Breakthroughs Today

There is more to Christmastime than the rejoicings, carols and the decorations. That something may also include some cursory look on what certain decorations can do to badly impact on your Yuletide health. This round; it is mistletoe and wine. Christmastime Although festive, Christmastime is best celebrated—unlike most festivities such as Pit Señor (although it is a feast of the Child Jesus) because of the mardigras dancing associated with Sinulog—that is, not so much with lots of dancing, but with more solemn times together with the family, talking about the events of the year; oftentimes with lola and lolo around. It is especially during Christmas that we finally have the time to renew our spirits, calm our nerves, and celebrate the blessing we receive the whole year round. It is where health supposed to be at its most pampered time. Mistletoe Viscum album is a tree parasitic plant that had medicinal properties only lately better documented. In 2006, the S

WITH graduations through, and parties being held, there is more time for drinking alcoholic beverages. So it may be a downer to bring out a recent study that put this favorite Filipino drink into the spotlight. But needless to say, being forewarned is being forearmed. In October 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer updated its 1988 classification of acetaldehyde (“probable carcinogen in humans”) to Group I human carcinogen (“carcinogenic to humans”). And that is not for insignificant bases. Thirteen medical researchers conducted a study involving 818 heavy drinkers found that acetaldehyde cause defects in their genes for the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. Their findings came out in the November 2005 issue of the International Journal of Cancer. If you should drink this summer, then let me share with you a recent study that evaluated the acetaldehyde content major groups of alcoholic beverages available in the market. This way you can choose those that pose the

ROBERT Louis Stevenson wrote: “Wine is bottled poetry.” It has been a common knowledge among medical scientists that elderly men are mostly at high risk to Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (OSCC) because of these elderly people's previous use of tobacco and excessive intake of alcohol. But as early as 2005, studies observed patients below age 40 as having OSCC. Seven researchers from four medical schools in Greece conducted a review of available studies on the subject, and found several factors common among OSCC patients. These are... [ Read more ] This article appears in Sun.Star Cebu on 9 March 2011.