We’re back, but for how long?

Well, its been wonderful being home this weekend.  We had lots of family here, and enjoyed ourselves with meatballs and spaghetti, lots of nice hot bread and butter, desserts and BOILED CRABS!  Glad we all got together, but it looks like we may have to evacuate yet AGAIN this week if IKE stays his course!  We have wonderful food here in SE Louisiana, and a culture of warm hospitality but the threats of hurricanes are getting pretty tiresome (and very expensive!).  Please keep the Gulf Coast region in your prayers as we anxiously await the end of this very active hurricane season!

Back Home, Thank God!

We were very fortunate that this hurricane was not a direct hit, and we didn’t have any flooding!  All of our homes were spared, and most of us have electricity now except those in St Bernard.  Unlike last time tho, they have a home to go home to!  Our entire family is safe, and satisfied to have dodged a hurricane that was supposed to be a  BIG one, and thank God, it wasn’t!

Impending Hurricane Gustav

Those of you who  know me, know that I am from New Orleans and live in Covington, LA.  Right now my whole family, with the exception of my brother, Mike Ginart, have all evacuated to different areas to escape the wrath of Gustav.  My brother cannot leave due to his position on the parish council in St Bernard Parish.  I am currently staying in Dallas until we can safely return home.  I would really appreciate your prayers for my entire family to be safe and be able to return home to houses that are livable when we come back.

 All of us are still remembering Katrina which was exactly 3 yrs ago this very weekend. In Katrina, we lost our Uncle Red, a Catholic Priest that would not leave his church and my brother and my 2 sisters ALL lost their homes.  All of them have rebuilt and were trying to get some sort of normalcy back in their lives.  My children, my mother and Bart and I live North of New Orleans and were spared any material losses, but watched the rest of our family lose everything they’d ever had.  The fear of the same or worse happening again is not something we can even fathom! 

I hope to be able to report all is well in just a few days!  Right now we’re just preparing for the worse, and praying for the best!  I’ll be in touch!

Pet Emergency Course: CPR

By: Renae Hamrick, RVT

CPR

In the event of an emergency, your pet’s life may depend on your quick recognition of the situation, your knowledge of pet first aid, and the way in which you respond to the emergency.

CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is the act of artificially circulating blood and oxygen throughout the body during cardiac and respiratory arrest. Minutes without blood and oxygen can cause irreversible damage to the tissues and organs of the body; therefore, quick reaction is crucial.

Cardiopulmonary arrest, or the cessation of breathing and heartbeat, can be caused by many traumas, diseases, and disorders. If you feel an animal is in cardiopulmonary arrest, confirm this by speaking to the pet, touching him, and trying to arouse him. If you begin CPR on an animal that is not in arrest, you could become injured. Watch for the rise and fall of the animal’s chest to determine if he is breathing. If there are no breaths for 10 seconds, STAY CALM and begin CPR.
ABC’s of CPR

Airway, breathing, and circulation are the ABC’s of CPR. These three building blocks of resuscitation are to be established in this order. If possible, have two or three people available to perform CPR.

Airway

Before giving artificial respirations, check the pet’s airway (mouth and throat) to determine that it is open and clean. Lay the pet on his side, extend his head, open his mouth, and pull out the tongue. Check the airway for any obstructions (e.g. a ball, stick, meat chunk, vomit, etc.).

If anything is seen or if the airway is too dark to visualize, perform a finger sweep. Run your index finger into the pet’s mouth along the cheek and across the back of the throat. Deep in the throat is a structure called the hyoid bone, which you are unlikely to encounter. You should be aware of this though, and do not pull on it.

If an object is lodged in the throat, you can perform 5-10 abdominal thrusts (as in the Heimlich maneuver performed on humans) to try to dislodge the foreign body. If this works, the pet may regain consciousness on his own, or CPR may still need to be administered.
It is also possible that the airway can become blocked due to swelling. In this case, the pet needs to be treated by a veterinarian immediately.

Breathing

When the airway is free and clear, artificial respirations can be started if the animal is still not breathing. With the animal lying on his right side, extend the neck, pull out the tongue, and hold the mouth closed tightly over the tongue.

Place your mouth around the animal’s nose, or nose and mouth, depending on the size of the patient. Create a seal with your lips and/or hand. Give two breaths, watching for the chest to rise and the lungs to expand fully. Be careful not to overinflate, especially in small animals. Expiration (or breathing out) is a passive process; allow this to occur after each breath.

After two breaths, watch for the pet to begin breathing on his own. If there is no response from the pet, continue artificial respirations at a rate of 12-20 breaths per minute for large pets and 20-25 times per minute for small pets. While watching for breaths, you should also feel the pet’s chest near his left elbow to check for a heartbeat. If the heartbeat is absent, cardiac compressions should begin.

