Organic Parade

Each year, millions of women learn that they have developed breast cancer. Despite most commonly being found in women, breast cancer can also be diagnosed in men. That is why breast cancer is often considered one of the most common types of all diagnosable cancers. Fortunately, you if you are diagnosed as having cancer, there are a number of treatment options that might help you become cancer free. However, before that can occur, you need to be diagnosed as having breast cancer.

When it comes to being diagnosed with breast cancer, a large amount of focus is placed on the signs and symptoms. While it is important to focus on the symptoms of breast cancer, they are not the only things that you should keep in mind. Even though an exact cause of breast cancer has yet to be determined, there are a number of risk factors associated with the cancer. Determining whether or not any of these risk factors apply to you is one of the ideal ways, aside from regularly examining your body, to determine whether or not you might have breast cancer or end up developing it in the future.

You may be at a greater risk of developing breast cancer if someone else in your immediate family has also been diagnosed with having it. It has been noted that the BRCA1 gene and the BRCA2 gene have something to do with the development of breast cancer. Research is still being conducted on this; however, it is looking as if damaged cells, which may later account for breast cancer, are being passed down through family members. Therefore, if someone in your family has been diagnosed with breast cancer, there’s a good chance that you may also develop it.

Your age might also increase your risk of developing breast cancer. While it is important to remember that breast cancer can occur at just about any age, there are a group of men and women who are more at risk. Those individuals are likely over the age of fifty. That’s why it is recommended that all women over the age of forty undergo a yearly mammogram. Until that age, a self breast exam, performed by yourself or by a healthcare professional, should be enough.

When you first started your menstrual cycle, as well as when it ended, might increase your risk of developing breast cancer. It has been noted that those who began their periods before the age of twelve are at an increased risk for developing breast cancer, later on in life. The same, in a way, can be stated for menopause. Recent studies have shown that the later a woman begins menopause, the more at risk she’s for developing breast cancer. Menopause should begin around the age of fifty-five. If it starts to occur any later, you’ll want to be on the lookout for the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and birth control pills have been known to increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. These risk factors are not as high as the above mentioned risk factors, but a connection between breast cancer, hormone replacement therapy, as well as birth control pills has been established. Therefore, if you’re currently on birth control pills or are undergoing hormone replacement therapy, it may be a good idea to talk to a healthcare professional. Your OBGYN or primary care physician should be more than willing to give you inside and updated information on the connection between breast cancer and these two widely used medications.

In addition to hormone replacement therapy, birth control pills, a family history, late menopause, early menstrual periods, and age, there are a number of other risk factors that have been connected to breast cancer. These additional risk factors include, are not limited to, radiation, and excessive alcohol consumption. Now that you know whether or not you are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer, you may be able to superior prepare yourself for what you might find, now or in the future.

If, at any point, you notice a lump in your breast or have unexplained breast pain, you are advised to seek medical assistance immediately. The sooner breast cancer is detected, the sooner it can be treated and gone from your life, hopefully forever.

According researchers at the MayoClinic.com, there is real concern that sun damage could lead to skin cancer. The MayoClinic.com states:

“The warm golden cast of the sun is very alluring. And many people can’t resist spending hours beneath its glow.

But not all of the sun’s rays are pleasing. Ultraviolet (UV) light, the invisible but intense rays of the sun, damages your skin. Some of those harmful effects—such as suntan or sunburn—are visible right away. But other skin changes, including liver spots or deep wrinkles, appear and worsen over time. With repeated sun exposure, skin damage can even progress into cancerous tumors.”

This is how the sun damages your skin and what you can do about it.

The first and most prominent effects of sun-bathing will be sun spots, suntan, and sunburn. Remember, sunlight is comprised of ultraviolet (UV) rays which directly attack your skin, making you prone to hazards like skin cancer.

Sun-bathing also places your eyes at risk of damage from UV rays and can cause cataracts.

The sun can cause your skin to age quickly. The sun’s rays penetrate the skin and cause extensive damage. This damage appears as wrinkles, freckles, or light spots and can cause give your skin a coarse texture.

Your blood vessels and capillaries can sustain damage from the sun, making you a high risk for developing tumors. Your skin might be affected by actinic kerotoses or sun spots.

Research has also proven that overexposure to UV rays releases chemicals into your bloodstream. These chemicals, most of them endorphins, are capable of making you feel “high.” This feeling can actually lead to a sun-bathing addiction!

