If you've paid attention to the recent furor around the use of artificial colors in all kinds of processed foods and drinks, you're probably ready to yank those products out of your kitchen for good. That it, if you can find suitable replacements.

The neat thing about most organic foods is that most do not use any artificial colors or flavors -- they are more of a "true" taste of what the product should be, instead of using cancer-causing chemicals to flavor and color foods to make them appeal to the eye and taste buds. But remember, those looks and tastes can be completely fake.

Why not spend a little of this weekend going through your pantry and seeing how many foods in there have artificial colors? They're easy to spot, with most ingredient labels using words like "FD&C" and "Blue Lake" or "Yellow Lake" (whatever "Lake means, I don't know).

In my post last Sunday, I asked whether or not we can change our bad habits. I concluded that we can make that decision and live healthier lives. If we are to live healthier lives, though, how far should we take this new healthy living?

My definition of camping is when the hotel doesn't have room service. I believe chocolate is an essential food group. I like the smell of body lotion. I have to force myself to exercise. If I am to commit to a healthy lifestyle that will protect me from cancer and other diseases, will I have to turn into a vegetarian marathon runner who doesn't use soap? I think that is the fear we all struggle with when our doctors or society tells us we have to be healthier. Do we have to go so far that we are not recognizable anymore? Is it worth it to make small changes?

Studies say that a few small changes can really add up. Three ten-minute walking sessions every day and you are keeping your heart healthy. Cutting the fat off your meat and eating even one serving less of meat a week can have health benefits. Doing more does not even always mean more health benefits. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, concluded that eating more than the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables does not give you any greater protection against cancer than the recommended daily servings. To me that is good news, because it means that I do not have to go overboard in my efforts to live a healthier life. (One statistic to remember on this though: Only 23% of Americans actually get five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.) We can all do more to be healthier, but we do not have to eat only green stuff and chant all day long in order to reap any benefits. Is there a small change that you can make to live a healthier life?

I have recently been thinking on the reasons we do not do the things that we know are good for us.Why do we continue to eat fatty foods? Why do we not exercise? Why do we continue smoking? Why do we do these things while we know the consequences?

Why did my aunt go in for her mastectomy without quitting smoking beforehand? Why did she go outside for a cigarette right after coming out of the ICU after recovering from a collapsed lung? What is it that prevents me from exercising every day? Why do we still suffer from diseases that are either totally or partially preventable if only we would change our lifestyles?

One answer could be found in research done at MIT. It seems that our brains form neural pathways when we have an ingrained habit. So, our brains will not let us change! That would be the easy answer, wouldn't it? How do we then explain the people who do change? The people who stop smoking, stop eating junk and start exercising? I think we all know the answer. They made a decision and stuck to it. Their health became more important to them than their habits. We can change our minds.

My aunt decided that her cigarettes were more important to her than anything else. Before she passed away she wondered if there would be cigarettes in heaven. I hope heaven changed her mind. Can you change your mind today?

During the recent Calgary Stampede in Calgary, Canada, there was a different kind of cancer support. During the first day of the greatest outdoor show on earth all the participants and spectators were asked to wear pink to show support for breast cancer. The proceeds from the gate admissions on the sneak a peak day were donated to cancer research.

The campaign showed me that cancer support can come from all kinds of sources. The grand parade marshals were four young men that skated across Canada to raise money fro breast cancer research. They wore pink and skateboarded the parade route. The cowboys who were there for the rodeo competitions wore pink. Spectators wore pink. It was a celebration of peoples' commitment to eradicate cancer through research.

It was also a chance for many people to remember loved ones that had been lost to this disease. In the midst of the bands and floats were stories of mothers, sisters, daughters and friends who triumphed and those who did not. It was an opportunity to celebrate and to remember. For me it was a chance to realize that there is a lot of support out there from a lot of different places. That gives me hope.

Many of us do not like to think about the possibility of getting cancer. We are supportive of others who have cancer and fight along with them for improved research and better treatment, but rarely think about getting cancer ourselves. Or, if we think about the possibility, we are paralyzed with fear. Thinking about it and gathering information could be a liberating experience, though.

My risk for breast cancer is fairly high: I am female, started menstruating before the age of twelve, have family members who have had the disease, I have a high BMI (body mass index) and I am over 30 with no children. (For more on the risk factors for breast cancer, go to the American Cancer Society website.) Knowing these risk factors, I can do something. I can lose weight, exercise and be vigilant about breast exams, both self exams and at my annual doctor's visit.

