Breast Cancer Awarenss Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.   I am sure that everyone has been touched by some form of cancer in their life.  You may not have had cancer yourself but very possibly know someone who has had some form of cancer.   For women, breast cancer is second to skin cancer in being one of the most common cancers for women.  According to breast cancer statistics, about 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop a form of breast cancer in their life.  When you think about how many women you know, this is a large number of friends or acquaintances whom could be diagnosed.  The good news is that new breast cancer occurrences decreased about 2% per year from 1999 to 2006.

New research is consistently coming out to help with the cure of cancer, but we still do not know the exact cause of it.   Researchers are looking at many different factors to see what could be contributing to breast cancer.  Factors such as food, weight, hereditary, stress, environmental exposure, and  hormone replacement are always being looked at as contributing to woman developing breast cancer.  Many of these factors you can control.  You can make positive choices in you eating habits, getting enough exercise, finding ways to reduce the stress in your life. avoiding harsh chemicals in the home and workplace, talking with your doctor to decide if hormone replacement could put you at risk for breast cancer. 

Your diet can go a long way in helping to prevent breast cancer.  A body that is given the best fuel available is more likely to fight off radical cells and prevent them from developing into breast cancer.  The best diet is one that is well balanced with grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meat, and small amount of oils and sweets.   When you eat a well balanced diet, you will find that you are less likely to gain weight.  If you find that you are eating balanced and still seem to put on extra pounds, then you will want to look at you activity level.  Increasing you exercise time can help with weight gain.  It can also lower any stress you may be having.  Getting into a regular exercise routine is the best way to go.  Exposure to some chemicals over and over during our life can lead to health issues.  One example is the use of chlorine products.  When cleaning with these types of typical household products, the fumes enter your body through breathing and your skin.  A one time use does not seem that bad, but when you think about how often women use these types of cleaning products in their homes.   This is a lot of harsh chemicals for a single body to absorb.  When there are children in the home, they are also being exposed to these products.

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, now is the perfect time to consider what you can do to help prevent cancer from striking you or someone you know. 

For additional information:  Breast Cancer

The Power of the Blueberry

This past week I had the opportunity to visit my dad, who lives about one hour from my house. Thanks to my mom who was an organic gardener before it was cool, he has several blueberry bushes in his yard. This year has brought a bumper crop of blueberries. Within about one hour, we were able to pick around two quarts. To me there is nothing better than to be able to eat a fresh picked blueberry. Especially, one which I know has not been sprayed with any pesticides or fungicides. In fact, these bushes are so organically grown we had to cut an invasive grape vine off them.

For a fruit to be so small, the blueberry packs a powerful punch. Not only is it a great tasting fruit, but it also brings with it some great nutritional benefits. When eaten whole in their raw form, the mighty blueberry provides antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins E, A, and C. There is a lot in the news in nutritional world about the advantages of getting antioxidants into your diet. Research has found that antioxidants help to delay or prevent free radical cells in your body from developing into cancer. Free radical cells are present in everyone’s body. Some are produced naturally by our body, while others can enter through our respiratory system. These free radical cells can be in the form of cigarette smoke, pollution, or breathing chemicals in our cleaning products.

Other health benefits have been found to include anti-aging properties. Studies have found that eating blueberries may help with better memory performance. This is a plus for anyone with memory loss or in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Recent studies have shown the lowering of LDL Cholesterol, which can reduce the incidence of stroke and heart disease. This could be in part due to blueberries are low in fat and high in fiber content. One cup of blueberries contains less than ½ gram of fat and over 3 ½ grams of fiber.

So when you are selecting fresh fruits at the market, blueberries should be at the top of your shopping list. Eating a cup is an all around good choice.

Source: US Highbush Blueberry Council

In no way is this information to replace any medical advice from you physician