Even though there are cosmetics and other forms of treatment for skin damage caused by sun, the results are seldom satisfactory. The best treatment is prevention.

Know the approximate time when the sun will be at its peak. Usually between 11am and 3pm, you should not sun-bathe. Remember that, because of the thinner atmosphere, the sun’s rays can be more damaging in high altitudes. Sometimes, even clothing is not enough to protect your skin, especially while swimming.

Take precautions; don’t allow sun-bathing to take its toll on your skin. Protect your skin by following a few precautions before you expose it to the sun.

There are alternatives to sun-bathing. The most popular alternative is using artificial UV rays. Tanning in a sun bed gives you a chance to feel relaxed while you tan, but since it uses artificial rays, doesn’t require you to face the sun’s rays.

When out in the sun, always wear proper clothing and a hat large enough to protect your face, eyes, ears, and the back of your neck. Proper coverage will significantly reduce sun spots. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV rays.

Apply a sunscreen to your skin for prolonged sun exposure. Choose a sunscreen product based on its Sun Protecting Factor (SPF). The higher the SPF ranking, the more protective the product will be. The higher numbers should be applied to people who live in high altitudes or who have fair skin. People with darker skin tones can choose a lower SPF product. To facilitate usage, sunscreen products are produced in the form of gels, creams, lotions, and alcohol (spray) solutions.

Sun-bathing creams and oils are also available. Don’t confuse these products with sunscreen products. These creams act as lubricants and protect your skin from dryness, but do not provide any protection from the sun. In fact, when used exclusively, they often increase the potential for UV ray exposure.

However, creams like Lumnaderm(tm) have been developed after extensive research. Lumnaderm(tm) fights discolored skin and rejuvenates it to give you a fresher more youthful look. When used correctly this product, can be an effective tool to treat skin damages caused by the sun’s rays. Lumnaderm(tm) is available from better online retailers like Amazon.com and the ebay.com

Cervical cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women worldwide. It is also one of the most preventable types of cancer.

Cervical cell changes are often caused by a sexually transmitted virus called the human papilloma virus or ‘HPV’. Most HPV infections will clear on their own once the immune system has dealt with it,and not lead to cervical cancer. Often, a woman infected with HPV will never know that she has been infected.

When a woman goes for her annual Pap test, the changes in the cervix are detected. A doctor is not usually alarmed by slight changes, as this can be caused by irritation or inflammation of the cervix, and will recommend retesting in 6 months. If, however, the changes do not revert back to normal, further testing is required to deal with possible precancerous tissue.

As long as regular testing is done, precancerous cells can be removed usually with no long term problems for the patient. Thankfully, truly invasive cervical cancer takes years to develop, but it is best to have it treated as soon as possible for peace of mind, and to avoid complications down the road. Call your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms, as they may be a symptom of cervical changes or cancer:

• Vaginal bleeding after sexual intercourse
• Pelvic pain
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Unusual vaginal discharge
• Abnormal bleeding between menstrual periods
• Heavy bleeding during your menstrual period
• Increased urinary frequency

Ingrid Tiessen writes about health and lifestyle issues, and has undergone treatment for cervical dysplasia

Although the survival rate of five years for men with prostate cancer has increased from 67% in the 1970s to 90% in recent years, prostate cancer is still the United State’s most common cancer, aside from skin cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men. The primary method of management for this disease is either radical surgery or radiation therapy. In this study, researchers sought to determine whether pomegranate juice consumption would have an effect on PSA (prostate-specific antigen) progression in patients who have undergone primary management to cure the disease, as those patients who have had primary management to cure the disease and no documented evidence of metastatic disease have limited treatment options.

