Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer

            Hello, this is IGL and this post is about breast cancer. Breast cancer is the disease of the overgrowth of breast cells. Tumors will form; the two kinds of tumors are benign (harmless) and malignant. Harmful tumors can spread to other body parts and affect the system drastically. Types of malignant breast cancer are Invasive Ductal Carcinoma; Triple Negative Breast Cancer; Inflammatory Breast Cancer; Metastatic Breast Cancer; Metaplastic Carcinoma; and Paget's Disease.

            Symptoms for breast cancer are not usual at first, but when signs that a benign tumor is forming in the breast, it usually means cancer. But if you are going through puberty, do not mistake a bud to be breast cancer. For more serious conditions, painful symptoms occur. Breast or nipple pain, swelling, a large, strange lump, tenderness, skin irritation, skin dimpling, inward nipple, and nipple discharge that is not breast milk. If any of these symptoms occur, visit your doctor immediately.

            Breast cancer is classified into stages.

1.       Stage 0- Cancer not invasive or dangerous

2.      Stage 1A- Grows up to 2 cm but has not spread to other body parts

3.      Stage 1B- No tumor with invasive cells, or there is a tumor but smaller than 2 cm.

4.      Stage 11A

a.      No tumor but invasive cells found in lymph nodes

b.      Tumor is 2 cm or smaller, but has spread to axillary lymph nodes (under arm)

c.      Tumor is bigger than 2 cm, but hasn’t spread to axillary lymph nodes

5.      Stage 11B- Tumor is bigger than 2 cm and has spread to axillary lymph nodes or is bigger than 5 cm but did not spread to axillary lymph nodes

6.      Stage 111A- No tumor, but invasive cancer cells clumped in lymph nodes or any size of tumor has spread to axillary lymph nodes

7.      Stage 111B- Tumor is any size and spread to skin, and could’ve spread to axillary lymph nodes

8.      Stage 111C- NO sign of breast cancer, but could have spread to wall. Also has spread to lymph nodes near collarbone and to axillary lymph nodes near breast bone.

9.      Stage IV- The cancer has spread to other parts in the body

Breast cancer can be caused by many risk factors. Intoxicants, such as smoking, drinking, and drugs, can be cause breast cancer in the future. Being overweight and being exposed to radiation are also common ways. Radiation exposure before the age of 30 to the chest and face is a likely cause of cancer. Obesity is a huge risk factor. The excess fat produces more estrogen, which also produces more breast cells. As you begin to become older, losing weight is difficult. Junk food is also malicious to the body. Growth hormones in the fatty foods grow more breast cells, and also make girls receive their period before the age of 12, which is also another risk factor. Dense breasts make it harder to detect the cancer during testing. But there has been no link discovered from breast implants to breast cancer. But it is quite possible that breast implants may cause lymphoma. But lack of data can clarify this statement. Smoking is also a big risk. It damages the lungs, which makes it harder for treatment and healing. Drinking speeds up the growth of estrogen, and if a female drinks at least three drinks a week, it increases breast cancer risk by 15%. People who’ve taken HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) in the past, it can also risk breast cancer. Low Vitamin D and exposure to chemicals are also risk factors.

Luckily, if noticed early enough, breast cancer can be treated. Surgery is the most common type. Lumpectomy is the removal of a tumor and unhealthy tissue; mastectomy is the removal of a whole breast. A mastectomy reduces the risk of breast cancer again by 90%. The female has a choice to reconstruct the breast either by replacing with a breast implant or gathering other tissue. Surgeons remove the lymph node as well. Prophylactic Ovary Removal is when the ovaries are removed to reduce estrogen growth. This only makes it harder to get breast cancer. Hormonal therapy is similar to Prophylactic Ovary Removal—it blocks off or shuts down estrogen supply. When using hormonal therapy, often times the surgeon would remove the fallopian tube or ovaries. Cyrotherapy is when extreme cold temperatures are used to kill off cancer cells. However, scientists are not sure if cyrotherapy is affective. Radiotherapy is when radiation is used to kill invasive, cancer cells. Chemotherapy is the use of medicines to weaken or kill cancer cells. To see if you have breast cancer, contact the doctor for a mammogram, which is a test to see if you have breast cancer.

