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Health Articles

African Americans May Not Seek Pain Managment For Cancer

An important question was asked many years ago: Why do so many people from various backgrounds, especially African Americans, not seek cancer care that is available to the population at large?
In 1987, The Drew-Meharry-Morehouse Consortium Cancer Center was instituted for the purpose of conducting research to reduce “the high incidence and mortality from cancer in the African-American population (focused mostly in Los Angeles, Nashville, and Atlanta. An article in the Winter 2008 edition of The Pain Practitioner, the journal for the American Academy of Pain Management, by Debra Nelson-Hogan, contained information from an interview with the former administrator, Dr. Patricia Matthews-Juarez, Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, and Associate Vice-President, Office of Faculty Affairs and Development at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee.
Dr. Matthews-Juarez cites several reasons why large numbers of people from various backgrounds, in this case specifically African Americans, do not seek cancer care.
* Lack of Trust – in the provider
* Lack of Respect – from the provider and the health care environment
* Racism and Discrimination – e.g., waiting longer for appointments
* Fatalism – belief that “God will take care of it”
* Lack of Pain Management – “notion that African Americans have higher pain thresholds
* Lack of Reliable Information about Resources for Cancer Care
Social work studies conducted in the 1960’s and 1970’s indicated that patients would tend to stay in treatment longer if the treating health care practitioners either looked like them or showed real empathy for their plight. In addition, historically, pain management has not been seen as a science nor as an urgent treatment necessity. In 2000, The Office of Minority Health at the Health Resources and Services Administration, (HRSA), encouraged the creation of the first guide for healthcare practitioners: Cultural Competence in Cancer Care: A Health Care Professional Passport. Although the role of culture in pain management and disease treatment is still often overlooked, there has been an increasing level of awareness and cultural sensitivity in this country.
The solution to creating treatment parity among different ethnic groups, including the socioeconomically underpriviledged is collaboration, collaboration among health facilities, health organizations, medical teaching institutions, professional health care providers and the public at large. We’ve come a long way but there is still a long way to go.…

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Whole Food Vitamins

Symptoms Of Blood Cancer

We all dread by the level mentioning of blood cancer. But ignorance is not harmony in this case. You should be aware of the symptoms of this toxic problem so that it can be cured before it reaches fatal consequences. Study about the various symptoms of blood cancer so that you can get treated before the condition gets serious.
Leukemia otherwise blood cancer affects the white blood cells. Its symptoms differ according to the severity of the disease. While the cause of leukemia is not known, it is supposed to be triggered by weakened immune system, age, and also due to some other blood disorders. There are two kinds of cancer; they are acute leukemia and chronic one.
Symptoms of blood cancer include tiredness, paleness and breathlessness; frequent infections; increased bruising; abnormal bleeding from cuts and gums; heavier periods in women; bone pain; swollen lymph glands; abdominal pain; and even headaches and vision problems. Body of people suffering from leukemia sweats a lot at night. Frequent weight loss, difficulty while urinating, occurrence of fine rashes or dark spots can also be related with blood cancer.
It is not necessary that you occurrence all these symptoms. It depends upon the phase of cancer. There may be no symptoms in the premature stages, especially in people with chronic leukemia. Many symptoms are indistinct like fever, headaches, weight loss and night sweats.
Most of the time, these conditions can be recognized through blood tests. It is essential to get yourself treated and checked when experiencing these symptoms. The treatments of leukemia comprise chemotherapy, radiotherapy, bone marrow transplant, steroids and others. Blood cancer is a disease which should be rectified immediately possible to prevent fatal consequences. Thus, knowing about its symptoms is essential to prevent yourself and to live a healthy life.…

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Health Department

7 Lifestyle Changes That Can Assist Your Body’s Natural Defenses to Keep Cancer at Bay

The General Consensus is you cannot do anything to prevent cancer, but new research suggest about 330,000 cancer cases each year in the US can be prevented, if we did 7 things, to build our bodies Natural defenses.
The lifestyle changes suggested here may be effective in lowering the risk of breast, colon and stomach cancers.
Lifestyle Tip 1C Eat a Healthy Diet
a. Choose food from the basic four food groups, for example at each meal have a fruit (banana or apple)
b. Vegetable (broccoli, carrots)
c. Whole grains( whole wheat bread, brown rice)
d. Dairy (glass of milk or yogurt).
Lifestyle Tip 2: Get Regular Exercise
Research has shown exercising 3 times a week, it could be as simple as a brisk 30 minute walk that can help reduce your cancer risk.
Lifestyle 3: Limit Red Meat
Choose fresh fish, like salmon, cod and have chicken instead of red beef, pork or lamb.
Lifestyle Tip 4: Avoid sugary drinks and Fats
By limiting soda and certain types of fruit juices. Always check label for sugar content. Be careful of your consumption of fried foods for example French and anything that is fried in general.
Lifestyle Tip 5: Limit use of Salt
Many foods have high sodium content; limit your intake of processed meats (deli meats), canned soups. Choose the one that are low in sodium like reduced sodium ham and canned soups.
Lifestyle Tip 6: Limit alcohol Intake
The American Cancer society suggest that people who drink alcohol should limit themselves to 2 drinks per day for a male and 1 drink per day for a female.
Lifestyle Tip 7: Stop Smoking
It is well known that smoke can cause cancer. If you are a smoker try to quit by enrolling in a smoking cessation program, they are offered in many communities and health insurance plans.
One of the best ways to prevent cancer is by combining a healthy lifestyle with the appropriate screening exams, to spot cancer early when it is easier to treat.
Hope this article was helpful to you.
This article by no means covers the entire spectrum of cancer but does give you a general idea of some of the more common sense things that you can do to help you stay healthy and live a long life. As with all health related concerns it’s absolutely necessary to ensure any concerns is addressed with your health care provider.…

