawler.com/events, and here are the next few:

NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT
Meditation Under the Long White Cloud 24 - 30 October 2015

7 day retreat at Mana Retreat Centre, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

Take time out from the busyness of everyday life; spend time with your self
Slow down, reflect, contemplate – regain perspective, vitality, balance and clarity
Deepen your understanding and experience of mindfulness, contemplation and meditation

Full details, CLICK HERE

SPECIFIC CANCER RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS

CANCER and BEYOND October 2015 Monday 12th to Friday 16th

Finding peace in the Healing Process

Five Day Residential Follow-up Program at the Gawler Foundation in the Yarra Valley

This program is specifically designed for those with cancer along with their support people who have attended a previous Gawler Cancer Foundation program or equivalent such as with Sabina Rabold, CSWA, Cancer Care SA, CanLive NZ, or with the Gawlers themselves.

A unique opportunity to meet with like-minded people once again, to consolidate what you already know, to learn more from the combined knowledge, experience and wisdom of Ian and Ruth, to reaffirm your good intentions, and to go home refreshed and revitalised.

FULL DETAILS Click here

MIND-BODY MEDICINE and CANCER November 2015 Tuesday 10th to Saturday 14th

Five day Residential program in the beautiful surrounds of Wanaka, New Zealand
- an easy drive from Queenstown airport and very accessible for Australians

This program is open to anyone affected by cancer. Health professionals interested to learn more of this work are also welcome to attend.

While the focus of this program is on therapeutic meditation and nutrition, the power of the mind and emotional health, ample time will be given to answering any questions you may have relating to the Gawler program - exercise, positive thinking, healing, balancing medical options, successful ways of dealing with setbacks, sustaining your good intentions and the relevance of finding meaning in life to healing and recovery.

FULL DETAILS Click here

DR NIMROD SHEINMAN RETURNS TO AUSTRALIA
for a highly recommended series of presentations

Please help spread the word and help distribute the events

- October 8th, Mindfulness in Education, Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership, Melbourne.

http://www.bastow.vic.edu.au/Documents/Flyers/TWILEducationAwarenessNSheinmanOct15FINAL2.pdf

- October 8th, Mindfulness-based Therapy in Paediatric Care, National Institute for Integrative Medicine, Melbourne.

http://www.niim.com.au/events/mindfulness-based-therapy-paediatric-care

- October 12th, University of Canberra, School of Education

- October 14-15th, Nan Tien Institure (near Sydney)

- October 17th, Mindfulness With Children – Empowering Resilience, Emotional Intelligence

and Wellness, The Relaxation Centre, Brisbane.

http://www.relaxationcentreqld.com.au/presenters/dr-nimrod-sheinman/

25 August 2015

The top 5 Advances in Modern Oncology

What would you consider to be the top recent advances in the world of cancer?

As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the society prepared a list of the most significant clinical cancer advances in modern oncology.

It then invited physicians, patients, and the public to vote for what they considered to be the top 5 advances in the last 50 years. The votes are now in. Take a moment and reflect, what would you have chosen???

Well, this week we go Out on a Limb once more and reveal what ASCO decided they are, but first

Thought for the day

The future begins today

Wayne Gerard Trotman
British filmmaker, writer 

So here they are. The American Society of Clinical Oncology has revealed what it describes as the "Top 5 Advances in Modern Oncology.”

1. Chemotherapy cures advanced Hodgkin lymphoma
In 1965 came the first chemotherapy breakthrough for advanced cancer in adults, when a 4-drug combination chemotherapy regimen (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, mechlorethamine, and prednisone, known as MOPP) induced long-term remissions in more than half of patients with aggressive Hodgkin lymphoma.

This regimen quickly became standard treatment, but in the 1970s, a different 4-drug combination (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine, known as ABVD) proved even more effective, curing about 70% of patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma. The ABVD combination remains a mainstay of treatment today, ASCO comments.

It adds that the 1965 discovery of MOPP "sparked the first hope that advanced cancers could be cured with drug treatment, and paved the way for 90% cure rates for patients with this disease (Hodgkin lymphoma) today."

