Aging and Disease

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) - frequently also encountered when searched for ovarian cancer symptoms. PCOS is known by several names such as polycystic syndrome or Stein-Leventhal Syndrome It is a hormonal issue affecting women’s health. PCOS can occur in women as young as 11 years old and is the main cause of female infertility. PCOS occurs in approximately 10% of all women..

Some of the symptoms of PCOS are:

- Excess androgen: Ovaries of women with PCOS produce an excess of the male hormone androgen, causing reactions throughout the body. An excess of androgen can cause increased coarse hair growth on the stomach, face, chest and back. The excess male hormone can also cause male-pattern baldness and severe acne

- Ovarian cysts: Cysts are fluid filled sacs which can be generally found using an ultrasound image. Patients may have ovaries with no cyst activity and still have PCOS. Also patients with multiple ovarian cysts are not automatically considered having PCOS

- Infertility: The inability to have children due to PCOS

- Menstruation problems: The most common symptom of polycystic syndrome is the lack of or irregular menstration cycles.. Irregular is classified by having cycles fewer than 8 times per year.

- Excess weight: More than 50% of patients with PCOS will be classifed as obese

- Skin tags: Skin tags are small patches of excess skin, usually found on the neck or in the armpit area

- Diabetes: PCOS causes the body to ineffectively use insulin, resulting in high blood sugar levels and diabetes. Sometimes also called Prediabetes

- Darkened skin: Also called Acanthosis Negricans, this is the darkening of the skin in areas like the neck, armpits, inner thighs, vulva or under the breasts.

- Sleep apnea: People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer

Discover How Thousands Of Women Worldwide Instantly Relieve Their Constant Pain And Started Shrinking Their Ovarian Cyst Within 3 Days, Eliminating Them Completely Within 8 Short Weeks, All Without Ever Using Risky Drugs or Resorting To Surgery…Guaranteed!

Tags: Cancer, Disease

The class of diabetes referred to as type 1 diabetes refers to the state when your body is unable to produce insulin. Insulin is a protein chemical or “hormone” that is produced from your body’s pancreas. It helps transport sugar from the blood into the cells.

Type 1 diabetes has to be managed by insulin replacement therapy. The only way to replace insulin is to inject it through the skin. Insulin will make your blood sugar drop. You have to also be mindful of how much carbohydrate you ingest. If there is a mismatch between the carbohydrate in your blood and the insulin in your body, your blood sugar may go up or down. You should get some advice from your local diabetes unit

You blood sugar will go up and down througout the day. But if it goes too high or too low, it can really cause havoc with your body. When your blood sugar is high, you may find that you need to go to the toilet - a lot, you can become quite thirsty and you can even go into a type of coma. If your blood sugar drops too low, you may find yourself become shaky and confused. What follows is a short discussion about the factors that affect your blood sugar variations:

Reasons for a High Blood Glucose level

* Skipping your dose of insulin reduces amount of insulin in blood making the body cells unable absorb sugar in the blood leading to high concentration.
* Increasing the amount of carbohydrate will cause your sugar level to increase.
* If you are ill or under metabolic stress, your blood sugars can rise.
* There is something called the dawn phenomeon - basically it means that because you haven’t been doing much overnight, your blood sugar is higher.
* Taking other medicines, consult your doctor before using most types of medicines.
* Growth hormone, which mediates growth and is increased during puberty, will make your body relatively resistant to insulin and causes your blood sugar to rise.

Factors driving a Low Blood Sugar

* If, by error, you took too much insulin, your body’s cells would suck out insulin from your blood and leave you with a low blood sugar level.
* If you were to miss a meal or take in less carbohydrate than you had expected, you may find that your blood sugar drops.
* By exercising more than usual without eating enough food, the body uses more energy than it can supply leading to a deficit in blood sugar which supplies energy to body cells.
* If you drink alcohol on an empty stomach, your blood glucose will drop as a result of the alcohol on your digestion and cell function.
* Just as some medications can raise your blood glucose level, some can also drop your blood glucose level - this includes some that you can purchase over the counter, like aspirin. Always ask for advice before you take any medication.
* Women in their menstrual period, this is because hormonal changes may affect how well insulin works in the blood.

Tags: Illness, Aging

Cancer often refers to diseases that often occur as a result of the abnormal growth of cells in different body parts. Cancer may then take place in the lungs, the brain or breasts. This article will focus on two distinct cancers and their likely causes. Though the causes of cancer are dissimilar, depending on the cancer type, they nonetheless share one common factor. This is the hereditary factor.

