GLOBAL WARMING

What is global warming? 

Global warming is when the earth heats up (the temperature rises).  It happens when greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane) trap heat and light from the sun in the earth’s atmosphere, which increases the temperature.  This hurts many people, animals, and plants.  Many cannot take the change, so they die.

What is the greenhouse effect?

The greenhouse effect is when the temperature rises because the sun’s heat and light is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere.  This is like when heat is trapped in a car. On a very hot day, the car gets hotter when it is out in the parking lot.  This is because the heat and light from the sun can get into the car, by going through the windows, but it can’t get back out.  This is what the greenhouse effect does to the earth.  The heat and light can get through the atmosphere, but it can’t get out.  As a result, the temperature rises.

The sun’s heat can get into the car through the windows but is then trapped.  This makes what ever the place might be, a greenhouse, a car, a building, or the earth’s atmosphere, hotter.  This diagram shows the heat coming into a car as visible light (light you can see) and infrared light (heat).  Once the light is inside the car, it is trapped and the heat builds up, just like it does in the earth’s atmosphere.

Sometimes the temperature can change in a way that helps us.  The greenhouse effect makes the earth appropriate for people to live on.  Without it, the earth would be freezing, or on the other hand it would be burning hot.  It would be freezing at night because the sun would be down.  We would not get the sun’s heat and light to make the night somewhat warm.  During the day, especially during the summer, it would be burning because the sun would be up with no atmosphere to filter it, so people, plants, and animals would be exposed to all the light and heat.

Although the greenhouse effect makes the earth able to have people living on it, if there gets to be too many gases, the earth can get unusually warmer, and many plants, animals, and people will die.  They would die because there would be less food (plants like corn, wheat, and other vegetables and fruits).  This would happen because the plants would not be able to take the heat.  This would cause us to have less food to eat, but it would also limit the food that animals have.  With less food, like grass, for the animals that we need to survive (like cows) we would even have less food.  Gradually, people, plants, and animals would all die of hunger.  

What are greenhouse gasses?

Greenhouse gasses are gasses are in the earth’s atmosphere that collect heat and light from the sun.  With too many greenhouse gasses in the air, the earth’s atmosphere will trap too much heat and the earth will get too hot.  As a result people, animals, and plants would die because the heat would be too strong. 

What is global warming doing to the environment?

Global warming is affecting many parts of the world.  Global warming makes the sea rise, and when the sea rises, the water covers many low land islands.  This is a big problem for many of the plants, animals, and people on islands.  The water covers the plants and causes some of them to die.  When they die, the animals lose a source of food, along with their habitat.  Although animals have a better ability to adapt to what happens than plants do, they may die also.  When the plants and animals die, people lose two sources of food, plant food and animal food.  They may also lose their homes.  As a result, they would also have to leave the area or die.  This would be called a break in the food chain, or a chain reaction, one thing happening that leads to another and so on.  

The oceans are affected by global warming in other ways, as well.  Many things that are happening to the ocean are linked to global warming.  One thing that is happening is warm water, caused from global warming, is harming and killing algae in the ocean.

Algae is a producer that you can see floating on the top of the water.  (A producer is something that makes food for 

other animals through photosynthesis, like grass.)  This floating green algae is food to many consumers in the ocean.  (A consumer is something that eats the producers.)  One kind of a consumer is small fish.  There are many others like crabs, some whales, and many other animals.  Fewer algae is a problem because there is less food for us and many animals in the sea. 

Global warming is doing many things to people as well as animals and plants.  It is killing algae, but it is also destroying many huge forests.  The pollution that causes global warming is linked to acid rain.  Acid rain gradually destroys almost everything it touches.  Global warming is also causing many more fires that wipe out whole forests.  This happens because global warming can make the earth very hot.  In forests, some plants and trees leaves can be so dry that they catch on fire. 

What causes global warming?  

Many things cause global warming.  One thing that causes global warming is electrical pollution.  Electricity causes pollution in many ways, some worse than others.  In most cases, fossil fuels are burned to create electricity.  Fossil fuels are made of dead plants and animals.  Some examples of fossil fuels are oil and petroleum.  Many pollutants (chemicals that pollute the air, water, and land) are sent into the air when fossil fuels are burned.  Some of these chemicals are called greenhouse gasses.

