A mammogram is an imaging test where an X-ray is taken to recreate the internal imagery of your breasts. This is a screening test that is widely used to find the earliest signs of cancer. There have been instances where the early signs of cancer have been found up to three years before the actual development of the same. There are a number of benefits and risks in this screening method. So let us find out more about getting a mammogram, and whether or not you should get one.

    Procedure: A special X-ray machine is used for conducting a mammogram. There is a clear plastic plate on which the specialist will place the breast while another plate will press on the breast from above. While both the plates serve to flatten the breast and hold it still, the X-ray will be taken. Some pressure will be felt and the same steps will be repeated so as to get the side view of the breasts. The same procedure will be repeated for the other breast. Meanwhile, once it is done, you will need to wait so that the technician can check for clarity, and whether or not the procedure needs to be done again. The results of this procedure cannot be relayed by the technician, and all the images will be different because all breasts are slightly different from each other.
    Preparation: You will need to remember that the process can be a slightly painful one, especially once the pressure gets applied. Many women complain of discomfort and pain. Yet, this discomfort gets over before you know it. The pressure and pain will depend on the size of your breasts and how much they will have to be pressed in order to get a picture. The skill of the technician will also come into play here. One must remember not to get this procedure done a week or so before or after the menstrual cycle, as the breasts tend to be tender around this time, and the pain will be much more.
    Radiologist: Within a few weeks after the procedure, the radiologist will usually deliver the result. This is the professional who does an accurate reading of the X-ray.
    Normal and Abnormal Readings: If your mammogram result has a normal reading, then you can resort to getting one done every once in a while. But an abnormal reading will require further X-ray and tests so as to be able to tell for sure.
    Why should I get one: If you are over 40 and have a family history of such ailments, then you will have to get a mammogram done regularly.

Should You Get a Mammogram?

One of the most significant glands in the male reproductive system is the prostate gland, which is responsible for carrying urine from the bladder. It is located right under the bladder and helps in production of semen which contains sperm.
Prostate cancer is a slow growing form of cancer that is rarely seen in men below the age of 50. It may occur due to both, genetic and environmental factors. Here is a list of measures that can help in preventing this ailment.
Food Intake and Weight: Apart from age, the major factor that contributes to the risk of prostate cancer includes food and weight. Doctors suggest that bringing down your intake of calcium and fat that comes from red meat and excess dairy can help in preventing the onset of this ailment. The calcium intake should not go beyond 1,500 mg per day, which is why doctors will usually ask you not to have supplements. Cooked tomatoes with olive oil as well as cruciferous vegetables including broccoli and cauliflower should be included as a vital part of one's diet, while fish should be taken regularly as it is a source of healthy or good fat like Omega-3 fatty acids. In general, you should have fewer calories which should be matched up with ample exercise so that a healthy weight and balance is maintained.
Stress and Blood Pressure: Stress and anxiety are also major reasons that contribute to the onset of this disease. One will need to see a doctor about high blood pressure, especially the kind that is triggered by stress and causes hypertension. Also, you must control your cholesterol and stay out of depression to ensure that your risk of developing prostate cancer reduces. Also, having these conditions along with prostate cancer makes the survival chances that much lower. So, you must get the right medication and treatment for these conditions as well.
Lifestyle: One will need to quit smoking, that can cause a number of ailments including prostate cancer. Also, drinking alcohol in moderation is required in order to have a healthier lifestyle and cut the chances of developing such ailments.
Screening: While your diet and other aspects may be right, there is still a great chance of developing prostate cancer, especially if anyone in your family has been afflicted with this condition in the past. Therefore, it is recommended to get an annual screening done so that you eliminate the chances of finding it out late, and can check the growth of any anomalies as soon as they take place. Getting regular checks ups done and getting diagnosed for the problem when the earliest symptoms begin to show are both crucial for prostate cancer.


Prevention Of Prostate Cancer

Without our lungs, it would be impossible to breathe. People suffering from chronic lung diseases have compromised lung functioning. This leads to shortness of breath, fatigue and weakness. In turn, this can make the person avoid anything that exerts the lungs such as exercise. While this may seem like a good idea, it is actually detrimental. Not exercising can further weaken the lungs and muscles and make this a vicious cycle. This is where physiotherapy can help with lung rehabilitation or pulmonary rehabilitation.

Physiotherapy is a branch of medicine that treats diseases and health conditions with exercise and manual therapy. Physiotherapists may also use radiation, sound waves, electric therapy, prosthesis and assistive devices. The aim here is not to cure the disease but to improve lung functioning and the patient s quality of life. Pulmonary rehabilitation can help in a number of ways.

It reduces breathlessness: As the lung muscles weaken, their ability to pump oxygen and transport it to the other parts of the body reduces. This can make a person feel breathless even with the slightest exertion. Lung rehabilitation works on strengthening the lung muscles to reduce this breathlessness.
It increases muscle strength in the arms and legs: When oxygen does not reach the limbs, they, in turn, get weaker. By strengthening the lungs, lung rehabilitation increases the muscle strength in the patient s arms and legs.
It increases stamina and endurance: Stamina is directly linked to lung functioning. By helping the patient breathe more comfortably, lung rehabilitation increases the patient s stamina and helps him or her endure more physical exercise.
It helps patients understand your condition: Physiotherapy is part exercise and part education. By helping patients get an insight into their condition, physiotherapy helps them come to terms with their limitations and motivates them to work harder towards overcoming them.
It increases self-confidence: Feeling breathless and tired all the time can make people feel frustrated. This is especially so because these things cannot be controlled without help. Physiotherapy teaches patients how to deal with these issues and thus increases their confidence in dealing with their medical issues.
It makes patients more independent: A lack of energy can make people dependent on others. Even simple tasks like getting a bottle of water from the fridge can seem like a tiring task. Physiotherapy improves lung functioning and hence makes the person feel less tired doing everyday tasks. This makes the person more independent and improves their quality of life.

