Spanish cuisine is part of the Mediterranean diet. This diet takes advantage of the medley of crops grown around the Mediterranean Sea, mainly wheat, olives and grapes. Other main components of this diet include fish and lean meats (such as chicken), vegetables, beans, nuts and fresh dairy products like cheese and natural yogurt. Essentially, the diet emphasizes fresh over processes foods. For example, most foods in Spain are bought daily from local markets, and fruit is always on hand in most Spanish homes. Frequently Spaniards will have a plum or tangerine for dessert instead of cakes or pastries.

One unavoidable staple of the Mediterranean diet is the amount of olive oil consumed daily. Spaniards use olive oil while cooking and on everything from salad to toast. This may seem excessive, but olive oil serves as their main source of dietary fat, providing mono- and poly- unsaturated fats in place of saturated or trans-fats.

Unsaturated fats are derived from vegetable sources while saturated fats, such as those found in butter, come from animal sources. The difference between saturated and unsaturated fats, however, is found in the chemical structure. Unsaturated fats have a rigid structure that actually decreases fat buildup in blood vessels. Saturated fats, on the other hand, have a structure that allows the molecules to clump more closely together, increasing fat levels in the blood vessels that can lead to various heart problems. This difference between types of fats explains why fish and other seafood are so important to the Mediterranean diet. Many fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat that has been shown to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease.

Another component of the Mediterranean diet is of one to two glasses of red wine a day, often with lunch or dinner. Red wine may decrease the risk of heart disease because it contains antioxidants – plant-derived molecules that protect our cells from free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that can cause cellular damage which can lead to major health problems such as cancer over time. Antioxidants chemically react with free radicals to prevent cellular damage from happening. One antioxidant found in red wine is resveratrol, which may protect blood vessel lining and reduce heart disease.  Although red wine may have its benefits, drinking any alcohol in excess is dangerous.

According to the Los Angeles Times, scientists became interested in studying the Mediterranean diet when they discoved that people of the Mediterranean area had healtier and longer lives than people living in other parts of the world.   Since then scientists have both analyzed individual components of the Mediterranean diet and the health benefits of the diet as a whole. In 2006 Columbia University Medical Center conducted a study on over 2,000 elderly men revealed  that those who adhered most closely to the Mediterranean diet experienced a 40 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease than those who only followed the diet loosely. Similarly, in December 2009 Spanish scientists working with the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, a European program that investigates relationships between diet and incidence of cancer, discovered that those who followed the Mediterranean diet closely had a 33 percent decreased risk of developing stomach cancer – the world’s second deadliest cancer – than those who did not follow the diet.

These are just two of the many studies conducted on people consuming the Mediterranean diet that satistically show how Mediterranean diet can be a feel-good lifestyle choice with some astounding health benefits.  As we approach the holiday season, substituting the Mediterranean diet for sugary treats might be worth a try.

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Over the past few months, there has been worry about a major volcanic eruption located in the southwestern region of the Canary Islands. An underwater volcano just 70 meters off the coast of the island of El Hierro has been spewing rocks, debris and gas since early July. Concerns were further provoked by a swarm of 8,000 tremors over the course of four months that have been continuously intensifying to a Richter magnitude of 3.4. These earthquakes are the result of magma moving towards the surface of the Earth’s crust. The pressure build-up ruptures the crust and the released tension generates seismic activity that can be felt on the island.

The Canary Islands make up a Spanish archipelago situated off the coast of Morocco and the Western Sahara. El Hierro is the smallest and youngest of the Canary Islands. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other conservationalists place a large focus on the ecosystem of this island because it contains thermophilous (a species that thrives in warm climates) juniper forests, evergreen woodlands and pine forests. El Hierro also has a captive breeding program for the critically endangered El Hierro Giant Lizard. For this reason, it was declared the Reserve of the Biosphere in 2000.  A biosphere reserve is an area protected by countries and recognized by UNESCO for conservation of biodiversity.

