Breast Cancer-Save Yourself ~ Rich Personality.blogspot.com

Friday 13 January 2012

Breast Cancer-Save Yourself

04:36 Rich Personality No comments

Breast Cancer is a disease that not only breaks down a woman emotionally but also physically and financially.

So Every woman wants to know what she can do to lower her risk of breast cancer.

Risk Factors

1)Being a Woman
Just being a woman is the biggest risk factor for developing breast cancer. There are about 190,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 60,000 cases of non-invasive breast cancer this year in Indian women.

2)Age
As with many other diseases, your risk of breast cancer goes up as you get older. About two out of three invasive breast cancers are found in women 55 or older.

3)Family History
Women with close relatives who've been diagnosed with breast cancer have a higher risk of developing the disease. If you've had one first-degree female relative (sister, mother, daughter) diagnosed with breast cancer, your risk is doubled.

4)Genetics
About 5% to 10% of breast cancers are thought to be hereditary, caused by abnormal genes passed from parent to child.

5)Personal History of Breast Cancer
If you've been diagnosed with breast cancer, you're 3 to 4 times more likely to develop a new cancer in the other breast or a different part of the same breast. This risk is different from the risk of the original cancer coming back (called risk of recurrence).

6)Certain Breast Changes
If you've been diagnosed with certain benign (not cancer) breast conditions, you may have a higher risk of breast cancer. There are several types of benign breast conditions that affect breast cancer risk

7)Race/Ethnicity
White women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than African American, Hispanic, and Asian women. But African American women are more likely to develop more aggressive, more advanced-stage breast cancer that is diagnosed at a young age.

8)Being Overweight
Overweight and obese women have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer compared to women who maintain a healthy weight, especially after menopause. Being overweight also can increase the risk of the breast cancer coming back (recurrence) in women who have had the disease.

9)Pregnancy History
Women who haven’t had a full-term pregnancy or have their first child after age 30 have a higher risk of breast cancer compared to women who gave birth before age 30.

10)Breastfeeding History
Breastfeeding can lower breast cancer risk, especially if a woman breastfeeds for longer than 1 year.

11)Menstrual History
Women who started menstruating (having periods) younger than age 12 have a higher risk of breast cancer later in life. The same is true for women who go through menopause when they're older than 55.

12)Using HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)
Current or recent past users of HRT have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. Since 2002 when research linked HRT and risk, the number of women taking HRT has dropped dramatically.

13)Drinking Alcohol
Research consistently shows that drinking alcoholic beverages -- beer, wine, and liquor -- increases a woman's risk of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.

14)Having Dense Breasts
Research has shown that dense breasts can be 6 times more likely to develop cancer and can make it harder for mammograms to detect breast cancer.

15)Lack of Exercise
Research shows a link between exercising regularly at a moderate or intense level for 4 to 7 hours per week and a lower risk of breast cancer

16)Smoking
Smoking causes a number of diseases and is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer in younger, premenopausal women. Research also has shown that there may be link between very heavy second-hand smoke exposure and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women.

Emerging Risks:

Low of Vitamin D Levels
Research suggests that women with low levels of vitamin D have a higher risk of breast cancer. Vitamin D may play a role in controlling normal breast cell growth and may be able to stop breast cancer cells from growing.

Eating Unhealthy Food
Diet is thought to be at least partly responsible for about 30% to 40% of all cancers. No food or diet can prevent you from getting breast cancer. But some foods can make your body the healthiest it can be, boost your immune system, and help keep your risk for breast cancer as low as possible.

    Avoid the avoidable and save yourself!!

   sent to us by
   Dr Priya Chabbria (India)

Posted in: Healthy Living

Heart Disease-No 1 Killer In Women

When you hear the term 'Heart Disease,' what is your first reaction? Like many women, you may think, “That’s a man’s disease” or “Not my problem.”

But here is The Heart Truth: Heart disease is the number one killer of women . Most women don’t know this. But it is vital that you know it—and know what it means for you.

One woman dies almost every minute from Heart Disease.Yet Studies Show that only 21%One woman view Heart Disease as Health Threat.

Worldwide 8.6 million women die of heart disease each year, accounting for a third of all deaths in women. With all the risk factors common to men additionally use of Oral Contraceptive pills is there in women. So women should be educated about everything they need to know about their heart.

According to statistics, the mortality rate among women suffering from cardiovascular diseases is also higher than that of men across the world, including India. The main reason behind the increased mortality rate in women is the changes in lifestyle in metropolitan cities. In big cities women are working late shifts and more and more women are taking help of smoking and drinking to deal with the stress of personal and professional life.

'Risk Factors'

1) Non Modifiable : Age , Family history and sex.

2) Modifiable :
High blood pressure, High cholesterol, Obesity , smoking, Alcohol, Unhealthy Diet, Stress and depression, Sedentary lifestyle.

Following are the Risk Factors That Play a Bigger Role in Women.
These factors affect both men and women, but doctors are finding that they may have a bigger impact on women:

a) Diabetes. This in particular is a more potent risk factor for women. Women who have diabetes have a four to five times more elevated risk for heart disease.

b) Birth Control Pills : Studies show that women who use high-dose birth control pills are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke because blood clots are more likely to form in the blood vessels.
Much of this information comes from studies of birth control pills containing higher doses of hormones than those commonly used today. Still, the risks of using low-dose pills are not fully known.
Therefore, if you are now taking any kind of birth control pill or are considering using one, keep these guidelines in mind: Don’t mix smoking and “the pill.” If you smoke cigarettes, make a serious effort to quit. If you cannot quit, choose a different form of birth control.

SYMPTOMS
Unusual fatigue, Sleep disturbance , shortness of breath ,Indigestion , anxiety.

'You and Your Doctor: A Heart Healthy Partnership'

"ASK AND YOU GET!" Tell your doctor you want to keep your heart healthy and would like help in achieving that goal. Ask questions about your chances of developing heart disease and how you can lower your risk.
A wholistic approach combining Allopathy, Ayurveda, Homoeopathy , Naturopathy, Yoga , and Lifestyle modifications can save your heart.

If you eat a nutritious diet, engage in regular physical activity, maintain a healthy weight, and stop smoking, you will improve your heart health. No matter what heart disease risk factors you have—or how many—you will greatly benefit from taking action in these four areas. If you already have heart disease, you can lessen its severity by following this plan.

True, you may need to take other steps to prevent or control heart disease. For example, if you have diabetes, you also will need to keep your blood sugar levels under control. But following a heart healthy eating plan, controlling your weight ,and engaging in more physical activity will help you keep your blood sugar at healthy levels. These steps will also help reduce your chances of developing high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol.

So Women , lets respond with one voice to the health crises of womens heart disease by creating awareness amongst ourselves.

NEWS-"Actress Elizabeth Banks promotes American Heart Association campaigns to spread awareness of Heart Disease in Women, Their No-1 Killer".