5 Important Tests for Women's Health

Not a few illnesses who secretly undermined the body without ever causing symptoms. That's why a medical examination be performed, at least once a year. Especially if it lifestyle is not healthy.

Here are the types of tests needed for women's health.

Mammography When you include people who have a high risk of developing breast cancer (have a family history), it is advisable to perform mammography from the age of 40 years. In addition to mammogram, it is advisable to perform breast self examination every month to detect any abnormalities in the breast.

Thyroid Test Weight loss despite increased appetite, anxiety, sweating, swelling at the base of the neck, a symptom of hyperthyroidism disease. Women more likely than men suffer from this disease. Hyperthyroidism can result in serious if not treated. Complications include heart problems. This disease can be detected by blood tests.

Pap smear Starting from the age of 21 years, unless you've had sex before, every woman is recommended to do pap smear test to detect signs of cervical cancer.

Eye exam If you use glasses or contact lenses, visit the eye doctor for eye examination every year. Women are more prone to disorders of the eye, such as dry eye syndrome or autoimmune diseases that affect the health of the sense of sight.

A blood test after blood test basis to determine cholesterol levels at age 20 years, at least not repeat this test at the age of 40 years. Check your cholesterol and your blood sugar because of the risk of heart disease and diabetes increases with age.

Myths About Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a scourge that is very scary. Understandably, in world this cancer became the number two killer of women after cervical cancer (cervical cancer). In fact, according to World Health Organization (WHO), breast cancer each year claimed 519 lives worldwide.

Exact cause is unclear until now. Even so, a number of studies show early detection and healthy lifestyle can prevent breast cancer. Because every woman at risk of developing breast cancer, we need to recognize and understand this disease. Here are some myths and facts about breast cancer.

Myth: Lump = Signs Cancer
Fact: 80 percent of breast lumps are benign and not cancerous. However, if you find a lump in the breast, you should consult a doctor and do the mammogram if your doctor recommends. To be safe, nor fair lump in the breast is considered cancer until proven not.

Myth: A Disease Heredity
Fact: According to the oncologist who is also founder of breastcancer.org, women with a family history of breast cancer risk is greater. That is why it is important to know the history of breast cancer from the father or mother. However, other factors, such as alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, and diet can also affect the likelihood of a woman suffering from this cancer.

Myth: Young Women More at Risk
Fact: Although the start was found in women age 18 years. Women aged 40-50 years over the greatest risk of this cancer.

Myth: Fatal Impact
Fact: The breast cancer itself is not fatal, but if the cancer spreads to other body parts until the node spleen, lungs, bones and even blood, it can increase the risk of death. So important is early detection and treatment for cancer has not spread.

Myth: Mastectomy is the best way to cure breast cancer
Fact: Very few women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have a mastectomy (removal of one or both breasts). In fact, most women who do not need a mastectomy. The reason, 75 percent of women with breast cancer, each year will only depend on chemotherapy, radiation, and lumpectomy (surgical removal of clot from the affected breast cancer).

Obesity and the Brain

Nature Genetics just published a paper that caught my interest (1). Investigators reviewed the studies that have attempted to determine associations between genetic variants and common obesity (as judged by body mass index or BMI). In other words, they looked for "genes" that are suspected to make people fat.

There are a number of gene variants that associate with an increased or decreased risk of obesity. These fall into two categories: rare single-gene mutations that cause dramatic obesity, and common variants that are estimated to have a very small impact on body fatness. The former category cannot account for common obesity because it is far too rare, and the latter probably cannot account for it either because it has too little impact*. Genetics can't explain the fact that there were half as many obese people in the US 40 years ago. Here's a wise quote from the obesity researcher Dr. David L. Katz, quoted from an interview about the study (2):

Let us by all means study our genes, and their associations with our various shapes and sizes... But let's not let it distract us from the fact that our genes have not changed to account for the modern advent of epidemic obesity -- our environments and lifestyles have.

Exactly. So I don't usually pay much attention to "obesity genes", although I do think genetics contributes to how a body reacts to an unnatural diet/lifestyle. However, the first part of his statement is important too. Studying these types of associations can give us insights into the biological mechanisms of obesity when we ask the question "what do these genes do?" The processes these genes participate in should be the same processes that are most important in regulating fat mass.

So, what do the genes do? Of those that have a known function, nearly all of them act in the brain, and most act in known body fat regulation circuits in the hypothalamus (a brain region). The brain is the master regulator of body fat mass. It's also the master regulator of nearly all large-scale homeostatic systems in the body, including the endocrine (hormone) system. Now you know why I study the neurobiology of obesity.


