April is Stress Awareness Month

It seems most appropriate. The month in which income taxes are due is stress awareness month. This year there are any number of reasons for stress: Increasing prices of gasoline which lead to increasing prices of just about anything else, hatred of our country by many around the world (and by some here at home), a society in which believers are looked down upon…I could go on and on, and I’m sure you could, too. The world we live in keeps changing; change, whether good or bad, causes stress.
Stress is not necessarily a bad thing. It can alert us to danger so we can take action or help us to cope with an urgent problem. But stress that continues over a long period of time, overwhelms us, or seems without solution can stop us in our tracks, even leading to physical illness.
Some ways to cope with stress include:
-Don’t try to cram too many activities into your day.
-Don’t be a perfectionist.
-Try to relax.
-Get enough sleep.
-Take care of yourself.
-Don’t go it alone.
The last applies especially to believers. Our awesome God is in control. In the midst of constant change, He is the same yesterday, today and forever. A focus on Him and not our circumstances is the effective way to deal with stress.A great article, actually written for teens but applying to even this old lady, is found at http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/emotions/stress.html

PUT HOLIDAY STRESS TO WORK!

Here we are, approaching Christmas, and some of us are stressing out already about gifts to buy, baking, preparing the house for guests and all the many details involved. For believers, the joy and significance of Christ’s birth make a great difference in how we look at the season. Our radio preacher friend Steve Brown once pointed out that, when you go to the mall to shop in the crowds, even non-believers are there for unselfish reasons—to buy presents for other people!
I found an article on the Canadian Health Network that gave a different approach—use holiday stress to work for you! The truth is that stress gives you a certain amount of energy. The trick is not to let the stress take over. So…

• Be realistic in your planning. Don’t try to pack so many tasks, activities and stuff into your schedule. After all, you still have all of your day-to-day things to accomplish.
• Try project management. Have a look at all the steps involved in your plans for a party, decorating, etc. before you jump in.
• Involve the family in planning and make it clear to each person what their responsibilities are—picking up certain gifts, helping with housecleaning, etc. If someone offers to bring a dessert to the dinner, take them up on it.
• Are there a couple of small things you could accomplish today that would lighten the load? Take care of them, and then congratulate yourself!
• Stick to a budget! Going over just ads to stress.
• Reach out to others—needy, lonely, especially those who may be spending their first Christmas without a loved one.
• Count your blessings.
• Keep a positive attitude and don’t wring your hands about what could go wrong.
• Do something nice for yourself! Take a break and enjoy a little pampering or something you’d enjoy doing.

NOVEMBER IS FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH

The National Family Caregivers Association (website http://www.nfcacares.org) tells us that more than 50 million people provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member. Stress and the toll on the caregiver’s health are high. This website includes a wealth of information and resources for caregivers.

It is important for caregivers to reach out for help. Friends and other family members might assist by:
Running errands
Helping with household chores
Providing a meal
Carpooling young children or babysitting
Caregivers may feel guilty asking for help, so if you know a caregiver, see what you might be able to do for them. Sometimes just having someone to talk with and receive emotional support from is helpful. The caregiver should be encouraged to look after his or her own health, getting regular checkups and sufficient rest. Respite care, having someone come and stay with the ill family member for a few hours, may be available through a county agency. The caregiver who works should check out the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Most everyone in our Arizona church family is retired. In many cases, there are caregiver situations in which the caregiver is elderly and may have his or her own health problems. We must be alert to these situations so that we can offer support and encouragement as we can.

October is Organize Your Medical Information Month

When we saw our primary physician in June, I picked up a couple of little cards at the desk. These had places for name, allergies, medications, and physician name and phone number. We carry them in our wallets. In case of emergency, we’ve got that information with us. We keep it with our medical insurance card. It’s also useful when we go to the doctor since we’ll have a list of our medicines with us.

A more “high tech” device involves a USB flash drive for your keychain containing your medical information. Two of these are available. See http://www.medictag.com/ or http://www.medicalert.com/E-Health/.

It’s useful to have a record at home as well. This should include:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Allergies
• Prescription medicines with dose and schedule
• Medical problems
• Doctor’s name and telephone number
• Preferred hospital
• Health insurance information

One way make this available in case of emergency is through the Vial of Life program. A form can be printed out and stored in the refrigerator; a decal is ordered to be placed on the refrigerator so emergency responders will know where to look for the information. Details, printable forms, and ordering instructions for decals are found at http://www.vialoflife.com.