We use these sources of energy much more than the sources that give off less pollution.  Petroleum, one of the sources of energy, is used a lot.  It is used for transportation, making electricity, and making many other things.  Although this source of energy gives off a lot of pollution, it is used for 38% of the United States’ energy.

Some other examples of using energy and polluting the air are:

	@Turning on a light
@	Watching T.V.
@	Listening to a stereo
@	Washing or drying clothes
@	Using a hair dryer
@	Riding in a car
@	Heating a meal in the microwave
@	Using an air conditioner
@	Playing a video game

@ Using a dish washer

When you do these things, you are causing more greenhouse gasses to be sent into the air.  Greenhouse gasses are sent into the air because creating the electricity you use to do these things causes pollution.  If you think of how many times a day you do these things, it’s a lot.  You even have to add in how many other people do these things!  That turns out to be a lot of pollutants going into the air a day because of people like us using electricity. The least amount of electricity you use, the better.

 

When we throw our garbage away, the garbage goes to landfills.  Landfills are those big hills that you go by on an expressway that stink.  They are full of garbage.  The garbage is then sometimes burned.  This sends an enormous amount of greenhouse gasses into the air and makes global warming worse.

Another thing that makes global warming worse is when people cut down trees.  Trees and other plants collect carbon dioxide (CO2), which is a greenhouse gas.

Carbon dioxide is the air that our body lets out when we breathe. With fewer trees, it is harder for people to breathe because there is more CO2 in the air, and we don’t breathe CO2, we breathe oxygen.  Plants collect the CO2 that we breathe out, and they give back oxygen that we breathe in.  With less trees and other plants, such as algae, there is less air for us, and more greenhouse gases are sent into the air. This means that it is very important to protect our trees to stop the greenhouse effect, and also so we can breathe and live. 

This gas, CO2, collects light and heat (radiant energy), produced by the sun, and this makes the earth warmer.  The heat and light from the sun is produced in the center of the sun.  (The sun has layers just like the earth.) 

This layer is called the core.  Just like a core of an apple, it is in the middle.  Here there is a very high temperature, about 27,000,000°F.  This heat escapes out of this layer to the next layer, the radiative zone. This layer is cooler, about 4,500,000°F.   Gradually, the heat and light will pass through the convection zone at a temperature of around 2,000,000°F.  When it gets to the surface, the temperature is about 10,000°F.  Finally, the heat and light is sent into space.  This is called radiant energy (heat and light).  The radiant energy reaches the earth’s atmosphere.  As a result of this process we get light and heat.  When you pollute, you send chemicals into the air that destroy our atmosphere, so more heat and light cannot escape from the earth’s atmosphere.

What are people doing to stop global warming?  

People are doing many things to try to stop global warming.  One thing people are doing is carpooling.  Carpooling is driving with someone to a place that you are both going to.  This minimizes the amount of greenhouse gases put into the air by a car.

Another thing that people are doing is being more careful about leaving things turned on like the television, computer, and the lights.   A lot of people are taking time away from the television, and instead, they are spending more time outdoors.  This helps our planet out a lot.  Now, more people are even riding busses, walking to school, and riding their bikes to lower the amount of greenhouse gases in the air.  Planting trees and recycling also helps.  If you recycle, less trash goes to the dump, and less trash gets burned.  As a result, there are fewer greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere. 

Watch what you buy.  Many things, such as hairspray and deodorant, now are made to have less of an impact on the atmosphere.  Less greenhouse gasses will rise into the air, and global warming will slow down.

What is the government doing to stop global warming?

The government is doing many things to help stop global warming. The government made a law called The Clean Air Act so there is less air pollution.  Global warming is making people get very bad illnesses that could make them disabled, very sick, and sometimes even die.  The Clean Air Act is making many companies change their products to decrease these problems.  Part of the law says that you may not put a certain amount of pollutants in the air.  Hairspray and some other products, like foam cups, had this problem.  Making and using these products let out too much volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), ozone-destroying chemicals (chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s), and related chemicals (such as CO2) into the air.  Now, almost all of these products have a label on them telling people what this product can do to the environment and many people.  By 2015 all products listed on the Clean Air Act will have this label on them:

WARNING: contains or manufactured with (the chemical would go here.  For example chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s), a substance which harms public health and the environment by destroying ozone in the upper atmosphere.

