Breast cancer

I know two people who've had breast cancer. The other one has moved on, and the other is recovering. Going Wai lana green

You cannot control some things that put you at risk for breast cancer, such as your age and being female. But you can make personal choices that lower your risk of breast cancer. If you are at high risk for getting breast cancer, your doctor may also offer you certain medical treatments that can help prevent breast cancer.

Female hormones

Hormones change the way cells within the breast grow and divide. The years when you have a menstrual cycle are your high-estrogen years. Experts think that the longer you have higher estrogen, the more risk you have for breast cancer.4 This includes taking hormones after menopause.1, 26

* Avoid long-term, high-dose hormones after menopause. If you use hormone therapy for menopause symptoms, use a low dose for as short a time as possible. This includes estrogen-progestin and estrogen-testosterone.1, 3 Using estrogen by itself may slightly raise breast cancer risk.1
* Breast-feed. Breast-feeding may lower your breast cancer risk. The benefit appears to be greatest in women who breast-fed for longer than 12 months or who breast-fed several children.27
* Strive for a healthy weight. Extra fat cells make extra estrogen, which raises your breast cancer risk.4 Getting regular exercise and watching what you eat can help.

Having a full-term pregnancy before age 30 also lowers your breast cancer risk.10

Healthy food and exercise

* Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. A low-fat diet with limited red meat may lower your breast cancer risk.28, 29, 30
* Be active. Try to do at least 2½ hours a week of moderate exercise. One way to do this is to be active 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week.5, 31 Staying active may lower your breast cancer risk.32
* Drink no more than one alcoholic drink a day.4 Using alcohol leads to extra estrogen in the body, which raises your breast cancer risk.10

"Anti-estrogen" medicine

If you are at high risk for breast cancer, talk to your doctor about taking medicine that helps prevent it. This is sometimes called hormone therapy for breast cancer. It blocks the effects of hormones on breast cancer cells.

* Tamoxifen is a medicine that blocks the effect of estrogen on breast cancer cells and normal breast cells. Among high-risk women, tamoxifen lowers their risk of breast cancer about the same as raloxifene does.33 But this medicine may also increase other risks, such as for endometrial cancer, stroke, and blood clots in veins and in the lungs.
* Raloxifene is widely used to prevent and treat osteoporosis. It works like estrogen on bone, but it works like an "anti-estrogen" on breast tissue.34 Among high-risk women, raloxifene lowers their breast cancer risk about the same as tamoxifen does. Compared to tamoxifen, raloxifene's endometrial cancer risk is lower.33

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved raloxifene for use in reducing the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women who have osteoporosis. The FDA has also approved raloxifene for use in postmenopausal women at high risk for breast cancer.
If you are at high risk for breast cancer

If you are concerned that you may have an increased risk of developing breast cancer, talk with your doctor about whether you should take tamoxifen or raloxifene to prevent breast cancer. It is important to consider both their benefits and risks.

If you have a strong family history of early breast cancer or breast and ovarian cancer, talk to your doctor about BRCA testing. For more information, see:

Click here to view a Decision Point. Should I have a gene test for breast cancer?
Click here to view a Decision Point. What should I do if I'm at high risk for breast cancer?

Surgery to remove the breasts. Some women with a strong family history of breast cancer decide to have surgery to remove their breasts. This called a preventive or prophylactic mastectomy. It reduces the risk of developing breast cancer by approximately 90% in women who have a strong family history of breast cancer. A cancer risk assessment, genetic test, and psychological counseling are recommended for women who may be considering this treatment option.35

Surgery to remove the ovaries. Genetic mutations (called BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene changes) raise the risk of both breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Hormones made by the ovaries increase the risk of breast cancer. Removal of the ovaries (prophylactic oophorectomy) reduces the risk of breast or ovarian cancer in women with a genetic mutation. Such a decision is best made after a cancer risk assessment, genetic test, and counseling.36

Do some yoga exercises to help balance the hormones too. It's a great feeling way to prevent cancer or make you feel better if you already have cancer

Cooking & more

Every parent knows that cooking for kids can be a real challenge. One thing I'm glad about is that my kids are actually quite fond of different types of food and are easy to feed. They particularly love the thick soups I've been trying out from Wai Lana's soup book.

I've been reading a bit about cooking:

Tsukemono: The Art of Japanese Pickles

One of my favorite, often-overlooked parts of Japanese cuisine is the colorful pickles that add a punch of flavor and textural interest to nearly every meal--breakfast included. Called tsukemono (soo-keh-MOH-noh), they come in a variety of colors and flavors, but are often very salty* or sweet-and-tart.

