IGF-1, also known as insulin-like growth factor 1, is a complex and interesting hormone. Is IGF-1 good or bad when it comes to your health? It has the potential to have both effects depending on how much your body produces. Its most important job is to promote cell growth (hence the name). It's known as…
Does hair dye cause cancer? Let's just say if you're one to touch up your locks every month or so, you may be shocked to read about the scary connection researchers just discovered. The results of a new study suggest the risk of breast cancer increases with more frequent use of chemical hair products, including…
Acrylamide — a chemical that is found in some foods that are exposed to high temperatures — has been linked to certain health problems, including cancer, in animal studies. This chemical was first detected in certain foods in April 2002. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): In 2010, the Joint Food and…
Alcohol. Cigarettes. Asbestos. Bacon? The headlines came fast and furious last week, after a panel under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO) said there’s sufficient evidence that processed meats cause colorectal cancer. This puts bacon, hot dogs and sausages into the WHO’s Group 1 category, the same as substances like tobacco and asbestos. The…
Has anyone else noticed that the FDA sometimes approves ingredients without really understanding how they might affect the human body? The preservative known as tBHQ is no exception. tBHQ — or tertiary butylhydroquinone, also referred to as tert-Butylhydroquinone or t-butylhydroquinone — got press a few years ago when a popular natural health blogger began exposing…
Today, I want to tell you about how addictive sugar can cause cancer. With the number of people getting cancer growing each single year, this is a topic that I’m really passionate about. My mom has gone through cancer twice, and it's an experience I don't want anyone to suffer through if possible. I want…
What causes cancer? While we definitely don't know everything that can trigger this disease, what is clear is that more people are dealing with this disease. According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 39.6 percent of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. (1) Previous research shows that genetics…
Can fast-food packaging like burrito, burger and pastry wrappers, along with pizza and French fry boxes, really increase your cancer risk? A certain family of chemicals helps keeping grease from dripping through the fast-food packaging and onto your hands and clothes. But as it turns out, about a third of the fast-food containers tested contain…
Do cell phones cause cancer? As with any type of science looking at this type of issue, it's going to take decades to come to a definitive conclusion. Meanwhile, though, more and more studies are painting a picture suggesting that cell phone radiation is not completely safe and could very well be carcinogenic. I don't…
In a world where stress levels are rising, exposure to natural sunlight outdoors is diminishing and technology is leading to constant demands for everybody's attention, it's no surprise that so many people struggle to get enough sleep and suffer with sleep deprivation. What does it mean to be "sleep deprived"? What are some of the…