Almost all of the other chemicals that could be harmful will have this label on them hopefully by this time (2015) as well.

The Clean Air Act has also made car companies change some of the things inside of the cars.  Cars pollute a lot.  While cars make more than half of the world’s smog (visible pollution in the air), many things that cars need to move and heat up make even more pollution.  Some things that are inside of cars, buses, trucks, and motorcycles, like gasoline, pollute the air when the fuel is burned.  It comes out as a chemical and when mixed in the air, forms smog.  Smog is a kind of pollution that you see in the form of a cloud.  If you have ever been to California you can see a lot of smog in some places.  Sometimes the smog gets so bad that you cannot see at all!  Smog forms when car exhaust, pollution from homes, and pollution from factories mixes in the air and has a chemical reaction.  The sun’s heat and light add to the reaction.

Cars, buses, and trucks are also responsible for over 50% of dangerous chemicals let into the air.  Some of these chemicals can cause cancer, birth defects, trouble breathing, brain and nerve damage, lung injures, and burning eyes.  Some of the pollutants are so harmful that they can even cause death.

What are some of the other dangerous chemicals?

Some other chemicals that cause air pollution and are bad for the environment and people are:

@ Ozone- Ozone is produced when other pollution chemicals combine.  It is the basic element of smog.  It causes many different kinds of health issues dealing with the lungs.  It can damage plants and limit sight.  It can also cause a lot of property damage.

@ VOC’s (volatile organic compounds, smog formers)- VOC’s are let into the air when fuel is burned. This chemical can cause cancer.  It can also harm plants.

@ NOx (nitrogen dioxide)- This chemical forms smog.  It is also formed by burning sources of energy, like gas, coal, and oil, and by cars.  This chemical causes problems in the respiratory system (including the lungs).  It causes acid rain, and it can damage trees.  This chemical can eat away buildings and statues.

@  CO (carbon monoxide)- The source of this chemical is burning sources of energy.  It causes blood vessel problems and respiratory failures.

@ PM-10 (particulate matter)- The source of this chemical is plowing and burning down fields.  It can cause death and lung damage.  It can make it hard for people to breathe.  The smoke, soot, ash, and dust formed by this chemical can make many cities dirty.

@  Sulfur Dioxide- This chemical is produced by making paper and metals.  This chemical can cause permanent lung damage.  It can cause acid rain which kills trees and damages building and statues.

@

Lead- This chemical is in paint, leaded gasoline, smelters, and in lead storage batteries.  It can cause many brain and nerve damages and digestive problems.

Test yourself on global warming by figuring out a word search at the website below.  When you enter this website, you will have to click on Global Warming Word Search to enter the page.  Click on the website below to test yourself on global warming.  http://globalwarming.enviroweb.org/games/

Kid can help stop global warming, too!!

Although adults do many things to help stop global warming, kids can do just as much.  Kids can’t do hard things like making a law, but we can do easier things like not watching as much TV.  You can listen to your parents when they say, turn off your lights or go play outside.  Listening to them and actually trying to help can help you, your environment, and the world.

 

     

Effects of Global Warming

The planet is warming, from North Pole to South Pole, and everywhere in between. Globally, the mercury is already up more than 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius), and even more in sensitive polar regions. And the effects of rising temperatures aren’t waiting for some far-flung future. They’re happening right now. Signs are appearing all over, and some of them are surprising. The heat is not only melting glaciers and sea ice, it’s also shifting precipitation patterns and setting animals on the move.

Some impacts from increasing temperatures are already happening.

• Ice is melting worldwide, especially at the Earth’s poles. This includes mountain glaciers, ice sheets covering West Antarctica and Greenland, and Arctic sea ice.
• Researcher Bill Fraser has tracked the decline of the Adélie penguins on Antarctica, where their numbers have fallen from 32,000 breeding pairs to 11,000 in 30 years.
• Sea level rise became faster over the last century.
• Some butterflies, foxes, and alpine plants have moved farther north or to higher, cooler areas.
• Precipitation (rain and snowfall) has increased across the globe, on average.
• Spruce bark beetles have boomed in Alaska thanks to 20 years of warm summers. The insects have chewed up 4 million acres of spruce trees.

