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Posts with tag thought
Posted Sep 3rd 2007 6:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Diets, Cancer prevention foods, Thought for the Day
Now I advise everyone to take all food-related recommendations with a grain of salt, because what first may appear healthy may not be in the long run -- and what is once deemed unhealthy may one day turn into a health food, like coffee.
Now, here's something new to think about:
It turns out the average mushroom may have healing powers. A new study out of Tufts University found that white button mushrooms help boost the body's natural immunity against tumors and viruses.
Source:
Woman's Day, September 12, 2007
Posted Aug 27th 2007 6:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Thought for the Day, Surgery
What do you think is the best way to choose an experienced and quality surgeon? Some researchers think it's by reputation. That's how I got mine. A friend told me who he'd use if his wife or mother developed breast cancer and then more and more people began recommending the same surgeon. It seemed logical I'd use him too. And I'm glad I did.
A study published in the January 20
Journal of Clinical Oncology reveals that women who actively choose their surgeons by reputation are more likely to be treated by experienced surgeons in hospitals with comprehensive cancer programs. Reputation even beat out accepting referrals from other doctors or health plans.
Posted Aug 21st 2007 6:00AM by Kristina Collins
Filed under: Thought for the Day
NEVER TOO LATE
On November 30, 1998
Is the day I thought I met my fate
Wheeled into surgery at 12 o clock noon
I realized it would be over soon.
Out of recovery, my right breast removed
My family around me, my soul was soothed
The doctor said everything went great
I now realize it's never too late.
To regroup my thoughts, what is special to me
Not a house nor money, but my family
Who rallied support there by my side
Looked at me with love and pride.
I think of years wasted when I thought no one cared
Years alone cause I was too scared
To let love live in my body and soul
It took removing my breast to make me whole.
Posted Aug 20th 2007 6:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Breast Cancer, Prevention, Thought for the Day
Just recently, European researchers announced that MRI scans offer a new way to detect breast cancer in its earliest form. They can even prevent cancer among high-risk women.
Better than standard mammograms, MRI can detect a nonmalignant tumor called ductal carcinoma in-situ, or DCIS. Once found, the lesion can be surgically removed before it becomes cancerous.
Think about this: It is believed that almost all breast cancer starts out as DCIS. And this: if MRI were the gold standard breast cancer screening tool, we might be able to prevent a lot more breast cancer cases than we do now. It seems researchers agree.
Continue reading Thought for the Day: MRI as a gold standard
Posted Aug 13th 2007 6:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Research, Thought for the Day
Until the 1990s, most medical studies used only men. Women are included now, but more research is needed on how diseases, like cancer, affect each sex. Women have unique needs, after all, and it's critical that all angles are represented in important research findings.
Think you might want to volunteer and help advance research on this female front? Just visit
womancando.org and find out how you can do your part.
"The power of one can make a difference," reads this website. "You can make a powerful contribution to improving women's health by participating in medical research and becoming part of the effort to understand health and treat disease. Today, it is easy to take health advances for granted. We know a lot about how to treat and prevent disease, but much remains to be learned."
Posted Aug 6th 2007 6:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Lung Cancer, Books, Services, Thought for the Day
Have you been thinking about lung cancer and longing for the most reliable facts and figures on this number one cancer killer? If so, you're in luck because the
National Lung Cancer Partnership has just released a new and free resource called
Living With a Diagnosis of Lung Cancer. The booklet features basic questions about what a lung cancer diagnosis means.
"When people hear the words, 'You have lung cancer,' their mind starts racing, and they hear or remember very little of what comes next," said Dr. Joan Schiller, M.D., president of the National Lung Cancer Partnership. "Even in this age of the Internet with information at your fingertips, patients and their families often don't know what to ask or are intimidated about doing so. This booklet was designed to be an easy-to-read resource for many of the initial questions people might have, from what kinds of doctors will be treating you to whether or not a clinical trial is right for you."