2. HPV vaccine approved to prevent cervical cancer
In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, Gardasil, which protects against the two strains of HPV (16 and 18) known to cause 70% of cervical cancers, as well as two other HPV strains (6 and 11) associated with genital warts.

Another HPV vaccine, Ceravix, which protects against the 2 strains linked to cervical cancer (16 and 18), was approved in 2009. Gardasil was first approved for the prevention of HPV-related cervical cancer, but this later expanded to include prevention of additional HPV-related diseases, including vaginal, vulvar, and anal cancers in women, and anal cancer and genital warts in men.

ASCO adds that studies have also linked HPV infection to head and neck cancers, suggesting that the vaccine may help prevent these cancers as well. "Widespread vaccination, if fully implemented, stands to drive dramatic reductions in cervical and other HPV-related cancers in the US and worldwide," it adds.

3. Targeted drug transforms treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia
In 2001, the rapid FDA review and approval of imatinib (Gleevec) dramatically changed the treatment of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

This easy-to-take daily pill ― which targets a molecular defect (the Philadephia chromosome) present in nearly all patients with CML ― turned a disease with almost no long-term survivors into one with 5-year survival rates of 90%, ASCO comments. It also ushered in a new era of successful research on molecularly targeted treatments for many more cancers.

4. Chemotherapy cures men with testicular cancer

In 1977 came the pivotal trial showing that the 3-drug chemotherapy regimen known as PVB
(cisplatin, vinblastine, and bleomycin) produced complete remissions and some cures for more than 70% of men with advanced testicular cancer. Earlier chemotherapy treatments worked in just 5% of men, ASCO notes.

This combination regimen, coupled with later surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy advances, has made testicular cancer "one of the most curable cancers and one of oncology's biggest success stories."

5. Powerful antinausea drugs dramatically improve many patients' quality of life
In 1991, the FDA approval of the antinausea drug ondansetron (Zofran), as well as other supportive-care drugs in the following years, have together dramatically changed the experience of cancer treatment, bringing unprecedented improvements to patients' quality of life, ASCO comments.

Ondansetron, a 5HT3 receptor antagonist, works by deactivating the nervous system's natural trigger for vomiting, and other similar drugs were also soon approved, including granisetron (Kytril), dolasetron (Anzemet) and palonosetron (Aloxi).

These and other antinausea drugs, like aprepitant (Emend), which is a substance P/neurokinin 1 antagonist, allow most cancer patients to receive chemotherapy in an outpatient setting, with minimal disruption to their daily routines, ASCO commented.

"These drugs not only bring relief from intense, treatment-induced nausea, but make it possible for patients to avoid once-routine hospital stays, complete their full course of treatment, and live longer and better lives," it added.

Editor’s comment
Nothing here directly related to any of the most common cancers – breast, prostate, lung, bowel etc; and nothing from recent years. No studies on long-term survivors. No recognition of any Lifestyle Medicine benefits (nutrition, power of the mind, meditation, exercise etc).

Ever wonder how well all those research dollars are really being spent ? Or is this a sample that reflects a bias? What do you think? What would be in your top 5? Add a comment below....

Reference: Click here

NOTICEBOARD

Details of all coming programs Ruth and I will be presenting are on our website: www.iangawler.com/events, and here are the next few:

NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT
Meditation Under the Long White Cloud 24 - 30 October 2015

7 day retreat at Mana Retreat Centre, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

FULL DETAILS Click here

MIND-BODY MEDICINE and CANCER November 2015 Tuesday 10th to Saturday 14th

Five day Residential program in the beautiful surrounds of Wanaka, New Zealand
- an easy drive from Queenstown airport and very accessible for Australians

FULL DETAILS Click here

10 August 2015

A volatile mix - stress, epigenetics and alcohol

Know anyone prone to drinking more alcohol when under stress? Talks about how the alcohol relieves the pressure? Just feels better after a glass or two?

May seem innocent enough, but this week we examine new research that demonstrates how the combination of stress and alcohol can lead to genetic changes that in turn explain how some people tip over into alcoholism, but first

Thought for the day

If we could read the secret history of our enemies, 
We should find in each man's life
Sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

We all know that stress, whether acute or chronic does not feel good.