Circulation

In pets under 10 pounds, use your dominant hand to grasp the pet around his chest (thumb on one side, 4 fingers on the other) and squeeze 100-150 times per minute. You can also use the ball of your hand to compress the chest of a small pet that is more than 10 pounds, while using your non-dominant hand to support the pet’s back and prevent him from sliding with compressions. Compress the chest by about 25-33% of its diameter.

In medium and large dogs, use one or two hands (depending on patient and rescuer size) to compress the widest part of the chest by 25-33% of its diameter. Do this 80 -120 times per minute. Lean over the dog, and compress with your elbow(s) locked to deliver optimal force.
If preferred, compressions can also be performed on medium and large dogs with the patient on his back. In this case, deliver compressions over the sternum (or breastbone).

Coordinating Artificial Respirations and Chest Compressions
If there is only one rescuer available to resuscitate the patient, give two breaths after every 15 compressions. If multiple rescuers are available, breaths should be administered during compressions at a rate of one breath during every second or third compression.

Veterinary Care

If possible, the pet should be transported to a veterinarian during CPR. If the patient recovers with your resuscitation efforts, he should still be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible, as follow-up care may be needed.

Legal Disclaimer

If your pet is showing any signs of distress or you suspect your pet is seriously ill, CONTACT YOUR VETERINARIAN immediately.
All of the information presented on this website was developed by Intelligent Content Corporation staff members and is the sole responsibility of Intelligent Content Corporation.
See the legal terms on the website for additional legal terms.

DIET MYTHS

Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths around about weight loss,
exercise and nutrition.  Borrowed from http://WeightLossEver.com

Here are just 3 of them:
1. Carbohydrates are fattening.
There are a lot of people avoiding foods like breads and pastas at the
moment because they believe that because they are high sources of
carbohydrates that they are fatting. The truth is that anything is
fattening if you eat more of it than you bodyneeds. Even lettuce can
be stored as fat. Any food or drink which contains calories can be
stored as body fat if it causes your blood sugar levels to exceed what
the body needs at that time. Natural breads and pastas are great
sources of complex carbohydrate which help fuel your body and keep you
feeling full and satisfied for longer. The key is how much you eat and
when you eat it.

2. Lack of exercise makes you fat.
The truth is you don’t gain body fat because of a lack of exercise.
You gain it because your blood sugar levels exceed what you are using.
Basically, you are eating too many calories. Exercising everyday has
many health benefits and can help you burn excess calories. But if you
eat far more than you need, exercise alone will not make you slimmer.
No matter what you hear about weight loss, the simplest rule to
remember is this; if you take in more calories than you burn, your
body will store those calories as fat and you’ll gain weight.

3. Eating after 7pm makes you fat.
This isn’t true. Eating at any time will make you fat if your body
doesn’t need the food you eat. Eating after 7pm is OK if your body
needs the amount of calories you consume at that time. Remember, your
body is burning calories 24 hours a day, it just burns them at
different rates throughout the day and you should try to feed your
body at those times when it needs the calories most.

Changing your Eating Habits:
Changing our eating behavior is one of the critical lifestyle changes
necessary to successfully lose weight and keep it off. For many
people, changing old eating habits is one of the hardest things
they’ll ever do, as anybody who has failed at dieting can attest. If
you’ve tried to change your eating habits before and have failed, or
if you’re about to embark on a weight loss plan that involves a change
towards healthier eating, the tips in this article may help you
succeed.

First things first:
One of the reasons most people fail to stick to a diet is that they
take the wrong first step. There are broadly two ways to change your
eating habits in order to help you lose weight:
1. Change what you eat
2. Change how much you eat

Ideally, in order to maximize weight loss over the LONG TERM we need
to change both. But it’s not a good idea to change both at once. This
is where most people make mistakes. They try to change both at once or
if they only change one, they change the wrong one first. When faced
with the above two options, most people take option 1 first when the
best first option to take to help you lose weight is typically option
2.

Why? The reason is actually quite simple. It is far easier for most of
us to go from eating 3 to 2 pieces of friedchicken for dinner than it
is to go from 3 pieces of fried chicken to a garden salad. Sure,
eating the salad will help us lose more weight than forgoing only one
piece of fried chicken, but permanent weight loss is a long term
process and going down to 2 pieces of chicken forever is far better
than eating a garden salad for dinner for 1 week and then going back
to 3 pieces of chicken for the rest of our life.

Tips On How To Reduce Your In-Take
Here are some tips to help you reduce the amount you eat: Making small
permanent changes are better than radical changes that you won’t be
able to live with.
1.1 Don’t worry about falling back to your old behavior for a day or
two, only the long term counts.

1.2 Use portion controlled packaged foods to help you (prepackaged
frozen meals and single serve snack packs for example).