Patients can access this resource online, where other links to additional resources are available.
Posted Jul 30th 2007 6:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Thought for the Day
I've been thinking a lot about this quote, offered by Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D and author of
Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier:
"individuals who approach life with an attitude that all of life is a gift will be more likely to find the good in bad life circumstances. They are more likely to move forward following a catastrophe. In fact, they may be more likely to label such an event a gift."
Ever since I read these words in the August 2007 issue of
The Oprah Magazine, I've been contemplating the value of finding something good in every bad life scenario. It's what I've done with cancer. I've convinced myself my disease was merely a bump in the road. Only a bump, though. I choose to focus on the joy, not the despair, that came with my cancer encounter.
This is exactly what I tried to convey in
this post. And
this one too.
Posted Jul 23rd 2007 6:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Thought for the Day
Cancer made me tired. It's a common side effect of the disease and its accompanying treatments, and it's been known to linger long after therapy stops. In order to combat my own drowsiness, I get plenty of sleep at night, I exercise just about every day -- physical activity, even when you feel too pooped to lift a finger, can increase energy levels -- and I try to eat only the healthiest foods, nothing that might make me feel sluggish. I'll take a stab at anything that might give me a boost. Maybe even lemonade, if I can find one low in sugar.
Research indicates that the taste of lemons can fight fatigue by stimulating a nerve in the nose, which then sets off "wake-up" sensors in the brain. So next time you need some extra pep in the morning or a lift during the afternoon, think about about sipping on some lemonade. And then let us know if it works.
Source:
Family Circle, July 2007
Posted Jul 16th 2007 6:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Thought for the Day
I'm an organizer, a plan-maker, a woman of many lists. It's all part of my Type A personality -- the one that contributes to a bit of stress but also helps me stay on top of things. I like staying on top of things.
Lists have become more important to me than ever, thanks to cancer and chemo and my forgetful brain. If I want to remember something, I must write it down. If I let just a moment pass without recording the thought I want to keep, it's gone. So I have ongoing grocery lists, household to-do lists, task lists, even lists of questions I want to ask my doctor. Since I see my doctors just once every few months, I keep a running list. Sometimes the list is quite long when I arrive for my appointment. Sometimes I don't have time to cover each topic. Sometimes I transfer questions onto future lists.
It would be nice if I could get all my medical questions answered at each visit. I once read that the typical amount of time a doctor spends with a patient is eight minutes -- so it makes sense I never cross off all my list items. But in the future, I may do better at covering my bases, thanks to this advice I found in the in the July 2007 issue of
Good Housekeeping.
Continue reading Thought for the Day: The prepared patient
Posted Jul 13th 2007 6:00AM by Brian White
Filed under: Thought for the Day
In the last few years, I've suspended my annual donation to the American Cancer Society based on what I perceive as the organization's willingness to "get in bed" with product manufacturers and food makers who have no interest in cancer prevention outside of large donations to the organization so that an official logo can be used.
To a point, just the appearance of impropriety disgusts me. Instead of donating, I've been putting together a research package that I end up talking to people about. Not only does empirical research and double-blind studies talk louder than an ACS logo in a mainstream health magazine, it gets people thinking.
Thinking about what they eat, what they do, how they live, what they expose themselves to, etc. Al of those things, when done in harmful ways, can expose one to cancer-causing agents and just help whatever predisposition you may already have to flourish. Sure, all those may have no effect at all also. Are you willing to take the chance?
Posted Jul 10th 2007 6:00AM by Kristina Collins
Filed under: All Cancers, Thought for the Day
Am I a different person before and after cancer? Yes, most definitely. But what about the little things that come into our lives everyday? Did I chill out at all? I would have to say yes to that as well - ah, sometimes.
Do I need to clean the kitchen or should I go to the beach? I always like to have an immaculate kitchen so this is a tough one for me! I could call myself a neat freak except that I have messy drawers but everything on the surface has to look perfect.