La Restinga, the southern-most town of El Hierro, is located closest to the volcano. According to Ninemsn, on Nov. 3, 2011, 600 residents and tourists were ordered to evacuate the town due to the threat of a major volcanic eruption. Authorities shut down businesses and residents of nearby towns stocked up on food and water.  Most of the evacuated residents, frightened by the sight of magma rising out of the water, did not try to return to the town.  Besides magma there were large amounts of sulfur released by the volcano that could be smelt from the coast of La Restinga. Residents of the island also saw an abundance of dead fish on the beaches due to ocean temperatures rising to 35°C (95°F).  Locals fear that a more powerful volcanic eruption could have dire consequences on the island’s wildlife. The economy of El Hierro is largely dependant on eco-tourism and authorities are concerned that the threat of an eruption could impact their economic viability.

There has been a significant increase in international attention to the Canary Islands because, according to Fox News, there is a chance to witness a rare birth of an island. Scientists believe that the magma that is moving upwards will eventually break through the crust. Once the lava and other volcanic debris have solidified causing volcano to gain height and rise out of the water, a new island will form just as the other Canary Islands have. This news has compelled islanders to brainstorm for possible island names. Tourists are drawn to beaches from which they can watch plumes and jets of molten rock erupt into the air. It is nearly impossible to predict the date when a new island might be formed.

Nevertheless, the island is on yellow (advisory) alert and Spanish Defense Minister Carme Chacón visited El Hierro to oversee emergency preparations.

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Question: Can I lose anything inside of my vagina?

Fear not, you can’t lose anything in your vagina! If after inserting something into the vagina a person is still struggling to retrieve it, don’t worry: the vagina is not a deep abyss. The vagina is the internal canal that is a part of female-assigned sexual organs. The opening is a part of the vulva, which also includes the outer labia, inner labia, clitoris and urethra. At the end of the vaginal canal is the cervix, a nub which opens to the uterus. Statistically, the average vagina measures between three and five inches and lengthens and expands when a person is aroused.

Unlike the rectum, which connects to the lower intestine and the rest of the gastro-intestinal tract, when inserting an item into the vagina there is no risk of losing it.

Having trouble fishing out a tampon, Diva cup, condom or other item?  When preparing to get an item out of the vagina, it’s super important to relax. Try getting on your hands and knees or laying on your back to retrieve it, as these are positions in which the vaginal canal shortens. Squatting or sitting on a toilet are also positions that can be effective; a partner could also help trying to get it out of you as well! If you’re still having difficulty taking out an item, you could always go to the Health Center. Don’t be embarrassed about going because you will not be the first person that has been in this predicament!

This question was answered by a member of in*Touch and is written for a general audience; if you would like more information on your individual circumstance, we recommend that you make an appointment at the Health Center at (413)538-2121.

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According to a recent article published in Scientific American, there are over 80,000 chemicals used in agriculture and industry in the United States. Only about 300 of those chemicals have undergone toxicity screening and only five have been banned or restricted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). There are chemicals that have countless reports questioning their safety as ingredients in commonly used products.  If there is so much speculation about the chemicals we come into contact with, why aren’t there tighter restrictions and more bans?

The reason for this is that animal testing (the most common toxicity screening method) is very unreliable. Amount of animal studies performed is limited due to cost, space of research facility (amount of animals it can hold, and the time it take to perform one study depending on the target pathway. On average 10-100 studies per year can be conducted using rodents, a typical animal model.  These animal studies are not always an accurate representation of toxicity in humans.  Because of this, many institutions such as the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing are researching to discover ways to reduce dependence on animal testing.  Alternative methods, such as the Murine Local Lymph Node Assay which is a test to evaluate the potential of chemicals to cause allergitic contact dermatitis, increase the amount of studies that can be performed to 100-10,000 studies per year.

Alternatives to animal testing result in more studies that can be conducted per year because they eliminate the use of animals. Animals used in studies need to be cared for and kept in control environments to decrease the chance of variables (other than the variable being studied) playing a role in the observed results. Alternative models are also cost less and take less time relative to animal testing. However, alternative models are still limiting due to amount of funding for the study, the time it takes to conduct one study (this depends on the type of test used) and the amount of repetitions that can be preformed in a single study. Because of how limiting alternative models can be, scientists are now using biochemical and cell-based in vitro tests like those in the Tox21 (Toxicology Testing in the 21st century) toxicity screening program which can perform 10,000 studies per day.

