That's Fit

A few months ago, Patrick Swayze announced that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which is one of the deadliest forms of the disease. As we all knew he would, he's been fighting it aggressively, and this past weekend the world saw a healthy and happy looking Swayze at LAX airport.

Smiling and giving a thumbs up sign, the actor told photographers, "I'm a miracle, dude. I don't know why." He's been undergoing chemotherapy, and was at the airport to catch a flight to Chicago to work on a new drama for A&E called The Beast.

The battle certainly isn't over, but it sure is heartwarming to see our favorite dirty dancer looking so good!

How often do you eat curry? Chances are, you might not be getting enough. In addition to being delicious, curry has been shown to have dozens of health benefits, including the most recent revelation that it can lower your risk of heart failure and heart attacks, according to research out of Canada. The not-so-secret heart-healthy ingredient is the spice Tumeric, which gives curry at least part of its distinctive flavour. In addition, it's also been shown to ward off panreatic and colon cancers.

So for dinner tonight, how about some curry?

When you're noshing on some nachos, buffalo wings, and pizza this Sunday during the big game, the last thing you're probably thinking about is an inflammatory response by your body. It's sure to be a great match-up, we can hope that the commercials are going to be more entertaining, and the half-time show is always a lot of fun. So, why should we distract ourselves from any of this to worry about -- what was it? -- a freakin' inflammatory response?

Quite frankly, I doubt I'm going to allow myself such a distraction, either. But, once the game's over, you've left the party and are now settling in for the night, that's when it's time to address the issue. Wait a second ... how?

Flossing, that's how. Oral bacteria that cause gum disease can enter your bloodstream and trigger a -- yup, you guessed it -- an inflammatory response that affects your entire body. Based on a studies, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and elsewhere, suggest this may explain the link between gum disease and heart disease, as well as pancreatic cancer. That's why you really should break out the ol' spool of floss and dig out the remnants of your snacks from earlier that evening.

Oh, and by the way, Go Pats!!!

Broccoli and chili peppers: What do they both have in common? Yes, they are both vegetables. But the answer I'm looking for deals more with their health properties. Still not sure? Then read on.

Research shows that phenethyl isothiocyanate -- a compound found in cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage -- may prevent ovarian cancer cells from spreading. Showing similar effects on pancreatic cancer cells, capascian -- found in abundance in red chili peppers -- may be an equally as potent cancer combatant.

Safeguard yourself against these two forms of cancer by preparing a healthy dish that calls for both of these foods in the recipe. Since I'm in no way, shape, or form a chef, I had to do a little research here. What I came up with was a recipe for Spicy Orange Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry from the popular website Eating Well.

Whole grains make for delicious foods (breakfast especially), and the more you eat them, the lower your risk of developing pancreatic cancer later on, according to a new study.

In addition to eating more whole grains, consuming more fiber was also linked with a lessening in pancreatic cancer risk. The study concluded that those eating both whole grains and fiber several times per day decreased their pancreatic cancer risk by 40 percent. That's significant, yes?

Instead of those sugary breakfast cereals, how about oatmeal made with whole-grain (not refined) oats? Add some wheat germ in there and sweeten it with organic cane sugar or stevia. Once you get used to it, it's miles ahead of Frosted Flakes, in taste and nutrition.

We all know that the stem cell medical research community is always on the trail that these types of human cells -- which can develop into all kinds of cells when harvested from an embryo -- have the capability to help fight a wide range of diseases and ailments.

But how about stem cells that can promote tumors?There is now a small population of stem cells in pancreatic cancer that appear to drive tumor growth according to new research.

But, all is not lost -- this discovery may be opening the door for a potential new approach for treating this particularly deadly disease. Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of any form of cancer.

In a new study, the incidence of pancreatic cancer was increased when cancer sufferers were found to have an abnormally high sugar intake. The Swedish study looked at the diets of almost 80,000 men and women between 1997 and 2005 in the study.

Out of this group, a total of 131 people developed pancreatic cancer, which is a highly-deadly form of cancer that is very hard to treat. The researchers then asked all participants about the consumption of foods -- particularly beverages -- that had large sugar concentrations and found out that the group of people who said they drank fizzy or syrup-based drinks twice a day or more had a 90% higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer compared to those participants that never drank those products.

If you can, drop soft drinks out of your daily regimen or at least decrease their consumption -- all that sugar is not good for anyone really (except the soft drink companies and their bottom lines).