Top 10 Tips on How To Quit Smoking
As soon as you tell people you’re thinking of quitting smoking, it seems everybody knows someone who stopped recently. and that you should try the stop smoking program that they used. The problem is what works for one person won’t necessarily work for you.
The fact is that with so much information passed around that is confusing to people it is often much easier to just continue smoking and hoping for a simple solution. Actually taking the necessary steps to really quit smoking is not easy. It means coming to terms with the fact that stopping smoking really is best for you, as well as your health.
I’m sure most, if not all smokers are well aware that giving up smoking will lead to a dramatic improvement in their health, but figuring out how to quit smoking and beat the addiction is never that easy. There are distractions and temptations every where we go, so it’s hardly surprising the failure rate of quitting smoking is so high.
Tip #1 What is your real reason for wanting to quit smoking? It better be a good one, or when times get tough you’ll likely fall at the first hurdle. Having a powerful and compelling reason to quit will keep you focussed and motivated.
Tip #2 Look for small rewards that you can give yourself as you make progress. You are not likely to just quit cold turkey with no complications. Set up small rewards that will help you to want to make progress towards ultimately quitting. This can be a great motivation to keep you on target.
Tip #3 Plan out your quitting strategy. Decide how you want to try to quit and stick to it. Set a specific amount of time for your plan. If after a time, say six weeks you have not quit, work on a new plan. This will allow ample time to try each method, while still giving yourself flexibility to try something else.
Tip #4 Work to overcome your struggles. If you are smoking due to stressful things in your life, you need to deal with the stress before you can successfully quit. Regardless of the reason why you are smoking, it needs to be dealt with in able to quit for good.
Tip #5 Don’t give yourself any breaks. If you fail to achieve one of your goals, make sure you punish yourself accordingly. If you break the plan and sneak a cigarette, punish yourself by refraining from one of your favorite activities the next day. This drives a clear message to your subconscious that you mean business.
Tip #6 Seek out help from your friends and family. You need support as you are trying to quit, and this will help you to ensure that you are not alone in the entire process.
Tip #7 Do you work alone, or are you a team player? If you think a quit buddy would be a good idea, find someone you can give up together with. It doesn’t have to be a friend or family member – just search for a local quit smoking group. Having someone to support and be supported by can really help give you the extra motivation when you need it.
Tip #8 Don’t let yourself get tired. If you’re not getting enough sleep, it’s going to make your task of quitting smoking even harder. You no doubt already know what it’s like to be tired. Don’t make giving up smoking any harder than it already is.
Tip #9 Aim to quit for good. This might seem a bit strange, but if you are just planning to quit for a weekend you are not going to put much effort into the process. If you are planning to quit for good, a lot more time and effort is going to go into the process as well as your plan to quit.
Tip #10 You will undoubtedly have cravings and urges, so make a list of things you can do to take you mind of smoking when these situations arise. Forewarned is forearmed.
Breast Cancer – A very Scary Disease!
INTRODUCTION: Breast Cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. It is the leading cause of death among women between 40 and 55 years of age, the second overall cause of death among women (exceeded only by lung cancer) and is on the rise worldwide. Breast cancer is more easily treated and often curable if it is found early.
LUMPS: Most breast tumors (abnormal lumps of tissue) are benign (not cancerous). Using your fingertips, a lump may be detected within the breast. If a lump is found, the doctor may need to cut out a small piece of the lump (called a biopsy).
There are four kinds of biopsies: Excisional Biopsy (The removal of all of a lump or suspect tissue); Incisional Biopsy (The removal of part of a lump or suspicious tissue); Needle Biopsy (The removal of part of a lump, suspicious tissue, or fluid, using a thin needle); Core Biopsy (The removal of part of a lump or suspect tissue using a wide needle).
A group of rapidly dividing cells may form a mass of extra tissue. For example, fibrocystic change is a relatively benign condition in which women develop cysts (accumulated packets of fluid), fibrosis (formation of scar-like connective tissue), lumpiness, areas of thickening, tenderness, or breast pain.
RISKS: Women who have an altered gene related to breast cancer and who have had cancer in one breast are at great risk of developing cancer in the other breast. These women also have a high risk of developing ovarian cancer, and may have an increased risk of developing various other cancers.
Age and health history can affect the risk of developing breast cancer. Each woman’s risk may be higher or lower, depending upon several factors, including family history, genetics, age of menstruation, and other factors that have not yet been identified. Breast feeding for several months also seems to reduce breast cancer risk.
TREATMENT: Treatment usually depends on the type of cancer and whether it has spread outside of the breast to the rest of the body. Treatment may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and endocrine/anti-hormone therapy. Treatment for male breast cancer is most often a mastectomy, which is surgery to remove the breast.
