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Cancer Urban Legends
People have a lot of ideas these days about what might help prevent cancer: alkaline water, a ketogenic diet, coconut oil and many more. None of these dieting trends are likely to have much of an effect on cancer risk, according to Elaine Siu, MS, RD, CNSC, clinical dietician at City of Hope.
"We do recommend a diet that is higher in fruits and vegetables so that you get your phytonutrients from food rather than vitamins," she said. "There is good data to suggest that eating a plant-based diet is helpful in preventing cancer. And after cancer treatment, eating a plant-based diet has been shown to be helpful in keeping cancer from returning. What we recommend in general is a balanced diet that is more plant-based. "

"Cutting down on animal protein is beneficial," added colleague Dhvani Bhatt, MS, RD, CDE, also a clinical nutritionist at City of Hope. "There's a lot of good data that shows a vegetarian diet is very healthy and helps to prevent a lot of chronic diseases, including heart disease and diabetes." Here, Siu and Bhatt weigh in on some specific diet trends that purport to have cancer-preventing effects.

Avoiding Sugar Says Bhatt: "It's not the sugar itself that's so bad, it's the extra calories that turn into fat and obesity. It's the total intake that's important. Obesity is the real risk factor."

Fasting "There are some studies going on about fasting during chemo. It shows that it might help, reducing the stress on healthy cells," said Siu. "Patients shouldn't start fasting until they talk to their doctor."

Alcohol Intake "Red wine has some phytonutrients and antioxidants, but more research is needed," Siu said. "It also adds extra calories. There is some data that shows it may actually increase your risk for head and neck and oral cancers. There's no data to show that it helps with cancer prevention."

Drinking Coffee "Chemicals in coffee may be beneficial," Bhatt said. "Some small studies suggest that it can help with lowering your lipid profile, and it may lower your risk for prostate cancer."

Vegan Diet "Being a vegan or eating a lot of fruits and vegetables and whole grains lowers people's risk of developing cancer," Siu said. "But without careful meal planning, vegans can become nutrient deficient. We don't recommend it for patients going through cancer treatment."
City of Hope Santa Clarita 799-1999; Simi Valley 805-527-2770; Mission Hills 818-660-4700

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Convenient, Healthy Eats Now on the "Go" with Plate Therapy's Newest Option
Do you want to eat healthy and lose those excess pounds before the summer, but you don't have the time to plan your recipes or brave the lines at WholeFoods... let alone cook? (We don't, either!). Then it's time to make your health and wellness a priority; honor your need for convenience (Time is money!); and spoil your taste buds with an investment in the deliciousness that is Plate Therapy.

Plate Therapy's "Grab & Go" freshly-made organic/Paleo meals have been crafted with your health, happiness and convenience in mind. Order online for weekly delivery or free pickup or visit their fun kitchen to purchase individual meals to "Grab & Go." Check their website for current "Grab & Go" hours and sign up for weekly ordering, including a "lite meal plan."
www.platetherapy.com

Treatment for Corneal Ectasia
In April of 2016, the FDA approved a procedure called corneal cross-linking for the treatment of corneal ectasia. Corneal ectasia causes progressive thinning and irregular shape changes on the front of the eye, leading to high degrees of myopia and astigmatism.

Corneal cross-linking has been around since the 1990s and has been used in Europe to strengthen the cornea and prevent ectasia from progressing. Clinical trials have again and again shown its effectiveness with little to no complications. It is highly recommended that anyone with this condition consider corneal cross-linking, as it may prevent the need for complicated contact lens fittings and even corneal transplants. This is definitely a pound of cure that one could avoid with an ounce of prevention!

Helm Vision Group is fully equipped to offer this procedure under the care of one of the best corneal specialists in the country: Dr. Craig Helm.
Helm Vision Group 259-3937

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Is it a Pulled Muscle - or do You Need Surgery?
Young, active people and "weekend warriors" often experience hip pain that limits their performance in sports or recreation. The pain can be vague and radiating. Patients often think that they've pulled a muscle, but the truth is often that they damaged the surface of their cartilage or have torn soft tissue around the socket. In some cases, their thigh bone could be jabbing into the socket as the patient performs certain movements. Hip arthroscopy, the process of inserting a miniscule camera into your joint area, is a minimally-invasive means of investigating pathology in the hip. With just a small poke, a skilled surgeon is able to determine the source of your pain and treat this usually-difficult-to-diagnose area of the body.

