The End of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This October was the 25th year of celebrating the women (and men!) who currently have, have survived, or have been touched by breast cancer.

According to the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month web site, "Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States, aside from skin cancer. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), an estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed among women in the United States this year. An estimated 40,170 women are expected to die from the disease in 2009 alone. Today, there are about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States".

While these statistics can be staggering, the truth is - as with all cancers - breast cancer is about life. Pushing the cancer aside. Surviving it, beating it, but always remembering it.

There are many ways to get involved to support breast cancer organizations and people who have been affected by breast cancer.

Some examples:

• Join the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure in your area.
• Visit the Breast Cancer Site daily to help fund free mammograms.
• "Casual Up" for Breast Cancer via the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
• Get a mammogram!
• Do your monthly breast exam!
  

What else have you done in your community this month to support breast cancer causes?

The H1N1 Vaccine and... you?

The media is talking more and more about how there is less and less of the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine to go around (see an article from AP about vaccine production here).

"Production is running several weeks behind schedule, and health officials blame the pressure on pharmaceutical companies to crank it out along with the ordinary flu vaccine, and a slow and antiquated process that relies on millions of chicken eggs".

Considering the concerns about this flu hitting people under 24 and younger the hardest (see Wall Street Journal article here), what are your thoughts about vaccination? About supply? Will you get the shot should it become available to you or your family?

H1N1 Update

The swine flu (H1N1) hasn't yet mutated into a fatal strain, but it is showing signs of potentially developing resistance to vaccine.

To read more about the swine flu check out this article.

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.


The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition's mission is to improve the survival rate of this deadly but preventable disease.


Check out their website for more information and to see what you can do to help.

Skip and Slide

Since we're human, we're bound to make some mistakes. But how bad are these mistakes to your health?

This article tells us which occasional bad habits we can let slide and which ones to ban forever.

The Big Day Delay

Women in America are waiting longer than ever to wed.

Women are being more choosy and careful when it comes to picking their spouses, maybe because they feel free to pursue a higher degree of education or to dive into their careers.

This doesn't mean the institution of marriage is dead. In fact, according to this article, 86% of women marry by their 40th birthday.

World Breast-feeding Week

Breast-feeding is very important for a child's immune system. However, many women don't breast-feed because they can't get their children to latch on correctly and/or because they feel it is uncomfortable.

Breast milk provides nutrients that babies simply can't get from formula.

Check out the article here.

The Fountain of Youth?

Once again, America's quest for eternal youth is in the news.

Numerous women are following regimens in an effort to look younger and lose weight. While believers in these practices say they'll continue to use these youth concoctions for the rest of their lives, others believe that these unregulated elixirs could be dangerous.

Some in the medical community say that there aren't any magic potions to reverse aging -especially without some harmful side effects.

Read the article here.

How to Catch Some zzzzzz's

Sleep is one of the most important factors of good health. Unfortunately, many Americans struggle with insomnia, which is characterized as persistent difficulty falling asleep.

This condition is often misdiagnosed. Doctors often prescribe anti-depressant drugs for insomnia sufferers, although this treatment plan has not been approved by the FDA.

If you suffer from insomnia and think you may be taking anti-depressants if you don't suffer from depression, read this article.

Blowing Smoke

Smoking bans have been put into effect all over the world.

A recent study shows that tobacco use can cause soldiers to be less prepared in combat situations, not to mention the long term effects caused by smoking.

Some say that banning smoking among soldiers is risky because of the high rate of suicide, and soldiers think of smoking as a way of relieving stress.

Check out this developing story.

You Snooze - You Lose

Snoring can be annoying to listen to. Did you know it can also be harmful to your health?

Snoring can be caused by stress, but it can also be caused by sleep apnea.

According to MedicineNet.com when obstructive sleep apnea occurs, the muscles of the soft palate around the base of the tongue and the uvula relax, obstructing the airway. This can result in some severe health issues.

To read more about how to differentiate occasional snoring and sleep apnea read this article.

I Heart Restaurants!

Eating out can be such a treat! But what about your waistline and even more importantly, your heart?

Since most restaurant menus don't have nutrition labels it's hard to know the amount of calories, sodium, and sugars you're consuming.

While gaining weight is a significant concern, protecting your heart is equally important to your health.

For a little bit of help and more information on what healthy options are available at different restaurants, read this article.

June is Scoliosis Awareness Month

Spine Correction Center of the Rockies will be having a free scoliosis screening on June 30th from 2 pm-7 pm at their office location:

1101 Oakridge Drive, Suite A
Fort Collins, CO 80525

The doctors will also be giving a 30 minute presentation at 3pm and again at 6 pm.

To learn more, visit their website.

Resveratrol Does it All?

A chemical called resveratrol, which is found in red wine, can protect your heart and help you avoid age-related illnesses.

Scientists are working to transform resveratrol into a pill.

To learn more about the findings follow this link.

Lack of Sleep Can Lead to High Blood Pressure

Some studies suggest that lack of sleep can lead to high blood pressure.

Middle-aged adults should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. Stock up on those z's as much as possible.

Read more here.

National Get Outdoors Day

Saturday, June 13 is National Get Outdoors Day! This is the second annual event that promotes outdoor activities and taking advantage of parks and other outdoor venues.