CONCLUSION: Previously a malady that mostly afflicted white, affluent women in the industrial hubs of North America and Western Europe, breast cancer is now everywhere. But in China, as in most other emerging economies, it is a relatively new concern, something that both patients and doctors are only haltingly learning how to treat.
The newest age-specific data in Denmark show that the incidence of breast cancer is maximal for a woman born between 1945 and 1950, and is on the decline for women born since that time. Greater than 90 out of 100 women whose cancer is found early will be cured. The leading cause of this form of cancer is said to be the use of anti-perspirants. The good news is that it is a highly curable disease when it is found and treated early.
Breast Cancer Hormone Treatment Drugs
The U.S. has the highest rate of breast cancer in the world. One woman out of eight will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some time in her life.
Lung cancer is the only cancer that kills more women in the United States. More than forty thousand women will die from breast cancer in the U.S. this year.
Every woman should perform monthly breast examinations on herself. Doing so makes her more familiar with her body and when changes are happening, she is much more apt to notice. Any lumps or hardening of the breast tissue should be noted along with a misshapen nipple or discharge. Soreness may accompany these changes but not every one feels pain in the earliest stages of cancer.
Every woman over the age of 40 should have regular mammograms done to be sure she does not have cancer. Early detection of breast cancer saves thousands of lives.
Not only does a woman have a better chance of surviving if her cancer is caught early, but her chances of keeping her breast(s) are much higher as well.
When breast cancer is diagnosed, a woman will be presented with several courses of treatment. Depending on the stage of her cancer, one or all of the treatments may be required to cure her. Treatments include: hormone therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, lumpectomy, mastectomy and lymph node removal. Some women who are diagnosed early on will choose to have both of her breasts removed as a preventative against a reoccurrence of cancer.
Some of the side effects caused by breast cancer treatments may include fatigue, nausea, lymphedema, compromised immune system, pain and depression. Sometimes breast cancer does come back. Depression is caused by losing one or both breasts and/or a fear for one’s life even after the cancer has been declared “cured”.
Unbeknownst to many, men can also be diagnosed with breast cancer. The numbers are very small, but they are there. The treatments for them are much the same as they are for women.
Prostate Cancer – What is your Risk?
INTRODUCTION: Prostate cancer is cancer of the small gland in men that creates the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. It is also the 2nd most common type of cancer among men in the US and is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages.
Prostate cancer typically occurs in older men and is seldom found in men under the age of 40. It occurs in 1 out of 6 men and when confined to the gland is usually treated successfully.
RISK: All men are at risk for developing prostate cancer. Besides being male, there are other factors, such as age, race, and family history that may contribute to the risk. Men at higher risk include African-America men older than 60,farmers, tire plant workers, painters, and men exposed to cadmium. The risk for developing it rises significantly with age, and 60% of newly diagnosed cases occur in men over the age of 70.
The greatest risk factor is age. This risk increases significantly after the age of 50 in white men who have no family history of the disease and after the age of 40 in black men and men who have a close relative with the disease. Having a brother with prostate cancer appears to increase your risk more than having an affected father does. That risk is even higher when there are multiple family members affected.
SYMPTOMS: May include Painful urinatian, difficulty starting or stopping the stream, or dribbling, Low back pain, Pain while ejaculating. A large number of men experience no symptoms; the first indicator that they may have prostate cancer is often an abnormal finding on a routine screening exam. Symptoms are more likely to appear as the cancer grows.
TREATMENT: May include surgery, radiation therapy, drugs or control of hormones that affect the cancer. It often depends on the stage of the cancer and appropriate treatment is often very controversial.
Surgery is usually only recommended after a thorough evaluation and discussion of all possible treatment options. Chemotherapy is often used to treat the ones that are resistant to hormonal treatments. Gland Removal is often recommended for treatment of stages A and B.
CONCLUSION: Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in males of all ages and is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over the age of 75. Often there are no signs of the disease in its early stages. If it has spread, it may be treated with drugs to decrease testosterone levels, surgery to remove the testes, or drugs.
Standard Medications for the Treatment of Acid Reflux
After considering some details of your medical history like age and preexisting diseases, a doctor could prescribe one of several different medications to treat your acid reflux, keeping in mind any side effects that could be produced by the medication.
Each medication is designed slightly differently. Some will help abdominal muscles to work better. Others assist in clearing the stomach and reducing acid production. Even though the majority of medications can be purchased at any local drug store, consulting with your doctor before taking medicine is always a better choice.
