Sign Of Breast Cancer

Health and Wellness

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women not including skin cancer. During 2008, an estimated 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to occur among women and about 1,990 new cases in men in the US. Breast cancer rates have decreased about 3.5% per year since 2001-2004 and may reflect the reduction in use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The 2002 publication of the Women’s Health Initiative linked HRT use to increased risk of heart diseases and breast cancer. In addition to invasive breast cancer, there are 67,770 new cases of situ (not yet spread) breast cancer are expected among women in 2008. Situ breast cancer incidence rates have stabilized since the late 1990s, reflecting the recent drop in mammography utilization.
An estimated 40,480 women and 450 men breast cancer patients are expected to die in 2008. Breast cancer ranks second (after lung cancer) as a cause of cancer death in women eve though it has decreased steadily since 1990. Progress in both early detection and improved treatment with contributes to the decrease.
A mammogram can detect earliest sign of breast cancer. The abnormality, painless mass in the breast may not be felt by the woman or a healthcare professional. Other less common symptoms may include persistent changes to the breast: thickening, redness swelling, skin irritation, distortion, tenderness or scaliness. Nipples also have abnormalities like retraction, ulceration, and or spontaneous discharge.
Women have the greatest risk in getting breast cancer. Age is another important factor. Risk can also increased by inherited genetic, a family history of breast cancer, high breast tissue density, and high-dose radiation to the chest, usually related to other medical procedure. Reproductive factors also increase the risk: menstrual periods that start early and or end late in life, prolong use of oral contraceptives, having the first child after age 30 or never have children. If a person is overweight or obese after menopause, use of postmenopausal hormone therapy (estrogen and progestin combined), inactivity and drinking more than one alcoholic beverages per day, be extra careful because these are factors that increase breast cancer risk. Being active, maintaining a healthy body weight, breastfeeding are all associated with lowering the risk of breast cancer.
The 5-year relative survival rate for malignant cancer that has not spread to the lymph nodes or other location outside the breast has increased from 80% in the mid 1900 to 98% today. The recent 5-year survival rate is 84% for cases with cancer has spread regionally. For women with metastases cancer (spread to distant parts of the body), the 5-year survival rate is 27%.
Breast cancer screening has proved to reduce breast cancer mortality. 61% of breast cancer is diagnosed at a localized stage and the 5-year survival rate is very impressive at 98% due to timely access to high quality follow-up and treatment.
Other than genetic gene, there is a lot we can do to prevent cancer development. Maintaining a healthy and balance lifestyle including manage stress, eat right, take vitamins, stay fit and pay attention to the environment where you live and work. The air you breath and the water you drink have a lot to do with your health.

DHEA is in the news a lot these days as one of the solutions for hot flashes and menopause, among many other things as well. It is sometimes seen as a magic pill that can cure just about anything.

The symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue and insomnia are serious for many women and they are looking for natural menopause relief. This is especially the case since the Women’s Health Initiative report revealed many disturbing trends in hormone replacement therapy.

Just what is DHEA?

DHEA is a steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, where it is synthesized from cholesterol. The adrenal glands are small glands located near your kidneys and play a major role in hormone production. Not only do they produce DHEA, but also adrenaline and cortisol.

When the adrenal glands are exhausted from overproducing adrenaline, you experience adrenal fatigue, and as a consequence they are unable to produce DHEA, which is directly related to your menopause symptoms. It is a chain reaction that often begins with stress, dieting, poor nutrition, and a generally unhealthy lifestyle.

DHEA is sometimes called the mother hormone because it is responsible for so much hormonal production. All of your major sex hormones, testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen, are directly related to DHEA levels. It is like the doorway for hormone production.

During menopause, and as a consequence of stress, DHEA levels diminish. This is a normal part of aging and should be viewed as such. However, when the levels fall too low, the hormones become imbalanced and the fatigue, irritability, sluggishness, hot flashes, insomnia and night sweats can set in.

