By Dr. Lauren Feder

More women are diagnosed with breast cancer in America than any other cancer. Fortunately, treatment has come a long way, indicated by the  89% of women who had a five- year survival rate from 1999-2006 (National Cancer Institute). But early detection still plays a vital role in optimizing a breast cancer patient’s chances for full recovery. Women today understand the importance of annual mammograms and monthly self examinations, but many women have not tried or even heard of another early detection exam available to them: breast thermography.

Breast thermography, also known as Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI) is a simple, safe non-invasive test of the breast. Thermography can provide early detection of breast conditions beyond what is possible through monthly self-exam, doctor exam or mammogram.  Thermography works by taking infrared images of the breast that detect minute temperature changes associated with breast inflammation and tumors. Having this information allows for the earliest possible intervention and treatment.  It involves no radiation, discomfort or pain, and the entire thermography scan takes about 15 minutes.

What is the difference between a thermogram and mammogram?
Breast thermography plays a role in early detection and monitoring of abnormal physiology, including breast cancer, and is considered a screening device. Mammograms, on the other hand, are used to precisely locate an abnormal area and are considered a diagnostic tool. Breast thermography does not replace mammography. Rather, the two are considered complementary to each other.

Who can benefit from thermography?
All women can benefit from breast screening with thermography. It is especially appropriate for younger women (age 30-50) whose denser breast tissue makes it more difficult for mammograms to be effective. Thermography is also an ideal choice for women of any age who, for any number of reasons, are unable to undergo routine mammography. Thermography can provide a clinical marker to the doctor or mammographer, pinpointing a specific area of the breast that needs particularly close examination.

There are no conditions that make thermography inadvisable and it can be safely and effectively utilized by women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have implants.  It should be noted, however, that breasts are more highly vascularized, meaning they have more blood vessels during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Such vascularization can make baseline screening through thermography more difficult. Typically, thermography will only be used on a pregnant or breastfeeding woman suffering from a specific complaint such as a lump, discomfort or infection. Baseline routine screening should ideally be done 3 months after a woman has stopped breastfeeding.

What are the early breast cancer detection guidelines?
There is no single method for the early detection of breast cancer. Using a combination of methods will increase your chances of detecting cancer in an early stage. These methods include:

• Mammography for all women who are aged 40 or older.
• Regular breast thermography (DITI) screening for adult women of all ages.
• A regular breast examination by a health professional.
• Monthly breast self-examination.
• Personal awareness of changes in the breasts.
• Readiness to promptly discuss any such changes with a doctor.

These guidelines should be considered along with your background and medical history.

Can thermography detect breast cancer?
It takes years for a tumor to grow, thus the earliest possible indication of abnormality will allow for the earliest possible treatment and intervention. Thermography can play an important role in monitoring breast health and assisting in early detection.

Breast cancer tends to grow significantly faster in younger women:

        AGE                                       AVERAGE TUMOR DOUBLING TIME

Under 50 years old                         80 days

50 – 70 years old                          157 days

Over 70 years old                           188 days

The faster a malignant tumor grows, the more infrared radiation it generates. For younger women in particular, results from thermography screening can lead to earlier detection and, ultimately, longer life.

Doctors do not yet know how to prevent breast cancer. However, you can increase your chances of detecting breast cancer in its earliest stages by understanding the need for and participating in an early detection program.

About 20% of biopsied breast lumps are cancerous. If you find a lump, act quickly–when cancer is found early there are choices for treatment, and with prompt treatment the outlook is good. In fact, most women treated for early breast cancer will be free from breast cancer for the rest of their lives. So be sure to maintain an early breast cancer detection regimen that includes annual mammograms and monthly self exams. And consider whether adding thermography to your regimen is the right choice for you.

About the Author
Lauren Feder, M.D. specializes in homeopathy, pediatrics and primary care medicine.  Known for her holistically minded approach and combining the ‘best of both worlds,’ Dr. Feder is a frequent lecturer for parents and professionals and is the author of Natural Baby and Childcare and The Parents’ Concise Guide to Childhood Vaccinations. www.drfeder.com

Susheela’s team explains that anemia in pregnancy, which can lead to maternal and infant mortality, continues to plague many countries despite nutritional counseling and maternal iron and folic acid supplementation. This is the first examination of fluoride as an additional risk factor for anemia and low-birth-weight babies.

Anemic pregnant women living in India, whose urine contained 1 mg/L fluoride or more, were separated into two groups.  The experimental group avoided fluoride in water, food and other sources and ate a nutritious diet per instruction.  The control group received no instructions. Both groups supplemented with iron and folic acid.

Results reveal that anemia was reduced and pre-term and low-birth-weight babies were considerably fewer in the fluoride-avoidance group as compared to the control. Two stillbirths occurred in the control group, none in the experimental group.

