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10 Breastfeeding Facts from WHO

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American society seems to have a different attitude toward breastfeeding sometimes than the world at large. I was shocked when I started nursing my first child a few years ago to learn that the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until the age of 2. I had always thought that one year old was the recommended age, although I knew that many cultures breastfeed far beyond that. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding until 1 year. I have always breastfed my children until about 14 months of age. I am determined to breastfeed. This has not been an easy task … Continue reading →

Taboo Topics

A question was raised by a female reader regarding my recent post, “Teaching Kids About Cancer.” She asked whether or not I thought it was appropriate to speak to young children about cancer if no one in the kids’ inner circle had been affected by it. My answer is simple: Your child, your rules. My family has been directly affected by the insidious disease, so my daughter and my brother’s young children have all received a crash course on cancer. So, to answer the reader’s question, I do think it is appropriate to speak to young children about cancer, regardless … Continue reading →

Teaching Kids About Cancer

I’m not one of the lucky ones. Or maybe I am. I was forced to teach my daughter about cancer well before she could even spell the word… but with knowledge comes power. In 2004, I gave birth to my first child; a healthy baby girl with a mound of electrocuted jet-black hair. She was the first grandchild on my side of the family and instantly became the end-all, be-all of my parents’ existence. My mom especially doted on her first grandchild, spending every waking moment rocking, singing, hugging, kissing and cuddling the newest member of our family. My daughter … Continue reading →

Are You at High Risk for Breast Cancer?

According to the National Cancer Institute, the average woman has a one in eight chance of developing breast cancer. That’s a scary number… and it gets worse if you’re at high risk. What puts a person at high risk for breast cancer? Having a strong family history of breast cancer — that means two or more close relatives with breast cancer. If any of those relatives were diagnosed before the age of fifty, your risk is even higher. A strong family history makes you between two and five times more likely to develop breast cancer than the average woman. Having … Continue reading →

Are You Well Informed About Breast Cancer?

According to a new survey from the National Breast Cancer Coalition, seventy-five percent of women think they’re well informed about breast cancer. However, much of what they believe is not quite the truth. More than half of women surveyed believe that a family history of breast cancer is the biggest risk factor for developing the disease. That fifty-six percent of women is wrong. Less than TEN percent of all breast cancer cases are hereditary. More than two-thirds of all breast cancer cases appear in women who have no known risk factors. So what is the single biggest risk factor for … Continue reading →

Star Medical News–Dorothy Hamill’s Cancer Scare and Poppy Montgomery Pops Out a Baby Boy

She is the legendary figure skater that I have adored since I was a child. And I freely admit that like millions of other little girls I too made my hairdresser give me her trademark wedge haircut after she won the gold medal at the 1976 Olympics. Which is why it is with great sadness that I learned Dorothy Hamill is battling breast cancer–the same insidious disease that has ravaged the lives of millions of families around the world, including my own. The 51-year-old former Olympian issued a statement yesterday and revealed that her prognosis is “favorable,” though she said … Continue reading →

Five Ways to Lower Your Cancer Risk

Here are some tips to help lower your risk of developing cancer — after all, prevention is the best medicine! Cut back on the couch time. And the desk time. And the beanbag chair time. You get the idea — get moving! Thirty minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week can keep your heart and body healthy. Exercise can also help cut your cancer risk! Lengthen and strengthen your workouts for better cancer protection. Aim for a forty-five to sixty minute workout five days per week to lower your risk of breast cancer by twenty percent. Workouts after … Continue reading →

How You Can Fight Breast Cancer

You are the expert when it comes to your breasts. You have the power to make choices that can protect you against breast cancer. Here are some things you can do to fight breast cancer on a personal level and on a global level! Educate yourself. Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in women — right behind non-melanoma skin cancer. Many women have no risk factors besides being female and aging. Keep up with the latest news and statistics from Susan G. Komen for the Cure (www.Komen.org) and the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org). Help educate others! Spread … Continue reading →

Last Days to “Think Pink”

We are in the home stretch… October is almost over. That means you have just a few more days to take advantage of the pink product sales underway to benefit breast cancer awareness. From belts to flowers, lipstick to nail polish it’s so easy to add a touch of pink to your home. And with the holidays just around the corner think about how well received the following rosy items will be by the ladies in your life. FLOWERS. Every month from now through next August Teleflora, the world’s leading floral service, is offering a unique pink bouquet of flowers … Continue reading →

There’s Still Time To Think Pink

October isn’t over yet. Which means you still have time to purchase pink products whose profits will go to aid researchers who are working for a cure for breast cancer. Right now the market is saturated with pink items—-from pink cameras to pink watches, pink gardening gloves to pink toothbrushes. Each product is designed to promote Breast Cancer Awareness. The items also make for great gifts. So if you haven’t thought about what you are getting your loved ones for the holidays now might be a great time to start. Sunglasses. BCBG Max Azria is joining the fight against breast … Continue reading →