We also know that if the stress we are under exceeds our capacity to cope; then that type of stress can lead to alterations in mood and increased anxiety that may eventually result in the development of stress-related mental and physical disorders.

Dysphoria is a medical term that describes “a state of unease or generalized dissatisfaction with life”. Dysphoria is what many people feel when over-run with stress or anxiety.

Now, here is the thing. Alcohol is known to temporarily relieve feelings of dysphoria for many people. Some call this “self medication” and alcohol certainly works to that effect. But while on the surface, this self medication might seem harmless enough - having a quiet drink to settle the mind – there is a deeper and more sinister issue.

It turns out that the relationship between stress and alcohol consumption is meditated in part by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is a protein that regulates both the structure and function of nerve synapses - the point where two nerve cells interact and exchange nerve signals, and numerous other physiological processes. BDNF itself is regulated by genes that in turn can be affected by alcohol consumption.

Apparently, when alcohol is drunk with the intention of alleviating the unpleasant feelings of dysphoria, it causes epigenetic changes that in turn affect the complex control of BDNF.

The more alcohol that is drunk, the less functional BDNF becomes and so the need develops to drink more alcohol to achieve the same level of relief from dysphoria.

This can tip the unwary into a vicious cycle that can lead to alcoholism.

When talking of epigenetics here, we are describing the regulation of genetic information without modification of the core DNA sequence. Epigenetics in this situation can affect the complex control of BDNF signalling and synaptic plasticity - for example, by modifying the structure of the DNA–protein complexes such as chromatin, that make up the chromosomes and thereby modulate the expression of certain genes.

While these studies that are clarifying the mechanisms behind the epigenetic control of BDNF signalling and synaptic plasticity are offering some real insight into the mechanisms mediating the interaction between stress and alcoholism, they clearly come with a warning.

The body is so extra-ordinary, and so packed with its own wisdom.

While alcohol may relieve those early feelings of discomfort that come from stress and anxiety, clearly it comes with a very real risk; as shown here, a slippery slope type of risk.

Happily, given the chance, the body – and the mind - can learn to manage stress and anxiety much more effectively.

Another great reason to meditate regularly!

And more evidence of epigenetics - how your genes are not static, but are directly affected by the environment they are placed in - with positive or negative effects depending upon that interaction between the genes you were given and the environment created for them.

Primary Reference
Moonat,S., and Pandey, SC. Stress, Epigenetics, and Alcoholism; Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, Volume 34, Issue Number 4

NOTICEBOARD
COMING RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS
Currently, Ruth and I are concentrating much of our working time on preparing and presenting residential programs.

MEDITATION RETREATS
We lead meditation retreats for anyone interested in a more immersive experience of meditation. Whether as a beginner or an experienced meditator, there is nothing like taking time out from the busyness of daily life, receiving some instruction, being guided into meditation and then having a solid period of time to develop and deepen your own practice.

These programs can be well suited to people who teach meditation and want to learn more, or for those aspiring to become meditation teachers. Attending our meditation retreats may count towards the requirements to become qualified as a member of the Meditation Association of Australia (the re-named ATMA), please check for the specific program you are interested in.

CANCER PROGRAMS
We also lead more specific programs for people dealing with cancer. Again, whether you are dealing with cancer personally, or are supporting someone going through cancer, it can be invaluable to take the uninterrupted opportunity that a residential program offers to learn and experience what can be done through your own combined efforts.

All the important Lifestyle Medicine factors are addressed in depth – accelerated healing, therapeutic nutrition, suitable types of exercise, healthy, healing emotions, the power of the mind and of course, meditation, mindfulness and guided imagery.

Two types of cancer programs are presented. The first are open to everyone affected by cancer and are held in New Zealand. These programs are comprehensive in that they cover the full program and are suitable for people new to this approach or the more experienced. There is an 8 day and a 5 day version of this program to choose from.

Then there are more specific follow-up programs that we present for the Gawler Cancer Foundation in the Yarra Valley. These are tailor-made to meet the needs of people who have attended a previous “Gawler” program, either at the Foundation itself, with Ruth or myself, or one of the groups linked with the Foundation that is presenting its style of program.