1.3 Use smaller plates than usual to serve your meals.

1.4 Eat small amounts of food every couple of hours so you’re not
starving at main meal times.

1.5 Drink plenty of water throughout the day –most people mistake
thirst for hunger.

1.6 Eat slowly and concentrate on your meal –don’t watch TV while
you’re eating for example.

1.7 Gradually reduce your serving sizes over time until they reach the
ideal size.

1.8 Be the last one at the table to start eating.

1.9 Place leftover food in small, single serve containers.

2.0 Have soup or a salad with low calorie dressing to begin a meal.

2.1 As soon as you begin to feel full, stop eating.

Another step
OK, you’ve gradually started to reduce the amount of food you eat and
are starting to slowly (but surely) lose weight. If you haven’t
already, now is the time to start to become more active to improve
your general level of fitness, increase your energy levels and of
course speed up the weight loss process. Now that these habits are
well established, it’s time to start thinking about making minor
positive adjustments to what we eat.

Instead of eating a piece of fried chicken for dinner for example
(we’ve migrated from 3 down to 2 and now down to 1) maybe we can have
a piece of fried chicken without the skin or a piece of grilled or
broiled chicken instead. And maybe we can replace half of the chips
that accompany our chicken with a corn cob or a handful of your
favorite steamed vegetables. See how we’re making small positive
changes that we can live with? While changing what we eat is often
more difficult that slowly but gradually reducing how much we eat,
there are things that we can do to make sure that when we do begin to
change this aspect of our behavior that we are successful.
                 http://www.weightlossever.com

I need to lose some weight!

I was on vacation all of last week (July 28-Aug 1), then went to Houston for a Breast Health Seminar that 445 invitations were sent out for.  As you may already know, a little storm called EDOUARD also decided to visit the Houston area that same night!

Needless to say, only 2 people came out, and I sure do thank them for being there! Many of the invitees were nurses, and were called out to the hospital that night “just in case!” and others probably had the good sense to stay home and make precautions for the impending storm!

It still was a nice visit with my Aunt Carol, her husband, Bob, and my cousin Rebecca, that I hadn’t seen in 17 years! So all was not lost!

What I wanted to talk about today is Toxicity and its link to Obesity and Cancers in all forms. I used a nutritional cleansing program, that allows your body to cleanse away impurities and replaces them with pure, organic grade nutrition. I had lost 37 pounds with this program last year. Needless to say, over the past 10 months, I put on every pound back without the cleansing program.

I ordered a program, and  cleansed this week. I’ve already lost 7 pounds and 6 inches. I’ve only been doing it since I returned on Tuesday night! I forgot how great it feels to have lost a few pounds in a couple of days, and WOW! I sure did miss that! With my past history of breast tumors and my ovarian cysts, that was why I got started with cleansing in the first place!

Toxicity affects many aspects of our bodies, minds and outlook! I look forward to sharing more with you in the future! Debbie Mormino, The Breast Diva! H(985)892-5858 or C(985)237-3360

Obesity Linked to Poor Prognosis for Some Breast Cancer Patients

Content provided by Health Day FRIDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) — Women who are overweight or obese when diagnosed with locally advanced breast cancer face a higher chance of recurrence and a shorter life expectancy than either normal or underweight patients, a new study suggests.

The researchers also found that obese patients are more likely than overweight, normal or underweight patients to be diagnosed with a rare, aggressive and deadly form of locally advanced breast cancer, known as inflammatory breast cancer (IBC).

“We already know that obesity is a risk factor for many diseases, and now we’re showing that women who are obese or overweight essentially face a higher risk for getting a more aggressive form of breast cancer, and progress faster and die faster from their disease,” said study senior author Dr. Massimo Cristofanilli. He is an associate professor in the department of breast medical oncology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

The findings are published in the March 15 issue of Clinical Cancer Research.

Locally advanced breast cancer (LABC), which is cancer that has spread to nearby tissue or lymph nodes, accounts for about 5 percent of all breast cancers in the United States. In medically underserved parts in the country and the developing world, about half of all breast cancer cases are LABC, the researchers said.

The even more lethal IBC form of breast cancer strikes between 1 percent and 2 percent of U.S. breast cancer patients.

Noting that six in 10 Americans are obese or overweight, Cristofanilli and his colleagues explored possible weight-cancer connections by analyzing data on 606 women who had received similar care for stage III locally advanced breast cancer at M.D. Anderson between 1974 and 2000.

Records of body-mass index revealed that two-thirds of the patients were either overweight or obese at diagnosis. Slightly more than 80 percent of the patients had standard locally advanced breast cancer, while 18 percent had the more deadly IBC disease.

Comparing weight records with disease statistics, the researchers found that a greater proportion of obese patients were diagnosed with IBC compared with either overweight or normal/underweight patients.

Among all patients with locally advanced breast cancer, overweight or obese women were more likely to have a higher grade of breast cancer at diagnosis, followed by more disease recurrence and shorter survival times.

Cristofanilli and his colleagues noted that they tracked BMI status only at diagnosis, not during subsequent treatment. Still, they concluded that obese and overweight women coping with locally advanced breast cancer could benefit from the inclusion of a dietary component in their treatment regimen.

