NEWSLETTER No1
Feb 2000
written by Wally Marcou

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Are you Up-to-Date?  
If you suscribe to the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy of life, here's something you might not have thought
of: If you wait until something is damaged to fix it, it's going to take longer, it'll cost more and you might not even
be able to repair it.
 
Your body's no different. Up to 75% of all diseases are preventable through lifestyle factors, including early
detection.

     Women who are 50 years old and over, who participate in appropiate breast cancer screenings, decrease
     their risk of dying from the disease by up to 30%.
     Both men and women over 50 who recieve fecal occult blood testing cut their of dying of colon cancer by
     up to 57%.
     If cervical cancer is discovered early, the five-year survival rate is 90%, while only 14% of those whose
     cancer is found in an advanced survive five years beyond diagnosis.
     Identifying and treating a probelm with high blood pressure or high chlesterol early can greatly reduce
     your risk of heart attack and stroke

Colon Cancer:
 
Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) ...................................................................................annually
 
Flexiable Sigmoidoscopy .............................................................................Every Five (5) years
 
Colonoscopy.......................................................................................................Every 10 years
 
Breast Cancer:
 
Clinical Breast Exam...................................................................................................Annually
 
Mammogram...................................................................................................Every 1 - 2 Years
 
Cervical Cancer:
 
 Pap Test...................................................................................................At least every 3 years
 
Cholesterol:
 Blood Test.............................................................................................................Every 5 years
 
Infections:
Immunization for
Pneumonia and Flu.........................................................................................................Annually
 
Blood Pressure:
 Blood Pressure Test................................................................................................Every 2 years
 
                                                                    When To Test
Colon Cancer........................................................................................age 50 and older
 
Breast Cancer CBE........................................................................Begininng at age 20
              Mammagram......................................40 or 50, depending on family history
 
Cervical Cancer.............................................................................Once sexually active
 
Cholesterol.............................................Men@ age 35+  / Women @ ag 45 or older
 
Infections.....................................................................................Over age 65 or if at risk
 
Blood Pressure..............................................................................................Over age 21
 
 
BREAST CANCER: Family history increases risk two - to threefold. Morality for women 50+ is 20 - 30% less if screened
COLON CANCER: Independent reasearch trials have shown that mortality for people 50+ is 31-57% less if screened for FOBT
CERVICAL CANCER: If found at advanced stage, 5yr. survival is only 14% vs. 90% if detected before advanced stage.
CHOLESTEROL: During middle age, each 1% increase in total cholerterol increases risk for heart disease and estimated 3%
CANCER: One in four deaths are from CANCER.

     Your muscles relax, tour skin remoisturizes and heals; old cells are replenished with new ones.
     Your heart rate lowers and your circulation improves.
     Your powers of concentration and memory improves.

Everyone's sleep requirements are different. Research has shown that 12 - year - olds need nine
hours of sleep each night, Adults require anywhere from 5  to 8 hours or more. Your sleep habits may
change too, as you grow older, especially if you're a woman. Hormanal changes during menstruation,
pregnacy and menopause affect how well women sleep.
 
Here are some tips to help you get a good, healthy night's rest at any age:

     Avoid caffine, nicotine and alcohol in the late afternoon and evening.
     Avoid eating a big, heavy meal late at night.
     Exercise regularly, but not within two hours of bedtime.
     Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning.
     Keep you bedroom dark and cool.

 
If you have trouble falling asleep:

     Create a bedtime ritual to help your brain get ready for sleep; relax and soothe yourself by
     listening to music or reading.
     Make sure you are comfortable (perhaps a new mattress or pillow will help)
     Take sleep medication only after you've talked with your Doctor.

                                         Danger ZZZZone!!!
 
An estimated 30 to 40 million Americans suffer from serious sleep disorders that affect their health.
 

     Insomnia is when a person has trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep, night after night.
     Transient (short term) insomnia lasts a few nights and is usually brought on by stress,
     excitement or a change in sleep habits. Chronis (long term) insomnia lasts more than a month
     and can be caused bt emotional or medical problems.
     Narcolepsy is when someone falls asleep suddenly, many times during the day. It is
     extremely important to avoid driving a car or operating machinery if you think you have
     narcolepsy.
     Sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening disorder in which a person may actually stop
     breathing for as long as two minutes. Men, people who snore loudly and those who are
     overweight are at highest risk.

If you or someone in you family is experiencing any of the warning signs for any of the sleep
conditions listed above, you need to learn more about these disorders and find out about treatment
and should contact their family physician.

If your Thyroid is working well, your body processes foods normally. That keeps everything working in tune: Your
eyes will focus, your hair will grow, you'll be able to balance yourself when you walk, and much, much more. But if
your thyroid isn't working well, you could develope hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
 
Hypothyroidism occurs when production of the thyroid hormone drops below the body's normal need. Symptoms
include (but are not limited to):

     Fatigue and muscle swelling or cramps (mainly in the arms and legs)
     Tingling in the fingers
     Loss of balance
     Weight gain
     Yellow or dry skin
     Constipation

 
Hyperthyroidism is the result of an overactive thyroid producing excess hormones. Some symptoms are:

     Nervousness
     Tremors
     Increased heart rate and palpatations
     heat intolerance; increased sweating
     Sudden paralysis
     weight loss
     Frequent bowel movements