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Don't give up on grains

Whole grains contain fiber and nutrients that can help your health.

It's a low-carb world, and many people are pushing grains off their plate in an effort to control their waistline. But they may be doing their body a disservice. Whole grains have some unique properties that make them a valuable addition to the diet. Not only do they contain a host of nutrients, such as iron, B vitamins, copper, zinc, and magnesium, but studies have linked diets rich in whole grains to a lower risk of colon cancer, which is a growing health threat for many younger Americans.

"The main benefit of whole cereal grains, such as wheat, oats, and barley, is in the fiber," says Teresa Fung, adjunct professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "Cereal fiber is different from vegetable fiber or bean fiber."

Stay ahead of skin cancer

Learn to spot an actinic keratosis before it becomes cancerous.

About 58 million people have at least one actinic keratosis (AK), a precancerous skin growth caused by too much sun exposure.

Yet most people don't see the potential danger in these lesions because they are small, with few if any annoying symptoms, and can go away almost as fast as they appear.

Colorectal cancer screening before age 50?

While the incidence of colorectal cancer has declined among older adults, it has increased in people younger than 50. The American Cancer Society now recommends that adults be screened for this condition starting at age 45.

Eating more ultra-processed foods may shorten life span

In the journals

Need another reason to monitor your intake of ultra-processed foods? Cutting down on your amounts could help you live longer.

In an observational study published online Feb. 11, 2019, by JAMA Internal Medicine, almost 45,000 adults ages 45 and older completed several dietary assessments over a two-year period. On average, ultra-processed foods made up about 15% of their daily diet as measured in grams.

Does endometriosis increase cancer risk?

Ask the doctors

Q. I have endometriosis, and I recently heard that it might increase my risk of certain cancers. Is this true?

A. Researchers have linked endometriosis, an often painful condition that causes endometrial-like tissue to grow outside the uterus, to a higher risk of two types of ovarian cancer — endometrioid and clear-cell subtypes. That said, even though your risk of these cancers may be higher than that of the average woman who doesn't have endometriosis, your chances of developing one of these cancers is still very small — less than 1%.

Fish oil and vitamin D supplements might offer some health benefits

In the journals

Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid supplements have had mixed results when it comes to preventing heart attacks, strokes, and cancer in people who have already developed these problems or are at high risk for them. Yet a new study published online Nov. 10, 2018, by The New England Journal of Medicine found they may actually prevent these conditions among people who have never had these problems before.

Researchers recruited almost 26,000 people, ages 50 and older, who had no history of heart disease or cancer. The participants were divided into four groups. People in one group were given daily doses of 2,000 international units of vitamin D (an amount found to be linked to lower disease risk in observational studies) and 1 gram of a drug called Lovaza, which contained 840 milligrams of omega-3s (two to four times the amount in two servings of fish per week). The second group took vitamin D and a placebo, the third group took the omega-3s and a placebo, and the final group took two placebos. After more than five years, the researchers found that those given omega-3s were 28% less likely to suffer a heart attack compared with those given a placebo. Those who ate fewer servings of fish (less than the average of 1.5 servings per week) appeared to have a greater benefit from the additional omega-3s while those with higher fish intake had minimal benefit.

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