Tsukemono plays an important role in Japanese cuisine: adding a big kick of flavor (with no fat and few calories) to otherwise mild-tasting food. Traditional Japanese cooking focuses on fresh, seasonal ingredients that are typically seasoned minimally to let each food's pure flavors shine through. This makes for mild and subtle dishes that shine with a Zen-like simplicity. Aside from the pungent kick of wasabi, which is typically eaten only with sushi, Japanese cooking does not employ the zing and spice of other cuisines, such as Korean. But that's where the under-appreciated pickle comes in.

Tsukemono refers to a broad category of pickles, many of which can be bought at an Asian market or made at home. Serve them in small portions (like those above) on the side of any meal, and try the parings I've suggested below. These are a few that I regularly buy. You can find them in the refrigerated section of most Asian markets that carry Japanese foods. In the picture, clockwise from top left:

1. Beni shoga (aka pickled ginger): This bright-red pickled ginger root is quite different from gari, the sweet, pale-pink slices of pickled ginger that accompany sushi. Colored with red perilla leaves (called shiso), beni shoga has a strong, salty, almost spicy flavor that adds a wonderful kick of flavor to dishes such as beef noodle bowls, stir fries, and yakisoba (stir-fried noodles). Ginger is widely purported to help quell nausea, so when I'm feeling under the weather, I often eat this type with ochazuke (o-CHA-zu-kay), which is simply green tea poured over rice (kind of like milk on cereal). Look for it in plastic tubs about the size of a tuna can.

2.Takuan (pickled daikon): Though the version above is dyed yellow, this pickle sometims looks paper-white or beige. Made from daikon, a mild white radish that can grow to the size of your forearm, it has many uses besides pickles: grated in dipping sauces, shredded into a mound of ribbons that go well with sashimi, and boiled in soups, to name a few. Takuan has a pleasant crunch and mild brininess, and it is eaten at the end of a meal, as it is believed to aid in digestion. You can buy it sliced, or as a whole radish immersed in a bag of brine.

3. Rakkyo (RAH-kyoh; aka pickled shallot): Similar in appearance to a cocktail onion, these crisp, mild, sweet-and-sour shallots, pickled in a light seasoned vinegar, are like candy to me. Often served with grilled fish or meats, they provide a crisp, bright note that's palate-cleansing between savory bites. Rakkyo is often labeled "pickled scallions" and sold in little plastic bags or small glass jars.

4. Umeboshi (ooh-meh-BOH-she; pickled Japanese plum): This is the quintessential Japanese pickle. One of my favorites, umeboshi is colored red with shiso and has a startling tartness that almost makes your eyes water (in a good way). It's an acquired taste for some. They are sometimes pale pink, and sometimes bright red, and they range from cranberry-sized, crunchy fruits to olive-sized fruits with a squishier texture. They are served with many meals, including breakfast, and are often placed in the center of onigiri (seasoned rice balls). Look for them in small plastic containers.

Make your own: I have never tried this, but from what I understand, some types of tsukemono are relatively quick and easy to make (while others aren't worth the effort). The quick-and-easy variety have a limited shelf life, while the ones that require more time to ripen tend to last a bit longer in the fridge. Check out Just Hungry's tsukemono post for more detailed descriptions, and make sure to see her quick-tsukemono pickle recipes. (I know I keep linking to this blog, but it's the best resource I've found on authentic Japanese food. If you know of others, please share!)

Don't you just love how Japanese food looks?

On a side note, I let my sister try out Wai Lana's Ujjayi Pranayam, I read that it's good for people with heart problems. She said she's never felt so relaxed in her life. :)

Exercise for diabetes

My aunt was diagnosed with diabetes sometime recently. I think that it was somewhat unexpected. I've been researching about it a bit. I copied one of the articles I found informative below. I got her Wailana's yoga dvds. I know yoga helps people get healthy again, so I think this will help her get back to exercising.

Diabetes Plus Stress Can Equal High Blood Sugar

For most people, stress is simply annoying or unpleasant; for people with diabetes, it can have a direct impact on health. Stress hormones can cause blood sugar to rise and you may need more insulin or other medications to control blood sugar when you are under stress (being sick or physically injured can also do the same).

Your response to stress, however, can exacerbate the problem. If you skip meals, neglect exercise, or tend to eat poorly, your blood sugar may become too high or too low.

"There is a myth out there that it's all about food as to why the blood sugar rises," says Richard Hellman, MD, former president of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. The truth is that other factors play a role, he explains, including stress.

