Women have more options for breast cancer surgery

One of the world’s most glamorous women had an operation that once was terribly disfiguring — removal of both breasts. But new approaches are dramatically changing breast surgeries, whether to treat cancer or to prevent it as Angelina Jolie just chose to do. As Jolie said, “the results can be beautiful.”

Jolie revealed on Tuesday that she had a double mastectomy and reconstruction with implants because she carries a gene mutation that puts her at high risk of developing breast cancer. For women who already have the disease, the choice used to be whether to have the lump or the whole breast removed. Now there are more options that allow faster treatment, smaller scars, fewer long-term side effects and better cosmetic results. It has led to a new specialty — “oncoplastic” surgery — combining oncology, which focuses on cancer treatment, and plastic surgery to restore appearance. “Cosmetics is very important” and can help a woman recover psychologically as well as physically, said Dr. Deanna Attai, a Burbank, Calif., surgeon who is on the board of directors of the American Society of Breast Surgeons. Its annual meeting in Chicago earlier this month featured many of these new approaches. More women are getting chemotherapy or hormone therapy before surgery to shrink large tumors enough to let them have a breast-conserving operation instead of a mastectomy. Fewer lymph nodes are being removed to check for cancer’s spread, sparing women painful arm swelling for years afterward. Newer ways to rebuild breasts have made mastectomy a more appealing option for some women. More of them are getting immediate reconstruction with an implant at the same time the cancer is removed rather than several operations that have been standard for many years. Skin and nipples increasingly are being preserved for more natural results. Jolie, for example, was able to keep her nipples and presumably her skin. Some doctors are experimenting with operating on breast tumors through incisions in the armpit to avoid breast scars. There’s even a “Goldilocks” mastectomy for large-breasted women — not too much or too little removed, and using excess skin to create a “just right” natural implant. Finally, doctors are testing a way to avoid surgery altogether, destroying small tumors by freezing them with a probe through the skin. “Breast surgery has become more minimalistic,” said Dr. Shawna Willey of Georgetown’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Women have more options. It’s much more complex decision-making.” Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women around the world. In the U.S. alone, about 230,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Most can be treated by just having the lump removed, but that requires radiation for weeks afterward to kill any stray cancer cells in the breast, plus frequent mammograms to watch for a recurrence. Many women don’t want the worry or the radiation, and choose mastectomy even though they could have less drastic surgery. Mastectomy rates have been rising. Federal law requires insurers to cover reconstruction for mastectomy patients, and many of the improvements in surgery are aimed at making it less disfiguring.

Can potato chips & french fries cause cancer?

Nothing can be as scary as knowing that enjoying some of the taken for granted popular edibles like the potato chips and French fries may expose you and your family to the risk of developing certain kinds of cancers.

There has been a spate of studies done to find out if there is a correlation between fries and human cancer ever since Swedish scientists tumbled upon acrylamide in foods. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, say that there is a link between the chemical compound acrylamide formed in foods and cancer. One may be exposed to acrylamide through the skin, inhalation or by ingestion (eating). There are several sources of contamination by Acrylamide like through water containing it, cigarette smoking, or workers inhaling it in factories because acrylamide is used in a whole lot of industries like cosmetics, oil, paper, water treatment, plastics, mining, etc, but our concern here is its presence in certain foods. Acrylamide in foods: Acrylamide is formed when carbohydrate foods are cooked over 120 degrees Celsius. Foods cooked below this temperature are not found to contain acrylamide. Cooking methods that employ high temperatures like baking, roasting and frying seem to produce acrylamide in foods. And longer the cooking time with these methods, higher is the acrylamide content produced. Foods that show high acrylamide contents are French fries, potato chips, biscuits, breakfast cereals, toasted bread and coffee beans. Cancers: Making the above said foods a large and constant part of one’s daily eating pattern may be detrimental to health in more than one way, with risk for cancer being one of it. There is a positive association between high intake of such foods and risk for endometrial, ovarian, renal cell and prostate cancers. While more researches are needed to confirm what other foods also contain acrylamide and what dietary precautions we should take, one thing is for sure. Avoid French fries potato chips or anything processed or deep fried. 5 Tips to reduce this carcinogen: Minimise eating at take – away joints where fries are part of the meal and encourage children to choose other kinds of meals. Fast foods are not healthy meals anyway. Should you want potato fries made at home, then half cook fresh potato before frying so that frying time is reduced and only fry to a light brown. Avoid using frozen potato fries. Similarly, toast bread to a light shade avoiding burnt breads. Avoid or keep to a minimum biscuits and such processed foods, while setting an example to your children by opting for fruits, oatmeal and nuts as more often eaten items on your family’s daily menu. Stick to traditional snacks and breakfast items, made fresh at home. There may be other sources of acrylamide creeping into our body which may not be as easily eliminated. But we have a choice on the foods we eat. And here we can control carcinogens like acrylamide to a great extent.

