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While soy has long been a staple product for those who are lactose intolerant and vegetarians, recent studies have shown that maybe we could all benefit from incorporating a little soy into our diet.

In addition to providing healthy and natural sources of protein, previous research into soy products has found that consumption of soy can help reduce cholesterol and eve ease the severity of menopausal symptoms. The benefits of soy, however, may be even farther reaching; a recent study has shown that the consumption of large amounts of soy products can actually improve lung function and work to lower your chances of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The study looked at 300 people who suffered from COPD, matching them with 340 “healthy” people and then compared their soy intake. The results found that those who consumed soy regularly had a much lower chance of developing COPD and improved overall lung function. It is believed this is because the “flavanoids from soy foods act as an anti-inflammatory agent in the lung, and can protect against tobacco carcinogens for smokers,” said Fumi Hirayama, one of the authors of the study.

So do yourself, and your lungs, a favor and try and have a glass of soy milk once in awhile!

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Is bottled water safer to drink than water from the tap? Is it really any healthier than drinking from the hose like you did when you were a kid?

In the past several years drinking bottled water became the new health craze and suddenly tap water was no longer suitable. Despite popular belief, the truth is that bottled water is not any better for you than the water out of your kitchen faucet or the backyard hose. In fact, US tap water quality standards are regulated by the notoriously strict Environment Protection Agency and are therefore far more rigorous than they are for bottled water, which is overseen by the FDA.

Also in recent years, reports have been released about big name bottled water brands like Dasani and Aquafina, which revealed the water being bottled and sold was actually from the tap. So why is it that people continue to litter the world with plastic and spend a ton of money on bottled water?

A study published in the BMC Health Journal noted that people are willing to shell out the extra dough for bottled water for its taste and convenience factor. “The majority of participants believed that bottled water has some health benefits but that they were not necessarily significant or superior to the benefits provided by tap water. Convenience and taste were more influential factors for participants when deciding to buy a bottle of water,” said Study leader Lorna Ward.

So if it’s really just a matter of taste and convenience, then next time you’re in the water aisle at the grocery store this summer, pick up a Brita Filter instead. Save yourself a few bucks and save the earth a few million pounds of non-biodegradable plastic.

Two studies were recently released that link obesity to cancer.

Studies have previously connected pancreatic cancer to obesity, but new findings suggest that obesity in early age is especially detrimental to later health.

Obesity in early adulthood is associated both with earlier onset and increased risk of pancreatic cancer according to a study from the Journal of the American Medical Association. Overweight teens are at twice the risk for developing pancreatic cancer than similar adults that were never overweight.

Researchers claimed the results were independent of a participant’s diabetes status. This means that even though obesity risks a higher chance of diabetes, and diabetes risks a greater chance for pancreatic cancer, participants in the study that did not have diabetes still had a twice-over risk for pancreatic cancer if they were overweight early in life.

The second study was conducted by Lancet Oncology in July. It confirms that bariatric surgery could lower the risk of cancer in women. A Canadian study has also shown a dramatically lower risk of cancer in obsese patients who underwent weight loss surgery, compared to patients that remained obese.

Due to the fact the results only showed a lower risk of cancer in women, cancer-prevention effects are likely for hormone-sensitive concerns like breast and endometrial cancers. In obesity-related cancers more common in men, such as colon, rectal, and kidney, effects are slower to manifest, and the effects of weight loss surgery would thus take longer to show up.

The concern for health spans across all cultures. Exercise, fitness, nutrition, and pregnancy are all fundamental aspects of human life. It’s no wonder that the universal appeal of health has driven healthcare to be the largest industry in the United States.

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Degrees in Healthcare offers resources to help aspiring students. It also features a unique 1-2-3 search utility that helps students determine which school is right for them, based on their degree preferences. As a one-stop site, Degrees in Healthcare provides everything needed to get jumpstarted into a healthcare career.