Health Beauty & FitnessHealth, Beauty, Fitness Tips

Early detection of any cancer increases the chances of successfully treating it. All women should have an annual mammogram starting at age 40 to increase the chances of early detection.

Some women may think “I’ve lived a long life so far without breast cancer, so why should I bother with getting a mammogram?” The answer is simple: the older you get, the greater your chances of developing breast cancer. Over 75% of cancers of the breast are diagnosed each year in women over 50 years old. A 70 year old woman is two times more likely to get this cancer than a 50 year old woman.

Don’t take your chances and play the odds. Enjoy the peace of mind that comes from having a regular annual mammogram that comes back negative for breast tumors.

A mammogram is a simple x-ray procedure that is no more dangerous than x-rays at a dentist’s office. Although the procedure is uncomfortable, it can detect early stages of breast cancer long before a clinical breast exam or a breast self-exam.

Some women might say, “No one in my family has ever had breast cancer, so why should I bother with this test?” Over 80% of breast cancer diagnoses occur in women who do not have a close relative (mother or sister) with the cancer. Of course your risk chances are greater if you do have a close relative who has had breast cancer.

You might think, “There’s nothing I can do about preventing breast cancer, so why bother?” It’s true that we can’t prevent this cancer, but early detection of it tremendously improves your chances of successfully treating it. Breast x-rays can detect small lumps or tumors much earlier than a breast exam. When breast lumps are found early there are many more treatment options.

If your doctor has never spoken with you about having a mammogram and you are near the age of 40 or older, then you should ask about it yourself. Women sometimes need to insist upon getting the healthcare attention they need and deserve. Many doctors have such a busy scheduled packed with seeing patients in their offices as well as in a hospital, that it is easy to get lost in the shuffle. Women need to speak up and ask about breast health.

You may think that the test is too expensive and that you can’t afford a mammogram. However, most insurance companies as well as Medicare and Medicaid provide coverage for these tests. There are also many low-cost mammography programs available in most states. Ask about these programs at your next doctor’s visit, or call a local women’s health clinic or the OB/GYN department at your local hospital.

Breast Cancer Awareness month is during October and many hospitals and clinics will offer low cost tests for women who can’t afford the regular fee during this time. Don’t let cost be the reason that prevents you from having a mammogram!

If you don’t know where to get a mammogram, simply ask your doctor about it. Also check with your local public health department as well as local hospitals and women’s health clinics.

Remember that early detection is the key to success against this cancer. Have regular mammograms – especially if you are 40 or older.

According to new research the promotion of healthy eating to fight obesity can drive some teenagers into eating disorders.

Also many adult women and men admit that the extremes of trying to eat healthy lead them into abnormal eating behaviors and later to a fully developed eating disorder.

So the question is how healthy for you is a “healthy eating plan” and diet?

From one point of view, it is good to make a healthy choice when you eat and it does help to fight obesity. But on the other hand there are people who get so obsessed with their eating habits that it becomes abnormal and absolutely out of control.

Most eating disorder sufferers say that their disorder started from a simple diet and trying to eat healthy. They also say that they became very emotional about their diet, weight and food.

For example here is a testimonial from a 24 year old woman who has been suffering from bulimia for the last 10 years: “It was very painful for me to hear people called me fatty and I began dieting. When I lost some weight people started complimenting me for the way I looked and it felt so rewarding that I only wanted to continue dieting and loosing more and more weight … I really associated loosing weight with a reward and big personal achievements, so I thought the more I do it the better I will become. And I pushed myself into an extremely restrictive regiment of diet and exercise.

Every week I reduced my calorie intake and increased the exercise time. Sometimes I was very hungry and felt jealous towards people who could eat whatever they wanted. I started dreaming about food – of what I would eat if I could.

Once I cheated and ate much more food then I planned to do. I felt disgusted with myself. Then I went to the toilet and made myself sick. This gave me an instant relief to my strained feelings.

On the next day I repeated it again, and again it made me feel better. I thought I discovered a new way to eat whatever I want and at the same time stay slim. I thought it was my own invention but it wasn’t and that was how my bulimia was born…”

This is a typical story of the beginnings of anorexia-bulimia. So the question is would these people have developed an eating disorder without initially going on a “healthy” diet and an extreme exercise regiment? Probably not!

In conclusion it is fair to say that eating healthy still should be a major part of overall health education in schools and in public education.

But teaching about balance regarding peoples eating habits is probably much more important than just healthy eating at all costs. Teaching balance is crucial for any health program if it wants to stop the spread of eating disorders.