Tox21 is a toxicity program governed by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) and its partners the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the National Institute of Health Chemical Genomics Center, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration. According to Dr. Raymond Tice, cheif of the Biomolecular Sreening Branch of NIH/NIEHS, the Tox21 program has three goals: recognize patterns of chemically-induced biological response to determine toxicity and disease pathways, determine compounds that need increased toxicity screening and create models that can predict the biological response in humans.

Tox21 is an example of a computational research program.  The EPA has a number of these programs underway such as the Uncertainty Project and Virtual Liver.  The Uncertainty Project uses advanced statistical tests to gather quantitative information about pharmacokinetics.

Pharmacokinetics is the study of how chemicals are absorbed, distributed, metabolized and eliminated from the body.  The information gathered by this program is used to estimate how a chemical might affect a person.  The Virtual Liver uses computer simulations of human tissue to determine a chemical’s liver toxicity. The data gathered from these programs can be compiled with data acquired from Tox21 to enhance the understanding of chemical toxicity in humans.

The Tox21 program uses a rapid screening robot to conduct toxicity experiments in a 1,536 well plate (a container that has 1,536 individual slots that can be used for  many replications of the same experiment simultaneously). According to Dr. Tice, this technology can perform toxicity tests on cells, or cellular components, like cell signaling, on 140,800 samples per day.   Right now the tests are performed on immortalized cells (such as cancer cells) which have specific proteins or other biological target components that are the subject of the study. These immortalized cells are not normal, and the further development of human stem cells would greatly enhance the program. These stem cells would be normal, but, according to Dr. Tice,  there are several problems with using human stems cells. “The question is who is a normal human?  We have genetic differences, and some of these differences equate to different sensitivities of a compound,” Tice said in an interview with the Mount Holyoke News.

Use of an adequate type of cell culture in these assays performed by Tox21 is not the only challenges faced by the program. The third goal of Tox21, to produce models that can predict biological response to chemicals in humans, will be the hardest to achieve. It is very difficult to study chronic long-term exposures in vitro, so the effects of those exposures are not as well understood as short exposures to a certain chemical.  Dr. Tice explains: “We actually don’t do chronic exposures; it is not impossible, but very difficult.  So all of our exposures are short. Over time you take the data that you have generated and extrapolate it to what happens in a more chronic exposure.”

Tox21 will test thousands of chemicals, many of which have not been screened before. The results of these tests will give us a better understanding of how the chemicals that we come into contact with every day interact with the human body. The information gathered by Tox21 in conjunction with other toxicity studies can help companies develop safer products for consumers. Many believe that Tox21 will some day revolutionize toxicology from a science of observation to a predictive science.

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This year a series of extreme weather events took many by surprise in the United States; including the Mississippi floods, record high summer temperatures, severe droughts in Texas and Oklahoma, an EF-5 tornado in Joplin, MO that caused 116 deaths and the most recent Nor’easter snowstorm. These and other such events have caused increasing alarm about global climate change. Recently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, established by the United Nations Environmental Program and the World Meteorological Organization in 1988, released a special report on the connection between extreme weather events and climate change. The United Nations Development Program also just launched the “2011 Human Development Index,” warning that the recent development progress, such as increased income and education, of the world’s poorest countries will likely reverse by 2050 due to the impacts of climate change.

Two reports were released just before the 2011 U.N. Climate Change Conference which took place in Durban, South Africa from Nov. 28 to Dec. 9. As the world is warming up like never before, the international cooperation to combat climate change is in trouble.

The U.N. climate change negotiations have suffered from lack of ability to come to forceful and effective international climate change agreements. International cooperation, however, remains crucial in order to mitigate and adapt to the possible negative effects of climate change. Many believe that U.S. leadership is essential in advancing the global environmental agenda, but how has the U.S. taken up the challenge? What are the implications of America’s withdrawal from the formal negotiation process ten years ago? What are the initiatives and proposals for U.S. diplomacy at both state and civil society level to reengage in the global efforts to combat climate change?

