The Pink Month

When I see pink products for sale during the month of October, I wonder how much of the money really goes to researching a cure for breast cancer.  Probably not very much.

I know I'm not alone in this thought because I've heard and read similar comments from others discussing the reason why these products are being sold.  Buy them because you like them or need them.  But I think most people now see those oh so pretty pink-ribboned products as a merchandising trick better left alone.

If anything good has come out of the marketing of these pink products, it is perhaps that they have brought a new awareness to mammograms and the idea that early detection can be a life saver.

We know that breast cancer is a disease that happens twelve months a year, not just in October.

 

Whether a mother or a daughter, grandparent, sibling, or friend, chances are that you know someone affected by breast cancer.

 

I started getting mammograms when I was 35 years old because tragically I had an aunt who lost her life to breast cancer, a cousin who also died from it, another cousin who was diagnosed and treated and is in remission and a sister who thankfully is now in remission because she went in for her annual exam and the doctors found and diagnosed her breast cancer while it was in an early stage.  I also have a very good friend who is currently fighting the good fight and is truly a warrior in keeping herself healthy and positive in her thoughts.

 

Eloise Caggiano
Courtesy of parents.com

Perhaps instead of buying something for sale that is pink and supposedly sold to contribute money to cancer research, why not instead help someone you know who has breast cancer.

 

I saw this terrific post by Eloise Caggiano, the program director for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, on a blog at www.parents.com and thought it had some great ideas.  Caggiano is an eight-year breast cancer survivor so her advice comes from a place of experience.  Please read her list of eight ways to help a friend with breast cancer in the link below:

http://www.parents.com/blogs/parents-perspective/2013/10/17/health/8-ways-to-help-a-friend-with-breast-cancer/?socsrc=pmmtw

Tossing My Plastics

Staying healthy is job one for me.

 

Every healthy tip that I can incorporate into my life is just one more thing that may keep me out of the doctor's office as far as I am concerned.  I try to eat foods that are as fresh as possible, exercise whenever I can and verbalize my stress so that it doesn't remain bottled up inside me and cause some kind of sickness.

Recently I added a new health concern to my wellness list: avoiding plastics and/or preservatives.

For years I used to bring frozen food products (read Lean Cuisine) to the office and microwave my lunch until a couple of colleagues took me aside and told me that microwaving plastic and food was a no-no because of a substance called parabens which is contained in the plastic.  Needless to say, I haven't done any food and plastic microwaving since then.

 

Now, I have just found out (maybe you already know this) that parabens are also contained in lots of products that I use all the time: lip balm, toothpaste, make-up, moisturizers, hair care products, sunscreen and deodorant.  The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has called parabens the most widely used preservatives in the United States and that's alarming because initial scientific evidence showed that parabens could not be absorbed by the human body but now scientific tests are showing that it can be.

Previous studies on animals and in the laboratory have shown that parabens can mimic the actions of the hormone estrogen.  That has raised a lot of red flags because estrogen is known to fuel some types of breast cancer.

I think it would be difficult if not impossible to completely stay away from parabens but being aware of the products that contain parabens  can give you control over how much parabens exposure you receive.  Since knowledge is power, read the labels of what you are buying and look for the following words because each of these is a variation of parabens:

• benzylparaben
• butylparaben
• ethylparaben
• methylparaben
• propylparaben
• p-hydroxybenzoic acid

I am writing about parabens and our health today because whether you are grieving or going through stressful times, it is important that you take care of yourself.  You are in charge and are just as important as the other person you may be taking care of and, as a widowed person, your health is just as important as a person who may be married or in a long-term relationship.

I am with you in needing to constantly remind myself to do the following: making sure to eat a healthy meal at least once a day, getting enough sleep (even napping during the day), avoiding added stress, choosing to be among people who offer comfort and support rather than those who may sap our energy, physically exercising, like taking a walk, and being open and accepting about our special needs.

Good health is priceless!