“Obesity is a major issue for our society, and it raises the possibility that perhaps if we reduce excess weight, we might reduce the incidence of breast cancer in the first place,” said Cristofanilli. “And for those already diagnosed, lifestyle modification and weight control — and probably more aggressive follow-up — might be needed in addition to chemotherapy and other standard treatments.”

But Dr. Harold J. Burstein, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, cautioned that the evidence suggesting a link between obesity and poor breast cancer outcomes is “less than overwhelming.”

“There’s a lot of suggestive data, but there’s nothing that’s absolutely definitive,” he said. “That is not to say that there is anything to suggest that it is risky for breast cancer patients to make an effort to maintain their weight through food control and exercise. And it can certainly help strengthen bones and lower the risk for diabetes and heart disease, which is all the better.”

“But it really must be said that there are women who torment themselves if they are obese at diagnosis or gain weight afterwards, because they believe they are jeopardizing their outcome, Burstein said. “Yet the honest assessment is that we don’t really understand yet whether there is a relationship between obesity and breast cancer outcomes, or how strong the relationship is.”

More information

For more on the connection between obesity and cancer, visit the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

Soy & Cancer: How Healthy is Soy Baby Formula?

Many babies today who cannot be breast fed for whatever reasons are being fed soy based formulas. My newest grandson, Alex, is one of them. When my daughter in law had to stop nursing him, their family pediatrician suggested soy formula. He has gone from diarrhea to constipation, and back and forth ever since.

After researching soy formula, I have come to the conclusion, that maybe soy formula is not as SAFE as it is supposed to be. I’ve been to a few websites and would like to share my findings with you. Please go to: http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/infant.html
and http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/ I think this may shed some light on the problems my grandson was experiencing.

What else can we do to help our babies stay healthy? There are homemade formula recipes at: http://www.westonaprice.org/children/recipes.html

I’ve been supplementing my own diet with Soy tablets for menopausal symptoms.   I think I’ll stop using them as of  TODAY!

How To Send A FREE Card to Our Troops In Iraq

My friend Heidi Caswell is a representative of Send Out Cards. She asked me to pass along this information to you:
http://www.connectsimply.com/blog/remembering-loved-ones-iraq/

http://www.connectsimply.com/blog/cards-to-iraq/

1. Forward this url or/and use it yourself:

http://GetYourCardsHere.com

2. Click on the banner and turn up your speakers
3. Follow the audio prompts and send a card
4. Feel free to upload photos inside the card
5. If you want make your own card by adding a photo, after sending your
first card, click on main menu, system training, then picture plus.
6. If you get stuck, contact me hcaswell@gmail.com

DID YOU KNOW…

Some alarming statistics include:

*These days, 1 in 7 women in the USA will get breast cancer at some point in their lives.
*80% of breast lumps are benign, only 20% are cancer, so can you imagine how many LUMPS are being discovered (and WE alone cannot determine which are cancerous!) ?
*Only 14% of women actually perform a Monthly Breast Self Exam, and MOST of them are performing it incorrectly or on the wrong time of the month.
*70% of the diagnosed breast cancers happen to women with no family history of the disease.
*1% of the diagnosed cases of breast cancer last year occurred in MEN, and they have a higher incidence of death from breast cancer than women do.
*Mammograms fail to detect as much as 20% of breast cancers in women over 50, and as much as 40% in younger women.
*An estimated 3 million women are living with breast cancer in the U.S; 2 million have already been diagnosed, and 1 million have the disease, but don’t know it yet!
*This year alone, 1,150,000 women worldwide will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and 411,000 will die from the disease.

I’d say we need to share a bit of education, wouldn’t you? Can you help spread the word and maybe save a life? Visit: http://TheBreastDiva.com

Debbie Mormino, The Breast Diva!

Learn to Love and Care For Your Breast

Most women never think about their breasts.  They get up in the morning, perhaps wash them in the shower and then shove them into a cage we call a bra, and there they stay for the next 8 - 14 hours! 

Well, it’s time to change all that.  It is time for us to think about our breasts.  Isn’t it true ladies that we buy eye cream, hand cream, foot cream, cellulite cream, face cream, and body cream but what about breast cream?

 The purpose of the breast cream is the following:

1) Gentle massage of the breasts on a daily basis acts as a way for women to be in touch with their breasts. In doing so, they will be more likely to be aware of any changes that may be taking place in the breast tissue. Daily massaging is also a reminder to conduct a thorough breast exam at least once per month.

2) Daily massage of the breasts is believed to promote increased circulation and facilitate lymphatic drainage of breast tissue. A recent study of 4,700 women found that women who wore bras demonstrated a statistically significant increase in breast cancer. The study found the highest rate of breast cancer in those who wore bras 24 hours a day, and the lowest rate in those who never wore bras. The study suggested that women should try to avoid wearing a bra for any more than 12 hours in any given day.
 
