FitSugar

Ellen Pompeo Says "Choose You"

FitSugar — Thu, 06 May 2010 04:30:58 PDT

You know the stereotype of the busy woman: she takes care of everyone else in her life and puts herself last on the list. The American Cancer Society has created an antidote to this womanly way of living - the Choose You campaign is here to remind women everywhere to put their health first. And Ellen Pompeo ("I am not a doctor but I play one on TV") is helping to spread the word as the program's celebrity ambassador.

The Choose You program seems especially timely since Mother's Day is just around the corner, and so many moms regularly neglect their health. Which is not good, especially since the ACS estimates that one in three women will be diagnosed with cancer in her lifetime, but that 50 percent of cancer deaths are preventable with simple actions like regular exercise and more challenging ones like quitting smoking.

The Choose You website asks you to make a commitment to your health, and put your money where your mouth is. ACS has partnered with StickK, the motivational web-based program offering individuals legally binding contracts to help them reach their goals. The users pay a set dollar amount to a charity, in this case the ACS, if they fail to reach their goal. You can commit to lose weight, eat fewer sweets, drink less alcohol, exercise more, etc. If you fall short, pay. Interesting idea, don't you think?

What will you commit to?

Would You Undergo a Mastectomy to Protect Yourself From Breast Cancer?

FitSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:47:44 PDT

A diagnosis of breast cancer is a life-changing moment that will affect almost 200,000 women this year. If faced with the diagnosis, one question your doctor will ask you to consider is whether or not you would remove a non-cancerous breast to protect yourself against the disease. The procedure is called prophylactic mastectomy, and a recent study shows that it's on the rise.

The study, conducted by the American Cancer Society, found that patients in New York who had cancer in one breast but also removed their non-cancerous breast doubled during the period of 1995-2005. During that same period there was also a slight increase in cancer-free patients who chose to remove both healthy breasts. It's likely that these women were at high risk because of family history, or they tested positive for the gene mutation associated with the disease. This is why actress Christina Applegate opted for the double mastectomy.

Although prophylactic mastectomy dramatically reduces the risk of developing breast cancer in the future, it has not been shown to increase the chances of survival from already existing breast cancer. However, many patients choose to undergo the procedure to quell anxiety.

As we begin our coverage of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I am curious to know what you would do in this situation . . .

Sweet Inspiration: Hives For Lives

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:45:00 PST

Some stories just inspire and motivate, and this is a sweet tale of two young girls, sisters in fact. After losing their grandfather to throat cancer, Molly and Carly Houlahan decided to raise funds to help fight cancer by raising bees and cultivating honey.

The girls, ages 13 and 15, took over their grandfather's hives and created Hives For Lives. The Houlahan girls harvest honey, sell it, and then donate all the profits to the American Cancer Society. They have raised over $22,000 to date and are recruiting Helper Bees from across the country to join them in raising bees and selling honey to donate to cancer research.

You can purchase their honey directly from the Hives for Lives online store or you can find their honey at Whole Foods stores in Princeton, NJ; Devon, PA; and Pittsburgh, PA.

A natural sweetener made by teenage sisters with proceeds going toward cancer research – I'm all in.

Quit Tip: Pick a Day to Quit Smoking

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 09:30:00 PST

One thing I can wholeheartedly recommend to improve your health is quitting smoking. It decreases your chance of getting and dying from cancer, heart disease, and stroke. I am not saying you should quit today cold turkey, but if you did I would be so glad. What I am saying is that you should pick a date to quit and begin publicly counting down until that day arrives.

The American Cancer Society wants to help you count down to your momentous quit day, and they have even designed a couple little desktop helpers. One is a countdown calendar to help you rev up to quit day. Just pick a date, any date, but make sure it is within the next 30 days - you can’t put it off forever. The clock lives on your computer desktop and counts down the days until your chosen day to go smoke free.

Their other helpful widget is the Craving Stopper, a little distracting memory game that lasts about two minutes, the amount of time it take for a craving to subside. Just preoccupy yourself with the game and let the need for a smoke subside naturally. Unfortunately, these widgets only work with Windows OS. Sorry Mac folks.

Hey. I have a great idea . . . make this Thursday, November 15, your quit date, since it is the Great American Smokeout!

October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 07:00:00 PDT

More than 20 years ago, two organizations created a partnership to increase breast cancer awareness. The partnership has grown to include a number of national public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies all working together to build awareness of the disease, share information and provide access to screening services for countless women.

They claimed October as their month to highlight the issue, so today, Oct. 1, marks the first day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There are so many great resources out there and here are just a few websites to help you locate any information you might need.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month: More than just one month a year, the NBCAM has a website with breaking news on breast cancer, lists of patient services, and basic as well as detailed information on the disease.
American Cancer Society: The ACS is dedicated to educating women on how to reduce their risk of developing the disease and finding the best options for treating breast cancer. They believe in early detection and recommend that all women over 40 receive an annual mammogram. The ACS website is loaded with information and they have 24 hour telephone service to offer the comfort of live support and to answer questions about cancer, link callers with resources in their communities, and provide information on local events (1-800-ACS-2345).

