Here are a few easy ways to help reduce your stress level over the holidays.

• Take a deep breath.  Breath in through your nose until your lungs are full and exhale through your mouth. This may sound like a simple solution, but studies have shown that taking a single deep breath can reduce anxiety, improve your mood and even lower your blood pressure.

• Go for a walk.  You’d be surprised at the difference a 20 minute stroll can make to how you feel.  In this short time, the 20 minutes of exercise can release enough endorphins to calm the nervous system and reduce stress levels.

• Avoid comfort food.  Don’t give in to the temptation of comfort foods.  Those sugar cookies may give you a temporary boost of energy, but the effect doesn’t last and will leave you feeling worse later in the day.

• Write your worries down.  When you’re stressed, your imagination can take the smallest thing and turn it into a crisis.  By writing your thoughts down, you can put things back into perspective.

• Drink a glass of water.  Over the holidays it’s easy to forget to drink enough water, and if you’re dehydrated, your body is more prone to the effects of stress.  So don’t forget your 6 to 8 glasses of water a day.

I’d like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

Here in British Columbia there has been daily news coverage about outbreaks of the H1N1 swine flu.  I’ve read about how the Government, BC Medical and researchers recommended only getting the H1N1 vaccine and not the regular flu shot.  Then they changed their mind and said everyone should get both shots, but at different times…one in November and the other in January.  Then they said that it would be better to get both vaccines at the same time as soon as they are available in November.  They also said that if you had a regular flu shot last year you would be at higher risk of contracting the H1N1 virus.  Some straight answers about this virus and vaccine would be nice.

There have been several outbreaks in the Aboriginal Communities on Vancouver Island. One Aboriginal community in Manitoba received H1N1 flu preparedness kits from the government that included dozens of body bags… I couldn’t believe it when I saw that on the news…. can you imagine!  What kind of message are they trying to send? Read the CTV News Article H1N1 Body Bags

I realize that this virus can become very serious if you have a pre-existing health condition, but for the average person, you may have the H1N1 virus and not even know it.  The best things you can do to protect yourself are:

• stay home if you have flu/cold symptoms
• wash your hands frequently (use hand sanitizer when soap and water is not available)
• avoid close contact with people that are sick
• cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough (cough or sneeze into your arm instead of your hand, that way you won’t spread your germs when you touch things)
• avoid touching your face, eyes, nose or mouth
• avoid crowded places whenever possible

Remember that the most important thing you can do for yourself is to take care of your health… get plenty of rest, eat healthy, drink lots of water, get regular exercise and take vitamin supplements if you feel run down.

If you feel you need to protect yourself with the H1n1 vaccine, contact your health care practitioner for more information.

Scientists were able to decode the cancer tumor DNA and identify the mutations which cause the disease to spread.

Carly Weeks from the Globe and Mail reports:

The possibility of using a patient’s genetic information to create personalized therapies to battle cancer is one step closer to reality after Canadian scientists decoded, for the first time, the entire genome of a patient’s metastatic breast cancer.

It’s a landmark achievement that is helping to rewrite old notions about the way cancer develops and provides new insights into which drugs could benefit patients the most.

“I’m excited by the possibilities,” said Samuel Aparicio, the head of the department of breast and molecular oncology at the B.C. Cancer Agency and one of the lead scientists involved with the discovery. “In fact, I never thought I would see in my professional lifetime that it would become possible to routinely sequence genomes in the way that we’re now doing.”

Genomes contain all of the biological information of a living organism, and that information is housed in DNA. There are about three billion “letters” or building blocks in the human genome. When cells divide, all three billion building blocks must be copied. But mistakes in the copying process can sometimes occur, and those mutations can, in some cases, cause cells to grow in an uncontrolled way – which is how cancer develops.

In decoding the metastatic breast-cancer genome, which contains all of the genetic information of a patient’s cancer, scientists were able to identify all of the mutations in the tumour, a feat that has never before been accomplished.

