Shannon Harvey

In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I'm pleased to read that a number of recent advances will help prevent, detect and treat the disease that women dread so much. Among them:

• Tough cases get a little easier A new category of PARP inhibitors, when used along with chemo increased survival time by 50 percent in a recent study of patients with advanced breast cancer. Researchers are hopeful this striking improvement will hold up in further studies, as relatively few drugs work against breast cancer where tumors are lacking receptors for estrogen, progesterone, and HER2.
• Screenings get a fine tuning Family history, age, and whether you've had kids have been classic risk factors for breast cancer. A major review of studies suggests a woman's vulnerability after menopause is better estimated if you also consider the density of her breast tissue. Ask your physician if your mammmogram indicates dense tissue, and if it does a digital mammogram may help since it's more accurate for dense breasts.

If these are things that remind you to schedule your next appointment, keep in mind that National Mammography Day will be celebrated on October 16th. On this day some radiologists provide discounts or free mammogram screenings. It is smartest to hope for the best while planning for the worst.

Does your world seem to be getting more complex and overwhelming by the day? Do you suffer from information overload, with technology and new consumer products fighting for your time, money and energy? Maybe I can help.

Amidst all the frantic confusion, some people are choosing to pare down their lives rather than being swept up. They often can find themselves living happier, quieter and more content lives than they were before.

Don't worry, I recognize it's not practical for everyone to move to a small house in a quiet country town. What you can do is make small changes for a big impact. Here are ten ways you can simplify your life.

1 - Loosen your schedule

Do you find yourself always rushing from one thing to another? Or that every minute of your day is planned out? Try planning less things during the day and leave more time between activities. As a bonus, you can get ready for things earlier, and you won't feel like you're always behind the eight-ball.

2 - Eliminate 20%

Stuff and baggage accumulates over time. It's a good idea to take a sweep through your stuff every few months or so and eliminate 20% of your clothes, toys, electronics, etc. You can donate them to charity or even consider selling them through a garage sale or other various online auction sites.

3 - Focus your priorities

Spend some time thinking about what you're doing with your time. Think of the four or five most important things to you. Are you able to focus on those? Or do you have too many commitments that leave you with little time to do the things you love? Cut everything except those four or five things.

4 - Go small

This is a big step, but can go a long way toward simplifying your life. Do you have rooms in your house or apartment just for stuff? Are there always empty seats in your car? If moving to a smaller, less expensive house or trading in for a smaller, more fuel-efficient car is something you can do, you'll find that a lot of weight may be taken off your shoulders.

5 - Learn to say no

Whether it's saying no to yourself when you're at the mall or saying no to a co-worker that asks you to do extra work, learn how to say no to things that don't align with your priorities. You'll spend less time focusing on things that don't make you happy.

6 - Clear your inbox

Do you have tons of unread email messages? Or piles of unread mail at home. On top of being unnecessary clutter, an unknown pile of to-dos can wear at the back of your mind and keep you from staying on top of things. Keep your inbox and unread mail at zero and you'll find yourself being more efficient and relaxed.

7 - Create a simple, healthy menu

Is figuring out what to make for dinner a struggle? Are you making a trip to the grocery store every day for extra ingredients? Make a simple, healthy menu for all your meals, and get all the ingredients in one trip. Make it a family event, or use it as quiet time to think.

8 - Clear your desk

Some people make it a habit to have a clean desk when they leave work every day. An organized workspace without clutter is efficient, relaxing and will make you more productive.

9 - Leave a small online footprint

Are you a member of every social networking site out there? Do you have more email addresses than you can remember? Pick one email and one social networking site, and delete all the rest. You'll spend less time trying to keep up.

10 - Do nothing

Carve out a small part of your day to do nothing other than reflect on what's going on in your world. Make it a quiet, peaceful place and try to clear your mind from anything that's weighing you down. Often you'll find yourself coming out of this time refreshed and ready to tackle anything that comes your way.

For the last nineteen years, the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) Board of Sponsor members have been working collectively to "Pass the Word" throughout the country that early detection of breast cancer saves lives. This year, they are depending on the general public to join in this national effort to "Pass the Word" to as many women as possible.

NBCAM offers several ways to "Pass the Word" this October on their website www.nbcam.org . In addition, the website contains several sources of more information about the importance of early detection.

National Mammography Day

National Mammography Day will be celebrated on October 16th. On this day some radiologists provide discounts or free mammogram screenings. Visit the website www.nbcam.org to find out how to get the list of facilities that will be participating in National Mammography Day.

Some peace of mind that lets you Focus on the fight...

For just pennies a day, many people own Cancer Insurance policies to supplement other medical insurance they may have. These policies will pay benefits directly to you, the insured (unless assigned), and can be used to help your family pay for expenses you would most likely incur when undergoing cancer treatment.

The benefits from this insurance can be used to cover things like lost income, childcare expenses, extraordinary housekeeping expenses, special diets, even meals and lodging away from home. It's peace of mind at a time when your mind needs to be focused on getting better.

I always crack up when I hear the phrase "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" since that's a common theme on Bob the Builder (one of our 3-year old son, Jackson's, favorite shows). Of course, it's not a joke...it's a method of taking small steps to help preserve our natural resources.

Here are a few steps you can make use of in your home:

• Recycle all paper in your home including phone books, newspapers, magazines and even mail. For mail that has account numbers and personal information printed on it, buy a paper shredder and shred the paper before recycling it.
• Plan meals ahead of time and stick to your grocery list. When you buy less, you waste less!
• There are many non-toxic cleaners available that can take the place of harsh chemical cleaners you buy in the store. For example, use vinegar and water to wash windows and clean mirrors. Use a paste of baking soda to clean sinks, tubs and toilets, and for freshening drains.
• Before painting, get an accurate idea of how much paint you'll need. One gallon of paint should cover about 400 square feet.
• Donate used clothing that's still in good condition to thrift stores or relief organizations rather than throwing it away.
• Use funnels when adding fluids to your car, lawnmower or other vehicles to prevent spills.
• Close your shades and blinds in the summer to prevent the sun from heating up your home and making your air conditioner work longer. Likewise open your shades in winter to take advantage of the sun's warmth.

Whether you're a firm believer in everything Al Gore has to say about man-made global warming (and that he invented the internet) or you're someone who believes that man has little effect on global warming compared to sunspot activity, the fact of the matter is that the less we waste the longer our resources will last. And if you're like me you firmly believe that if it's good enough for Bob the Builder, it's good enough for me.

Home safety is important and can also be easy by taking a few simple steps. I'm a big fan of keeping things simple and these are just that.

Prepare For Emergencies:

• Keep a telephone handy in your bedroom and your kitchen or living room.
• Create a list of emergency phone numbers you can keep near your phones, including 911 and the poison control hotline (1-800-222-1222).
• Keep a disaster plan for you and your family. The list should include emergency contacts and designate a meeting place outside your neighborhood so family members can meet up in the event of a disaster.
• Have a well-stocked first-aid kit in your home.

Following these few simple steps to prepare for emergencies allow you to plan for the worst while hoping for the best. Your family will thank you for that.