Presently the most accepted explanation for this finding is that constant pressure the bra puts on breasts limits the flow of toxins that otherwise would be removed,  resulting in the increased cancer rate. Any more than a gentle amount of pressure can potentially flatten lymphatic vessels and stop the flow of toxic material from breast tissue. Toxins are further limited in their removal when antiperspirants prevent elimination via perspiration. Since gentle regular massage of the breast tissue is believed to increase circulation and promote lymphatic drainage, if this explanation is correct, it is speculated that daily massage of breast tissue could potentially reduce breast cancer incidence in women who wear bras. In addition to non specific gentle massage of the breasts, there are massage techniques that have been devised to be more efficient in promoting lymph drainage of breast tissue. A video of such a technique is at the Plexus web site on the breast cream page.

3) The cream contains Spirulina algae. Spirulina, when taken orally, is considered a natural detoxifier and thus if any of these qualities take place when applied in a topical form this could only be viewed as potentially beneficial to the health of breast tissue.

If you have any breast related medical conditions consult your physician prior to initiating any regular self massage program.

Dr. Spencer’s Breast Cream is an all natural, luxuriant formula specifically designed for a woman’s breasts.  Made with Spirulina Algae, Aloe Vera Juice, the purest form of Bulgarian Rose essential oils and French Lavender; but the first ingredient on the label is Love and contains the essence of a dozen roses.

Dr. Spencer is a pioneer in the field of Spirulina algae, one of the oldest, most nutritionally dense foods on the planet.  As a matter of fact, Spirulina is approved in Russia as a “medicine food” for treating radiation sickness. The Children of Chernobyl fed just five grams in tablets each day made dramatic recoveries within six weeks.   Spirulina, when taken orally, is considered a natural detoxifier.  We naturally can’t make any medical claims, but if any of these qualities take place when applied in a topical form, this could only be viewed as potentially beneficial to the health of breast tissue.

This beautiful cream feels wonderful and smells divine.  If you would like more information about the breast cream, please visit my website at:  http://TheBreastDiva.com

You can find out more information on these wonderful, healthy ingredients at:

http://www.spirulinasource.com/earthfoodch4a.html

http://www.quinessence.com/bulgarian_rose_oil.htm

http://www.vitamins-supplements.org/herbal-supplements/lavender.php

http://www.naturalnews.com/021858.html

You can see some testimonies from women using a Breast Cream with Algae by visiting:  http://BreastCreamWithAlgae.com

Reminder:  Don’t forget to do your monthly breast self exam!

My Health Insurance Business… Post Katrina!

As many of you know, Katrina destroyed many lives, families, businesses, homes and personal properties in late August 2005. We lost my Uncle Red, a Catholic priest in Lake Catherine, LA during the hurricane. He didn’t evacuate, and his body was never found. All that was left to his church were the front and back walls and the altar with some statues. Everything else, including him, were washed away.

Prior to Katrina, I was simply a wife, mother, grandmother and health insurance agent! After the hurricane, my business was nearly non-existent. That business (since 1992) allowed me the luxury of working from home, making appointments with clients at MY convenience, and being able to go on field trips, vacations, and staying home with my kids whenever I wanted to. It also allowed me to take care of the office duties for my husband’s business.

Since the hurricane, I’ve discovered the world of nutritional cleansing and breast health and have stayed busy with family and business ventures, but did miss my insurance clients and the income I had built up over the years!

Just recently, the phone has started ringing again for health insurance! The business that was so good to me for so many years is slowly making a comeback, and I am so grateful. Not that my life hasn’t been fulfilling since the hurricane; on the contrary, it allowed me to discover nutrition and a passion for breast cancer awareness that I never knew I had!

With health insurance, just because someone calls you and WANTS insurance, doesn’t mean they’ll QUALIFY for it. Pre-existing conditions, PRICE and other issues can be a problem! I  offer my clients several different companies and types of policies to fit just about all scenarios.  All of my ventures go hand in hand to offer health AND security.

If you know of anyone in Louisiana that needs health insurance, or simply want to learn some healthy habits to enhance their health, please send them my way! I cater to both individuals and small groups, and am very interested in speaking with them to discover their insurance and health needs. We now can offer them health insurance and wellness opportunities to protect them and keep them healthy! “One plan does NOT fit all” and I look forward to helping them get the information to make SMART health decisions to suit their needs!

*We can talk to individuals and businesses WORLDWIDE regarding our cleansing program and breast health information.

Vitamin D, Breast Cancer Risk

From MyBreastCancerNetwork.com

Illuminated Again

by  Craig Stoltz
Friday, May 16, 2008

A new report casts some light on a link between Vitamin D levels and breast cancer progression. In the Canadian study, low blood levels of D were strongly linked to breast cancer diagnosis–and women with inadequate levels of the vitamin in their blood at the time of diagnosis had a higher risk of the cancer spreading and nearly twice the risk of death. It’s not the first time the vitamin, produced in the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight, has been linked to a variety of diseases, including cancers and heart disease.

