Whenever you hear the word “cancer” as part of your diagnosis, your hands start to shake and your palms start to sweat.  However, it’s important to stay calm, especially when the diagnosis is Prostate Cancer.

According to Cancer.org

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer found in American men, other than skin cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 186,320 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States in 2008. About 28,660 men will die of this disease this year.

That’s scary - but the news gets better - from the same page:

While 1 man in 6 will get prostate cancer during his lifetime, only 1 man in 35 will die of this disease. More than 2 million men in the United States who have had prostate cancer at some point are still alive today. The death rate for prostate cancer is going down, and the disease is being found earlier as well.

So prostate cancer is a good news/bad news kind of a diagnosis. If you’re a man, chances are relatively good that you’ll be hearing this diagnosis in your lifetime.   That’s the bad news.  The good news is, the odds of survival are definitely in your favor!

There are two reasons for the optimistic survival rates:

1. Greater awareness of the symptoms which has lead to earlier diagnosis.
2. Prostate Cancer is a slow growing cancer.

Nothing beats early detection in the fight against cancer.  One of the best early detection tools when it comes to prostate cancer is the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test.

There’s a great page at Cancer.org on Can Prostate Cancer Be Prevented? In the article are lots of tips on how a healthy diet may be the best way to prevent prostate cancer.

A healthy diet may be the best prevention, but what happens if you (or someone you love) has gotten this dreadful diagnosis?

The Prostate Cancer Foundation offers this advice on Prostate Cancer Treatments:

There is no “one size fits all” treatment for prostate cancer, so each man must learn as much as he can about various treatment options and, in conjunction with his physicians, make his own decision about what is best for him.

For most men, the decision will rest on a combination of clinical and psychological factors. Men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer today will likely live for many years, so any decision that is made now will likely reverberate for a long time. Careful consideration of the different options is an important first step in deciding on the best treatment course.

Consultation with all three types of prostate cancer specialists—a urologist, a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist—will offer the most comprehensive assessment of the available treatments and expected outcomes

The Prostate Cancer Institute agrees:

The best prostate cancer treatment depends upon a man’s age and general health, the stage of his prostate cancer, its location, and his personal decision.

The more you know about prostate cancer treatment options, the better prepared you will be to work with your doctor to choose the best prostate cancer treatment for you.

So, you need to work out a prostate cancer treatment program with your physician(s).  However, in order to make the best decision, you need lots of information.  What do you need to know about prostate cancer treatments?

According to Family Doctor.org

The treatment options for prostate cancer depend in part on whether the tumor has spread. For tumors that are still inside the prostate, radiation therapy (using x-rays that kill the cancer cells) and a surgery called radical prostatectomy are common treatment options. “Watchful waiting” is also a treatment option. In this approach, no treatment is given until the tumor gets bigger. Watchful waiting may be the best choice for an older man who has a higher risk of dying from something other than his prostate cancer.

Generally, tumors that have grown beyond the edge of the prostate can’t be cured with either radiation or surgery. They can be treated with hormones that slow the cancer’s growth.

There has been a growing call in the medical community for an increased adoption of the “watchful waiting” treatment option because many prostate cancers are small and slow growing.  Be sure to discuss this treatment option with your doctor.

For more information about Prostate Cancer, in addition to the links above, here are some valuable resources from Family Doctor.org:

• American Cancer Society
  http://www.cancer.org
  800-ACS-2345 (800-227-2345)
• Prostate Health Council/American Foundation for Urologic Disease
  http://www.prostatehealth.com
  1128 N. Charles St.
  Baltimore, MD 21201
  800-242-2383
• Revolution Health Cancer Community
  http://www.revolutionhealth.com/forums/cancer

Prostate Cancer is scary, but your best weapon in the fight is information.  Take time to research your options thoroughly so you fully understand ALL of your options before you begin treatment.

Acid Reflux is what your grandmother used to call heartburn and what your doctor will call GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease).

