Those pink ribbons you’ve seen on the front page in recent weeks signify that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 225,000 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. It also estimates that nearly 40,000 women will die from the disease.
The good news, though, is that a breast cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence.
The cancer society estimates that as of January 2008, some 2.6 million women with a history of breast cancer were living in the United States. And the great news is that most of those women were cancer free.
There is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, but there are some tips you can follow to decrease your odds:
• Maintain a healthy weight. Balance your calorie intake with physical activity, and avoid excessive weight gain. If you are overweight, take steps to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
• Adopt a physically active lifestyle. Adults should engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise on five or more days a week. Children and adolescents should engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day.
• Eat a healthy diet with an emphasis on plant sources. Eat five or more servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. Choose whole grains over processed grains, and limit your intake of processed and red meats.
• Limit your intake of alcoholic beverages. No more than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men.
Early detection saves lives.
Yearly mammograms are recommended starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health. Women in their 20s and 30s should get a clinical breast exam about every 3 years.
Experts suggest that women become familiar with how their breasts normally look and feel and report any change promptly to their health care provider. Breast self-exam is an option for women starting in their 20s.
Less than 2 percent of women, because of their family history, a genetic tendency or certain other factors, should be screened with MRI in addition to mammograms. If you’re not sure whether you fall in that group, talk to your doctor about your history.
You can beat breast cancer. Learn the steps you need to take and take them.
Opinion
Our View: Breast cancer can be defeated
- Opinion
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SOUTHERN: District boundaries show lack of respect
I can imagine no real reason why a county like Cass would be split up into three districts except to show it a lack of respect.
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OUR VIEW: Are you prepared for a disaster?
As you read today’s final installment on disaster preparedness, which focuses on earthquakes and their very real threat right here in Indiana, we hope you take the message to heart and make the decision to prepare yourself. If you don’t, no one else will.
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KNISELY: What are odds of that?
As you read this, I’ll be basking in the warm sun on a Florida beach. I’m not sure where you’ll be when reading this, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be coming out the winner. Seems only fair considering I was moving boxes in the rain just a few Sundays ago.
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PUBLIC FORUM: Minimize our risk before making bet
A Logansport letter-writer calls a local proposal to generate energy from refuse-derived fuels a risky gamble.
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PUBLIC FORUM: Thanks for making event a success
A Big Brothers, Big Sisters representative is grateful for the community's support in a recent fundraiser.
- THORNS & ROSES: Week of May 16
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WOLFSIE: Writing on the walls
Sometimes when I am trying to think of an idea for my column, I just stare at the wall. That’s not a bad thing, because on the wall in my home office is a collection of special pieces of memorabi-lia that inspire me to write, reminding me of the talented people I have had the privilege to meet.
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HAYDEN: From good to great in education not the way
On the campaign trail last year and early into his administration, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said repeatedly that his goal as governor would be to take Indiana from “good to great.”
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THEIR VIEW: Big Brother looms large in D.C.
The federal government, working under the cloak of secrecy, has been having a heyday at the expense of all Americans.
First we learn the IRS has been targeting conservatives — applications for tax-exempt status by tea party groups were wrongly singled out for extra scrutiny. -
KITCHELL: Waste-to-energy a big waste of time
Had all of Logansport attended the Indiana Society of Professional Journalists Awards ceremony last month in Indianapolis, we all would have learned that the No. 1 editorial written in the state in the past year was about a subject that sounds familiar to Logansport residents.
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