What To Expect When You Suspect Breast Cancer

Breast cancer can be frightening, but knowledge is power. If you've been vigilant in your personal breast exams and mammograms there may come a time when a lump or suspicious area is found. The first thing that will probably happen is you'll get another mammogram. This time it's called a diagnostic mammogram and it will concentrate on the suspicious area. You may also get an ultrasound, with is painless and can often tell the difference quickly between benign and malignant growths.

Depending on the results of the previous tests, the doctors are likely to recommend a biopsy next. A biopsy takes a small piece of the lump for examination under a microscope. It is the best way to make sure if breast cancer is present. The biopsy can take many forms from a surgical procedure to a fine needle, which isn't much worse than getting a shot. It depends on the type and location of the mass. Your doctor will decide which type of biopsy is best in your case.

Once the biopsy sample is retrieved, a pathologist will study and characterize it. If it is found to be cancerous, it is further classified in various ways to identify its size and strength. The mass will be tested for the presence of special estrogen and progesterone receptors. If present, the cancer can be treated with hormone therapy. Another receptor called the HER-2/neu is also sought. Other therapies are directed and cancers containing this receptor.

At this point the patient is "staged". The stages of breast cancer are complex, but here is a simplified description:

Stage 0 - Abnormal cells are found in the lining of a gland within the breast. This is indicative of a future cancer, but not representative of present cancer.

Stage I - The earliest stage where the tumor is less than 2 cm across and is contained within the breast.

Stage II - Early stage where the tumor is either: a. Less than 2 cm. across and in both the breast and the lymph nodes under the arm b. between 2 and 5 cm. and may be in breast or breast and lymph nodes under the arm c. More than 5 cm. and only in the breast

Stage III - Advanced breast cancer where: a. The tumor is less than five cm. across, in both breast and lymph nodes under the arm b. The cancer is extensive in the lymph nodes under the arm. c. The cancer is in the lymph nodes or other tissues located near the breastbone. During stage III your doctor will be checking to find signs of metastatic disease. When cancer has "metastasized,' it has spread from the breast/lymph node areas into other distant organs of the body. These tests will take the form of chest x-rays and CT and bone scans.

Stage IV - Metastatic breast cancer, where the cancer has spread to other organs.

Almost all breast cancer victims will have some type of surgery to remove as much of the cancerous growth as possible. No matter how successful, most will probably undergo a regimen of chemotherapy as well. This kills off any microscopic scraps of the disease that may remain to grow into full-fledged cancer again. Other therapies such as radiotherapy (radiation therapy), hormonal therapy, or biologic therapy may be proscribed.

Once treated, breast cancer patients need to be monitored for recurrence. At first this means every 3-4 months. These become less and less frequent, but annual mammograms are even more important for former breast cancer patients than for the normal population.

Green Tea's Effect on Body Fat

Losing weight is a subject on the minds of many. Our eat on the run, tv watching lifestyle has led many of us to have bigger waistlines than we'd like; and bigger waistlines than are healthy for us. In fact, the US Centers for Disease Control estimates that over 60 million Americans, or 30% of the adult population, are obese.

Obesity related illnesses are going to lead the pack as causes of death in our country very soon if we don't get ourselves back on track. Obesity leads to heart disease, high blood pressure, Type II diabetes and increases your risk for some forms of cancer. As our weight increases, so do our risk levels.

So, how do we go about losing the weight? Well, most of us are aware that we need to eat less and exercise more. Putting more calories into our bodies than we burn off in a day leads to weight gain. Cutting calories and getting exercise can help you get your expenditure and intake in line. There's certainly no getting around this basic weight loss principle.

But, research is showing that there are some foods that can help you lose weight, and other foods that will pack on the pounds faster than you can say "calorie". I'm not talking strictly calories here - I'm talking about foods that help you burn fat or stay full longer versus foods that cannot be used by the body as energy, so they automatically turn to fat.