Since the 1970s, the U.S. has had strong environmental standards and regulations at home, especially against the backdrop of a civil movement. U.S. leadership was also evident in the success of the 1987 Montreal Protocol to eliminate the production and use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were found to be principally responsible for depleting the ozone layer. The ozone layer absorbs most of the harmful ultra-violet radiation from the sun. Destruction of the ozone layer has major implications on not only the global climate, but increased radiation exposure can have major negative consequences on the environment.

U.S. participation in global concerns about a changing climate has been shaky since the Montreal Protocol. At the historical 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, former President George H. W. Bush stood alone and declined to accept an international climate policy to limit the carbon dioxide emissions to the 1990 level (roughly 5.1 billion tons) by 2000, saying, “The American way of life is not negotiable.” President Barack Obama has pledged to cut U.S. emission back to the 1990 level by 2020, and 80 percent below 1990 level by 2050, based on the robust scientific recommendation by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

In 1993 former President Bill Clinton and his Vice-President Al Gore made real efforts for Americans to return to the international conversations about climate change. At first the Clinton administration endorsed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which distinguishes differentiated responsibilities for both industrialized and developing countries. However when the administration encountered opposition from Congress, it was forced to shift its energy tax policy to a less forceful carbon emissions trading policy.

In 1997, the U.S. Congress declined to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, which embraced the carbon trading mechanism to aid developed countries to fulfill their quantified emissions reduction targets. In 2001, former President George W. Bush officially announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol on the grounds that it would hurt the American economy.

The retreat of the U.S. from the center of the negotiation table has had significant implications for the enforcement of the Kyoto Protocol. In its early years, the climate treaty suffered from reduced legitimacy and confidence without the participation the U.S. Consequently, other Kyoto players had fewer incentives to reduce emissions by investing in energy efficient and clean technologies in all countries.

Another important implication for the U.S. position on the Kyoto Protocol in 2011 relates to whether industrializing economies should have a binding reduction target. Another reason the U.S. Congress backed out of the Kyoto Protocol is that emerging and accelerating carbon dioxide emitters such as China, India and Brazil do not have binding targets to reduce emissions. If the Kyoto Protocol was to proceed after the end of its first commitment period in 2012, major developed countries, such as those in the European Union, insist that other non-binding emitters (notably the U.S. and China) must join the binding side. In the U.S. Obama-Biden argues that unless countries like China join the game, it will not consider a continuation of the Kyoto Protocol whatsoever.

Yet the developing country negotiation block firmly maintains its argument that their emissions are released during the production of sustenance rather than luxury. These carbon dioxide emissions, they argue, are indispensable for their economic development to erase poverty and achieve other Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). MDGs are a set of eight goals (such as ending hunger, universal education and child and maternal health care) agreed upon by the countries of the world to meet the needs of the world’s poorest people by 2015.

All arguments in the negotiations are influenced by domestic politics and economic environment, but are harmful to the collective global efforts to address the urgent threat of climate change.

In this context, scholars have proposed other ways of stimulating U.S. cooperation. Some scholars apply the theory of issue linkage in international affairs to climate negotiations. By linking issues in environmental negotiations with other issues in economic negotiations, free riding – the practice of purchasing stock and then selling it before making the payment of original purchase – becomes a threat to the country’s economic interest. Therefore, applying the issue linkage theory to the climate negotiations could allow the countries participating in the Kyoto treaty to push the U.S. to reengage in the Kyoto process by incorporating negotiations on technology research and development (R&D) and other economic incentives into climate cooperation.

Various interest groups have used competition in the green technology industry as a bargaining chip to induce U.S. participation. For example, Beijing is adopting economic and environmental policies that set China on an almost revolutionary track toward sustainability. Government policies and subsidies have attracted billions of dollars of investment in clean and renewable energy, energy efficiency and public transportation. There is even hope that China will be the leading force to drive down the cost of these technologies so that poor countries in the rest of the world could afford them.