Three Things You Need to Know:

1. The study did not prove low levels of Vitamin D cause worse breast cancer outcomes–and it certainly didn’t prove that raising levels of the vitamin level will improve those outcomes. The study simply observed links between levels and disease. Vitamin D blood levels may be a “marker” for good health, which helps the body fight off cancer.

2. Having said that, enough evidence of a link is accumulating about protective benefits of Vitamin D that some physicians recommend brief sunlight exposure as a way to build D levels in the blood. Their recommendation is to get 10 minutes of sun exposure on the arms and/or legs, without sunscreen, a few days per week. The flip side of sun exposure is increased skin cancer risk, however. The more conservative recommendation is to use Vitamin D supplements in consultation with your doctor.

3. Looking at the stats, there’s bad news/good news: Among women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer entering the study, only 24 percent had adequate levels of D. The better news: 83 percent of the women with adequate D levels were alive without cancer spread 10 years later. So were 79 percent of women with inadequate D levels and 69 percent of those who had a significant deficiency.

So: considering hedging your bets? Talk to your doctor. Some physicians recommend blood tests to check for D levels, and may recommend sunlight, supplements or other risk-reduction strategies.

For some background, here’s an excellent post by one of our breast cancer experts, PJ Hamel, on Vitamin D and breast cancer. And here’s one by Dr. William Davis on the link between heart disease and Vitamin D.

The federal government’s Office of Dietary Supplements has this excellent overview of Vitamin D research.

Our 33rd Wedding Anniversary

My husband and I just celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary this weekend!  We brought our Grandchildren to see the 2nd Narnia Movie:  Prince Caspian (EXCELLENT MOVIE!) Friday night, and then Saturday night enjoyed a wonderful ribeye steak dinner, awesome Banana Banchee drink, and a night at the fights!  My husband and I are both Boxing Fans and got to see a young man (who is a friends of ours) Will McIntyre win his first championship belt!  Today we attended church, and had a lovely day with family.    After all the terrible weather earlier in the week, our weekend weather matched the loveliness and fun we had this weekend!  Just beautiful!

V Day in the SuperDome/posted in April

Just had to share this with you all!

As Breast Health Consultants and Breast Cancer Advocates, my team and I went to New Orleans this weekend for the V-Day activities in the Super Dome (about 40 miles from home). We knew there would be women there from all over the world, and we would have great exposure for our breast exam kits and more important, the opportunity to share the gift of early detection with so many women!

Well, WOW! Did we have a great opportunity! On Friday, we were able to give out over 2500 brochures explaining and introducing our breast exam device to them while visiting all sorts of booths and services for women! There were speakers from all over lecturing on the many ways women are being victims of violence in the world. It’s message was love, protection, education and awareness and it was a wonderful, yet bittersweet day!

We spoke about Hurricane Katrina and its still devastating effects on New Orleans and the gulf coast residents. The camaraderie of the women from all parts of the world, all races, sizes and beliefs all meeting together in one place was amazing to say the least. The word “vagina” was everywhere (hence “V-day!”)and some were very comfortable with that while others were a bit shy.

As Christian women, our team of Plexus Pink agents fell somewhere in the middle of that comfort zone. All of us definitely have one, but our thoughts and ideas usually are on the BREAST, not the VAGINA or “down there” as it was called by MANY!! It took a little getting used to hearing about it OUT LOUD so much!

On Saturday, we had more time to mingle and get to meet more women, but Saturday’s speakers had more emphasis on more political topics, sexual preference, and topics that as a Christian, were a little more uncomfortable and divisive. The emphasis wasn’t exactly on love, peace and uniting people. (Just my take on the subject!)

This wasn’t quite as comfortable for us, but we still remembered our mission of saving lives through early detection and stuck it out even through the entire “Vagina Monologues” (held at the New Orleans arena) to close the weekend out.

The message of the Vagina Monologues included many celebrities, sad and funny stories about their “down there”/vagina’s, and for the most part was about ending Violence on Women, but it also strayed onto other subjects that might make a Christian feel uncomfortable (some of the language and some of the messages were PRETTY GRAPHIC!)

All in all, I wouldn’t trade any of it and was so glad I got to take part in such a wonderful women’s weekend and meet so many women from all over! I hope I was able to make women more aware of their breasts, and I am now more aware of my “down there!” and the horrendous things many women in our own country and in other countries are experiencing. We need to keep our sisters from all around the world in our prayers!

Happy Mother’s Day

My daughter, Delilah, is a loving, very thoughtful and caring, sweet young woman. She has 3 children and one more on the way. She truly has a “mother’s heart” and knows just when to say what I need to hear, good and bad! This is the sentiment in her card to me:

“Even when you’re all grown up, your mother still can say

Exactly what your need to hear

to take your cares away…

Even when you’re all grown up,

Your mother still can do

Some special little favor

that just means the world to you.

