Ways To Be Lean For Life

Lean For Life
Edited by Heather Hurlock, Best Life

The smell of bacon in the morning might do more than just get you out of bed ... it could help you lose weight. A recent study by the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, in Chicago, found a surprising connection between good-smelling food and weight loss. For six months, 1,436 overweight volunteers sprinkled savory or sweet calorie-free crystallized smells (called tastants) onto their food before eating, and they lost an average of 30.5 pounds. "Smells are perceived as tastes, so they increase sensory-specific satiety, making you feel full faster," says study author Alan Hirsch, MD. But you don't need tastants to reap these benefits. Simply slow down when you eat, and focus on the smell of your food, says Dr. Hirsch. You'll eat in a less hurried fashion and recognize when you have eaten enough, which translates to fewer calories consumed and more weight lost.

Eat breakfast, drop pounds
A high-protein breakfast (containing 40 grams of protein) is one key to long-term weight loss, according to new research from Daniela Jakubowicz, M.D., and scientists from Virginia Commonwealth University. In their eight-month study, obese individuals who ate a 600-calorie breakfast and a small lunch and dinner lost an average of 40 pounds. The hormones that transform food into energy prevail at sunrise, so a big breakfast with plenty of protein (such as eggs, lean breakfast meats, low-fat cheeses, and protein smoothies) will speed up your metabolism and reduce hunger and cravings later in the day. No time for a big breakfast? Eat an omelet with smoked salmon or ham and a piece of whole-grain toast (about 300 calories) when you first wake up. When you arrive at work, have a yogurt, blueberries, and a protein smoothie (about 300 calories), says Dr. Jakubowicz.

Avoid the weekend fat trap
Even if you work out every day or eat perfectly during the week, you can sabotage your flat belly by indulging too heavily on Saturday and Sunday. A recent study in the journal Obesity followed two groups of people for one year: one group on a calorie-restricting diet, and the other on a daily exercise program. Those in the CR group stopped losing weight on the weekends, and the people in the exercise group actually gained weight, solely from weekend splurging. The key is to maintain your regular eating patterns on your days off: Try to avoid huge brunches and constant grazing, and consider keeping a food diary to ensure your calorie intake is consistent every day.

Burn fat with spices
Turmeric, a spice common in curry dishes, may treat many inflammatory conditions from skin diseases, Alzheimer's, and cancer. Now researchers at Columbia University say the spice shows promise in fighting obesity. When they fed obese mice curcumin, the yellow-orange antioxidant in turmeric, there was a decline in the animals' body weight and fat, even with higher calorie consumption. The study authors recommend adding one teaspoon of turmeric a day to your diet. The spice is found in yellow mustard and pickles, can be used as a rub on meat, chicken, or fish, and makes a tasty addition to vegetable sautés, soups, and stews.

Smile yourself slim
Being happy keeps you thin, according to a new study in the journal Cell Metabolism. The good-mood hormone serotonin reduces your appetite and directly affects your body's ability to store or burn fat: Low levels of serotonin mean more fat storage, while high levels mean you're more likely to burn fat. Boost serotonin levels with exercise, high-fiber/low-glycemic-index carbs (like oatmeal), monounsaturated fats (like avocados), and foods high in folic acid (like wheat germ, lentils, and spinach), says New York City-based registered dietitian Keri Glassman.

URL: http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100216575

GOODBYE BLUE EYES

"If my eyes should ever turn brown, my career is shot to hell," Paul Newman once joked. No one could deny the magic of those baby blues, not even the heartthrob himself. But after a decades-long screen career and an even more astonishing philanthropic one, the world says goodbye to the gentle-hearted Oscar winner, who died of cancer Friday at age 83.

RAWISM

Woman goes raw, loses more than half herself

By Jackie Adams
CNN

(CNN) -- Angela Stokes had never been overweight as a child.

But she steadily started gaining weight as a teenager because of an under-active thyroid gland. By the time she graduated from college her weight had ballooned and she wore a U.K. dress size 26-28.