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Health Gov

Tips On Being Healthy While You Are Being Treated For Cancer

Certain kinds of cancer have the power to break through any defense. Reading these tips you will be better equipped to beat the disease.

Reducing the amount of sugar you eat can help slow the progress of cancer. Some people feel that avoiding sugar will help to beat some types of cancer. Although this tactic cannot eliminate the cancer on its own, it could be used with other kinds of therapies to combat cancer.

The diagnosis of cancer challenges the patient, but it also takes a toll on the family as well. You should be checking in with your doctor regularly, as new ways to treat and even cure cancers are always being developed.

Exposure to too much sun can cause cancer, skin cancer is perhaps the most common type. Always cover your body and face in sunscreen, wear a large brimmed hat to protect the skin on your scalp and face and wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.

Watch the veggies and fruits you buy, as they could be contaminated. To prevent bugs, bacteria and fungus, farmers usually spray the crops with pesticides. If you can’t buy untreated organic vegetables and fruits, make sure to wash your produce thoroughly.

Make sure your voice is heard and you speak up. Some people might question whether or not you can continue doing your job, or will fear that your cancer is contagious. Consider how you will respond to these questions in advance and address them immediately. This can help you with your treatment.

If you want to catch cancer early, learn the warning signs. Losing weight unexpectedly, bloody stools, thinning stools and cramping all are symptoms of colon cancer. If you have any of these symptoms, get checked out by your doctor.

Colon cancer risks can be reduced by up to 40% through regular exercise. If you exercise on a regular basis, your body is healthier and more likely to fight off any disease. In addition, obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes and other diseases which weaken the body, and make it more prone to cancer. Do what you can to keep your activity level up.

Smokers should quit smoking cigarettes. Smoking can cause lung cancer, emphysema and even colon cancer. The smoke you breathe in causes carcinogens to build up in the colon. The tobacco can make the colon polyps bigger, too. Yet another reason to stop smoking.

Depression affects your physical health as well as your state of mind; it may even accelerate cancer growth. It’s possible that they’ll give up without even fighting back.

The benefits of a breast cancer examination far outweigh the awkward process. This is something that only lasts a few minutes. Early detection can be the difference between life and death or keeping your breasts and losing them, so a little pressure is well worth it.

Not only are the plenty different kind of cancer, there are also plenty of treatments available. Reading this article will get you off to a great start!…

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Health Tips

Strategies On How To Effectively Fight Cancer

Even speaking about cancer is often enough to make a person nervous. How much more fearful is it to hear that you, yourself, have cancer. Only those who have had this experience fully understand the devastating effect. Be it treatable, operable or otherwise a diagnosis of cancer means drastic and immediate changes to your life. The purpose of this article is to serve as a guide through those changes, with the goal of making them a bit easier to handle.

Avoid the consumption of sugar to prevent the growth of cancer cells. Cancer cells grow faster when they have a supply of glucose, so reducing your intake of sugar could slow down the rate a which the cells multiply. This alone will not eliminate cancer, but use it with other tactics to keep cancer away.

Cancer can be a trying time, both for the person and the family. Because most forms of cancer are curable if caught early enough, it is important that you consult with as many professionals as you can as often as you can.

When you are battling cancer, exercising is critical. Exercise gets the blood flowing in your body. Increased blood flow will help the treatment medication travel through the body more easily.

Prepare yourself to deal with the changes that your body will go through, while dealing with cancer and the treatments for it. Speak with your doctor about the side effects you may face. If your hair falls out as a result of chemotherapy, you many want to purchase a wig. If your skin becomes pale, as a result of cancer treatments, you might want to wear special makeup.

Fresh fruits and vegetables should always be washed before they are eaten. Often times, they are sprayed with poisons to prevent bacteria, fungus and bug from destroying them. If you can’t buy untreated organic vegetables and fruits, make sure to wash your produce thoroughly.

Make it a priority to sit down and really listen to the feelings and concerns of anyone close to you who has received a cancer diagnosis. You may find it awkward to do at first, but your loved one will benefit greatly from the opportunity to talk, as well as from knowing that you cared enough to take the first step. This is a time to avoid your own opinions and simply listen to their feelings and concerns.

Make certain to study any relevant text you can about the particular cancer you, or someone close to you, has. Confidence is really important here.