Weekly Beauty Tip

DHAKA: This week’s beauty tip is on ‘Undone Side Braid’. Take your makeup box and try… Undone Side Braid

Whether you’re looking to style your hair quickly, or find a way to conceal second-day strands, a piecey side braid like Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra’s is a chic and easy answer to both issues. While the star’s hairstylist Josue Perez created the look by first lathering up and blowing-out Chopra’s strands, the style works just as well when you’ve skipped a shampoo – your hair’s natural oils give the style grip, allowing it to stay in place without adding additional product. To impart a soft wave, Perez wound individual sections around a medium-barrel curling iron, then shook out the texture using his fingers for an undone feel. After determining where the plait should fall, he began twisting a braid to the side, and tied it off with a rubber band. ‘I went back and broke up the braid to give it a messy texture,’ he said, reports InStyle. ‘With a tail comb, you can pull out small sections, and choose how much hair you want falling out.’ A few face-framing wisps added to the tousled effect, and a final veil of hairspray held the style in place.

What women want at that time of the month

DHAKA: Here is a guide for men who are coping with that time of the month in their partner`s cycle.

It is the quiet before the storm and you can sense the inevitable ship commanded by Captain PMS slowly and steadily hit rocky shores. If you find your woman stacking up the refrigerator with chocolates and the drawer below the television with rented romantic comedies, chances are that she may be going through the premenstrual stress or what some people call, unfairly, the pissed-at-men syndrome. While you wear your shields and prepare to dodge the dynamites, do keep in mind that this monthly hormonal phase is no picnic for your female companion. Some women undergo moodswingduring the ovulation period. Psychiatrist Dr. Anshu Kulkarni says general malice, sadness or happiness without reason is common too. What to do: Do the dates you`ve been avoiding: Watch that romantic movie while snuggled in bed with her, if she tells you to. Take her out for dinner at her favourite restaurant, hold doors and pull out chairs for her. But try not to be obvious or imposing about it. Be the guinea pig: Clinical hypnotherapist and psychologist, Dr Deepali S Ajinkya says,"Keep in mind that it is the physiological and hormonal changes that she is going through that is making her act out of her element." So try out the new dishes she might cook during these days. Wear that shirt at the back of your closet that you know she likes a lot. If she moves the furniture in the drawing room, let her. Get her chocolates: If you ever find yourself in the situation of arguing with a woman who is PMSing, be sure to have a piece of chocolate on hand. Research shows that chocolate intake enhances the expression of MKP in the trigeminal ganglion that lowers the level of inflammatory chemicals, suppressing the symptoms of headaches and migraines. Show sympathy: A woman, whether PMSing or not, simply wants to be assured of the fact that her significant other gets her. All she needs you to do is nod your head and say, `Yes honey, I understand`. Ajinkya says, assuring your spouse of your presence is all that is needed. If you stand there and offer advice on how to change her mood, it will take you a while to get back in her good books. Be patient: On an average, women have about six days of `moody blues`," says Kulkarni. All you have to do is wait it out with more patience than you thought you ever had. Keep different cramping medication handy. This will let her know you care. Your thoughtfulness will heal her more than the medication will. Take on some of her chores: Whether she`s requesting you to run to the store and pick up sanitary napkins or help her with the cooking, if her chore list is within reason and physically possible, just do it. What to avoid Questioning: No woman likes being given the hint that she`s acting like a raving lunatic. The worst thing a man can do is ask his partner if she is PMSing. This means that you have noticed her attitude change and are unwilling to deal with it. Point out flaws: A very important thing to remember is not to comment. Don`t bring up the fact that she looks fatter in some regions or that her cheeks look chubbier than usual. Women tend to eat comfort food when they are PMSing, regardless of their otherwise strict diet. It isn`t up to you to monitor what she eats. Instead, accommodate her temporary diet changes. "It is important that the man is not critical and doesn`t nag his woman during her hormonal phase," states Kulkarni. Blemishes and zits on her face, if pointed out, will add to the depression. Arguing: Arguing and fighting with a PMSing woman is highly avoided as it adds to her frustration. Make an effort to calm her down and delay important discussions for a later time when she is not so agitated.

