Health and Wellness
Making the Most of Your Shape
Though you may not be 100% satisfied with your body type or shape, there are ways that you can help to make the most of your body's characteristics. Here are some exercises that you can perform to will aid in toning your body, whatever your shape.
If you are an Hourglass'
If you are have an hourglass figure, then you should be focusing on both cardio and resistance exercises. Cardio will assist in keeping your weight in check, while resistance exercises will help to maintain balance between your upper and lower body. Vary your repetitions and keep your resistance weights light so as not to build too much muscle mass. Here are some great exercises that you may want to try:
•slow jogging
•stationary biking (with light resistance)
•jumping jacks
•swimming
•bicep curls, shoulder presses, and squats
If you are a Pear'
If you are a pear you will want to focus on exercises that will balance out the top half of your body with the bottom half of your body. You will also want to try to thin down your lower half. To achieve this, focus on aerobic activities that work out your lower body, and resistance exercises that will build your upper body. Use light weights and perform high repetitions of exercises. Some great activities include:
•walking
•cycling (with low resistance)
•elliptical training
•jumping rope
•leg lifts and dips
•push ups, chin ups, and shoulder presses
If you are an Apple'
If you are an apple, you will want to focus on aerobic training in order to slim down and lose body fat. By working on the lower half of your body, you can help balance out your chest and shoulders. Look to perform exercises that are low-resistance and involve low repetitions, such as:
•stairclimbing
•walking on an incline
•running
•leg squats, leg presses, and deadlifts
If you are a Ruler'
If you are a ruler, you will be able to perform pretty much any activity you want to. Perform cardio activities to help you lose weight in problem areas, such as the buttocks and stomach. You will especially want to build muscle mass through resistance exercise. To ensure that you build a symmetrical body shape, all of the muscle groups should be emphasized and routinely given a workout. Focus on:
•stretching
•sit-ups
•step classes
•spinning
•walking or jogging on an incline
•squats
•bench presses and shoulder presses
Cancer/Breast Cancer Question and Answer You Need to Know.
Q: What is cancer?
A: Cancer is a disease that occurs when cells become abnormal and divide without control or order. Each organ in the body is made up of various kinds of cells. Cells normally divide in an orderly way to produce more cells only when they are needed. This process helps keep the body healthy. If cells divide when new cells are not needed, they form too much tissue. This extra tissue, called a tumor, can be benign or malignant.
Types Of Cancer
•Benign tumors are not cancer.
Eighty percent of all breast tumors are benign. They can usually be removed, and, in most cases, they don't come back. Most important, the cells in benign tumors do not invade other tissues and do not spread to other parts of the body. Benign breast tumors are not life-threatening.
•Malignant tumors are cancer.
The cancer cells grow and divide out of control, invading and damaging nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also break away from the original tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. This is how breast cancer spreads and forms secondary tumors in other parts of the body. This spread of cancer is called metastasis.
Q: What is breast cancer?
A: Breast cancer is cancer that forms in tissues of the breast, usually the ducts (tubes that carry milk to the nipple) and lobules (glands that make milk). It occurs in both men and women, although male breast cancer is rare.
Q: How common is breast cancer in the United States?
A: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, aside from skin cancer.
Q: What is advanced breast cancer?
A: Breast cancer is considered advanced when it has spread from its original site to distant areas of the body. Physicians will look at a number of factors to determine the stage of breast cancer, including tumor size, lymph node involvement, and whether the cancer has spread to other areas of the body. Once the stage of the disease is determined, there are two different ways advanced breast cancer can be classified: locally advanced or metastatic.
Q: What is locally advanced breast cancer?
A: The term locally advanced breast cancer indicates that the cancer is large (greater than 2 inches) or may have spread to other nearby tissue, such as underarm lymph nodes. Locally advanced breast cancer is considered Stage III, and if it is operable, it is referred to as Stage IIIA.
Q: What is metastatic breast cancer?
A: The term metastatic breast cancer indicates that the cancer has spread from the breast to other parts of the body such as bone, lung, liver, or brain.
Treatments for Breast Cancer
Q: What are the treatments for breast cancer?
