Virus fears, violence hit International Women's Day rallies

PARIS, France — Tens of thousands took to the streets across the globe to mark International Women's Day on Sunday despite many events in Asia being cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak, and attacks on women at some events in Europe and Asia.

Women were attacked at events in Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan, police fired tear gas at women marching in Turkey and some politicians condemned what they said was police violence at a women's rally in Paris.


Some women who marched in ultra-conservative Pakistan came under attack with stones and sticks, reflecting the movement's challenge in a society where females are still put to death under ancient "honour" codes.

And in Kyrgyzstan, masked men attacked one rally in the capital Bishkek, tearing up placards carried by the participants, police arrested dozens of demonstrators.

A police spokesman said they were detained for their own safety.



In Turkey, Istanbul police fired tear gas to stop hundreds of women marching on the city's central avenue after the authorities banned the march for the second year running.

'Unacceptable violence'

In France, topless Femen activists, wearing protective glasses and masks, gathered at Place de la Concorde in Paris to denounce "the patriarchal pandemic", despite the best efforts of police to control them.

"Who's doing the washing up?" they chanted. "We are making a revolution".


But rights groups and politicians denounced what they said was police violence at a women's march in Paris the night before, after scuffles broke out and police arrested nine people.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, currently seeking re-election, said she was shocked by the "unacceptable and incomprehensible" violence and expressed her solidarity with the demonstrators.

Some women tweeted pictures of marchers left battered and bruised, prompting Europe Ecology-The Greens party secretary Julien Bayou to blast what he termed "absolutely unjustifiable police violence".

In China, the epicentre of the coronavirus epidemic, state broadcaster CCTV highlighted the work of female medical workers on the frontlines in the fight against the virus.

Despite growing fears over the worsening epidemic, marches went ahead in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

A women's marathon planned in India was postponed over virus concerns.

In South Korea, where more than 7,000 virus infections make it the hardest-hit country outside China, several events were cancelled.

"Although we can't be physically together, our minds for realising gender equality are stronger than ever," the country's gender equality minister Lee Jung-Ok said in a video message.

'Violence and poverty getting worse'

In Bangkok, protesters called for improved labour protections amid the epidemic that has infected dozens in Thailand, and greater rights under a military-aligned government.

Hundreds of women and men rallied in the Philippine capital Manila, burning a giant effigy of President Rodrigo Duterte -- whom they accuse of misogyny -- to mark the day.

"The violence and poverty among women are getting worse," Joms Salvador of women's group Gabriela told AFP.

Women also turned out in force in Iraq and Lebanon.

There were rallies too in Mexico, which has long battled deep-rooted violence against women. Women marched in the capital Mexico City, but also in the northern border city of Ciudad Juarez, the scene of a string of murders of women.

Thousands marched in the Spanish capital Madrid, and thousands more in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.

In Peru, women demonstrated in the capital Lima calling for legal abortion, better working conditions and an end to violence against women.

In Sudan, women demonstrated outside the justice ministry in the capital Khartoum on Sunday, calling for an end to discriminatory laws.

In Brazil, several women marched against the policies of the country's far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro.

"The government's policies have consisted of taking away the rights of women workers," 35-year-old Marcela Azevedo, with the group Women in Combat, told AFP.

Agence France-Presse

Maine Mendoza a 'brave, strong role model' — Lang Leav

MANILA, Philippines — Novelist and poet Lang Leav described Kapuso actress Maine Mendoza as a “brave” and “strong role model for all women.”

In Maine’s New Year post on Instagram, the “Eat Bulaga” host said 2018 was one of her memorable years yet as she quoted the Cambodian-Australian novelist and poet, “’Don’t stay where you are needed. Go where you are loved.’ - Lang Leav ♥”

Lang commented on Maine’s post, “Such a brave, strong role model for all women. Sending you lots of love Maine. Happy 2019. Keep shining.”

From being an online sensation with her dubmash videos to being paired with Alden Richards in the hit noontime show, Maine has taken a solo career.

Maine said she “took all the lessons learned from my mistakes and difficult times last year to make 2018 one of the best, most memorable years yet.”

The “Phenomenal Star” said she’s glad to have finally moved on from toxic energy and people who used to drain her.

“I am happier now than I have ever been and am incredibly blessed with so many wonderful things - from the very start of the year until today. Couldn’t be more grateful for everything! I am just so so glad to have finally moved on from the toxic energy and people that used to drain me - the best realisation and resolution still,” she wrote.

“Cheers to a great year! And may we always find the courage to let go of what’s weighing us down. Hoping 2019 is even more exciting and fruitful for all of us. Happy New Year, everyone!” she added.

source: philstar.com

US FDA approves 'female Viagra' with strong warning

WASHINGTON -- A controversial drug to treat low sexual desire in women won approval from US health regulators on Tuesday, but with a warning about potentially dangerous low blood pressure and fainting when taken with alcohol.

Moreover, the US Food and Drug Administration said the first approved drug for the condition, to be sold under the brand name Addyi, will only be available through certified health care professionals and pharmacies due to its safety issues.

The FDA has twice rejected the drug, flibanserin, made by privately held Sprout Pharmaceuticals. Its latest decision comes after an advisory panel concluded in June it should be approved with strict measures in place to ensure patients are fully aware of the risks.

Shares of rival Palatin Technologies rose 29 percent to $1.21 in extended trade.

The drug has been nicknamed "female Viagra" in media reports, even though it does not work like Pfizer Inc.'s blockbuster Viagra pill for men that in 1998 became the first approved drug for erectile dysfunction.

Flibanserin needs to be taken every day.

Unlike Viagra, which affects blood flow to the genitals, flibanserin works on the brain. It is similar to a class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRI's, that include antidepressants such as Prozac.

Originally developed by Germany's Boehringer Ingelheim, flibanserin was first rejected by the FDA in 2010 after an advisory panel said the benefits did not outweigh the risks. Sprout acquired the drug, conducted additional studies and resubmitted the application. In 2013, the FDA rejected it again.

The rejection sparked a lobbying campaign by Sprout, aided by some women's groups who accused the FDA of gender bias because it had approved Viagra for men - a charge the FDA vigorously rejected.

Flibanserin is designed for premenopausal women whose lack of sexual desire causes distress. Women who took the drug in a clinical study had an increase of about 1.0 sexually satisfying event per month compared with those taking a placebo.