So pack up a cooler and support this cause!

To find out where this event is happening in your city check out this website.

A Giant Leap Toward Health

In an effort to have healthier snacks at San Francisco Giants baseball games, the Table Grape Commission has been offering seedless grapes at AT&T park.

Since the growing season is almost identical to the baseball season, it is the persfect healthy snack to offer instead of the traditional greasy treats.

Check out the facts here.

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate

Some mothers are receiveing mixed messages about the Gardasil vaccine and whether or not to give it to their daughters.

No one can make this decision for you, however you can read this advice and talk with your doctor to make the right decision for you and your family.

Teach Empathy to Your Kids

A recent study shows that when mothers explain emotions to their young children, they are more likely to perfom better on social understanding tasks.

The understanding of emotions doesn't necessarily mean the child will be well behaved.

Some of the children who were taught to identify different emotions were some of the worst in the behavior department. The study suggests that this may be because the more emotions you can identify, the more you're likely to express.

Read the full artice here.

Turn That Frown Upside Down

Ever wonder how we keep our spirits up during this recession?

Americans are turning to yoga, volunteer work, or even uplifting stories to help us keep a positive attitude during this economic crisis.

This article explores the interesting things we turn to that make us happy when we're down on our luck.

New York v. Salt

Be afraid salt, be very afraid. New York is after you!

After successfully putting a ban on trans fats, the New York City health department wants to tackle the amount of sodium in our food.

Salt can lead to high blood pressure and with that comes a higher risk of heart disease. A reduction of salt could prevent heart related deaths.

Some people think this movement is unnecessary because not everyone is sensitive to salt while others believe that most of us simply don't know how much sodium we're actually consuming.

Read the artice here.

May is Mental Health Month

With our bad economy, stress levels are higher than ever and Americans are suffering from more stress than usual.

An organization called Mental Health America wants us to know that there are many ways to deal with and combat stress.

Visit their website to take advantage of these tools.

What Does Organic Really Mean?

The term "organic" was first used in 1940 to describe natural methods of gardening and farming. Today organic foods are grown without using most conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation. A review of the scientific literature indicates that organic foods have significantly more vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and phosphorous and fewer nitrates than conventional foods (Worthington V.J. Altern and Complem Med 7(2), 161-173;2001).


Food labeled "organic" is produced by farmers who use renewable resources and practice soil and water conservation to enhance environmental quality for future generations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has developed a set of standards that food labeled "organic" must meet, whether it is grown in the U.S. or imported from other countries. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified too.


The USDA developed strict labeling rules to help consumers know the exact organic content of the food they buy. The USDA Organic seal tells a shopper that a product is at least 95% organic.

Game Into Shape!

Are you too intimidated to go to a yoga or cardio kick boxing class? Well, Nintendo may have solved your problem!

Wii Fit teaches yoga poses and other aerobic activities. After a few sessions with Wii Fit in the comfort of your home, you'll be ready to take that yoga class head on.

And while these games won't fix the obesity epidemic, they can aid in motivating us to get moving, which is a start.

To learn more about the effects of Wii Fit, read this article.

Go Slow on The Joe

Do you like a cup of coffee in the morning? Most of us do. We like the perkiness it adds to our sleepy-eyed mornings.

You need to be careful though. When you try to cut your caffeine consumption, you may experience headaches and other forms of withdrawal.

Even though your diet is better without caffeine, a step down approach to avoid withdrawal symptoms is recommended.

To read more about these findings, read this article:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/06/hm.caffeine.withdrawal/index.html

Sugar v. High Fructose Corn Syrup

Lately high fructose corn syrup has been getting a really bad rap. It’s being blamed for the obesity epidemic in the U.S.

It seems Americans want everything out in the open, we want the truth! So instead of consuming high fructose corn syrup we are turning to the less processed sweetener, sugar. Sugar seems to be the purer, more natural choice.

The bottom line is this, when it comes to obesity experts agree, excess calories are the bottom line. Pure sugar and high fructose corn syrup contain equal amounts of calories gram for gram and should be eaten in moderation.

Read this article to learn more:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/dining/21sugar.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=health

Potential HIV Prevention Ingredient

GML, an ingredient in cosmetics and medicines, has the ability to block HIV by cutting off the place where the disease gains it's power, the vagina.

It is believed that GML combined with a personal lubricant could potentially help prevent the spread of HIV.

To read more about these findings check out this article:

http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/news/20090304/new-vaginal-gel-stops-aids-virus

Fight the Flu

A new human antibody has been shown to deactivate the flu virus. This scientific finding could potentailly be used to create a flu vaccine that wouldn't have to be re-configured from year to year because it covers more than one strain of the flu.

These antibodies deactivate not only seasonal strains of the flu but the avain flu as well.

To read more about this new finding go to:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20090223/hl_hsn/scientistsmayhavenewwaytofighttheflu

BPA in the News..Again

Remember that chemical called BPA that everyone was freaking out about? Every Nalgene was tossed into the trash or recycled because of it. Well it's in the news again.

Research shows that this chemical stays in your system longer than previously believed. Also it is thought that BPA is present in our water which would make it a bigger issue than anyone thought.

Check out this article to learn more about these preliminary findings:
http://www.webmd.com/news/20090128/bisphenol-a-may-linger-in-body