2) Screening women of average risk between the ages of 50 and 74 with mammography every two years will achieve most of the benefits of yearly screening, but with less harm.

3) The task force also recommends against teaching breast self-exam.

So why the new recommendations? What new information do we have on the behavior of breast cancers and mammograms?

Many scientists believe that there are two types of cancers.

First there are those that appear suddenly, grow rapidly, act aggressively, and often are diagnosed when it is already “too late” for curative treatment. Even a yearly mammogram might not diagnose this aggressive breast cancer in the early stages.

But for many women (and men when it comes to the prostate) their cancers are of a second type — they are very slow growing, often not even showing up on mammograms for many years. These slow cancers are thought to be much less aggressive. Some experts are even suggesting that these cancers may either disappear on their own or would not cause injury or death to the person with them, even without treatment.

Source:  abcnews.com

You can help fight the battle against breast cancer today by purchasing any of the I’m Tired of Breast Cancer bracelet. We give half the sale of every bracelet to Breastcancer.org.

Our charity partner for the “I’m Tired of Diabetes” bracelet, Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) held a fundraising even on October 25th at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.  All money raised at the event went directly to DRI scientists who are working hard to find a cure for Diabetes.

Late Night host Jimmy Kimmel was the event’s emcee.  In this picture you can see him holding up the “I’m Tired of Diabetes” bracelet and talking about it!

You can help Diabetes Research Institute cure Diabetes by purchasing the “I’m Tired of Diabetes” bracelet.  $5 from every $10 bracelet is donated to DRI.

When Swedes examine the packaging of their food products, they’re going to see more than nutritional information–now there’s going to be a ‘carbon label’ right next to it. The labels read ‘Climate declared: X kg CO2 per kg of product,” so people will know just how much greenhouse gas their food is contributing to climate change.

New labels listing the carbon dioxide emissions associated with the production of foods, from whole wheat pasta to fast food burgers, are appearing on some grocery items and restaurant menus around the country.

If successful, the practice could be adopted nationwide. It’s part of the Swede’s shifting attitude that climate and health should be given equal weight, as well as environmental and nutritional issues.There are recent precedents for such an idea–the Global Warming Diet used such a label as a satirical conceit to try to get people to pay attention to the carbon footprint of the food and products they buy. Looks like the Swedes may have taken them seriously.

This idea is indeed gaining traction here in the US, as well–consider the Wal-Mart Sustainability Index, which will include carbon footprint as a primary criterion in the products it rates. And these sustainability ratings will be seen by anyone who strolls through the retail giant’s stores. And this is being done privately, as opposed to the Swedes’ governmental initiative.

Either way, the phenomenon is undeniable–climate change is already beginning to change the very way we shop and eat.

Source:  Treehugger.com

Although this is article is kind of funny, you can seriously help fight the battle against global warming by purchasing the I’m Tired of Global Warming bracelet. We give half the sale of every bracelet to Rainforest Action Network.  Together, we can conquer global warming.

By Elisa Jaffe

BOTHELL, Wash. — The day I met Brenden Foster, I met an old soul in an 11 year old’s body.

“I should be gone in a week or so,” he said calmly.

When I asked him what he thought were the best things in life, Brenden said, “Just having one.”

I didn’t understand how this child, who was a year younger than my own son, could be so courageous facing death.

“It happens. It’s natural,” Brenden told me.

Three years ago, doctors diagnosed Brenden with leukemia. The boy who once rushed through homework so he could play outside found himself confined to a bed. But there was no confining his spirit.

“I had a great time. And until my time comes, I’m going to keep having a great time,” he said.

Brenden’s selfless dying wish was to help the homeless.

“They’re probably starving, so give’em a chance,” he said, “food and water.”

But Brenden was too ill to feed them on his own. So volunteers from Emerald City Lights Bike Ride passed out some 200 sandwiches to the homeless in Seattle.

Then Brenden’s last wish took on a life of its own.

A TV station in Los Angeles held a food drive. School kids in Ohio collected cans. People in Pensacola, Florida gathered goods.

And here in Western Washington, KOMO viewers from all over took part in the Stuff the Truck food drive in Brenden’s honor. Hundreds with generous hearts donated six and a half huge truck loads of groceries and more than $60,000 in cash to benefit Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline.

Brenden touched hearts all over the world. His wish came true, and he lived to see it.

“He had the joy of seeing all of the beautiful response to his last wish,” said his grandmother, Patricia McMorrow. “It gives him great peace and he knows that his life has meaning.”

