Raising Awareness for Breast Cancer

OK men.  Just because today's topic is about breast cancer, it's not just geared towards women.  Did you know, according to the U.S. Breast Cancer statistics:

• About 1 in 8 U.S. women (just under 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.
• In 2011, an estimated 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 57,650 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer.
• About 2,140 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in men in 2011. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000.

In other words, just because you are male doesn't mean your risk for developing breast cancer is void.  Therefore today's blog is just about raising awareness. 

With October in full swing, you probably have heard this month is "Breast Cancer Awareness" month.  Instead of haunting you with the gloom and doom of death statistics, our focus today is to just open your mind a little more.  Did you know that in 2011, there were more than 2.6 million breast cancer survivors in the United States?   That means with early detection and early treatment, this doesn't have to be a deadly disease.  For a little background on risk factors for developing breast cancer, refer back to our blog from 2011.

Everyone should be aware of the risks...even if you DON'T have a family history of breast cancer.  Sure your risk may be lower if no one in your family has had or has breast cancer but almost 85% of all breast cancer diagnoses are in women with no family history!!  This is due to genetic mutations that occur through the aging process and through other lifestyle factors.  All the more reason to lead a healthy lifestyle!!

I'm sure most of us know at least one person who is battling (or has battled) breast cancer.  A co-worker, a friend, a family member.  Maybe you participated in a "Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure" event; maybe you saw a celebrity who publicized his or her battle with breast cancer; maybe you saw someone in the grocery store with little to no hair from chemotherapy wearing a little pink ribbon.  It's all around us and it's time to take notice.  Do your part to stay healthy and live a clean lifestyle.  Be sure to know your risks for all diseases based on your family history, your gender, your age, and your lifestyle.  Get regular medical check-ups to catch problems early.  Most of all be aware, be brave, and be healthy!!

National Wear Red Day

Today, February 3, 2012, is National Wear Red Day to help raise awareness about heart disease in women.  Did you know that heart disease is the #1 killer of American women?  Here are some more staggering statistics from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)...one in four women in the U.S. die from heart disease as compared to one in 30 from breast cancer.  Around 80 percent of women ages 40-60 have one or more risk factors for heart disease.  Having multiple risk factors significantly increases your risk for heart disease because risk factors worsen each others effects.  According to NHLBI, only having one risk factor doubles your chance for developing heart disease.

Do you know what the controllable lifestyle factors are?  Check it out:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Being overweight or obese
• Physical inactivity

How many of those risk factors do you have?  Every one of the risk factors listed above are "controllable"...meaning with a little effort on your part, you can change your risk.  Click HERE to refer back to our previous blog on heart health.

It's time for you to step up and take control of your health.  Today is a good day to do just that.  Wear red today and raise your own awareness of heart disease.  Do it for yourself...do it for the ladies you care about!

Don't forget to stop by PROMATx Health Club today to learn more about preventing heart disease.  We will have a lot of great information for you and you can talk with some of our trainers to see how they can help you reduce your risk for developing heart disease.  Come on in...your heart will thank you!!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Whether you know someone who has battled this disease or you are that someone, it's time to take a moment to think about those who have struggled against and those who have conquered breast cancer.  

Breast cancer is not limited to women.  Men run the risk of developing breast cancer but it is approximately 100 times less common in men than in women.  In fact, the lifetime risk for men developing breast cancer is 1 in 1,000.  According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), about 2,140 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men in 2011 and approximately 450 men are expected to die this year.

Breast cancer death rates for women are going down.  The chance of a woman developing invasive breast cancer in her lifetime is less than 1 in 8; the chance of dying from it are 1 in 35.  According to the ACS, there are approximately 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.

Whether you are male or female, you should be aware of the risk factors for developing breast cancer.  Some factors have we control over while others, such as genetics, we do not.  Controllable risk factors include:

1. Alcohol
2. Obesity
3. Lack of exercise
4. Hormone replacement therapy after menopause
5. Not having children or having children later in life
6. Use of birth control pills

Uncontrollable risk factors include:

1. Age
2. Gender
3. Family history
4. Genetic predisposition
5. Race
6. Dense breast tissue
7. Breast radiation early in life

Although there is no guaranteed prevention of developing breast cancer, you can reduce your risk by changing the lifestyle factors you have control over such as obesity and lack of exercise.  Take care of your body and it will take care of you.  Talk with your healthcare practitioner to discuss your risks and how you can reduce your risk.  In the meantime, come in to PROMATx Health Club and start reducing your "controllable" risk factors!

Don't forget...the Susan G. Komen-Lexington Race for the Cure 5K is October 15th at 8am in downtown Lexington.  Click here for race registration.

High Blood Pressure - The Silent Killer

Did you know that more than 66 million American adults suffer from high blood pressure? Did you know high blood pressure is known as the "silent killer"? It is given this name because high blood pressure (hypertension) doesn't have any symptoms and many people don't realize they have it. Hypertension also increases a person's chance for heart disease, stroke, and other serious problems.  Despite this, hypertension is easy to check for and can easily be controlled through exercise, diet and medication. 

In 2007, the Kentucky Department of Public Health published the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey results and showed that adults in Kentucky had the following risk factors for heart disease and stroke:

• 30% of adults in Kentucky had high blood pressure
• 38.5% of those screened reported having high blood cholesterol
• 9.9% had diabetes
• 28.2% were current smokers
• 69.1% were overweight or obese
• 55.8% reported no exercise in the prior 30 days
• 81.6% ate fruit and vegetables less than 5 times a day

As if these statistics were bad enough, all of these were higher than the national average!

Do you see any of those statistics that are "controllable"?  Meaning a person has the ability to affect the outcome?  All 7 of the above statistics fall under "controllable, lifestyle risk factors".  You have the power to prevent heart disease and stroke through exercise and diet.

Studies published to date suggest that moderate-intensity activity may be most effective in lowering blood pressure.  Furthermore, regular physical activity has been shown to be effective in reducing the relative risk of developing hypertension by 19-30%!!

Do you have hypertension?  Do you know what your numbers are?  Talk to your doctor or health-care practitioner for more information.  If you are already battling high blood pressure, be sure your tell your doctor you are exercising (or getting ready to start an exercise program).  It's important to have an open line of communication so adjustments can be made in medication.

Another reason to start your exercise program today!  Don't become a statistic...take charge of your health.  Stop in at PROMATx Health Club and learn how you can take charge and make your own transformation.