"I was 300 pounds, very unwell, very miserable," recalls Stokes. "I ate junk food all the time. I was very closed down emotionally. I had no interest in dieting; I just wanted to eat all the time ... that was like my comfort in life."

At the time, she says she was so "emotionally shut down" she refused to talk to anyone about what was happening. The weight was also taking a physical toll on her health and she frequently battled infections and illness.

Stokes says living her everyday life became a challenge.

"My mobility was quite restricted ... I was unwilling to participate in things from cutting my toenails to going on a walk with my friends," remembered Stokes. "I tried to give this impression that I felt fine about everything, but inside I was in a lot of pain a lot of the time."

Two summers after she reached her heaviest weight, Stokes was working at a greenhouse in Iceland, when a friend lent her a copy of a book about the health benefits of eating raw foods. Stokes, who had never been interested in diets, says she was completely "absorbed" by the approach.

She started eating raw the very next day.

"Everything in my life completely shifted. It was like a light bulb moment to be like ... 'this is what I was waiting for to reclaim my health,' " said Stokes. Watch CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta report on Angela Stokes' raw diet »

She went cold turkey or "cold cucumber," as Stokes often jokes. She stopped eating meat, animal products and processed foods and instead switched to a diet that consisted of uncooked and unprocessed vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.

"To me, the thing with raw food is that it just makes sense. It's simple and natural, eating food straight from the earth. There's no rocket science, no mystery," said Stokes. "Once you understand the simple principal that no other animal in the wild eats cooked or processed foods. That's it."

The raw food diet completely transformed her life, she says. Within the first month of going raw, she had her first boyfriend in more than five years. In just two years, she had lost 160 pounds and has experienced dramatic improvements emotionally, physically and socially and is "happier than I've ever been."

Stokes, who now weighs 138 pounds, has kept the weight off for four years and authored several books on "raw foodism" lifestyle.

What tips does she have for people considering a raw vegan lifestyle? First, start slowly.

"I recommend people start out being at least 50 percent raw and go from there," advises Stokes. "Maybe it ends up at some point you are completely raw, maybe not. As long as the majority of the stuff or at least 50 percent is fresh raw food ... then you're tipping the balance in your favor."

Stokes also advises people to start eating things they like such as peaches, plums or spinach and then slowly incorporate more fresh raw foods. She admits the lifestyle can be socially challenging and she encourages people to connect with other "raw foodists."

"It's great to get support. If you look on the Internet and around you, you may find pot lucks," said Stokes. "Read books to inspire you to keep going on this journey."

Matt Sloane contributed to this report.

Way To Go Amory Middle School

Tied For #1 Healthiest Middle School In America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

from:

http://living.health.com/2008/08/20/americas-healthiest-schools/

The average American child spends nearly 12,000 hours in school, from kindergarten through 12th grade. That’s a big chunk of time during which he or she can develop good (or bad) health habits. Happily, schools today are recognizing the many benefits of a healthy head start—and Health magazine wants to recognize the ones that are doing an A+ job. To find the health stars in America’s vast public school universe, we asked education officials in every state for their nominations; we scored those based on how they measured up to some tough criteria (see How We Chose Our Winners), and the semifinalists were ranked by our panel of experts. Congratulations to all of the inspiring winners!
The Winners:
1. West Babylon Senior High - West Babylon, New York
TIE 2. Rawhide Elementary - Gillette, Wyoming
TIE 2. Amory Middle - Amory, Mississippi
3. Anthony Elementary - Leavenworth, Kansas
4. Richmond Elementary - Appleton, Wisconsin
5. Mountain Valley Middle - Mexico, Maine
6. Miami Springs Middle - Miami Springs, Florida
7. Lakewood Elementary - Cecilia, Kentucky
TIE 8. W.C. Britt Elementary - Snellville, Georgia
TIE 8. South Elementary - Pinson, Tennessee

TIE 2.

