Sometimes when facing the challenge of a serious illness it help to read stories of triumph. Dealing with mesothelioma is one of those diseases and Paul Kraus was not ready to give up his fight with this deadly cancer.

Mr. Kraus offers practical advice on what he did to beat the odds so that others can too. So don’t lose hope, keep fighting.

My friend Jim, the dentist called me up last week and asked it I could help him do a little research into dental practice management software. It seems the software solution he had been using for the past 9 years was no longer being supported and was causing him headaches in the office.

I am a bit of a software geek and was able to help him locate some excellent dental software. He is forever grateful and I expect to be seeing the Yankees quite a few times next season with his field level seasons tickets.

I realize plastic surgery is not for everyone but my wife has been wanting to have her breasts ‘done’ for years. After 3 kids and as gravity worked it’s magic she was feeling sort of in the dumps. This year we are expecting a substantial tax return so I decided to give her an anniversary present that she (and I) could truly appreciate for a long-time to come.

I started by searching the web for local surgeons using the keywords, Indiana breast augmentation. After checking out their websites and talking to them on the phone I set up a consultation for my better half. If you are looking to get surgery somewhere else just do a search online because it is the quickest way to find out information, for example if you are in another state, say Miami, just type in “Miami Plastic Surgery” and you will get lots of search results you can pour through.

I can’t wait to surprise her next week!

Teenagers who feel relaxed after their first drags on a cigarette are most likely to become addicted to smoking, a sign that some people’s brains are more susceptible to nicotine, researchers have discovered.  This is bad news in the fight for teenage smokers.

While peer pressure and other factors may lead young people to try smoking, it is the brain’s response to that first dose of nicotine that likely most determines who gets addicted, according to DiFranza’s report published in Pediatrics, the journal of the American  Experiencing a feeling of relaxation in response to the first cigarette was the strongest predictor of addiction, the study found.

The study said one theory suggests nicotine suppresses pathways in the brain that generate the feeling of craving, which is experienced as relaxation. That in turn creates a craving for nicotine when the drug is absent.

Over the four years of the study between 2002 and 2006, 11 interviews were conducted with each of 1,000 teenagers attending public schools in six Massachusetts communities.  Of the 217 who tried smoking during the study, nearly one-third reported feeling relaxed after inhaling for the first time, and two-thirds of them became addicted to smoking.

Overall, 83 of the 217 participants who tried cigarettes became smokers.  Other risk factors for addiction among first-time smokers was a depressed mood, a novelty-seeking personality, and familiarity with “Joe Camel,” the animated character used to advertise Reynolds American Inc’s Camel brand, the study said.  “The Joe Camel campaign was discontinued in August of 1997 as our subjects entered 2nd grade (around age 7), suggesting that the deleterious effects of cigarette advertising persist long after the exposure,” the study said.

Among the traits that protected students from becoming addicted were being involved in extracurricular activities which is not surpising because they are probably more rounded individuals which inturn would help them make better life choices.

Heavy smokers with knee arthritis may be experiencing an early sign of a difficult-to-treat lung cancer, research shows.   Researchers at Prato Hospital in Italy reviewed the case files of 296 patients with inflammation in one knee between 2000 and 2005.

In just under 2 percent of these patients, the mild knee arthritis was accompanied by non-small cell lung cancer. All patients were middle-aged men who had been heavy smokers for most of their lives. Once the cancer tissue was surgically removed, the knee pain cleared up as well.

About 85 percent of all lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Unless it is caught early, non-small cell lung cancer is difficult to treat. It spreads to the bones in one in five cases and is well advanced by the time it is diagnosed in half of all cases.  Writing in the September issue of The Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, the researchers noted that early warning signs such as knee pain could lead to earlier diagnosis and more successful treatments.  My knees have been hurting but I haven’t had a cigarette for almost 20 years!