The pomegranate fruit, which has been used for centuries for its medicinal purposes, shows potent antioxidant and anti-artherosclerotic properties which are accredited to its high content of polyphenols. To study the possible effects of pomegranate juice, researchers conducted a 2-year clinical trial at the Clark Urologic Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles. Those patients who were eligible has a detectable PSA between 0.2 and 5 ng/mL, no hormonal therapy before entering the study, no evidence of metastatic disease, and a Gleason score less than or equal to seven. The Gleason test is used to grade the severity of prostate cancer based on the five patterns that prostate tumor cells go through as they change from normal cells. PSA, which is an antigen in the blood that is measured to track the progression of prostate cancer, usually signifies presence or growth of cancer when it is elevated. The time that is required for the PSA to double demonstrates the rate of growth of the cancer. So in general, PSA rises slowly as it matches the fact that prostate cancer is a slow-growing cancer. In this study, each patient had a minimum of three pretreatment PSA values measured over a minimum of six months before they entered the study. Each patient was treated with eight ounces of pomegranate juice, by mouth, daily until the disease progressed. The patients showed a fifteen percent reduction in resistance of their serum samples, a twelve percent decrease in cell proliferation, a seventeen percent increase in apoptosis reduction in oxidative state, and a twenty-three percent increase in serum nitric oxide was also reported. No serious side-effects were reported and the treatment was well tolerated by its patients. The researches concluded that this study showed significant results that pomegranate juice had many positive effects on those men dealing with prostate cancer. However, the researchers feel that further research is needed to prove the validity of the tests. The results are being further tested in another study which began in April of 2006. The ability of pomegranate juices doses to produce predefined alteration in PSA kinetics is being compared to the change observed in the control group in this new study. The results demonstrated from this study are positive and there will be further research into other plant polyphenols which could possibly mediate similar effects. So don’t forget to have your pomegranate or herbal tea high in polyphenols.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

The Omega-3 fatty acids are also known as essential fatty acids. They are vital to human health but cannot be manufactured by the body. Because of this reason, these acids must be obtained from food. These efas, vital elements of the human body are very efficient in preventing and treating numerous medical conditions.

A series of studies concluded that women that consume fatty rich foods on a regular basis have a reduced risk of developing breast cancer. The fatality of breast cancer is greatly reduced if women eat large amounts of omega 3 aliments, such as fatty fish or brown kelp seaweed. Women who try to reduce the risk of developing this type of cancer can very well substitute meat for fish.

Scientists have linked the development and growth of breast cancer tumors to the improper balance between the amounts of fatty acids in the body.

Medics can only suspect at this time the way the these acids help protect against breast cancer. Administering these fats in combination with other nutrients (vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, selenium and coenzyme Q10) can play an important role in understanding the way breast cancer may be slowed down or even defeated.

A Danish study performed on 200 women showed that administering omega 3 supplements can ease menstrual pains and associated conditions, such as hot flashes or increased sweating.

Such fats also play an important role in protecting the skin. Because one of the effects of these fatty acids is reducing inflammation, they have been used to heal wounds of burnt victims. The presence of omega 3 in the body helps keep a correct balance of proteins in the body, and many such proteins are important for skin repair and recovery after sustaining a burn.

Being vital elements of the cell membrane, these fats help protect the skin from damaging factors. A study focused on people suffering from psoriasis showed that the combination of supplements plus standard psoriasis treatment was more efficient than taking only the medication.

Skin specialists recommend people who are suffering from acne to consume omega rich flaxseed because of the benefit fatty acids have on treating skin problems. People suffering from light sensitivity get their UV exposure symptoms relieved after taking fish oil supplements.

Jean Helmet is a content editor who focuses on a wide array of niche health topics. Her latest website - Natural High Dha Fish Oil focuses on omega 3 as a whole, and in particular, a natural product our editors personally use with excellent health results known as - Dha Esters.

Be sure to check out our [http://www.omega3-health-guide.com/]Omega 3 Dha Esters, it is the natural supplement we use and recommend to friends and family, and have done for over 3 years.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jean_Helmet http://EzineArticles.com/?Omega-3-and-Breast-Cancer—Menstrual-Pain-And-Skin-Problems&id=856706

According to a study by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, drinking 30ml of alcohol or two alcoholic drinks per day increases your breast cancer risk by 80%. Another study by the American Cancer Society found that even an average of one drink a day or less increased a postmenopausal woman’s chance of breast cancer by 30%, compared to women who did not take alcohol at all.

I went tomy sis’ house this evening and she gave a recipe for the salsa she made last week. It’s delicious. I ate it with some chips. Just so to share with you:

Ingredients:

1 cup seeded, finely chopped fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/4 cup finely minced onions
1/4 cup finely minced cilantro leaves
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
A few dashes of Tabasco
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Method: In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

A new study has confirmed that for most women, six or more hours of strenuous exercise each week can reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer. While women with a family history of breast cancer didnt have a reduced risk with exercise, all of the other women did, regardless of how old they were when they started exercising.