Susheela et al. writes, “Maternal and child under-nutrition and anemia is not necessarily due to insufficient food intake but because of the derangement of nutrient absorption due to damage caused to GI  (gastrointestinal) mucosa by ingestion of undesired chemical substances, viz. fluoride through food, water and other sources.”

Fluoride avoidance regenerated the intestinal lining which enhanced the absorption of nutrients as evidenced by the reduction in urinary fluoride followed by rise in hemoglobin levels, they report.

Could the same thing be happening in the United States? State University of New York researchers found more premature births in fluoridated than non-fluoridated upstate New York communities, according to a presentation made at the 2009 American Public Health Association’s annual meeting.

Previous published research shows fluoride can interfere with the reproductive system (http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/repro).

Current Science reports that adverse reactions of fluoride consumption are known to occur including reducing red blood cells, reducing blood folic acid activity, inhibiting vitamin B12 production and the nonabsorption of nutrients for hemoglobin biosynthesis.

“Citizens must demand that water fluoridation be stopped,” says attorney Paul Beeber, President, New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc.  ”It’s disturbing that public-health officials and organized dentistry continue to ignore the overwhelming evidence revealing fluoride to be non-nutritive, unnecessary and unsafe,” says Beeber.

What does egg donation mean?  Participating in egg donation – egg donation recipients (of donor eggs) and egg donors - need to know as much as they can about this special fertility treatment.  For starters, the egg donation definition…

Egg donation is the process by which a woman provides one or more eggs (or ova or oocytes) for purposes of assisted reproduction or biomedical research.   The process of taking eggs from an egg donor, fertilising these donor eggs with the male partner’s sperm in the laboratory dish and transferring the resulting embryo.

This form of collaborative reproduction isvsometimes compared to sperm donation, but an egg donation process involved more commitment and time for the egg donor and more physical involvement.  

It’s a process in which a woman may donate eggs through in vitro fertilization to another woman.  When an egg donor provides her donor eggs to help an infertile woman.  The egg donor’s ovaries are stimulated by drugs to produce extra eggs, which are retrieved during the egg donation process. 

The act of donating eggs to someone else for use in attempting pregnancy through in vitro fertilization to persons who need donor eggs to conceive.

When a female donates her egg(s) for another female to use via IVF because she either lacks eggs, has poor quality eggs, is genetically predisposed to a problematic pregnancy or unhealthy child.

For women who lack good quality eggs, have premature ovarian failure or do not want to risk passing on a known genetic disease.  The process takes eggs, usually from a younger woman – in fertile years, fertilizes them with the male gametes, known as sperm and places them into the patient’s uterine lining.  This is usually after the fertilised egg has grown to what is known as a blastocyst – a fertilised egg cell that has more cells than can be counted.

As women age their ovaries ability to produce good quality eggs (ovarian reserve) begins to diminish.  Using donated eggs enables woman experiencing difficulties the chance to become pregnant and carry an egg donation pregnancy to have a baby through egg donation.  This provides immense hope and is considered a saving grace for thousands of people who would otherwise not be able to conceive.
 
Both egg donors and recipients of donor eggs remain anonymous and confidential.  Generally egg donation recipients consider woman who have similar physical traits, but may consider other traits – such as intelligence levels and/ or personality traits. 

More information on egg donation can be obtained from baby2mom Egg Donation Agency, a reputable and world class egg donor agency, assisting people worldwide to conceive through South African egg donation.

The number of eggs donated can be any thing from zero to over 30.  All egg donors respond differently to the egg donation treatment and accordingly no two egg donors will be the same.  Similarly no two eggs will be the same.

Egg donation is for the purposes of aiding conception, not for any research.

Donor eggs may actually be fertilised by donor sperm as well – depending on the fertility of the male involved or if there is even a male involved in the egg donation baby.

Egg donation recipients are offered counselling to ensure that they understand the process of receiving donor eggs – not their gene material.

In an effort to explain and facilitate an improved understanding of the egg donation process and program, an egg donation definition as described above gives some elaboration on what exactly an egg donation program entails.

Many times these pressures can manifest physically, with young men and women trying to be an ideal body size and weight, just like they see in the people they idolize in magazines and movies. Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center, a leader in treatment for eating disorders, wants to educate students and parents about potential problems and let them know assistance is available.

As many as 10 million females and one million males are fighting a life and death battle with anorexia nervosa or bulimia and another 25 million are fighting a binge eating disorder, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. And because of this, body image and eating disorders are growing concerns in schools around the country.

“This is an especially critical time to be aware of potential problems and watch for warning signs,” says Kimberly Dennis, M.D., medical director at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center. “During this time when schedules change drastically with the start of school, and new pressures are added into the mix, children and young adults can be more susceptible to body image issues and concerns.”