Advocates claim that increase is meaningful. Critics say the small benefit is outweighed by the drug’s risks.

source: interaksyon.com

Women with close male kin with prostate cancer more likely to have breast cancer - study

Women with close male relatives with prostate cancer are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, a new study confirms.

These findings, from the large Women's Health Initiative, reinforce the results of a 1994 study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the authors write.

“This is not the first study to examine this relationship, but it is one of the larger to date, if not the largest study,” said lead author Jennifer L. Beebe-Dimmer of Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit.

Cancer is a disease of the DNA, she said, and family clustering indicates that breast and prostate cancers may have genes in common,

Beebe-Dimmer and her colleagues used data for more than 78,000 women in the Women’s Health Initiative who were over age 50 and cancer-free when the study began in 1993. At the start they had comprehensive physical exams and gave detailed personal and family medical histories.

Most women remained in the study for more than 10 years.

By 2009 there had been 3,506 new breast cancers in the original group.

Overall, more than 11,000 women had a first-degree relative – mother, sister or daughter - with breast cancer, and this was more common for those who were eventually diagnosed themselves. Twenty percent of women with breast cancer had first-degree relatives with the disease, compared to nearly 15 percent of those who did not develop breast cancer.

There was a similar, but very slight, association with prostate cancer, the researchers reported in Cancer.

More than 11 percent of women who developed breast cancer reported a first-degree relative with prostate cancer, compared to about 10 percent of women without the disease. Having a father, brother or son with prostate cancer increased the risk of breast cancer by about 14 percent.

Compared to women with no family history of breast or prostate cancer, those with a family history of both were 80 percent more likely to develop breast cancer, the authors found.

“We know that the major breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 are also linked to prostate cancer,” Beebe-Dimmer told Reuters Health by email. That may explain some of the clustering, she said.

Researchers have been reporting on familial links between breast and prostate cancer for 40 years, said Mary-Claire King of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, in email to Reuters Health.

“It is good to see the link confirmed” in the Women’s Health Initiative, said King, who was not involved in the new research.

“Both of these cancers are relatively common, so that it is possible when cancers are diagnosed in multiple family members it may be due to chance,” she said. “It may also be an exposure to something in the environment.”

The decision to increase breast cancer screening will depend on how many male relatives have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and at what age, she said, with more diagnoses at young ages being particularly telling.

“Knowledge of breast cancer family history is still extremely important,” Beebe-Dimmer said. She would not recommend BRCA1 or 2 genetic testing for women with a family history of prostate cancer but no history of breast or ovarian cancer.

source: interaksyon.com

Why women Choos to be sexy

Whoever says shoes were made for walking is repeating an un-sexy cliche. As far as many modern women are concerned, shoes were made for looking good, feeling good and hear this well — feeling sexy.

London-based shoemaker Jimmy Choo knows this too well. Feminine power, luxury and sexiness form the peg of every design which recognizes that the ankle and the foot are important erogeneous zones.

To embody this sexiness, Jimmy Choo chose Nicole Kidman as image model. “Nicole's character portrays the multi-faceted qualities of the Jimmy Choo woman for this season — strong, sexy with a beguiling sense of mystery,” says creative director Sandra Choi.

Nicole Kidman enjoys stepping into her new shoes as Jimmy Choo image model. “I really enjoy being able to play a role that was strong, sexy and in control. I got into a relationship with the photographer and Mikael Jansson is very intuitive, he knows what I am thinking and feeling and is able to translate it through the camera.“ Mikael “explored themes of film noir and referenced the tension of Hitchcock’s empowered  heroines.”

Looking at Nicole’s photographs,  you can almost hear a sultry whisper and feel “a quiet eroticism” as Choo describes it. Nicole effortlessly looks seductive in the campaign.

Since Jimmy Choo founded his shoe company in 1996 with British Vogue magazine accessories editor Tamara Mellon, the sexy image of the brand has been boosted by red carpet stars as well as personalities like Sarah Jessica Parker who wore Blahniks and Choos for Sex and the City. Princess Diana was also a Choo wearer.


“When a woman goes for a pair of shoes and she really likes it, it's a relationship that no man can enter,” laughs Gerald Liut, Jimmy Choo director of wholesale for Asia. “Choosing shoes involves a feeling, an attitude.”

Liut says stilettos are the mainstay of sexiness. “Stilettos  never left, even if for a while, chunky shoes came in to provide comfort. But what happened was that platforms provided stability and comfort. Even in the ’60s, women wore stilettos and they had to suffer.

“Now we see the return of the single sole. Prada brought it back four years ago and everybody followed. Europe is also bringing back pointed shoes this year. All catwalks and red carpet shoes now are pointy,” Liut notes.

Kitten heels are coming in as well, he adds. “Shoes are now about individuality. I have noticed that women are now more daring and they wear whatever they feel expresses their personality. Even in non-winter climes, I see women no longer afraid to wear boots.”

Flying in town to launch the autumn-winter collection of Jimmy Choo during a lifestyle press lunch hosted at the Peninsula Manila by Anton Huang, EVP-GM of Stores Specialists Inc., Liut feels the vibe of Manila's stylish women. These are women who like looking good and feeling sexy. Yes, they choose Choos.

source: philstar.com

Post-breast cancer surgery bras: Regaining confidence after mastectomy

A great number of Filipino women battle against breast cancer and this disease, is not only debilitating to the health but can also result to a social and psychological burden to some who have undergone full mastectomy or the complete removal of their breasts.

Catering to this specific need of women battling against cancer, BodyForms Philippines Inc. brought to the Philippines a set of products from Germany that can provide the necessary need and care of women after a breast cancer surgery.

“Its because of the study revealing an increase in breast cancer cases in the Philippines. In Southeast Asia, the Philippines has the most number of incidence of breast cancer so they did a study before and they decided to get the exclusive distributorship of Amoena. That’s what prompted the owner to bring the product. It’s very timely to introduce the product here,” Chie Conlu, Office Manager and resource person from BodyForms Philippines Inc. told InterAksyon.

The said study was cited from the reports by the Department of Health and Philippine Cancer Society which showed that breast cancer is the most common cancer in the country, comprising 16 percent of the 80, 000 new cancer cases in 2010.

