OCTOBER IS BEST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH - BE PROACTIVE

Breast Cancer Awareness Month, held in October every year, aims to promote screening and prevention of the disease, which affects one in eight women in the United States every year and 2.3 million women worldwide.

Breast cancer starts when healthy cells change and begin to grow out of control and turn into a tumor Tumors can begin in different areas of the breast, like the glands that make breast milk, the ducts that carry milk to the nipple, or other tissue regions.

You already know that fiber is good for improving your digestion. It's one of the reasons your mom was always telling you to eat your veggies.

But did you know that dietary fiber can also boost other areas of your health? Research shows that higher dietary fiber intake can improve cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and colon cancer

How much fiber is enough? As a general rule, women should get between 21 and 25 grams of fiber each day, while men should aim for 30 to 38 grams of daily dietary fiber.

Make progress toward that goal with this advice:

• Read labels. Foods with 2 to 3 grams of fiber per serving are good fiber sources. Foods with 4 or more grams of fiber per serving are even better

• Go whole. Choose breads and cereals with whole wheat or whole grains, like oats, as the top ingredient.

• Bring the beans. Black, kidney, pinto, navy, and other types of beans and lentils are fiber powerhouses. Incorporate them into soups, salads, tortillas, or stir-fry - or as a pairing for grains, like with brown rice or quinoa.

• Mix it in. A tablespoon or two of chia seeds, ground flaxseed or wheat germ added to hot or cold cereal, a salad or baked goods provides a fiber boost.

• Swap them in. Substitute whole grains like brown rice or barley for low-fiber options like white rice or enriched pasta. And if a recipe calls for 1 cup of white flour, you can generally use a halfcup of whole-wheat flour and a half-cup of white flour instead.

• Stock up on fruits, veggies and nuts. Many fruits, vegetables, greens, berries and unsalted nuts are good to great sources of fiber. Fresh is best, but frozen works just as well for some foods, like berries and broccoli. Dried plums, grapes, cherries and other fruits are good options.

• Skip the chips. For a crunchy, satisfying snack, try unsalted popcorn as a whole-grain alternative to processed snacks. If chips are a must, look for whole-grain tortilla chips paired with homemade salsa or a simple avocado dip.

(Source: Mayo Clinic news@services.mayoclinic.org)

Having a family history of breast cancer, including inherited gene mutations, can increase the risk of developing breast cancer

When it comes to b r e a s t c a n c e r, you have to be p r o a c t i v e , especially if you h a v e d e n s e breasts. You may b e s u r p r i s e d t o learn that simple m a m m o g r a m s may not be able to d e t e c t b r e a s t cancer Learn to know and understand your body.

According to the Mayo Clinic, almost half of all women have dense breast tissue. This can hide cancer during mammograms. Molecular B r e a s t I m a g i n g ( M B I ) u s e s g a m m a c a m e r a s t o fi n d w h a t mammograms miss.

MBI is an advanced technique, but the procedure is simple. A tracing substance is injected into your arm. If any breast cancer exists, it will absorb the tracing substance.

A special camera shows tumors as bright areas.

MBI plus mammogram finds 4 times more breast cancers than mammograms alone. Researchers studied over 2,500 women with dense breast tissue. A total of 66% of breast cancers were missed by mammograms but caught by MBI. Better testing means confidence in results.

Also, you may think you have everything covered with your annual screening - a Pabst smear and mammogram. However, many cancers are silent killers. You may have no signs or symptoms until you have Stage 3 or 4 cancer The best thing to do is to take the initiative, ask for early testing, become well informed about your own body

Ask your gynecologist to give you BRCA genetic testing to find out whether or not you may be at risk for cancer Another simple blood test is the CA 125 which detects Ovarian Cancer These tests will show whether or not you have cancer. Remember, be proactive… the life you save or prolong may be your own!

(Excerpts from MayoClinic.com ~ Compiled by Trish Williamson)