Let's look at foods that can help you. You might be surprised at some of these - they're not all low calorie. However, they're known to help you feel full longer or burn fat.

Nuts - Nuts, especially almonds, have been found to be helpful at losing weight. Now, nuts are not exactly a low calorie food, and they must be eaten in moderation. However, they are very nutritious.

Nuts are high in fat, but it's HDL fat, which is the kind that promotes good cholesterol in the blood. HDL cholesterol helps rid the body of LDL cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol that clogs arteries and leads to heart attacks and strokes.

Nuts are thought to make us feel full longer. In addition, they contain protein that seems to burn a lot of calories during digestion. Doctors are somewhat unclear as to how nuts work, but they do seem to have an effect on weight loss.

Milk - Research has shown that those who drink 24 ounces of low fat milk every day tend to weigh less than those who do not drink milk. Again, the reasons are not clear, but low fat milk does seem to speed up the metabolism. One study showed that women who ate a reduced calorie diet that included 3-4 servings of low fat dairy products and exercised lost more weight than those who ate a reduced calorie diet with fewer servings of dairy and exercised.

Green Tea - In recent years, green tea has gained a lot of attention for its ability to protect health and prevent disease. Green tea has been shown to prevent heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and even Type II diabetes. But, more and more, we're finding out that green tea may have lots of potential to help weight loss, too.

First, let's talk about what's so special about green tea. The magic is in the anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are important because they fight free radicals in our bodies.

Free radicals are damaging molecules that are created as we convert the food we eat into energy. Free radicals damage cells and DNA, leading to disease, if left unchecked. That's why it's so important to get anti-oxidants in our diets each day. Fruits and vegetables are also good sources of anti-oxidants.

But, some of the most potent anti-oxidants around are those found in green tea. Tea anti-oxidants are known as catechins, and they make up about 25% of the weight of a dry tea leaf. Tea contains four main catechin substances: epicatechin (EC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin (EGC) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant catechin in tea.

Health professionals favor green tea over black tea because it retains more of these catechins in their natural form than black tea. Black tea goes through a fermentation process that changes some of these catechins from their original state into one that is less healthy. It's these catechins that seem to have the ability to help us lose weight.

One particular study looked at Japanese men. All of the men were fed the same healthy diet for two weeks before the actual study began. Then, a 12 week study period began, in which some of the men drank one bottle of tea that contained 690 mg of tea catechins each day. The rest of the men were fed one bottle of tea that contained just 22 mg of catechins each day. All of the men continued on a healthy diet.

At the end of the study, the men who ingested 690 mg of tea catechins each day had significantly lowered their BMI, body weight, waist circumference and body fat mass, when compared to the men who consumed fewer tea catechins. The study concluded that the catechins in tea can help to reduce body fat when part of a healthy diet.

So, while we know that to lose weight we have to reduce our calories and get regular exercise, it's nice to know that there are foods out there that can help us meet our goals more easily. So, add some nuts, milk and green tea to your healthy diet, and watch how your body changes!

Abbreviated Cockpit Simulators

In training pilots in the simulators the artificial cockpit looked exactly like the real aircraft and it is amazing that when these pilots are put to the test it seems so real that you can see the sweat. This makes sense for teaching pilots, astronauts and truck drivers, however what about teaching kids in school in virtual reality?

Well, if you are taking a child and putting them into a flight simulator then you would need to use an abbreviated cockpit simulator to get started and then work them up to the other things. For instance it might make sense to only have an airspeed indicator, artificial horizon, turn and bank indicator and let them practice keeping the ball in the center using the stick and rudder.

Then later you might add more components, switches, gauges, etc. Perhaps you might cover up a few items and then pull off the cover panels and the skill progresses. This will allow the student to learn differently than the rigorous simulator check rides given to airline pilots or Astronauts where they try to make you crash and put you into almost unrecoverable situations you see?

