In 1985, AstraZeneca, the company that manufactures the breast cancer drugs Arimidex and Tamoxifen, declared the month of October – National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In spite of significant increased awareness, breast cancer will take the life of an estimated 40, 170 women in 2009. But there is good news: Breast cancer mortality rates have declined by 24% in the past 10 years – due in large part to better early detection methods. Among the very newest screening techniques currently undergoing testing is digital tomosynthesis (pronounced toh-moh-SIN-thah-sis). Once it is approved by the FDA, it is anticipated that digital tomosynthesis will replace traditional mammography because it makes breast cancers easier to find in dense breast tissue. Current mammogram technology only takes images of two angles of the breast. Depending on breast size, tomosynthesis takes at least 11 different angles for about the same cost. Every year, 10% of women in the United States are recalled for a second mammogram after an abnormality is detected on the first. Experts predict that recall rates and the accompanying emotional and medical costs associated with these recalls will decline when digital tomosynthesis mammography is approved for use. And the really great news -- tomosynthesis uses less compression and less compression equals less pain!
When would your grocery store encourage you to have a tattoo? When it is a tattooed orange, tomato, squash, onion, etc . . . of course. Laser-etching technology, invented by physicist Greg Drouillard, can be used to basically tattoo product information on most fruits and vegetables (with the exception of leafy greens). The laser cauterizes the peel, much like a laser used on human skin. The cauterized area is impenetrable to pathogens and decay organisms and resists water loss. But, will laser labels affect the taste of your fruits and vegetables? No -- because the laser beam penetrates only the outer layer of the fruit or vegetable. Say goodbye to those sticky PLU labels currently used to identify produce. Tattooed produce is coming soon to a grocery store near you.Do you need to be motivated to get out there and rake leaves? Well you might want to try figuring out the number of calories burned while raking using the Self Magazine Health Calculator: http://www.self.com/calculatorsprograms/calculators/caloriesburned/raking_leaves This month it’s easy to make the time to be good to you -- just spend some time raking leaves.
Don’t forget to get your flu shots -- Good Health!
Terry
“My boobs resemble two balloons you find behind the couch a week after the party.”
~Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo, “Desperate Housewives”