Establishing a Routine: A Necessary Element for Weight Gain Success

While planning is important for gaining weight and muscle, by itself it’s not enough to lead you to successful weight gain for the long term. Having a routine is also a necessity. You are going to be making some major changes to your lifestyle, and these types of changes don’t come naturally. Our bodies and minds resist change. If given the chance, we’ll resort back to old habits in a second. That’s why the key is to replace those old habits with new habits, so that these changes become the norm. Routine is the only way to make that happen to ensure you put on weight.

Dietitians have found that it takes 60 to 90 days for a routine to become a habit. That means if you are truly committed to gaining weight, then you need to be committed to a routine. Each time you break that routine, you are delaying the formation of a habit and making it harder on yourself.

Don’t get me wrong, routines aren’t easy to live with, especially if they require us to make major changes. However, if you are willing to make the commitment, then, in the end, you’ll realize that the sacrifice, effort, and energy were all worth it. After all, anything that is worth doing isn’t going to be easy.

For more gaining weight tips and articles, check out the GainingWeight.info blog.

Here is a brief look at some of the top health headlines this week:

-Antidepressant prescription rates are on the rise – they’re now prescribed more often than drugs for blood pressure, asthma, or high cholesterol.

-Teens in Canada are smoking less, both males and females with teenage girls leading the way.  Great news from up North!

-According to a study by the National Health and Social Life Survey, the U.S. circumcision rate peaked at nearly 90 percent in the early 1960s but began dropping in the ’70s. By 2004, the most recent year for which government figures are available, about 57 percent of all male newborns delivered in hospitals were circumcised. In some states, the rate is well below 50 percent.  It is thought that rates are still dropping and may be as low as 46% as a national average.

-For those of you that always thought women are way more chatty than guys;  researchers placed microphones on 396 college students for periods ranging from two to 10 days, sampled their conversations and calculated how many words they used in the course of a day.  The score: Women, 16,215. Men, 15,669.   Now that is truly a surprise, maybe it has something to do with men getting better at expressing themselves?

People who are often stressed out or depressed are far more likely to develop memory problems than those with more happy dispositions, U.S. researchers said on Monday in a finding that sheds light on early predictors of Alzheimer’s disease.

They said those who most often are anxious or depressed were 40 times more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment, a form of memory loss that is often a transitional stage between normal aging and dementia.

Researchers analyzed data from two large studies involving 1,256 older people who started the studies with no memory problems.  After up to 12 years of follow up, 482 people in the study developed mild cognitive impairment. Participants were rated on how prone they are to worry and depression.

“What we’re measuring is a personality trait that we all have to greater or lesser degree. We all experience anxiety and periodic depression. This trait helps identify people for whom that is more characteristic than others,” said Wilson, whose study appears in this week’s issue of the journal Neurology.

“This isn’t a measure of stress, but of the response to stress,” he said.

The latest research suggests that chronic stress may harm parts of the brain responsible for responding to stress — an area that is also associated with memory, he said.  So now all you depressed folks have another reason to be stressed out and depressed.

Remeber those fat burning jiggle machines of the 1950’s?  Well they seem to be coming back into style.  Even NASA is testing the concept.

These machines use vibrations to tone muscle and claim to do it faster. Aggressive promoters also say the equipment improves flexibility and strength, reduces pain and stress, builds muscle and reverses osteoporosis. 

However, researchers warn of possible injuries ranging from back pain to cartilage damage. One even warns that the high-powered jiggling might harm the brain. They say the science is thin and too little is known about the long-term effects of such powerful vibrations.

Still, NASA is studying vibration as a possible tool for reducing muscle atrophy and bone loss during astronauts’ long, weightless trips in space.

And users of the equipment love the sensation and the quick workout. Workout times are reduced by two-thirds, advocates say, a claim that appeals to busy professionals, mothers of young children and just about anyone who shuns exercise.

“I feel kind of tingly and a little like I got off a ship, kind of shaky but in a good way,” said Amy Allen, a 40-year-old working mom in Chicago, after a 25-minute workout on the Power Plate, one of the higher-end brands. “I’m hoping this is the solution to help me get that extra weight off.”