“He’s left a legacy and he’s only 11,” said his mother, Wendy Foster. “He’s done more than most people dream of doing just by making a wish.”

Days before dying, Brenden surprised us with a sudden burst of energy. He wanted to get off the oxygen, hop out of bed and go buy a video game. Wise beyond his years, but still a kid.

“I have been so blessed to have this child. A mother couldn’t ask for a better son,” Wendy said.

The B-Man, as his family called him, had one more wish before going: sprinkle wildflower seeds to save the bees. He had heard bees were in trouble.

Someone answered B-Man’s wish. A retired pilot asked his pilot and flight attendant friends to sprinkle wild flowers around the world, from Bali to Brazil, on Brenden’s behalf.

When asked what made him sad, Brenden said, “When someone gives up.”

Brenden Foster never gave up. Even as he clung to his last hours of life, Brenden kept giving.

“Follow your dreams. Don’t let anything stop you,” he said.

You can help us fight the battle against cancer today by purchasing the I’m Tired of Cancer bracelet. We give half the sale of every bracelet to Bogart Pediatric Cancer Research Program and Concern Foundation.

This is from Sara Knicks’ blog on Diabetes Daily:

This has been one of the hardest posts for me to write, and I have been writing it and deleting it for a few days now because I can’t figure out what I want to say.

Basically it comes down to this:

I am tired of diabetes. I am tired of writing about it. I am tired of reading about it. I am tired of answering questions. I am tired of carb counting. I am tired of changing my pump sites. I am tired of refilling my insulin pump. I am tired of knowing that the routine I am so tired of will never change.

I don’t want anyone to think that I am not taking care of myself. I am. I might not be checking my blood sugar 8-12 times a day like I used to - but I am still checking. I am taking my insulin with every meal. I am doing the bottom line tasks that are required of me. I almost feel like I should tell you my averages (I actually wrote them here and deleted them), but the numbers really don’t matter. And I know my family who reads this will freak out, but I wanted to be honest with everyone, let you know how I am feeling and why I have been so absent.

I don’t know what this means. I don’t know what I will write next. I don’t know when I will write next. I just know I am so tired of this.

You can help put an end to diabetes by purchasing the I’m Tired of Diabetes bracelets.  We give half of every bracelet you buy to Diabetes Research Institute. Together, we can cure diabetes!

1. Clinical breast exams are as important as mammograms. Mammograms starting at age 40 are crucial (get them earlier if you have a family history of the disease), but they’re an imperfect screening tool, especially in women who have dense breasts. That’s why an annual clinical breast exam from a doctor is a must.

2. Don’t panic if you get called for a mammogram “redo” or have calcifications. Many women over 40 have calcium deposits (calcifications) in their breasts, and most of them are benign.

3. Get your folate. While experts say that an overall healthy diet may help prevent breast cancer, a growing body of research suggests that getting enough of the B vitamin folate (in leafy green vegetables, beans and fortified cereals) may help mitigate the increased risk associated with drinking alcohol.

4. Being overweight is riskiest after menopause. “In postmenopausal women, one of the most significant sources of estrogen comes from body fat,” explained Dr. Isaacs. “So if you’re overweight, you have higher amounts of circulating estrogen, which could stimulate breast cancer growth.” And it doesn’t take much: Losing even 10 pounds may help lower your risk.

5. Active women are less likely to develop and die from breast cancer. Regular exercise has consistently been associated with a lower risk of breast cancer. “Any type of exercise is likely to help by lowering estrogen levels,” Dr. Seewaldt explained.

6. Steer clear of soy supplements. Soy contains isoflavones, which can act like estrogen in your body and potentially stimulate the growth of certain types of breast cancer, explained Seema A. Khan, M.D., a professor of surgery and co-leader of the breast cancer program at Northwestern University in Chicago. But soy foods — edamame, soy milk, tofu — are fine.

7. Lumpy breasts don’t mean a higher risk of cancer. Many women have cysts in their breasts that come and go throughout their menstrual cycles (which are also known as fibrocystic changes). Feeling any kind of lump or bump can be scary, but these types of cysts don’t typically lead to cancer, Dr. Seewaldt points out. Pain also isn’t usually a sign of breast cancer. If you have pain in one or both breasts, rest assured: It’s probably due to hormonal changes, a benign cyst, a ligament strain or another condition, said Dr. Isaacs.