Amory Middle

Amory, Mississippi

479 students in grades 6 through 8
A battle against its state’s obesity problem, combined with admirable creativity, make this middle school not only Mississippi’s shining star but also a national model. The fitness push at Amory was off the charts: The school collaborated with a home-improvement retailer to build a rock-climbing wall, set up an on-site fitness center that offers twice-weekly family-friendly activities from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and implemented a school-wide mission to get (and keep) kids moving. “We have become Dance, Dance Revolution,” principal Cheryl Moore says. “We traverse the rock-climbing wall, play ping-pong, power walk, and much more.”
Amory also wowed panelists with its hydration policy, which allows students to bring water into the classroom, and its healthy-snack policy, which bridges the gap to lunch. Plus, the school provides great nutritional education through its healthful lunch menus and special events like the Healthy Wok workshop.
The school’s faculty-driven push to incorporate health education throughout the curriculum earned a high mark from health-ed judge Areva Martin, who saw this as a way to give students “a solid foundation for healthy living.”
By Tracy MinkinAdditional Reporting by Brittani Tingle

Fitness Matters

Get Fit Mississippi

Get Inspired
Get Moving
Get Motivated
Get Healthy
Get Fit……………..

We don’t want to be number one any more ……
Number one obese state in the Nation that is……

So put down that hamburger and lace up those walking shoes!

The time is now and we will show you HOW…..
At http://www.getfitmississippi.com/

· online journaling
· online message boards
· online support groups
· online recipes, inspirational stories, and fitness news
· and much much more

Any questions contact your Vicksburg Area Point Person for GetFit; Tracye Prewitt at getfitvicksburg@yahoo.com

Great Value Low Fat Sugar Free Ice Cream Sandwiches

These sandwiches are low fat and low calorie compared to the leaded versions! They are really good too.......

Only 110 calories

And 98% Fat Free

So you can have your ice cream/and cake and eat it too!

Another Reason To Get Potassium In Your Diet And Other Diet Musings

Lean for Life: Preserve Muscle with Potassium
Edited by Heather Hurlock, Best Life
Best Life

Sarcopenia, the steady loss of muscle mass, threatens every one of us after we hit 40—but there might be a way to slow it down. Researchers at the Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, at Tufts University, found that foods rich in potassium help preserve lean muscle mass. After studying 384 volunteers for three years, they found that those whose diets were rich in potassium (getting more than 3,540 milligrams a day) preserved 3.6 more pounds of lean tissue than those with half the potassium intake. "That almost offsets the 4.4 pounds of lean tissue that is typically lost in a decade by healthy men," says study author Bess Dawson-Hughes, Md. While bananas are the easiest on-the-go source of potassium (each contains about 420 milligrams), there are better sources of the nutrient.

Here are 15 of the best:
Food serving
Potassium
source
size (mg)
Swiss chard, (boiled)
1 cup, 961
Lima beans (cooked)
1 cup, 955
Yams (cooked)
1 cup, 911
Acorn squash (baked)
1 cup, 896
Spinach (boiled)
1 cup, 839
Papaya
1 whole, 781
Pinto beans (boiled)
1 cup, 746
Crimini mushrooms (raw)
5 oz., 636
Cod (baked or broiled)
4 oz., 586
Beets (boiled)
1 cup, 518
Broccoli (boiled)
1 cup, 457
Brussels sprouts (boiled)
1 cup, 450
Cantaloupe
1 cup, 427
Tomato (raw)
1 cup, 427
Banana
1 whole, 422

Lose weight with sparkling water
When researchers from the University of Pennsylvania questioned the accepted wisdom that adults should drink eight eight-ounce glasses of H20 per day for optimum health, it sent ripples through the science community. They asserted that there's no evidence that water cleans out toxins, wards off weight gain, improves skin tone, or has any beneficial health effects. The latest salvo in the water wars, a new study in the British Journal of Nutrition, shifts the emphasis onto the kind of water you drink. Researchers found that drinking carbonated beverages increases satiety and decreases the amount of calories consumed. While the study authors aren't suggesting you drink soda to lose weight, their research suggests that sparkling water may decrease cravings more than still water.

