The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that, according to the most recent information available (from 2005), breast cancer is the number one cause of death in Hispanic women and the second most common in every other racial group. For 2008, The American Cancer Society estimated 184,450 new cases of breast cancer in both sexes. Because of the important threat that this condition poses as a cause for death, it is advised that women practice a simple, tactile examination of their breasts at home in order to find any lumps or inconsistencies in their breasts. Any physician or OB-GYN can quickly train a woman on how best to conduct this test. If you are currently undergoing a hormone replacement therapy, you should seriously consider consulting bioidentical hormones doctors; experts have found there is a higher risk of breast cancer among women who take synthetic hormones. Bioidentical hormones pose no such threat.

In addition to screening and examinations, other ways to defend against breast cancer are diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

In general, antioxidants are considered beneficial in the fight against cancer or any other degenerative disease. There are, however, other beneficial nutrients that every woman – and certainly every woman diagnosed with breast cancer – should include in her diet.

If you are or have been diagnosed with breast cancer, you should be more assertive in including certain ingredients. The following is a summary of these. The ones marked with an asterisk are considered more important and beneficial for someone at high risk of breast cancer.

• ANTIOXIDANTS *

Flax seed oil, preferably cold-pressed, is a very good source of antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids

• LYCOPENE

This substance is contained in tomatoes, grapefruit, and guavas, among other produce. Its cancer-fighting reputation has been known for some time

• FATTY ACIDS*

Fatty fish, such as tuna and salmon, contain omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids

• ANTHOCYANINS (Antioxidant flavonoids)*

You can get these from blackberries, raspberries, and the like. Eggplant is also an excellent source

• GO NUTS*

Nuts contain selenium, vitamin E, and fiber. All very beneficial in cancer prevention and fighting

• DARK VEGGIES*

Spinach is a good example, so is broccoli. Brussels sprouts are also a great source of beta-carotenes, calcium, folic acid, vitamin A, and vitamin K.

• CITRUS FRUITS

Of course, here we’re looking for vitamin C and fiber.

• WHOLE GRAINS*

Eat only whole grain cereal, bread, crackers, etc. Your intake of soluble fiber (fiber that is soluble in water) should increase markedly.

• LOW FAT DAIRY

Certain nutrients in dairy have been found to help in cancer fighting and prevention. In particular conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

• MISCELLANEOUS

Shiitake mushrooms, green tea, beans, and chickpeas should form a part of your diet.

In general, the rule is you should take a lot of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins. Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy blog as the original source).

1. Work out
Maybe you are already doing it, but there is a big chance that you have not been to a gym or even gone for a walk in years. In case you choose the first option, do it two or three times a week and live the experience as a time to enjoy. Just live those moments with no pressures.

2. Learn something
There are many things you can choose. It could be speaking a new language, taking yoga classes or learning about the Internet. You can even take an online course. It will amazingly increase your self-esteem and as a plus you will acquire new and useful skills.

3. Travel
If you can fly to other countries, go ahead. Have dinner in Paris or visit Egypt. You will accumulate unforgettable experiences that will change your life. If you can’t afford big trips, you can go around your own country or even, your own city. There are places in your town which you didn’t know even existed. Start researching and visit those hidden spots.

4. Go shopping
You don’t need to spend a thousand dollars on a pair of heels to feel better but pick a new painting to hang in your living room, or a portrait to put on your desk, and you will easily change the entire room’s look. Changes are always good.

5. Take care of your health
Visit one of those bioidentical hormone doctors. They will help you minimize the symptoms women experience as they grow older, and you will feel ready and fresh to achieve new goals without annoying symptoms or mood changes.

6. Read a book
It doesn’t need to be a self-esteem book or a How-To guide. Choose a title by your favorite author and get lost in one of his/her stories. You will find literature enriches your soul and spirit. You will build up new vocabulary as well.

7. Create your blog
Find out how to do it (it is incredibly easy) and start writing an online journal. Or just upload photos of your children, grandchildren, or even your pets. You can also make friends through the Internet by telling them about your experiences and letting other people leave comments.

8. Teach something
Years must have taught you something that you would like to share. Use your knowledge to make other people’s lives better. Do it as a hobby and if it turns out to be succesful, you can charge for your services. Don’t miss the chance to do what you love while you are making money.

9. Meet your friends for a meal or coffee
Maybe you’re still in touch with some of them, but there must be others whom you haven’t seen for years. Call them and organize lunch together. You will have the chance to catch up and to reconstruct your friendship.

10. Change your look
Dye or cut your hair, change your clothing style, or just do your make up differently. You will feel completely revitalized.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy blog as the original source).