BodyForms also cited a 2012 report from the Philippine Society of Medical Oncology stating that an estimated three out of 100 Filipino women will contract the disease before age 75 and that one out of 100 will die before age 75.

With this, most breast cancer patients prefer to undergo full mastectomy. Studies show that more than 90 percent of Filipino women diagnosed with breast cancer prefer complete removal rather than breast conservation as surgical treatment, according to BodyForms.

“Rebuilding a woman’s confidence and facilitating her return to normal activity after mastectomy are becoming priorities for the country’s health and beauty industry,” a press release from BodyForms stated.

BodyForms’ breast prostheses products include special brassieres and breast forms using silicon technology that provides comfort needed after a surgery. Their post-surgery brassieres can also reduce irritation, keeps the operated breast(s) in place and restores the breast’s natural shape.

The shop also offers swimwear products that have a transparent silicone fit for water activities.



Even with this kind of post-surgery solutions, however, it is still believed that early detection is the key to prevent the disease. It is encouraged for every woman to conduct routine breast examination, mammograms and vigilance in observing changes in the physical form of the breasts and nipples.

Avoiding vices like drinking alcohol, cigarette smoking can also help in avoiding said debilitating cancer.

Breastfeeding is also known to lower the risk of having a breast cancer.

source: interaksyon.com

Why Yosi is good for you

There are flats and there are flats. Some are pretty to look at but score poorly on the comfort scorecard, while others are practical and feel good on the feet but fail to register on the style radar.   Then there is Yosi Samra, the eponymous New York brand that got the cool factor plus comfort balance right down to fashion pat. Their sophisticated collection of flats — from straightforward leather to exotic animal skin — recently debuted locally bringing the Yosi Samra fashion fever that has spread in Hollywood and New York to Manila.  If you are in the market (or not!) for a great pair of flats, head over to check out their line and see what chic celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Alba, Charlize Theron, Mila Kunis, Halle Berry, Eva Longoria, Selena Gomez and Isla Fisher are going gaga over.


Yosi Samra is a second-generation Israeli shoe impresario who learned the craft from his father, a cobbler for a select, discerning clientele. The shoe designer absorbed the fine art while watching his father lovingly create great shoe pieces. Each pair of Yosi Samra is crafted not only to be stylish but also to be supremely snug. The sole cushioning guarantees ultimate comfort, the folding elastic band creates a secure fit, and the leather is culled from the best materials — real cow leather, pig skin, kid suede, sheepskin, nubuck, and calfskin — to give you a pair that’s a second-skin sexy fit. This is why Hollywood celebrities are seen wearing this cult fashion brand on their days off.

I took mine for a test drive on a recent trip to Italy and let me tell you, the brand does not lie when it says their shoes feel like second-skin. My feet were in comfort nirvana from taking strolls on the beaches in Puglia to walking on the cobble-stoned roads of Milan; my pink suede silver glitter-tipped version of the flats provided enough support for all the hours I spent on my feet. I received several compliments from Italian women and felt right at home strutting my Yosi Samras on the famed fashionable Via Montenapoleone and Via Spiga. Back in Tokyo, they felt right at home on the concrete pavements of Ginza, Omotesando and Harajuku.

What’s not to love? Yosi Samra comes in a range of styles and colors in soft, supple and sturdy leather finished with prints, glitter and studs. Pair a studded T-strap design with a denim ensemble or a Lace Two-Tone version with a little black dress and you are good to step out in style. Whether you’re kickin’ it at an after-party or just kickin’ around with your gal pals at the mall, dressed up or dressed down, Yosi Samra is your go-to brand. Best of all, Yosi Samra shoes are foldable and come in cute little black 100-percent cotton pouches; you can stash them in your tote, throw them in your suitcase with very minimal space requirement and whip them out after a long day in feet-killing heels without damaging its design integrity.

Since 2009, Yosi Samra has expanded its fashionable footprint around the world to include flip-flops, bags, loafers, booties and kids fold-up flats in response to market demands. Browse through celebrity photos and you’ll see them wearing their Yosi Samras on the streets of Los Angeles and New York on their hang loose, casual outings about town.

Want to count Hollywood celebrities as your comrades-in-flats? Head out to a Yosi Samra store near you.

source: philstar.com

Botox for beginners: When to get it, how to get it

Wrinkles. A word that most women do not like to hear and most definitely do not want to see on their faces. Basic facial movements, like smiling, frowning, and squinting, can eventually lead to having wrinkles, and they can make you look tired or angry even when you’re not.

One of the well-known treatments to reduce facial wrinkles safely and quickly is Botox or Botulinum toxin. An injection of Botox blocks muscular nerve signals. This in turn weakens the muscle so that it will not contract, therefore diminishing the chance of unwanted wrinkles.

Plastic surgeons at Manila Doctors Hospital’s Aesthetic Surgery and Dermatology Center explain the three most common Botox procedures and when you may need them. 







Excessive Underarm Sweating

Do your sweaty underarms irritate you and make you more self-conscious?

Excessive sweating is mostly caused by metabolic, neurologic, and other systemic diseases, but healthy people without any medical history of such can still experience excessive sweating. Strong bursts of emotion, like anxiety, and extreme heat can trigger hyperhidrosis, or the abnormally excessive sweating condition, but there are some people who suffer from hyperhidrosis all the time.

The procedure lasts for 45 minutes or less for both armpits and the results will be seen between 3 to 7 days after the procedure.

Crow’s Feet Botox

Most people also call crow’s feet as “laugh lines.” These eye wrinkles are inevitable signs of aging that begin to form at the corners of your eyes when you reach your mid-twenties. These lines appear because the skin loses its elasticity as we age. The body’s production of collagen and elastin, proteins that are responsible for the skin’s elasticity, lessen as the one age.

Frowning, laughing, and even smiling can cause these eye wrinkles to appear. It would be impossible for one to avoid smiling and laughing just to avoid these laugh lines on your eyes.

One way to minimize the appearance of crow’s feet is through Botox. It helps reduce eye wrinkles and relaxes your eye muscles so they will not contract. It blocks the chemical signal in your nerves that tell your muscles to function. The appearance of crow’s feet is minimized three to seven days upon the procedure.