How safe is DHEA supplementation?

A trip to your local health food store will reveal an abundance of DHEA supplements, in varying potencies and formulations. Often, it is associated with feeling on top of the world and maybe like you did as a teenager! Sounds pretty good, except for the haunting insecurity and acne!

Because it is a steroid, it also is the subject of too much hype and fluff regarding body building and athleticism. There is no one pill that can make your feel like a twenty something and have a great attitude 24/7. Our society would sure like to find one though!

It is advised that you see your health care provider before taking over the counter DHEA supplementation. If you do it on your own, use small doses, and combine it with a more comprehensive approach that includes adequate sleep, fresh fruits and vegetables, and reduced stress.

How can DHEA help with hot flashes?

By using DHEA supplementation, in connection with a comprehensive program, you will help your hormones to become balanced. The hot flashes in menopause and other symptoms are a direct result of a hormone imbalance.

Many women report that they feel better than they have in years after beginning a comprehensive program that includes DHEA supplementation. Some women who were nearly bed-ridden and unable to care for their families are now energetic and full of the vigor they once felt.

Many women experience bouts of depression as they approach menopause. As a matter of fact, midlife can be considered a period of increased risk for depression in women, the majority taking place in the years during the transition through the menopausal years. This period of time is associated with gradual declines in estrogen levels, which may be linked with the onset of depression.
It can be confusing when trying to determine if you’re suffering from depression, simply going through menopause or experiencing both. This is because many symptoms of menopause and depression are very similar, such as interrupted sleep patterns, fatigue, hot flashes, mood swings, anxiety and difficulty concentrating. It’s important, however, to talk with your doctor if you think you may be suffering from depression; don’t play guessing games with your health because if left untreated, depression can lead to additional episodes, which have the potential to be more severe. Untreated depression can also result in physical complications, such as heart attack and the loss of bone density.
If your doctor thinks that your depression is as a result of declining hormone levels as you’re approaching or experiencing menopause, there’s a possibility he will suggest hormone replacement therapy, which includes estrogen. It’s important to discuss both the benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy, including potential benefits to your overall mood. Recent studies have shown that the risks of hormone therapy include heart attack, stroke and breast cancer, and some professionals believe that these risks may outweigh the benefits women can receive from this course of treatment. That being said, estrogen therapy remains the most effective treatment for many menopausal symptoms.
Short term therapy (12-20 weeks) has also proven to combat depression in women experiencing menopause. Especially effective are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which focuses on negative thoughts and behaviors that tend to worsen depressed mood and teaches better ways of thinking and behaving, and Interpersonal Therapy, which helps individuals to communicate more effectively with others to help eliminate stressors.
Fortunately, the benefits of exercise in depression are well documented. Exercise helps with the treatment of depression by releasing the body’s mood-elevating compounds, reducing the depression hormone cortisol, providing a feeling of accomplishment and enhancing self esteem. I personally exercise approximately an hour most days of the week, but even exercising as little as ten minutes per day has been found to have beneficial effects for many women experiencing menopausal depression.
You may also want to consider a prescription medication to help you cope with the symptoms you’re experiencing. Discuss this possibility with your doctor because there are several effective and well-tolerated antidepressant medications now available. These medications have been proven to be an essential part of treatment for women who are moderately to severely depressed.
It’s also important to simply take care of yourself by eating a well balanced diet, decreasing your intake of refined sugar, caffeine, alcohol and chocolate. Are you getting enough sleep? Sleep deficiencies can make depression worse, so if you must, develop relaxing bedtime rituals, such as taking a hot bath or reading a good book.
Finally, just give yourself a break. Not only are you experiencing symptoms of menopause, but midlife also brings about life events that can be stressful, adding to the risk of depression, irritability and moodiness. Perhaps your children are leaving home, you’re caring for an elderly parent or have recently experienced the loss of a loved one. All of these events will undoubtedly add stress to an already busy life. Take time for yourself, eat a healthy diet, exercise and know that you’re a strong and capable woman and you will get through this.