To snack or not to snack?
Contrary to popular nutritional advice that promotes regular snacking, a recent study presented to the Dietitians Association of Australia found that eating more than three times a day does not contribute to weight loss. The researchers found no difference between those who ate three meals a day and those who ate three smaller meals and three snacks a day. "This study actually isn't inconsistent with snacking advice," says registered dietitian Susan Bowerman, assistant director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California at Los Angeles. "It's the total calories a person consumes over the course of the day that matters."

The case for juice
In recent years, nutritionists have warned that fruit juice is a sugary indulgence that costs more in calories than it's nutritionally worth. But recent studies on adolescents have found that high-calorie, 100 percent fruit juices don't contribute to weight gain the way other caloric beverages do. "While we didn't extrapolate these results out to adults, men can get one-third of their daily fruit servings from 100 percent juice as part of a healthy diet," says registered dietitian Carol O'Neil, Ph.D., the author of the study. Bottom line: One 8-ounce glass of 100- percent juice a day won't pad your gut.
Provided by Best Life

URL: http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100216094

Happy Ice Cream Cone Day

On September 22 1903 the Ice Cream Cone was patented.

1903 - On September 20, 1903, Italo Marchiony (1868-1954), an Italian immigrant living in New York, NY, filed a patent application for a "molding apparatus for forming ice-cream cups and the like." U.S. Patent No. 746,971 was issued to him on December 15, 1903. His patent drawings show a mold for shaping small cups, complete with tiny handles - not a cone.
When cones became popular after the 1904 St. Louis Fair, Marchiony tried to protect his patent through legal channels but failed. Since Marchiony's patent was for only the specific mold construction and there were lots of other ways to mold cones, his patent was not much good. Marchiony's ice cream and wafer company thrived at in Hoboken, New Jersey until his plant was destroyed by fire in 1934. He retired from his business in 1938. It wasn't until Marchhiony's obituary was printed in the New York Times on October 29, 1954, that this story was made public.

Happy Fall Ya'll

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."

George Eliot

FAMILY FALL FOOTBALL FEST ---- Lets Tackle Childhood Obesity

Museum and Heart Assoc. Fight Youth Obesity By Elaina Jackson, American Heart Association

Sep 16, 2008, 10:37 am

The American Heart Association and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum (MSHOF&M) are teaming up to educate local families about making healthy choices at the 2008 Fall Family Football Fest. The event will include fun activities for kids like football drills, cheerleading clinics, games and prizes. Parents will receive healthy tips about getting their family moving and planning healthy meals. The football fest will be held Saturday, September 27th at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum located at 1152 Lakeland Drive in Jackson, MS from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Ben Williams, a former college All-SEC and NFL All-Pro defensive lineman, will be present at the Fall Family Football Fest.Parents and kids will also get a chance to meet Mississippi Sports Hall of Famers Willie Richardson, W.C. Gorden, Harper Davis and Ben Williams. “We are joining with the American Heart Association to encourage children and families to stay active this fall by participating in sports or finding other ways to get moving,” said Michael Rubenstein, Museum Executive Director. “Physical activity and healthy eating habits are important factors in creating a healthier generation of Mississippians,” said Rubenstein.September is national Go Healthy Month – a time where children and their parents are encouraged to begin healthy habits. Today, 11 million kids are overweight, and an additional 13 million are at risk for being overweight. As a result more and more kids are developing conditions and diseases that would normally be associated with adults—like high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and type-2 diabetes. Mississippi was has the highest rate of cardiovascular disease in the nation and was recently named the state with the highest rate of obesity. The American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation have joined together to form the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to empower kids and their families to make healthy choices to live longer, stronger lives.For more information about the 2008 Fall Family Football Fest or how you can prevent heart disease and stroke for yourself and your family call the American Heart Association at 601-321-1200 or the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum at 1-800-280-FAME (3263). Media partners for this event include JACK-FM and WJTV.About the American Heart AssociationFounded in 1924, the American Heart Association today is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke. These diseases, America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, and all other cardiovascular diseases claim nearly 870,000 lives a year. In fiscal year 2006–07 the association invested more than $554 million in research, professional and public education, advocacy and community service programs to help all Americans live longer, healthier lives. To learn more, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit americanheart.org.
© Copyright 2001-2002 by Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Museum