Depression will reduce the effectiveness of your immune system, opening up the chance for your cancer to grow or metastasize. A positive attitude is essential to being able to fight cancer, so you should never give up.

Regardless of your situation, you can always do a few things to make your daily life easier with certain resources, and help from others. The information found here will help lighten your load and give you confidence in your ability to fight against cancer.…

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Health Gov

It Isn’t Easy Dealing With Cancer, But These Tips Can Help!

Most people know what cancer is but do not fully understand how it can affect someone’s health. Understanding what physical effects cancer will have on your body is an important part of educating yourself. In this article you will find a wealth of information that will help you to understand cancer and useful strategies to deal with it.

If you have cancer, avoid consuming large amounts of sugar. Cancer cells survive on sugar, so taking sugar out of your daily diet can help eliminate cancer cells. Although this tactic alone will not eliminate cancer, it can help to combat it.

The absolute best way to get a leg up in the battle against cancer is early detection. Visit your physician and schedule regular screenings for cancer so that you can detect any signs of cancer as soon as it forms. Early detection is critical in fighting this disease. Breast and testes should be self-examined on a monthly basis, so that any changes will be immediately noticed.

If you have cancer, you need to get enough exercise. Blood circulation is augmented via exercise. Increased blood flow will help the treatment medication travel through the body more easily.

Be aware that the fruits and vegetables you buy may be contaminated. A lot of the produce you buy are sprayed with chemicals like pesticides which helps prevent bacteria, bugs, and fungus from harming them. Wash these products using a mild soap and always thoroughly rinse them.

When someone close to you has cancer, it is important to let them know you are available. Even though it’s not always the easiest thing to do, you have to allow your loved one the opportunity to communicate his or her thoughts, feelings and emotions. Be careful to keep your focus on them and do not interject your personal opinions.

If you do have cancer, be sure to always inform yourself on the subject and always be on the lookout for new information. Being confident plays a major role in fighting cancer.

Depression can deteriorate health and consequently promote growth of cancer cells. Depression makes it more likely that someone will stop fighting their cancer.

You must not shy away from a little pain if you require a screening for breast cancer. Any discomfort will be brief. A mammogram can in effect save your life by catching a tumor before it begins to spread and affect your organs. A little discomfort is a small price to pay for this kind of prevention.

One of the many causes of cancer are sugar filled drinks, so it’s best to cut sodas, juices, and other such drinks out of your life. Sugary sodas and other high-sugar beverages are caloric and full of simple sugars, which can cause you to get fat, and accelerate the growth of cancer.

As previously stated, knowing the effects of cancer involves being well-informed. Lowering the risk of getting cancer is easiest when you improve the quality of your health. Use what you learned to beat back cancer and reclaim your life.…

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Health News

Tips On How To Steer Away From Cancer

Most people know that cancer is sometimes fatal, but they don’t know the myriad ways the disease can affect their physical health. It is important to stay on top of the latest information regarding cancer so that you can make the best proactive decisions. This article contains a number of health tips surrounding the topic of cancer.

You will feel better, look better, and have a better chance of avoiding cancer if you pay attention to your diet and get adequate exercise. Eating a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking water and exercising regularly are the best ways to stay healthy.

A cancer diagnosis means you should stop smoking immediately. Many people who have cancer erroneously believe that there is no point in quitting smoking since they are ill already. Cigarettes contain carcinogens that can make it harder for you to beat the cancer.

Be prepared of the changes your physical body will undergo, while receive your cancer treatments. A health care professional can outline the different treatment options and the likely side effects of each one. You may have to deal with hair loss by wearing a hat or a wig, or you may choose to wear makeup to add color to your face.

A lot of people are ignorant or rely on outdated information about cancer. They may fear that your disease is something that is contagious, or that you can no longer perform your job at work. Be as open and honest as possible.

Your loved one needs you to really listen to his feelings about his cancer diagnosis. Doing this can be hard sometimes, but the cancer victim you know really could use any chance they can to express their emotions. Take care not to barge in or volunteer your personal thoughts; this is their time.

A little bit of exercise every day can dramatically decrease your risk of getting colon cancer. When you regularly work your body, you give it the tools you need to fight off cancer as well as to resist other diseases like diabetes. Always work to remain active.

While it may be common information that quitting smoking can reduce the chances emphysema and lung cancer, many smokers are unaware that smoking can also lead to colon cancer. Smoking allows carcinogens to be transferred to the colon causing cancer and increasing the size of any colon polyps. You can minimize the risk to your colon if you quit smoking.

Many people know that wild salmon is a healthy fish to incorporate into your diet. However, the fatty acids that are in salmon, as well as its low mercury count, can also help prevent cancer. Some studies suggest that consuming wild salmon several times a week can help prevent cancer cells from forming and multiplying in the body.

As you learned from the beginning when you read this article, you learned that cancer is all about staying informed when you’re thinking about combating or preventing it as the more you know can only benefit you. If you are armed with some tips on how to reduce your cancer risks, it can help you lead a happier life! Use this solid advice to put up a powerful fight against this life threatening disease.…