It is rare for parents to pass down breast cancer to children, which is only 5-10% of causes. The main reason is aging, which is 90%. In the United States, 1 out of 8 women will get breast cancer. However, individual risks vary depending on background, considering age. Breast cancer is most common in Caucasian women.

October is National Breast Cancer Month. Many organizations have been collaborating for events for National Breast Cancer Month. October 4^th is Breast Cancer Awareness Day. The breast cancer ribbon is light pink.

NBCF (National Breast Cancer Foundation) is an organization that helps women by providing mammograms and detecting breast cancer before it becomes malignant. They give education and helpful advice for breast cancer and what might happen. NBCF started off as giving free mammograms in the United States, but now helps all around the world. NBCF is one of the most praised cancer foundations in the world.

There are many ways to help. You could:

1. Tell someone. Write an article about it.
2. Stop or abstain from drinking, smoking, and using drugs.
3. Exercise a lot and keep a healthy weight. Maintain a healthy diet with plentiful Vitamin D.
4. Stay away from radiation and harmful chemicals.
5. If dense breasts are a burden, suggest breast reduction as an option.
6. Donate to organizations, such as NBCF or American Cancer Society
7. On October 4^th, wear a pink ribbon in celebration of breast cancer.
8. Test for breast cancer frequently, like mammograms
9. Receive the best treatment for breast cancer if you have it

Help stop breast cancer!

Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Obesity & Nutrition

Obesity & Nutrition

          Hello, this is IGL and this post is about obesity and nutrition. Eating excess calories causes you to become obese. In this century, obesity is one of the most morbid disorders of the world. Obesity also causes many other diseases you could get including diabetes and heart attacks. It also hurts their confidence and trust on their appearance.

          Symptoms for obesity include difficulty of exercising, a large body, being lazy, and difficulty of breathing, muscle pain, early puberty, and knock-knees. It is difficult to exercise because of easily becoming tiresome. This leads to lethargy, or laziness. When obese, the muscles are weakened, making it hard to move. The fat pressures the muscle so it is hard to function properly or strongly. Fat produces estrogen and testosterone (hormones). With excess hormones, you receive puberty earlier. Knock-knees are when the legs are straightened, the knees ouch at an awkward angle.

          Effects include cancer, heart disease, muscle difficulties, back pain, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, breathing problems, strokes, organ diseases, and many more. Psychological problems include depression, stress, and low self-esteem. New studies show that pregnant and obese women have a higher chance of giving birth to a child with autism. ADHD is also more common in obese or overweight children.

          To have a better weight, exercise and eat healthier. Exercising is an important step to maintaining a better weight. Exercise daily like jogging or maybe jumping jacks. Exercising always helps. The next step is to eat healthier. The food pyramid consists of food groups: grains, vegetables, fruits, oils, meats & beans, milk products, and extras. Grains include bread, pasta, rice, cereal, and oats. Eat 6-11 servings a day. The vegetable group includes leafy greens, carrots, corn, and broccoli. Eat about 3-5 servings a day. The fruits include nectars, citruses, berries, melons, apples, and bananas. Eat 2-4 servings a day. The oils include castor oil, sesame oil, and nuts. Eat about a handful of nuts a day. The oils are usually included in vegetable servings. The meats & beans group include seafood, chicken, beans, and eggs. Eat about 2-3 servings a day. The milk products include yogurt, cheese, and milk. Eat about 2-3 servings a day. Extras are the unhealthy foods including ice cream, lollipops, butter, chips, and cake. Use the extras sparingly.

          Many countries in the world have a high number of people that are obese. According to studies in 2012, the country with the highest number of people obese is the United States. The US’s percentage of obese people is 33.8% of the population. Mexico is next (30%) and New Zealand after (26.5%). Since 2010, the percentage of child obesity in the US has increased a great amount. Since 1980, people from ages 6-11 have increased from 7% to 18%. Teenagers have increased from 5% to 18%.

          September is the National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. The yellow ribbon stands for obesity. Make sure you wear the yellow ribbon in September.

          There are many ways to help. You could:

1.     Spread the word

2.    Wear the yellow ribbon in September

3.    Bond with children or adults that are obese

4.    Make your own body healthier.

Help stop world obesity!

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Stop Eating disorders!

Stop Eating Disorders

          Hello, this is IGL and our new project is eating disorders. Eating disorders are when someone abstains from food to make their body thinner. Sometimes people purge and skip meals. Most of the time people with eating disorders are young adults or teenagers.