If the procedure turns up a problem, don't worry. Hip resurfacing, anterior hip replacements, computer-assisted surgeries, alternative replacement options - often referred to as procedures of the future - are available today and can return you to your desired level of activity, pain free.
Dr. Alon Antebi and Dr. Justin Sherfey 705-5100

Healthy, Clear Nails Made Simple
The Lunula Laser is the easy and convenient treatment that helps turn your discolored and disfigured nails into clearer, healthier looking nails. It's the only touchless, painless treatment for onychomycosis; there's no downtime, no risk - and no more embarrassment about unsightly feet!

The Erchonia Lunula Laser uses low-level laser light to treat foot fungus quickly. In fact, as little as four 12-minute sessions are needed to treat the affected area. Sixty-seven percent of all study-treated toe nails evaluated in a recent study met the study's success criteria. The average clear nail growth was an increase in 5.18mm!
The Foot Care Center of Santa Clarita 253-3668

Treat the Three "D's" with ThermiVa
Do you suffer from dryness, discomfort or intimate disinterest? If so, read on - because all three can be effectively treated with ThermiVa, a non-surgical, non-hormonal, pain-free treatment that doesn't require any numbing or down time.

Excessive stretching of the vaginal muscles is a common occurrence after vaginal birth or due to aging. Damage can diminish sensation during romantic activity, reduce satisfaction and change the relationship between partners. ThermiVa treatments use radiofrequency energy to gently heat intimate tissue to reclaim, restore and revive feminine wellness - without discomfort or downtime. ThermiVa uses a special wand applicator which may be applied externally to the outer labia (vulva) tissue to restore normal tissue tone and function. The specially-designed handpiece may also deliver radiofrequency energy inside the canal to revive atrophic tissue and other structures. If you feel more "loose" than you'd like, or feel dry during intimacy, this treatment can help. Patients also report increased improvement in bladder control, with less "leaks" when they sneeze, cough or exe rcise. Also reported: improved, easier physiological release during intimacy. ThermiVa's comfortable, no-anesthesia treatment can change lives in only three 30-minute sessions scheduled one month apart. Patients note a noticeable change after the first or second session and are able to resume intimate relations the same day of treatment.
Aesthetic Center of Santa Clarita 312-0497

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The Care You Need When You Need It: Henry Mayo Urgent Care Center
The Henry Mayo Urgent Care Center, located on the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital campus at 23929 McBean Parkway in Valencia, provides accessible urgent healthcare services when you or your loved ones need top-quality medical care. Their exemplary staff of physicians and nurses are there seven days a week to provide pediatric and adult medical services for non-life-threatening conditions such as sprains, breaks, skin irritations, bites, burns, fever, flu-like symptoms, lacerations, ear infections, urinary tract infections and more. They offer onsite laboratory studies, digital X-rays, laceration repair, fracture evaluation and management of fevers and other illnesses. Their electronic records integrate with the hospital's current system, allowing your primary-care physician immediate access to the results and treatment plan from your urgent care visit.

The Henry Mayo Urgent Care Center is the only urgent care in the Santa Clarita Valley with posted waiting times, which can be found at www.henrymayourgentcare.com. No appointment is necessary and most insurance plans are accepted. Walk-ins and new patients are welcome. They are open every day from 10am to 10pm and are currently offering $25 flu shots to people over the age of four.
200-2500

Caregivers Help Seniors Interact with the World
The greatest gift caregivers can give is to help clients interact with the world, whether it's escorting them to the senior center for fitness and music classes or taking them for a spin at the mall to window shop and get lunch at the food court. Imagine your loved one hearing, "We're your wheels, and we will be your guide to whatever interests you have." Many care clients like going to the movies or museums. Others just want to feed the ducks at Bridgeport or walk around their neighborhood. If a client's mobility is limited, a quality caregiver will work to engage them in many different ways, through puzzles and games, coloring books, light exercise, cooking or baking favorite foods, or working with them to improve their computer skills so they can have fun online with family members, including the grandkids.

Unfortunately, as we age our world often shrinks...Home Instead's goal is to bring purpose and enrichment to their clients' worlds again.
Home Instead Senior Care for Santa Clarita & Antelope Valleys 254-8701

Nola Aronson's Advanced Audiology Earns National Award
Last month, Nola Aronson's Advanced Audiology was honored in Orlando, Florida by the American Hearing Aid Association with the Organizational Development Award. This national-level award was bestowed upon the Valencia-based company in the highly-competitive category because of the advanced, detailed training of Advanced Audiology's staff. The healthy-hearing company is known for exceptional customer service, the best employee training and development and quality results.
425-9330