Balanced Living

January 2007

Understanding Cervical Cancer

January is Cervical Cancer Month

An estimated 10,500 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. In most cases, it's a slowly progressing disease with few, if any, clear-cut symptoms.

Causes
There are several factors that increase your risk for cervical cancer. These factors increase your risk basically through your exposure to human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV is now believed to be the cause of almost all cervical carcinoma and HPV types 16 and 18 are thought to be the most important types causing cervical cancer. Research suggests that often two of the following co-factors are present when cervical cancer develops:

• You have had sex with many partners
• You became sexually active before you were 18
• You smoke
• Your immune system is weakened, such as in women who have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or are on medications to suppress their immune system after a transplant

Method for Detecting Cervical Cancer
A Papanicolaou (PAP) smear is a simple procedure for women that involves swabbing a small sample of cells from the cervix during a pelvic exam. These cells are transferred to a slide and then examined and evaluated by a certified laboratory. In addition to testing for cancerous or precancerous conditions, the Pap smear is also useful for detecting some types of infections.

Cervical cancer screening should begin approximately three years after a woman begins having vaginal intercourse, but no later than 21 years of age. Screening should be done every year with conventional Pap tests or every two years using liquid-based Pap tests. At or after age 30, women who have had three normal test results in a row may get screened every two to three years. Women 70 years of age and older, who have had three or more normal Pap tests and no abnormal Pap tests in the last 10 years, and women who have had a total hysterectomy may choose to stop cervical cancer screening.

More frequent Pap smears are recommended for women who have had an abnormal Pap smear in the past 5 years or who are HIV positive. Women with HIV infection may need more frequent Pap smears as their disease progresses. To ensure the most accurate test results with your Pap smear, avoid using a vaginal douche or any type of lubricant for 24 hours before having a Pap smear. If you have used either, tell your doctor before the procedure.

Regular Pap smear screening makes it possible to find early evidence of cancer, when the disease is easier to cure. When diagnosed early, cervical cancer can be cured in almost all cases.

---

Keeping Baby Safe

January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month

What Steps Can Women Take For Healthier Babies?
Not all birth defects can be prevented. Yet, a woman can increase her own chance of having healthy baby. Many birth defects happen very early in pregnancy, sometimes before a woman even knows she is pregnant. Remember that about half of all pregnancies are unplanned. Therefore, every woman should:

• Take a multivitamin that has folic acid in it every day.
• Have regular medical check-ups.
• Talk to her health care provider about any medical problems and medicine use (both over-the-counter and prescription).
• Ask about avoiding any substances at work or at home that might be harmful to a developing baby.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
• Avoid eating raw or undercooked meat.
• Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and street drugs.

Having a healthy pregnancy is key as well. While pregnant, follow these guidelines to help your developing child remain healthy in the months to come:

• Visit your doctor regularly throughout your pregnancy.
• Don't take any medications without your doctor's OK. Both prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can cause birth defects.
• Don't smoke. Mothers who smoke have an increased risk of delivering prematurely and having a child with significant health problems.
• Don't drink alcohol. It can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, which causes birth defects.
• Don't take illegal drugs. Doing so can cause birth defects and developmental delays in your child.
• Avoid exposure to toxic substances and chemicals, such as cleaning solvents, lead, mercury, some insecticides, paint thinners, and paint removers.
• Eat a nutritious and balanced diet. You'll need extra protein, calcium, iron, and zinc. If you were at your ideal weight before you become pregnant, you need about 300 more calories from nutritious foods per day than you usually eat. If you were overweight or underweight before pregnancy, ask your health care provider how many extra calories a day you need.
• Take 400 mcg of folic acid daily. Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps protect your unborn child from brain and spinal-cord birth defects.
• Stay physically active unless your doctor suggests otherwise. Exercise can help you feel better, reduce discomfort and fatigue, and promote a faster recovery after delivery. Walking and swimming, in particular, are recommended. Avoid strenuous sports or activities in which you could fall, such as horseback riding, roller-skating, and downhill skiing.
• Avoid saunas, steam baths, and hot tubs. High heat can harm your baby.