Forehead Botox

Most people, especially women who are 30 and above, would periodically check their foreheads looking for signs of wrinkles. These fine horizontal or vertical wrinkles, commonly known as frown lines, start to appear across the forehead and eyebrows. Aside from the decreased production of collagen, other factors that contribute to the appearance of forehead wrinkles are smoking, too much sun exposure, and stress.

Botox can help reduce the appearance of these fine lines in the forehead. In crow’s feet, for instance, the botulinum toxin in botox relaxes the muscles and prevents them from contract that results in wrinkling of the skin.

Side effects of this non-surgical cosmetic procedure are minimized if done by a doctor. The Manila Doctors Hospital’s Aesthetic Surgery & Dermatology Center (ASDC) takes a holistic approach to cosmetic procedures. With reputable board-certified plastic surgeons and dermatologists, ASDC offers multiple services for your health, beauty, and wellness need in a hospital environment that’s both safe and responsive.

This month, for a limited period, ASDC offers discounted botox procedures. For more information, visit the MDH website, on Facebook, and Twitter. Or, call (+632) 524-3011 local 4527.

ASDC is located at the Ground floor of Manila Doctors Hospital, 667 United Nations Ave. Ermita, Manila.

 source: interaksyon.com

Dogs help sniff out ovarian cancer in Pa. study

PHILADELPHIA  — Researchers trying to develop a diagnostic tool for ovarian cancer are hoping dogs' keen sense of smell will lead them down the right path.

An early detection device that combines old-fashioned olfactory skills, chemical analysis and modern technology could lead to better survival rates for the disease, which is particularly deadly because it's often not caught until an advanced stage.       




Using blood and tissue samples donated by patients, the University of Pennsylvania's Working Dog Center has started training three canines to sniff out the signature compound that indicates the presence of ovarian cancer.

If the animals can isolate the chemical marker, scientists at the nearby Monell Chemical Senses Center will work to create an electronic sensor to identify the same odorant.

"Because if the dogs can do it, then the question is, Can our analytical instrumentation do it? We think we can," Monell organic chemist George Preti said.

More than 20,000 Americans are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year. When it's caught early, women have a five-year survival rate of 90 percent. But because of its generic symptoms — weight gain, bloating or constipation — the disease is more often caught late.




About 70 percent of cases are identified after the cancer has spread, said Dr. Janos Tanyi, a Penn oncologist whose patients are participating in the study. For those women, the five-year survival rate is less than 40 percent, he said.

The Philadelphia researchers will build on previous work showing that early stage ovarian cancer alters odorous compounds in the body. Another study in Britain in 2004 demonstrated that dogs could identify bladder cancer patients by smelling their urine.

Dr. Leonard Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society, said while the canine concept has shown promise for several years, there haven't been any major breakthroughs yet.

"We're still looking to see whether something could be developed and be useful in routine patient care, and we're not there yet," said Lichtenfeld, who is not involved in the study.

Cindy Otto, director of the Working Dog Center, hopes to change that with the help of McBaine, a springer spaniel; Ohlin, a Labrador retriever; and Tsunami, a German shepherd.

"If we can figure out what those chemicals are, what that fingerprint of ovarian cancer is that's in the blood — or maybe even eventually in the urine or something like that — then we can have that automated test that will be less expensive and very efficient at screening those samples," Otto said.

Ovarian cancer patient Marta Drexler, 57, is heartened by the effort. Drexler describes herself as a textbook case of the disease not being detected early enough because she had no symptoms.

After two surgeries and two rounds of chemotherapy, Drexler said she didn't hesitate when Dr. Tanyi, her physician, asked her to donate tissue to the study. Last week, she visited the Working Dog Center to meet the animals whose work might one day lead to fewer battles like hers.

"To have the opportunity to help with this dreadful disease, to do something about it, even if it's just a tiny little bit of something, it's a big thing," said Drexler, of nearby Lansdowne.

The ovarian cancer detection study is being funded by an $80,000 grant from the Madison, N.J.-based Kaleidoscope of Hope Foundation.

source: philstar.com

Faulty breast implant company executives on trial in France

MARSEILLE - Five executives of PIP, the company that sparked a global health scare by selling faulty breast implants, went on trial Wednesday in one of the biggest criminal cases in French history.

More than 5,000 female plaintiffs accuse PIP founder Jean-Claude Mas and four others of aggravated fraud for using industrial-grade silicone in implants estimated to have been received by 300,000 women in 65 countries.

source: interaksyon.com

Beauty in PureColor

MANILA, Philippines - Estee Lauder, one of the most renowned global beauty brands, celebrated the beauty of women in the PureColor Play event featuring its latest makeup line in Makati City.

Celebrity guests included Miss Universe ’73 Margie Moran-Floirendo, Brazilian models Fabio Ide, Daniel Matsunaga and Vanessa Matsunaga.

Hosted by Teresa Herrera with music from DJ Badkiss (Christina Baertgas) and DJ Meow (Mia Ayesa), the event was highlighted by a performance of Ballet Philippines and a fashion show featuring Jun Escario’s creations, which brought to life the video animation that unveiled Estee Lauder’s makeup collection.

The dramatic image mapping throughout the venue showcased Estee Lauder creative makeup director Tom Pecheux’s masterpiece in the limelight, giving guests a first look at his creation made for women all over the world.

Guests got to try Estee Lauder’s PureColor Lipstick, PureColor Eyeshadow Palette, PureColor Blush and the Vivid Collection (PureColor Gelee Powder Eye Shadows, PureColor Vivid Shine Lipstick), the PureColor Nail Lacquer with True Vision Technology — at the play and display booths manned by Estee Lauder’s makeup artists and nail technicians.

With its newest makeup collection, Estee Lauder stays true to her promise that “Every woman can be beautiful.”

source: philstar.com

Why these style bloggers love Charles & Keith

MANILA, Philippines - Kelly Misa, Kryz Uy, Vern and Verniece Enciso and Cheyser Pedregosa are Charles & Keith’s newest brand ambassadors. The fashion-forward shoe brand kicked off its winter collection by choosing these stylish individuals to represent the Charles & Keith woman. As its loyal fanbase continues to grow, the brand stays true to its thrust of providing world-class trendy shoes and accessories.