The G-2 relationship between the U.S. and China thus has heavy stakes in the outlook of international cooperation. The two together emit over 40 percent of global greenhouse gases. Any climate treaty without the two countries’ support will not go far. China is unlikely to soften its position on committing to binding emission reduction targets when the state’s political stability depends on its economic growth.

Ihe future of the Earth depends on support and cooperation of the U.S,, China, and other leading countries of the world. Countries should put aside cultural and economic differences, and focus on the Earth as one planet instead of many individual countries. Besides, humans share this planet with many other creatures who are innocent victims to man-made climate change.

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Expanded from the web exclusive published Nov 6, 2011 at www.themhnews.org

The asteroid 2005 YU₅₅ passed no closer than 201,700 miles to the Earth, or a fifth shorter of the distance of the moon’s orbit. YU₅₅ is 1,300 feet wide, roughly the size of an air craft carrier, and, despite some conspiracy theorist fears, it had no effect on our planet.

Even though the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) assured the world that YU₅₅ would not impact Earth, some believed that this was a white lie in order to prevent widespread panic. Some believed that YU₅₅ would crash into the North Atlantic Ocean sending a tsunami wave 70 feet tall barreling towards the eastern seaboard of the United States. The evidence for this theory lay buried within recent events. On Nov 9, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conducted its first nation-wide test of the Emergency Alert System. Also on Wednesday, 30 countries participated in Exercise Pacific Wave 11, a Pacific-wide tsunami warning drill. These tests were strikingly coincidental with the passing of YU₅₅. In addition to those tests, units of the Army National Guard have recently been alerted of deployment to support Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. This move was believed to be in preparation for the 70 foot tsunami from the impact of YU₅₅.

Yet YU₅₅, instead of causing disaster, provided scientists with the opportunity to gather information about the asteroid. Both the Arecibo Planetary Radar Facility in Puerto Rico and the Deep Space Network in Goldstone, CA collected data, such as the composition of the asteroid, surface features and rotation. YU₅₅ was closest to the Earth on Nov 8 at 6:28 p.m. EST. Unfortunately, the asteroid was not visible to the naked eye. However, amateur astronomers who had access to a telescope with at least a six-inch aperture were able to catch a glimpse of this space rock.

YU₅₅ and other celestial objects are studied by the NASA’s Near Earth Observations Program, nicknamed Spaceguard, to determine any potential hazard to Earth. When determining the trajectory of a newly found space object, scientists take into account all possible effects of entities that it will pass. The next time an asteroid the size of YU₅₅ has the possibility of passing close to the Earth is in 2029. This asteroid, Apophis, was discovered by the Spaceguard in 2004, a discovery not without concern.

Based off the data in 2004, it appeared that there was a three percent chance that Apophis would impact the Earth on April 13, 2029. This heightened threat caused scientists to seek additional data and, with the new information, it was determined that there is no chance of impact in 2029. However there is a slight chance of impact the next time that Apophis approaches Earth in 2036. Dr. Michio Kaku, a theoretical physicist, believes that Apophis is our first real threat from a large asteroid, and a group of Russian scientists believe that there is an even greater chance of Apophis striking the Earth than NASA claims. There are still many uncertainties, and scientists will not know for sure until they can gather more information. But if it is discovered that Apophis is likely to hit the Earth, NASA assures there will be plenty of time to deflect or destroy the asteroid.

Courtesy of www.nasa.gov

Still worried about extra-terrestrial objects landing on our planet? About a hundred tons of space debris enters Earth’s atmosphere daily. Most of what enters is small, and disintegrates before reaching the Earth’s surface; only a few SUV-sized objects impact Earth yearly.

Major impact events, such as the one that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, are thought to happen once every 50-100 million years; that crater is estimated to be over 120 miles wide. Now consider that 50,000 years ago, an asteroid 200 feet wide created a mile wide crater in Arizona. If YU₅₅ crashed into the surface of the Earth, theoretically it would cause a crater about 6.5 miles in diameter. The crater from the object that killed the dinosaurs is about 18.5 times the diameter of the crater YU₅₅ would have made if it crashed into the Earth.