A: The basic treatment choices for breast cancer are surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy, which may or may not be included in the treatment regimen, depending on hormonal involvement in the growth of the tumor. Local treatments such as breast surgery and radiation therapy are focused on the breast itself to remove or destroy the cancer cells confined to the breast. Systemic treatment such as chemotherapy aims to destroy the cancer cells that may have spread throughout the body.
Newer experimental treatments include biologically targeted therapies which currently, are only available through clinical trials. A patient and his/her physician will choose the treatment that is right for him/her, based on the location and extent of the cancer, patient's age and preferences, and the risks and benefits of each treatment.
•Surgery may be performed to remove the cancerous tumor, and may also be performed to allow for diagnostic testing of tumor tissue.
•Radiation therapy uses penetrating beams of high-energy waves or streams of particles to kill and hinder the growth of cancer cells. In metastatic disease, radiation is most commonly used to treat symptoms in breast cancer that has spread to the bone.
•Chemotherapy may be used if it is believed the breast cancer will not respond to hormonal treatment. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs that target and destroy rapidly dividing cells, including cancer cells. It is frequently used in metastatic breast cancer and used in locally advanced breast cancer to shrink the tumor and make it operable.
•Hormonal therapy can be used to slow the growth, spread, and recurrence of breast cancer. If the cancer is found to be of the type that may be sensitive to estrogen, hormonal treatment may be able to keep estrogen from helping the cancer cells to grow and divide. The presence of estrogen receptors (a message-carrying protein that may stimulate tumor growth) in the cancerous tumor is the best way to predict a woman's response to hormonal treatment.
•Biologically targeted therapy covers a range of new options that are to be added to the family of cancer treatments. These therapies target specific features of cancer cells to fight cancer. Since these therapies are specific, they are intended to have less effect on normal cells, which may reduce the chance of possible side effects, like those caused by current cancer treatments. Types of treatment include monoclonal antibodies, which bind to proteins on the cancer cell surface to slow down cancer cell growth; angiogenesis inhibitors, which are intended to prevent the growth of new blood vessels and so cut off the supply of oxygen and nutrients to cancer cells; and signal transduction inhibitors, which block the signals inside the cancer cell that promote the cells to divide and, in turn, cause the cancer to grow.
Risk Factors for Breast Cancer
Q: What are the breast cancer "risk factors"?
A: To predict when and in whom breast cancer will occur, scientists must often think like detectives, looking for clues to signal which women may be more likely than others to develop the disease. These clues are called "risk factors."
To identify risk factors, scientists continually examine various trends and patterns among women worldwide who are diagnosed with the disease. Age, individual and family medical history, reproductive history, genetic alterations, race, economic status, environmental exposures to pollutants, and lifestyle habits are all examples of the factors that can be evaluated. This information tells a scientific story that helps experts predict with some certainty a woman's odds for developing breast cancer. It's important to note, however, that this is not an exact science and that such predictions are not definite.
Having one or two of these risk factors doesn't mean a woman will develop breast cancer. But knowing her personal risk factor profile and understanding what it means will help her and her doctor plan a course of action that may reduce her chances of developing the disease or, at least, to detect it in its earliest, most treatable stages.
The most common risk factors:
•Sex. The highest risk factor for breast cancer is being female; the disease is about 100 times more common among women.
•Age. The risk of breast cancer increases as a woman grows older. The risk is especially high for women age 60 and older. Breast cancer is uncommon in women younger than age 35, although it does occur. There is some evidence to suggest young African American women are at greater risk for breast cancer than young Caucasian women.
•Personal History. Women who have had breast cancer and women with a history of breast disease (not cancer, but a condition that may predispose them to cancer) may develop it again.
•Family History. The risk of developing breast cancer increases for a woman whose mother, sister, daughter, or two or more close relatives have had the disease. It is important to know how old they were at the time they were diagnosed.
•The Breast Cancer Genes. Some individuals, both women and men, may be born with an "alteration" (or change) in one of two genes that are important for regulating breast cell growth. Individuals who inherit an alteration in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene are at an "inherited" higher risk for breast cancer. They also may pass this alteration on to their children. It is very rare. Scientists estimate that only about 5-10 percent of all breast cancers are due to genetic changes. One out of two women with these changes are likely to develop breast cancer. Women with a family history of breast cancer are encouraged to speak to a genetics counselor to determine the pros and cons of genetic testing.