Professional model and host Kelly Misa has dominated the world of fashion and beauty through numerous endorsements and magazine covers. Kryz Uy, a Cebuana blogger, creative director, and stylist, has gained popularity the world over through her unique style and sense of fashion. Cheyser Pedregosa, a Davao-based blogger and future interior designer, has inspired other “walking recessionistas” to find ways of making fashion fun, easy, and budget-friendly. Style blogger and sisters Vern and Verniece Enciso complete the team. Vern is a student and intern at the Senate while Verniece is an award-winning ice skater. All five have their own unique sense of fashion—unified by their longtime support and love for the brand.

Do you remember your first Charles & Keith item? What was it and how did it relate to your fashion style back then?                                                                

KELLY MISA: It was a pair of basic nude flats. My style has always been a balance of classic mixed with trendy pieces, and those nude flats were definitely part of my everyday wardrobe. I was able to use them for a long time before I had to retire them. After that, I was hooked. Now, I always go to Charles & Keith when I want stylish and comfortable pairs of shoes.                           

KRYZ UY: Gosh, I can’t remember! I’ve been a Charles & Keith fan ever since it opened its first store in Cebu, and I can’t count the number of pairs my mom, sisters and I have enjoyed!                                                                                                              

CHEYSER PEDREGOSA: I was in second-year college (2008) when I had my first pair of shoes from Charles & Keith! It was a pair of tan suede ballet flats with cute ribbon details—the perfect shoe for a student who walked a lot in school!                                         



VERN ENCISO: I can’t even remember my first pair of shoes ‘cause I have about 10 pairs from the brand! What I do remember is that black bag of mine from Charles & Keith that I used as my first school bag in college. It may not be my first but it’s my most memorable one because it never failed me!
                       
                                       

VERNIECE ENCISO:  My first Charles & Keith item was a pair of purple peeptoes. I got the shoes two years ago and since then Charles & Keith has been one of the brands that have helped me adjust my wardrobe.

How has your style changed? How does the Charles & Keith image fit your current style?

Kelly: I think I was more carefree back then and open to just any style. I am now more confident, and I definitely know what I want. I like my outfits to look chic and put-together, always elegant and restrained. And it is as if Charles & Keith grew up with me, as I recently noticed a big improvement in its designs. The brand now carries more classy and sophisticated heels and flats, which perfectly fit my style.               

Kryz: My style has matured in terms of wearability and sophistication. I used to dress in playful and creative outfits without care. Now, I’ve learned to edit my fashion picks into pieces that are both stylish, yet practical. I think that’s why Charles & Keith is a perfect fit for me. The brand has fashion-forward pieces that are always on trend but never over the top.

Cheyser: My style is almost the same as before — loose shorts, sweaters, oversized tops, and vests — still very Boho. The only difference is that the colors I stick to now are more toned-down, something that suits my age.  Charles & Keith’s items lean more on the neutral and basic colors which makes it the perfect complement to my present style!

Vern: I’m definitely more experimental now. I like trying new trends but I always like that classic and crisp look. And having been a loyal buyer for about three years now, Charles & Keith items are like that—up to date, but never go out of style.

Verniece:  Now that I’m in college and a blogger, I need something stylish that does not compromise my comfort because I will be wearing them for long periods of time in school. 

There are numerous local and international footwear brands in the Philippines. What makes Charles & Keith different from the rest?

Kelly: I’ve always been a fan of Charles & Keith because of its stylish and wearable designs, but I have to say, it is the comfort of the shoe that I really appreciate. I usually end up wearing my Charles & Keith shoes practically every day, until I can’t wear them anymore!                                                                                                                    

Kryz: The brand has fashion-forward pieces that are always on trend but never over the top. They are not only affordable, but comfortable as well.

Cheyser: The brand doesn’t try too hard to be trendy. It sticks to stylish yet sophisticated pieces which are things that every girl needs!

Vern: It’s easily to relate to but not too cliché. There’s a pair of shoes for every kind of girl out there.

Verniece:  Trendy but always classy! 

How do you find the winter 2012 collection? Any favorites?

Kelly: I love the newest collection of Charles & Keith! They are super stylish and sexy. I love the pointed heels with snakeskin stripes on the front of the shoe; the gold shimmery heels; the platform lace-up boots; and the satin sky-high heels which I got in navy blue and champagne. The latest collection has amazing snakeskin tote bags, colorful leather shopper bags and bright pony hair bracelets that are just so pretty.

Kryz: I loved the nude booties Kelly wore, and the burgundy patent boots Cheyser wore! Can’t wait to find them in stores and grab myself a pair.

Cheyser: I’m a big fan of boots and the latest collection has boots written all over it. Definitely my favorite!

Vern: I love how the collection has office appropriate shoes with style never compromised.You have to visit the store and see the low heeled pointed heels that have cap toes— it comes in different prints!

 Verniece:  I love the boots the most. As an iceskater, I’ve always daydreamed of visiting places that have snow and I have yet to experience a white Christmas! 

The winter collection is available at Charles & Keith stores nationwide. For updates, features, and promotions from the brand, follow these blogs: Kryz Uy (kryzuy.com), Kelly Misa (kellymisa.tumblr.com), Cheyser Pedregosa (thewalkingrecessionista.com), Vern Enciso (www.vernenciso.com), and Verniece Enciso (www.verniece.com).

source: philstar.com

Radiation may up breast cancer risk in some women

LONDON (AP) — Mammograms aimed at finding breast cancer might actually raise the chances of developing it in young women whose genes put them at higher risk for the disease, a study by leading European cancer agencies suggests.

The added radiation from mammograms and other types of tests with chest radiation might be especially harmful to them and an MRI is probably a safer method of screening women under 30 who are at high risk because of gene mutations, the authors conclude.

The study can't prove a link between the radiation and breast cancer, but is one of the biggest ever to look at the issue. The research was published Thursday in the journal BMJ.

"This will raise questions and caution flags about how we treat women with (gene) mutations," said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. He and the society had no role in the research.

Mammograms are most often used in women over 40, unless they are at high risk, like carrying a mutation of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. Having such a mutation increases the risk of developing cancer five-fold. About one in 400 women has the gene abnormalities, which are more common in Eastern European Jewish populations. Unlike mammograms, an MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging scan, does not involve radiation.

The breast cancer screening tests have been proven to save lives and are clearly beneficial for women aged 50 and over who have an average risk of breast cancer. Experts are divided about their value in women younger than 50.

