Increasing Breast Cancer Awareness

January 31st, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Family Health

October used to be all about black and orange as Halloween approaches. Butt there is a new color showing up in October now: pink. Why pink? It’s because October has been designated as breast cancer awareness month.

Many women, thousands of them, are diagnosed with breast cancer each years. In fact, breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer among women. Thanks to advances in medicine, breast cancer is now highly treatable. Thousands of women are proud to call themselves breast cancer survivors. It is important to get checked out often so breast cancer can be caught early because that is when treatment is the most successful. October is all about educating women about breast cancer.

If you get treatment early, you have a good chance of surviving breast cancer. That’s why you should do everything you can to catch breast cancer early. Here are some ways:

Mammograms are very important in preventing breast cancer. Depending on your risk factors, you should get a yearly or twice a year mammogram. If your family has a history of breast cancer, it’s even more important that you have a yearly or twice a year mammograms.

Breast self exams are important because you need to learn to recognize any changes to your breasts. You should check for lumps as well as note the color, size and shape of your breasts to see if they have changed at all. Do a breast self-exam every month. If you don’t know how to do a breast self-exam, see your doctor or a health practitioner; they can show you how to properly do a breast self-exam.

Go to your doctor for a yearly check up of your reproductive system and a breast exam. Your doctor will do the necessary tests and talk to you about any concerns you may have about breast cancer.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and share your concerns with your doctor. Ignoring a problem you find in your breasts will only endanger your life. It’s better to let the doctor decide what is a serious problem and what isn’t.

You have to whatever you can to protect yourself by taking the above steps. You also need to protect the women you love by talking to them about breast cancer and what they can do to make sure they stay in good health. Breast cancer is not a subject that you should be afraid of talking about with friends and family members. Remind each other to do your monthly breast self-exams to make those yearly doctor appointments.

Maybe you aren’t a scientist, but you can help out with breast cancer research. You can donate directly to breast cancer organizations or by buying products that donate a percentage to the cause. These products will usually be marked with a pink ribbon. You can find these products at any store including your grocery store.

This October, step up and do something to prevent breast cancer. Talk to your friends and family and educate them on how to prevent breast cancer.

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Understanding Arthritis

January 6th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

We all either have experienced or know a loved one who has experienced problems with arthritis. The main symptom of arthritis is joint pain which can range from moderate to severe. What is confusing is why arthritis affects some people and not others.

Scientists really don’t understand what makes some people susceptible to arthritis while others don’t have problems with it at all. It is not something you can catch from another person like the common cold. A joint disorder, arthritis comes on slowly and can get worse with time. There are many different kinds of arthritis, all with slightly different causes.

Arthritis is associated with many different risk factors, and the more arthritis risk factors you have, the higher the chances of you developing arthritis. These may not be the sole cause of your problem but they contribute.

As you get older, your risk of developing arthritis gets higher. This is largely because your joints are aging and wearing, which may increase your symptoms. The natural aging of your joints and the damage that occurs may cause arthritis to progress faster than it would otherwise. Arthritis is common among older adults for this reason.

If you are overweight, you are at additional risk for developing arthritis. The extra weight that you carry puts stress on your joints, particularly the weight-bearing joints, and causes damage over time. Losing weight by dieting and exercise will lower your risk for developing arthritis.

If you have a sports injury or something similar, you may be at additional risk for arthritis. Your likelihood of developing arthritis also increases if you’ve previously injured a joint. Take care of any injuries that occur and make sure they heal properly.

There may be a genetic factor with arthritis so you may be at extra risk if you have a family history of the disease. People who have arthritis in their family, especially a close family member, may develop arthritis. If your parents have arthritis, for instance, you’re at risk of developing the disease, although it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will have arthritis. You can lower your risk of developing arthritis later on by taking care of your body right now.

People who participate in athletics and sports are more likely to develop arthritis. This is partially because they are more likely to have joint injuries and other damage to their bodies. The science really only shows a slight connection, though, so it is not safe to assume that all athletes will develop arthritis. If you exercise safely and don’t put too much stress on your body, you should be fine.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and is what almost all of us associate with the word arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a more severe form with many of the same symptoms but caused by different factors. With Rheumatoid arthritis, the damage to the joints is caused by your immune system attacking your body from the inside.

If you have arthritis, there is no magic cure. You can find out as much as you can about your condition and possible treatments, though.

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