CareStaffEliteServicesInc.

Check out my friend OneCareUS.org and please sign the petitions below and ask others to do the same. You can copy this code to paste in your own bulletin, comment or message right out of the "Bulletin of the Day" section on their page. It's easy to help spread the word!Not-their-fault insurers - Giving you a raw deal on healthcare is what they are supposed to do!Everyone Click Here to Petition Congress to pass Single-Payer HR 676 – National Health InsuranceClick Here to support Universal Health Insurance for California (California people sign BOTH petitions!)HR676 - The Single Payer Solution.Every Single Person, Take One Single Action, Every Single Day For Single Payer.www.myspace.com/onecarenoworg JOIN OUR GROUP HERE
Copy this code to your website to display this banner!

***EDUCATION CORNER***
Breast Cancer, Interview with Dr. Larry Norton, M.D. On a cellular level, what is cancer?All the tissues in the body are known to grow to a certain size and to perform certain functions. When something goes wrong with the instructions in certain cells, they do several things that are abnormal, and these are things that we call cancer. Too many cell divisions occur so you get a lump, a mass. These cells spread into surrounding tissue and develop the capacity—and this is the serious part—to grow in other parts of the body. So a breast cell, for example, should normally remain a small collection of cells in the breast. If it grows too large you get a lump; if it invades into the surrounding breast tissue you call that invasive breast cancer; and if it spreads to other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes under the arm or to the lung or liver or bone we call that metastasis. Those three things: forming a lump, spreading into surrounding tissue, and spreading to other parts of the body are the behaviors that we associate with cancer. How does that kill you? Well, the big problem is that if the cancer cells can spread to another part of the body and can grow to a large size and invade into surrounding tissues, they can destroy the function of those organs. For example, if a breast cell becomes cancerous and spreads to the lung, it can grow its masses in the lung, spread throughout the lung and disturb the function of the lung so the lung can't exchange oxygen with the air anymore, depriving the person of oxygen. . . . That's the real problem with cancer: it's not the local disease, the mass of growth in the local area. For the most part it's the ability of cancer cells to spread to other parts of the body. Can you summarize the risk factors? The biggest risk factor for developing breast cancer is being a woman. Women have about a hundred times greater chance of developing breast cancer than a man. We think this is because estrogen promotes the growth of breast cells and can lead to the growth of cancer cells by a variety of mechanisms that we're now just beginning to understand. Certain things increase the risk, however. Breast cancer is more common as a woman gets older. Taking extra estrogen, either in the form of birth control pills or hormones after menopause, definitely increases the risk of breast cancer to a small degree but to a significant degree in some individuals. We've recently learned something very important: that some women are pre-disposed to getting breast cancer at a very high rate because of abnormalities in the genes that they inherit from their mother or their father. Two genes in particular —one called BRCA1 and the other called BRCA2—are definitely implicated in a high risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer sometime in the woman's life. Women who have menopause very late or start to have their periods very early seem to have a higher risk. Not bearing a child until you're older—in your thirties—seems to increase your risk to some extent. Radiation exposure for the few individuals who've had that unfortunate experience increases your risk. And we're beginning to understand all these things on the basis of the changes in the DNA that lead to the formation of the cancer.Reference:To learn more on this topic, please visit: Breast Cancer, Interview with Dr. Larry Norton, M.D.
Breast Self Exam Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, but it can be successfully treated. The key? Early detection. this Breast Self-Exam Animation teaches you how to look and feel for any breast changes. Use the links below view the tool and learn or perfect your BSE technique and skills.Check Out The Video! Breast SelfExamThe Five Steps of a Breast Self-Exam form breastcancer.org : Step 1: Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror and look for: usual size, shape, and color, breasts that are evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling. Step 2: raise your arms and look for the same changes. Step 3: While you're at the mirror, gently squeeze each nipple between your finger and thumb and check for nipple discharge (this could be a milky or yellow fluid or blood). Step 4: Next, feel your breasts while lying down, using your right hand to feel your left breast and then your left hand to feel your right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few fingers of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Step 5: Finally, feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting.