Other effects could happen later this century, if warming continues.

• Sea levels are expected to rise between 7 and 23 inches (18 and 59 centimeters) by the end of the century, and continued melting at the poles could add between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters).
• Hurricanes and other storms are likely to become stronger.
• Species that depend on one another may become out of sync. For example, plants could bloom earlier than their pollinating insects become active.
• Floods and droughts will become more common. Rainfall in Ethiopia, where droughts are already common, could decline by 10 percent over the next 50 years.
• Less fresh water will be available. If the Quelccaya ice cap in Peru continues to melt at its current rate, it will be gone by 2100, leaving thousands of people who rely on it for drinking water and electricity without a source of either.
• Some diseases will spread, such as malaria carried by mosquitoes.
• Ecosystems will change—some species will move farther north or become more successful; others won’t be able to move and could become extinct. Wildlife research scientist Martyn Obbard has found that since the mid-1980s, with less ice on which to live and fish for food, polar bears have gotten considerably skinnier.  Polar bear biologist Ian Stirling has found a similar pattern in Hudson Bay.  He fears that if sea ice disappears, the polar bears will as well.

Please Donate Blood and Save Life

Is donating blood safe?
Donating blood is a safe process. Needles and bags used to collect blood are used only once and then discarded, making spread of infection to the donor not possible.

Can I give if I have been turned down before?
Most reasons, for which donors are turned away from donating blood are temporary, not permanent. For example, one common reason for a deferral is low iron level in the blood, but iron levels fluctuate daily and are affected by what you eat. Check the eligibility requirements to see if you may be eligible to donate. A "mini-physical" is given to all potential donors to ensure they are healthy enough to donate.

How often can one give blood?
Regulations in the United States allow people to donate whole blood once every 56 days. The waiting period between donations can be different for other blood components. For example, donating only platelets in a process called apheresis requires only a 3 day wait before a person can give again. Donating two units of red blood cells through a similar process doubles the waiting period to 112 days.

How do I know if I am eligible to donate blood? 
You must be in good health, be at least 17 years old, and weigh at least 110 pounds. You will also need to pass physical and health history reviews prior to donating. There is no upper age limit on your ability to donate. Conditions that require a temporary deferral are pregnancy, travel to certain parts of the world, inoculations, some health conditions and certain medications. Call 1-800 GIVE LIFE or check the eligibility requirements to get answers to specific eligibility questions you may have. Eligibility requirements may also vary for some states and blood centers. Final eligibility is determined by medical professionals at the time of donation.

Are the health history questions and my test results confidential? 
Yes. The health history will be conducted by a trained professional in an individual booth arranged to preserve confidentiality. Your answers will be kept confidential, except where required by law. If your blood tests positive to any of the administered standard tests, you will receive confidential notification. The Red Cross maintains strict confidentiality of all blood donor records.

What can I do if I am not eligible to donate?
While you may be unable to donate blood, there are other ways you can help. You can help organize a blood drive, recruit other suitable donors, or volunteer at fixed sites or mobile blood drives to help make donors' experience a positive one. Monetary donations are another way to help ensure that safe blood can be provided to those who are in need. Learn more about how you can help.

How can I ensure a pleasant donation experience?
You'll want a good night's sleep the night before, and a good breakfast or lunch before your donation. Drink fluids like juice, milk, or soda ahead of time. Take your normal medications as prescribed. Ensure you have adequate iron level by making iron-rich foods part of your daily diet. These include red meat, poultry, fish, green leafy vegetables, iron-fortified cereals, nuts, raisins and prunes. During your donation, relax. After your donation, have some juice and cookies in the canteen. Then you can go about your daily activities, but avoid heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for the remainder of the day. See the tips for a good donation experience.

