Dr. Steve: Friday

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7:00am Segment Info:
Millions of Americans at one time or another have worked the graveyard shift. And now researchers from the world health organization say burning the midnight oil may be a probable cause of cancer, specifically breast, prostate and colon cancer. In recent years, several studies have found that women working at night over many years were more prone to breast cancer. Men may have a higher rate of prostate cancer and animals that have their light-dark schedules switched develop more cancerous tumors and die earlier. If the scientists’ theory is true, this could affect millions of people. Experts estimate that nearly 20 percent of the working population in developed countries work night shifts.

What's the connection?

Overnight work is dangerous because it disrupts the circadian rhythm, the body's biological clock. The hormone melatonin, which can suppress tumor development, is normally produced at night. Melatonin is a natural antioxidant that helps protect against cancer and in night shift workers its levels are suppressed because light shuts down melatonin production, so people working in artificial light at night may have lower melatonin levels. Besides melatonin, not getting enough sleep makes your immune system vulnerable to attack, and less able to fight off potentially cancerous cells. By the way guys, the only thing worse than working a night shift is constantly switching from days to nights.

That lack of sleep ages you too, so how can we make our old skin look young again?

Wouldn't it be great if you could get rid of the wrinkles and the saggy skin by simply applying a cream to your face? I mean one that really works? Researchers managed to do that in mice. They took mice with old skin and made it young again in just two weeks by blocking a single gene. They applied a cream to the skin that stopped the skin cells from aging. This is years away from being applied in humans, but it's a very exciting discovery.

Can this apply to other organs in the body besides skin?

It's possible. And that's the next step. Researchers want to see if blocking the gene will also reverse aging in other tissues like the heart and lungs. There's also a question of whether the effect will last if the treatment is stopped or if the tissues will revert back to the previous age before the aging process was stopped.

Finally, there's a new online calculator to help women gauge the health of their bones.

You know osteoporosis is a thinning of the bones that affects the elderly, mostly women. It's a disease you cannot see from the outside. But now there's a new online calculator that can help women over 50 get an idea of how healthy their bones are. It's called the women's health initiative hip fracture risk calculator. It was created from data of over 160 thousand women who took part in the women's health initiative, which is the largest-ever study of women's health.

What's the website?

www.hipcalculator.fhcrc.org

Remember, this calculator is simply a tool women can use to help make decisions about their health. You should discuss this with your doctor before making any medical decisions on your own.

8:00am Ask The Doctor Info:

1. Should I remove ingrown hairs?
Irina from Brooklyn, NY

Irina, in order to relieve the pain of ingrown hairs you have to release the embedded hair from the skin. That doesn't mean you have to pluck the hair, just release the part that's curling in. One way to stop ingrown hairs is to shave with hot water and use a thick shaving gel. Shave in the direction of the hairs and don't stretch your skin. Follow up with a cold water rinse to close your pores.

2. How do you get rid of toe fungus?
KC from Brooklyn, NY

KC, i assume you're talking about toenail fungus, which is often caused by the same fungus that causes athletes foot. A fungal nail infection can be very difficult to treat. There are some over the counter and prescription creams available but you'll probably have to take pills to get rid of the infection. Problem is these pills are expensive and require regular blood tests. So speak to your doctor about your options.

3. After drinking a couple of glasses of water I feel so heavy. How can one be expected to drink 8 glasses a day?
Christopher from Queens

Christopher, here's the good news. You really don't need to drink 8 glasses of water a day. No one knows exactly where that number came from... Doctors now recommend that you drink enough water to make your urine slightly yellow. If it's clear you're drinking too much, if it's dark yellow you're not drinking enough. That will still have you drinking lots of water. Remember, juice and coffee count. So drink a little throughout the day. This way you won't feel too bloated.