1. You have the experience to make fewer mistakes.
Of course that some of us never learn, but as you may have, you should make the best use of it. It is a privilege to gain experience and accumulate stories over the years, and now is the moment to use them to your own advantage, as well as for helping others. Younger women will appreciate whatever you can tell them. Even if it doesn’t seem that they’re really listening to you, they will not forget your words.

2. You only worry about important matters.
It is true that we live in a constantly changing world, and at this point in your life you must know that there are things which are not worth worrying about. Take the chance to use this knowlege to free your life from stress. Everybody knows that money is important and that getting it is hard, and it’s not like you shouldn’t care about it. But if you take the time to get closer to your loved ones; you will find out what is really worth fretting about.

3. You can spend more time with yourself.
Letting go of time-stealing activities like working all day or taking care of children gives you plenty of time to do, well, whatever you want to do. It could be reading, learning something, painting or spending a whole day at the hairdresser’s. Do what you please! Take all the spare time to do the things you have been postponing over the years and you will feel absolutely renewed.

4. You are as young as you feel.
Nowadays being 50 does not mean that your life is over at all… Not even close! There is a world of possibilities out there and it is just waiting for you to go discover it. What about an extreme make over? Or even a divorce, if you are not happy? Unlock yourself and do what you never thought you could do. It is never, ever, too late.

5. You are interested in taking care of yourself.
It could be entirely about health, or even about looks. Nobody is going to take better care of you than yourself and, luckily, there are many things that you can do to feel (but most importantly be) better. From bioidentical hormone therapy to ethics therapy, and many, many others. Your mind and body are the most precious things you own and the responsability of keeping them in top condition is only yours. Don’t feel bad when you have real possibilities of feeling great.

6. You appreciate little things.
This detail may seem quite corny but if you make a pause and think about it, you will see that we work all our lives to get big, important things; they may make us happy to some extent but, in fact, the only things that survive through time and make you a better woman, are details. You are in a position of appreciating the details, and this makes your life better everyday.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy blog as the original source).

The Last Period. Period.
I bet you $1,000 you don’t know what menopause is.

No, really.

You read a lot about menopause and perimenopause, sure; and probably began experiencing symptoms several months ago. And no doubt you talked a lot with other women, and got a hint about a certain bioidentical hormone doctor in Aspen or whatever out there (“a bio what??”). Yet, I still believe you don’t know the meaning of the term menopause and that nobody ever explained to you why your clothes seem to shrink in the wardrobe.

Menopause IS NOT:

•    the stage following your last period
•    a condition after a whole year without menstruation
•    a hormone deficiency
•    a period characterized by hot flashes and mood swings

So, what is menopause? Give up?

From Menarche to “Flasharche”
Menopause is a woman’s last period. Period.

On average, this occurs when a woman celebrates her 51st birthday. However, to determine when the menopause happened, she has to experience no periods during 12 consecutive months. In other words, she realizes she had her menopause a year later.

The word has a Greek origin (menos, month; pausis, cessation) by contrast to the first menstruation, the menarche (also from Greek: arkhe, beginning).

Many changes happen in the body around the crucial day of the last period. Essentially, your body considers that your reproductive days are no longer necessary but fat is welcome.

One or two years before such day, your body enters the perimenopause stage (peri, prefix for about, around or surrounding), also known as the climacteric phase. That’s when hot flashes begin.

Then, a year after the menopause day, you enter the post-menopause phase—those who say there’s no such a state as a post-menopause are, from an etymological viewpoint, wrong—. Since menopause refers to a specific day not a prolonged condition, a post-menopause time obviously follows.

From Flashes to Fat
Fat cells produce and store a hormone, estrone, a form of estrogen. The ovaries produce another variety of estrogen, estradiol. This hormone decreases at a dramatic rate around menopause, because the ovaries ignore another hormone that carries orders to produce estradiol. Hormones serve as mailmen, and affect almost every cell in the body when delivering or failing to deliver the information.

Some organs, however, are more receptive than others to certain hormones, much in the same way as your ears perceive sounds but ignore smells. When the ovaries stop obeying orders, your body cells crave estrogen. And where can they find it? Fat cells, of course! Your belly and hips stored another kind of estrogen, but estrogen at least.

To state it in other words, let’s say that your body needs fat now. Thus, you feel hungry; ergo, you eat. The larger the fat cells, the more estrogen they can produce and store.

To Lose Weight, Eat more often
If you wish to prevent weight gain, eat more often. Yes, more often. Eat small meals and give the body what it needs: milk, cereals, fruits and vegetables. At all costs, avoid dieting or starving; your body will react to protect its fat cells to put a stop to estrogen decreases… storing more fat.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy blog as the original source).