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Risk Factors For Breast Cancer

Courtesy morguefile
If you are a woman in the United States today, your chance of getting breast cancer is 1 in 8, according to the most recent report published annually by the National Cancer Institute’s [NCI] Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results [SEER] Program. Looked at another way, the chance that you will never have cancer is 87.6 percent or 7 out of 8. That’s good news, isn’t it? But your chances of getting cancer increase as you get older, although the risk varies from woman to woman.

So, apart from age, let’s look at other factors that impact your chance of getting breast cancer.

1. Family history – If your mother, sister or daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer, you are likely to get it. Another pertinent fact according to SEER: if you have a male relative who was diagnosed with breast cancer, your risk increases.
2. Breast density – Women who have dense breast tissue are more prone to breast cancer than those who don’t.
3. Breast cancer – If you have had breast cancer once, you are likely to get it again.
4. Alcohol – increases your risk of breast cancer
5. Reproductive and menstrual history – early menstrual onset and late onset of menopause – after age 55 – and not having children are all risks for breast cancer.
6. Obesity – carries with it an increased risk.
7. Hormone therapy – postmenopausal women who use combined estrogen and progestin for more than five years increase their risk of getting breast cancer.
8. Race – Caucasian women in the US have a higher incidence of breast cancer than women of other races.
9. Physical activity – Women who are physically inactive increase their risk of breast cancer.
If you have never had breast cancer, it is very likely you know someone who has, and this is why I’m focusing on it this month in an effort to help you help yourself or someone else. As you can see, many of these risk factors are outside our control, however we can and should do everything in our power to prevent ourselves succumbing to this horrible disease. Read my previous post for some pointers on what you can do. In my next post, I’ll go more in depth.
Until then, stay healthy.


From now until the end of the month, I’m offering four of these pink ribbon and hearts bangles free of cost to four women when you sign up for my mailing list. This beautiful bangle will brighten your day and contribute to the fight against cancer. Just fill in your information in the box below and in the comments section state why you would like to have one of these bangles. Four women will be chosen to receive one of these bangles free of cost. God bless you.[contact-form][contact-field label=”Name” type=”name” required=”true” /][contact-field label=”Email” type=”email” required=”true” /][contact-field label=”Website” type=”url” /][contact-field label=”Message” type=”textarea” /][/contact-form]

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Cancer Awareness Month – No Bra Day

As you all know, the month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and this just happens to be the month I have my annual mammogram. So, you guessed it. I had mine done this morning. Never a pleasant experience, but I do it dutifully because I know it can help save my life. Last year, one of my dear friends was diagnosed with breast cancer, but, thank God, she is okay now.

So, there are a few things you can do right now to help stave off cancer:

1. Make sure you get your mammogram this month if you have not done so already.
2. Follow a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fiber.
3. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily. Just walking will do.
4. Limit the use of alcohol. Quit smoking
5. Pay it forward. Support breast cancer patients, donate to worthy causes and do whatever you can to help those who need it.

In case you’re wondering about the picture above, it is taken from a post by the National Day Calendar on Breast Cancer Awareness. According to the calendar, today is National No Bra Day, and here’s why. So if after reading you choose to go without a bra, that’s up to you. I’m not taking my support that far. No pun intended.

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What to Do If You Feel You’re Getting off Track


Sometimes we have the best intentions but still slip and get off track. Is it a mindset problem? Or was the goal too big? Did you lack support? No matter what the reason, don’t give up! You can return to working on your resolution.
Decide if the goal really means something to you, and if it does, you’ll want to follow this simple process to get back on track.
• Review your plan. Did you set your goal a little too high? For example losing 50 pounds in 3 months? Aim a bit lower. Set your target goal to a more attainable one. So for this example, losing 10 or 15 pounds in 3 months or changing what you eat and scheduling exercises would be a better resolution.
• Break down your goal if your original goal is too large to accomplish easily. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds this year, then break it down into smaller tasks. In this example, 50 pounds a year is less than a pound a week. Then set up an eating and exercise plan to lose a pound a week.
• ¬Focus on one resolution at a time. Choose the most pressing one – losing weight, eating healthy, changing your mindset—and concentrate on it until you achieve it. Trying to change more than one habit at a time can be overwhelming.
• Get an accountability partner. Enlist the help of a friend or professional to keep you accountable who can advise you on what you need to be doing.
• Be flexible and willing to change how you approach your resolution. Lengthen your timeline if necessary.
• Work on smaller goals at a time that lead to your ultimate goal.
• Create new milestones if you feel like you’re just too far off track. Modify your original goal for a new more attainable one that fits in the remaining time. That way, at least you’re making some progress towards your original goal.
• Get more specific if you created a very broad and grand resolution. Maybe your goal was to get healthy. That’s great, but it is without an action plan and specific definition of what healthy means to you. Does it mean eating clean foods? Or exercising three times a week? Does it mean controlling your diabetes?
Just because you find yourself getting off track doesn’t mean you’re going to fail, or you should give up. We all need support and guidance at times. I can help you achieve your goal of making those lifestyle changes in order to achieve optimum health. Just fill in the form below so we can schedule a time to talk. Talk to you again soon.

