Breast cancer is a disease that not only strikes fear in women but in men also.
Each year thousands of women are diagnosed with this disease. While there is
a lot of information available on this type of cancer, many women do not know
the basic facts about it. Performing monthly examinations to detect the early
signs and taking action without delay can be the most critical thing you can
do.

While this sound easy, and it is, you must know what to look for. Here are
several symptoms, not in any particular order, to be aware of.

1. A depression in any area of the breast surface that you did not notice before.
2. Veins that become more prominent on one or both breasts just under the
   skin surface.
3. A lump that is usually small, firm and painless.
4. Nipples that have a change in skin texture, develop a rash, have a discharge
   (other than breast milk) or that becomes inverted.
5. A piece of skin on the breast or underarm that swells or that has an unusual
   appearance.

Women who perform the monthly self breast examination already know that their
breasts have a lumpy texture. However, if you do regular self examinations you
will be able to tell the difference between the normal texture and the development
of a lump. If you are not certain, you should see a medical professional immediately.
It is better to be safe.

Did you know: Breast cancer is not limited to only women. Men, while at a much
lower rate, can also get this form of cancer.

The good news is that overall only a small percentage of lumps found are malignant.
Early discovery allows for a greater chance to take action and beat this awful
disease. Each day, more and more women are taking action and surviving to live
normal, healthy and long lives.

I challenge you to begin a buddy program where you can remind each other and
hold each other accountable to perform your monthly self examination. A few
minutes a month could make all the difference.

One of the leading causes of death n the world is heart disease. Congestive
heart failure patients have about a five-year life span after the onset of heart
failure although researchers are working on finding a cure and better treatments.
They are focusing on disease treatment as well as repair of cells in the heart
that have been damaged.

New medications are also being tested such as the calcium inhibitors and vasodilators
that wouldn’t cause cardiac arrhythmia incidents like some on the current market.

Natural remedies such as meditation and relaxation are used to reduce stress
on the heart. It has been shown that stress impacts the body negatively by increasing
the blood pressure that forces the heart to work harder. Theoretically, maintaining
low stress levels or treating stress will reduce the amount of pressure placed
on the heart, thereby making the hear muscle less likely to weaken.

Holistic medicine and practices have advanced clinical technology to levels
unheard of thirty years ago. Scientists keep identifying genes that are present
in individuals who have congestive heart failure. It is hoped that one day,
these genes can be altered to reverse heart disease. New medicines continue
to hit the market and current medicines continue to be improved.

Stem cell use is also being explored in assisting the body by generating new
cells from the patient’s stem cells to repair heart tissue damaged by heart
disease and stress. Although much of this science is still in the learning stages,
it holds a lot of promise in the future for heart disease and many other conditions
and diseases. The prospect of using embryonic stem cells is controversial yet
adult stem cells cannot produce enough new cells to adequately benefit the anticipated
needs of the heart failure patients. The ultimate goal of scientists is to find
a cure.

More information about developing
a healthy heart

So what’s it like to get your butt kicked by your dad? Or even your MOM?!?

It’s amazing to see the level of fitness that some of the “older”
baby-boomers are achieving these days. I was recently at the Victoria International
Marathon and noticed a ton of participants in their late 40’s and even
50’s that would have trounced me! My uncle was a participant in this race
and managed a very respectable 3:39:20 which placed him 18th in the 55-59 age
group - very impressive.

Especially considering my personal best (at 33 years old) was 3:36:20 and I’m
an Ironman Triathlete for crying out loud. In any case, having participated
in quite a few races around the world, it is just amazing to see the participation
and involvement of the baby-boomer generation - and how darn fit they
are.

With today’s huge emphasis on fitness and exercise, and especially coming
from the West coast here in Vancouver, it is not uncommon anymore to see fathers
and sons or mothers and daughters participating in races - and I’m
not talking with their 5 year olds at sports day at school.