Another consideration is finding a next of kin in case of emergency. If you have a cell phone, try ICE. In your contact list, list ICE (in case of emergency) with the number of your next of kin. A sticker on your phone would assist emergency responders as well.

Take care to protect your identity—do not include a social security number in any of these places. Emergency responders do not need this information.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Although more women have mammograms today than ever before, breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women between the ages of 45 and 55. It is the most common cancer in women. Finding the cancer early leads to early treatment and a better outcome.

Most breast cancers are found with mammograms, but some are discovered when women examine their breasts on a monthly basis. The American Cancer Society recommends woman start breast self-exam at the age of 20. Instructions are found at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-self-exam/WO00026/UPDATEAPP=0.

There are some signs women can look for as they examine their breasts:

• Changes in how the breast or nipple feels.
• A lump or thickening in or near the breast or under the arm.
• Tenderness of the nipple.
• Changes in how the breast or nipple looks.
• Changes in the size and shape of the breast.
• Changes in the skin of the breast, such as scaly skin, redness, swelling, ridges, or pitting.
• Any fluid coming from the nipple.

Women who find any of these changes should see their physician.

The American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms beginning at the age of 40. Women who have a mother, sister or daughter with breast or ovarian cancer (or both) or a male relative with breast cancer, especially before age 50, run a higher risk. About 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are related to two defective genes. Women with these risks should discuss with their physician whether they need to begin yearly mammograms at a younger age.

Some other risk factors for breast cancer include:

• Age older than 50.
• Radiation exposure.
• Excess weight, especially if the weight was gained in the teen years or after menopause, or if there is more body fat in the upper body.
• Early start of menstruation.
• Menopause after age 55.
• First pregnancy after 30.
• White women are more likely to have breast cancer, but black women are more likely to die of it.
• Use of hormones for symptoms of menopause.
• Use of birth control pills.
• Smoking
• Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.
• Pre-cancerous changes in the breast.
• Dense breast tissue may hide tumors and may also be a cause of increased risk.

Excellent information is found at http://cms.komen.org/komen/index.htm

SEPTEMBER IS OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Of all the cancers, ovarian cancer is the fifth highest cause of death in women. Usually, by the time the cancer is identified, it has spread beyond the ovary. Pap smears do not detect this cancer. The chance of surviving the cancer is much higher when it is found early.

Recently some symptoms of early ovarian cancer have been identified. These include a feeling of pressure, fullness, swelling or bloating in the abdomen; an urgent need to urinate; and pain or discomfort in the lower abdomen. As you can see, these symptoms are common to a lot of problems.

Certain women are more likely to get ovarian cancer: Those who have a family history of breast cancer with inherited breast cancer genes, family history of ovarian cancer, women past menopause (although it does occur in younger women as well), women who did not have children, those who had difficulty getting pregnant, and those who took hormones after menopause. Also, young women who were overweight by the age of 18 seem to have a higher risk of ovarian cancer before menopause.

Women who are at risk of ovarian cancer would be wise to see a gynecologist who is familiar with ovarian cancer regularly. Women who develop the symptoms listed above should see a doctor. If treatment advised by the doctor doesn’t help the symptoms, a visit to the gynecologist and pelvic examination would be advised.
More information on ovarian cancer can be found at http://www.ovarian.org/ or at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/ovarian/

August is Cataract Awareness Month

A cataract is a cloudiness of the lens in your eye. The lens, just like one in binoculars, focuses on what you see, giving a clear image. As we age, cataracts develop. Eventually it's difficult to see clearly, to read and to drive. It's especially hard to drive at night because the glare of headlights makes the problem worse. Think of driving through fog with high beam headlights.

The problem starts slowly. Early on, bright lights for reading and an eyeglass prescription change may help. Cataracts effect seeing things at a distance.

Signs and symptoms of cataract include:

• Cloudy, blurry, or dim vision
• Problems with night vision
• Light and glare sensitivity
• Halos around lights
• Needing bright lights in order to read
• Needing new glasses more often
• Colors appear yellow or faded
• Double vision in one eye

You are more likely to develop cataracts if you're diabetic, smoke, have taken steroids, have had an eye injury, or others in your family have them.

Most folks need regular eye exams, especially as we get older. An opthalmologist is a doctor who specializes in the eyes. He or she will be able to test for cataracts and advise on treatment.

The only treatment for cataracts is an operation to remove the lens. Usually an artificial lens is put in its place. If not, glasses or contact lenses are used. This surgery is a common one--risks should be discussed with your opthalmologist.