Even if an asteroid or comet of extinction level nears Earth, we have the technology to intervene with its trajectory if necessary. But as President Beck said in the motion picture Deep Impact: “Life will go on, we will prevail,” and the existence of the human race is not in jeopardy.

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Yet, NASA scientists assure that the asteroid will be no closer than 201,700 miles to the earth, or a fifth shorter than the moon’s orbit. The asteroid named 2005 YU55 is 1,300 feet wide, roughly the size of an air craft carrier, although it  will have no effect on the Earth or the Moon.

As YU55 soars past Earth, scientists will use this opportunity to gather information about the asteroid. Both the Arecibo Planetary Radar Facility in Puerto Rico and the Deep Space Networkin Goldsmith, CA will track and collect data, such as composition of the asteroid, surface features and rotation. YU55 will be at its closest on Nov. 8th at 6:28 p.m. EST. Unfortunately, the it will not be visible to the naked eye. However, for those amateur astronomers, a telescope with a six inch aperture should be able to see YU55.

http://yu55.net/

YU55 and other celestial objects are studied by the Near Earth Object Observations Program, nicknamed Spaceguard, to determine any potential hazard to Earth. When determining the trajectory of a newly found space object, scientists take into account all possible effects of entities that will be passed. The next time an asteroid the size of YU55 will approach close to Earth, is in 2029. This asteroid, Apophis, was discovered by the Spaceguard in 2004, another discovery not without concern.

Based off the data in 2004, it appeared that there was a three percent chance that Apophis would impact the Earth on April 13, 2029. This heightened threat caused scientists to seek additional data, and, with the new information, it was determined that there is no chance of impact in 2029.

However, there is a slight chance of impact the next time that Apophis approaches earth in 2036. There are still many uncertainties, and scientists will not know for sure until they can gather more information. But if it’s discovered that Apophis is likely to hit the Earth, NASA assures that there will be plenty of time to deflect or destroy the asteroid.

Still worried about extra-terrestrial objects landing on our planet? About a hundred tons of space debris enter Earth’s atmosphere daily. Most of what enters are small, and disintegrate before reaching the Earth’s surface; only a few SUV size objects impact Earth yearly.

Major impact events such as the one that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, are thought to happen once every 50-100 million years; that crater  is estimated to be over 120 miles wide. Now consider that 50,000 years ago, an asteroid 200 feet wide created a mile wide crater in Arizona. If YU55 crashed into the Earth, theoretically it would cause a crater about 6.5 miles in diameter. The crater from the object that killed the dinosaurs is about 18.5 times the diameter of the crater YU55 would make if it crashed onto the Earth.

Even if an asteroid or comet of extinction level size nears Earth, we have the technology to intervene with its trajectory if necessary. But as President Beck assured in the motion picture Deep Impact: “Life will go on, we will prevail,” and the existence of the human race is not in jeopardy.

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The most common complication of HPV is cervical cancer. 12,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and 3,700 women die from it. Around the world, after lung cancer, it is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. In countries that do routine pap smears, this number is greatly reduced.

HPV is spread through genital-to-genital contact (including oral, anal and vaginal sex, however intercourse is not necessary for transmission). Most forms of HPV are asymptomatic, so many people do not realize that they have it. The only ways to reduce your risk of contracting HPV are by having fewer sexual partners and using a condom. Condom use only lowers your risk of HPV, and areas that are not covered by a condom can be infected. Many gynecologists test for HPV with the same specimen that is collected for a pap smear. There is no screening for men. There are over forty strains of HPV that can infect the genital area. There is no treatment for HPV itself, but there are treatment options for the conditions that can be caused by the virus.

