April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month

For the past twenty years, I’ve worked as a community public health educator. After obtaining my Masters in Public Health, I opted against working for the health department.  Instead, I decided to go into the drenches, teaching underserved communities the importance of preventative health. Every day, I interact with individuals who struggle with chronic diseases and wage war to find quality treatment within a fractured healthcare system. Despite their failures and the socio-economic deterrents woven around their lives, many have fought to overcome issues we couldn’t wrap two thoughts around. Why? Someone came along and dared to love them during the most hideous time in their lives. So when I threw my hat into the literary ring, I drew upon these real-life experiences. Hence, my stories deal with real-life health or social issues. 

The premise for my latest release, If I Were Your Woman deals with cancer.  Soon after the leading male character meets the love of his life, he’s diagnosed with testicular cancer. Needless to say, this news prompts a series of challenges and conflicts for the couple. April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month and every man and for that fact, woman should become acquaint with six key areas of this disease: (1) what is testicular cancer (2) the detection of testicular cancer (3) the symptoms of testicular cancer (4) how is testicular cancer diagnosed (5) the treatment of testicular cancer and (6) the prevention and screening treatments for testicular cancer.

1. What is testicular cancer?

· Testicular cancer is a disease in which cells become malignant (cancerous) in one or both testicles.

Testicular cancer accounts for only one percent of all cancers in men in the United States. Annually, 8000 men are diagnosed, and approximately 390 will die from the disease. The occurrence of testicular cancer is seen in men between the ages of 20 and 39, and is the most common cancer in men between the ages of 15 and 34.  Testicular cancer is most common in White men of Scandinavian descent.  However, the rate of this disease has double in White men in the past 40 years and has recently begun to increase in African-American men, although the incidence between the racial occurrences remains unknown.  

2. The detection of testicular cancer

Most men don’t feel ill nor do they report any symptoms associated with testicular cancer. Hence, it is important for men to perform a monthly TSE (testicular self examination). This exam is painless and is an excellent tool for men to recognize any changes of their testicles. A TSE involves holding each testicle between the thumbs and fingers of both hands and gently rolling it between the fingers. Men should pay particular attention to any hard lumps within the testicles or changes in the way it feels. 

3. The symptoms of testicular cancer:

· Pain or swelling in the testicles

· Lumps or nodules in the testicles, whether painful or not

· Enlargement of the testicles or changes in the way the testicles feels

· Pain in the lower abdomen, back or groin

· Swelling in the scrotum or collection of fluid within the scrotum

It is important to note that there are other benign conditions, which can be associated with the symptoms listed above. 

Do not self-diagnosis any medical condition! You can’t be sure whether you have testicular cancer or not based on symptoms alone.  That’s why it’s important for men to see a health care provider immediately if they experience any of these symptoms. 

Remember, when detected early, testicular cancer is highly curable with a cure rate in excess of 90%.

4. Diagnosis of testicular cancer:

Testicular cancer is mostly commonly diagnosed through a testicular ultrasound.  This ultrasound is 100% accurate in differentiating testicular cancer from other possible diagnosis. A testicular ultrasound determines the density, size and shape of a testicular mass.  In most cases, when a solid testicular mass is discovered, it is a sign of a tumor since most testicular conditions involve fluid build-up. 

5. Treatment of testicular cancer:

There are several ways to treat testicular cancer.  The most common way starts with an orchiectomy, which is the surgical procedure to remove the testicular mass.  Once removed, the mass is sent to a pathologist to determine if it is indeed malignant and if so, the stage of the cancer. Other treatment options include: Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection, Chemotherapy, Radiation and Surveillance.

6. Prevention and screening treatments for testicular cancer:

There is no standard or routine screening test for the early detection of testicular cancer. Also, there are no proven ways to prevent testicular cancer.  However, performing monthly TSE’s and knowing the symptoms of testicular cancer increases the possibility of detecting the disease at an early stage, when it’s most curable.

Until next time – stay well and be blessed!!

LaConnie
www.laconnietaylorjones.com

Atlanta, GA (BlackNews.com) — Women’s health advocacy is making tremendous strides, with government, foundations, non-profits and private industry leading the charge for greater awareness and treatment of health conditions impacting women. But unfortunately the same intensity has not been unleashed to adequately address health problems for men.

While outreach efforts have raised the awareness of breast cancer, urged women to seek proper prenatal care and lead to critical research into the major health problems of women, there seems overall to be far less advocacy for men. As a result, there has been far slower progress at addressing the chronic illnesses disproportionately striking men.

In fact, the health conditions of African American men exemplify the disparity, with black men experiencing some of the poorest health outcomes of any demographic in American society. The National Center for Health Statistics says life expectancy for a black male child born in 2004 is 69.5 years, compared with 75.7 years for white males born the same year.

To be sure, the statistics tell a bleak story about the health outcomes of African American men. Black men have higher death rates than women for all the leading causes of death. Moreover, black men suffer from higher rates of prostate cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke and other chronic illnesses.

The reasons for these disparities range from the impact of racial discrimination to poor access to healthcare services to the barriers caused by poverty to a lack of information about preventive care and many other factors.

What’s clear, however, is that if research, preventive awareness and unhealthy behavior for men are ever going to change, it will take an advocacy effort similar to what feminists did for the women’s health movement. Clearly, it was the campaign by women’s activists that changed the nation’s attitude towards women’s health. Now, the same is needed to help change health outcomes for men.

In parts of the country, there are advocacy programs that are making a difference. In 2008, the Lorain (Ohio) County Branch of National Urban League in partnership with Community Voices: Healthcare for the Underserved at Morehouse School of Medicine and Pfizer launched a Save Ours Sons program for 42 African American males.