Some studies have suggested women with the genetic mutations could be more sensitive to radiation because the genes are involved in fixing DNA problems. If those genes are damaged by radiation, they may not be able to repair DNA properly, raising the cancer risk.

In several European countries including Britain, the Netherlands and Spain, doctors already advise women with BRCA mutations to get MRIs instead of mammograms before age 30. In the U.S., there is no specific advice from a leading task force of government advisers, but the American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms and MRIs from age 30 for women with BRCA gene mutations.

In the BMJ study, European researchers followed nearly 2,000 women over 18 with one of the gene mutations in Britain, France and the Netherlands. Participants reported their previous chest X-rays and mammograms, including the age of their first screening and the number of procedures. About 850 women were later diagnosed with breast cancer. Roughly half of them had X-rays while one third had at least one mammogram, at an average age of 29.

The researchers did not have a breakdown of how many women were exposed to chest radiation before age 30 but estimated that for every 100 women aged 30 with a gene mutation, nine will develop breast cancer by age 40. They projected the number of cases would increase by five if all of them had one mammogram before age 30. But they cautioned their results should be interpreted with caution because most women didn't have a mammogram before 30.

Researchers found women with a history of chest radiation in their 20s had a 43 percent increased relative risk of breast cancer compared to women who had no chest radiation at that age. Any exposure before age 20 seemed to raise the risk by 62 percent. Radiation after age 30 did not seem to affect breast cancer risk.

"We believe countries who use mammograms in women under 30 should reconsider their guidelines," said Anouk Pijpe of the Netherlands Cancer Institute, one of the study authors. "It may be possible to reduce the risk of breast cancer in (high-risk) women by using MRIs, so we believe physicians and patients should consider that."

The study was paid for by European cancer groups.

Lichtenfeld said the study wouldn't immediately change advice from the American Cancer Society but said concerned women should talk to their doctor about their options. "It's not possible today to make a blanket statement about what women (with the gene mutations) should do, but physicians and patients need to weigh the risks and benefits carefully," he said.

He also warned that women who need scans involving radiation shouldn't avoid them because of breast cancer fears.

"No one should think that they should never get an X-ray because they have the BRCA1 or 2 gene mutations," he said. "Just be careful that the X-rays you get are really the ones that you need."

article source: philstar.com

Tami Bonnell Named CEO of EXIT Realty Corp. International

Mississauga, ON (Grassroots Newswire) September 04, 2012 – EXIT Realty Corp. International today announced that Tami Bonnell has been named CEO.

Bonnell, who has been President of EXIT Realty’s US Organization since 2001, is a thirty-year veteran of the real estate industry and was instrumental in building three major brands. Among her many achievements, she was recognized by real estate trend-watcher, Stefan Swanepoel, as one of the 100 Most Influential Women in Real Estate. In addition to her responsibilities at EXIT Realty she is a wife, mother of three, grandmother of three and a martial artist, coach, judge and referee.

Bonnell’s appointment is part of a corporate restructuring that includes other promotions to key positions including the naming of Steve Morris as Founder and Chairman; Erika Gileo, formerly Senior Vice President of Operations and Stevie™ Award Winner as Executive of the Year – Real Estate at the 2011 International Business Awards as Chief Operating Officer; Sharron Richardson, formerly Manager of Franchise Support as Vice President of Broker Services and Derek Stephenson, formerly Assistant Manager, Franchise Support as Manager of Franchise Support.

“This restructuring will help facilitate the vast growth we’re anticipating at EXIT Realty over the next few years,” said Morris. “We’re very excited about the future of EXIT and look forward to achieving our target of 3,600 franchises sold, open and productive with 100,000 sales associates who love the company.”

About EXIT Realty: Founded in Canada in 1996, EXIT Realty is a proven real estate business model that has to-date, paid out more than $235 million in single-level residuals to its associates. Taking the U.S. by storm starting in 1999, EXIT Realty was named as one of the Top 10 Trendsetters of 2007 by the Swanepoel Trends report, and Steve Morris was named one of REALTOR^® Magazine’s 25 Most Influential Thought Leaders. In 2010, EXIT Realty was awarded a Distinguished Honoree Medal by the Stevies™ International Business Awards™ in the category of Most Innovative Company in North America. A portion of every transaction fee collected by EXIT International is applied to its charitable fund and to-date, $2 million has been pledged to Habitat for Humanity in both Canada and the U.S. Please visit www.exitrealty.com for more information.

source: thenichereport.com

Women in Asia largely ignorant on fertility issues — survey

HONG KONG - Women in Asia are largely ignorant about fertility problems and tend to blame their failure to conceive on "God's will" and bad luck, a survey has found.

The survey, which covered 1,000 women in 10 countries who had been trying to conceive for at least six months, found that 62 percent of them did not suspect they may have a fertility problem.

They were even less likely to point the finger at their husbands, with 80 percent of them not suspecting that their partners may have a problem with fertility.

Infertility is defined by the World Health Organization as the inability to conceive after a year of regular, unprotected sex. But only 43 percent of the women surveyed knew that.

Only 30 percent of the women, all aged 25-40, recognised that obesity could reduce fertility and only 36 percent knew that chances of getting pregnant declined with age.

Forty-three percent did not know a man may be infertile even if he could achieve an erection and 73 percent were unaware that men who had mumps after puberty could be infertile later on.

Instead of getting treatment, 46 percent of respondents blamed their inability to conceive on "God's will" and 45 percent put it down to bad luck.

Lead researcher P C Wong at the National University Hospital Women's Centre in Singapore said such a lack of understanding could result in couples waiting too long - only to realise when they finally decided to seek help that it may be too late.

"That's a lost opportunity because even if they come for treatment, our success of treatment is higher with younger women," said Wong, who heads the reproductive endocrinology and infertility division at the hospital.

Chances of success with in-vitro fertilisation - the best known fertility treatment - is 40-50 percent when a woman is under 30 years old but that drops to 10 percent once the woman is over 40. By 44-45, the chance of success is one percent.

"The reason is because eggs in the ovaries decline in quality and quantity ... as we go along and age, the chances of conceiving is much lower," Wong said by telephone.

The survey, commissioned by Merck KGaA unit Merck Serono, covered China, India, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia.

Wong said his team hoped to work on a similar survey targeting men in Asia. - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Katya Santos, Maui Taylor mentor Viva’s new batch of sexy stars

Katya Santos and Maui Taylor are sizzling up the boob tube again. And they have six newcomers with them who are all hoping to follow in their footsteps to become the next “pantasya ng bayan”.