There are two main vaccinations for HPV, Cervarix and Gardasil. Both are administered in three shots over the course of six months. Cervarix can be given to women ages 10 to 25. It protects against the two types of HPV that causes 75 percent of cervical cancer cases. Gardasil is given to people ages 9 to 26. Gardasil protects against the two types of HPV that Cervarix protects against, as well as two other types of HPV that cause 90 percent of genital warts. Gardasil also protects women against 70 percent of vaginal cancer cases and up to 50 percent of vulvar cancer cases.Even if you test positive for HPV, it is a good idea to get vaccinated, because you may still reap the benefits.

It is important for women to be well informed about the risks of HPV and how to reduce them. Ask your healthcare professional about vaccination options that would be right for you. Also, make sure to go to routine screenings at your gynecologist.

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Is there a specific time of the month that I should perform a breast self exam?

This is a great question.  There is some controversy in the medical community about whether self breast exams are the most accurate way to screen for breast cancer.  That being said, Breast Self Exam (BSE) is a great way to get to know your body.  If you are going to do a breast self exam, the week after your period starts is the best time.  To help you remember, set a reminder on your phone or put it in your planner! Performing breast self exams help empower you to know your body by being able to detect any changes in how your breasts, nipples or underarm region look and feel. During a breast self exam, first stand in front of a mirror with your hands to your side and look to see if there are changes in the breasts and nipples such as swelling, dimpling of the skin or nipple discharge. Next, lift your arms above your head with your palms closed together and continue looking to see any changes. By either lying down or standing up, place your right hand behind your head and use the three middle fingers of your left hand to feel the right breast in dime-sized circular motions checking for lumps.  In order to feel different levels of breast tissue, apply different levels of pressure on the breast. Avoid taking your hand off the breast while doing a breast exam to not miss any parts of the breast. Once you finish examining the right breast, switch to the left breast with your left hand behind your head. If you find a lump, don’t fret and make an appointment with your doctor.  According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., eight out of 10 lumps aren’t cancerous.  Sometimes cysts and non-cancerous growths are present or inflamed lymph nodes can be perceived as lumps. If you have any questions about breast exams, you can always ask your doctor or a staff member at Health Services. At Heath Services, breast exams are part of a General Health Exam, which are free for students regardless of their insurance status.  Although general health exams are free, if any tests are performed or ordered at the health center such as a pap smear or testing for STIs, there is a charge. If you have the MHC-sponsored health insurance or have the prepaid health center lab fee option, there is no charge. If you are looking for more information on breast health, BeBrightPink.org is an excellent resource.

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Go ahead, play with yourself.  Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed.  It is your body, and it deserves your attention.  Some people think touching themselves is naughty and would never admit they  do it late at night.  Others are not ashamed of what they do and might even help their friends. I will admit I do it routinely and I recommend it to all women.  It is a natural and healthy process.

I find it best on a Friday night after a long week of classes.  Take a nice steamy shower to relax, go back to your room, and put some music on.  Some may, at this point, think dimming the lights will get you more in the mood, but it is better if you leave the lights. Stand in front of a mirror and drop your towel. You have sexy curves, and should not hesitate to give your body the look over.   Study the size and shape of each breast and the way they naturally fall from your chest.  Don’t forget to appreciate the beauty of your nipples and areolas. Make various poses, and see how your breasts look in each pose.

Once you have spent enough time marveling at your natural beauty, it is playtime.  Stretch one arm to the back of your shoulder, and feel each breast with the other hand.  Apply firm pressure with your fingers on every inch of your breast starting from the nipple and radiating outward in a circular pattern.  It is important to pay attention to the way your breast feels underneath your fingers as well as how your touch on your breast feels.  Next make your nipples hard by pressing and squeezing them noticing how they feel in between your fingers.  Now lay back, repeat, and enjoy.  You have just taken a step that could save your life one day.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and should be dedicated to your lovely breasts.  During this month, women everywhere are taking extra steps to advocate the importance of self-breast exams.  According to breastcancer.org, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in the United States, and it is estimated that in 2011 there will be 230,480 cases of invasive breast cancer and 39,520 deaths.  Because of this, it is recommended that women spend time studying how their breasts look and feel normally and perform monthly breast exams to check for any abnormal changes in the breasts.  Abnormal breast changes include unusual looking areas on your breasts, a change in size and shape, a mass or lump, dimpling or puckering of the skin, bloody or clear discharge from the nipple and itchy, scaly sores or rashes on the nipple.  If you detect any of these changes, you should go to the doctor for breast cancer screening.

