Disease Prevention Articles

Diabetes 101: Mediterranean Diet

When a person is diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes most doctors start by getting their patients set up with a diet plan. Many people turn to a classic, low-fat regimen, while others have opted for a higher-fat, Mediterranean-style diet filled with lots of olive oil, as well as vegetables, whole grains and fish and poultry.

Researchers studied groups of people who were following both diets and they found that after four years both groups had lost similar amounts of weight.

But, only 44% of the Mediterranean dieters needed to take diabetes medication, as compared to 70% of the low-fat dieters.

One of the major benefits of the Mediterranean diet is that it is full of healthy foods and primarily because it doesn't recommend fat-reduced foods that are chock full of refined carbohydrates.

Signs, Symptoms and Risks of Breast Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and because it is one of the most common cancers in the United States we offer these facts, symptoms, signs, possible causes and your risks of having breast cancer.

BREAST CANCER FACTS:

• One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
• Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women.

• Each year it is estimated that more than 220,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die.

CAUSES:

While there is no clear answer to what causes breast cancer, researchers have identified things that can increase your risk of breast cancer.

BREAST CANCER SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

• A lump in the breast or thickening that feels different than regular tissue.
• Discharge from the nipple.
• Change in size or shape of your breast.
• Changes to the skin of the breast, including dimpling.
• Redness of the skin of the breast.

RISKS:

• Being female.
• Increasing age.
• A personal history of breast cancer.
• A family history of breast cancer.
• Inherited genes that cause breast cancer.
• Radiation exposure.
• Obesity.
• Beginning your period at a young age.
• Beginning menopause at an older age.
• Drinking alcohol.

Having children later in life or not at all.

Awareness 101: Ward off Breast Cancer

In support of October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the American Institute for Cancer Research recently estimated that nearly 40 percent of breast cancer can be prevented if all women would follow these four simple lifestyle changes.

1. Have one alcoholic drink per day, MAX : abstaining is even better although.
2. Get moving for at least 30 minutes per day : besides helping you to keep a healthy weight, exercise will also help boost your immune system and keep your hormones in check.
3. Watch your body weight and keep it down : fat cells produce estrogen which can only fuel some cancers.
4. If you have a baby and breastfeed, try to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months : this in and of itself can reduce your risk of getting breast cancer by 60 percent.

Blood Pressure Myths

Did you know that roughly one in three American adults has high blood pressure?  A staggering fact is that having untreated blood pressure can lead to further serious conditions like heart failure, stroke, heart disease and kidney failure.

But do you know the facts about high blood pressure? Or have you fallen victim to believing the many myths out there about blood pressure?

Find out more as we sift through the myths to find the facts!

MYTH : Lower blood pressure is always better.

Low blood pressure could be a concern if it causes symptoms of dizziness, fainting or shock.  But, it is true that sometimes low blood pressure is normal for some people.

MYTH : Nervousness, sweating and lack of sleep are all symptoms.

Actually high blood pressure does not have any symptoms.  Nearly one-third of all adults who have high blood pressure do not even know that they have blood pressure issues at all.

MYTH - If you have high cholesterol, then you have high blood pressure.

While many of the same poor exercise and food choices cause both high cholesterol and high blood pressure, people can have just one or the other : or both.

MYTH : Once you are feeling better you don't need to take your blood pressure medication anymore.

If a doctor has prescribed a blood pressure medication for your high blood pressure, you should follow their exact orders.