Cleaning For A Reason -

If you know any woman currently undergoing chemotherapy, please pass the word to her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning - once per month for 4 months while she is in treatment. All she has to do is sign up and have her doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. 

Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service. This organization serves the entire USA and currently has 547 partners to help these women. 

It's our job to pass the word and let them know that there are people out there that care. Be a blessing to someone and pass this information along.

http://www.cleaningforareason.org/ 

January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

About Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide. In the U.S., the American Cancer Society estimated that in 2009, 11,270 women would be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 4,070 women would die of the disease. 

Cervical cancer is nearly 100 percent preventable, yet each year, about 15,000 women in the United States learn that they have cancer of the cervix. The occurrence of deaths from cervical cancer has declined significantly. The good news is that cervical cancer is preventable and curable if it is detected early. 

Cervical cancer is caused by persistent infections with high‐risk types of the human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV is a very common sexually transmitted infection that 3 of 4 adults will have at some time in their lives. Most of these infections go away on their own without treatment.

Infections that do not go away on their own can lead to cervical cancer. Cervical cancer, however, is almost always preventable ‐ with the Pap test, the HPV test and the HPV vaccine.

A Pap test is the traditional method used for cervical cancer screening. An HPV test identifies women who are infected with high‐risk types of HPV that could potentially lead to cervical cancer. Clinical studies suggest that screening with both a Pap test and an HPV test offers women aged 30 and older the best protection against cervical cancer.

HPV vaccines, recommended for 11‐ to 12‐year‐old girls and approved for young women up to age 26, have been shown to be highly effective at preventing infection with the two most common types of HPV that cause approximately 70% of all cervical cancers. HPV vaccination does not protect against all the HPV types that can cause cervical cancer; thus, women who have been vaccinated still need to be screened.

Cervical Cancer Screening Saves Lives, yet...

• 11% of United States women report that they do not have their Pap test screenings.

• In the United States, About 11,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and 4,000+ women die in the USA each year from this disease.

• Women in developing countries account for about 85 percent of both the yearly cases of cervical cancer (estimated at 473,000 cases worldwide) and the yearly deaths from cervical cancer (estimated at 253,500 deaths worldwide).

• In the majority of developing countries, cervical cancer remains the number‐one cause of cancer related deaths among women.

• A woman who does not have her three shot prevention vaccine and her regular Pap test screen and HPV test when recommended, significantly increases her chances of developing cervical cancer.

• High‐Risk HPV Types are directly related to cervical cancer, yet many women are unaware of what HPV is or the relationship it has to cervical cancer.

 

Never, Put your Banana in the Refrigerator!!!

This is interesting.  After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.  

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.  

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to our daily diet.
 
Depression:    According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.  

PMS:   Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
 
Anemia :   High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.  

Blood Pressure:   This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
 
Brain Power:   200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.  

Constipation:  High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives. 

Hangovers:  One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey.. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.  

Heartburn:    Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:   Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.  

Mosquito bites:   Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.  

Nerves:   Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.  
 
Overweight and at work?:  Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.  

Ulcers:   The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.  

Temperature control:   Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):  Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.  

Smoking &Tobacco Use:  Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.  

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.  

Strokes:  According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!  

Warts:   Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!' 

Banana Recipes 

PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS  
PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time! I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit !!!  

November 17th is the Great American Smokeout

Set a Date and Quit Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the US, yet an estimated 46.6 million Americans still smoke. By quitting smoking, you can take one of the most important steps toward reducing their cancer risk and living a healthier life.

If you or someone you know would like to quit smoking, join the 36th annual Great American Smokeout on November 17th, brought to you by the American Cancer Society.

How can you plan to quit smoking?

Research shows that if you pick a quit day in the next 30 days and stick to it, you'll be more likely to quit. So here are some ways to prepare for your quit day:

• Pick the date and mark it on your calendar.
• Take the Smoking Habits Quiz (courtesy of the American Cancer Society) for a profile of your nicotine dependence and some ideas about how to tame your cravings as you become a non-smoker.
• Decide on a plan. Will you use nicotine replacement therapy or other medicines? Which one is best for you? Do you need to consult your physician?
• Get rid of all the cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and workplace.
• Stock up on oral substitutes - sugarless gum, carrot sticks, and/or hard candy.
• Tell friends and family about your quit day.
• Think back to your past attempts to quit. Try to figure out what worked and what did not work for you.

Quitting smoking isn't easy, but it's a battle that you can win. By using one or more of these ideas, you increase your chances of staying quit for good! To learn more about them or find local resources, visit the American Cancer Society at: http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/StayAwayfromTobacco/index.

Learn More
Click here to learn more about the dangers of smoking and to obtain additional smoking cessation resources.

Raise Awareness
Print out this flyer to raise awareness among your peers.

Presidential Proclamation 
National Family Caregivers Month, 2011

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

November 01, 2011

Presidential Proclamation -- National Family Caregivers Month, 2011

NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH, 2011

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Across our country, millions of family members, neighbors, and friends provide care and support for their loved ones during times of need.  With profound compassion and selflessness, these caregivers sustain American men, women, and children at their most vulnerable moments, and through their devoted acts, they exemplify the best of the American spirit.  During National Family Caregivers Month, we pay tribute to the individuals throughout America who ensure the health and well-being of their relatives and loved ones.

Many of our Nation's family caregivers assist seniors and people with disabilities to help improve their quality of life.  Their efforts help deliver short term comfort and security, facilitate social engagement, and help individuals stay in their homes and communities as long as possible.  This heroic work is often done while caregivers balance other commitments to their families, jobs, and communities.  As these remarkable individuals put their own lives on hold to tend to their family members, it is our responsibility to ensure they do not have to do it alone.

To ease the emotional and financial burdens that can accompany caregiving, my Administration has striven to support family caregivers for the crucial role they perform.  Vice President Joe Biden's Middle Class Task Force has focused on the importance or investing in respite care, counseling, and training for individuals who serve aging Americans.  These initiatives would give family caregivers a leg up as they continue to support their aging loved ones.

One of our Nation's greatest responsibilities is to ensure our veterans, their families, and their caregivers receive lasting and comprehensive support.  Last year, I signed the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act, which helps fulfill this obligation by extending additional assistance to family members who care for severely wounded veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.  Our military caregivers exemplify the heroism found not only on the fields of battle, but also in the hearts of those who tend to our wounded warriors when they come home.

As we observe National Family Caregivers Month, we honor the tireless compassion of Americans who heal, comfort, and support our injured, our elders, and people with disabilities.  This month and throughout the year, let the quiet perseverance of our family caregivers remind us of the decency and kindness to which we can all aspire.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2011 as National Family Caregivers Month.  I encourage all Americans to pay tribute to those who provide for the health and well-being of their family members, friends, and neighbors.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

In the Shower
Fingers flat, move gently over every part of each breast. Use your right hand to examine the left breast, left hand for the right breast. Check for any lump, hard knot, or thickening. Carefully observe any changes in your breasts.

 Before a Mirror
Inspect your breasts with your arms at your sides. Next, raise your arms high overhead.

Look for any changes in the contour of each breast, a swelling, a dimpling of the skin, or changes in the nipples. Then rest your palms on your hips and press firmly to flex your chest muscles. Left and right breasts will not exactly match—few women's breasts do.

Lying Down
Place a pillow under your right shoulder and put your right arm behind your head. With the fingers of your left hand flat, press your right breast gently in small circular motions, moving vertically or in a circular pattern covering the entire breast.

Use light, medium, and firm pressure. Squeeze the nipple; check for discharge and lumps. Repeat these steps for your left breast.