She still can really make your day

in one way or another…

YES, even when you’re all grown up,

You ALWAYS need your mother! and inside: You always knew what I needed, hope you know I’ll always need you.”

My son, Noah’s card had a French bulldog (We have a brown brindle female) on the front with pink furry slippers in its mouth and the inside said, “No body else could ever fill your slippers.” Really cute!  I am very blessed to have them both live in the same neighborhood wit us!

This is from a blog I read this morning, and it brought back so many memories of my own mother in law. She was a hard woman at times to love, but raised her son to be a wonderful husband and an excellent provider, and we’ll be married 33 years on May 16th. She lived with us for 18 years, and we certainly had our ups and downs!

Please read this from someone I’ve never met (and I don’t even know her name), but she blogged it and I read it and it is a fitting tribute to my own mother in law, Gertrude Armando, that died of lung cancer in 2004:

“My mother-in-law”

I visited my dear mother-in-law today. It was a short visit as I was taking 4 of my children to the beach.

I have never been able to call her Mom, therefore she is Rita to me.

Rita will be 85 this summer. She has been a brave widow for 14 years.

We have not always seen eye-to-eye on subjects. She loves to feed my kids candy behind my back, when I am trying to take care of their teeth by limiting sweets.

She gives me obviously used clothing that looks 20 years old. I say thank-you only now I really mean it, whereas years ago I said it only to be polite.

She gives me boxes of food to sample that she has opened and sampled first. A little pet peeve, I admit.

She reminds me to write thank you notes to Great Uncle Harry and her neighbor as if I had no training at all. Well, that’s how it seems to me.

She cannot say she loves me, after I tell her, genuinely, that I love her. She will reply “me,too”. She is of the Depression Era, where all sorts of things were in short supply. That’s the reason she loves sweets, and saves envelope tops and string. Being of hardy German stock she “holds her cards close to her”, meaning she doesn’t show much emotion.

After almost 22 years of marriage to her son, I have come to know, love and respect my Mother-in-law.

And today was the ‘cherry on top’!

My oldest son who lives 10 minutes away has not brought his 5 month old daughter to see her Great Grandma. I have reminded him of how much a visit like that would mean to Grandma Rita. He agrees on the outside, yet he still hasn’t made any effort. I hurt for Rita, feeling shunned myself by this son.

Yet her response is filled to overflowing with grace!!! She says she understands completely; that young people are sooooo busy they just don’t have time for anyone else. She sincerely does not hold it against him at all!! I am amazed.

I sniff at being rebuffed by this son and she gives grace that will allow him to mature in his own time.

How could I be blessed with such a wonderful example of saintliness??

My own dear Mother-in-law continues to teach me. Only this time, I soak it up and realize she has been a treasure in my life, ever since I met my husband.

I am not going to beat myself up for my past attitudes. I know I will reap what I sow. But if I can learn now about what it means to be a good mother-in-law, so much the better for my own daughters-in-law.”

Yes, we all reap what we sow, and the best thing any of us can do is just to love each other and be the best example to our children we can be…then hope for the best! Happy Mother’s Day!

It’s so Important to Get a Second Opinion!

This is an email sent to me by Kaye, an on-line friend:
Hi Debbie:

I was always a good person and got my yearly mammogram. Unfortunately, my previous doctor, according to her own hand written notes was “monitoring” (for 3 years) a lump in my right breast which she “thought” was benign. She never told me. I moved quite a distance and switched doctors, which I believe saved my life.

My new doctor wanted a mammogram, no problem, I’m thinking. She called me up the next day and told me to get in her office immediately. I had stage 2B breast cancer with 2 positive lymph nodes. She and I checked my breast and we couldn’t feel the one in the breast (I have lumpy breasts). But, the one in my armpit was very low down on my side, and about the size of a cherry. I was completely shocked. I would NEVER have given myself a breast exam that far down my side. The lump was about where the bottom of a woman’s bra would hit. Needless to say, I feel fortunate that I switched doctors, that my new doctor wanted a digital baseline mamo for her file and that I was only stage 2B. I’m done with chemo and radiation and am sporting my 1 inch crewcut now.

ANYTHING you can do to encourage breast self exam is CRITICAL. However, I feel it also import to remind women not to just check the main underarm area, but her entire SIDE. This is NOT stated in Medical guidelines; I feel it should be. Also, Patients need to demand to see the radiologists reports and not take their doctors word for anything.

Thank you for your prayers, Debbie. I had a great surgeon, great oncologist, great radiation team. I feel blessed and cancer has taught me a lot - I’m a better person for it.

I would have never known any of this had my new doctor not asked for my previous mamos with the radiology reports. I drove and picked them up and sat in my car, absolutely SHOCKED reading them. “mass in right breast, probably benign” “continue to monitor” they did this every year since 2003 and all I got was the postcard in the mail that said my mamo was completely clear…’No sign of abnormality.” Thank God I saved the postcards - my attorney loved that!

