Who ARE these people?

When droughts hit, I read officials who implore us not to wash our cars more than once a week.

I think I last washed mine a year ago.

Now this, from the New York Times:

"...Extrapolated to all Americans in the age group studied, the new findings suggest that over the course of a decade, the deaths of one million men and perhaps half a million women could be prevented just by eating less red and processed meats, according to estimates prepared by Dr. Barry Popkin, who wrote an editorial accompanying the report.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/health/28brod.html?_r=1&em

"To prevent premature deaths related to red and processed meats, Dr. Popkin suggested in an interview that people should eat a hamburger only once or twice a week instead of every day, a small steak once a week instead of every other day, and a hot dog every month and a half instead of once a week."

Hey, I love me a burger and I love me a steak. But WHO eats a hamburger every single day? WHO eats steak every other day? WHO are these clueless carnivores with fat wallets and fatter bellies?

A dirty little secret

It’s a dirty little secret, a dirty little lie.

Because smokers, by conventional wisdom, are weak-willed reprobates, they deserve whatever fate has in store for them. And only smokers get lung cancer, so nobody else needs to worry about it.

How much of the above paragraph did you find to be false? I contest virtually every word. And the second sentence is a killer.

Many, many people – and for reasons unknown, although science suspects estrogen may be to blame, a high percentage of them are Women – get lung cancer even though they’ve never smoked nor habitually been around smokers.

Do a little googling on the Internet and you will be horrified at the stories of people whose symptoms were ignored, because they weren’t smokers. Or who asked about having tests because the cancer runs in their family, and were put off, again, because they weren’t smokers.

This you must know: Any organ of the body can get cancer.

An organ such as the lung, which has unique exposure to pollutants, is vulnerable to cancer – from radon, diesel particulates, formaldehyde, etc. – even if one never smokes nor spends time with smokers.

Genetics can play a role, too. Being Female can increase the chances, as previously noted.

Whether you smoke or not, don’t assume that you don’t have the risk. And do not allow your doctor to put you off either.

Some smokers get lung cancer. Some non-smokers do, too. It is just as worthy of research as any other cancer. Its sufferers deserve just as much compassion.

What October brings ...

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Thoughts: Mammograms save lives. They are not a luxury but a necessity. If You are a Woman, please get one. If you are a man, gently encourage the Women in your life to have one.

Be familiar with the Center for Disease Control's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which provides access to high-quality breast cancer screenings and treatment to uninsured or underinsured Women, with an emphasis on Women between ages 50-64.

More information: 1-800-ACS-2345.

First Women's Physical Health Post -- Your thyroid & the headache connection

Submitted by blogger Amarpreet:

"On a priority I would suggest women have their thyroid levels checked and also have full physicals done. As some women may experience headaches/migraines related to monthly hormone fluctuations it is important to get the thyroid gland tested regularly including checking the dosage of any birth control pill as it may simply be a matter of taking a pill a day/adjusting the dosage to relieve their pain.

For others who experience migraines due to it also being genetic I recommend being prescribed the appropriate type of migraine medication; for example, beta blockers may be right for some and not others. There are different types of migraine medications so it is very important to be on the right one. A lot of women can't relieve the pain b/c they may be prescribed the incorrect type. Taking the over-the-counter meds is okay for some if it's minor and it helps, others need more intense therapy.

Other avenues of pain-relief like acupuncture are also a good idea. Seeing a chiropractor is all what some may need, so it is really important to get a full physical done. My migraines may be related to what showed up on my last CT, not confirmed yet but I do urge women to fight to get a CT/MRI done to rule out any serious factors. I can't stress how important it is to find out the cause first before treating the symptoms b/c taking meds that may not be right for the type of migraine a woman has can do more damage than good (voice of experience)."

ECD suggests: Check out this site for a good explanation of thyroid function and concerns and a photo (copyrighted or I would have posted it here) of what your thyroid looks like (butterfly-shaped) and where it is located (in your neck).

http://health.yahoo.com/topic/hormone/overview/article/mayoclinic/F7CF6A7B-63EA-49E6-88C057D7C9F6AA1C

Please, dear heaven-sent Ladies, keep up with Your health, get Your regular tests, examine Yourselves -- You know what I mean. Don't deprive Yourselves of one precious moment of life because of something that could have been prevented! You are beautiful and urgently needed in this world!