There is only one drug in the world so well known that it’s called “the Pill.” For more than forty years, more people have taken “the Pill” than any other prescribed medicine in the world.

Sex, pregnancy, and contraception have been hot topics for millennia. It wasn’t until the U.S. government approved the birth control pill in 1960 that possibilities for contraception changed dramatically. The majority of women — and plenty of men — welcomed “the Pill”.

The birth control pill was the first medication ever designed for purely social, rather than therapeutic purposes. At the height of the drugs popularity, U.S. Senate hearings focused the nations attention on potentially deadly health risks posed by the high-dose Pill. As a result of the hearings, pharmaceutical companies lowered the dosages and doctors advised women who were obese, smoked, had high blood pressure or a family history of blood clots against taking the Pill.

In the 1980s, the high dosage 10-milligram pill was removed from the market and biphasic and triphasic oral contraceptives were introduced. Today, women can get a prescription for a Pill containing 1 milligram of progestins, one tenth of the original dose, and containing as little as 20 micrograms of estrogen.

From the very beginning, a significant number of women complained of discomfort from the Pill and switched to other methods. When women wanted to discuss the side effects with their doctors, they often met with frustration. It was common for their complaints to be dismissed as exaggerated. In other cases their ailments were just considered the price that women had to pay in return for such an effective contraceptive. The problem was compounded by that fact that female patients were not always informed about the potential for strokes, heart attacks or blood clots while on the Pill. For the most part sharing “the Pills” risk has become a part of the information provided by health care practitioners who prescribe the Pill.

Today, the safety of the Pill is assumed. However, it is important to remember that the pill contains identical hormones to those found in Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). HRT has come under question because of the Women’s Health Initiative Study showing an increase in breast cancer and heart disease for those women who were on HRT.

In October 20, 2004 headlines read “Birth Control Pill Cuts Cancer, Heart Disease Risk: Study - A new study, yet to be published, suggests women who use oral contraceptives have lower risks of heart disease, stroke, and cancer.”

This study has now been denied as accurate by the WHI. “Analyses by the WHI have made it clear that the recent findings were not correct”

The low dose pill today although deemed to be safe has never undergone a large government-funded study similar to the WHI study on HRT. According to Dr. John R. Lee in his book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer “women up to age 21 who use the Pill increase their lifetime risk of Breast Cancer by 600%. Caution when considering the use of Birth Control Pill should still be used.

This Article Is Copywright 2006 Jackie L. Harvey & Saliva Testing com

Jackie Harvey is an International speaker, radio program host, seminar leader, business trainer, and a mother of seven. She works in partnership with nurses, medical doctors and health care practitioners.

Jackie is a men & women’s health advocate specializing in hormonal and menopausal health. Thousands of men & women have watched her informative DVD “Let’s Talk About Hormones”. Jackie is committed to making a positive change in peoples lives.

Visit SalivaTesting.com SalivaTesting.com for more information Saliva Hormone Tests Kits & her Best Selling 1-hour DVD “Let’s Talk About Hormones with Jackie Harvey”. Click For More information on SalivaTesting.com Men’s & Women’s Saliva Hormone Testing and Saliva Test Kits.

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Tags: breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the dreaded women illnesses that has affected millions of women all over the world. All women should be concerned with breast cancer because it is a risk they have to live with. The greater they know about the risk, the more they will be able to fight back.

Most women discover breast cancer too late because of the lack of regular breast check ups or mammography. Some women think they could not get breast cancer while most would rather ignore the thought thinking it would all go away and they would not get it if they do not think of the illness.

The right attitude to take is to go for mammography or breast examinations regularly to be able be secure in the knowledge that one is free from the illness or to be able to detect the illness the soonest possible time.

A woman is expected to do self breast examinations and then see a doctor when an abnormality is discovered. Once the abnormality is confirmed, the doctor would then recommend more tests including biopsy. Biopsy will confirm whether the lump of abnormality is related to breast cancer.

Unlike most illnesses, breast cancer is not easily detected because it does not have painful symptoms. Most women who found out they have breast cancer did not even experience any symptoms at all. However, every woman should watch out for bodily changes that may indicate the presence of breast cancer.

The best time to check for lumps near the breast and underarm area is when a woman is taking a bath. A lump in those areas coupled with some form of nipple discharge as well as changing breast size should be a warning that something is not right. When such conditions are observed, she should immediately go to her doctor and report the changes.

The said changes do not necessarily mean breast cancer is present but it should be reason enough for concern. It is better to have them checked and be given a clean bill of health than suffer the consequences of detecting breast cancer too late.

There are several ways by which a doctor will be able to determine the existence of breast cancer and one of the simplest ways is to carefully feel for lumps in the breast, or in areas near the breast and the underarm. A more technical manner of detecting breast cancer is mammography or breast x-rays. The doctor can also opt for ultrasonography to determine the type of lump felt near or in the breast area.