My new doctor was LIVID. I learned a great lesson to be a PRO-ACTIVE PATIENT. I ask questions, ask for copies of reports and I’ve surrounded myself with aggressive doctors now. My gynecologist is in the loop with my breast cancer and now she has me come in every 3 months to check for cervical cancer - taking Tamoxifen can cause problems. Plus, my internist (the one who asked for the mammogram) checks me for diabetes, thyroid issues, etc.

I’m blessed to have a great employer and great insurance. So many women in this country DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO GREAT INSURANCE. Is their life any less important than mine? I think NOT! Oh, gee, don’t get me started. I could totally become a healthcare advocate for the poor and non-insured.

I live life by this thought: ” What do you call a man or woman who graduated LAST in their medical school class? Doctor. ” Kaye

Free teleseminars!

Over the next two months, a team of experts from Boomer Diva Nation will host a series of teleseminars and radio interviews on a variety of topics.  These topics are designed to educate and empower you.     All of the teleseminars are FREE.  To get more info on these teleseminars, visit:  http://www.talk2bev.com/

Thursday, May 8 at noon Breast Cancer Advocate Debbie Mormino on BlogTalk Radio:  The Breast Diva Talks about Toxicity, Obesity and Breast Cancer.

Thursday evening May 8, at 8pm Author Karen O Bannon:  The Relationships Between Mothers and Daughters. 

Thursday, May 15 at noon Author Vicki M. Taylor on BlogTalk Radio:  Fighting the Battle of Living with Mental Illness.  Encore Presentation Thursday evening at 8pm 

Thursday, May 22 at noon Fearless Fifties Advocate/Author Jacqueline Wales on BlogTalk Radio:  Ten Secrets to Taking Fear Out of Your Life

Thursday evening, May 22 at 8pm Author/Virtual Assistant Kathie Thomas:  The Value of being a Work-at-Home-Mom  

Thursday, May 29 at noon Entrepreneur Heidi Richards at noon on BlogTalk Radio:  How to get the Most Out of Social Networking

Thursday, May 29 at 8pm  Wedding Planner Pam Archer:  Top Ten Mistakes when Planning a Wedding or Event-

Thursday, June 12 at noon Life Coach Eileen Williams BlogTalk Radio:  Reinventing Yourself at Midlife

Thursday evening, June 12 at 8pm: Boomer Blogger Rosie Horner:  Making the Most of Your Online Presence   

Thursday, June 19 at noon Best Selling Author Linda Alexander on BlogTalk Radio:  Telling Your Life Story or Anyone Else’s

Thursday evening, June 19 at 8pm PTSD Counselor/Author Lady Cerelli :  Why We Take Things Personal

Thursday evening, June 26 at 8pm Cookbook Author Betty Lynch  Eat to Live 

May is Early Detection Month!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

THOUSANDS NEEDLESSLY DIE OF BREAST CANCER
May 2008, Inaugural “Global Breast Cancer Early Detection Month”

May, 2008, will herald the very first “Global Breast Cancer Early Detection Month”, an effort spearheaded by the “Know Now Foundation” of Scottsdale, AZ., an organization solely dedicated to saving lives through early detection (www.YouCanKnowNow.com). The Foundation selected the month of May for this honor based on the simple premise that until you know you are cancer free, cancer may be present. Either way, you want to “know now,” hence the Foundation’s name.

Thanks to improved treatments and technology today’s survival rate for breast cancers detected at or before Stage 1 (no more than 2 centimeters in size and has not spread or affected lymph nodes) is virtually 100%. Tragically, only a small percentage of breast cancers are discovered at this very early, very treatable stage even though cancer may be present and growing slowly for up to 10 years before exceeding the Stage 1 classification. It’s very disturbing to realize that there are countless women at this very moment hosting small, very treatable breast cancers, yet they are totally unaware of this lurking danger. How many of these women will needlessly die or suffer disfigurement merely because their cancers went undetected for too long?

Know Now Foundation Co-Founder, Bill Brooksher states: “While there are many organizations diligently pursuing improved treatments and prevention strategies, we feel strongly that emphasis on early detection (our BEST protection) has not received the urgent level of attention it deserves. This is especially distressing when you consider that unlike a cure, the life saving benefit of early detection is fully viable TODAY and not an uncertain future goal.”

Because the month of May falls at the approximate mid-way point between the yearly “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” occurring every October, “Global Early Detection Month” will help maintain a high level of awareness for the breast cancer cause in addition to emphasizing the life-saving importance of early detection. Mother’s Day is also in May, and what a perfect time to give the gift of early detection!

EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES!

We’re turning the planet PINK!
Debbie Ginart Mormino
Wellness & Breast Cancer Advocate
www.JustExamineThem.com
985-892-5858 or 985-237-3360