For example, if you're a schoolteacher who takes insulin at breakfast, a morning meeting with a difficult co-worker can affect the insulin's ability to control your blood sugar.

"That person will have, in many cases, a higher than normal glucose level at that time. Only part of it is due to what they ate," Dr. Hellman says. "(Another) part of it is due to the fact that their hormones are churning out adrenaline and other stress hormones."

If you're under stress, you may need to take more insulin to correct for extra-high blood sugar, or less if you change your behavior.

Stress can also affect lifestyle
While stress can cause blood sugar to go up it can also cause people to skip a workout or make poor food choices, notes Susan Guzman, PhD, senior psychologist with the Behavioral Diabetes Institute in San Diego.

"I think the bigger problem with stress is that you stop making time for exercise, you stop making time to test your blood sugar regularly, you stop making time for meal planning," Guzman says.

The best way to break that cycle, she explains, is to get back on track with your diabetes care—even if it's taking small steps, such as a 15-minute walk in the middle of the day.

Even if you're stressed and on a deadline crunch, it's not the time to "run to Denny's or to run to McDonald's," she says.

Guzman, who teaches a class on diabetes and depression, says being part of a group also helps alleviate anxiety for some people. "Just having a place to come and talk and feel supported and to know you're not alone in what you're feeling is so therapeutic," she says.

It's also a good reason to do yoga meditation with Wai Lana- as yoga meditation is one of the best, if not the best way to relieve stress.

Helpful tips for caring for someone with flu

Now that one of the kids are sick, I've been using Wai Lana's daydream cd to keep them from feeling too sorry for themselves. I also found this article about how to take care of someone with flu very useful:

Red Cross Offers Important Tips for Caring for Someone With the Flu
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that the H1N1 (swine flu) virus has now
spread throughout the United States, the American Red Cross has a set of tips
for people who are sick or are taking care of someone who has the flu


Flu viruses spread from person to person in droplets of coughs or sneezes, and
can also spread if a person touches droplets on another person or object and
then touches their own mouth or nose before washing their hands. To prevent
the spread of the flu, it is important to remember to wash your hands and
cover your cough or sneeze.


"It's important to know what to do to protect yourself and others when you are
taking care of someone who has the flu," said Sharon Stanley, chief nurse and
director, Red Cross Disaster Health and Mental Health Services. Recent survey
results conducted by the Red Cross reveal that six in ten Americans feel that
they need more information about how to care for someone with the flu*. The
following tips can be helpful:


If you are ill:
-- Stay in a room separate from common areas of the home and avoid
contact with others as much as possible.
-- Stay at home for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone without
using medicine to reduce the fever.
-- Get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids.
-- Consider wearing a facemask, if available and tolerable, when sharing
common spaces with household members.
-- Check with your healthcare provider about whether to take antiviral
medication, or if fever persists, whether antibiotics are needed.

When caring for someone who has the flu:
-- Disinfect door knobs, switches, handles, toys and other surfaces that
everyone touches.
-- Use detergent and very hot water to do dishes and wash clothes. It's
okay to wash everyone's dishes and clothes together. Wash your hands
after handling dirty laundry.
-- Designate only one adult as the caregiver. People at increased risk of
severe illness from the flu should not be caregivers.
-- Deal with crisis situations calmly and confidently to give the best
support to the person being cared for.
-- Remember your own needs as well.
-- Practice healthy habits. Eat a balanced diet. Drink plenty of water.

Get regular exercise.

-- Get enough sleep and rest.



Caring for someone else can be stressful. Common symptoms of stress include
sleep disturbances, headaches, muscle tension or aches, a change in appetite,
skin problems, anxiety, depression, frustration and overreacting. If someone
is dealing with a lot of stress, it's important to ask for help. If a
caregiver is in a stressful situation, they should express their feelings to
people they trust, get into a regular schedule of seven to eight hours of
sleep, exercise, and take some time to relax.


According to the CDC, most people who have become ill with the H1N1 virus are
moderately ill, similar to the illness that occurs during the regular flu
season. H1N1 is affecting many young adults and children, people ages five to
24. The majority of people sick with H1N1 don't need testing or treatment.
However if someone is severely ill and is pregnant, and has trouble breathing
or has an underlying condition like heart disease, lung disease (such as
asthma) or diabetes, it is important to get treated promptly within the first
48 hours.

Thank the Lord for Wai Lana's Goji Juice.

What yoga exercises must you do for a flatter tummy?