Should I give blood now or wait until I am called?
Under normal circumstances eligible donors are encouraged to donate as often as possible. Please call 1-800-GIVE LIFE or schedule an appointment online. During emergency circumstances please listen to media reports in your area and donate as requested.

How long does it take to donate blood?
The whole process takes about an hour. It starts with registration, a health history and a mini-physical. Then comes the actual donation, which usually takes less than 10-12 minutes. Afterward, you will be asked to spend a few minutes in the "canteen" where you can have a light refreshment before returning to your normal activities.

How much blood is taken — won't it make me weak?
A blood donation equals approximately one pint of blood. The average adult body has 10-12 pints. The vast majority of people will not feel any different because of the donation. A very small percentage may experience temporary dizziness, but some rest and fluids will help you feel better quickly. Your body will replace the lost fluid within 24 hours.

What will happen to my blood after I donate?
Each blood donation is assigned a unique computer barcode number, which will identify it throughout its path from the donor to a hospital patient. Immediately after the blood donation, the blood is placed in transport containers designed to keep it at a safe temperature until it reaches a Red Cross component laboratory. Samples of the blood donation are simultaneously sent to one of nine Red Cross National Testing Laboratories to be tested for transmissible diseases. In the component lab, the blood is separated into its components: red blood cells, platelets and plasma. The products are then placed in quarantined, temperature-controlled refrigeration units until the test results are received (usually 12-16 hours later) and the blood can be released for distribution or destroyed. From local distribution centers, the blood is transported to hospitals based on patient need. Hospital personnel then transfuse the blood or blood products to a patient in need.

Can I direct my blood donation to an individual?
Patients scheduled for surgery may be eligible to donate blood for themselves in the weeks before non-emergency surgery in a process known as autologous donation. If an autologous donation is not used, it is discarded. Family members and friends can also make directed donations. Directed donations are fully tested, so if they are not used by the intended patient, they can be released for use by other patients.

Can I direct my blood donation to the military?
The American Red Cross has created a strong operations network that helps us direct your blood donation to the areas of the country — or the world — where they are most needed. While you can't direct your donation to be specifically routed to military personnel, you can be sure that it will be sent to the areas of most critical need.

Radiation Therapy for Cancer

* Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells by damaging their DNA

* Radiation therapy can damage normal cells as well as cancer cells. Therefore, treatment must be carefully  planned to minimize side effects.

* The radiation used for cancer treatment may come from a machine outside the body, or it may come from radioactive material placed in the body near tumor cells or injected into the bloodstream.

* A patient may receive radiation therapy before, during, or after surgery, depending on the type of cancer being treated.

* Some patients receive radiation therapy alone, and some receive radiation therapy in combination with chemotherapy.

1. What is radiation therapy? Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells (1). X-rays, gamma rays, and charged particles are types of radiation used for cancer treatment.
   The radiation may be delivered by a machine outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy), or it may come from radioactive material placed in the body near cancer cells (internal radiation therapy, also called brachytherapy).
   Systemic radiation therapy uses radioactive substances, such as radioactive iodine, that travel in the blood to kill cancer cells.
   About half of all cancer patients receive some type of radiation therapy sometime during the course of their treatment.
2. How does radiation therapy kill cancer cells? Radiation therapy kills cancer cells by damaging their DNA (the molecules inside cells that carry genetic information and pass it from one generation to the next) (1). Radiation therapy can either damage DNA directly or create charged particles (free radicals) within the cells that can in turn damage the DNA.
   Cancer cells whose DNA is damaged beyond repair stop dividing or die. When the damaged cells die, they are broken down and eliminated by the body’s natural processes.
3. Does radiation therapy kill only cancer cells? No, radiation therapy can also damage normal cells, leading to side effects (see Question 10).
   Doctors take potential damage to normal cells into account when planning a course of radiation therapy (see Question 5). The amount of radiation that normal tissue can safely receive is known for all parts of the body. Doctors use this information to help them decide where to aim radiation during treatment.
4. Why do patients receive radiation therapy? Radiation therapy is sometimes given with curative intent (that is, with the hope that the treatment will cure a cancer, either by eliminating a tumor, preventing cancer recurrence, or both) (1). In such cases, radiation therapy may be used alone or in combination with surgery, chemotherapy, or both.
   Radiation therapy may also be given with palliative intent. Palliative treatments are not intended to cure. Instead, they relieve symptoms and reduce the suffering caused by cancer.
   Some examples of palliative radiation therapy are:
   
   • Radiation given to the brain to shrink tumors formed from cancer cells that have spread to the brain from another part of the body (metastases).
   • Radiation given to shrink a tumor that is pressing on the spine or growing within a bone, which can cause pain.
   • Radiation given to shrink a tumor near the esophagus, which can interfere with a patient’s ability to eat and drink.
     