Warning signs that there could be a potential problem in a loved one include:  

• refusal to eat
• difficulty concentrating
• denial of hunger
• obsession with body size and shape coupled with low self esteem
• skipping meals and making excuses for not eating
• eating only a few certain foods considered safe, usually those low in fat and calories

Recognizing these signs and symptoms in a loved one can be a critical first step in working to improve body image distortions. Through early intervention, treatment and therapy, a positive body image can be restored and a life free from the obsession of reaching an “ideal” body size and shape can be achieved.

You’re fighting. It all started when you bounced a check when you knew perfectly well that both your paychecks had been deposited just last week. You’re furious! Ok, so he used the money for an emergency new transmission, but that doesn’t make you feel any better. You’re mad because he never tells you what’s going on with the account until after the fact, which has now led to a colossal argument about why you never have any savings for emergencies and on and on.
 
Your stomach is in knots, you’re trying to keep your voice down so the kids won’t wake up, you glance at the clock, it’s way past your bed-time, you’re in for a lousy night and then . . . your husband leans against the bed backboard, clasps his hands behind his neck, arms akimbo, and you realize, to your shock and dismay, he’s enjoying this! Your husband isn’t suffering as you are, he’s into the fight! He’s taking some perverse pleasure in it! Your heart sinks. You’re gonna lose this one, you just know it. Again.
 
All because you don’t know how to fight. Or more to the point, you don’t know how to negotiate. So what could be a civilized non-stomach-clenching discussion always turns into a fight, something you abhor but he revels in.
 
You see, men are trained as boys to fight fiercely on the playing field, but it’s not personal, it’s just how the game is played. So conflict between spouses is just another game – not in the pejorative sense – but as in “it’s not personal, it’s how we work out what I get and what you get.” It has little if anything to do with how much he loves you.  However, for most women, relationships are relationships, on or off the playing field, and conflict is often seen as “if I win, you lose” or vice-versa, and that’s just too painful in terms of preserving a relationship, thus the aching stomach and sleepless night.
 
Give it up. Stop thinking of conflict as fight material, and start thinking of conflict as a reason to negotiate with your spouse for what you want and need. Don’t approach the conversation when you’re still fuming. Instead, give yourself some time to cool off, and then follow these guidelines to negotiate successfully:
 
1. Know your goal
Want to be right or want to have an outcome you both can live with? Pick “an outcome you both can live with” and you’re halfway there. But know what it is. Often we start a fight not even knowing what we really want out of it.
 
2. Create optionsBe open to and ready with, several options or alternatives. When you go into a negotiation with only one possible acceptable outcome, you’re already in a losing posture. On the contrary, think of several acceptable outcomes: $100 a month into a savings account, setting half of one week’s paycheck aside, revising the family budget entirely, etc.
3. Listen with open ears and open mindYours are not the only good ideas. Listen hard. By keeping both your ears and mind open, more options or alternatives will emerge than you could have thought of on your own. Ask questions: “What would work for you here?” or “What is most important to you about X?” Assume that there is a way to come to a mutually acceptable solution, and keep listening and working toward it.
4. Appreciate
Never put down your husband’s position. Regardless of your private thoughts on the matter, be respectful of his input. Avoid comments like “Well that’s stupid” or “That’ll never work.” Always look for what can work.
 
5. Leave the door open
If you come to an impasse, rather than throwing in the towel or backing your spouse into a corner, suggest that you both think about what was discussed, and see if coming together again at a later date might not be beneficial. In the meantime, make some notes summarizing what you think were the main points and progress so far. Now you’ve truly redefined the issue as one of discussion with every expectation of a good outcome.
 
Disagreeing with your mate is part of life–it’s going to happen. How you approach the disagreement will result in either a full-blown argument (with ample shouting or worse, hurt silence) or a solution that can be used to create a stronger bond between the two of you. Learn to negotiate and you’ll have far greater success, and a much more peaceful marriage!
 
Noelle C. Nelson, Ph.D., is a relationship expert, popular speaker in the U.S. and abroad, and author of nine best-selling books, including her most recent, Your Man is Wonderful and Dangerous Relationships. Dr. Nelson focuses on how we can all enjoy happy, fulfilling lives while accomplishing great things in love, at home and at work, as we appreciate ourselves, our world and all others. Visit www.noellenelson.com,
www.yourmaniswonderful.com/blog.

The celebrities battling it out for this season’s Mirror Ball Trophy include heartthrob- crooner Michael Bolton, R&B singer Brandy, comedian and actress Margaret Cho, former LA Laker Rick Fox, Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey, ex-Baywatch babe David Hasselhoff, everyone’s favorite TV matriarch Florence Henderson, Disney child star Kyle Massey, former first daughter of Alaska Bristol Palin, ex-Hills beauty Audrina Patridge, fist pumpin’ Jersey Shore star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner.

