WomanLinks.com : Safeguarding Against Breast Cancer (part 2)

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The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamanat "Set in early 1800s Massachusetts and inspired by the settlement of Dogtown, Diamant reimagines the community of castoffs...all eking out a harsh living in the barren terrain of Cape Ann. Diamant brings the period alive with domestic details and movingly evokes the surprising bonds the outcasts form in their dying days. This chronicle of a dwindling community...renders these forgotten lives with imagination and sensitivity. " Find more books to love at WL Best Reads

Books We Love

The Last Days of Dogtown
by Anita Diamanat

"Set in early 1800s Massachusetts and inspired by the settlement of Dogtown, Diamant reimagines the community of castoffs...all eking out a harsh living in the barren terrain of Cape Ann. Diamant brings the period alive with domestic details and movingly evokes the surprising bonds the outcasts form in their dying days. This chronicle of a dwindling community...renders these forgotten lives with imagination and sensitivity. "

Find more books to love at WL Best Reads

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As You Choose

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Your life right now is the reflection of the choices you have made up until now. It is only when you live in a victim consciousness that you believe you had no choice. The most empowering tool you have in creating a wonderful human experience, is to remember that each moment you are at “choice point.” Each moment you have a choice about how you want to perceive the situation, you have a choice about what you want to believe about it, and you have a choice about how you want to respond. All these choices are within your power.
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You need to begin by defining your territory, your space. You need to have the strength to take care of yourself and to protect yourself. You must have respect for both yourself as well as others. You can learn to make appropriate choices and learn what is reasonable to give in a relationship.
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Stress is unavoidable in life. Some days even getting out of bed in the morning can be stressful. Managing the stress in your life is one key to staying healthy.
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Marriage: Responsibility vs. Fault

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Fault implies that you are the cause of a situation. Your ego - your conditioned wounded self - believes that you have control over other peoples' feelings and behavior, and over the outcome of things. Responsibility is about the ability to respond. Every situation in life offers us opportunities to respond, and how we respond determines how we feel and what we attract to us.
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Sexuality and Spirituality - Strange Bedfellows Or Natural Partners?

Sexuality
Sex. Possibly the most loaded word in any language, and with good reason. Sex reaches deep down into who we are at our core, and tells truths about us that are undeniable. Freud tapped into this over a century ago, and his insights still reverberate across the decades, and did a lot to break apart the rigid taboos against talking about sex that are a legacy from the Victorian culture.
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Take Care of Yourself - Safeguarding Against Breast Cancer (part 2)

As we saw last week, regular Breast Self Exams (BSE) are the first line of defense against breast cancer. The earlier abnormalities are detected, the greater the chance of survival.
Regularity in performing exams is important to ensure familiarity with the normal texture of breast tissue. Pregnancy, impending menstruation, and perimenopause hormonal changes may make breast tissue more tender or lumpy than usual. Not every lump is cancerous, but it is critical to seek medical attention everytime something just doesn't feel "right".
The best time to perform BSEs are 2-3 days after your period. If your menstual cycle is irregular, choose the same date each month to perform exams. Talk to your care provider for help in deciding when you should do your exams.

Breast Self Exam Steps

Lying down
1. place a pillow under your right shoulder, and your right hand under your head.
2. check the breast tissue using a circular, rubbing motion without lifting the fingers.
3. vary pressure of your fingers to examine the different layers of breast tissue.
  - light pressure : enough to move the skin, but not the underlying layers
  - medium pressure : checks the mid layer of tissue
  - deep pressure : press almost to the ribs, just short of causing discomfort
4. use one of the three techniques for your examination (remember to include the underarm tissue in your exam)
  - lines : start in the underarm area and lower your fingers until they are below the breast, move back upwards toward the middle. Use this up and down movement over the entire breast area.
  - circles : start at the outer edge of your breast, moving your fingers slowly around the breast in a circle. Examine the breast in smaller and smaller circles, moving toward the nipple.
  - wedges : at the outer edge of the breast, move your fingers toward the nipple and back to the edge in a V shape motion. Perform the same movement around the entire breast.
Standing in the Shower (follow the same techniques outlined above)
Mirror Exam
1. with arms lowered to your sides, look for any dimpling, puckering or other abnormality.
2. look for any discharge from both nipples

Contact your health provider or American Cancer Society for additional information on BSE. Next week, we'll take a look at foods that may help protect you from Breast Cancer. In the meantime, be well.

all the best,

Catie