Month: June 2018

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Two Prostate Cancer Drugs Delay Spread of the Disease by Two Years (NYT)

Ron Scolamiero of Marshfield, Mass., takes four pills of the prostate cancer drug apalutamide daily. New studies show it is one of two drugs that can stave off pain and the need for chemotherapy. (Credit: Kayana Szymczak)

They are among the most challenging prostate cancer patients to treat: about 150,000 men worldwide each year whose cancer is aggressive enough to defy standard hormonal therapy, but has not yet spread to the point where it can be seen on scans.

These patients enter a tense limbo which often ends too quickly with the cancer metastasizing to their bones, lymph nodes or other organs — sometimes causing intense pain.

Now, for the first time, researchers have results from two independent clinical trials showing that two different drugs help these patients — giving them about two more years before their cancer metastasizes. That means two additional years before pain and other symptoms spread and they need chemotherapy or other treatments. […]

[Source: New York Times, “Two Prostate Cancer Drugs Delay Spread of the Disease by Two Years” by Pam Belluck on Feb. 8, 2018.]

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Does Intermittent Fasting Affect Your Metabolism?

(Credit: menonsstocks/Getty Images)
(Credit: menonsstocks/Getty Images)

An interesting article from Cooking Light offers some insight into a recent diet trend: Can intermittent fasting really boost your metabolism to help you lose weight?

Surprisingly, research suggests that the effect of intermittent fasting has the same or less negative effects on metabolism compared to traditional dieting. The reason why many think intermittent fasting improves metabolism is due to less loss of lean body mass and greater fat burning. It’s impossible to lose weight without losing a little lean body mass, but research suggests that a lower percentage of lean body mass is lost when losing weight with intermittent fasting than with traditional dieting. Preserving more lean body mass means the body’s calorie-burning slows less. At the same time, short fasting periods cause the body to tap into fat stores and burn a greater percentage of fat mass for energy. (Source: Cooking Light)

What is intermittent fasting? This diet requires you to have an alternating schedule between short periods of fasting (consuming 25% of daily calorie needs) and periods of regular food intake (consuming the regular required calories recommenced for your body type; not binging on these days).

The key to utilizing intermittent fasting for weight loss is the short fasting periods (not extending them as that will slow metabolism) and keeping regular/normal days of eating in the recommended range and not overeating.

Read the full article to learn more about the specifics involved with intermittent fasting: “How Intermittent Fasting Affects Your Metabolism.”