The next 5 risk factors all involve estrogen, a hormone that naturally occurs in men and women. However, at the time menstruation begins, women start to produce larger amounts of estrogen and will continue to do so until they reach menopause. Estrogen appears to play a key role in breast cancer. Although estrogen doesn't actually cause breast cancer, it may stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Estrogen-related risk factors are:
•Having an early menarche (first period or menstrual bleeding). Women who begin menstruating before age 12 are at increased risk of developing breast cancer. The more menstrual cycles a woman has over her lifetime, the more likely she is to get the disease.
•Having a first pregnancy after age 25 or 35. Although early pregnancies may help lower the chances of getting breast cancer, particularly before the age of 25, these same hormonal changes after age 35 may contribute to the incidence of breast cancer.
•Having no children. Women who experience continuous menstrual cycles until menopause are at a higher than average risk.
•Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Based on the Women's Health Initiative Study (2002), women do appear to have an increased risk of breast cancer while they are on HRT and a short time thereafter, compared to those who have never used postmenopausal HRT. This is based on a study of 16,000 healthy postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 who were taking either estrogen plus progestin as HRT or a placebo (an inactive pill).
•Use of Oral Contraceptives (OCs) and Breast Cancer. Current or former use of OCs among women ages 35 to 64 did not significantly increase the risk of breast cancer. The findings were similar for Caucasian and African-American women. Data also show that former OC use does not increase the risk of breast cancer later in life.
Other risk factors - and lifestyle choices to avoid them
Common to all women are daily lifestyle decisions that may affect breast cancer risk. These day-to-day choices involve factors such as poor diet, insufficient physical activity, alcohol use, and smoking. Besides possibly reducing breast cancer risk, lifestyle improvements represent smart steps for a healthier life, since they can help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and many other chronic, life-threatening conditions.
•Decrease your daily fat intake - especially saturated or hydrogenated fats. Eat leaner meats and limit red meat. Reducing your fat intake helps prevent other health problems such as heart disease and stroke and may reduce your chance of developing breast and colon cancers.
•Increase fiber in your diet. Fiber is found in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. This type of diet is beneficial for your heart and can help prevent other cancers such as colon cancer.
•Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition to their fiber content, fruits and vegetables have antioxidant properties and micronutrients that may help prevent some cancers.
•Limit alcohol. Evidence suggests that a small increase in risk exists for women who average two or more drinks per day (beer, wine, and distilled liquor).
•Stay active. The U.S. Surgeon General has recently reported that you can help prevent many health problems by engaging in a moderate amount of physical activity (such as taking a brisk, 30-minute walk) on most days of the week. Strive to maintain the body weight recommended by a health professional, since excess fat may stimulate estrogen production.
•Don't smoke. Although smoking doesn't cause breast cancer, it can increase the chance of blood clots, heart disease, and other cancers that may spread to the breast.
Let's Go Ladies.......
Gym Membership:
I always thought going to the gym was so fun.And it is.The results after a good work out is a positive one.
Make it a girls day.Most gym accommadate the member with childcare on site so yes treat yourself and your body to a work out.
First you'll need to find a gym that offers the kind of program you're looking for. A boxing gym probably isn't for most people who are trying to lose weight because it focuses narrowly on boxing-related workouts and practice. A weight-lifting gym, likewise, may prove too limiting for those who are searching for variety in their workout routine. The best solution may be found in joining a health spa or generalized gym, where a number of varied workout activities are included in the basic annual fee.I love those kind of gyms because you tend to want to go back and get the most out a workout.
Getting in shape is a terrific goal for anyone who isn't there yet. But be sure to weigh the pro's and cons of a gym membership before signing on the dotted line.
List of Gym's with Great Rates.
1.Equinox
2.Crunch
3.New York City Fitness
4.LA Fitness
5.Bally's
6.Urban Body Fitness ( Atlanta base)
Please check these local Gyms for there membership packages and closet locations.
Click Here!
Work Out Dvd: Mel B. ( Past Spice Girl )
In Totally Fit: Mel, the former Scary Spice demonstrates the 'very simple and easy' plan, which includes a 60 minute do-at-home fitness class and four 10 minute workouts.
Black Women &Health
We often go on diets without consulting a nutritionist or dietitian ,or self ~ medicate without talking to the doctor.