THE VENUES
We have gone to some lengths to ensure that all these residential programs can be presented in beautiful environments, where the amenities are suitable and where the food is consistent with our principles and prepared lovingly with great taste. As we know, healthy food is not only good for you, but can taste terrific!

Details of the programs coming up in the not-to-distant future are below, while more comprehensive details are on the website: www.iangawler.com/events

NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT
Meditation Under the Long White Cloud 24 - 30 October 2015

7 day retreat at Mana Retreat Centre, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

27 July 2015

Important information you really need to know – and share

Most who read this blog will be aware I am in the midst of an extended meditation retreat. However, after a fairly intense 3 weeks, during a free day two new pieces of research came to my attention that I feel must be addressed. They highlight a situation that has caused me increasing distress over recent years.

Fact is this is information you may will benefit from knowing and reflecting upon well in advance as the evidence shows people who are unfortunate enough to get into this situation, in the heat of the moment often make the wrong choice with serious, adverse consequences. Please do share this information with those you care for,

But first

Thought for the day

There is no way to not do this practice perfectly

It is just this…
Sitting;
Open;
Spacious;
Aware;
In the present moment.
Just this

From the retreat

It is hard to say how often I have heard this, but it is very common. “We could try some chemotherapy…. “

Patients with end-stage cancer often receive chemotherapy, under the assumption that it will improve their quality of life or may even extend survival. However, 2 new major pieces of research have found quite the opposite – quality of life was worse with no benefit to overall survival.

For years it has been disturbing to watch as people in reasonable health but with advanced cancer were doing OK, only to be offered chemo. Often the statement was “You are doing so well now, why don’t we try some chemo”.

Understandably, it is extremely difficult for many people to resist this offer. Commonly it comes with big pressure from family and friends who, according to experience that is backed up by research, are like many patients and mistakenly believe the chemo will extend life as well as improve quality of life.

However, the American Society for Clinical Oncology recently identified end of life chemotherapy as one of the “top five” practices that could improve patients’ care and reduce costs, if stopped. This is confirmed by these two important research findings which themselves confirm earlier research.

The first, in the British Medical Journal concluded chemotherapy given to terminally ill cancer patients months before death was associated with no improvement in survival times, higher levels of intensive medical care (cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, or both) in the last week of life, higher probability of dying in an intensive care unit and less chance of dying in preferred place of death, like at home.

 This is something we need to know of well in advance, because in the heat of the moment - at the end of life, people often opt for chemo and suffer unnecessarily.

Not to say chemo is not useful at other times, but there is a need to be very selective late in life.
 In fact, the statistics show most chemo is given palliatively.

 The lead researcher Dr. Prigerson believes that the use of chemotherapy at the end of life, and conversation about it, needs reforming. "The term palliative chemotherapy is disingenuous," she told Medscape Medical News in an interview. "There is a negative side to chemotherapy; it makes you sicker."

The second piece of research just published in JAMA Oncology adds more vital information. Lead author Prof. Holly G. Prigerson from Cornell said "If this so-called palliative chemotherapy is given to improve their symptoms, then these data should give them pause that it's not going to help."

Of particular significance, these findings indicate that patients with good performance status (this is medical speak for being reasonably well) were the ones most likely to receive chemotherapy near the end of life, she said in an interview.

"In our study, 100% of the patients who were feeling well and asymptomatic were being given chemotherapy," Dr Prigerson explained. "So the question is, why? Why would a person who was functioning well be given chemotherapy?"

Charles D. Blanke, MD, and Erik. K. Fromme, MD, suggest "If an oncologist suspects the death of a patient in the next 6 months, the default should be no active treatment. Let us help patients with metastatic cancer make good decisions. Let us not contribute to the suffering that cancer, and often associated therapy, brings, particularly at the end.”

EDITORIAL COMMENT
For years I have seen people adversely affected by this and now it seems a much needed correction may be coming... 

I first wrote of this in 2006 when research began to emerge that reflected what was being observed amongst people in our groups (one short article and one longer, highly referenced one that was used as a basis for presenting at 2 major medical conferences that same year. They are on my website in the Information section and are still relevant - links below).

