GO PINK! IT'S BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.



Above: A pink ribbon that represents breast cancer awareness,
a campaign that happens throughout the whole month of
October in South Africa.
Picture found at www.zingerbug,com

 It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in South Africa. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is observed in the month of October every year. It is astonishing that according to the South African National Cancer Registry, one in twenty-nine women in South Africa will be diagnosed with breast cancer. www.doh.gov.za  Breast cancer just like any other types of cancers is treatable when detected early. It is important to go examine your brests regularly and to go for medical check-ups. The sad truth is that it is not only women that can get breast cancer but men can also get it, the focus may be mostly on women because most cancer sufferers are women. This kind of stereotyping needs to be delt with.  Medical facts provided in local health facilities such as hospitals and clinics give facts about cancer.  There are many factors that contribute to increasing the chances of getting breast cancer, some of these factors are:

Above: Entertainment personality Lillian Dube who is a cancer
survivor and an ambassador for breast cancer campaigns.
Picture found at: www.blisstree.com

• Alcohol intake
• Being overweight or obese
• Lack of exercise
• High- fat diets
• Tobacco smoking
• Wearing tight or very small bras

Various breast cancer awareness campaigns such as the Pink Drive campaign www.pinkgrive.co.za  will be happening across the whole of South Africa during this month. Check your local news to know about events and campaigns close to your area to get involved. When out and about this month, be sure not to forget your pink ribbon. Support Breast Cancer Awareness Month! 
  

AVOID EXAM STRESS BEFORE IT GOES TOO FAR!

Above: A student suffering from exam stress.
Picture found at www.schooltutoring.com

Exam time is closely cripping in and students are intenesly preparing for the exams. Many students often experience very high levels of stress as examinations approach. It is a very serious matter thatis often ignored and not many people know that exam stress can cause panic attacks. It might be a stressful time but there are various methods of dealing with exam stress and avoiding panic attacks. www.lanc.ac.uk If there is a warning sign of you or someone you know showing that there is a clear suffering of intense examination stress, here are some methods of dealing with it:

Above: A balaced breakfast that is essential for a student
suffering from exam stress to eat every morning.
Picture found at www.healthy-living.knoji.com

• Eat a sensible diet (with fuits and vegetables)
• DON'T skip breakfast
• Eat regular meals
• Avoid too much caffeine
• Have some regular exercise
• Explore workable revision and studying methods
• Consider counselling if the stress is too great
• Visit a Doctor if your health has taken a toll  

Exam stress may be a major health threating phase, but it can easily be delt with. Don't let Exam stress get you down and out, prepare for your exams accordingly and you sure will make a success out of the exam season.

MODERN MEDICINE VERSUS TRADITIONAL MEDICINE!

Above: A man selling traditional medicine
 from his stall.
Picture found at www.traditionnews.bbc.co.uk

It is heritage month in South Africa in the month of September. Tradition is one of the focuses on heritage month. There is a variety of medical practices in Africa as a whole. Since South Africa is mainly dominated by blacks in an overwhelming 79, 5%. www.southafrica.info.htm . Traditional medicine is highly practiced and consumed in South Africa seeing as a lot of black people praise it for being more effective than modern medicine. Traditional medicine is often consumed by its users in its raw form while modernised versions of the raw plants are processed and using scientifical technologies, these plants are turned into pills. Modern medicine is much better and safer to use rather than traditional medicine, here are some of the reasons why you should consider using modern medicine instead of traditional medicine:

Above: The modernised version of medication in the
form of pills.
Picture found at www.medicineinfo.us.


• The formulation of the drug is always stated in the packaging
• Regulations by the Health Department on the drug are often visible
• Testing on the drug's effectiveness is done before it is distributed
• Dosage is accurate and clear
• Medical consultation is always open
• Trained and educated professionals administer the mediciation

It is often a hard decision to choose between traditional and modern medicine but advatages of modern medicine certainly outweigh those of traditional medicine. Which ever option works for you, be sure that it is good for your mind, body and overall health.

UNHEALTHY FOODS DISGUISED AS HEALTHY!

Above: An image of a smoothie drink which is one of the
unhealthy foods diguised as healthy in shops.
Picture found at www.unhealthyfoods.co.za

In this day and age it seems as though everything we consume or eat rather is processed food. It is always essential to have knowledge of what exactly is in the food we eat. When chosing healthy food to consume always keep in mind that there are unhealthy foods that have been put out on display as being healthy and good for you, keep an eye out for what may seem healthy on the outside but nasty and totally bad for your health inside. Healthy food always has simple nutritional values on the packages and clearly state what nutritional value you will be consuming. These are the few foods to avoid when doing your grocery shopping:

• Creamy salad dressings

  

  Above: An image of a creamy salad dressing which
  is also not healthy even when added onto a healthy salad.
  Picture found at www.unhealthyfoods.co.za 

  
• Fatty lean meats
• Fried chicken
• Crackers or croutons
• Full cream or fatty cheeses
• Nuts
• Sodas or smoothies
• Full cream yoghurts
• Canned fruits or vegetables
• Procesed packeged foods.