The Viva Hot Babes headliners are currently hosting “Pantaxa” (pronounced “pantasya”), a new reality show on their home studio’s recently launched cable channel, Viva Channel.

“Pantaxa” follows Katya and Maui as they mentor a bunch of new sexy stars. The twice-weekly series sees the two screen veterans putting the younger girls through various challenges and activities that test their physical, mental, and emotional capabilities to handle the demands of the path that they have chosen to take in showbiz.

“People think it’s easy being a sexy star,” Maui notes. “It’s not. Baring your body in front of the cameras for everyone to see takes a lot of courage, determination, and self-awareness.”

Katya agrees. “Being sexy is not just about disrobing. It’s about making people see that there’s something beyond the flesh. Because it’s what will establish a deeper connection with the audience, which will have them wanting and coming back for more.”

Bringing out the “something beyond the flesh” is what show hopes to achieve with its six screen-seductresses-in-training.

The “Pantaxa” women of the current season are Jade Lopez, Yam Concepcion, Jef Gaitan, Alexis Navarro, Sara Polverini, and Carla Castelo.

The first few episodes saw Katya leading the girls through a lingerie pictorial, a mock TV commercial shoot for a fake brand endorsement, and a sexy music video shoot.

Maui has come in as a mid-season addition, joining the eposodes that were recently shot in Caramoan and the CWC complex in Camarines Sur.

These episodes promise a lot of baring and daring as the girls had to do a topless pictorial and a nude painting session, among a host of activities.

Reports from the set say that some claws have surfaced and there was some heat among some of the girls both on- and off-cam.

“Our ultimate goal, really, is to make these girls totally comfortable in their skin,” Katya says. “We want them to own their bodies. That’s the only way for them to have full control. It’s the best way to make their presence felt in anything that they do, whether it’s a pictorial or a live event or a movie.”

source: interaksyon.com

Researchers to test effectiveness of vaginal ring for HIV prevention

Two large clinical trials in Africa are ramping up to test the effectiveness of a vaginal ring that releases an HIV-fighting drug for a month or more, offering women at high risk a discreet way to protect themselves from the virus that causes AIDS.

The studies will test the effectiveness of a vaginal ring containing the antiretroviral drug dapivirine in thousands of women in several African countries to evaluate its ability to prevent new HIV infections and its long-term safety.

If effective, the ring will add "a long-acting, female-initiated technology to the existing toolkit of HIV prevention options," said Dr. Zeda Rosenberg, chief executive officer of International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM), a nonprofit group founded by Rosenberg which is developing the ring.

Because it only needs to be replaced once a month, the ring may help address some of the problems with getting women to consistently use vaginal gels each time they have sex, Rosenberg said during a briefing at the International AIDS Conference in Washington.

Irregular use is thought to be the reason a large study of the microbicidal gel containing the anti-HIV drug tenofovir failed to prevent infections in women in sub-Saharan Africa.

IPM has a royalty-free licensing agreement with Johnson & Johnson's Janssen unit in Ireland to use its dapivirine antiretroviral product in gel and ring forms to prevent HIV infections in low and middle income countries.

Dapivirine is part of a class of antiretroviral drugs that have long been used to treat HIV and prevent mother-to-child transmission of the virus.

NIH PARTNERSHIP

The IPM study will enroll 1,650 women aged 18 to 45, who will be randomly assigned to use the ring or a placebo in four sites in South Africa, with plans to expand to sites in Rwanda and Malawi.

It is being conducted in partnership with the U.S. National Institutes of Health-backed Microbicide Trials Network, which just started enrolling women in a separate trial called ASPIRE.

"Developing scientifically proven forms of HIV prevention that women can control is essential," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.

"Because the vaginal ring is a long-acting intervention, it has a potential added benefit in that women may find it relatively easy to use."

The ASPIRE study will test the ring in 3,476 women aged 18 to 45 in Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Women in the studies will be offered condoms and counseling on HIV prevention, and taught how to insert the vaginal ring. At monthly visits, researchers will keep track of whether women are still using the ring and give them a replacement.

Those women who become pregnant during the study will discontinue use of the ring, and their safety and that of their child will continue to be monitored.

Dr. Saidi Kapiga of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who is coordinating the ring study in Africa and has also conducted tests of vaginal gels for HIV protection, said there are already signs that women prefer the new option.

"It is acceptable," Kapiga told the briefing. "The fact that they use it only once in four weeks was a major advantage."

Both trials are designed to detect at least a 60 percent reduction in HIV risk, but researchers said they hope for even better results, which are expected in 2015.

"If proven to be effective, I think this will really revolutionize prevention for women," Dr. Sharon Hillier, who heads the Microbicide Trials Network at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, told the briefing.

source: interaksyon.com

Study: IVF in young women tied to later breast cancer

Women who go through in vitro fertilization (IVF) early in life are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer compared to those who don't undergo the treatment, suggests a new study.

The findings, however, cannot determine whether IVF contributed to the cancers or whether something else could explain the link.

"I don't think it's a huge increased risk that you should worry or panic (about)," said Louise Stewart, the study's lead author and a researcher at the University of Western Australia in Crawley.

She added, however, that her findings did show a link between the two and doctors should keep that in the back of their minds.

For the new study, Stewart and her colleagues collected information on 21,025 women between the ages of 20 and 40 years old who went through fertility treatment at the hospitals of Western Australia between 1983 and 2002.

They were able to piece together enough data to follow the women for some 16 years to see if they developed breast cancer.

When all the women were analyzed together, the researchers did not see an overall link between IVF and breast cancer.

Roughly 1.7 percent of the 13,644 women who only had fertility drugs without IVF ended up developing breast cancer by the end of the study. That figure was about two percent for women who got fertility drugs and IVF - a difference the researchers say isn't statistically significant.

When they divided the women into two different age groups, however, that changed.

Women who started taking fertility drugs around their 24th birthday and went through IVF had a 56 percent greater chance of eventually developing breast cancer compared to those in the same age group who only went through fertility treatments without IVF.

Meanwhile, there was no increased risk for women who started fertility treatments when they were about 40 years old, regardless of whether they had IVF or not, according to findings published in Fertility and Sterility.