So here I am, flat tummy and all, and I'd say, it's all the Wailana yoga I've been doing. Sarah at Health.com has been talking about just how certain yoga exercises can definitely help you firm and flatten your stomach.

Get a Flat, Toned Tummy With the Yoga Bicycle
By Sara Ivanhoe

I love combining the physical benefits of classic exercise with historic yogic tradition. One of my favorite hybrids is the yogic bicycle. Usually reserved for ab classes, bicycle crunches are a nice complement to the typical yoga session. Yoga has very few abdominal strengthening poses, other than the dreaded Boat Pose—and even that doesn’t do much for the obliques, or side abdominal muscles. And bicycle is actually a Vinyasa, or “breath and movement sequence.”

Just because you may have done bicycle before doesn’t mean you can just throw it in a yoga sequence without thinking twice. You want to be very conscious of your breath—something you may not normally do when you do bicycle crunches at the gym. When you practice yoga, your energy is open, and the way you breathe really affects your level of energy. How you breathe in any given sequence can have some pretty dramatic effects!

Begin on your back with your knees bent together and touching your chest. Keep the knees here as you interlace your fingers behind your head and sit up slightly. This is the inhale position. As you exhale, squeeze the outside of your right arm to the outside of your left thigh and straighten your right leg. Inhale to come back to center with the knees into the chest and sitting up straight. Exhale to twist to the other side. Repeat for at least a minute, up to 5 minutes for best results. This can be practiced every day.

Yogis have a system of energy channels, called nadis, and they believe that the right side of the body represents the sun channel, or the masculine, extroverted side of the body, while the left side is the moon channel, the feminine or receptive side. It may sound incredible, but if you are always inhaling on the left and exhaling on the right, you’ll drain yourself of energy—this can leave you introverted and depressed. On the contrary, if you are always inhaling on the right, you can agitate your system and develop a nervous condition.

The bicycle sequence not only helps balance your energy, but regular practice also will leave your tummy toned and taut. Plus, paying attention to your breathing will help you reap the rewards.

Oh and hey, Wai Lana supplements are on 50% off sale!! :) Great stuff for flu season! Stay healthy everyone.

Natural Supplements vs Antibiotics

With one of the kids sick, here's our argument over antibiotics and natural supplements. First of all, I love Wai Lana's Natural supplements. I have been using the immune boosters for my whole family in preparation for the flu season.

I've just been keeping the other kid busy with this:
Wailana Little Yogis Daydream Kit. It's working wonders so far. :D

Are Antibiotics Needed?
The dos and don'ts of antibiotic use.
by Dr. Rob for MSN Health & Fitness
Dr. Rob

Can you identify with this scenario? You have a runny nose and it's getting sore. Your throat hurts and you ache all over. So you may think, hey, what harm would it do to take an antibiotic? Before you run to your doctor for a prescription, read on.

According to the American College of Physicians, "Antibiotic treatment of colds, bronchitis and other upper respiratory infections is almost always inappropriate." In fact, most of these problems can be better managed by our bodies own immune defense system, with additional help for symptoms from home remedies such as chicken soup, warm tea with honey (not for children less than one year of age) or gargling with salt water. Sounds like Dr. Mom's advice, huh?

It's important to know that antibiotics only work against bacterial infections. Yet, many individuals take these medications for infections caused by viruses with symptoms such as a runny nose, cough, clogged ear and irritated throat. And, since we are not using the antibiotics properly, they become less effective against the very infections they were designed to treat.

Because of this concern, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to add a warning label stating that the "inappropriate use of antibiotics will make them less effective in the war against bacterial infections." And, the potential overuse of antibiotics is so important that the American Society of Internal Medicine has issued guidelines for physicians on the proper use of these medications.

However, we all need to work together, so here are some suggestions to help in our battle against antibiotic resistant infections:

* Don't demand an antibiotic from your doctor. (Remember, you are going to your physician for their professional opinion, so it's important to have one you trust.)
* Do finish your prescription as directed. (If you stop taking your antibiotic as soon as you are feeling better but before the prescription is finished, the infection may come back with a vengeance.)
* Do follow the directions. (Take on an empty stomach, one or more times per day, not with milk products, etc.)
* Don't take leftover medications.
* Do get vaccinated to decrease your risk of becoming infected with a vaccine preventable illness.
* Do exercise, eat right and get proper rest to build up your immune system.
* Do wash your hands regularly throughout the day. (Antibacterial soap is NOT necessary as rubbing your hands together for 15 seconds with regular soap and water will do just fine). Hand sanitizers are also an effective alternative if water is not within easy access.