* The authors estimated that "together, the 32 confirmed BMI loci explained 1.45% of the inter-individual variation in BMI." In other words, even if you were unlucky enough to inherit the 'fat' version of all 32 genes, which is exceedingly unlikely, you would only have a slightly higher risk of obesity than the general population.

11 Signs of Breast Cancer Risk

Some people feel the new must check the condition of her breasts when there is an immediate family member affected by breast cancer. Genetic element is allowing a person at risk for breast cancer. However, it was not just that. According to the International Women's Organization, there are other things that make a person at risk for breast cancer. They are:

1. Have never given birth or not give birth until the age of 30 years.
2. During pregnancy, especially during the first pregnancy, ended in abortion.
3. Using the contraceptive pill before having a full pregnancy or use contraceptive pills for at least 4 years.
4. Having a history of breast cancer in close relatives (mother, sister, or daughter). The risk is greater if a relative has breast cancer on both sides before entering the menopause.
5. Having breast cancer in medical history private.
6. Having ovarian cancer or cervical cancer in a personal medical history.
7. Age: breast cancer cases in women are generally at the age of 50 years. Even so, today has started a lot of  people affected by breast cancer since the 30s, and even teenagers though.
8. Starting menstruation at an early age (before age 12 years), or enter menopause at the age of 55 years.
9. Running estrogen therapy at least for 5 years after menopause.
10. Consuming alcohol very much.
11. Obesity.

Now we live in a century of cancer (cancerous age). In developing countries, so a double burden. Slowly but surely. According to WHO data, industrial countries have a population with a large cancer.

In addition, women who are actively working until the evening, stress, affected by exposure to pollution, imbalanced diet, and lack of rest can also cancer risk.

Pattern of Diet to Prevent Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most deadly disease of women. Every year, there were 46,000 women affected by breast cancer, and 12,000 of them eventually gave up.

Many things that we can actually do to prevent it. According to the researchers, eating vegetables, fruits, and milk, two times a week can help prevent this type of cancer.

Evidence has been obtained after the researchers studied 50 overweight women in the 30-45 year age range. They have a genetic risk for developing breast cancer. From these studies, it appears that women who cut calories to only 650 calories twice a week will significantly reduce the levels of hormones that trigger cancer in the blood.

With this two-day diet you can limit a lot more calories than if you reduce the size of the meal every day. This affects all cells in the body, especially those in the breast. such as reduced food supply, thus making these cells more stable and will not break down to form a cancer.
 
The recommended diet consists of four servings of vegetables, a piece of fruit, one quart low-fat milk, and a cup of green tea. After six months, researchers found that the respondents experienced a decline in hormone levels cause kaner (on average 40 percent less leptin, and insulin reduced by 25 per cent) in the blood. No less important, the average body weight was also reduced to 6.5 kg.

It has long been known that losing weight can help prevent breast cancer, because obesity is believed to cause a third of all cases of breast cancer. The main challenge is that people have difficulty losing weight. If successful, one or two years later most people will return to its original weight.

Well, so, from now on try to make healthy eating and exercise as part of your lifestyle.

Breast cancer is increasingly Threatening

Breast cancer seems more scary just for women. Those who are potentially experiencing this disease is predicted to continue growing. If there is no significant improvement of lifestyle factors and the progress of medical techniques, experts predict by 2024 will be one of seven women will develop breast cancer.

The projection will increase the number of breast cancer patients. Research now suggests, the key lifestyle factors in the development of this cancer. The study also states, the risk of women who carry a type of breast cancer-triggering gene in the UK has increased dramatically in the last 60 years

In the UK, currently projected one in 10 women develop breast cancer before the age of 80 years. Researchers estimate these projections will increase to one in seven women will develop cancer in 16 years.

To suppress the growth of breast cancer risk, the women advised to get married early and avoid the use of hormone drugs and contraceptives in the long term. The experts also recommend that women be more diligent in working out and implementing a healthy diet.

In this research, researches involving 1442 women who have the genes trigger breast cancer, namely BRCA1 and BRCA2. Approximately one in 500 people are believed to have been mutated gene that increases risk of breast cancer up to 85-90 percent.

Increasing cases of breast cancer is reflected in the general population. In 1984 only one of 13 women are projected to develop breast cancer in her life. In 2004, the figure reached one in 10, and if this average increase predicted in 2024 will be one of seven women in the UK will develop breast cancer before 80 years.

This could mean that there will be additional victims of 4,000 people who died when no significant improvement in terms of treatment.