My Addiction Is Good For Me ----WOW

A Kid Favorite That’s Good for Blood Sugar

From http://www.realage.com/

There’s something sweet and creamy that kids love -- and it may actually be good for your blood sugar. It’s not chocolate pudding. It’s peanut butter. Adults in a recent study who ate this childhood fave at least five times a week reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes by 27 percent. Go NuttyResearchers speculate that the unsaturated fats in nuts -- and nut butters -- may partly explain the big dip in diabetes risk. These healthy fats may somehow improve insulin sensitivity and keep your blood sugar stable. The fiber and magnesium in nuts may also decrease insulin demand and resistance. (Better than takeout: Satisfy your cravings for Chinese food with these deliciously healthy Spicy Peanut Noodles.) In a NutshellAn added bonus of eating peanut butter? Staying slim. The study participants did, especially when they used nut products to replace other fatty foods, like chips. Here are even more reasons to dip into nuts and nut butters:
Peeper protection. Eating nuts at least once a week may save your vision and prevent this sight-stealing disease.
Heart help. Eating a serving of nuts twice a week can slash your heart attack risk by almost half. Here’s why.
Mood boosting. Here’s how nuts banish the blues and make you smile.
Glowing skin. They’re part of our healthy-skin diet. Video: Make your own savory snacks at home. Watch this video on how to toast nuts.
RealAge Benefit: Eating a low-fat diet -- and eating healthful unsaturated fats when you do eat fat -- can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

Beware Of These Fast Food No Nos

Fat Attack!
by Sally Wadyka for MSN Health & Fitness
MSN Health & Fitness Exclusive

The good news is that fast-food restaurants have all made great strides toward adding healthier choices to their menus. But the bad news is that the majority of fast food offerings are still loaded with excess calories and fat. "At the very least, try to downsize rather than super-size," says Leslie Bonci, a registered dietitian and director of sports nutrition at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. "Those so-called 'value meals' may give you more for your money, but that means more for your waistline too."

According to the American Heart Association recommendations, your daily fat intake should not be more than 30 percent of your total calories, with saturated fat contributing no more than 7 percent. For someone eating 2,000 calories a day, that means fewer than 600 calories from fat, or less than 66 grams. And within that total, saturated fat should be limited to fewer than 15 grams (if you are worried about high cholesterol or heart disease, that number should be even lower).

You can get nutrition information for most fast food restaurants on each company's Web site (for example, McDonald’s, Burger King and Subway). You can also check out chowbaby.com for a round up of nutritional information from a variety of eateries. [Note: All of these numbers came from each restaurant's site except for the information on Cinnabon and Boston Market, which came from chowbaby.com because those restaurants don't list nutritional info on their sites.] And whatever you do, avoid these 10 over-the-top offerings—each of which contains obscene amounts of artery-clogging fats and, in some cases, nearly an entire day's worth of calories!

McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast is a smorgasbord of bad-for-you foods—including eggs, sausage, pancakes smothered in syrup and margarine, hash browns and a biscuit. In moderation, any of these items could be an OK (if occasional) breakfast, but add them together and you're looking at a grand total of 1,220 calories, 550 of them from fat, including 17 grams of saturated fat.
Burger King's Triple Whopper With Cheese is a perfect example of why more is not better. A regular Whopper With Cheese already delivers 760 calories, with 47 grams of total fat including 16 grams of saturated fat. But when you triple it up, this meal tips the scales at 1,230 calories and 82 grams of fat including 32 grams of saturated fat. (And that's before you order a side of fries!)
You might think you're doing a good thing by ordering the Taco Bell Fiesta Taco Salad. But don't let the word "salad" delude you into believing that this meal is healthy. This bowlful of goodies packs 860 calories and 46 grams of total fat, 14 grams of which are saturated fat.
Sure there are thin-crust options at Pizza Hut, but if you dive into a Stuffed Crust Meat Lover'spie, you'd better warn your arteries in advance. Two slices of this will stuff you with 1,000 calories and 82 grams of total fat, 22 grams of them saturated.
Popping into Cinnabon for a Caramel Pecanbon isn't exactly a breakfast of champions. This gooey pastry packs 1,100 calories and 56 grams of fat, while providing virtually no worthwhile nutrients.
Boston Market is one of the better stops for quick, healthy bites, but you still have to watch what you order. For example, the menu includes a chicken pot pie that contains 750 calories and 46 grams of fat, including 14 grams of the saturated sort.
Subway may have several healthy sandwiches (the ones that helped poster-boy Jared slim down), but that doesn’t mean there aren't a few bad choices on offer. Avoid the 6-inch Double Meat Classic Tuna, which, thanks to lots of artery-clogging cheese and mayonnaise, packs 790 calories and 55 grams of fat, including 16 grams of saturated fat.
Domino's ExtravaganZZa Feast deep-dish pizza is a feast indeed. The pie comes topped with pepperoni, ham, green pepper, onion, black olives, mushrooms, sausage, beef and extra cheese. That might help explain why it also comes with 860 calories, 46 grams of fat and 17 grams of saturated fat in just two slices.
The fried chicken seems like an obviously unhealthy choice at KFC, but it's actually not the fattiest item on the menu. The Mashed Potato Bowl With Gravy contains 690 calories and 31 grams of fat, nine of them saturated.
On a hot summer day, a stop at Dairy Queen seems like the perfect treat. But watch out that you're not treating yourself to more than you bargained for. A large serving of its Caramel CheeseQuake Blizzard means spooning up a whopping 1,290 calories, with 500 of those calories coming from fat, including 39 grams of saturated fat.

Losing Weight Is As Easy As 1 - 2 - 3 !!!!!

3 Habits For Highly Effective Weight Loss

The key to shedding pounds—and keeping them off—could lie in our everyday habits.

By The American Institute for Cancer Research

With more than two-thirds of American adults overweight or obese, many people are searching for ways to lose weight—and possibly decrease the risk of cancer at the same time. According to some recently published studies, the key to shedding pounds and keeping them off may lie in our everyday habits.

Here are three behavioral strategies that may help:

Pick Up a Pen:

Tracking what you eat in a food diary can lead to shedding more pounds, according to a study published this month in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. In the study, approximately 1,700 participants were asked to restrict calories, exercise at moderate intensity levels, attend group sessions, and follow a diet high in fruit and vegetables aimed at stopping hypertension (the DASH diet). After six months, more than two-thirds of the participants lost at least nine pounds. The biggest weight loss was experienced by those who kept the most extensive food records every week. Other behaviors associated with increased weight loss include more minutes spent exercising and attending group sessions.

Avoid Weekend Pitfalls: Does this sound like you? Weekdays it's a healthy pattern of calorie-cutting and exercising: Weekends, not so much. This pattern, according to a study published in this month's Obesity, may be the reason behind your slower-than-expected weight loss. In the study, 48 adults were assigned to two groups for a year—one group that restricted calories, and one that exercised daily. Daily weight changes, calorie intake, and activity levels were measured for weekends and weekdays. During weekdays, both groups were burning more calories than they were consuming, which leads to weight loss. Yet on weekends, both groups ate more calories compared to weekday consumption and the exercise group was less active, which prevented them from losing weight.

Integrate Small Changes: Whether it's adding one more vegetable or another hundred steps to your day, a new study suggests that focusing on small, cumulative changes can make significant differences in weight loss and maintenance. Published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, the study compared weight loss and maintenance between a standard weight loss group, and a group that selected healthful, small changes that would fit into the individuals' lives. Both groups received the same amount of time with counselors and exercise training programs over the course of four months. After another three months of no meetings, the small-change group kept significantly more weight off than the standard-diet group.

