Stress may hit cancer virus fight

A stressful life may make it tougher to fight the virus which causes the majority of cervical cancer cases, say scientists.

HPV is a sexually transmitted infection - but only a small percentage of women who catch it develop cancer.

US researchers, writing in the journal Annals of Behavioural Medicine, said that stressed women had a weaker immune response to the virus.

But the study did not prove that stress was the root cause of the problem.

Women who report feeling more stressed could be at greater risk of developing cervical cancer because their immune system can't fight off one of the most common viruses that cause it Dr Carolyn Fang Fox Chase Cancer Center

It is already known that the way the body's immune system reacts when confronted with HPV - short for human papillomavirus - can determine whether the infection causes more serious problems.

Many women appear able to "clear" the virus from their bodies, while in others it can cause a persistent infection which raises the risk of the abnormal cell changes which can eventually lead to cancer.

The latest study, carried out at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, looked for reasons why, in some women, the immune system is unable to clear the virus.

Their small study asked 78 women who had had abnormal smear tests to fill in a questionnaire about their day-to-day stresses over the previous month, and any major events such as bereavements or divorce over a longer period.

Then the ability of their immune system to respond to HPV16 - the most common variety of the virus linked to cervical cancer - was measured.

Similar tests were carried out on 28 women who had not received an abnormal smear test, and the results compared.

The researchers found that the immune response was poorer among women who reported higher levels of day-to-day stress.

However, there was no correlation between immune response and the number of major events.

No cause

Dr Carolyn Fang, who led the study, said: "Women with higher levels of perceived stress were more likely to have an impaired immune response to HPV16.

"That means that women who report feeling more stressed could be at greater risk of developing cervical cancer because their immune system can't fight off one of the most common viruses that cause it."

The researchers admitted, however, that the design of the study meant that it was impossible to look for proof that stress actually caused the immune response, rather than just accompanied it.

A spokesman for Cancer Research UK said that more research would be needed to prove the link.

"We already know that an effective immune response against certain forms of HPV can guard against cervical cancer - this knowledge helped to spearhead the development of cervical cancer vaccines targeting this virus.

"This small study does not provide conclusive evidence that a stressful life directly suppresses the immune system and increases the risk of cervical cancer.

"More work would be needed before we know if there is a relationship between stress levels and the ability to fight HPV infection."

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8 Highly Effective Cold Prevention Strategies

It seems as if everyone I know is sick, getting over being sick, or about to become sick. Many of these people turn to me for advice. They ask me for drugs and cures. I tell them all the same thing: drink fluids and get rest. Those two simple actions will speed-up your recovery. However, while you are recovering, you will not eat properly or work out regularly. This will slow down your weight loss.

Losing weight is already a slow process and we don’t need anything else slowing it down. If you could avoid getting sick, you could lose more weight. In this post, I will give you some tips to help prevent you from getting a cold and keep you losing weight.

Top Eight Cold Prevention Strategies

1. Wash your hands - The world we live in is filled with viruses and bacteria that can make us ill. Your hands are no exceptions. Wash your hands often to keep them clean. If you cannot wash them, at least use some hand sanitizer, such as Purel.

2. Avoid contact with people - People have germs. People don’t wash their hands. People cough and sneeze all over the place. Avoid crowds. Instead of shaking hands, try bowing. They do it in Japan. Instead of regular hugs, try virtual hugs. They don’t feel as nice, but they are germ-free.

3. Keep your hands out of your face - We have already discussed the germs and viruses on your hands. You cannot wash them continuously, so in between washings keep your hands out of your face. Your face is an open portal to your insides. Keep the germs away from your portal.

4. Drink water - Drinking more water is my answer to everything. Water will help clean out your body and keep it clean. It will also keep your body functioning at 100%. You should drink at least (eight) 8oz glasses of water everyday. This will also help you lose weight.

5. Eat your fruits and vegetables - There are phytochemicals and antioxidants in fruits and vegetables that can help strengthen your immune system and prevent diseases. You should eat at least four servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits every day.

6. Multivitamins - If you are not eating all of your fruit and vegetable servings, you should take a multivitamin to ensure you are getting all of the vitamins your body needs to function properly. Take a simple one-a-day multivitamin everyday.

7. Stay warm - Being cold weakens your immune system and makes your body more susceptible to illness. Look at the day’s temperature at weather.com before leaving your home. Wear layers in and out of your home when it is cold.

8. Relax and rest - Stress weakens your immune system. You can reduce your stress levels by relaxing and getting more sleep. Sleep is essential to maintaining a healthy immune system. Sleep will also boost your recovery time if you become ill.

Getting a cold can derail your nutrition and activity plans. However, if you follow the strategies I laid out for you, you can prevent this from happening.

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The orange, purple and green cauliflowers that scientists claim could be healthier for you

Cauliflower cheese will never be the same again.

Scientists have developed amazing variants of vegetable where the traditional white florets have been changed to a garish orange, purple and green.

The "rainbow cauliflowers" are said to taste the same as the normal varieties, but add a splash of colour to the dinner table.

Some scientists have even claimed that they are healthier for you.

Andrew Coker, a spokesman for the plant company Syngenta - which is developing the plants in Europe - stressed that the colourful cauliflowers were not the result of genetic engineering, but came after decades of traditional selective breeding.

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Cauli-ful: The green, orange and purple varieties of cauliflower

Although its not the first time that orange and green cauliflowers have been seen in Britain, their creators say they will be the first to be commercially available in supermarkets and markets.

They retain their colour even after cooking. "The pictures may look garish, but they are really are this colourful," said Mr Coker.

"Consumers are looking for ever new experiences on their dinner plates and colour features very large in their desire for different things.

"These are the results of traditional selective breeding - where different strains have been cross breed and cross bred until these strains have been created.

"We are now trying to ensure that we have the consistency of colour, taste and size before bringing them to the mass market. But you will find them in smaller outlets from this year."

In tests, the garish cauliflowers have proved a hit with shoppers.

While traditionalists may baulk at the unusual colours, it is not the first time that plant breeders have changed the appearance of vegetables.

Until the 17th century most carrots eaten Europe were white, yellow or purple. The orange pigment was added by Dutch plant breeders looking for a way to celebrate Holland's royal family.

The last few years has seen the introduction of purple carrots to supermarkets in Britain, along with yellow tomatoes and purple potatoes.

In America, where colour cauliflowers have been available for several years, they have been a big hit with foodies. The orange cauliflower has higher than normal levels of beta carotene, a form of vitamin A that encourages healthy skin.

The purple colour comes from anthocyanin, which may help prevent heart disease by slowing blood clotting.

Tests of the orange cauliflowers in America found that they contained 25 times the concentrations of beta carotene in normal cauliflowers.

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