While instructions to wash your hands may seem like a no-brainer, apparently many individuals skip this important infection fighter. A 2007 study sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology and the Soap and Detergent Association observed hand-washing behaviors at selected locations in the cities of Atlanta, Chicago, New York and San Francisco. The results found that 88 percent of women washed their hands after visiting a public restroom, while only 66 percent of men did. Needless to say, hand washing is extremely important and there is no reason the figures shouldn't reach 100 percent.

So, the next time you have a cough or cold, don't insist on getting an antibiotic. Even though it may not seem like it, your physician is actually looking out for your best interests when suggesting you do not need that particular medication. If your condition doesn't improve in a few days or begin to get worse, let your doctor know, as a new examination may be necessary.

The 11 Kinds of Insomnia

I was reading a little about how there are 11 different types of insomnia! That fact in itself might keep you awake all night.

The 11 Kinds of Insomnia
Insomnia may be caused by a drug, a medical condition, stress, or an unknown factor.
(COLIN ANDERSON/BRAND X/CORBIS/HEALTH)
You don't have to lie awake for hours past your bedtime to have insomnia. The condition manifests itself in several ways: trouble falling asleep (known as sleep-onset insomnia), staying asleep (sleep-maintaining insomnia), or waking up too early (early morning awakening).

Sleep specialists may also describe a sleep problem based on its underlying cause, such as a medical condition or a psychological issue. To do this they use the 11 classifications of insomnia below, developed by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Insomnia
General insomnia is a classification of sleep disorders in which a person has trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early. These disorders may also be defined by an overall poor quality of sleep.

Adjustment insomnia
This disorder, also called acute insomnia or short-term insomnia, disturbs your sleep and usually stems from stress. The sleep problem ends when the source of stress is gone or when you adapt to the stress. The stress does not always come from a negative experience. Something positive can make you too excited to sleep well.

Behavioral insomnia of childhood
This disorder occurs when children don't go to bed on time unless a parent or guardian enforces a bedtime. If the children are made to go to bed at a specified time, then they tend to fall asleep at a normal hour. If they are not given strict bedtimes, then they may linger awake for hours at night.

I used to have insomnia, but just do yoga. Wai Lana yoga has helped me say goodbye to insomnia. I mean just try out some of her yoga meditation and tell me if you won't feel rested and sleepy.

Natural beauty secrets

My sister and I had a fun time trying these today:

The Secret to All-Natural Beauty Is in Your Kitchen

Consider this food for thought: Great skin is as much about what you put in your body as what you put on it. But what if the same food you put in your body for healthy hair and skin could do the same good on your outside too? Celebrity makeup artist Shalini Vadhera says if you want to get gorgeous, hit the fridge. Inspired by her global travels, the founder of Global Goddess Beauty shares her top 4 all-natural beauty secrets from women around the globe.

Go bananas for healthy hair
If your hair is starting to show signs of damage from heat styling or color treatments, try this Hawaiian secret for super-shiny tresses: Use a fork to mash one banana in a bowl, then slather the mixture from root to tip. Leave the treatment on for 15 minutes, then wash with shampoo. Bananas help improve the health and natural elasticity of your hair thanks to their high levels of potassium.

Smooth skin with this sweetener
Take a cue from fresh-faced Polish women, who apply honey on their faces as an intensive moisturizer. Just a thin layer does the trick. The sweet golden goo’s firming and moisture-retaining properties make it a popular anti-aging ingredient, too. An added bonus? It helps protect the skin from the damage of UV rays.

Warm a small pot of honey in a double boiler over low heat. After testing a small dab on the inside of your elbow for a safe temperature, apply the honey generously over your entire face. Leave the mask on for 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with warm, then cool water.

Go with garlic for stronger nails
Add chopped garlic to a bottle of clear nail polish. Let it sit for 7 to 10 days, then paint the mixture onto your nails. It’s a little secret Dominican women use to strengthen their nails—and it makes them feel stronger than acrylic tips!

Dry, dull skin is the pits
Skip expensive body scrubs or spa treatments in favor of a natural, budget-friendly body treatment. Next time you snack on Greek olives or whip up a tapenade, hold on to the pits—they are a great natural remedy for dry skin. Grind them up in a food processor and use them as a body scrub to remove dry, dead skin cells.

Good to have the eco yoga tote kits from Wai Lana come in the mail today. The kids are excited. I'm off to do some yoga now. Wailana Yoga's showing!