8. Breast cancer risk is not 1 in 8 for all women. That stat applies to lifetime risk, assuming you live to 85 or beyond. At age 40, the average woman has a 1 in 69 chance of getting breast cancer in the next 10 years; at 50, the risk rises to 1 in 42; at 60, it’s 1 in 29; and at 70, it’s 1 in 27. Which means that statistically speaking, women are at most risk for breast cancer in their 70s and 80s-but that’s when breast cancer has the highest cure rate because women in that age group usually get a less aggressive and more treatable form of the disease, said Dr. Seewaldt.

9. Chemotherapy isn’t always a given. These days, doctors do genetic profiling on a breast cancer tumor (using advanced tests like the Oncotype DX or MammaPrint) to gauge a woman’s risk of a recurrence. If chances are low, doctors may not advise chemotherapy.

10. Taking certain medications can help. Tamoxifen and raloxifene are drugs that can block estrogen’s ability to promote breast cancer. They lower the chances of developing the disease by about 50 percent in women who carry the BRCA1 or 2 mutation, said Dr. Brown.

11. If it’s caught very early, breast cancer has more than a 90 percent survival rate in the U.S.

12. If you have the BRCA1 or 2 mutations, removing your ovaries lowers your risk by nearly 50 percent.

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You can help us fight the battle against breast cancer today by purchasing any of the I’m Tired of Breast Cancer bracelet. We give half the sale of every bracelet to Breastcancer.org.

You can help us fight against animal cruelty today by purchasing any of the

In between catching criminals and deterring terrorism, the NYPD occasionally comes to the rescue of one of New York’s four-legged residents.

Police officers responded to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx where a driver of an SUV said an animal was stuck in his vehicle’s engine Monday afternoon.

Indeed, when officers looked inside they saw a cat jammed in the engine block of the 2005 Nissan Murano, police said.

The driver told cops that he had driven about 2 miles from Marcy Place and the Grand Concourse before pulling over and realizing something was wrong.

Members of the NYPD’s elite Emergency Service Unit came to the scene. ESU’s Det. Jeffrey King and Det. Kris Cataldo worked to free the cat.

The cat was then taken to Animal Care and Control in good condition.

Has anybody heard of the new bill introduced to allow tax deductions for pet care?

If passed, it could cover up to $3,500 of tax deductions for costs such as veterinary care for legally owned, domestic animals.

It was drafted in order to encourage responsible pet care and reduce pet abandonment cases, especially in the current economic downturn. It also mentions the positive effects of a human-animal bond on emotional and physical well being.

Some, however, worry that this might encourage people to get an animal simply for the tax break. What do you think?

You can help us fight against animal cruelty today by purchasing any of the

I dare you. I double dog dare you.

Scratch & Sniff. What about eat?

Excuse me?

Beware of the flying dogs!

Source: Dogster.com

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You can help us fight the battle against breast cancer today by purchasing any of the

MONROE, Ohio - A husband and wife are both undergoing treatment for breast cancer in a case that illustrates how the disease can strike both sexes.Mike and Barbara Welsh, of Monroe, in southwestern Ohio, each had surgery this year after separate discoveries that they had breast cancer.

Barbara Welsh, 63, had surgery in January, went through chemotherapy and is now starting radiation treatments.

After surgery in July, her 62-year-old husband is determining the next step in his recovery, which may include chemotherapy and radiation. He had a modified radical mastectomy on his right breast.

Mike Welsh says he is speaking up about his cancer to make other men aware that breast cancer is not just something that strikes women.

“If I could help 10 people or 100, that’s a start,” said Welsh, a retired AK Steel bricklayer.

Male breast cancer is still rare, with about 1,900 cases expected to be diagnosed this year, with about 440 men dying from the illness.

Mike Welsh first noticed something was wrong when he got into his car and felt discomfort as he strapped the seat belt across his chest.

After his wife began her treatments, he asked his doctor if men could get breast cancer. His doctor referred him to the Compton Center at Atrium Medical Center, in Middletown, where he got the diagnosis.

The couple, married 41 years, laugh about their experience to help stave off the depression that sunk in after their diagnoses.

“You’ve got to laugh at it,” Mike Welsh said. “You have good days, bad days and better days. We’re having fun with it.”

He and his wife joke that she glows from radiation treatment that she has begun.

“I’m going to set her outside for Halloween,” Mike Welsh said.

Source: Dayton Daily News