When to call the Doctor
The following symptoms could indicate a potential health problem. If they occur, call or see your doctor:

• Excessive vomiting or diarrhea
• Swelling in your face, fingers, and feet
• Bleeding or leaking of fluid from the vagina
• Strong cramps
• A headache, backache, or stomachache that doesn't go away
• Blurred vision or spots in front of your eyes
• Pain or burning when you urinate
• Less movement by the baby than usual

For more info:
http://www.nbdpn.org/index.html
https://fhahelps.personaladvantage.com/pregnancy

---

Up Your Eye-Q

January is National Eye Care Month

Eye injuries can be painful and heartbreaking. Take a moment to learn about common threats to your eyesight that could cause a painful injury or a serious loss of eyesight.

"Many eye injuries are the result of seemingly mundane things people have contact with every day — things like sunlight, sand, and other particles and chemicals, such as cleaning solvents — and their activities," says George A. Moninger, M.D., a board certified ophthalmologist in Farmer's Branch, Texas.

Beware the Sun
These days, people spend more time outdoors and enjoy a more active lifestyle than past generations. The American Association of Ophthalmology believes it's important to recognize that sunlight is a substantial source of UV radiation that may damage eye tissue.

UV exposure leads to cataracts, macular damage (area of the eye where most of the light collecting cells are found), pterygium formation (growth on the cornea), and skin cancers on the eyelids. Risk is highest in environments where a large quantity of UV radiation is reflected, such as in snow or water. Heat lamps and welding arcs are also sources of this type of eye damage.

"The good news about UV exposure is that it's reasonably easy to protect your eyes from it," says Dr. Moninger. "Simply wearing a hat will reduce your UV exposure by half. And, a proper pair of sunglasses can eliminate virtually all of the UV, as long as the glasses protect against 100 percent of UV light." A darker pair of sunglasses isn't necessarily better. The degree of darkness of the sunglasses does not indicate how much UV light they absorb. The best sunglasses block 99 percent of UV light and wrap around the sides.

Take Care
Eye injuries are the most common preventable cause of blindness. A few of the most common causes of these injuries and how to minimize risks are discussed below.

• Fireworks. Make sure an adult supervises any firework use by children. Avoid any fireworks that fly, such as bottle rocks and roman candles.
• On the job. If your job puts you in the path of flying particles (for example, grinding machines) or near dangerous substances (for example, in a chemical factory), wear appropriate protective eye gear.
• Home improvement devices. If you use a grinder or woodworking machines that can spit out debris or particles, always wear eye protection.
• Particles and other foreign bodies. Don't touch, press, or rub the eye to remove a particle — doing so may cause scratching and damage the eye more seriously. Instead, flush the eye with water for up to 15 minutes and see your doctor.

Save the Date!
January is also National
Glaucoma Awareness Month.
Visit www.glaucoma.org
for more information.

• Household chemicals. The containers of most household products with potentially harmful contents list an emergency telephone number. In most cases of exposure, the affected eye should be flushed for 15 to 30 minutes and medical help should be sought immediately. "Your local poison control center can also give you instructions. Be prepared to give the exact name of the chemical, if possible," Dr. Moninger says.
• Black eyes. Applying cold compresses intermittently at about 10-minute intervals for the first 24 to 48 hours after the injury can sometimes help reduce discoloration. Call your doctor immediately if you experience symptoms such as increased redness, eye drainage, persistent pain, and distorted vision.

Sport-Related Injuries
What sport causes the most eye injuries in the United States? Baseball, with basketball a close second. Baseball is responsible for more than a third of sports-related eye injuries. Fortunately, protective eye gear is now required by many sports organizations.

Worldwide, racquet sports are the number one cause of serious sports-related eye injuries.

To protect your eyes when playing sports, make sure to wear proper eye protection.

"Protective goggles or unbreakable glasses can be very effective in preventing many types of eye injury," says Dr. Moninger.

For more info:
https://fhahelps.personaladvantage.com/content?sub=10000189
http://www.nei.nih.gov/

---

Dealing with Debt

Don't let holiday spending overwhelm you

Are you having trouble paying your bills? Are you getting dunning notices from creditors? You're not alone. Many people face financial crises at some time in their lives. Whether the crisis is caused by personal or family illness, the loss of a job, or simple overspending, it can seem overwhelming. Yet, your financial situation doesn't have to go from bad to worse.

Consider these options:

• Realistic budgeting
• Credit counseling from a reputable organization
• Debt consolidation
• Bankruptcy

How do you know which will work best for you? It depends on your level of debt, your level of discipline, and your prospects for the future.

