Known Articles

The diagnosis of breast cancer or other disease of the breast is frightening in many different ways for women, but fortunately there are breast reconstruction techniques available today that can improve appearance and renew self-worth. New surgical procedures and devices have made it possible for surgeons to create a breast that comes very close in form and appearance to a natural breast. Reconstruction is frequently possible immediately following removal of the breast or mastectomy. The type of procedure depends on body type, age, and type of cancer treatment, and the best candidates for post-mastectomy breast reconstruction are women whose cancer seems to have been eliminated. There are many options to explore however; it’s not a simple procedure and time should be taken for deep consideration.

Some women find themselves uncomfortable weighing all the possible options, or they are struggling to cope with the diagnosis, while others don’t want to have any more surgery than absolutely necessary. Women with health conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, or who have other chronic illnesses may be advised by their surgeons to postpone breast reconstruction, especially if breast is being rebuilt in a more complicated procedure using flaps of skin and underlying tissue. A breast mound is formed by using an implant, a silicone sac filled with salt water or silicone gel, or tissues from the belly, back, or buttocks. Reconstruction also takes more than one surgery due to extra steps required to add a nipple, change the shape or size of the reconstructed breast, or operate on the opposite breast for a better match. Even though a reconstructed breast does not have natural sensations, the surgery offers a result that looks like a breast, and most women are glad they had reconstructive surgery.

All surgery carries some uncertainty and risk, including bleeding, fluid collection, excessive scar tissue, or difficulties with anesthesia, all of which are relatively uncommon. According to comprehensive online sources, breast reconstruction has no known effect on the recurrence of disease in the breast either, and it doesn’t interfere with chemotherapy or radiation should the cancer recur. There are many options to consider, and women need to be comfortable with the option they choose before proceeding. Good information on breast cancer, breast reconstruction, and treatments can be found online at www.plasticsurgery.org, www.breastcancer.org, or the National Institute of Health at www.nlm.nih.gov. There’s an abundance of pictures, illustrations, and information designed to give women the facts necessary to make an informed decision about breast reconstruction and if it’s right for them.

We all know that Popeye the Sailor Man thrived on spinach. When a crisis arose, out came that can of spinach to fortify him and win the day. It’s not clear how many kids of his day were convinced to join him.

However unappealing that meal appeared, the virtues of spinach are many. Fresh spinach is full of iron and a bevy of vitamins, many of them antioxidants. Antioxidants are now known to help prevent cancer and the plentiful B vitamins help build muscle strength. Selenium, an important trace mineral and cancer fighter, rounds out the list of laudable nutrients found in spinach.

Nutritional qualities aside, properly prepared spinach is delicious. One of the most delectable meals to be made of this green powerhouse is the spinach salad. If you’ve never tried one, you’re in for a treat.

Begin by washing your spinach thoroughly. Use a sink full of icy cold water. This keeps the leaves crisp. Swish the leaves, by handfuls, around in the water to remove any sand clinging to the leaves. Repeat this process several times with fresh water, gently rubbing the leaves as you go, until the water is absolutely clear. If you wish, you can pinch off the stems of the leaves. Pat the leaves gently between paper towels or a clean dish towel to remove excess water. Don’t bruise the leaves. You want nice crisp leaves for your spinach salad creation.

Fresh spinach has a nice bite to it, somewhat like an al dente version of vegetables. The taste is very slightly, but quite pleasantly, bitter. The flavor is fulsome and might be described as a refreshing palate teaser. Spinach always plays the starring role in any spinach salad. There are many accent ingredients which go well with spinach, but these ingredients are the supporting cast in this vegetable production.

Now it’s time to dress your salad. Choose from this lineup as your tastebuds fancy. Although there are traditional combinations, feel free to experiment. Perhaps most important to the successful spinach salad is that all of the ingredients be of the best quality.

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings, dusted across the top of any spinach salad, are absolutely delightful. A few marinated artichoke hearts serve as counterpoint to the crunchy spinach leaves. The olive oil adds flavor, while the artichoke hearts add zest and texture. Diced, cooked bacon or pancetta sprinkled lightly across the salad is also delicious. Peeled, seeded and diced cucumber provides a good taste contrast. Diced onion and minced garlic are good with all of these other candidates.

Now you have a generic basic spinach salad recipe. The salad can be of whatever size your appetite requires. By the way, a spinach salad is an excellent choice for those with New Year’s weight loss resolutions! To your health!

I’m not stupid. I’ve known for some time that my pack-a-day smoking habit will probably be the death of me if I don’t quit soon. I also know something that most people don’t: supposedly, if you stop smoking before you’re 30, your chances of dying from lung cancer are not significantly higher than the general population. What a great cheat ‘ I get to smoke for a couple of decades and then retire, spending the rest of my life in great health!