You may not realize this but many schools across our country are thinking ahead and they indeed have simulators, virtual reality tools and various other computerized devices to teach kids and bring them up into the future, which awaits them. I have seen adults stress out in simulators and perhaps we need to work the kids up to it, before crashing them into a field or building like a really intoxicating arcade game.

There will be time for that later, but there is never too little time to learn the fundamentals. Consider this in 2006.

Tips For Lowering Your Cell Phone Bill

Even though you are charged a monthly fee, additional charges could drive your bill much higher. If you are keeping your bill on a budget, here are a few tips that will help.

- If you are on a tight budget, choose a plan with low monthly fee and low minutes. You can still use a landline phone or pay phone for the majority of your calls.

- Limit the use of your cellular phone to check voicemail. You will be charged airtime. Use your home or work phone to check it. Check with your carrier on how to access your voicemail using a landline. Usually you just have to push # when your greeting plays then put in your password.

- Use free calls offered by local businesses - Many times local companies like TV stations, auto towing, radio stations, etc. may contract with your cellular provider to offer free calls to their companies. If you need to call these companies, take advantage of these special numbers.

- Do you really need the additional features like call waiting, text messaging and call forwarding? Unless they are included in your plan, you will be charged extra for these. If you are paying for a feature but do not use it, contact your carrier and drop it. Do not keep paying for a feature you don't use.

- Caller ID might pay for itself if you have a minimum plan. You can use it to screen out calls that you do not wish to receive. This will reduce your airtime usage.

- Since incoming calls counts against your airtime, be cautious about giving out your cell phone number and NEVER post your cell phone number online.

- Unless you get a really good promotional offer, stick to a 1-year contract. Your usage needs may change or you may find a better deal after the contract expires.

- If you do not have a nationwide or network plan, be careful about calling outside your home coverage area. The roaming and large distance charges will really add up fast. You will also be charged for roaming and long distance with incoming calls received out of your coverage area. In some areas, you may pay roaming charges even if you have a nationwide plan.

- Pay attention to the clock when you call during the week. The weekday off-peak hours are limited, often 9 pm to 5:59 am (varies by carrier, check your plan for details).

- Choose the right plan. If you are overpaying for more plan than you actually need, you are also overpaying in taxes, which can be 15-20% of your total bill.

- If you need to make a change in your plan, do it during the first month of your plan. If you wait, you will be locked into the contract. Carriers have deadlines for changes. If you make changes afterwards, they add months to your contract.

- Re-evaluate your usage every couple of months - Go over 2-3 months of your cellular bill. If you find that the package plan you are paying for includes too many, or worse, not enough minutes, call and change to a different plan.You may have to extend your contract as stated above.

- Ask for a bill analysis - If you are not sure if another plan would be better, call customer service and ask them to do a bill analysis. They will examine your bill for you and compare other plans to see if they can save you money. They can do this at any time, but this is especially important when getting ready to renew a contract.

- When selecting a phone, start with your budget. There are usually rebates and promotions that result in a free basic phone with service. You can pay much more for a phone loaded with features. Features to consider: weight, size, if you can read the numbers on the screen, paging service, two-way radio service, customized ring tones.

- Keep an eye on all the charges on your bill. Sometimes you may be charged for a feature or service you did not request.

- If you sign up for a plan with a rebate, do not forget to mail in the rebate card. This is how you get your cellular phone for free from many carriers.

- Call in late payments - If you are going to be late paying your bill, call them and tell them exactly when you will send it. This may save you from late fees, being suspended and paying reconnect fees.

- Suspend the cell phone if you're not using it - If you are not going to be using your phone for a while. If you do seasonal work and are done until next year, or you're on a trip without the phone, you can call the company and request service suspension for a period of time. Make sure to request a specific time frame. (Voluntary suspension may be limited to a month or so. Check with your customer service rep.) Remember that you are still locked into a contract and suspension stops the clock.

- Find out how to call toll-free calls on your cell phone. Most times 1-800 is not a free call on cell phones. Many times you must dial #-800, or something similar. Ask your customer service agent.

