BMI and Cancer Risk

Increased body weight puts us at risk for developing a variety of health conditions. This is not news to anyone. Those who are overweight or obese are more at risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, sleep apnea, diabetes, stroke, liver disease, and more. It’s also important, however, to understand that increased body mass index (BMI) - the ratio of your body’s height to weight - can also be an indicator of your potential risk for developing certain types of cancer.

In fact, the American Cancer Society estimates that about one in three cancer-related deaths in the United States are connected to body weight; making losing weight priority number one in taking control of our health. It has been shown that increased BMI is connected to cancers such as pancreatic, breast, ovarian, prostate, liver, colon/rectum, and more.

It is believed that increased weight causes inflammation in the body thus causing an imbalance in our natural immune system and hormone levels. This imbalance, in turn, can affect cell division which can result in cancer.

There is no better time to get healthy than now. To lower your risk of a variety of health conditions and potentially lower your risk of developing cancer, it’s important to eat healthy, exercise, and stay in balance.

It is recommended to lower the number of calories that we ingest on a daily basis by eating smaller portions and reducing our intake of fried foods and those foods that are high in fat and calories. Instead, we should be increasing our intake of whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. There is a seemingly ongoing discussion about the potential connection between sugar and cancer but regardless it’s recommended that we limit our intake of sugar as much as possible.

There will always be a good reason to lose weight and live our life at a healthy BMI. Lowering our risk of developing cancer is another fantastic reason to let go of the excuses and get healthy.

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Talking to Your Doctors

Treatment for cancer – no matter how short or relatively comfortable – can be terrifying. There is so much up in the air and so many considerations including choosing the appropriate treatment that fits with the diagnosis and interferes as little as possible with our daily activities. It’s difficult enough to wrap our own heads around what is completely a surreal experience but then there is making sure that our family and friends – essentially our support team – is comfortable with all the information. You can easily find yourself more worried about disseminating information to the appropriate people – and managing bills and paperwork - than getting through treatments and before you know it you’re overwhelmed with the “admin” of cancer care.

This is the time you draw the line in the sand and start asking for help; admittedly a very tough thing for people who are often accustomed to handling everything on their own. But now is the time to reach out to the people who love you and whom you love – and would do the absolute same for in a heartbeat – and elicit their assistance. Here’s what you need:

*Someone to manage the paperwork. No, you don’t need anything else on your plate and you certainly don’t need any more stress. Pushing through the inevitable paperwork associated with cancer treatment should not be your job right now. Your team’s practice will have someone in charge of billing that should happily walk you through what needs to be done and after that you assign someone to manage it – preferably a spouse – who can take that burden off of you.

*Someone to go with you to doctors appointments. A ride is nice but having someone by your side during appointments is also about having another set of ears to listen to what the doctor has to say. This person should be detail oriented, willing to speak up with questions, and will take notes and remind you of important items.

*Emotional support. More than anything you need someone who is a soft place for you - that will accompany you to procedures, sit with you after treatment, and provide you the emotional support you definitely need at this time. This person should be a safe place for you where you can let down and be vulnerable and someone who you will let take care of you both physically and emotionally following treatment. Visit here for more information.

The Best Cancer Doctor for YOU

Those looking for appropriate cancer care can easily find they are inundated with choices. There are many amazing doctors who have devoted their professional lives to treating cancer. But that doesn’t mean that every doctor is a good fit for every cancer patient. This is a professional - and medical - relationship to be sure. But it is also a very personal relationship. This is a person with whom you will be spending a great deal of time and in whom you have entrusted your health and even your life. It is important that there is a comfortable and mutually respectful personal connection. So how do you find the best cancer doctor for you?

Create a short list. Of course you’ll need to first narrow down a list of doctors that meet your medical and logistical needs. That means finding doctors - preferably close to where you live - that specialize in your type of cancer, who have excellent reputations, experience, and superb standing within the medical community.

Interview. Once you have your list narrowed down to those doctors who meet your medical criteria, take the time to go and speak with each. Ultimately, it may come down to how comfortable you feel with each of them. This is a relationship like any other and your personalities must align.

Determine what’s important for you. This is your journey and every person’s experience with cancer treatment is different. The style of care that works for one person may not necessarily work for another. Do you need someone who spends a lot of time with you answering questions? Do you prefer someone who has a softer bed side manner or someone who is more cut to the chase? Your style must ultimately dictate the doctor you choose.

Certainly no one wants to be in a position to be searching for a cancer doctor. But unfortunately there are circumstances in our life where we have to be an advocate for ourselves, whether we want to be or not. Taking the time to find the best fit for your cancer care is well worth the time and effort and will ultimately make this a much more successful relationship with a mutual focus on your health. Visit here for more information.

Are Prostate Seed Implants the Right Treatment for You?

While there’s nothing positive about a positive diagnosis of prostate cancer, some patients will discover battling this disease isn’t as frightening as they think. When prostate seed implants are an indicated treatment option, facing down cancer can be a whole lot easier than many realize. This alternative form of therapy has been used by doctors for years with very positive results.

Prostate seed implants are tiny radioactive seeds that are implanted directly into the prostate itself. Unlike more invasive forms of therapy, seed implants are typically handled on an outpatient basis and since they dissolve on their own there’s not a huge commitment of time involved.

There are a number of cases when prostate seed implants make the most sense for a patient to consider. This form of therapy is indicated when prostate cancer is caught in its early stages. Here are just a few of the reasons to consider the alternative if a doctor recommends this form of treatment versus traditional surgery:

•    Less disruption to routine – Many people facing down cancer find the diagnosis even more troubling because it can derail plans and make holding a routine tough. Unlike surgery that can have a long recovery time, implant therapy generally enables people to go back to their normal routine within a few days.

•    Fewer side effects – While side effects are possible with any form of cancer therapy, patients tend to notice fewer with this form of treatment. This can assist those who want to get back to their normal routine to do so faster. Plus, it can help ensure patients feel better as they are battling the disease.

•    Strong success rate – When implant therapy is indicated, doctors offer this option because it works. It’s that simple. When cancer is in its early stages, implant therapy can be as effective – and sometimes more so – than surgical procedures.

Prostate seed implant therapy is a very viable option for many men who are facing down cancer. To know more about the cancer therapy and if it is right for your unique case then you can ask your doctor about it. Keep in mind, a doctor is the only one who can determine if this type of treatment will have the desired effects in your case. Visit here for more information.