It is difficult to ascertain the real causes of cancer. Still, heredity is cited as the principal cause. Family history places one at a high risk of developing cancer. Such cancers as brain and ovarian are often associated with hereditary factors. Cancer may also result in people who may have at one time or another suffered from the diseases. This makes prior history another cause of the diseases. Nonetheless, there are other factors that often linked to external environment that cause diverse types of cancer.

Cancer is again attributed to air pollution and smoking. Still, radiation and sunlight are also said to result in cancer. In the United States the most common form of cancer is lung cancer which is as a result of cigarette smoking. Of the lung cancer cases that have been reported in the US, cigarette smoking is responsible for 90% of them. Those affected the most are the active smokers. However, a 24% probability exists for passive smokers to also develop lung cancer. Conversely, 1% of cases linked to lung cancer are said to be caused by air pollution. Vehicle, power plant and industrial emissions are said to be the major air pollutants, the causes of lung cancer.

A victim’s personal situation can be linked to the development of certain cancers. Case in point, cancer in women is likely to be caused by hormones. According to reports, early menstruation and late menopauses in women is likely to result in breast cancer. Concomitantly, the use of hormone replacement therapy by post menopausal women exposes them to the risk of developing breast cancer. While there is no evidence in support of this, birth control pills are also said to be probable causes of breast cancer.

Factors such as heredity and prior history with the disease are said to be the principal causes of cancer. However, particular cancers have particular causes. Consequently, breast cancer may be said to occur as a result of the use of hormone replacement therapy, hormones and even the use of birth control pills. Conversely, lung cancer is said to be caused by smoking and air pollution.

Tags: Disease, Illness

It’s difficult to say why one person would get Breast cancer and another would not. Sometimes it may seem that Cancer cannot be avoided but there are things that one can do to reduce the risk of this most painful and sometimes fatal disease. You can start by living a healthy lifestyle and taking charge of your health. If Cancer can’t be prevented, treatment is more likely to be successful if it’s found early.
Early detection is finding Breast cancer at an early state and is often easier to treat. Recognising symptoms and getting regular checkups help detect cancer early .Be aware of your body and don’t ignore changes, as the sooner a report is made to your doctor ,the sooner a problem can be dealt with.
Screening is the early detection of cancer by testing or checking for disease when one has no symptoms. Some cancers can be discovered this way and can be treated early.
It’s important to note that no screening test for cancer is 100% accurate. For example a screening test can show signs of cancer when there is none, or not show Breast cancer when there is.

Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer starts in the cells of the breast tissue.and covers an area larger than just the breast.It extends up to the colar bone and from the armpit across to the breastbone in the centre of the chest.It can also be found in men but is very rare.Breast Cancer can happen at any age,but most cases occur in women over the age of 50.It can be found and successfully treated if detected early.
Breast Cancer Tests:
Mammography is a low-dose x-ray of the breasts.
Clinical Breast Examination (CBE) a physical examination of the breast by a trained professional.
Some women have a higher risk for breast cancer and should consider testing regularly if you had breast cancer before; you have a history of breast biopsies; you have a family history of breast cancer.
You can also be more aware of how your breasts normally look and feel so that changes can be readily recognised. bear in mind that the breast feel different during the menstrual cycle.
Signs to look for:
• A lump or swelling in the armpit.
• Changes in size and shape of breast.
• Dimpling or puckering of the skin(orange peel skin)
• Redness, swelling and increased warmth in the infected breast.
• Inverted nipple, nipple turns inward.
• Crusting or scaling on the nipple.

Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer starts in the cells of the cervix and grows very slowly. The cells of the cervix start to change and become abnormal. These abnormal cells are precancerous, meaning that they are not cancer. Precancerous changes to the cervix are called cervical dysplasia. Cervical cancer and cervical dysplasiain the early stages often do not cause any symptoms. Having regular tests can detect both and they can be treated successfully if diagnosed early.
Having multiple sexual partners , or becoming sexually active at an early age can put you at greater risk for developing cervical cancer. These factors increase your risk of being exposed to HPV. HPV is a group of viruses that can be passed easily from person to person through sexual contact. HPV infections are common and usually go away without treatment because the immune systemgets rid of the virus. Certain types of HPV virus can cause changes to cells in the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer Tests:
Pap Test : laboratory examination of cells taken from the cervix to detect changes. It can detect changes early before cancer develops.
Pelvic Examination: A physical examination of the organs within the pelvis through the vagina.
These tests should be taken every 1 to 3 years.once you become sexually active.Even if you have stopped having sex, continue to have the tests.
Signs to Look for:
• Abnormal bleeding or bloodstained discharge from the vagina between periods
• Unusually long or heavy periods
• Bleeding after sexual intercourse
• Watery discharge from the vagina
• Increased discharge from the vagina
• Bleeding from the vagina after menopause

Colorectal Cancer
Most colorectal cancers start in the cells that line the inside of the colon and rectum.Colorectal cancer often grows slowly and in a predictable way.. It may not cause any symptoms in its early stages as the abdomen has lots of room for the cancer to grow and develop.Screening tests often can detect the cancer before symptoms develop ,and it can be successfully treated if diagnosed early.

