Scheduling Cancer Screenings for the New Year

There is a significant amount of information regarding cancer - including types, stages, diagnosis, treatment, causes, and much, much more. Sifting through the information depends on your diagnosis - or potential diagnosis - and if you will be undergoing treatment. But one piece of information seems to remain consistent across the board - early diagnosis is absolutely crucial for successful treatment in most cases and in very many cases can save your life. Yet people still often put off the screenings that they know they should be having.

Now, with the New Year upon us, it’s a great time to make a commitment to ourselves and our health by scheduling our routine screenings.

•    Women who are age 21 and older should make their appointments with their gynecologist to get a regular pap smear - a routine screening for cervical cancer.

•    Starting at age 40, women should schedule their mammogram appointments which screens for breast cancer. For women who have been told by their doctor that they have dense breast tissue, a breast ultrasound may be ordered as a supplement to - or instead of - a mammogram.

•    Both men and women age 50 or over should schedule a colonoscopy - a test that screens for polyps and colon cancer.

•    Beginning at age 50, men should be screened for prostate cancer - an easy screening that takes place right in the doctor’s office.

With this new commitment to regular screenings on the table, it is also important to commit to a healthy lifestyle through a healthy diet, regular exercise, regular use of sun block, staying away from tobacco, and limiting alcohol use.

There are none among us who would skip a regular screening for our children but, sadly, many of us do much better at taking care of others than we do at taking care of ourselves. Now is the time. When it comes to overall health and cancer prevention, make this New Year your new start for getting healthy and taking care of yourself.

Click here if you have any doubt related to breast cancer care.

Can Alternative Cancer Treatments Help in the Process?

The fatigue, nausea, and generalized discomfort that go along with cancer treatment can make coping very difficult. That’s why many patients also seek out alternative treatments that can help them ease the side effects so common with chemotherapy and other cancer therapies.

Alternative treatments can make a big difference in the overall treatment process, but they are recommended for use in conjunction with primary treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. While the effectiveness of alternative treatments can vary from person to person, they can make a difference in a number of ways. For some, they ease the stress associated with the diagnosis. Others may find they help ease sleep disorders, vomiting, and nausea.

So, what types of alternative treatments are available to cancer patients as they battle the disease? Here are just a few of the options that can make coping a bit easier:

•        Massage therapy – This is a great way to reduce stress and enable relaxation. This type of therapy has been shown to be quite helpful in easing some of the symptoms faced by cancer patients.

•        Meditation – Overall, relaxation techniques can be very useful in helping cancer patients relieve stress while relaxing their minds and bodies. Meditation can also help improve sleep while creating a more positive state of mind to face what’s ahead.

•        Acupuncture – This treatment can also be a great stress-buster. Some patients also find it very useful in pain relief.

•        Exercise – While it can be hard to imagine exercising while undergoing cancer treatments, this form of therapy can make a big difference. Not only does it help reduce stress and improve heart health, it can help combat some of the symptoms while assisting with energy maintenance. Yoga and Tai Chi are often recommended in this regard.

•        Aromatherapy – This is also quite good for helping alleviate stress and may even help with nausea reduction in some patients.

While alternative treatments are never meant to replace cancer therapy that’s designed to attack the disease and stop it in its tracks, they can prove quite useful. To find out more, just check with your doctor for ideas that might suit your personal needs.

Visit here if you want to know more about various cancer treatments.