People who were managing their situation well with lifestyle therapies – good nutrition, positive thinking, meditation, working on their emotional health, relationships and state of mind, were being told they were doing much better than expected, so “Why don’t we try some chemo now? Do you want it?” Hard to resist in the climate we live in.

But then people would often be overrun by the side-effects. Eating well became problematic, meditation harder, state of mind affected, harder to be positive. And one medical intervention commonly led to another, often leading to tough last days.

So please share this information. While it may not be what some would like to hear, and maybe it is not a popular topic for conversation, it distresses me deeply to observe how often people who are managing advanced cancer well go into chemotherapy, only to be wiped out by it and die in difficult circumstances.

By contrast, there have been many people who have managed symptoms really well and died well, having carried through with the lifestyle approach and finding the stability and comfort that comes with consistent meditation.

Of course it would be wonderful if everyone survived cancer. But is highly possible to die well from it, in good circumstances, feeling that life has been completed. When this happens it makes it so much easier and better for family and friends as well.

Please share ….

REFERENCES
Wright A A et al, Associations between palliative chemotherapy and adult cancer patients’ end of life care and place of death: prospective cohort study, BMJ 2014;348:g1219

Prigerson HD et al, Chemotherapy Use, Performance Status, and Quality of Life at the End of Life, JAMA Oncol. Published online July 23, 2015. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.2378

Chemotherapy: how much does it contribute to 5 year survival?

Cancer, lifestyle and chemotherapy: A documented examination of the benefits and side effects of lifestyle factors and chemotherapy.

NEWS
The retreat goes well and I will write something of that at a future time. Many useful things to share coming from it…

NOTICEBOARD

NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT

Meditation Under the Long White Cloud 24 - 28 October 2015

7 day retreat at Mana Retreat Centre, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

Take time out from the busyness of everyday life; spend time with your self
Slow down, reflect, contemplate – regain perspective, vitality, balance and clarity
Deepen your understanding and experience of mindfulness, contemplation and meditation.

The special focus of this meditation retreat will be the theory and practise of contemplation

Full details, CLICK HERE

SPECIFIC CANCER RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS

CANCER and BEYOND October 2015 Monday 12th to Friday 16th

Five Day Residential Follow-up Program at the Gawler Cancer Foundation in the Yarra Valley

FULL DETAILS Click here

MIND-BODY MEDICINE and CANCER November 2015 Tuesday 10th to Saturday 14th

Five day Residential program in the beautiful surrounds of Wanaka, New Zealand
- an easy drive from Queenstown airport and very accessible for Australians

FULL DETAILS Click here

15 June 2015

Telomere length predicts illness and mortality – what you can do to reduce your risks

Regular readers will be aware by now that telomeres are the protective caps on the end of our DNA strands. A large new study has confirmed that shorter telomeres are associated with increased risk of major illness and death. Happily, this new research tells us what we can do to support our telomeres, save ourselves many potential problems and quite reasonably expect to live longer.

So this week, courtesy of an old friend who I studied veterinary science with, Dr Trevor Chatham, details of the study along with confirmation of why a healthy lifestyle makes so much sense and how it works in a biochemical sense to actually make so much difference in our lives.

Then news of an exciting movie premier to benefit the Gawler Foundation that has been made possible by our friends at Village Roadshow, but first

Thought for the day
Relax without laziness 
Focus without tension 
Perceive without projecting  
Witness without judging 
Enjoy without craving 
Reflect without imagining 

Love without condition 
Give without demanding
  Receive without possessing
 Serve without self-seeking 
Challenge without dominating
  Meditate without identity 

Correct without blaming 
Overcome without pride
 Laugh without cynicism 
Cry without pity 
Confront without hatred
 Guide without superiority  

Be without self-defining 
Live without arrogance
 Enter without self-importance
 Depart without regret 

Be one with God 

Mooji

In April 2015, a Danish study was published that tracked 65,000 people over a median of 7 years. The bottom line was that telomere length robustly predicts longevity, even after factoring out the effect of age, smoking, exercise, blood cholesterol, BMI, and alcohol consumption.

This adds immensely to our knowledge of telomere length and its predictive power. For perspective, the original [2003] study by Cawthon detected the relationship between telomere length and mortality based on fewer than 200 subjects.

