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INFLAMMATION: DON'T ADD FUEL TO THE FIRE

photo courtesy of Dana Farber Paths of Progress

DON'T ADD FUEL TO THE FIRE. Inflammation is the body's way of responding to tissue damage. In the latest issue of Dana Farber's Paths to Progress, Robert Levy writes Dousing the FLAMES: Why inflammation may blaze a trail for cancer and explains how investigators at Dana Farber are studying how lifestyle changes that reduce obesity [a trigger for inflammation] can impede cancer development. So folks, that means MORE MORE MORE! MORE exercise, MORE breathing, MORE meditation, MORE healthy eating habits, and MORE self-care.

Good Girl was surprised to learn from the article that "multiple studies have shown that anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin can reduce the risk of developing colon cancer, and of the cancer recurring after it's been treated. Fuchs and his colleagues have shown that this effect stems from its ability to block a key enzyme called COX-2. In another study, his team found a way to identify colon cancer patients who are most likely to benefit from aspirin therapy." Aspirin, who knew?! Talk to your doctor first, but maybe this is one pill that's OK to pop??