5. How is radiation therapy planned for an individual patient? A radiation oncologist develops a patient’s treatment plan through a process called treatment planning, which begins with simulation.
   During simulation, detailed imaging scans show the location of a patient’s tumor and the normal areas around it. These scans are usually computed tomography (CT) scans, but they can also include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and ultrasound scans.

Chemotherapy Side Effects

What are side effects?

Side effects are problems caused by cancer treatment. Some common side effects from chemotherapy are fatigue, nausea, vomiting, decreased blood cell counts, hair loss, mouth sores, and pain.




What causes side effects?

 Chemotherapy is designed to kill fast-growing cancer cells. But it can also affect healthy cells that grow quickly. These include cells that line your mouth and intestines, cells in your bone marrow that make blood cells, and cells that make your hair grow. Chemotherapy causes side effects when it harms these healthy cells.

Will I get side effects from chemotherapy?

You may have a lot of side effects, some, or none at all. This depends on the type and amount of chemotherapy you get and how your body reacts. Before you start chemotherapy, talk with your doctor or nurse about which side effects to expect.

How long do side effects last?

How long side effects last depends on your health and the kind of chemotherapy you get. Most side effects go away after chemotherapy is over. But sometimes it can take months or even years for them to go away.

Sometimes, chemotherapy causes long-term side effects that do not go away. These may include damage to your heart, lungs, nerves, kidneys, or reproductive organs. Some types of chemotherapy may cause a second cancer years later. Ask your doctor or nurse about your chance of having long-term side effects.  

What can be done about side effects?

Doctors have many ways to prevent or treat chemotherapy side effects and help you heal after each treatment session. Talk with your doctor or nurse about which ones to expect and what to do about them. Make sure to let your doctor or nurse know about any changes you notice - they may be signs of a side effect.
 

Types of CANCER Treatment

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy and You: Support for People With Cancer

Information about what to expect during chemotherapy and what patients can do to take care of themselves during and after treatment.

Chemotherapy Side Effects Fact Sheets

Chemotherapy fact sheets with clear medical advice from doctors and nurses, and practical tips from patients to help you manage side effects.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation Therapy for Cancer

A fact sheet that defines the different types of radiation therapy and discusses scientific advances that improve the effectiveness of this treatment.

Proton Therapy for Cancer: A New Technology Brief

Discussion of how proton therapy works, some limits of the current knowledge base about its use, and directions for additional research.

Radiation Therapy and You: Support for People With Cancer

Information about what to expect during radiation therapy, including the general effects of treatment and how to deal with specific side effects.

What To Know About Brachytherapy (A Type of Internal Radiation Therapy)

An easy-to-read fact sheet that helps radiation therapy patients understand brachytherapy, a type of internal radiation therapy.

What To Know About External Beam Radiation Therapy

An easy-to-read fact sheet that helps radiation therapy patients understand external beam radiation therapy.

Radiation Therapy Side Effects Fact Sheets

Radiation therapy fact sheets that help patients understand their treatment and manage side effects. The fact sheets (also available in audio) have patient testimonials, tips from healthcare providers, and questions to ask providers.

Radiation Therapy and Side Effects - Audio Files

A list of a series of audio interviews on topics related to side effects of radiation therapy.

Surgery

Cryosurgery in Cancer Treatment: Questions and Answers

A fact sheet that describes cryosurgery, the technique of using extreme cold to treat tumors. Lists the indications, risks, benefits, and side effects of cryotherapy.

Other Treatment Methods

Angiogenesis Inhibitors Therapy

A fact sheet that describes the process of eliminating the blood supply to tumors. Lists the cancers in which this approach is being tested.