Cancer is second only to cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death in the Western world.
Although Cancer is primarily a disease of the elderly with more than 60% of deaths from cancer occurring in those over the age of 65, cancer can strike even the youngest of children.
Cancer appears to occur when the growth of cells in the body is out of control and cells divide too rapidly. Cancer can develop in almost any organ or tissue, such as the lung, colon, breast, skin, bones, or nerve tissue.
Most common sites are:
Prostrate 24%
Breast 13%
Lung 13%
Colon and Rectum 9%
Bladder 3%
Uterus 2.5%
The cause of Cancer is believed to be a combination of genetic factors and outside carcinogens such as tobacco, viruses, infection, asbestos, vinyl chloride, inappropriate diet.
Cancer often has no specific symptoms, so it is important that you limit your risk factors and undergo appropriate cancer screening. The signs and symptoms will depend on where the cancer is, the size of the cancer, and how much it affects the nearby organs or structures.
If a cancer spreads (metastasizes), then symptoms may appear in different parts of the body. As a cancer grows, it begins to push on nearby organs, blood vessels, and nerves. If the cancer is in a critical area, such as certain parts of the brain, even the smallest tumor can cause early symptoms.
But sometimes cancers start in places where it does not cause any symptoms until the cancer has grown quite large. Pancreatic cancers, for example, do not usually grow large enough to be felt from the outside of the body.
By the time a pancreatic cancer causes these signs or symptoms, it has usually reached an advanced stage.
A cancer may also cause symptoms common to many other problems, such as; fever, fatigue and weight loss. This may be because the cancer uses up much of the body s energy or it may cause the release of substances which affect metabolism.
Some lung cancers make hormone-like substances that affect blood calcium levels, affecting nerves and muscles and causing weakness and dizziness.
It is important to know what some of the general (non-specific) signs and symptoms of cancer are, but remember that having any of these does not mean that you have cancer.
Most cancers can be treated and some cured, depending on the specific type, location, and stage. The earlier the cancer is found, the better the prognosis.
A good example of the importance of finding cancer early is melanoma skin cancer. Skin cancer can be easy to remove if it has not grown deep into the skin, and the 5-year survival rate (percentage of people living at least 5 years after diagnosis) at this stage is nearly100%.
Screening for breast cancer with mammograms has been shown to reduce the average stage of diagnosis of breast cancer in a population.
Colorectal cancer can be detected through fecal occult blood testing and colonoscopy, which reduces both colon cancer incidence and mortality, presumably through the detection and removal of pre-malignant polyps.
Similarly, cervical cytology testing (using the Pap smear) leads to the identification and excision of precancerous lesions.
Testicular self-examination is recommended for men beginning at the age of 15 years to detect testicular cancer.
SIGNS and SYMPTOMS
Pain may be an early symptom with some cancers such as bone cancers or testicular cancer.
Long-term constipation, diarrhea, or a change in the size of the stool may be a sign of colon cancer.
Pain with urination, blood in the urine, or a change in bladder function (such as more frequent or less frequent urination) could be related to bladder or prostate cancer.
Skin cancers may bleed and look like sores that do not heal.
A long-lasting sore in the mouth could be an oral cancer and should be dealt with right away, especially in patients who smoke, chew tobacco, or frequently drink alcohol.
Sores on the penis or vagina may either be signs of infection or an early cancer, and should not be overlooked.
Unusual bleeding can happen in either early or advanced cancer.
Blood in the sputum (phlegm) may be a sign of lung cancer.
Blood in the stool (or a dark or black stool) could be a sign of colon or rectal cancer.
Blood in the urine may be a sign of bladder or kidney cancer.
A bloody discharge from the nipple may be a sign of breast cancer.
Many cancers can be felt through the skin, mostly in the breast, testicle, lymph nodes (glands), and the soft tissues of the body. A lump or thickening may be an early or late sign of cancer.
While they commonly have other causes, indigestion or swallowing problems may be a sign of cancer of the esophagus, stomach, or pharynx (throat).
A cough that does not go away may be a sign of lung cancer.
A cancer may be suspected for a variety of reasons, but the definitive diagnosis of most malignancies must be confirmed by histological examination of the cancerous cells by a pathologist.
TREATMENT
Once diagnosed, cancer is usually treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Radiation therapy may be used to treat almost every type of solid tumor, including cancers of the brain, breast, cervix, larynx, lung, pancreas, prostate, skin, stomach, uterus, or soft tissue sarcomas.
Most forms of chemotherapy target all rapidly dividing cells and are not specific for cancer cells, although some degree of specificity may come from the inability of many cancer cells to repair DNA damage, while normal cells generally can.
Contemporary methods for generating an immune response against tumours include intravesical BCG immunotherapy for superficial bladder cancer, and use of interferons and other cytokines to induce an immune response in renal cell carcinoma and melanoma patients.
Pain medication, such as morphine and oxycodone, and anti-emetics, drugs to suppress nausea and vomiting, are very commonly used in patients with cancer-related symptoms. transmission and disease.
Advances in cancer research have made a vaccine designed to prevent cancer available. The vaccine protects against four HPV types, which together cause 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts.
The consensus on diet and cancer is that obesity increases the risk of developing cancer. The cancer-fighting components of food are also proving to be more numerous and varied than previously understood, so patients are increasingly being advised to consume fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables for maximal health benefits.