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Incorporating Exercise Into Your Daily Life cont’d


So, you recognize that exercise is important otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this article, but you are having some difficulty establishing and maintaining a proper exercise routine. In my last post, I spoke about setting your mind to move more and setting aside a specific time each day to exercise.

Here are a few more tips to help you get off that couch:

• Find your favorite exercise. You’ll be more likely to stick to it if you enjoy it. To find one you’ll enjoy, think about what you played as a kid. Did you enjoy team sports? You might be more of a group or class person, so try a spin class or sign up for an adult sports league. Did you enjoy playing alone? Try running, tennis or a marathon. Rent an exercise video to experiment with different types of exercise.
• Vary your routine and activities if you get bored easily. Try cardio three days a week and strength training twice a week and yoga twice a week. Try working out in the morning part of the time and in the evening part of the time.
• Exercise at the right time of day for you. The best time to exercise is whatever works for your schedule. Mornings might be ideal if you’re a busy professional. Fit in a gym session on your lunch hour or after work if that works best for you.
• Have a dog? Then you have a dedicated exercise partner. A 150 – pound person walking Fido one mile for half an hour a day burns 112 calories.
• Have fun –Exercise can be fun. Do you like to dance? Alone or with your partner (more enjoyable), dancing is a great calorie burner. Or maybe you prefer swimming. Whatever your choice, adding movement to your life can help you lead a more healthy lifestyle. Just be consistent.

Want to learn more about how you can lead a more healthy lifestyle? Just fill in the form below.

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How to Incorporate Exercise into Your Daily Lifestyle


Studies have shown that daily exercise can improve not just your appearance but your overall health and well being. However, having a daily exercise routine can be difficult depending on your lifestyle and your state of health. If you are new to exercising or you haven’t done it for a while, the best way to begin incorporating exercise into your life is to begin with small steps.
• Set your mind to the idea of moving more. Remind your body to get more movement every day by standing more or taking the stairs more often. Other ways to get more movement in are to do stretches in your chair, squat to pick something up from the floor or park farther away from the door.

• Move more. Find ways to move more in your regular daily activity.

You don’t have to join a gym or do anything strenuous. Just make sure you increase your physical activity so you burn those calories – if you want to lose weight. The key is to keep it simple.

In my next post, I will show you more ways you can include exercise into your daily lifestyle for optimum health.

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How To Incorporate Healthy Eating In Your Daily Lifestyle


According to John Norcross, a psychology professor at the University of Scranton and author of Changeology: 5 Steps to Realizing your Goals and Resolutions, healthy eating is one of the top five resolutions made each year. Unfortunately, it’s estimated that 75 percent of all New Year’s resolutions will end in failure.
So, if we’re determined to change at the beginning of a new year, why do so many fail at following through? Temptations! They lurk everywhere: sweets at work, fast food for lunch, potato chips calling your name when you walk past them in the grocery store. The good thing is, you are not alone and it’s never too late to get back on the right track.

Maybe you dropped the ball on your New Year’s resolution and with half of the year gone, you figure, why bother? If this is you, here are 4 ways to incorporate healthy eating into your daily lifestyle:

1. Don’t sacrifice a nutritious breakfast. You’ve probably heard the old adage “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, and it’s true. But not just anything will do. Skip the sweet Danish for a more nutritious breakfast. Keep plenty of healthy breakfast foods on hand.
2. Enjoy easy, healthy snacks. Healthy snacks keep you from getting too hungry and overeating at your next meal. Keep foods such as yogurt, nuts, fruit and veggies such as washed apples, carrot sticks, and grape tomatoes, cottage cheese or sliced turkey on hand for a quick snack.
3. Cook more than you can eat. This tip saves you time and money while allowing you to eat healthier. Cook extra to refrigerate or freeze for your next day’s lunch or dinner. When you know you already have a nutritious meal waiting for you, you’re less likely to grab the high-calorie, high-fat junk food at the drive-through on your way home. Some good options include chicken, veggies, soups, and grains, including quinoa and brown rice.
4. Eat as many colors as you can every day. Opt for a range of nutritious vegetables and fruits every day. Keep a variety of colors on hand and make it a point to see how many different colors you can eat a day. Eat red peppers, spinach, sweet potatoes and blackberries one day and the next eat green peppers, yellow squash, blueberries and bananas.
It takes time to make these changes, but if you keep trying every day, you’ll eventually begin to see it’s become a habit to eat healthier.
Need more advice on following a healthy lifestyle? Fill out the form below.

 

A diagnosis of type 2 diabetes can send your life into a tailspin. It can leave you feeling alone and overwhelmed, but it doesn’t have to. Join my type 2 diabetes network group and get the help and support you need.