The grand majority of acid reflux sufferers take antacids. Antacids neutralize stomach acid and are most effective if used in the bicarbonate or hydroxide form. Antacids contain calcium, aluminum, or magnesium salts. Although they are purchasable over the counter, side effects can include diarrhea resulting from magnesium and constipation from aluminum. Since individuals with diabetes can experience potentially deadly results from diarrhea induced by magnesium salts, medicating acid reflux with antacids should be a decision that is not taken with first understanding the potential risks based on your particular health situation.
Another treatment option, foaming agents like Gaviscon create foam in the abdomen that covers over excessive stomach acids, preventing them from reentering the esophagus and damaging the esophageal sphincter.
Medications we hear of, frequently, like Pepcid, Zantac etc, come under the category H2 blockers. These drugs actually decrease acid production. Cimetidine ,Pepcid, nizatidine, and Zantac come in this category. and fifty percent of Acid Reflux sufferers find relief from these medications. It is , however, advisable at all times to fix the dosage in consultation with your doctor, and avoid trial and error methods.
Proton pump inhibitors are still another type of drug. They reduce the amount of gastric acid you produce on a more long term basis. Drugs falling into this very potent category are Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonix, Nexium, Zegerid, and Acipex. Differing from other acid reflux medications, these drugs are available by prescription.
Another kind of medication that makes the lower esophageal sphincter stronger is prokinetics. These drugs usually cause people to experience unpleasant side effects like fatigue, depression, anxiety, bad coordination, and tiredness. Therefore, prokinetics are not widely used.
In most situations, a doctor will take your personal case of acid reflux into consideration and recommend a combination of the above mentioned treatment options in an effort to help you combat the symptoms in a well rounded way.
Can a Medical Alert Bracelet Save Your Life When Traveling?
In addition to protecting yourself with travel insurance when going on vacation, travelers that have serious medical conditions should always consider wearing a Medical Alert Bracelet.
Wearing a Medical Alert Bracelet can literally save you life if you have a medical condition and get sick or injured while traveling. Here is some valuable information on a great American non-profit organization that provides a unique service for travelers.
When you join this non-profit healthcare organization as a TravelPlus member, you will be eligible for these benefits.
The helpful staff will aid you in finding a doctor when you are vacationing out of the country.
They will get in contact with your family members.
They also provide twenty-four hour access to informational services regarding travel documents such as a passport, travel visa, and immunization certificate that you may require to travel to your destination.
You are even covered for a pre-existing medical condition when you are on vacation or business travel.
In addition to all the above benefits, you may be eligible for medial evacuation to another medical facility, or you could be repatriated back to the United States.
As of the writing of this article, the program offered by MedicAlert.org, is only available to members that live in the United States.
Lung Cancer – Are You Still Smoking?
INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer is a disease of out of control cell growth in tissues of the lungs. It is one of the most common cancers in the US, accounting for about 15 % of all cases, or 170,000 new cases per year. It leads the pack as the worst cancer killer in America, taking more lives each year than breast, prostate and colorectal cancers combined, according to the American Cancer Society. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women in the US and is responsible for as many deaths as breast and all gynecological cancers combined.
SMOKING: Smoking, radon, and second hand smoking are the main causes. Smoking causes an estimated 160,000* deaths in the United States and leads to 85 percent to 90 percent of all lung cancers.
Smoking affects non-smokers by exposing them to second hand smoke. If a person stops smoking, this chance steadily decreases as damage to the lungs is repaired and contaminant particles are gradually removed.
RADON GAS: A colorless and odorless gas produced by the breakdown of radioactive radium, which is the decomposition product of uranium, found in the earth’s crust.
Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates. It causes between 15,000 and 22,000 deaths each year in the United States — 12 percent of all lung cancer deaths are linked to radon.
RISK FACTORS: Include smoking cigarettes or cigars, now or in the past. Not all cases are due to smoking, but the role of passive smoking is increasingly being recognized as a risk factor, leading to policy interventions to decrease undesired exposure of non-smokers to others’ tobacco smoke.
A smoker who is also exposed to radon has a much higher risk of lung cancer. The more cigarettes you smoke a day and the earlier you started, the greater your risk of developing lung cancer. High levels of pollution, radiation and asbestos exposure may also increase your risk.
SYMPTOMS: May include Persistant cough, Hoarseness, Coughing up blood, Loss of Weight and Appetite, Shortness of breath, Fever without a known reason, Wheezing, Repeating bouts of bronchitis or pneumonia and Chest pain.
About 10% of people do not have symptoms at diagnosis; these cancers are incidentally found on routine chest x-rays. In fact, lung cancer can spread outside the lungs without causing any symptoms.