Studies revealed that the hope of life for women in the Unites States is approaching 80 years. Some women will spend 4 decades in their postmenopausal years, and it is important to know that menopause is a different experience for every woman who reaches it. In order to enhance their quality of life, midlife women can maintain social support, reduce stress and anxiety, try to relax and do enjoyable activities.

Menopause is a process that can take years to complete, it is known that its symptoms can begin at the age of 30, and continue beyond the last menstrual period.There may happen that periods to become irregular, but it is important to go to the doctor to rule out conditions like thyroid disease, uterine cancer, or depression, which bring symptoms similar with those of menopause.If there appear troublesome symptoms, the doctor can prescribe medications, including hormone replacement or non-hormonal medications. Also, a good thing to do is to talk with your friends, or seek counseling if the problems that appear in this period become overwhelming, because this will help.A lot of health organizations consider the age of 50 as a reference point, and they recommend screening tests for diseases of later life, including cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis.

Women can follow some advices in order to make the transition through the midlife years easier. They must understand that age has its benefits, and that older women can be fit, active and attractive through midlife and beyond. Now is a good time to become an educated consumer, and if you had no time to keep up with health and medical information, you can do that now.Now is also the perfect time to plan for your financial future, saving for the retirement must become a priority, you can mentor younger women in your professional field, and you can also start traveling, to explore new places and cultures, and also bring an exciting element to your marriage which may have become routine.It can be the time to join a club, to take up a sport, because physical activity does good for your heart, muscles, and bones, and you also have the chance to make new friends. You can refocus your career or you can reduce your work hours and take more time to pursue your other interests.There must be remembered that this period can be a relaxing and enjoyable time, and it is up to you to make it so.

Health and Wellness

For more resources about menopause or about menopause symptoms please review http://www.menopause-info-guide.com/menopause-symptoms.htm

Skipped meals and over eating the next meal is not good for you. If you don’t have time to eat your breakfast, at least carry two sandwiches stuffed with vegetable slices and a piece of cheese. You can quickly gulp down a glass of milk at home and eat the packed sandwiches while on your drive to office. It is simple to make and good to eat. Has a lot of nutritional value too. The early symptoms or signs of developing breast cancer are fatigue, sudden weight loss or gain, anemia, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), breathing problems, lymphedema (swelling), and digestive problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation. Soy acts as anti-cancer agent in women. What we know at this point is the phytoestrogens in soy foods are “anti-estrogens”. In other words, they may block estrogen from reaching the receptors and hence potentially protecting women from developing cancer. A recent study has shown that selenium may enhance immune function, at least in those healthy adults with relatively low blood selenium. It reduces the symptoms of prostate cancer.