So, my advice is -- Go to the beach!
I do have an easier time post breast cancer, saying to myself - ah, do it tomorrow, whats the big deal, its such a nice day.
Cancer has taught me that its ok to be messy sometimes, who cares! That is one of the many changes I have seen in my life.
I ask myself -- Am I smelling the roses? --as the old saying goes. I think I am. I really am.
Posted Jul 2nd 2007 6:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Prevention, Thought for the Day
Getting screened for cancer is smart. Yearly mammograms for women older than 40, prostate exams for men older than 50, and skin cancer screenings for just about everyone are just a few of the recommended measures individuals can take to ensure cancer stays away -- or at least is caught in its earliest forms.
But aside from merely submitting to these screenings, there's something we can do to increase our screening smarts. We can stick with the same screening centers and not flip-flop from one location to another.
It's a bad idea to report to a different screening center every year. Being able to compare a current mammogram, for example, with prior images can decrease false alarms by as much as 44 percent. As with much of life, consistency is key. Think about it. When we find that perfect hairstylist, we're sold -- and heartbroken when he or she moves on and we have to start from scratch. A trustworthy car mechanic who knows our car inside and out? Don't dare let him leave town. The most loving child care facility? The search is over, and we pray our kids don't get kicked out. Screening is no different really. So make this your mission: find a good thing and don't stray. Of course, don't linger at locations that make you uncomfortable for any reason. Search until you find happiness. Then stay put.
Source:
Woman's Day, May 8, 2007
Posted Jun 25th 2007 6:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Exercise, Thought for the Day
It's my boys who distract me most from exercise. That's just the way it is. They're kids. They have needs and wishes and demands that keep me busy from sun-up to sun-down. It's hard to find time for fitness. I don't go to a gym. I prefer to use my own treadmill, walk the seven hills in my neighborhood, run outdoors, and conduct my scrunching, pushing, lunging, squatting, and resisting in the privacy of my own home. I don't have a gym membership with free childcare offerings or a list of babysitters who will come to my rescue when I need to huff and puff. I have me, my kids, and the hours in the day, though. And I am trying desperately at fitting fitness in.
Today, after enduring what seemed like endless little-boy fighting and tormenting, I determined my guys needed a workout just as much as I did. I threw them in the car. I threw their scooters, a big wheel, and a football in the car too. We drove to a nearby community college track, unloaded ourselves and our gear, and got to work. I ran two miles. And six-year-old Joey and four-year-old Danny scooted, pedaled, walked, ran, climbed a pile of dirt, and threw their football until their faces were splotchy from the heat, their little bodies zapped with fatigue.
Our whole fitness feat took no more than one hour and ended as we guzzled water and poured our sweaty selves back into the car. Back home, I felt so much better about my day. And I was better equipped for the fighting that continued as soon as we walked in the door.
Continue reading Thought for the Day: Fitting in fitness
Posted Jun 18th 2007 6:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Breast Cancer, Magazines, Thought for the Day
I just read this in the latest issue of
The Oprah Magazine (July 2007):
"I have come to believe . . . that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal, and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood." - Audre LordeIf I could have said this beautiful sentiment on my own, I would have. But I didn't, so I'll borrow it and profess that this is exactly how I feel.
Continue reading Thought for the Day: Sharing matters
Posted Jun 11th 2007 6:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Skin Cancer, Thought for the Day
I keep writing about skin cancer, specifically melanoma, because I'm a little obsessed about it. I guess the seriousness of the disease is finally sinking in and making me think.
I want you to think about it too. I want you to stay out of the sun, cover up, dress yourself in sunscreen, report for annual skin cancer screenings, and arm yourself with knowledge.
If you are not convinced by my words alone, please
watch this video about how melanoma spreads -- how it breaks away from its original location and metastasizes throughout the bloodstream and lymphatic system, landing in other parts of the body. Melanoma is the deadliest from of skin cancer. This video proves it.
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