So next time you do shopping or eating out, remember that just because it seems healthy, it doesn't mean that it is really healty. Always keep an eye out for unhealthy foods diguised as healthy! Lets live healthy lives each day at time.

EATING OUT IN A HEALTHY WAY TO END WOMEN'S MONTH!



Above: Glasses of Red wine, which improves good HDL cholesterol.
Picture found at www.medicinet.co.za



It is the last week of Women's month in South Africa and a lot of women will be saying goodbye in a big way and some will just prefer lunch or dinner out, myself included. It is always good to go out and enjoy a restuurant meal with loved ones, but do you keep the meals as healthy as possible? It seems like an easy decision to buy that platter of marinated spare ribs and hot wings on the side instead of settling for some deliciously seasoned grilled chicken and a green salad on the side right? Wrong! It is important to have fun eating out while consuming healthy meals. www.medicinet.co.za. Eating out with girls to bid farewell to women's month is a great idea. Here are some tips to keep it as healthy as possible:

Above: A fruit salad dish, which is good in replacing
that high in fat chocolate mousse.
Picture found at: www.fruitsaladimages.com

• Go easy on the cheese
• Replace that chocolate mousse dessert with fresh fruit or a fruit salad.
• Limit or no fried food
• Drink Red wine instead of White wine
• Choose grilled meat as opposed to fried or braaied
• Skip that tempting casserole, unless you know what's in it
• Choose light salad dressings
• Eat in small portions

So ladies, and some gents, lets bid farewell to Women's month in healthy style while preparing for the Sring season! We have to look healthy and happy in our Spring outfits!

BEAT EMOTIONAL EATING HEAD ON!

Above: A woman emotional eating.
Picture found at www.medicinet.com

We are still celebrating Women's month in South Africa and it is not out of the ordinary for women to be emotional on this month. Women are naturally known to be emotional creatures hence they are often guilty of  emotional eating. Emotional eating is "the practice of consuming large quantities of food, usually known as comfort or junk food, in response to feelings instead of hunger". www.medicinet.com. In often cases emotional eating is caused by depression, stress, boredom, loneliness, anger, anxiety, professional or workplace problems, problems with personal or inerpersonal relationships and even poor self esteem. Methods or ways of getting rid of emotional eating may include these activities:

Above: Women jogging, one of the solutions to emotional eating.
Picture found at www.medicinetcom


• Going for a walk or jogging
• Keeping busy by doing household choreses
• Listening to music
• Reading a book or magazine
• Doing some breathing exercises
•  Playing board games
• Making a phone call to a loved one

Since women are ofen the guilty ones of emotional eating and it is Women's month, isn't it about time that women take ownership over their own health and well-being? Always remember this everytime you think of finishing that large slice of that juicy chocolate cake that is displayed at the office canteen, a moment on your lips equals a lifetime on your hips!

WOMEN'S MONTH! CELEBRATE IT BY GETTING A MAMMOGRAM!

Above: A woman getting a mammogram.
Picture found at www.breastcancer.org

We are celebrating Women's month in South Africa in the whole month of August to commemorate the lives of the women that fought for women's rights in 1956. In commemoration of these herions, as women why don't we celebrate this month by doing something that is good for our health? Getting a mammogram! A mammogram is the scanning of the breasts done by health professionals to determine whether there are any traces of tumours or cancer in the breasts www.breastcancer.org . "Breast Cancer is a term that refers to a miligant tumour that has developed from cells in the breast." says Doctor Micheal Mol. Like any other cancers, Breast Cancer has symptoms, symptoms of Breast Cancer may include:

• Swelling of all or partial parts of the breasts



Above: A woman self-examining her breast.
Picture found at www.breastcancer.co.za


• Skin irritation or dimpling
• Breast pain 
• Nipple pain or nipple turning inward
• Redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
• Nipple dischrage (other than milk)
• A lump in the under-arm areas   

Should you have any one of these symptoms, consult a health practitioner or your nearest clinic as soon as you possibly can. Let's be future herions by being more vigilant to our breasts and going for regular mammograms and tackling breast cancer by taking better care of our health. Celebrate Women's month by getting a mammogram!