Simple things to add in your diet to reduce breast cancer:

3 to 6 servings a day of whole wheat or grain foods:

Replace high fat food products with whole grains which have a greater nutritional value. Whole grains must include brown rice, green grams and wheat berries. Fiber rich food such as breads, cereals, whole grain bagels, pasta, tortillas and green gram is vital for digestion besides having nutritional value. It is quite helpful in fighting breast cancer as it reduces estrogen level in the body.

Nuts – just a handful of them: Nuts have mono unsaturated fats; they not only add fibre to your food intake but are also good to reduce breast cancer.

Fruits and vegetables: Having few servings of fruits and vegetables is suggested by a dietician. Cancer-fighting phytochemicals are found in abundance in fruits and vegetables. Nine servings of these fruits and vegetables are good for breast health. It increases your resistance power against cancer. 

After nuts, its time to talk about beans: Add beans to your soup if you don’t like it in any other form. Salads and pizzas can also have a good quantity of beans in them. Canned beans are easily available and ready to eat. If it takes time to prepare any thing else, canned beans is quite handy! One or two servings of it every day is required to minimise the risk of cancer.

Women are sensitive and caring so when they begin to go through menopause their emotions are heightened due to the imbalance of hormones. One thing a woman does not need during this change is weight gain. Weight gain is very common to those experiencing menopause for several reasons: the food they eat, stress, depression, and fatigue. Battling the symptoms of menopause may be enough to control the weight gain you might experience, but a better way to see a minimal amount of weight gained is to have a menopause diet. Below are a few suggestions for a menopause diet and how it can help you during your transition.
First, we all know a well balanced diet is important. Your body may be craving food items that will cause weight gain. These cravings are often brought on a bad menopause diet. Eating fast food, salty food, or not eating enough of one food group or another can cause you to have cravings. You body will also have natural cravings whether you are on a proper diet or not. These cravings could be related to wanting more fruit or certain foods such as fish or steak. These types of cravings are not detrimental to your menopause diet; in fact, it is just your body telling you what you need more of. It is showing you what you are lacking. Ignoring these cravings can lead to an improper diet.
Fruits and some vegetables have natural sugar and when your body has this sugar in its system chances are you will not crave other food items that have sugar. It has been found that when a person eats a well balanced diet during menopause they do not crave sodas, chocolate, or ice cream in fact it is the opposite. They begin to want the healthier diet and find they feel even worse if they revert back to an unhealthy diet.
You doctor or a dietitian will be able to point you towards the correct menopause diet for you. It is important that you do not starve yourself to lose weight. This will not help your other menopause symptoms. Salt is a leading cause for water retention, weight gain due to this water retention, and hot flashes during menopause. When you starve yourself, you tend to eat saltier foods or sugar laced delights so it is important to know the correct amount of calories you should be eating. If you suffer from symptoms of eating too many carbs, you might have to watch the amount of carbohydrates you eat while you create a proper menopause diet.
One of the pitfalls of menopause is that it can lead to food cravings for all the wrong kinds of foods. Many menopausal women feel driven to fill up on sugary, high-fat, salty fast foods and snacks, at the cost of eating low-fat nutrient dense foods. But other women may find themselves craving more meat, or dairy products, or fruit. The second sort of cravings are the ones which should be addressed, because they are the body’s way of indicating that it is in short supply of one or more of the nutrients in these foods.

Health and Wellness

When you are sending pink flowers to breast cancer survivors – Online Flower Shop is one of the best options you have in finding various flower shops in which you can order flower arrangements.

