Facts about Breast Cancer

Cancer is so ubiquitous in modern society that it seems we are supposed to know all about it - but no one bothers to take the time to explain it. For example, I didn't know anything about breast cancer until it invaded my family. If I had known just a few things about breast cancer, we might have been ready. Cancer is scary, but the greatest weapon against fear is knowledge. Here are some basic facts about breast cancer, about breast cancer risks and prevention, and finally, about breast cancer treatment.

Cancer takes place at a cellular level. Normal cells divide and grow at a normal pace, but cancer is a out-of-control growth of cells in such a way that they form tumors and take over the organ that they are found in. Breast cancer is especially dangerous. Breast cancer can easily spread to other organs nearby, such as the lungs or the heart.

There are several risks to breast cancer, and sadly, for some of them, nothing can be done. Still knowing about breast cancer risks that cannot be reduced, such as age and family history is still useful. Knowing about these risks will help you understand if additional preventative and detection methods are needed. Other risks you can control are diet, weight and alcohol usage. Aiming to maintain a healthy diet is crucial to breast cancer risk reduction.

The key to finding about breast cancer in yourself is with a breast self-exam. The key about breast cancer self-exams is not necessarily to find lumps or tumors, but to familiarize yourself with your breasts. In this way, a regular breast self-exam is extremely useful in finding any unusual changes in your breasts, which may or may not be lumps. Finally, mammograms should be regularly attended on a yearly basis after the age of 40. Both of these things will help with early detection. Early detection is key to successful treatment.

Treatments for breast cancer include surgery - wherein the tumor or growth or surgically removed. The extreme form of surgery is a complete removal of one or both of the breasts. Other treatment options about breast cancer include radiation therapy as well as chemotherapy, where chemicals that have defeated cancer cells are introduced in your blood system. All of these treatment options carry their own benefits and risks a serious conversation with your physician about breast cancer treatment options is of the utmost importance.

Knowing about breast cancer and reducing your risks is crucial in this world to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Knowing about breast cancer treatments will help you make the right choice in consultation with your physician.

Facts about lung cancer

When looking for facts about lung cancer, one jumps off the page faster and more vividly than any other facts about lung cancer: Smoking is the cause 95% of the time. In no other cancer is the cause so obviously and clearly outlined. Yes, there are ties between red meat and colorectal cancer. Yes, certain hormone treatments have been linked to breast cancer. And everone knows asbestos's history.

But when it comes to facts about lung cancer, it's unassailable that smoking is very, very likely to be the casue of any given case. Ignore this at your own peril.

Some other facts about lung cancer:

Just under 200,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2010. This is a decrease in percentage of the population that coincides perfectly with the decrease in percentage of smokers over the decades.

Unfortunately, while instances of lung cancer have become less common among men, it's become far more common among women. This is attributable to the increase in smoking among women in the caucasian community in the 1970s as well as the increase in minority communities in the 1980s and 1990s. There are also some recent stories that suggest women may generally be more predisposed to getting lung cancer than men, but many in the health industry view these reports skeptically.

And understand this: Even if you've been a lifetime smoker, quitting smoking at any time will help your chances of avoiding lung cancer! It's never too late to quit smoking and improve your health. Yet another of the facts about lung cancer that can't be missed.

Symptoms should be aware of are largely what you'd expect them to be. There's shortness of breath and wheezing, a persistent cough, chest pain, and spitting up blood. If you're experienceing any or all of the above, make sure to monitor your condition closely and get to a doctor. It's not worth taking chances with your life when it comes to the most common cancer in the western world.

While lung cancer is survivable if caught early, as of the year 2004 it still caused nearly one point five million annual worldwide deaths. The countries where the percentage of deaths from lung cancer are the highest tend to be in Eastern and Central Europe, though both the United States and Canada also have high rates of death from lung cancer.

Belly Fat : Facts

By Sonya Collins

Surprise: Everyone has some belly fat, even people who have flat abs.

That's normal. But too much belly fat can affect your health in a way that other fat doesn't.

Some of your fat is right under your skin. Other fat is deeper inside, around your heart, lungs, liver, and other organs.

It's that deeper fat -- called "visceral" fat -- that may be the bigger problem, even for thin people.

You need some visceral fat. It provides cushioning around your organs.

But if you have too much of it, you may be more likely to get high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and certain cancers, including breast cancer and colon cancer.

The fat doesn't just sit there. It's an active part of your body, making "lots of nasty substances," says Kristen Hairston, MD, assistant professor of endocrinology and metabolism at Wake Forest School of Medicine.

If you gain too much weight, your body starts to store your fat in unusual places.

With increasing obesity, you have people whose regular areas to store fat are so full that the fat is deposited into the organs and around the heart, says Carol Shively, PhD, professor of pathology-comparative medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine.

The most precise way to determine how much visceral fat you have is to get a CT scan or MRI. But there's a much simpler, low-cost way to check.  

Get a measuring tape, wrap it around your waist at your belly button, and check your girth. Do it while you're standing up, and make sure the tape measure is level.

For your health's sake, you want your waist size to be less than 35 inches if you're a woman and less than 40 inches if you're a man.

Having a "pear shape" -- bigger hips and thighs -- is considered safer than an "apple shape," which describes a wider waistline.

“What we’re really pointing to with the apple versus pear,” Hairston says, "is that, if you have more abdominal fat, it’s probably an indicator that you have more visceral fat."

Even if you're thin, you can still have too much visceral fat.

How much you have is partly about your genes, and partly about your lifestyle, especially how active you are.  

Visceral fat likes inactivity. In one study, thin people who watched their diets but didn't exercise were  more likely to have too much visceral fat.

The key is to be active, no matter what size you are.

There are four keys to controlling belly fat: exercise, diet, sleep, and stress management.