          Eating disorders could affect a lot of people. Sometimes when someone is bullied, they are called fat and overweight. Because of that, the person purges themselves to look better. Or it could be because someone is just a “queen bee” and keeps their eating disorder as something to look better in their revealing clothing. Or maybe it’s because their friends are all skinny and inspire that person to contain an eating disorder. Either way, it’s not a good thing.

          Another BIG reason why most people have eating disorders is because of the media. Yes, the media. The media nowadays include super skinny models, movie stars, ettica. In other words size 1 ½ dresses and outfits. Still, there are some healthy and normal-weighted people in TV shows and celebrities that go against bulimia, but most people are still super thin. Our member, Kristine, one day was watching TV shows on her computer. Then, when she came across a clip from the Disney Channel TV show “So Random” (the individual show, not the one in Sonny with a Chance) she was super shocked of what she saw. It was the episode when the male model came to his girlfriend’s house. They were talking about how the male model ate only one full meal a week, which is bad. And the model said that his agent told him that if he wanted to get the jobs (being famous) he couldn't eat ANY carbs. This is so outraging! Now they were supporting eating disorders on children’s shows!

          Even if you skip breakfast so you could look like Ali Lohan, that’s still considered an eating disorder. If you have a minor eating disorder, consider visiting a therapist to get over it. But if it is a hardcore, serious eating disorder (like going without food for weeks or purging) go to a treatment facility if you can't overcome it when you try.


          NEDA is an organization that helps young girls going through eating disorders. NEDA is a non profit organization that reaches out to people with their self-esteem issues. To help, you can plan a NEDA walk to raise money and spread awareness to eating disorders. If you don't want to plan a walk, then just donate! NEDA has a program in which you can donate a car so they can auction it off. Besides, they will take care of all expenses for sending the car over.

          No matter what happened in the past, accept who you are. How you look like on the outside doesn't really matter to how you are in the inside. There are ways to discourage eating disorders .You could:

1.     If you have an eating disorder yourself, stop it. Don't let how your image looks like affect you. If it’s a minor case, try seeing a therapist or a doctor. If it’s serious, consider going to a treatment facility

2.    If you know someone who has an eating disorder, tell them to get some help.

3.    Spread the word. Write a letter to the newspaper, tell someone about it, or just encourage people to stop eating disorders.

4.    If you or someone you know with an eating disorder is afraid of getting overweight or obese, skipping meals is not the answer. Food has healthy nutrition that helps you, not goes against you. However, if you don't want to get too overweight, avoid fatty food like hamburgers, French fries, hot dogs, or fried chicken.

5. Support NEDA and maybe donate to the organization. 
    (  http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org  )

So you see, eating disorders affect so many people in the world every day. Help stop eating disorders and make the world a healthier place.

-Idea+Gift=Love

Cancer

Cancer

          Hello, this is IGL and our topic is Cancer. Cancer is a deadly disease when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably and constantly. Cancer never is a joke; it’s horrifying and heart-breaking when you could lose someone you love or care about. There are many different types of cancer, some with a cure and some you just have to live and die with.

          Once upon a time, there was a member in IGL named Kristine. Kristine’s grandmother smoked a lot. Cigarettes were not something healthy for you. One day, her doctor told her she had a cancer disease. Thankfully, the cancer was minor and had an easy cure. But, if Kristine’s grandmother got lung cancer, she’s a goner. So after that visit to the doctor’s, Kristine’s grandmother threw away all her cigarettes.

          Many people die of cancer. Even though the population of people dying of cancer has decreased, a great amount of people die from it. Doctors work hard for these people. Remember, not everyone’s as lucky.

          Since there aren’t a lot of cures for cancer, many people panic of getting it in the future. But there is a way. To prevent cancer:

1.    Eat healthily
2.    Exercise
3.   Avoid harmful activities (ex :drugs and smoking)

People in the hospital with cancer really need help.A foundation called Stand Up To Cancer funds research labs on cancer. Donate to Stand Up to Cancer Even though only doctors could cure cancer, you could still help. You could:

1. 1.       Cheer them up at the hospital
2. 2.     Support them
3. 3.     And show you care 
4.      Donate to Stand Up to Cancer

Even though cancer is a big battle, you could still help!

-Idea+Gift=Love