I can also research the different treatment options available. Knowing which way you would like to go can save a lot of time and can also alleviate a lot of stress at a time when it would be difficult to make decisions. Knowing that I would probably want to mix conventional methods with some alternative healing methods can help me if i ever have to deal with a cancer diagnosis. Knowing other risk factors for cancer, such as stress and high fat diets, also gives me incentive to change my lifestyle. Reading the blogs on this site has also given me a lot of ideas and helpful tips. Knowing that I am somewhat prepared and definitely informed helps put my mind at ease. Do you think that going over your risk factors and preparing a plan of action is worth it?

I often ask patients about their experiences with chronic diseases or devastating diagnoses. I recently had a conversation with one of them about her cancer diagnosis. We talked about her family's and friends' reactions when she told them and what they said that made her feel better or worse.

It seems that people who say things like: "Look on the bright side," or "There is a lesson in this," are no good to any patient. People who say that do not understand the enormity of the situation or do not stop and think how this might make the patient feel. When newly diagnosed cancer patients are not feeling optimistic or like they are learning something from the experience, words like these only add another negative feeling: guilt.

The patient that I talked to,as well as some of my friends, say there are things that helped. People who said: "This sucks. You do not deserve this," or "I will do...," and came up with a concrete plan for support, helped a lot. People who just listened and let the cancer patient rage and be sad and go through all the emotions they had, without judgment , helped the most.

Sometimes not saying anything and just being there is the best. What things that people said made you feel better?

While we celebrate Father's day with gifts and cards that tell our dads how much they mean to us, they can do something for us. They can schedule their annual check ups and look at their lifestyles to make sure that they will be there for us next year.

Men tend to go to their doctors far less than women. They also tend to not schedule their annual tests as regularly as women. Tests like prostate exams are often skipped, because guys tend to think that they will go to the doctor if something is wrong. Prostate cancer often has no symptoms in the early stages and that's why yearly exams are so important.

Other tests like blood pressure tests, colonoscopies, blood and urine tests, as well as just seeing his doctor on a regular basis can save our fathers' lives. That is why, this father's day, amid the ties and tools and barbecues, we can take the time to remind our dads that there is something they can give us: The time to spend even more days like these with them. Will you have a conversation with your dad today about his gift to his family?

I was at a Star Trek convention today (yes, I am a Trekkie) and while I had lots of fun with all the exhibits and activities, one ceremony stands out in my mind. The Klingon club had a ceremony giving rank increases out to members and such. At the end of the ceremony, they unveiled a flag for a new squadron -- in the name of one of their members that passed away last year from breast cancer.

The members of this club spoke lovingly about her and were very proud of all the work they put into the flag. To some people it may seem strange that they chose this way to remember her, but I think that it is wonderful that her friends will always have her memory honored in this way. Obviously this was something that was important in her life and something that she enjoyed doing. Remembering the people lost to cancer in a way that honors their lives is a great comfort to those left behind.

People have different ways to deal with their grief. Some get involved in fund raising to find a cure. Others get active in education and teaching people how to prevent the cancer that stole their loved one. Some people make sure to tell the life story of their friend or family member, so that they will never be forgotten. Others have a newly formed Klingon squadron that will march proudly in the name of a fallen comrade. How do you remember and honor your loved one?

When two government bodies have different recommendations for breast cancer screening, it just makes me mad. I recently came across a print article that states that the American College of Physicians (ACP) recommends that women 40 to 49 do not need breast cancer screening unless they have risk factors. The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends scanning to start at age 40 and to be done yearly.

There are reasons for this, of course. The ACP is worried that false positives in the screening outcomes of 40 - 49 year olds and the subsequent diagnostic tests that would follow will prevent women from repeating their tests later. The ACP does recommend that women in their 40's discuss the necessity for screening with their doctors at least every two years. The ACS, on the other hand, feels that even if, for every 10,000 women who receive regular screening starting at age 40, six benefit through a decreased risk for death, it is worth it.

The different takes on screening and the different guidelines mean only one thing. Women need to take their breast health and their health in general, into their own hands (literally, in the case of breast self exams). We should be aware of the tests that can be done, the different recommendations for those tests and decide what would be the best for us. We have bloggers on this site that found breast cancer in their 30's. That means that every woman, regardless of age, should own her health.