Any kind of flowers including brightly colored flowers are right for those who survived the odds of breast cancer. In sending pink flowers to breast cancer survivors – Online Flower Shop has a huge database that includes six thousand local flower shops in different states. Send beautiful flowers to express your personal and special message. Flowers are best to represent every person’s triumph so sending pink flowers to breast cancer survivors – Online Flower Shop can be of great help. You can choose specific flowers that represent the personality of the survivor as well as how you feel about the cancer survivor.     

Ordering and sending pink flowers to breast cancer survivors – online Flower Shop is easy because of its numerous florists included in their list. Flower shops have many variations of flowers perfect for cancer survivors. One of these flowers is daffodil, which is usually connected with the American Cancer Society. One of the fund raising projects of the American Cancer Society is the Daffodil Days. After the long cold winter, daffodils are one of the first flowers to blossom. Daffodils somehow represent the feeling of rebirth from the miserable winter.

The moment you find out about a difficult condition such a breast cancer, it is the same as a strong hurricane is approaching. As the tests and treatments continue, you feel like you have an uncertain future ahead. Moreover, as you make it through the healing process, you seem like coming into a sunshine with the sense of accomplishment. Sending daffodils is a great way to tell someone that you care and extend your heartwarming feeling towards the person.

Sending pink flowers to breast cancer survivors – online Flower shop is very appropriate because the color pink is often related with breast cancer as well as the breast cancer survivors. Their website is “Florist-flowers-roses-delivery”. 

There are other methods in making your message with flower arrangements personal. You can choose different flowers based on their meaning such as birds of paradise, which is associated with joyfulness. Cactus on the other hand is a sign of endurance so it is also appropriate for breast cancer survivors. Red carnations are also perfect to send to breast cancer survivors because red carnations indicate admiration. Gerbera Daisy is the symbol of strength and purity while the Echinacea is also a symbol of strength. Palm leaves represent victory and lavender heather is for admiration.

These flowers can be sent singularly or in arrangement. You have to remember that Echinacea and Cactus are classified as potted plants, not flowers. It is recommended that you inform your local flower shop about the breast cancer survivor so that they can give you creative ideas in choosing the appropriate flowers to convey your feelings.

Ordering flowers online is always the best option if you are planning to send flower arrangements to a breast cancer survivor. There are different flower shops that honor the Breast Cancer Awareness month by making special floral arrangements.        

Most women experience symptoms of the menopause between the ages of 45 and 55. Menopause is caused by reduced levels of female hormones oestrogen and progesterone due to the ageing process. Menopause symptoms include hot flushes, irregular periods, night sweats, anxiety, depression and sleeping problems.

There are growing concerns about the safety of HRT in long-term use. Clinical studies indicate that HRT is associated with an increase in the risk of breast cancer, endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer. HRT has been shown to increase the risk of heart attacks and blood clots and strokes.

Hormonal changes can make you very emotional and you may get upset at the slightest problem. Hot flushes are a common problem which can cause embarrassment and wake you in the night. More women are turning towards natural remedies to treat menopause symptoms as they are worried about the possible side effects of prescription medication. Natural remedies used for easing menopause symptoms include:

• Agnus-Castus which helps regulate your periods
• Black Cohosh eases hot flushes and helps you relax so that you sleep better.
• Mexican Wild Yam helps with painful and irregular periods.
• Red Clover helps to regulate hormone levels
• Soy Isoflavones contain natural plant Phytoestrogens which are similar to human Oestrogen.
• A healthy diet and regular exercise can also help to ease menopause symptoms.

It is interesting that Japanese women do not appear to suffer from hot flushes. This is thought to be due to their diet which is rich in Isoflavones. You can buy natural HRT remedies and health supplements from herbal stores and health food shops. There is no need to suffer menopause symptoms – all you need to do is decide which supplement you are going to take, and then you can look forward to the next phase of your life and freedom from having periods and monthly menstrual cramps.