Posts under ‘Health’

When someone is considering smoking cessation, it is important to think about the different stages.

• Stage 1: Breakthrough

  Smoker has identified themselves as being concerned about their health as well as those around them. This is the stage where smokers are wondering if they should quit or cut down.

• Stage 2: Resourceful

  Smokers begin to seek and gather information about how to quit smoking. They also begin to explore more healthier alternatives.

• Stage 3: First steps

  Smokers begin taking steps to change their smoking habits. Ex. cutting down on the amount, getting more exercise, coping through family and friends.

• Thinking of the role smoking plays in your life.

• Seeking out opportunities to talk about smoking with others.

• Observing ways nonsmokers respond to situations which you respond by smoking.

• Observing other smokers carefully, paying special attention to the negative aspects of the habit.

• Seeking out friends who recently quit smoking.

• Beginning regular fitness program.

• Practicing one stress reducing activity-deep relaxation techniques, yoga, reading a magazine.

• Keeping a smoking journal where you write down your thoughts about smoking.

Resources:

Everyone knows that smoking cigarettes are bad for themselves and for people around them. Most also know nicotine is addictive. What people may not know are the psychological barriers that make it difficult for smokers to quit.

1. Fear of failing.

   Most smokers try to quit smoking several times before they finally succeed.

   How to overcome that fear:

   Each attempt gives a smoker new information about what works and what doesn’t work. It is important for smokers to learn from their past experience to their current effort. The only way to fail is to stop trying.

Sometimes the demands of caring for your loved one who has a brain tumor combined with stress of everyday life can be overwhelming. Here are 7 tips to help you care for yourself and your loved one.

• Recognize signs of stress in yourself.

• Form a support network of friends and family to share duties.

• Make time for yourself to do things that you enjoy.

• Maintain contact with others and try not to give up your hobbies.

• Encourage your loved on on how well they are doing.

This blog is continued from previous blog on what brain tumors are

Signs and symptoms of brain tumors in adults

• Headaches

  Typical “brain tumor headaches” are often described as worse in the morning and they do not usually respond to the usual headache remedies. Keeping a “headache journal”- when they occur, how severe they are, other symptoms that happen at the same time, and the type of remedies you try in an attempt to relieve your symptoms will provide the doctor with a good overview of the nature of your headaches.

General Description

Brain tumors are masses of abnormal cells that have grown out of control. American Cancer Society estimates that 22,070 malignant tumors of the brain or spinal cord (12,010 in men and 10,060 in women) will be diagnosed during 2009 in United States. This would account for about 1.5% of all cancers. There are a variety of risk factors that may contribute chance of getting brain tumors:

• Being male

  Generally tumors are more common in males than females.

• Race

  Brain tumors occur more often among white people than among people of other races.

This blog is continued from the blog series on Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Having a medical condition such as prostate cancer can put a tremendous emotional strain on someone. Several studies showed elevated risk of depression in prostate cancer patients due to loss of functional capacity and somatic symptoms. These are some of the depressive symptoms a cancer patient may have:

• Sleep disturbances-This can mean too much sleep (hypersomnia) or too little sleep (insomnia).

• Lack of energy or feeling tired

• Difficulty concentrating

• Suicidal thoughts

• Feeling guilty, helpless, or worthlessness