TREATMENT: Treatment depends on the cancer’s specific cell type, how far it has metastasize (spread), and the patient’s performance status. It also depends on the stage, or how far along it is.
Treatment choices should be discussed with Your Physician. It can include drugs, radiation and surgery. In the last few years, different molecular targeted therapies have been developed as treatments.
CONCLUSION: Lung cancer is the second most commonly occurring form of cancer in most western countries, and it is the leading cancer-related cause of death. It is the most common cause of cancer deaths in both men and women, accounting for nearly a third of cancer deaths annually in the United States.
It has become the subject of a large amount of research. Even though the rate of men dying from it is decreasing in western countries, it is actually increasing for women because of the increased taking up of smoking by this group. It is already known that the best way to prevent it is to quit (or never begin) smoking. Three to five years after you quit, the risk of getting the disease is reduced by half.
Invisible Illness and Friends Who Don’t Get It: What to Do
If you live with an invisible illness, you may find the emotions of coping with people’s doubts about it can be harder to manage than the disease itself. Most of us with a chronic illness must eventually accept our condition. In order to live our best life, we need to educate ourselves about the disease and make well-researched decisions about treatment.
Making those we care about accept it, or even acknowledge it, is out of our control. The skepticism of others about our illness may last a lifetime and cause deep wounds; our relationships and even our own self-worth suffer.
So, how do you cope with someone you love and care about won’t acknowledge the significance of your disease or even your illness at all? Here are four steps:
1. Go with it. Your life feels very serious right now, but don’t take your situation too seriously when around your friend. Unfortunately there is not a magical talk you can have that will make him instantly change his mind about your health situation. Most likely, the only way for him to rethink his perception of your illness is for him to observe you and your typical activities. Though your illness may be invisible, he may start to witness some visible symptoms. Perhaps you may have some new limitations, like being unable to walk a long distance; and rather than explaining what you can and cannot do, he might just see it.
2. Grow with it. This situation can be a perfect time to reflect on your own perceptions of people. Have you ever stood in line at the bank and thought yourself, “No one here understands how difficult it is to just stand in this slow line!” But nearly 1 in two people in the USA have a chronic illness, so the chances are high that someone standing beside you does understand. Remember that 96% of illnesses are invisible, so watch your assumptions. What situations are your friends going through that you don’t fully grasp? The affair of a spouse, a baby born with a disability, and the loss of a job, are all experiences that can alter one’s life in an instant. Chances are that your friends can use your support and even empathy.
3. Get over it. You may find yourself thinking “No one understands!” so frequently that you are missing out on new friendships. Save yourself the grief and don’t obsess over how much people sympathize or if they do it appropriately. Though we would all like a loved one to be able to experience what it would be like to slip inside our skin for twenty-four hours, it’s never going to happen. If people around you feel like they can never please you, soon you won’t have any relationships left. You cannot change how someone else thinks; you only have control over your own behavior. So make sure your conversations are full of grace.
4. Get on with it. Life is short and good friends and family are precious. The level of intimacy in your relationship will not be as deep as it could be if your loved one acknowledged your invisible illness, but the relationship can still exist if you want it to and it’s otherwise a healthy relationship and not destructive.
The odds are, at some point in your friend’s life, a health issue will occur and suddenly he will have a glimpse into what your life is like. Allow him to feel comfortable coming to you for support and encouragement and don’t use the opportunity to say, “I told you so.”
Go with it. Grow with it. Get over it. Get on with it.
Is it possible to have relationships with people who don’t understand the seriousness of your illness? Yes. Accept him for what he is able to give, and know when to back off if the relationship becomes destructive to your emotional state. Have reasonable expectations. In time, this may end up being one of your closest friendships.
Valentines Romance Tips for Women with a Chronic Illness
“Hot and bothered!” For most people these words create images of being twisted up in sheets, breathlessly reaching out to the one you love. For those with chronic illness, however, “hot” is more likely to refer to one’s thyroid condition, night sweats, or a heating pad on high. “Bothered. . .” Well, let’s just say when your body aches, everything makes you feel bothered: a cat that won’t move off your leg, a joint that continues to throb, and a husband that is able to snore through minor earthquakes. It can be hard to be romantic!
Most people don’t realize that nearly 1 in 2 people live with a chronic illness in the U.S.A. And when it comes to marriages, chronic illness and mental illness, does not have a good impact! Seventy-five percent of marriages end in divorce. It takes more than Valentine’s Day romance a few days a year to keep a marriage alive and romantic.
So! How do you get the spark back? Here are some creative romantic gift ideas and ways to say, “I love you.”