Genetic testing is another choice that women have to become aware of their risk of breast cancer. Mutations in the BRAC1, BRAC2, PTEN/MMAC1, RAD51, CHEK2, ATEM, and TP 53 genes  have been linked to a slightly higher risk of developing breast cancer.   A positive genetic test only means that  a woman has a slightly higher risk for developing breast cancer; only five to ten percent of all breast cancers are inheritable.  A positive test can give women incentive to get screened for breast cancer regularly,  but a negative test might give a woman a false sense of security, and cause her to forego breast cancer screenings.  If a woman does not have a genetic mutation in one of the above mentioned genes, she can still develop breast cancer.

Because genetic testing only tells a person whether they have a slightly increased risk of developing breast cancer, women are cautioned to weigh the pros and cons when deciding to get tested.  If a woman knows that there is a specific genetic mutation in her family, then the cost of genetic testing is low.  But non-specific genetic tests can have high costs and not all health insurance companies cover the cost.  Some advantages of testing include knowledge of what genetic mutations might be present in your family, incentive to participate in clinical trials and closer results monitoring. Disadvantages of genetic testing to consider are that a negative result could lead to less motivation for breast cancer screening and a positive result could lead to depression and anxiety.

Genetic mutations are not the only factors that increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer.  A woman’s risk of developing breast cancer increases as she ages.  Other factors that may increase a woman’s risk for developing breast cancer include a family history, a previous diagnosis of breast cancer, exposure to radiation early in childhood, starting menopause after age of 55, starting the menstruation cycle before the age of 12, never having children, having your first child after 35, being overweight after menopause, current or recent use of birth control pills and having more than one alcoholic drink a day.

It is a common misconception that only women can develop breast cancer. The truth is that women only have a much higher breast cancer incidence rate than men.  According the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the incidence of breast cancer is 123.4 cases per every 100,000 women and only 1.3 cases in the same amount of men.  That is a ratio of 100:1 for female to male breast cancer cases.  It has been estimated that in 2011 there will be 2,140 new cases and 450 deaths from breast cancer in men.  If breast cancer is caught at the same stage in men as in women, then the survival rate is similar.  However, men have smaller breasts than women, which means that the cancer is more likely to spread to the chest wall of a man.  The symptoms of breast cancer are also similar in men and women.  Men who are at a greater risk of developing breast cancer are those with the genetic condition Klinefelter’s Syndrome (a chromosomal condition in which a male has an extra X chromosome), a family history of breast cancer, have chronic liver disorders, alcoholism or obesity.  A man’s risk of breast cancer also increases with age.

There are many online resources about breast cancer.  The Susan G. Komen Foundation website, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, has a wealth of information on everything from breast cancer research to breast cancer statistics to prevention to diagnosis and treatment.  The website has a place to donate, share your story, shop and learn about breast cancer awareness events.  The website also offers a free, interactive web course for those interested in learning everything about breast cancer.  The course even has a genetics component which shows the structure of the BRAC1 and BRAC2 genes.  It is fun, easy to use and very informative.

Another fun resource for breast cancer awareness is Feel Your Boobies.  Feel Your Boobies was founded by runner and triathelete Leigh Hurst after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Feel Your Boobies is geared towards educating young women about breast cancer.  This week Feel Your Boobies are featuring a Remind-A-Thon on Twitter asking everyone to include in their tweets #feelyourboobies.  If you don’t have a Twitter account, Feel Your Boobies also has a Facebook page.  You can dedicate your status to Feel Your Boobies, or steal a Feel Your Boobies picture to use on your wall, and you can make isearchigive.com your default browser and every search you perform, $0.01 or $0.02 will be donated to cancer research. There are so many ways to honor your beautiful body.  You only have one life, so start learning today!

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