Yoga for naturally glowing skin

Admiring those glowing faces in beauty cream advertisements, we often wonder if we too could have a skin so young and beautiful. Well, it’s not a far-fetched dream anymore! Now even you can flaunt healthy, radiant skin that draws attention. And the good news is: no chemicals and no pricey beauty packages. Just a simple four-letter word – yoga – and a long-lasting glow on the face is yours to keep. But before we talk about the solution, let’s first understand where skin problems such as wrinkles and dark spots stem from. Some women start wrinkling premature, primarily due to stress or unhealthy lifestyle practices such as smoking, alcohol, drug addiction and wrong food habits. Acne is common among women of all age groups. Sometimes, it could occur due to hormonal changes in the body. In this case, there’s nothing to worry about because it heals itself with time. Improper digestion also shows up in the form of pimples. 1. Practice asanas (yoga postures), particularly inverted poses and forward bends, which help increase blood circulation to the head and face area.examples are Cobra Pose, Fish Pose, Plow Pose, Shoulder Stand, Triangle Pose, and Child Pose. These postures also increase oxygenation to the system; as such are called chest openers. 2. For women with oily skin, acne becomes a problem in summer. Cooling pranayamas (breathing exercises), such as Sheetali and Sheetkari, provide cooling effect and retain skin glow. Also, learn the Jalneti technique at Sri Yoga and practice it everyday. It facilitates physical and emotional cleansing. The Shankh Prakshalan process taught at the course is also very effective in this regard. Make sure to do it once every six months. 3. To improve digestion, Wind-Relieving Posture (Pavanamuktasana), Kneeling Pose (Vajrasana), Bow Pose (Dhanurasana), Nadi Shodhan pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing), and Kapal Bhati pranayama (Skull-Shining Breathing Technique), are good on empty stomach. Kapal Bhati, an effective detoxifying technique, is aptly named so as Kapal means forehead and Bhati means glowing. Detoxification happens through forceful exhalation, the first effect of which shows in the form of naturally glowing skin. 4. Meditate twice a day. The more you do, the more you will radiate from within and without. Who needs makeup then? Meditation will be your natural makeup that lasts long and makes you look beautiful! 5. Practice at least 20 minutes of facial yoga exercises everyday at home. These will help tighten face muscles. Massage your jaws to reduce stress, massage your eyebrows for a dose of instant relaxation, try the ‘kiss and smile technique’ (push out your lips as though to kiss a baby and then smile as broadly as you can) to exercise your face muscles. To naturally remove toxins from the system, doing some fast-paced yoga exercises such as quick rounds of Surya Namaskar, which make you perspire, is also a good idea.

Stressful work conditions can up diabetes risk

Work conditions can predict development of diabetes in healthy employees, a new study has found. Cases of type 2 diabetes continue to rise in the US. And while the development of the disease is more commonly associated with risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, and physical inactivity, research has shown that stress can also have a significant impact. Now Dr. Sharon Toker of Tel Aviv University’s Faculty of Management has found that low levels of social support and high levels of stress in the workplace can accurately predict the development of diabetes over the long term – even in employees who appear to be healthy otherwise. The study contributes to an ongoing body of research linking work conditions to physical and mental health. The researchers’ 3.5-year-long study of male and female employees established that work conditions had a preventative or predictive effect on the development of type 2 diabetes. Participants who reported having a high level of social support at work had a 22 percent lesser chance of developing diabetes over the course of the study. And those who described themselves as either over- or under-worked were 18 percent more likely to develop the disease. The results were controlled for various risk factors including age, family history, activity level, and body mass index. Dr. Toker says these findings paint a grim picture, with a worrying rise in the rate of diabetes in the researchers’ middle-aged study cohort, which had a mean age of 48.

All you need to know about organic foods

Before you decide to “go organic”, find out for yourself what organic food is and tips you should keep in mind before you buy it. The organic food movement that began a few years ago is showing no signs of waning. All around the globe, people are adopting the organic lifestyle more and more. It’s time then, to take a look at what this movement is really all about. What is organic food? In simple words, organic foods are those that are produced, processed and packaged without the use of any chemicals, pesticides, non-organic fertilizers, insecticides, antibiotics or artificial hormones. They are also free of the artificial preservatives that are usually added to increase the shelf life of the product. It is claimed that organically grown foods are safer and more nutritious than other foods and are generally considered superior in purity and taste. Organic foods include vegetarian products, as well as poultry and meat. Non-vegetarian organic food requires that the animals being reared be fed only organic feed. The use of antibiotics and growth hormones for their mass production is also prohibited. To qualify for an “organic” stamp on its label, food products need to come from only certified farms and processing plants. This means that they are inspected by certified government officials to ensure that organic farms are up to United States Department of Agriculture Organic standards. Advantages of going organic: Contains at least 50% more vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients than intensively farmed food Good for health as they contain no chemicals in the form of pesticides, fertilizers, and insecticides Tastes better as these are pure and natural with no additives in the form of sweeteners, fats, colouring, flavours, and preservatives. The phenolic content (compounds found in plants known to be excellent antioxidants) present in organic foods prevent the onslaught of cancer and many other diseases Organic farming methods are more humane in approach and do not subscribe to concepts like battery chickens, pigs kept in farrowing pens and cows that have been milked to exhaustion Organic farming practices protect the topsoil from erosion On the whole, these farms are more environment friendly