Lung Rehabilitation With Physiotherapy!

How to become less prone to cancer

There are various known reasons why cancer takes root in a healthy body. The deadly disease takes away millions of lives worldwide and remedies in food to tackle it are constantly a subject of research. However taking this one food item off your daily diet can help becoming less prone to cancer.

Senior cancer experts stress that sugar feeds cancer. According to his belief, backed by years of research and medical expertise, it is possible to starve cancer out of a person’s body. When sugar breaks down in the body in a non-oxidative manner, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is generated which causes cancer cells and tumor to grow.

Research states that cancer is a dysfunction of the mitochondria caused by fermentation of sugar in the cells instead of orthodox respiration of normal cells. This can be tackled by limiting the supply, just by cutting down the intake of sugar every day. A small amount of sugar in a healthy and requisite proportion is acceptable but excessive sugar must be avoided in order to choke cancer out from the body.

Specifically, the intake of sugar in processed foods must be cut down. Everything that is sweet isn't sugar! Avoiding processed foods will simply eliminate the bad salts and bad sugars from your diet. Eating at fast food joints too must be cut down completely as the food they serve is frozen and needs a lot of preservatives. You can always switch to fruits if you have a sweet tooth. Diet-wise, consume more green leafy vegetables, developing a plant and natural nutrient based diet is an ideal method to tackle cancer.

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Are You Aware That You Are Feeding Cancer Daily?

Cancer today is not as rare as it once was. Today, cancer affects the young and old alike. One of the reasons for this is the pollution in particular air and water pollution that we are exposed to on daily basis.
The air we breathe in today is a mixture of smoke, particulate matter and noxious gases that causes great harm to our bodies. Amongst these, particulate matter that is smaller than 2.5 millionths of a metre is the worst.

These particle matters are emitted into the air from car exhausts, industrial exhausts, coal fires, wood stoves etc. While the body s natural defences help keep larger particle matter out of the system by sneezing or coughing it out, smaller particle matter enters the body easily. These then get trapped in the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Particle matter has in particular been linked to increasing number of lung cancer cases. Apart from lung cancer, coal tar particle matter has been linked to bladder cancer, soot to oesophageal cancer and benzene and other pesticides to leukaemia.

Radon is another source of air pollution that is emitted from the ground. In some cases, radon can also be emitted through the water. As this gas decays, it releases tiny particles that when inhaled bombard the lung cells with radiation that can cause radiation. Smoking can worsen this effect and increase a person s risk of suffering from lung cancer. Both first-hand and second-hand smoking have also been linked to breast cancer. Apart from trying to reduce emissions to lower air pollution, it is also important to clean filets of air conditions, etc. regularly to lower indoor air pollution. Preventing the smoking of tobacco in public spaces can also help improve air quality.

All pollutants emitted by us eventually find their way into the water we drink. Even if you are not drinking contaminated water, merely, showering or swimming in contaminated water can make your body more vulnerable to the carcinogens in it. Common water pollutants include arsenic, hazardous waste, animal waste, radon, chemicals and asbestos. Drinking water with concentrated amounts of arsenic has been linked to cancer of the lungs, liver, kidney and bladder while the chlorine used to treat drinking water increases the risk of bladder and rectal cancer.

To reduce the risks of cancer caused by polluted water, it is essential to reduce disinfectant by products by keeping water treatment facilities updated and promote green chemistry and alternative assessments to reduce pollution as a whole.

Pollution - How It Has Increased the Risk Of Cancer?

Melanoma is a condition which mainly indicates a severe malfunction of the melanocytes or the melanin producing cells of the body. These cells are responsible for giving you your skin colour, tone and complexion. Usually, a person suffering from melanoma will have many normal and irregular moles as well as melanoma in the eye and digestive tracts too.

Some general facts on melanoma are mentioned below:
Melanoma is common in young women and causes many deaths.
More than one million new instances of skin cancer or melanoma are analyzed every year.
There has been a 2000% increase in rate of melanoma since the year 1930. One out of fifty get affected by this cancer.
There has been a high rise in the rate of melanoma from 1970 to 2008. There has been an 800% increase in young women and 400% increase in case of similar aged men.
Early recognition makes melanoma treatable. It is screened for growth very minimally.
Primary causes Melanoma may be caused primarily due to these causes:
The most primary cause of melanoma is ultraviolet light (UV) in people with a low level of skin pigment. The UV light might be from either the sun or from different sources, for example, tanning devices. Around 25% of cases occur from or in the form of moles.
The individuals who work on airplanes seem to have an expanded danger, due to more contact with UV rays.
Ultraviolet UV light of wavelengths between 315 - 280 nm from the sun react with the skin cell DNA and result in a kind of direct DNA harm called cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs).
In order to stay away or avoid melanoma, you should:
Avoid the sun at peak hours.
Examine your skin at times for some kind of change.
Keep away from tanning salons.Melanoma is a dangerous form of cancer and causes a lot of deaths. You should stay away from anything that causes melanoma.


All About Melanoma

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