Chinese Astrology

There are twelve Chinese year signs in the Chinese Zodiac. Unlike in our western astrology, in Chinese astrology each sign lasts for a year. Legend has it that as Buddha was about to depart the earth he summoned all the animals to say goodbye. Only twelve turned up so, to show his appreciation of their loyalty, he vowed that from then on each year would bear the name of one of the animals.

Chinese astrology is based on the Lunar Calendar. This means the Chinese New Year does not fall on the same day each year and can vary by as much as 3 weeks. So for babies born in late January/early February it is necessary to consult the charts to determine the correct sign.

You will find a chart of the dates and signs below. Each sign repeats every 12 years, so 2006/7 will be the year of the Dog. For exact dates visit our website. Following the chart you will find the characteristics of people born during the Chinese Year of The Rooster.

9 February 2005 - 28 January 2006: Rooster

22 January 2004 - 8 February 2005: Monkey

1 February 2003 - 21 January 2004: Goat

12 February 2002 - 31 January 2003: Horse

24 January 2001 - 11 February 2002: Snake

5 February 2000 - 23 January 2001: Dragon

6 February 1999 - 4 February 2000: Rabbit

28 January 1998 - 5 February 1999: Tiger

8 February 1997 - 27 January 1998: Ox

19 February 1996 - 7 February 1997: Rat

31 January 1995 - 18 February 1996: Pig

10 February 1994 - 30 January 1995: Dog

The Chinese Year Of The Rooster..

If you or your child was born in the Chinese year sign of the rooster you have far to go. Roosters are full of confidence, fearless and brave. They will take on an adversary far superior to themselves if they believe they are in the right.

If they can control their impulsive streak they are usually successful in business. Intelligent and ambitious, Roosters work hard and like to be in control, often successfully running their own businesses.

People born under this sign are extroverts and enjoy the company of others. They do not like to be criticised and their self-esteem can crumble if they are ridiculed.

Roosters hate to be bored and can be deliberately provocative if life is too dull.

Other signs either love or hate Roosters. Fortunately for the Rooster, most people love them.

There are twelve signs in Chinese astrology. To read about the others visit our website.

An Investigation into the Diesel Industry

If you are involved in haulage work in the UK then you will be pleased to hear that the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is planning a six-week investigation into the diesel and petrol industry.

There is widespread concern in the industry that the fall in the cost of a barrel of oil is not being reflected at the pump, and it is hoped that the OFT investigation will shed light on the issue.

The Price of Diesel: A Key Issue

Anyone who is involved in haulage work will know just how significant the price of diesel is. The chief executive of the Road Haulage Association (RHA), Geoff Dunning, said that diesel makes up a third of operating costs for those involved in haulage work. Mr Dunning also said that prices for diesel have gone up 43% since June 2007. This is a huge rise in a short period of time, and it has had an enormous impact on the entire industry.

Aims of the OFT Investigation

The overall aim of OFT investigation is to find out why those involved in haulage work, as well as other drivers, have to pay such high prices for diesel when the price of a barrel of oil has gone down recently.

The OFT will take six weeks to carry out its investigation, during which it is expected to look into whether it can tackle various problems with competition in the road fuels industry, which is worth £32 billion a year.

As part of its investigations, it has asked consumer bodies, various groups and the industry to provide information, and it will look into numerous claims about how the sector operates. This will include examining whether pump prices are falling in line with the fall in price of oil, and whether independent retailers are finding it more difficult to compete with major supermarkets and oil companies because of their practices.

The Industry Awaits the Verdict

The entire transport industry will be eagerly anticipating the findings of this investigation because it is such an important issue that needs to be addressed. Mr Dunning said that the RHA is "greatly encouraged that the OFT has recognised the concerns of the haulage industry and the general public and is preparing to take action".

Whether it will have any impact on fuel prices in the UK remains to be seen, but if you are involved in any kind of haulage work in the UK, it will be worth keeping an eye on the investigation to find out how it might have an impact on your own business.