The Power Plate vibrates 20 to 50 times a second in three directions, increasing g-forces on the body, and according to the Northbrook, Ill.-based company of the same name. The company says that raises the effectiveness of lunges, squats and other exercises done while standing on it.  So go-ahead and shake a leg and get fit.

Often forgotten about, your reproductive health is just as important as other aspects of your health. Gaining a better understanding of your reproductive system can help you gain a clearer picture of just how sensitive your reproductive organs are. How it Works will explain how your hormones and organs come together to produce your monthly cycle. And if you think that your diet doesn’t make much difference to your reproductive health, think again. Diet and the Reproductive System will explain just how the food you eat influences how your reproductive system works.

When your system is out of whack, not only can it affect your menstrual cycle, but it can also prevent you from getting pregnant. One way of making sure your system is in top shape is by getting regular pap smears. But what does it mean if you have an abnormal one? Read Abnormal Smear Test to find out. And if you have a retroverted uterus, don’t worry. This is normal and is unlikely to interfere with your ability to get pregnant.

While many women find it to be a bit of a pest, regular menstruation is actually a sign of positive reproductive health. However, different factors can throw your cycle off from time to time. Learn more about what can make your period late and if you’ve recently stopped taking the birth control pill, then check out No Pill, No Period to find out why your period may not return right away. Some women suffer from extremely painful periods, as is the case with dysmenorrhea. If you use tampons regularly, you’ll want to make sure you know all about toxic shock syndrome. Of course, eventually your period will stop coming altogether. Whether you’re looking forward to it or dreading it, menopause is a fact of life for all women. And if you’re wondering whehter herbs are effective for treating menopause symptoms, read our article on herbs and menopause.

A woman’s reproductive system can be affected by a variety of infections, such as yeast infections (or thrush) and bacterial vaginosis. While these can be unpleasant, they can be treated. Other infections include urinary tract infections (UTI) and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). While treatment is available for both of these discomforts, PID can lead to scarring and even infertility as well as increase your risk of an ectopic pregnancy if not looked after quickly.

Cancer can also damage your reproductive health. Aside from cervical cancer, women may also have to deal with uterine cancer or ovarian cancer. Other reproductive issues that are not uncommon for a woman to have to contend with include ovarian cysts, chronic pelvic pain and fibroids. In some cases, it may be necessary to have a hysterectomy in order to get rid of the cancer for good.

However, your reproductive health isn’t just centred around the pelvic region. Your breasts are also an important part of your reporductive system, allowing you to feed your children during their first few months or years. Developing breast cancer, though, can seriously impair your reproductive health, damaging your breasts and your fertility. Through breast cancer awareness and regular self-checks, you can keep your breasts healthy for a long time by ensuring early detection and treatment of breast cancer. There are various types of breast examinations that may be performed in order to detect the signs of breast cancer. Learn about some other conditions that are characterized by benign breast lumps.

Breast cancer research has attempted to address environmental factors that may be linked to the development of cancer. Read an article about recent studies that have attempted to address the possible link between breast cancer and anti-perspirant use. New genetic testing methods have also been developed that can help prevent breast cancer relapse.

Experiencing menopause or undergoing treatment such as a hysterectomy can result in changes to your reproductive system that can affect your sexual health. These changes can alter a woman’s sexual life and affect feelings of desire as well as a woman’s libido. Whether or not you have undergone these or other changes, you may want to read about recent studies attempting to solve female sexual dysfunction and issues surrounding women’s sexual health.

Women who have undergone a mastectomy can sometimes find it difficult to adjust to having one or no breasts. However, reconstructive surgery can make it possible to have breasts again. If your health insurance does not cover this procedure, it is possible to find cosmetic surgeon clinics cosmetic surgeon clinics that are affordable.

Your reproductive health and overall wellbeing may benefit from a natural health program. Get information on Migraine Prevention that may be related to other conditions affecting your health.