Put forth some effort. No more excuses. “I’m so exhausted, I don’t feel that great. My body feels like it was run over by a truck.” I’ve said them all. But guess what? If you have an illness you’ll probably always be tired in a way normal people aren’t tired. So put on some music and relax. The distraction of romance can make you forget about a great deal of the pain!
Prioritize romance. Cleaning the house all day Saturday and then claiming you’re “just too tired” can make your spouse feel that he isn’t as important as your own agenda. Get some rest so you can at least have a decent conversation without falling asleep.
Be enthusiastic during your romantic evening. Even if you’re just going out for dinner, don’t say, “I’m doing this just for you. I don’t really feel like it.” (Oh, yeah, that will turn him on.) Smile and talk about pleasant memories or dreams you have. Promise yourself not to talk about your illness for just one night.
You don’t have to write romantic love poems. Just put together a mini-album of your favorite photos and include notes about your memories and how much he means to you.
Surely your spouse does some things for you without complain. Does he bring home your favorite ice cream? Throw in a load of laundry? Never expect you to iron or serve a five course meal? Write down all of the things you notice he does that you don’t usually thank him for and give it to him as a special appreciation note.
Women, get over feeling self-conscious and buy some underwear that doesn’t look like your grandmother’s.
Learn to text message with your phone and send him a messge that says something out of character for you. Be outrageously romantic, just make sure you send it to the right person in your phone book!
Design some simple home-made coupons for something he would enjoy but typically wouldn’t do because he feel he needs to take care of you or just spend time with you. For example, “Good for 5 guilt-free hours with your friends watching baseball.” Don’t even make him feel badly for doing things you can’t do like taking a hike or going for a roller coaster ride.
Perfect marriages don’t exist. But they can be one of the most amazing experiences in your life when both people are involved in keeping it alive. In fact, the existence of a chronic illness in a marriage can make your relationship even stronger. Romance comes in many forms. I know I loved my husband more than ever the evening I literally couldn’t move when I had a rheumatoid arthritis flare and he slept on the floor beside the couch to comfort me every time I moved or screamed out in pain.
Love comes in many forms. One of the books I’ve bought all the couples in my life is “Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires, the Respect He Desperately Needs” by Emerson Eggerichs. Men often feel loved when they are respected, women want to feel loved. Usually we are offering our spouse what we wan’t, not what they need. Being aware of all of the little things we do each day that give one another love and respect, add up to romance when you least expect it.
Cancer – The Most Dreaded of Diseases
INTRODUCTION: Cancer is a group of more than 100 different diseases that are due to abnormal growth of body cells. Cancer is one of the key diseases that is a “goose that lays golden eggs” for orthodox medicine. Cancer is usually classified according to the tissue from which the cancerous cells originate, as well as the normal cell type they most resemble.
CHILDRENS CANCERS: Amongst all age groupings, the most common childrens cancers are leukemia, lymphoma, and brain cancer. In nearly all cases, however, childhood cancers come from non-inherited changes in the genes of growing cells. Longer-term effects may include infertility, problems with growth, Damage of internal organs, or increased risk of other cancers.
The diagnosis and treatment of malignancies in children requires time, and both short and long term side effects are possible.
WOMAN: Many women with inflammatory breast cancer do not have any breast lumps, which can make the disease very difficult to detect. Another challenge is that inflammatory breast cancer is a more aggressive cancer in younger women than most other types of breast cancer.
Still, some benign breast conditions are important because women with these conditions have a greater risk of developing cancer of the breast . However not all women with lymph node involvement develop metastases, and it is not rare for a woman to have negative lymph nodes and later develop metastases.
TREATMENTS: Different kinds of cancer have different signs, symptoms, treatments, and outcomes, depending on the type of cell involved and the degree of uncontrolled cell growth.
Each child’s treatment differs, so a child may be given daily, weekly, or monthly chemo treatments. Radiation is one of the most common treatments for cancer. While surgery is usually all that is needed, these types of cancers may not respond very well to the other treatments used for invasive ductal or lobular breast cancer.
As research continues to develop, treatments are becoming more specific to different types of cancer. Also, histologic grading and the presence of specific molecular markers can also be useful for prognosis, as well as in determining individual treatments. Many experimental cancer treatments are also under development.
CONCLUSION: Cancer isn’t caused by germs, like colds or the flu are. Cancer is a term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade other tissues.
Although the control of the symptoms of cancer is not usually thought of as a treatment for cancer, it is important in determining the quality of life of cancer patients, and plays an important role in the decision as to whether the patient is able to undergo other treatments. Once diagnosed, it is usually treated with a combination of surgery, drugs and radiotherapy. The cure and cause of cancer is within us.