I’ve seen a full generation of grandfather, son, and granddaughter all
cross the finish line at Ironman and that nearly brought tears to my eyes. I
was lucky enough to run with my own father during the last mile before I finished
Ironman 2006 and that was something I will never forget.

So the next time you’re at the gym, or watching an athletic event -
don’t discount that 55 year old that doesn’t look like he can run
around the block. Chances are, he’ll kick your butt if given the chance

How do you reduce the symptoms of menopause? For women, the onset of menopause
is unavoidable. Women typically experience a number of symptoms as they move into
the menopause cycle.

Common symptoms in menopause include:

• Hot Flashes
• Night sweats and difficulty sleeping
• Changes in vaginal tissue
• Thinning of bones
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding or spotting
• Mood changes
• Urinary problems
• Increased risk of heart problems
• Heart palpitations
• Memory or concentration problems
• Lack of interest in sex
• Changes in physical appearance

These symptoms are triggered by low levels of the female hormone oestrogen
and can affect both the physical and mental feeling of well being for women.
Menopause cannot be prevented, however its negative effects can be minimized
through relaxation and exercise.

In fact the benefits of exercise can be significant for menopausal women. Exercise
can do a lot more than you might think. For example did yu know that a minimum
of four 30-minute exercise sessions each week will help to keep a women’s body
to actually produce a little oestrogen? This happens because exercise stimulates
the adrenal glands to convert the male hormone androstenedione into oestrogen.

When continued over several months, exercise helps build stronger bones and
lowers the risk of osteoporosis as compared with non-exercisers. Although every
woman is different, it is a fact that most women lose upwards of 25 percent
of bone mass by the age of 65. This is accompanied by reduced muscle strength
and flexibility, making the body less adaptive and more prone to injuries

However this can be reduced when a regular exercise program is maintained.
Here are some of the benefits of exercising for women:

Regular exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease . The risk of heart disease
increases for women after menopause due to a deficiency of oestrogen, which
has a protective effect on the heart.

Exercise will lower the chance of developing diabetes mellitus. Blood sugar
imbalance often can accelerate due to menopause.

Exercise maintains muscle tone and strength and is a defense against the loss
of muscle mass post menopause. In fact studies show that women performing aerobic
activity or muscle-strength training reduced mortality from cardio vascular
disease and cancer. Activities like walking, cycling swimming and rowing work
well.

What do you do to incorporate exercise into your lifestyle?

Baby Boomer women need to find out as much about menopause as possible so that
they can work with in an intelligent way. Menopause often begins to arrive in
women at around 52 years of age. Some women experience menopause symptoms at
an earlier age. This is so, especially if there are some medical issues present
that can cause changes to the body`s makeup. Women that have gone through cancer
treatments, such as chemotherapy, are likely to experience symptoms earlier.

Such a change in a woman`s life occurs as the ovaries stop producing estrogen.
This causes the woman`s reproductive system to gradually shut down. This change
is said to be physiological because it is comprised of the body`s reactions
to adapting to the changes. The symptoms of menopause are not necessarily entirely
physical, as the mind also must adapt to the ‘change of life’.

Symptoms of Menopause
As the body is adapting to the changing hormones during the natural
menopause stage, many women wonder what is happening to them and how they can
adapt. Menopause is a time of a life change. With the body`s changes, natural
hormones change levels and the body undergoes a variety of sudden ’swings’.
Some symptoms include:

• Hot flashes or hot flushes - a feeling of intense heat coupled with increasing
  heartbeat and sweating.
• Sleep issues, such as an inability to keep proper sleeping hours
• Urinary issues, such as frequency or urgency
• Skeletal and joint pain
• Muscle pain
• Fatigue and irritability
• Memory loss
• Depression

Along with those symptoms, other changes can occur within the female body.
It is best to seek the advice of a medical professional, as he or she can provide
ample information. While this phase is a normal part of a woman`s life, it can
also present some dangerous side effects that should be examined by a doctor.
Always talk to a physician about the symptoms.