Biological Therapies for Cancer: Questions and Answers

A fact sheet that provides an overview of how the immune system functions and describes the actions of biological therapies.

Biological Therapy

An introduction to biological therapy to help patients prepare to receive it for cancer treatment or managing side effects.

Bone Marrow Transplantation and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation

A fact sheet that explains the step-by-step procedures of two types of transplantations used with high-dose chemotherapy, including their risks and benefits.

Gene Therapy for Cancer: Questions and Answers

A fact sheet that discusses research with genetic material in developing cancer therapies, including risks, benefits, and ethical issues.

Hyperthermia in Cancer Treatment: Questions and Answers

A fact sheet that defines hyperthermia (treating tumors with heat) and its side effects.

Lasers in Cancer Treatment: Questions and Answers

A fact sheet that describes use of high-intensity light in cancer treatment, its advantages and disadvantages, and types of procedures that use it.

Photodynamic Therapy for Cancer

A fact sheet that explains photodynamic therapy, how it is administered, and indications and side effects of treatment.

Targeted Cancer Therapies

This NCI fact sheet describes targeted cancer therapies, which are drugs that block the growth and spread of cancer by interfering with specific molecules involved in carcinogenesis (the process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells) and tumor growth.

Health Benefits of Dates

Dates can provide lot of health benefits. Dates are high in iron content and fluorine. Dates are rich source of vitamins and minerals.  Consuming dates regularly can help to lower cholesterol and keep many health disorders away. Read on to know more about the top 10 benefits of consuming dates.

The health benefits of dates are innumerable. It is, in fact, a dry fruit that is sweet in taste and is rich in minerals and vitamins. The cultivation of dates can be traced back many years in history.


Health Benefits of Consuming Dates

1. Dates are free from cholesterol and contain very low fat. Dates are rich in vitamins and minerals.

2. They are rich source of protein, dietary fiber and rich in vitamin B1, B2, B3 and B5 along with vitamin A1 and C.

3. It helps improve the digestive system as it contains soluble and insoluble fibers and different kinds of amino acids.

4. Dates are great energy boosters as they contain natural sugars like glucose, sucrose and fructose. To get more advantage add dates to milk and make it a very nutritious snack. Dates are very low in calories and are extremely suitable for health conscious people. 

5. Dates are rich in potassium and reduced in sodium. This helps regulate a healthy nervous system. Researches have revealed the fact that potassium intake up to a certain extent can reduce risk of stroke. Dates also help in lowering of the LDL cholesterol. 

6. Dates have high iron content and are very useful in treating anemia. The patients can eat many dates for better advantages. Dates also have fluorine that slows down the process of tooth decay. 

7. It helps people suffering from constipation. Soak dates overnight and take it along with water to have added advantage. 

8. It helps increase one’s sexual stamina. Soak one handful of dates in goat’s milk overnight. In the morning grind the dates in the milk and add honey and cardamom powder and drink it. 

9. Dates help in weight gain and are beneficial for those who suffer from over slimming problem. Dates are excellent for alcoholic intoxication

10. Cures abdominal cancer. The best thing is that it does not have any side effect on the body and is completely natural as well as it works better than medicine. It also helps in improving eye sight and helps in curing night blindness as well. 

Dates can be chipped and sprinkled on sweet dishes, cakes and puddings and this enhances the state of the dish too. Selection of dates is very easy and you can have good ones if they appear fleshy and evenly coloured. Make sure there is no artificial sugar coating. Wash the dates properly before you eat because dust accumulates on the dates easily. In addition to all these, storing dates is not a big deal. They are dry fruits and so you do not have to face hassles to store them.

Dates can be introduced in daily diet in any form. You can introduce it in the form of snacks. Adding dates in any form makes the food tasty and healthy too. It fills anyone with energy no matter how tired he is. Keeping in mind the health benefits of dates, one should take utmost care while choosing the right quality of dates.

Do not forget to wash the dates thoroughly so that the dust is cleaned properly before consumption. Buy and consume only those dates that are properly packed and processed. No matter how beneficial eatables are, you need to take care while choosing them and so go for the good ones even if you have to pay a little bit more for that.