National Women's Health Week--Breast Cancer Risk

The Women’s Health website offers the recommendation for a breast screening to be done every 2 years after age 50.  If you are at risk for breast cancer (family members with that diagnosis), your doctor will make recommendations appropriate to your situation. 

What are risk factors for breast cancer? 

Some risk factors we cannot control or alter.  As we age (over age 50), our risk of breast cancer goes up.  A woman who had prior breast cancer faces an increased risk.  A women faces an increased risk of breast cancer if family members (mother, sister, daughter) have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  (Some women deal with inherited cell changes which increase their chances of breast cancer.)\

Other risk factors we can alter:

Researchers believe “the chance of getting breast cancer after menopause is higher in women who are overweight or obese...The more alcohol a women drinks, the greater her risk of breast cancer…Women who are not physically active throughout life may have an increased risk of breast cancer.  Strenuous exercise for more than four hours per week may help lower breast cancer risk…Women who breastfeed have a lower risk of breast cancer.”  More information can be found at Womenshealth.gov  http://www.womenshealth.gov/breast-cancer/risk-factors-prevention/  Talk to your doctor about your risks and explore ways you can protect your breasts from cancer. 

As women, we care for our loved ones.  Are you taking good care of your body?

May 13-19, 2012 is National Women's Health Week

We owe it to ourselves and our loved ones to take care of ourselves.  We’ve all heard the advice, “get active, eat healthy, pay attention to our mental health including managing stress and getting enough sleep, and avoid unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, not wearing a seatbelt or bicycle helmet.” http://womenshealth.gov/whw/  The Women’s Health website offers this information about health screenings at http://womenshealth.gov/whw/health-resources/screening-tool/index.cfm

Heart Health risks.  Did you know that heart disease ranks as the #1 killer of American women?  While we often worry about cancer, we should be thinking about our heart health.  What should we be doing to protect our heart health? 

Know your numbers.  By this, I mean your blood pressure.  A normal blood pressure is below 120/80.  I am lucky that I inherited a tendency for low blood pressure from my father and not Mom (who had very high blood pressure for years, a contributing factor in her developing congestive heart failure.)  If you have high blood pressure, work with your doctor to bring it down.  High blood pressure quietly does harm to your body including your heart and kidneys. 

The second set of numbers is your cholesterol panel.  High cholesterol panel indicates how your diet and exercise habits are affecting your heart health.  Here’s the numbers to strive for: 

               Total cholesterol below 200 mg/dL

               Triglycerides below 150 mg/dL   

               HDL (high density lipoproteins or good cholesterol) above 40 mg/dL

               LDL (low density lipoproteins or bad cholesterol) below 100 md/dL

If your cholesterol numbers are elevated, talk with your doctor/healthcare provider.  Become educated to what you can do to improve your heart health numbers.  You may find you want to make lifestyle changes. Are you taking good care of your heart?

Happy Mother's Day

“A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.”  Tenneva Jordan (Lorenz, P, Positive Quotes for Every Day, Publications International Limited, 2010,) 137. 

My mom lived the unselfish life.  I remember during my 6^th grade year we moved 30 miles south and I started at a new school.  We visited churches and found a new church home.  I was shy and this move forced me to make new friends.  My new church girlfriend was from an affluent family.  She had cute clothes and jewelry.  Buying new clothes was suddenly important to me; my mom was an excellent seamstress and made most of my clothes.  Mom understood why I wanted to ‘buy’ my clothes and she managed to find money for a new Easter dress and shoes, etc.  I’m not sure that buying clothes fit into the budget but she accomplished it.  Mom sacrificed her Easter dress to buy her youngest daughter a new outfit. 

I hope I told Mom thank you; I bet she knew.  

Happy Mother's Day to loving women who give so much to their families. 

What if you have toenail fungus?

See a podiatrist or medical doctor as soon as you suspect you have a toenail fungus.  Early treatment is best; the fungus is easiest to treat/cure before it burrows deep into the tissues and under the nail.

There are many suggestions on treatment.  We’ve all heard the do-it-yourself treatments of vinegar or Vicks Vapo Rub on your toenails to cure the fungus. (Which tells me this is an aggravating problem.) Information about these two home remedies can be found at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nail-fungus/DS00084/

 The Mayo Clinic staff recommends that anyone who has a toenail fungus give up nail polish and/or artificial nails while being treated for the fungus because both nail polish and artificial nails “can trap unwanted moisture and worsen the infection.”  (MayoClinic.com, Nail fungus Prevention, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nail-fungus/DS00084/DSECTION=prevention

To prepare for your podiatrist/doctor’s visit, the Mayo Clinic recommendations can be found at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nail-fungus/DS00084/

 

Treatment options include oral medications, anti-fungal nail polish, topical medications, laser surgery and photodynamic therapy to treat the nail with light and surgery to remove the affected nail.

Protect yourself from toenail fungus Part 2

Another great recommendation said watch the nail salon staff to see if they sterilize their equipment. The American Podiatric Medical Association goes one step farther:  they recommend a person buy and take her own podiatric tools for the salon staff to use.  The recommended tools can be found at Pediatric Pointers, http://www.apma.org/pedipointers

A third good suggestion:  when you go to buy your next pair of shoes, slip a pair of your socks into your  purse and wear your own socks while trying on shoes.  This protects your feet from any fungi left in the shoes when the last person tried on those shoes.