The part most women dread during serious breast examinations is when the doctor tells them that he needs to get some fluid samples from the lump in the breast to determine whether it is cancerous or not. The examination will determine whether the lump is fluid or solid which may or may not be cancerous at all.

A woman who is detected with breast cancer should not lose hope because it can be treated. Several treatments can be had which will either eliminate the cancer or to minimize its spread to other parts of the body.

Accepting breast cancer is a struggle for every woman and she will need all the Support she can have from family and friends. Therefore an early breast cancer diagnosis is highly important.

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Breast cancer does not recognize nor respect any age differences when it strikes in women, but when women under the age of approximately 50 are diagnosed with breast cancer, studies have found that the cancer is more aggressive and typically less responsive to the traditional treatments than when it occurs in older women.

But researchers think that they may have discovered the reason that this is the case, which is forging new inroads into the treatment of and potentially a cure for some forms of breast cancer. These findings of course need additional research but the findings are significant and may lead to more targeted therapies that can treat affected patients more effectively.

The research and studies found that the tumors in women under age 45 have certain identifiable patterns of cellular activity. The interesting part is that when these patterns are observed, the same tumor cell activity in older women usually leads to a better prognosis, while that activity in younger women typically leads to a poorer prognosis. One of the results of this discovery is the possibility of age-related treatments that are targeted to the patient based on the age of the patient.

The results of this study and research was presented at a recent meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology at their annual meeting in Chicago. The research and study was funded by the National Institute of Health.

The lead clinical research said that during the process by which cells will change and become cancerous, certain specific patterns were observed in younger women’s tumors that were not seen in women over age 45 to 50. A conclusion that was reached by the time, based on this evidence, is that if they are able to inhibit those processes or patterns via the use of certain drugs, some of which are already available and some are currently undergoing evaluation, there is a much better chance at effectively treating the patient, possibly even curing them. Clearly, more research is required to determine which treatments or therapies are most effective in targeting the identified cellular activity, with the goal being to halt or shut down that particular activity and halting further tumor growth.

There were approximately 200,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer last year, and almost one-fourth of them (about 46,000) were under the age of 50.

To get more information about breast-cancer-explained.com Breast Cancer please visit our web site at breast-cancer-explained.com breast-cancer-explained.com

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We found out my mom had colon rectal cancer about two months ago. I was scared to death.. She is my best friend, and I was devastated and confused. Right away the doctors said the best thing for her to do would be to have her colon and rectum taken out. They described how she would then have a colostomy that would leave her with a bag that she may have to use for the rest of her life. My mom looked at me quietly, and said I do not know if I can do this. I told her you have to do this. You have to live.

The day of the surgery was a day I will never forget. I had never felt so scared in my life, and all I could do was pray. They had a chapel at the hospital, and I spent a lot of time there. Hours later I saw the doctor walking towards us with a smile on his face. I then knew things were ok. He explained that things went well, and there would be a good chance that mom could be reconnected after the healing process.

After two weeks in the hospital mom stayed in a rehabilitation center getting her strength back, and learning to cope with her bag. Depressed and nervous, it was hard for her to face the reality that this may be her lifestyle for the rest of her life. There were some complications that the doctor did not tell us would happen, and at times I was frustrated and angry with him.

The weeks went by, and mom finally came home. She didnt think she could ever change the bag by herself, but she’s doing it, and doing it even better than the nurses! Mom was always good at being precise and exact when accomplishing something. She has been going through radiation and chemo at the same time for five weeks. She is taking chemo in the form of a pill, so at least she doesn’t have to deal with going back and forth to the hospital. The doctors say her chances are good, and that doing the radiation and chemo in this way is an added protection layer for her survival.

The reason I am writing this article is because I want people to know that I can relate to them and how they are feeling. You may feel like no one understands the pain and suffering that you are going through being a family member. My best advice to you is just because they have cancer, it doesn’t mean that it’s over. Don’t listen to people and don’t look at survival rates because I have talked to many people with cancer at Stage V who nine years later are still alive. I did a lot of research, but be careful on what you research and where the information is coming from. Research the doctor and make sure he has no hidden malpractice suits, that he is credentialed, and that he is a member of the medical board. Pamper YOURSELF a little. Take care of yourself and your health, so that you can be there for your loved one. I get massages, and they help me physically and mentally. Last but not least, love your family member and tell them that no matter what, things will be okay. Cherish them every day with love, respect, and they will soar!

Remember the soul lives forever….

Janette Rochman
Pre-school teacher for low income children
owner of website: treasureboutique.ecrater.com treasureboutique.ecrater.com
Specializing in vintage jewelry, reproduction cookie jars, collectibles, home & kitchen decor, and more. Come on in, and take a look around!

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Tags: healing