Aspirin is recognized for its effects in heart-attack prevention. And several studies “have provided evidence that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin, may hold promise in helping to prevent cancer,” according to the National Cancer Institute.  There’s a long history of research on aspirin and cancer, starting in the early 1990s. But can an aspirin a day keep cancer away? It’s not quite that simple, although two studies published in the Lancet and one in Lancet Oncology suggest that aspirin could have some protective effects against cancer. From a tree, a 'miracle' called aspirin All three studies were conducted by Dr. Peter M. Rothwell and his colleagues at the University of Oxford and John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom. In the first study published in the Lancet , the researchers found that the aspirin users had reduced cancer deaths (562 to 664 deaths) and fewer nonvascular deaths (1,021 to 1,173 deaths) – these are causes unrelated to the heart or circulatory system. These findings were based on 34 studies. In 51 trials, aspirin users had lower nonvascular deaths and had reduced in-trial cancer deaths by nearly 40% after about five years. The findings only applied to daily users of aspirin, not studies in which subjects consumed aspirin every other day. In six prevention trials, aspirin users had reduced cancer incidence from three years onward by 324 cases compared with 421 cases in the groups who did not consume aspirin. Rothwell and his colleagues wrote that the results in the short-term reductions in cancer incidence and mortality “add to the case for daily aspirin in prevention of cancer.” Eric Jacobs, director of pharmacoepidemiology for the American Cancer Society, said it would take time for the scientific community to evaluate these new findings with existing evidence. Using aspirin to help cancer prevention is not necessarily a new concept; previous studies have shown evidence it is particularly helpful in colorectal cancers. “It is not entirely clear how aspirin works to prevent colorectal cancer and possibly other cancers,” Jacobs said.  “These recent studies are finding apparent effects at very low doses that suggest the effects of aspirin on platelets may be important for cancer.  Platelets are affected by very low doses of aspirin.” Although daily aspirin has some promising benefits, it can also raise the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. Even low doses of aspirin can increase risk of stomach bleeding,” Jacobs said.  “Low doses can help prevent heart attacks because they stop the platelets from sticking together and causing clots.  They can, even in low doses, increase the risk of bleeding.” Before popping aspirin for the sake of cancer prevention, Jacobs warned that a person should consult his or her doctors. “It’s a balance of the overall risk and overall benefits,” he said.   The second article published in the Lancet indicated that aspirin could affect how cancer grows and spreads.  The authors collected data from five studies totaling 17,285 patients in the United Kingdom. The people in the experiment group took daily aspirin (less than 75 mg). The study found the aspirin reduced risk in cancers in the colon, lung and prostate by 46%, and other cancers, such as those in the bladder and kidney, by 18%. “Allocation to aspirin reduced the incidence of new cancers during the trials,” wrote the researchers. The third study published in Lancet Oncology observed the same effect from aspirin when the authors examined observational studies instead of trials.  The results of the observational studies were 38% reduced risk of colorectal cancer among aspirin users. In an accompanying commentary entitled, “Are we ready to recommend aspirin for cancer prevention?” two doctors commenting on the study wrote: “This finding was the first convincing evidence that aspirin might prevent death from several cancers, thereby widening its potential population-wide effect.” But they wrote that the Rothwell studies didn’t include the trials in which subjects took aspirin every other day. “Despite a convincing case that the vascular and anticancer benefits of aspirin outweigh the harms of major extracranial bleeding, these analyses do not account for less serious adverse effects on quality of life, such as less severe bleeding.” Filed under: Cancer , Heart Tagged: Madison Park – CNNhealth.com Writer/Producer