The thing that worries me about cigarettes is not the health consequences. It is the cost. That is why I have started buying wholesale direct cigarettes. I didn’t even know you could get wholesale cigarettes until recently. I knew about duty free cigarettes, but it didn’t seem worth the drive across the border to get them. With wholesale cigarettes, however, they come to you. There are literally thousands of sites on the Internet that will sell you wholesale tobacco products, and you don’t have to do anything but enter your credit card number, choose your cancer, and wait for it to come in the mail.

I figured I would save well over a thousand dollars a year by buying wholesale cigarettes. Cigarette prices keep going up and up. It seems that, whenever they want to fund some new anti-smoking agenda, they put the squeeze on smokers. I was upset when they topped four dollars a pack, and that was years age! I swear, some of my cigarette smoking friends are trying to get into hard drugs just because it is cheaper! In all seriousness, I thought that wholesale cigarette buying would be the solution. I didn’t think about the law of unintended consequences.

The problem is, now I have cartons of wholesale cigarettes sitting around my house. It is easy to save cigarettes when you buy them a pack at a time. As you get to your last few, you smoke them more slowly. You know that, as soon as you’re done, you have to go to the store and buy more. It hurts to part with the money again, so you try to conserve. When you have an almost endless supply in front of you all the time, however, it is much more difficult to be sensible about it. Who cares if you open another pack? You have 40 more sitting there just waiting for you! All and all, I haven’t saved much money. All I do is put more wear on my lungs.

A diagnosis of cancer can be very frightening, and the best way is conquer fear is through greater knowledge of the topic. To find reputable health related resources online including cancer information like early detection, prevention, treatment, new research advances and more visit the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org, dedicated to ‘eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering.’This site is educational and easy to navigate; there is plenty of comprehensive information on specific cancer topics discussing common types of cancer including bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon and rectal cancer, endometrial cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, melanoma, Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer (non-melanoma), and thyroid cancer, in addition to causes, treatments, coping, drug information, and clinical trials.

The National Cancer Institute of the United States National Institutes of Health located online at www.cancer.gov features accurate, up-to-date, comprehensive cancer information from the United State government’s principal agency for cancer research. Find common types of cancer listed by types in A-Z format, by body location and system, childhood cancers, women’s cancers, clinical trial results, educational materials, and other cancer topics including treatment, prevention, genetics, causes, screening and testing, coping with cancer, smoking and cancer, cancer health disparities, fact sheets, and more. This site discusses types of cancer treatment, and cancer drugs including specific drugs approved to treat cancer or conditions related to cancer, and updates on new drug development and approval. Complementary and alternative medicine, like healing philosophies, approaches, and therapies are popular options, and can be used in addition to or instead of conventional cancer treatment as well.

Learn about cancer treatment trials that are of potential benefit to you or a loved one and use this information to help decide whether or not to participate. Also find good suggestions for choosing a physician and cancer treatment facility, national Cancer Institute supported cancer centers, after care treatment like follow-up medical care, physical and emotional changes, changes in social relationships, and workplace issues. You can also access breast cancer information, lung cancer information, and more general information on cancer online at www.cancer-info.com, an extensive cancer website offering unbiased support and information regarding all types of cancer and chemotherapy options, cancer research advances, continuing medical education and more. Take this new found knowledge and use it to beat cancer; get a new perspective and a new outlook on life.

Cancer is a devastating disease that has changed the lives of millions around the world. With continued research and more effective treatments, deaths from cancer have been decreasing, and the length of time survivors are able to live in remission is increasing. While a true cure for cancer has yet to be found, current treatment interventions and strategies have proven to successful in many cases. The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering among those most affected by this devastating disease. The American Cancer Society tracks cancer occurrence, including the number of deaths, cases, and how long people survive after diagnosis, in addition to data regarding risk factors for developing cancer and the use of screening results.

Present facts and figures for 2007 for cancer incidence, mortality, survival, cancer risk factors, and annual estimates of expected new cases and deaths by cancer for the general population, Hispanics, African Americans, breast cancer, global cancer statistics, and annual updates for cancer prevention and early detection can be found in various online reports available for immediate download. Read about the latest in cancer research, how cancer affects your life, and the latest happenings at the American Cancer Society at the Cancer Survivors Network at www.acscsn.org. This is a great place to go to find strength and inspiration from a vibrant community of people whose lives have been affected by cancer. Members share their personal stories with a renewed sense of hope that good things are yet to come.

Information and resources for cancer can be found online at the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org, the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Find lots of great information fast, including a guide to quitting smoking, stories of hope, treatment decision tools, bookstore, and employment and volunteer opportunities. Relay for Life.org is an American Cancer Society sponsored event that celebrates survivors, and those lives lost to cancer, and raises awareness about cancer and funds for continuing research and clinical trials, so that one day cancer will be eliminated. Invite a friend to join with you against the fight against cancer. Get information on current research, clinical trials, research grants, public health advertising campaigns, organizing events, fund allocation, and access to links about cancer facts from the American Cancer Society. Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back!