Colorectal Cancer Tests:
If you are 50 years or older , have a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) every 2 years.
Colonoscopy: a test that lets the doctor look at the lining of the entire colon, using a thin flexible tube with a light and camera at the end.
Sigmoidoscopy: a test that lets the doctor look at the lining of the rectum and lower part of the colon,using a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera at the end.
Double Contrast Barium Enema: an x-ray of the colon and rectum,that uses a special dye called barium,that helps the doctor see the lining of the colon more clearly.
Higher risk if:
A family member has the disease; a personal history of colorectal cancer; diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease or polyps; inherited condition of colon cancer.
Signs to look for:
• General discomfort in the abdomen(bloating , fullness, cramps)
• Change in bowel habits eg. Diarrhea or constipation
• Blood in the stools
• Narrower than usual stools
• Urgent need to have a bowel movement
• Feeling that the bowels have not been completely emptied.
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue
• Weight loss.

Skin cancer
The different kinds of skin cancer begin in different kinds of cells in the skin.(Basal cell, squamous cell and melanoma cell
The best way to prevent skin cancer is to protect your self from the sun. Protect skin from the sun especially between 11a.m. and 4p.m.,or when the UV index is 3 or higher. Stay in the shade or indoors , out of the sun during these times. Cover your skin if you have to be exposed to the rays of the sun,and wear a hat. Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Wearing sunglasses can prevent damage to the eyes. Avoid using indoor tanning equipment. Check skin regularly.

Signs to Look for:
Changes in shape colour and size of birthmarks and moles
Sores that don’t heal
Patches of skin that bleed itch,or become red and bumpy.

Tags: Health, Cancer

Cancer identifies a disease that arises due to the cells abnormally dividing then later attacking other body tissues. The cancerous cells usually extend to other parts of the body via the lymphatic or blood system. The environmental causes of cancer refer to those factors that do not relate to inherited or hereditary factors. Cancer has been termed to be one of the major death causes with over two-thirds of it arising from environmental factors. With the knowledge that various environment agents can cause cancer, it is vital for people to change their lifestyles and environmental activities that are likely to cause cancer.

In order to answer the question what causes cancer, it is vital to know that these factors can be both external as well as personal. External environmental causes of cancer identify those environmental pollutants, which increase the cancer risk. Over 85 percent of cancers cases arise owing to lifestyle preferences individuals make placing them at high risks of developing cancer. For instance, tobacco causes over 30 percent cancer deaths. The risk of developing cancer due to environmental factors is incomparable. Ultra violet rays from the sun, sunlamps and tanning beds cause different skin cancer types such as melanoma. Various environmental causes of cancer amount from people’s way of life and exposure to agents found in the water or air.

Over years, epidemiologists have estimated the new cancer cases and death percentages caused by environmental agents. For instance, about 30% cancer deaths are attributed to tobacco. Other cancer cases are caused by water and air pollution, occupations, medical procedures and medicine. When establishing what environmental factors cause cancer, it is important to bear in mind some of these environmental factors. Another environmental cause of cancer is ionizing radiation. Exposure to radiation from sources like radon, cosmic rays, atomic bombs, nuclear bomb tests done on the ground and X-ray is a cause of cancer.

Carcinogens identify substances believed to increase the risk of developing cancer. To make out what causes cancer, bear in mind environmental carcinogens. In some instances, carcinogens damage the DNA directly while in some, the cause is indirect. This explains why not each exposure to a carcinogen leads to cancer. The extent and intensity of exposure to ecological carcinogens determines the chances of developing cancer. Some ecological carcinogens include chemicals, infectious agents, and air pollution. Exposure to particular chemicals, parasites, and bacteria are known risk factors for various cancer types.

Generally, the main environmental causes of cancer are related to the personal environment of an individual and include lifestyle choices such as tobacco use and diet among others. External environmental factors referring to agents in the environment like environmental pollutants, sun exposure and radiation also increase cancer risks.

Tags: Aging, Illness