Developing a Budget
The first step toward taking control of your financial situation is to do a realistic assessment of how much money comes in and how much money you spend. Start by listing your income from all sources. Then, list your "fixed" expenses — those that are the same each month — such as your mortgage payments or rent, car payments, and insurance premiums. Next, list the expenses that vary, such as entertainment, recreation, or clothing.

Writing down all your expenses — even those that seem insignificant — is a helpful way to track your spending patterns, identify the expenses that are necessary, and prioritize the rest. The goal is to make sure you can make ends meet on the basics: housing, food, health care, insurance, and education.

Your public library has information about budgeting and money management. Low-cost budgeting counseling services that can help you analyze your income and expenses and develop a budget and spending plan are available in most communities. Check your Yellow Pages or contact your local bank or consumer protection office for information about them. In addition, many universities, military bases, credit unions, and housing authorities operate nonprofit financial counseling programs.

Contacting Your Creditors
Contact your creditors immediately if you're having trouble making ends meet. Tell them why it's difficult for you, and try to work out a modified payment plan that reduces your payments to a more manageable level. Don't wait until your accounts have been turned over to a debt collector. At that point, the creditors have given up on you.

Dealing with Debt Collectors
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is the federal law that dictates how and when a debt collector may contact you. A debt collector may not:

• Call you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
• Call you at work if the collector knows that your employer doesn't approve of the calls
• Harass you
• Make false statements
• Use unfair practices when they try to collect a debt

Debt collectors must honor a written request from you to stop further contact.

Credit Counseling
If you aren't disciplined enough to create a workable budget and stick to it, can't work out a repayment plan with your creditors, or can't keep track of mounting bills, consider contacting a credit counseling service.

Your creditors may be willing to accept reduced payments if you enter into a debt repayment plan with a reputable organization. In these plans, you deposit money each month with the credit counseling service, which in turn pays your creditors.

A successful repayment plan requires you to make regular, timely payments, and could take 48 months or longer to complete. Some credit counseling services charge little or nothing for managing the plan; others charge a monthly fee that could add up to a significant charge over time. Some credit counseling services are funded, in part, by contributions from creditors.

While a debt repayment plan can eliminate much of the stress that comes from dealing with creditors and overdue bills, it doesn't mean you can forget about your debts. You still are responsible for:

• Paying any creditors whose debts are not included in the plan
• Reviewing monthly statements from your creditors to make sure your payments have been received
• Making sure that your billing statements reflect any agreement your creditors made to lower or eliminate interest and finance charges, or waive late fees

A debt repayment plan doesn't erase your negative credit history. Accurate information about your accounts can stay on your credit report for up to seven years. A demonstrated pattern of timely payments, however, will help you get credit in the future.

Debt Consolidation
You may be able to lower your cost of credit by consolidating your debts through a second mortgage or a home equity line of credit. But think carefully before taking this on. These loans require your home as collateral. If you can't make the payments — or if the payments are late — you could lose your home.

The costs of these consolidation loans can add up. In addition to interest on the loan, you pay "points." Typically, one point is equal to one percent of the amount you borrow. Still, these loans may provide certain tax advantages that are not available with other kinds of credit.

Bankruptcy
Personal bankruptcy is generally considered the debt management tool of last resort because the results are long-lasting and far-reaching. A bankruptcy stays on your credit report for 10 years, making it difficult to acquire credit, buy a home, get life insurance, or sometimes land a job. However, it's a legal procedure that offers a fresh start for people who can't satisfy their debts. Individuals who follow the bankruptcy rules receive a discharge - a court order that says they do not have to repay certain debts.

There are two primary types of personal bankruptcy: Chapter 13 and Chapter 7. Each must be filed in federal bankruptcy court.

Both types of bankruptcy may get rid of unsecured debts and stop:

• Foreclosures
• Repossessions
• Garnishments
• Utility shut-offs
• Debt collection activities

Both also provide exemptions that allow you to keep certain assets, although exemption amounts vary. Personal bankruptcy usually does not erase:

• Child support
• Alimony
• Fines
• Taxes
• Most student loan obligations

Also, unless you have an acceptable plan to catch up on your debt under Chapter 13, bankruptcy usually does not allow you to keep property when your creditor has an unpaid mortgage or lien on it.

For more info:
https://fhahelps.personaladvantage.com/debt_and_bankruptcy