Editor's note: Denise Castelli is one of seven CNN readers chosen to be a part of the CNN Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge . She lost her leg to an infection following a tragic accident in a collegiate softball game. My entire life I've been blessed with two selfless parents who have given me everything. I was fortunate enough to be afforded many opportunities. I played the piano and clarinet, took art classes, played softball, bowled… the list goes on. We had a home cooked family dinner every single night and always found ways to spend time with our entire extended family. My parents gave me vision to see the future, strength to face the many battles of my life and unconditional love that made me unafraid of failure. I always know, no matter what, at the end of the day, I am still loved and they are always proud of me. When you really think about it, that's an extremely powerful thing. The two years that I was sick were hard on me, but it was even harder on my parents. Talk about feeling helpless – they had to watch their little girl (their Nene) suffer day in and day out without really knowing how to help or what to do. This took a toll on both of them, mentally and physically. They forgot about their own health and focused solely on mine. My father’s health issues started before I was sick. He had been dealing with his weight problem for a few years already. It had never been out of control, but during this time, he developed a problem with emotional eating. After spending all day in the hospital with me, he would eat, and eat, and eat. Waiting for me to get out of surgery? He would eat. I had always considered my father stocky, not heavy. Yet I remember looking at him and thinking "Wow, he's really overweight." His doctor agreed and decided that he needed to be on cholesterol medication and sugar medication – he had become pre-diabetic. My mother and I tried to figure out ways of talking to him about his weight without hurting his feelings. It was not an easy subject to tip-toe around. I would remind him how important it was that he dances with me on my wedding day and that he is around to play with his grandkids. I tried to go at it from every angle possible but mentally he wasn't ready to lose the weight. Food was still a comfort to him. The change he needed came on the day I was selected for the Fit Nation Challenge. I remember hugging in his office and talking about the challenge ahead of me and he said "You know what? This just might inspire me to lose weight." I didn't want to hold him to it or put any pressure on him, but man, I knew this was something he had to do. I knew this was something I WANTED him to do. Suddenly, this challenge wasn't about just me anymore – it was about one of the most important people in my life, my father. Things became real for me when we were in Atlanta for our kick-off weekend. I had a hard time listening to Carlos speak about his diabetes and all the diabetics in his family. Carlos went on to say that one of his family members had lost a leg due to diabetes. I couldn't sleep that night. All I could think about was someone who I love, someone so close to me, going through an amputation – that thought made me sick to my stomach. Limb loss isn't something I would wish on my worst enemy. Our nutritionist, Ilana, had said something that struck so true to me. "Dieting makes you fat." BINGO. All the years my father struggled with his weight was summed up into one simple sentence. He was always trying to diet, and never trying to make a lifestyle change. I had just discovered the simple logic behind why my father could never lose the weight he had gained. When I came back from Atlanta I couldn't wait to share all these ideas with him. I didn't want to throw too much his way, but there was one recipe that I was going to force him to try. Every Sunday morning he makes buttermilk waffles for me, my mom and my sister. I asked him to try out the recipe for egg white oatmeal pancakes that Ilana had given us. At first there was some resistance because everyone has their own ideas about what "healthy" food tastes like, but this substitution sounded delicious. Well, these pancakes have become our new Sunday morning breakfast! This was a great way for me to introduce a healthy lifestyle change, with yummy food that wasn't going to be toxic for his body. With a healthy foot in the door, my mom and I then talked with him about portion control. Fortunately for my father, this is where my mom was going to have to learn to change. To all Italian women, food is love. If you're sick? An Italian mom tells you to eat. You had a bad day? Let me make you something. You got an "A" on your test? I'll whip up something good for dinner. Didn’t sleep well last night? You probably didn't eat enough. This is the way it's always been in the Italian culture. So, my mom had to learn to cook less. Instead of making 14 chicken cutlets for 3 people (no joke) she now makes 4. If the temptation isn't right in front of my father, he won't eat it. We've all done our best to keep the crap out of the house and out of the reach of his mouth. So now that he's portioning his food, eating less (and healthier) calories, he keeps a journal of his sugar readings. Four times a day he checks his sugar and records it in his journal. This helps him keep track of what makes his sugar spike and what makes it plummet. This is the first time in 5 years that he’s taken a proactive step in dealing with his problem. Since the beginning of February, my father has already lost 30 pounds. He has 30 more to go and then he will have reached his goal weight. He hasn’t looked or felt this good about himself in years! Now that he's feeling better about himself, he's decided to get his butt back into the gym. Since I've learned about the importance of a heart monitor, it was the first thing we went out and bought. I told him that he can never, ever, ever work out without wearing it. So far, it’s only been baby steps, but I have no doubt that by the summer he’ll be running miles with me. When I decided to take on this challenge, I knew it would change my life for the better. But I had no idea the effect it would have on the life of one of the most important people in the world to me – my father. Filed under: 2012 Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge , Denise Castelli Tagged: Denise Castelli – Fit Nation Participant

Healthify your California Club sammy for a guilt-free lunch – Healthy Happy Life Fight free radicals with pistachios and other surprising sources of antioxidants – Shape Fix your hair problems with food! What to eat for lovely locks – HuffPost Health Get a visual: what 100 calories of meat really looks like – Blisstree Are you going meatless for March? It’s a healthy challenge! – Daily Spark DIY whole-grain raspberry breakfast bars – Fit Bottomed Girls Vegan and gluten-free, we’re loving this peanut butter chocolate chip fudge – Vital Juice A cook’s guide to picking the right pear every time – Vegetarian Times

You may just chalk up a bad night’s sleep to feeling a little bit off the next day, but in reality, regularly getting a bad night’s sleep can ruin your health. A constant lack of quality sleep can lead to high blood pressure and later heart problems, and a new study is looking at the correlation between waking up during the night and developing Alzheimer’s . And even without these long-term effects of chronic bad-quality sleep, there are the immediate ones: the next-day grogginess, irritability, and feeling foggy-headed. Do all these bad effects encourage you to make getting quality sleep a priority? Do You Make Quality Sleep a Priority? Yes – I make sure I do all I can for quality sleep. No – I’ve been waking up tired for years!