To read the rest of this article click here

Hormone replacement therapy is generally used to treat menopause symptoms such as mood swings and hot flashes that don’t respond to alternative treatments. Hormone Therapy is an anti-estrogen therapy that works against hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. They work by lowering the amount of estrogen hormone in the body and by blocking the action of estrogen in the body. This treatment works for hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers. Estrogen makes this type of tumor grow, so by reducing the amount of estrogen produced by the body or by blocking the action of estrogen, you can help the cancer tumors shrink and can reduce the risk of new tumors from growing or recurring. This treatment does not work for hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer.

To learn more about Hormone Therapy as a treatment for Breast Cancer click here

One in four women suffers from bladder weakness, but according to the survey, nearly 40 percent of women with symptoms have never discussed their condition with anyone. Of the women who acknowledge they have bladder weakness, almost half (48 percent) are embarrassed to discuss it and more than half (52 percent) either hide symptoms or are afraid of what others would think. The condition carries such a stigma that women would rather discuss other sensitive topics than their bladder weakness: infertility/fertility (32 percent would discuss before bladder weakness), their relationship with their spouse (30 percent), mental health (23 percent) and menopause (15 percent).

“Women often try to cope with private or embarrassing issues such as bladder weakness on their own, but they should know that they are not alone. The reality is that while bladder weakness affects a significant number of women, it doesn’t have to slow them down. There are pelvic floor exercises and protective products out there to help women combat this issue. It’s important for women to discuss the condition with their doctor so they can learn about their options,” says Dr. Lauri Romanzi, a board certified gynecologist with more than 20 years of experience in women’s health.

Click here to read the rest of the article

Here’s what the article said about relieving breast pain:

One of the more common reasons for breast pain is cysts. If you’re prone to non-cancerous cysts, you may want to try switching to decaf coffee and cut back on chocolate. In a study by Duke University, 61% of women tested experienced less breast tenderness. According to Emily A. Kane, N.D. coffee, tea and chocolate all contain methylxanthines which are natural stimulants that encourage cyst growth.

Laurie Steelsmith, N.D. explains that upping iodine reduced breast pain in women with cysts. The iodine blocks the estrogen from binding to the breast tissue cells, which is a common cause of breast cysts. Seaweed dulse is a great source of iodine and it’s also a good alternative to salt as it’s lower in sodium. Look for seaweed dulse granules at your health food store.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that by eating a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, women are 67% less likely to to suffer from non-cancerous breast cysts. Foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids are flaxseed, walnuts and fatty fish.

Emily A Kane, N.D., also reports that watermelons, cucumbers, celery, parsley and dandelion tea are all natural diuretics which can help rid the body of excess fluid and can relieve the discomfort caused by swollen, sensitive breast tissue.

Try blocking estrogen with steamed broccoli. Research shows that by eating steaming cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower and watercress, it boosts their levels of indole-3-carbinal (a compound that shields your breasts from estrogen.

I hope you’ll find this information helpful.

References: Womans’ World Magazine 8/10/09

I went for the second mammogram and it turns out that I have a lump, but the staff at the hospital still can’t tell me anything. I had to wait another couple of days to see a family doctor. My family doctor passed away a month ago while he was on holidays, so I had to see a total stranger who knew nothing of my history. This stressed me out as well The doctor checked the lump and said I needed to go for another mammogram in 6 months to see it the lump changes. He said it was mobile, which I can only assume is a good thing. I’m thinking I should get a second opinion as the area where the lump is located is quite sore. The mammogram was over a week ago, so I don’t think the soreness is from that. I wasn’t told if the lump is a cyst or what they think it is…I’m really not sure what to do at this point. Should I wait for the six months and hope it isn’t anything serious or find another doctor who can answer more of my questions?

Male menopause is disputed, but it is real. It affects many marriages, producing a lack of sexual interest that is often the cause of separation.  Men who may be experiencing this condition could suffer from symptoms such as depression, irritability, tiredness or fatigue.  Here’s a related article about male menopause:
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1174446/do_just_women_get_menopause.html

Working out is going to take a bit of time to get back into.  It was 106 degrees farenheit today and there’s no sign of the heat letting up over the next few weeks.  The heat is pretty intense and sometimes it feels as though I’m melting. Thank god for air conditioning