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National Call Your Doctor Day

In checking through my email last night, I saw this message from The National Day Calendar that today is “National Call Your Doctor” Day. Now I haven’t called my doctor in a while so I thought I’d read the post to see why I should call the man in the white coat. According to the site, today, the second Tuesday in June is a day set aside by Bright Pink, a woman’s health non-profit, for young women to call their doctor and schedule their annual Well-Woman Exam.

As women, we make all kinds of appointments: hair dresser, manicure and pedicure, massage etc. Even pet grooming gets priority. Why not take a few minutes to schedule an appointment for something that can save you months, maybe years, of illness later on?

Other reasons why you should schedule a Well-Woman visit?

1. Like I said above, it can save you years of illness later on. It may even save your life. Years ago during my annual exam, my OB/GYN discovered I had abnormal cells. Had I waited a little longer, they would have become cancerous.
2. Establishing rapport with your doctor. Health care, thankfully, is becoming all-embracing. You don’t just go to your doctor when you have a cold or some ache or pain. During your well-woman visit, You should ask questions and voice your concerns so your doctor will know what else he should screen you for. Weight gain or loss, stress, fatigue, all of these can be discussed with your doctor.
3. It’s free. Under the Affordable Care Act, a well-woman visit comes under preventative care and therefore carries no out-of-pocket costs. So when you call to schedule, today, be sure to say you’re coming for a well-woman exam.

Now remember, when you schedule that exam, you are not just doing it for yourself, but also for those you love. So pick up your phone and call today. And when you finish calling, call your BFF or family member and make sure they do the same.

Need more information? Here are some helpful resources:
Healthcare.gov

Home


http://www.health.gov/nhic/
http://www.cdc.gov/wisewoman/faqs.htm

Do you have health concerns you would like to discuss with someone? Why not fill in the form below and let’s talk about it?
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Women’s Health Week

This is the eighteenth annual National Women’s Health Week, and in observance of this week, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health has listed a number of steps women can take to improve their overall health. Some of these steps are:

Visit a doctor or nurse for a well-woman visit (checkup) and preventive screenings.
Get active.
Eat healthy.
Pay attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress.
Avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, texting while driving, and not wearing a seatbelt or bicycle helmet.
Learn what steps you should take for good health based on your age.

What are you doing to reach or maintain your optimum level of health? Leave a comment in the form below. If you would like to have me coach you so you can reach those goals, please leave your information and I will get back to you. Have a healthy and blessed week.

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Mental vs Behavioral Health

May is mental health month, and as I thought about what I should write in this post, I felt confused. Well, it is mental health month after all, but for someone who worked in a mental (behavioral) health unit for over ten years I should have no difficulty discerning between the two. And yet, when I think of mental vs behavioral health, I see the faces of some of my patients – some alert, others flat, still others inappropriately animated. Many of them have coexisting conditions, either substance abuse disorders and/or chronic illnesses such as diabetes or high blood pressure. How do you address these problems?

MentalHealth.gov states that “mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.” It goes on to state that mental illness affects your thinking, mood and behavior. Does that mean then that if a person can change his behavior he could become well? Not exactly. Someone suffering from bipolar does need to learn to modify her behavior, but until she gets her mania and depression under control with medication, we will see little or no change in her behavior. This is why doctors recommend a combination of medication and therapy or counseling.

Many times, a hospital stay is inadequate to make a significant impact on a person’s performance. Continued counseling or coaching is needed to help the person benefit fully from treatment. In my practice, I can help you make those lifestyle changes that will help you deal with depression, anxiety and stress.

In this month of May, the emphasis is on mental health. If you have been struggling with the disorders mentioned above for a long time, now is the time to take control. Fill out the form below and arrange for a free consultation. I will be happy to hear from you.

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A diagnosis of type 2 diabetes can send your life into a tailspin. It can leave you feeling alone and overwhelmed, but it doesn’t have to. Join my type 2 diabetes network group and get the help and support you need.

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Welcome

Welcome to Angie’s Health Coaching. I am so glad you found my site. You didn’t get here by accident. You have been examining your life and realize you need help making some lifestyle changes. Maybe your physical health is not what you would like to be. Or it may be your emotional or mental health or all three. Whatever your quest may be, I am here to help you. I am a health coach with eighteen years experience  as an occupational therapist. You can read more about me on my About Me page.

But first, let me explain to  you what a health coach is. When people hear the word coaching, they think of counseling, but health coaching is not counseling. There’s a difference between the two. Counseling advises you on how to deal with an issue in your life, what decisions to make and how to make them. Health coaching involves listening to the client and helping them make lifestyle changes that include physical activity, sensible eating habits and stress reduction.

Coaching goes beneath the surface to assess the needs, desires and goals of the individual. For example, when a client says, “I want to lose 20 pounds,” a counselor may say let’s do this or that, but a  good health coach will try to find out what is the motivation behind the goal. Is it just to look better, or is it because heart disease runs in his family and he is afraid that he might develop the disease? This allows the coach to delve further into the lifestyle habits of the client so as to better assist him to achieve his goals.

So, are you ready to embark on a journey that will change your life forever? If so, use the contact form to arrange for a free consultation. I look forward to hearing from you.

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