Stewart told Reuters Health that the most likely reason the younger women see an increased risk of breast cancer is that they are exposed to higher levels of circulating estrogen during their cycles of IVF treatment.

"The development of breast cancer is linked to estrogen exposure and the longer one is exposed, the greater the risk," said Dr. Linda Giudice, president-elect of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, in a statement.

"In an IVF cycle, there is a short, but significant elevation in circulating estrogen, and whether this is linked to the observations found in this study is not clear at this time," Giudice said.

Stewart added, another explanation could be that younger women who undergo IVF may be different in some significant way from those who only have other types of fertility treatments.

"If, for example younger women who had IVF were more likely to have a specific cause of infertility, and this was related to an increased risk of breast cancer, then it would appear that IVF was related to breast cancer when in fact it was the type of infertility that was more common in women who had IVF," Stewart explained.

She emphasized that this is "just speculation," and the data used in the study didn't include information about the women's causes of infertility. She also said that the current study's results need to be confirmed by future research.

Giudice, who was not involved with the new study, added, "Women should be reassured that, overall, IVF was not associated with an increased risk for development of breast cancer."

SOURCE: bit.ly/MDKsYi Fertility and Sterility, online May 28, 2012. IVF in young women tied to later breast cancer


Women who go through in vitro fertilization (IVF) early in life are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer compared to those who don't undergo the treatment, suggests a new study.

The findings, however, cannot determine whether IVF contributed to the cancers or whether something else could explain the link.

"I don't think it's a huge increased risk that you should worry or panic (about)," said Louise Stewart, the study's lead author and a researcher at the University of Western Australia in Crawley.

She added, however, that her findings did show a link between the two and doctors should keep that in the back of their minds.

For the new study, Stewart and her colleagues collected information on 21,025 women between the ages of 20 and 40 years old who went through fertility treatment at the hospitals of Western Australia between 1983 and 2002.

They were able to piece together enough data to follow the women for some 16 years to see if they developed breast cancer.

When all the women were analyzed together, the researchers did not see an overall link between IVF and breast cancer.

Roughly 1.7 percent of the 13,644 women who only had fertility drugs without IVF ended up developing breast cancer by the end of the study. That figure was about two percent for women who got fertility drugs and IVF - a difference the researchers say isn't statistically significant.

When they divided the women into two different age groups, however, that changed.

Women who started taking fertility drugs around their 24th birthday and went through IVF had a 56 percent greater chance of eventually developing breast cancer compared to those in the same age group who only went through fertility treatments without IVF.

Meanwhile, there was no increased risk for women who started fertility treatments when they were about 40 years old, regardless of whether they had IVF or not, according to findings published in Fertility and Sterility.

Stewart told Reuters Health that the most likely reason the younger women see an increased risk of breast cancer is that they are exposed to higher levels of circulating estrogen during their cycles of IVF treatment.

"The development of breast cancer is linked to estrogen exposure and the longer one is exposed, the greater the risk," said Dr. Linda Giudice, president-elect of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, in a statement.

"In an IVF cycle, there is a short, but significant elevation in circulating estrogen, and whether this is linked to the observations found in this study is not clear at this time," Giudice said.

Stewart added, another explanation could be that younger women who undergo IVF may be different in some significant way from those who only have other types of fertility treatments.

"If, for example younger women who had IVF were more likely to have a specific cause of infertility, and this was related to an increased risk of breast cancer, then it would appear that IVF was related to breast cancer when in fact it was the type of infertility that was more common in women who had IVF," Stewart explained.

She emphasized that this is "just speculation," and the data used in the study didn't include information about the women's causes of infertility. She also said that the current study's results need to be confirmed by future research.

Giudice, who was not involved with the new study, added, "Women should be reassured that, overall, IVF was not associated with an increased risk for development of breast cancer." — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Aspirin tied to lower lung cancer risk in women: Asian study

Women who took aspirin at least a couple of times a week had a much lower risk of developing lung cancer, whether or not they ever smoked, according to a study of more than a thousand Asian women.

The findings, published in the journal Lung Cancer, linked regularly taking aspirin to a risk reduction of 50 percent or more, although researchers cautioned that they did not prove aspirin directly protects against lung cancer.

But the study does back up a number of previous studies that linked regular aspirin use to lower risks of certain cancers, including colon, prostate and esophageal cancers.

"Our results suggest that aspirin consumption may reduce lung cancer risk in Asian women," wrote Wei-Yen Lim, of the National University of Singapore, and colleagues.

But in an email Lim added: "The question about whether aspirin use protects against lung cancer is still open to considerable debate at this point, and the published evidence to date is not conclusive."

The study included 398 Chinese women diagnosed with lung cancer and 814 cancer-free women, and Lim's team found that women who had used aspirin regularly, at least twice a week for a month or longer, were less likely to have lung cancer.

Among women who had never smoked, the odds were 50 percent lower for aspirin users versus non-users. Among smokers, aspirin use was tied to a 62 percent lower risk of lung cancer.

The researchers were able to account for some other factors, such as the women's age, education and fruit and vegetable intake, but Lim said there could be still other differences to help explain why aspirin users had a lower lung cancer risk.

There was a fairly large relative difference in cancer risk between aspirin users and non-users in the study, but the absolute reduction in any one person's risk, if there is one, might be small.

There are biological reasons that aspirin might offer protection against cancer. It blocks an enzyme called cyclooxygenase-2, or COX-2, which promotes inflammation and cell division, and is found in high levels in tumors.

But Andrew Chan at Harvard Medical School, who was not involved in the study, said that the evidence on aspirin and lung cancer has been "mixed."

"The number one thing a person can do to minimize the risk of lung cancer is to not smoke," he said.

There is stronger evidence that aspirin may be protective against colon cancer, according to Chan, a gastroenterologist who researches colon cancer prevention.

But he said that it's still too soon to recommend that all middle-aged and older adults take a daily aspirin, although discussing it with their doctor may be reasonable.

"People are usually interested in more than preventing one particular cancer. So it's important to view this in the context of a person's overall health."

The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that men aged 45 to 79 take aspirin to prevent heart attacks, as long as their personal benefit is likely to outweigh the risk of bleeding. For women age 55 to 79, aspirin is recommended to prevent ischemic strokes, with the same caveat. –Reuters
source: gmanetwork.com