Heartburn is that burning sensation which radiates up through your chest and into your throat and is most common after eating a heavy meal,  bending over, lifting and  lying down (especially laying down on your back).

According to Health Central:

Nearly three-quarters of patients with frequent GERD symptoms experience them at night. Patients with nighttime GERD also tend to experience more severe pain than those whose symptoms occur at other times. One study found that patients with night-time pain reported levels of severity that were similar to those reported in angina and congestive heart failure.

OUCH!  Heart burn so bad it feels like a heart attack!  That’s serious.

According to Healing Daily:

The so-called “proton pump inhibitors” such as “Prilosec” and “Prevacid”, and the H2 blocker agents such as “Zantac”, “Pepcid” and “Tagament”, are some of the worst drugs you could possible take.

Here’s why: these drugs dramatically reduce the amount of hydrochloric acid you have in your stomach, thereby diminishing drastically your ability to digest your food properly. This reduction in the amount of stomach acid also reduces a very important defense mechanism against food-borne infections and increases your likelihood of food poisoning. Not digesting your food properly also increases your risks for nearly every other chronic degenerative diseases. Two studies (2) with laboratory mice, conducted by Howard Hughes Medical Institute scientists at the University of Michigan Medical School, indicate that reducing the amount of hydrochloric acid you have in your stomach could be exactly the wrong thing to do.

So if drugs aren’t the answer, what is?

You can try these natural remedies for acid reflux from First Magazine (4/7/08)

• Eating yogurt. According to a study at Emory University, eating 1/2 cup of yogurt can reduce the risk of heartburn by 75%.  Be sure to choose organic yogurt which contains more of the probiotics which  are responsible for fighting acid reflux.
• Chewing sugarless gum. Mom was right.  Studies have shown that chewing gum increases saliva production which neutralizes excess stomach acid.
• Sucking on candied ginger. Ginger is a well known remedy for stomach problems.  Ginger’s active compounds such as gingerols and feulic acide increase the production of bile which dulls the intensity of acid build up.

In addition to these tips, Healingdaily.com has a few of their own

• Drinking plenty of water. Drinking plenty of water can help neutralize stomach acid and restore proper ph to your digestive system.
• Wormwood herb Artemisia asiatica can help.
• Eat more garlic.

Maybe you don’t need a pill after you try these natural remedies for acid reflux.

You’re probably familiar with Probiotics… beneficial bacteria that help give a boost to your immune system. These good bacteria are thought to act like anti-aging warriors in your digestive system.

As a result, probiotics are being added to foods such as yogurt and cereal in addition to being offered a nutritional supplement. Your doctor may recommend taking Probiotic supplement if you’ve recently completed a course of antibiotics.

Check out the selection of Probiotics offered at eVitamins.

However while the benefits of Probiotics on intestinal health is well documented, there are a rising number of products that offer Probiotics as a TOPICAL treatment because they’re good for your skin.  It seems that probiotics act not only as anti-aging warriors in your digestive system but they can also fight aging where it shows the most: on your face!

As a result, there are a few breakthrough beauty products which include probiotics.  Two of the hottest products are:

• VERATTIVA EYE CARE SERUM
  This probiotic skin treatment contains a probiotic and ceramide complex, and natural oils (Babassu, Jojoba, Karite, Avocado).
• Bioelements Probotix Anti Age Serum (1 oz)
  This is an intense overnight treatment that stimulates the production of collagen and elastin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles. From early to mature skin, it eliminates evidence of skin irritation with an advanced formula of probiotic actives and hydrating ingredients.

According to dermatologist Dr. David McDaniel,of Eastern Virginia Medical School in the October 2007 issue of Prevention Magazine:

“[These topical probiotic treatments] seem to work like decoys to block irritants such as pollution from causing inflammation and accelerating skin aging.”

Probiotics are anti-aging warriors good for your outsides as well as your insides.