On a Journey to explore Health for Women in the African American Community I will share information on Health and Wellness of all kinds ( Physical , Mental , Sexual and Spiritual Health ) will be covered weekly.
Thank You.
Here are some startling statistics for the African American Women and our Health :
Cancer is the second leading cause of deaths for African Americans. According to the Center for Disease Control article, Health Disparities experienced by Black or African Americans in the United States, both African American females and males suffer disproportionately from a variety of cancers as compared to their white counterparts. Some examples of this for African American females are:
Out of 100,000 African American females, 54 of them will suffer from colon/rectal cancer as compared to 43 white women.
Out of 100,000 African American females, 13 will suffered from pancreatic cancer as compared to 8 White women.
Additionally, even though deaths caused by breast cancer have decreased among white women, African American women continue to have higher rates of mortality from breast and cervical cancer.
Additionally, Black women are 18 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV in 2003 than white women.
Most people know that chronic illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, COPD, and yes, cancer, are dangerous killers. But medical errors, incomplete records, and poor preventative care also cause death. And here’s the clincher: Like many major illnesses, these, too, are preventable. There’s only one good way to ensure you or a loved one doesn’t suffer needlessly from a chronic illness—or become an unfortunate statistic.In my case all of these illnesses are on both sides of my family. So this is a personal attachment to the truth about health and getting right down to it and talking about it even if it scares me.
The Top 8 Important Actions when Going to see your doctor to ensure you gain better health and make the medical diagnoses and treatments alot easier
1) Divulge your complete Medical History.Hey ladies keep it real.The doctor doesn't know you from a hole in the wall.If you have a complicated medical history-Hospitalizations ,surgeries,medications, family illnesses,recurring symptoms. Please Ladies write them all down.There is nothing that you should be embarrassed to share.
2) Please again share family history-Go in this doctors office prepared with a list or a description.You have two sides that you have to think about Your mom and your dad side.Both sides of your families count when it comes to recording medical history.If you don't know.That's fine.But always keep this list handy when asked.
3)After sharing be honest and straight forward ask your doctor Your risk factors for a major Illness.Completely throw the popular saying " what you don't know won't hurt you" out the window it should be changed to "what you don't know may kill you."
4) Please be honest in telling your doctor if you are taking any Prescription ,over the counter or even illegal drugs.You don't want the interaction of medications or drugs of any kind to have a negative reaction.
5) This is the one where everyone may think ( WTH).Please tell your doctor if you are feeling over weight or out of shape. ( ???? wouldn't the doctor be able to tell ? ) But remember it is YOUR health and if the doctor does not bring it up.You should.It is your job to feel your best about your weight and health.
6) Tell the doctor the straight forward about your sexually history and birth control methods.This is to better your knowledeg on the testings and birth control resources they may have availiable that you may not be familiar with.This is your chance to choose the best Birth control / Contraceptives and test....Going untreated with any STD never disappears on their own.Some STD'S can cause blindness and prevent your chances of having a child.
7) Mental Health ( Chile -Girlfriends I already know ) "I'm not crazy but I can get crazy" ! lol -ladies in all seriousness your mental health is just as important as your physical.Mental and emotional support for depression is very important.So please share if you have " The Blues" for longer then you should.Resulting from a broken relationship, a death , stressful situation of any kind.
8) When choosing a doctor.Choose a doctor who you are comfortable enough with and is a trusting doctor in your opinion to be honest and straight forward with you pretaining to your concerns about your health.
Thank you for reading.
I will end this introductory portion with: A poem.
Black Statue of Liberty by Jessica Care Moore
I stand still above an island, fist straight in the air
Scar on my face, thick braids in my hair
Battle boots tied, red blood in the tears I've cried.
Tourists fly from all over just to swim near my tide
Or climb up my long flight of stairs
But they trip on their shoe string lies.
Piece by piece they shipped my body to this country
Now that I'm here, your people don't want me.
I'm a symbol of freedom, but I'm still not free
I suffer from class, race, and gender inequality.
I wear a crown of knowledge, 'cause I'm a conscious queen
My mask is one of happiness, though my history here is full of misery.
Done deliberately.
I am America's true statue of liberty.
Please You tube her spoken word version on you tube she performed at "Showtime at the Apollo". DEEP. Jessica Care Moore.
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