The new data set is large enough to show trends over all of the health-related lifestyle variables. Smoking, inactivity, weight (body mass index), and alcohol consumption all correlated negatively with telomere length. So it should not be surprising that blood pressure and LDL choloesterol also correlated negatively with telomere length, and it is then a foregone conclusion that mortality must correlate negatively with telomere length.

This demonstrates without a doubt that unhealthy behaviours lead to shorter telomeres, as Epel and Blackburn have been telling us for a decade.

They have also emphasized the converse:

Healthy life choices lead to longer, healthier life through the medium of longer telomeres.

The references are well worth checking out:

Reference 1
Reference 2
Reference 3
Reference 4

The bottom line of this new, large study is the extra predictive power of telomere length, even after all these other lifestyle and indicator variables are factored out. Correcting for smoking, correcting for age, correcting for weight and cholesterol and exercise habits, there is still a powerful negative correlation between telomere length and mortality.

The shorter your telomeres, the greater your chance of dying. The 10% of people with the shortest telomeres were dying at 1.4 the rate of the 10% with the longest telomeres, a result that was overwhelmingly statistically apparent (p<2×10-15)

Dr Trevor Chatham BVSc

MAIN REFERENCE - LINK HERE

Editor’s note. Research into the role telomeres play in health is accelerating at quite a pace. It is becoming clearer that one of the most direct ways to explain the connection between how an unhealthy lifestyle actually increases the risk of developing any of the chronic degenerative diseases and of dying early, is that the unhealthy lifestyle prematurely shortens telomeres and that is associated with higher risks of adverse events.

What to do? This research confirms that a healthy lifestyle protects telomeres. Other research by Dean Ornish has even shown that a healthy lifestyle can increase telomere length over 5 years.

We also know meditation is associated with increasing telomerase levels and as Ornish showed that translated into longer telomeres, maybe meditation does that too.

We also know some herbs protect telomeres and may increase telomerase, so we are far from powerless!

RELATED BLOG
Service your car? Of course! Service your telomeres? What?

NOTICEBOARD

Awake - Charity premier film screening – highly recommended

Support the Gawler Foundation and see an inspiring, uplifting film

Many readers will know of the great Hindu yogi Yogananda and his landmark book Autobiography of a Yogi. Yogananda came to the West from India in 1920, taught Kriya Yoga and played a major role in popularizing meditation, yoga and its philosophy.

Autobiography of a Yogi has been in print for over sixty-five years and translated into at least thirty-four languages. It is a book I have recommended for decades, being an extraordinary introduction into the world of the yogis.

Now a feature film has been made of Yogananda’s life and the Gawler Foundation will screen a charity premier at the delightful Rivoli Cinema in Hawthorn, courtesy of our friends at Village Roadshow, in just a couple of weeks.

Awake - The Life of Yogananda

Special Gawler Foundation Fundraising screening

When: Monday 29th June, 6.45pm for a 7pm start

Where: Rivoli Village Cinemas, 200 Camberwell Road, Hawthorn East

Tickets:$20 BOOK HERE

PRICELESS VITALITY
An exciting new website is being launched tomorrow in Melbourne and you can attend!

PRICELESS VITALITY helps people around the world gain access to health care and support at a price they can afford. Finding innovative and sustainable ways for people to share healthy products and services through our online marketplace and community activities.

MEDITATION POSSIBILITIES IN QUEENSLAND – Coming soon

Cairns weekend meditation intensive – June 20 and 21 – Non-residential

Meditation is the greatest gift you can give to yourself, or someone you care for

Date Saturday, Sunday 20^th and 21^st June. Starts 10am (arrive 9.30) to 5pm

Venue Khacho Yulo Ling Buddhist Centre, 348 Severin Street, Cairns

Enquiries Call 07 4041 5556 or email info@yuloling.com

Bookings Online, go to : www.yuloling.comwww.yuloling.com or call Rinchen 07 4041 5556

Medicine of the Mind – Cairns Evening Public Lecture – June 23

For everyone interested in the power within

Date Tuesday 23rd June, 2015 Starts 7pm (arrive 6.30) to 10pm

Venue Khacho Yulo Ling Buddhist Centre, 348 Severin St