There are two more so

Susan G. Komen for the Cure: Founded by Komen's sister, this foundation is dedicated to curing breast cancer at every stage - funding research on the causes and possible cures, as well as helping ease the pain and anxiety those diagnosed with the disease and their families. You can help raise funds for research by participating in the 3 Day Event. It is a three day, 60 mile walk that takes place in major cities all over the country throughout the summer and fall. If you missed the walk this year, you can always aim for next year.
National Breast Cancer Foundation: NBCF's mission is to provide educational programs and funding for free mammograms to women who cannot afford them, as well as provide online resources for women battling breast cancer.

Fab has the website for you!

Source

THE GREAT AMERICAN SMOKEOUT

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 09:00:00 PST

TODAY is the GREAT AMERICAN SMOKEOUT sponsored by the American Cancer Society. So if you are trying to quit smoking - today is the day. If you know someone who is trying to quit, you can be supportive and send them the link.

Looking for a little motivation in kicking your habit? Here are a few health reasons:

You will significantly lower your chances of developing lung cancer (the number 1 cancer killer of both men and women), heart disease, stroke and other forms of cancer.
Your lungs will regain normal function - which reduces the risk of infection and makes breathing easier. And you know that Fit is way into breathing.
Your circulation will improve - which means you heal from injuries more quickly and this is great for every single inch of your body.

Looking for more reasons? Think of all the money you will save and your clothes won't smell like smoke. Smoking makes your breath stinky, makes your skin wrinkle more, and yellows your teeth (see above).

Let us know if you're trying - we're here to support you and so is the American Cancer Society's Quitline (1-800-ACS-2345). And, of course, GOOD LUCK!!!

The Secrets of the World's Healthiest Women

Health — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:45:10 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

From pouring on the olive oil like the Greeks to slashing stress like the Scandinavians, what we
can learn from the happiest, slimmest, longest-living cultures around the globe.

The secret to a long, healthy life in America? According to longevity researchers, it may be to act like you live somewhere else.

It seems like every year another country's lifestyle is touted as the new magic bullet to cure us of obesity, heart disease, and premature death: for an unclogged heart, herd goats and down olive oil like a Mediterranean. Avoid breast cancer and live to 100 by dining on tofu, Japanese-style. Stay as happy as Norwegians by hunting elk and foraging for cowberries.

Health.com: Weight-Loss Secrets From Around the World

The places we're usually told to emulate are known as Blue Zones or Cold Spots. Blue Zones were pinpointed by explorer Dan Buettner and a team of longevity researchers and are described in his book The Blue Zones: Lessons For Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest. They're areas in Italy, Japan, Greece, California, and Costa Rica where the people have traditionally stayed healthy and active to age 100 or older.

Keep on reading for more great tips from around the globe.

Are You Getting Enough? How Much You Should Be Exercising

Leta Shy — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:28:31 PDT

Whether you exercise because you want to lose weight, or are just trying to be as healthy as you can be, there are guidelines to follow that will help you get to where you want to be. And while diet plays a major part in a healthy lifestyle, exercising regularly is a major part of the equation. What's your workout goal? Read on to see how many hours you should be spending on moderate or vigorous exercise every week.

If you want to . . .

Lose weight: Creating a calorie deficit that results in weight loss is hard work. Most recommendations say that to lose weight, you must exercise for at least an hour a day, five times a week. The type of exercise matters, too. The FDA says that the best way to exercise for weight loss is the kind that gets your heartbeat up, so light-intensity exercise - like walking or doing some household chores - won't contribute very much.

Read more about how much you should be exercising after the break.

Medical Groups Disagree on HPV vs. Pap Tests For Cervical Cancer Prevention

Tara Sharp — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:05:00 PDT

Today several medical groups have released proposals on cervical cancer prevention, and while they agree on the current guidelines that recommend women 21 to 29 get Pap tests every three years instead of yearly, they disagree on HPV screenings.

The US Preventative Services Task Force says that women under 30 should not be using HPV tests alone or in combination with a Pap to screen for cervical cancer. Even though the HPV virus can lead to cervical cancer, in younger women it usually clears out on its own. And the government-run task force notes that "screening for HPV causes more false positive cancer results than the Pap smear alone."

While the task force isn't for HPV testing, the guidelines issued by the American Cancer Society, the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, and the American Society for Clinical Pathology say routine HPV tests should be an option along with Pap tests.

"The main difference is that, dating back to 2002, the American Cancer Society and several other organizations recommended that HPV testing, along with the Pap test, is a good option for screening women starting at age 30," says Debbie Saslow, the American Cancer Society's director of breast and gynecologic cancer.

Luckily, the groups are taking public comment before coming together with a final set of consistent guidelines in the next couple months. Let's hope they are less confusing than these initial proposals!

What do you think about the every-three-year Pap for cervical cancer? (Not to be confused with a yearly breast and pelvic checkup.) Doctors have and continue to push the yearly Pap, sometimes making it mandatory before getting a yearly birth control prescription. But whether it's gyno-suggested or not, are you still getting a yearly Pap test, or do you spread it out over every few years like the new recommendations say?

5 Other Ways You Can Help Support Breast Cancer Awareness

Jaime Richards — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 05:00:00 PDT

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is well underway, and while there are plenty of pink-themed products available you can purchase to benefit the cause, there are other ways you can lend a helping hand. See how you can make a difference when you read more.