Komen Race for the Cure

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. One of the major fundraising and awareness events run by Komen for the Cure is the Race for the Cure. One thing that makes the Komen Race for the Cure stand out? Race for the Cure is not just an American event. The Komen.org website lists Race for the Cure events in eleven different countries, including Egypt, Italy, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, and Tanzania. Race for the Cure is a chance to raise funds for breast cancer research and awareness, celebrate survivors, and honor those who have lost their battle with the disease. The Komen.org … Continue reading →

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. One of the largest fundraising and awareness events out there is the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Making Strides officially started in 1993. However, it has a longer history than that. Boston area cancer survivor Margie Gould Rath started Making Strides Against Cancer in 1984 as a way to celebrate cancer survivors and raise funds for volunteers and survivors. The first event started with just two hundred participants… and boy, has it grown. Since the event began, close to five million people have participated in the walk to raise awareness and … Continue reading →

Who Was Susan G. Komen?

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And one name I hear associated with the fight against breast cancer over and over is Susan G. Komen. Susan G. Komen was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of thirty-three. Her three year battle with the disease included nine operations and three courses of chemotherapy. She passed away in 1980. Her sister, Nancy Brinker, founded the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in 1982. Brinker felt that her sister might have had a better battle against the disease if more people understood cancer and how it is treated. Komen had also asked … Continue reading →

HPV Vaccine Legislation in the United States

The HPV vaccine for young women has been a subject of debate and legislation around the United States over the last few years. First, some background: in 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Gardasil, a vaccine that protects against four different types of human papillomavirus (two that cause cervical cancer and two that cause genital warts). The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that the vaccine be given to all eleven and twelve year old girls. Since then, different states have taken different approaches to the vaccine. In 2007, the state of Virginia and the District … Continue reading →

Ten Reasons Why Your Period May Be Irregular

A late or skipped period is often cause for alarm. Am I pregnant? Is something else wrong with me? But you may not need to panic! The average woman has between eleven and thirteen periods per year — but that’s just an average. If your cycle is longer or shorter, that may be normal for you and you don’t need to worry! Here are some common causes for an irregular or skipped menstrual cycle: Pregnancy. Yep, it’s number one according to WebMD. If you think you might be pregnant, treat yourself as if you ARE pregnant until you get things … Continue reading →

Are You at High Risk for Breast Cancer?

According to the National Cancer Institute, the average woman has a one in eight chance of developing breast cancer. That’s a scary number… and it gets worse if you’re at high risk. What puts a person at high risk for breast cancer? Having a strong family history of breast cancer — that means two or more close relatives with breast cancer. If any of those relatives were diagnosed before the age of fifty, your risk is even higher. A strong family history makes you between two and five times more likely to develop breast cancer than the average woman. Having … Continue reading →

Migraines and Hormones

My mother was around my age when she started having migraines. I’m starting to consider the fact that some of my splitting headaches recently are the result of monthly hormone changes. Symptoms of migraine can include: Moderate to severe pain (may be a pounding, throbbing pain) that may shift from one side to the other or affect the whole head. Sensitivity to light, noise, and/or odors Blurred vision Nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, abdominal pain Loss of appetite Sensations of heat or cold Dizziness Fatigue Aura — seeing bright, flashing lights or dots, blind spots, and/or wavy lines I’ve definitely been … Continue reading →

Testing for Breast Cancer

Testing for breast cancer falls into three phases: screening, diagnostic, and monitoring. Screening tests are for people who seem to be healthy. Yearly mammograms and self-exams fall into this category. Screening tests are intended to catch breast cancer early — when treatment often has the best chance of success. Diagnostic tests (like ultrasound scans and biopsies) are for people who are suspected of having breast cancer. Maybe you found a lump on a screening test; maybe you have other symptoms of breast cancer. Diagnostic tests determine whether or not cancer is present, and if it is present, whether it has … Continue reading →

Health: Chlamydia

In the United States, chlamydia is the most common of the sexually transmitted diseases. A bacterial infection, chlamydia infects approximately 5% of people. The most likely who will contract chlamydia are African-Americans, people who live in urban areas, teenagers and young adults, and ones who fall into the low end of the socioeconomic category. The bacterial cause of this, Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia can be transferred from one person to another by sexual means and from a mother to her unborn child during delivery. This bacteria can cause eye infections in an infant and/or pneumonia. Women with chlamydia generally exhibit no … Continue reading →

Supplements That Can Relieve PMS Symptoms

There are a lot of wonderful things about being a woman… but I don’t think PMS is all that great. If you look forward to the bloating, the cramps, the aches, and the irritability, you don’t have to keep reading this one. However, if you’re looking to relieve the many and varied symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, here are some supplements that can help. Vitamin B6 can help relieve symptoms like mood swings, water retention, bloating, breast tenderness, weird cravings, and fatigue. However, in large doses, vitamin B6 can be toxic. Talk to your doctor before increasing your vitamin B6 intake … Continue reading →