The season premieres Monday, September 20 at 8 p.m. EST.

Who do you think will be the first to go, and who do you think has a chance at winning this season?

Kimberly Dennis, M.D., medical director for Timberline Knolls and a psychiatrist who specializes in treatment for addiction and mood disorders, believes Lohan has exhibited the symptoms of a woman suffering from the deadly disease of addiction for years. People who suffer with substance abuse/dependence very commonly have co-occurring disorders, including personality disorders. (Dr. Dennis is not Lohan’s physician.)

“There tends to be significant denial and minimization of addiction by society in general, and even among health care professionals. While I’m relying on what’s been reported in the media, I find it hard to believe the reports from doctors who would not give a diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence, in this instance,” says Dr. Dennis. “Lindsay is someone who could easily die of the disease without ongoing, integrated addiction treatment and recovery efforts addressing her relationship with drugs and alcohol, as well as the personality disorder.”

“One sign of addiction is continual use of drugs and alcohol in the face of catastrophic problems…and she’s done that,” says Dr. Dennis. Many times the public was told that Lindsay was absent when expected in court or on set. During these times, the actress failed to meet legal and job obligations. “Media reports that in the context of major challenges in her life, Lindsay Lohan has continued to abuse multiple substances.”

Adds Dr. Dennis, “The fact that Lindsay’s been in treatment is positive, but it doesn’t solve all of her problems. Recovery must be attended to daily.”

The report, Gender Responsiveness and Equity in California’s Juvenile Justice System, was released today by the Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice (BCCJ), a research and policy institute at UC Berkeley School of Law. The report addresses the needs of girl offenders and suggests ways policymakers and practitioners can improve their juvenile justice programs and services.

In the decade between 1995 and 2005, the number of girls in detention nationwide increased by 49 percent compared to 7 percent for boys. Research shows that girls enter the system for distinctly different types of delinquent behavior than boys. However, juvenile justice services have historically been developed for male populations and have failed to effectively serve young women.

Barry Krisberg, senior fellow at Berkeley Law’s Center for Criminal Justice and former head of the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, says the juvenile justice system needs to be better equipped to respond to female offenders.

“Young women need different specialized care and support than young men.  Many young women have suffered from high levels of sexual and physical abuse and often need different medical care than boys. Some of these young women have children themselves and need to be in contact with them.  Every level of staff in the juvenile justice system needs to be sensitized to these differences.”

The Gender Responsiveness report summarizes data from national studies on girl offenders and their treatment in juvenile justice systems. Highlights include:

• How girls enter the system: Research shows that far more girls (70%) than boys (47%) are referred to courts on prostitution charges. Studies have also shown that the nature of girls’ violence is more often relational and that girls are more likely to fight with a family member than boys.
• The unique needs of girls: Studies have found that girls in the juvenile justice system have experienced higher rates of physical neglect and higher rates of sexual and emotional abuse than boys. Additionally, delinquent girls suffer from mental health problems and experience traumatic life events at higher rates than boys.
• Limited programs and services for girls: A survey of California’s Chief Probation officers found that gender-specific programs for girls were one of the least available program types. In a juvenile court study, prosecutors and defense attorneys specifically noted a lack of residential placement facilities and local camps or ranches for females.

Although few gender-responsive programs are available and none have been deemed “model programs,” certain characteristics are considered integral to their success. Effective girl programs are typically relationship-based, responsive to a history of trauma, and provide a safe treatment space removed from males.

Such gender-specific programs would help the state care for girls in its custody and improve their outcomes, according to the report. Some of its policy recommendations include:

• Train juvenile justice staff in gender-responsiveness;
• Use assessment tools designed for females;
• Develop gender-responsive community-based programs;
• Increase relationship-based programs for girls that encourage communication and ensure emotional and physical safety;
• Equip facilities with adequate physical and mental health services for girls, and,
• Reform detention facilities’ policies and programs to avoid re-traumatizing girls.

“The very little money that does go toward services for girls is primarily for prevention,” said Gena Castro Rodriguez, executive director of Youth Justice Institute and an advisor on the report. Noting her dissatisfaction with the lack of money and resources for developing and evaluating programs targeting girls in the juvenile justice system, she explained, “What people don’t want to pay for is intensive treatment, like trauma therapy and then job training, for young women who are really in trouble.”

While California’s current fiscal environment presents significant challenges in the development and implementation of gender-specific policies and programs, the report suggests such an investment would contribute to a more effective juvenile justice system and save money in the long term.

Read a full copy of Gender Responsiveness and Equity in California’s Juvenile Justice System. This report is part of a series of policy briefs funded by The California Endowment to address critical issues facing the state’s juvenile justice system.