The "good" cholesterol protects against colon cancer

Have high levels of good cholesterol can not only protect against cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's. Now a new study reveals another advantage: We are defended against colon cancer. "A good reason to pay attention to the numbers of blood cholesterol," says Bas Bueno de Mesquita, the National Public Health Institute of the Netherlands and author of the study, published in the journal 'Gut'.
It was already known that people with high cholesterol are more likely to develop colon cancer. However, so far, "there had been no prospective studies which take into account the different types of lipoproteins (HDL-cholesterol known as' good'-, LDL-commonly-called bad cholesterol, triglycerides, apoA, apo B) and its role in this tumor, "says Carlos Gilsanz, Head of Service of Internal Medicine, Hospital Gregorio Maranon de Madrid.

Colon Cancer

As stated Bueno de Mesquita, "we note that for every increase of 16.6 milligrams per deciliter (mg / dl) of HDL and 32 mg / dl for apoA, try them to suffer the colon cancer were reduced by between 22% and 18% respectively. "

Although the reasons are still unknown, researchers have several theories. They point to anti-inflammatory properties of HDL and also believe that "a low concentration of this 'good' cholesterol increases oxidative stress and, therefore, the destruction of cells, which may involve the onset of cancer." At the moment only assumptions and more studies are needed to inquire about this issue and the colon cancer.

To develop this study, which also involved a number of Spanish researchers have analyzed the profiles of 1,238 people with colorectal cancer (779 with colon tumor-affected and 459 rectal) and as many healthy. All were enrolled in a European investigation into cancer and nutrition conducted in 10 countries (EPIC study).

Health and the Colon Cancer

After examining their blood, their diet and lifestyle, the results were obvious. Those with high levels of HDL cholesterol had a lower risk of colon cancer, "regardless of other markers are also associated with this tumor, such as inflammation or insulin resistance," the authors note in their article. Moreover, "we did not observe association with rectal cancer."

Given the results, could be considered "good" cholesterol as an appropriate tool to mitigate the risk of colon cancer. To get to raise their levels, explains Dr. Gilsanz, "it is best to exercise, avoid saturated fats and even take a little wine at dinner, but genetics is also important in the health.

What's behind the violence and addiction

Specialists say they can only be manifestations of a depressive state. Why depression is a "social epidemic" and how they treat traditional medicine and alternative therapies.


The newspaper now faces Argentines to different manifestations of violence: at home, in the street, at school, at work. Physical or verbal abuse, was found in almost all activities of daily life. In some cases, an underlying addictive behavior, and not just drugs or alcohol. For example, the mistreatment of employees of a superior workaholic.
However, both violence and addiction can only be a manifestation of much deeper psychological picture: depression. "Indeed, not only depression symptoms manifest themselves known by almost everyone: insomnia, sadness, eating disorders, hopelessness, and so on. In what is called 'masked depression' classic manifestations are absent and irritable people may occur, violent, with addictive tendencies. What often underlies depression is a picture that is not presented in a 'classic' "he said to Hugo Infobae.com Lerner, vice president of the Foundation for the Study of Depression (Fundep).

Then there would be a not so forced relationship between violence, addiction and depressive. This would say that a person suffering from depression is not isolated from its surroundings, as popular belief would indicate, and even has a direct influence on it. "Unable to think about depression as an entity away from the socio-historical context," said categorically the specialist, and called for understanding "most comprehensive human suffering, which exceeds the biochemical and biological explanations.

For Lerner, the depression is then a "social epidemic", which runs at a rapid pace in Argentina and the world and is in intimate connection with everything around it. That is why the obstacles facing the construction of the identity of the "subject argentino" when trying to implement projects to achieve equilibrium play a central role when a fall or no depressive symptoms.

"For a huge majority, Argentina has become a major area of quicksand, with no firm ground to support it. For someone to be integrated into their environment and become subject, must have a stable and predictable. If the surrounding social environment is fluid, unstable and unpredictable it is unthinkable that a person can become a free subject of changes in self-esteem, "explained the expert.

He added: "We should only look at the convulsions that have gone through and probably find other significant correlations between increasing demand for clinical depression, subjects apathetic, hopeless and a society with social crises, lack of credibility in political leadership, violence, unemployment, feelings of social dislocation, inability of many subjects to imagine a future, assembling a project. "

"Depression, subjects hopeless, apathetic, sad they have been mounted to stay for unpredictable weather," Lerner concluded.