A Healthy Weight for Health
The record numbers of overweight people today come at a time when the evidence linking excess body fat to cancer risk is stronger than ever before. AICR's expert report found that carrying excess body fat is convincingly associated to an increased risk of six types of cancer, including pancreatic, colorectal, and post-menopausal breast cancer.
Yet while the end goal of reaching a healthy weight may be the same, nutritionists agree there is no one correct way to reach that goal. "In the struggle to lose weight, every individual faces their own unique motivators and barriers," says AICR Nutritionist Sarah Wally. "Not every weight loss strategy will work for every person, but experimenting with different behavioral approaches allows you to find the one(s) that best suits your needs."
For tips on how weekends can help you meet health goals, AICR Nutrition Advisor Karen Collins offers a column. Once you are a healthy weight, try these strategies in Staying Lean for Cancer Prevention to maintain your weight.

Provided by American Institute of Cancer Research

September Is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

From Healthwise

What is ovarian cancer?
Ovarian cancer happens when cells that are not normal grow in one or both of your ovaries. This topic is about epithelial ovarian cancer, the most common type.
This cancer is often cured when it is caught early. But most of the time, the cancer has already spread by the time it is found.
It is frightening to hear that you or someone you love may have ovarian cancer. It may help to talk with your doctor or join a support group to deal with your feelings.
What causes ovarian cancer?
We do not know what causes it. Some women who have it also have a family history of cancer. But most do not.
Some women are more likely than others to get this rare cancer. Women who are past menopause or who have never been pregnant are more likely to get ovarian cancer.
What are the symptoms?
Ovarian cancer does not usually cause symptoms at first. But most women do have some symptoms in the 6 to 12 months before ovarian cancer is found. The most common symptoms are gas and pain or swelling in the belly. Other symptoms are diarrhea or constipation, or an upset stomach.
But these symptoms are so general that they are more likely to be blamed on a number of other causes. Most of the time, the cancer has already spread by the time it is found.
How is ovarian cancer diagnosed?
Sometimes the doctor may feel a lump in or on an ovary during a routine pelvic exam. Often a lump may be seen during an ultrasound. Most lumps are not cancer.
The only way to know for sure that a woman has ovarian cancer is with biopsies taken during surgery. The doctor makes an incision in the belly so that he or she can look inside. The doctor will remove bits of any tumors that are found and send them to a lab to confirm that they contain cancer.
There is a blood test called CA-125 (cancer antigen 125) that is sometimes done to look for cancer in women at high risk. So far, there is not enough proof to show that this test works to find ovarian cancer early in most women. Too much CA-125 in the blood can be caused by many things, like the menstrual cycle, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids, as well as many types of cancer.
How is it treated?
Surgery is the main treatment. The doctor will remove any tumors that he or she can see. This usually means taking out one or both ovaries. It may also mean taking out the fallopian tubes and uterus. After surgery, most women have several months of chemotherapy, which means taking drugs that kill cancer cells.
This cancer often comes back after treatment. So you will need regular checkups for the rest of your life. If your cancer does come back, treatment may help you feel better and live longer.
Ovarian cancer is very serious, but many women do survive it. It depends on your age and overall health, how far the cancer has spread, and how much cancer is left behind during surgery.
It may help to talk to other women who are going through the same thing. People who take part in support groups usually feel better, sleep better, and feel more like eating. Your doctor or your local branch of the American Cancer Society can help you find a support group. You can also look on the Internet to find support sites where women with this cancer can talk to each other.
What are your chances of getting ovarian cancer?
This cancer most often affects women who are past menopause. Women are more likely to get ovarian cancer if others in their family have had it. They are more likely to get it if they have had breast cancer.
You may also be more likely to get this cancer if:
You never had a baby.
You started your menstrual cycles before age 12 and went through menopause after age 50.
You are unable to become pregnant.
You have used hormone replacement therapy for menopause symptoms.

I Will Remember You

Joe Dan Dickerson And Joe Ferguson

Childhood friends from Durant, Mississippi died during the September 11th attacks on the Pentagon in Washington DC. D D was in the Pentagon and Joe was on Flight 77.....

Please remember all victims of 9-11 and fly your flags on that day!

Thank you