***HEALTH TIP*** Nasal Allergies Is your nose sometimes stuffy or runny? Do you sneeze and itch? Do your symptoms get worse in the early spring or late summer or fall? Do you feel like you have frequent colds that just won't go away? Your "cold" may not be a cold at all. It may be nasal allergies, also called hay fever, chronic nasal allergy, or allergic rhinitis. These are allergies that affect your nose, eyes, ears, and throat. They can occur seasonally or year-round. The bothersome symptoms of nasal allergies can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. They can interfere with your ability to do everyday activities such as cleaning house, going to work or school, visiting friends, and participating in sports or other recreational activities. Nasal allergies can interrupt your sleep, leaving you tired and unable to concentrate and causing a poor performance on the job or at school. In fact, some studies show that 8 out of every 10 people with nasal allergies have sleep problems. Even though nasal allergy symptoms can be quite bothersome, many people who have them think they're normal. They don't recognize the symptoms because: symptoms tend to develop slowly over time symptoms are present most of the time or chronic, so they seem to be normal other people in the family have the same symptomsWhat they are? If you have nasal allergies, you're more sensitive than others to certain substances. These substances are usually considered harmless, such as pollen or mold. They cause an exaggerated reaction in your nose, eyes, and sinuses, triggering symptoms such as stuffiness, itching, runny nose, and watery eyes.What Are the Common Symptoms of Nasal Allergy? For some people, nasal allergy symptoms are mild. For others, they're severe. Anyone who has nasal allergies knows these common symptoms well: Sneezing. The nasal mucosa membrane protects the inside of your nose against invasion by foreign substances. When something irritates this membrane, you sneeze. The sneeze is an attempt to expel whatever is causing the irritation. Runny or stuffy nose. During an allergic response, chemicals are released that cause the vessels and glands in the area of your nose to become leaky. This releases mucus. These same chemicals cause the nose's blood vessels to enlarge. This leads to congestion. Itching eyes, nose, and throat. Histamines and other inflammatory chemicals released during an allergic response act on the mucous surfaces of these areas, causing them to itch. Allergic shiners. Dark circles under the eyes are a result of constant inflammation of the sinuses and nose lining. They also are the result of increased blood flow near the sinuses. The "allergic salute." This is the upward motion children with nasal allergies often make. They rub their nose with the palm of their hand to ease their persistent itching nose. Some children "salute" so often it creates a crease mark across the bridge of their nose. Watery eyes and swollen, red-rimmed eyelids. Called allergic conjunctivitis, this condition develops in as many as 3 or 4 out of every 10 people with seasonal allergies. They develop swelling, watering, and itching when allergens touch the membranes in and around their eyes. Inflamed nostrils. Some people with nasal allergies also report the following symptoms: nasal voice noisy breathing snoring chronic tiredness or fatigue itchy skin dry throat wheezing poor appetite nausea frequent headaches difficulty tasting, hearing, and smelling frequent nosebleeds frequent sinus infections frequent cough If you have any of these symptoms, talk with your doctor.How they are diagnosed? Doctors diagnose nasal allergies by: what you tell them about your symptoms what you tell them about your medical history a physical exam that may include tests to identify the substances to which you are allergic.How they are treated? There are 3 main approaches to treating nasal allergies: avoidance, where you try to stay away from the substances that trigger your symptoms (example: pollen) medications, which you take to either treat or prevent symptoms (example: antihistamines) Immunotherapy: where you receive injections that can help you become less sensitive to the substances causing allergic reactions. What Do I Need to Do? How You Can Make a Difference Learn what causes your allergic reactions and how to avoid your allergy triggers. Develop strategies for keeping your environment as allergen free as it can be. Keep track of which medicines work best to prevent and relieve your symptoms and take them at the appropriate time. Develop healthy habits that ensure good nutrition, plenty of exercise, and adequate rest. Develop strategies for working effectively with your doctor and for sticking with your treatment plan. Get support from others who know how miserable it can be to suffer with nasal allergies.There is much you can do to gain control over your nasal allergies. In fact, when it comes to the most effective treatment for nasal allergies, you are your own best provider. That's because the first step in controlling nasal allergies is avoiding those things that trigger them. By learning now what you can do to help yourself, you will soon be able to take charge of your life rather than letting your allergies control you. You will also be able to work more effectively with your doctor to control your symptoms. ***Some Tips*** Keep windows closed and, if possible, use air conditioning when necessary. A HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter or an electrostatic precipitator may help clean pollen and mold from the indoor air--- Don't hang clothing outdoors to dry. Pollen may cling to towels and sheets--- Keep your car windows closed during allergy season--- Try to stay indoors when the pollen count is reported to be high—especially if it is windy--- Plan outdoors activities for later in the day, when pollen counts are lower--- Wash all bedding every 7 to 14 days--- Don’t smoke--- Take your medication as prescribed by your doctor. Reference: Click here to learn more on this topic at Discovery Health Allergy Article