It’s hard to believe that holiday season is already upon us, but we’re ready to get the giving started! We’ve got all of your gifting needs covered with our 2011 gift guides , including awesome ideas on what to wrap up for your favorite pampered pal, your most stylish friend, and even the beginner cook in your life. We’ll be helping you cross off the names on your gift list from now through December, so make sure to check back for the best picks across all the network. We’re also getting in the spirit with tons of Thanksgiving planning, tips, tricks, and inspiration to get everyone excited for the most festive time of the year!

When invited to run on a friend’s team in the mother of all relays, you answer yes and start training immediately. This is how I joined the Van Tramps for the 30th running of the Hood to Coast Relay . I had seen the documentary (here’s my review of Hood to Coast, the movie ) and was honored to be in the 12-women team named partially after the Von Trapp family singers, immortalized climbing hills in The Sound of Music . But our team name is also a nod to the hours spent in a van, tramping around Oregon between Mt. Hood and the Oregon coast. Silly names and decorated vans are all part of the fun of this endurance relay. The race starts five miles up the eponymous mountain, winds its way through the city of Portland, OR, before ending 200 miles later at the beachy town of Seaside. The 12-member team is divided equally into two vans. Each member runs three legs of the 36-leg race, with stage lengths ranging from just under four miles to just over eight. The race takes over 24 hours to complete, so all racers have the thrill of running in the dark wearing flashing lights (or vests) and headlamps. In fact, race officials won’t let you check in at the starting line without first showing them your safety wear. Nothing like sharing a sweating reflective vest with your teammates. It’s bonding! Learn more race deets after the break.

As much as we want to stay healthy, exercising can be more than a small commitment. Whether you enjoy working out outside or wake up early to go to the gym, getting in a work out involves planning and lots of time. Celebrities know all about it – when they’re not filming, jet-setting, or launching new business ventures, they’re always pressed for time. Good thing we can learn a few time-saving tricks from celebrities and their trainers! Check out these tips for saving time before and during your workouts! View Slideshow ›

There are only so many hours in the day for getting physical. Skipping the gym for a little romp isn’t something you should do every day, but when you do choose getting sweaty in bed over the exercise bike, you’re still burning calories. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we thought we would review the health benefit of getting it on. Thinkstock View Slideshow ›

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar! We’re often tempted by faux-meat products at the grocery store – veggie burgers, tofurky and the like – because we assume they are healthy choices. But according to registered dieticians Stephanie Clarke and Willow Jarosh, contributing editors at SELF and co-founders of C&J Nutrition , just like any category of food, some meat substitutes are far better than others. “It’s important not to assume that just because a product is vegan or meat-free that it’s a healthful choice,” says Jarosh. “You still want to be aware of saturated fat and calories.” And often, these faux meat products are jammed with sodium. “We recommend aiming for 1,500 mg a day,” says Jarosh. “A good rule of thumb is that if each meal has 500 mg of sodium or less in it, then when you add snacks, you’ll wind up around or just above the 1,500 mg mark for the day.” So what should you look for at the grocery store? For veggie or soy burgers, opt for items that have 150 calories or less, no more than 1 gram of saturated fat, at least 10 grams of protein and no more than 350 mg of sodium. Jarosh and Clarke recommend Veggie Patch Portabella Burgers , Amy’s Texas Veggie Burger , and Boca’s Original Vegan Burger . For faux lunch meat (per slice), they say to look for no more than 1 gram of fat, no saturated fat, at least 2 grams of protein and no more than 125 mg of sodium. A good choice is anything from Tofurkey . They use organic soy in all of their deli slices. If you’re a chicken fan, Jarosh and Clarke recommend Gardein Chick’n Strips , which have 260 mg of sodium, 1.5 grams of fat and 18 grams of protein per serving. Hot dog lovers can guiltlessly chow on Tofurky chipotle franks (200 mg sodium, 10 grams of protein per serving). What’s your favorite faux meat? More from Self : The 50 Healthiest Snacks 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss

According to a study published by researchers from the University of California at Berkley, women who have good oral health can lower their risk of heart attack and stroke. The study found that women who visited the dentist had a one third less risk of developing cardiovascular problems and a direct correlation between general dental care and fewer heart attacks and strokes. so here is one more reason to take care of your pearly whites. It isn’t just for the sake of an attractive smile, but as well for the sake of keeping yourself safe from heart attacks and strokes that you should be maintaining good dental health by regular visits to your dental hygienist. Even earlier studies have indicated the link between teeth problems and heart problems , with the former often being a warning sign of the latter. Though it has been suggested by past studies that the fact that those gum disease, with false teeth, or with deteriorating teeth are more likely to have heart disease is a matter of correlation, but it is recommended by medical experts that keeping your mouth healthy is a key to having a healthy heart as well. Digg this! Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Share this on del.icio.us Tweet This! Share this on Facebook Share this on Blinklist Buzz up! Post on Google Buzz