The program’s objective was to develop a national, replicable health education model to reduce diabetes and obesity in African-American men, as well as connect program participants with comprehensive primary healthcare providers. The six-week program had a tremendous impact. At the start of the program only eight participants had a regular physician. After the intervention, 29 had a primary care physician. In addition, there were other healthy results. For instance, the participants:

* Increased exercise levels (98% exceeded goal of 150 min/week)
* Decreased obesity and overweight status by 7%
* Decreased hypertension by 23%
* Increased health insurance enrollment by more than 58%
* Increased local media attention about African-American men’s health by 400%.

Meanwhile, in Detroit the 100 Black Men of Greater Detroit, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the American Cancer Society joined together to sponsor an awareness campaign aimed at reducing deaths from prostate cancer. Members of 100 Black Men are visiting locations in the community, such as churches, barbershops and community centers to distribute information about prostate cancer, while giving advice on how to improve their overall health.

Programs, such as these, are helping in local communities. But advocacy for improving the health of men also must become a national cause.

It’s time for men’s health to become a top priority for the nation.

Dr. Henrie M. Treadwell is director of Community Voices of Morehouse School of Medicine, an organization working to improve health services and health-care access for all. Dr. Clare Xanthos is senior researcher of Community Voices. Media seeking interviews with Dr. Treadwell or Dr. Clare Xanthos please contact Nicole Germain at 443-540-3121 or ngermain@mjgcommunications.com to schedule.

“…it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” ~1 Peter 1:16

What does holy mean? I did some research and found that it is defined as having a moral standard of living, Christ-like in character, separate, pure, set apart. It was defined in spiritual terms, as a spiritual position or state of being. And while I agree with those definitions, I think too often we think that holiness is merely a spiritual thing. Meaning, if we attend church, read our bibles, serve in ministry, don’t cuss or drink, or commit other sins (that we’re aware of), we believe we have achieved holiness. Today I’d like to discuss another side to holy living; the reality that to be like Christ, we have to attend to not just the spiritual, but the physical.

The word says in 1 Corinthians 6:19 “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” It goes on to tell us in the 20^th verse of the same chapter that we were bought with a price; to honor God with our bodies. If we are going to be Christ-like we must honor him not just with our spirits, but with our physical temples as well.

Many of us, try as we like, are only half-holy. We know the word. We haven’t skipped over this scripture in the bible, so what keeps us from taking care of the Lord’s temple? What is really holding us back from the place of complete holiness to God? I think it’s our hungry hearts and our aching spirits.

Despite the billions spent on diet and health products, Americans are more overweight than ever. The problem of obesity is epidemic. The solutions of diet and exercise are not the singular remedy. The root cause has to be addressed to really get a handle on the problem. It’s not just a love of food, or a lack of discipline. We like to blame it on those things because we often don’t like to talk about the real reasons we overeat. Usually they’re intensely personal. Here are a few:

• We need comfort when we’re stressed, tired or overworked. We know this, because we call the foods we reach for comfort foods.
• We are depressed or anxious.
• We need to anesthetize pain from abuse: current or past. Self-medication.
• Boredom. Our lives are unfulfilled.

We have to break these cycles of destructive behavior or they will destroy us. Obesity, irregular insulin levels, fatty levels in the blood all beat the temple God has given us down to a battered pulp. Then what do we do with our battered bodies? The battered body is sluggish and tired. It doesn’t want to go to mid week services, or even interact with its children. The battered body doesn’t want to make love to its spouse. It’s too beat up to enjoy life fully. Additionally there are obesity related diseases like diabetes, heart diseases, certain cancers, joint deterioration and more aliments that tear at the temple and keep us from being whole in our physical person.

In my novel, Secrets and Lies, the character Jonah Morgan is not overeating, but he is using another unhealthy coping mechanism: alcohol, and lots of it. Jonah’s heart is hungry for a relationship with Christ; his spirit is aching from the burden of un-forgiveness. His childhood pain is tearing him apart, so much so that he has completely checked out emotionally and physically on his family. He can’t sleep at night. He’s tired. His hungry heart and aching spirit have created a battered body.

Jonah’s alcoholism is an unhealthy, addictive behavior. So is overeating. Anything we do in excess is gluttony. Gluttony is the sin that keeps us from achieving true holiness. If you’re overweight or you engage in some other activity that negatively affects you physically, get at the root cause of your problem. Find out what’s eating you before it literary gobbles you up.

Let’s discuss this. Have you ever compared substance abuse to overeating? Do you think this comparison is accurate? Can a person’s heart be completely surrendered to God if they have an eating problem? Share why you agree or disagree. Feel free to share your testimony in this area or a plan for change.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rhonda McKnight is the owner of Legacy Editing, a free-lance editing service for fiction writers and Urban Christian Fiction Today, a popular Internet site that highlights African-American Christian fiction. She’s the vice-president of Faith Based Fiction Writers of Atlanta. When she’s not editing projects, teaching workshops about writing or penning her next novel, she spends time with her family. Originally from a small, coastal town in New Jersey, she’s called Atlanta, Georgia home for twelve years. For more information, visit http://www.RhondaMcKnight.net.

The uproar at this summer’s raucous town hall meetings, Rep. Joe Wilson’s outburst in Congress and the endless debate over whether some opposition to healthcare reform is racially-tinged are a major disservice to the millions of Americans who need healthcare reform.

Rep. Wilson doesn’t worry about costs if a member of his family falls ill; he is covered. The majority of the people screaming and waving signs at town hall meetings don’t worry either. They are covered. Their family members walk into a doctor’s office or hospital emergency room, flash insurance cards and receive the best treatment available.

But who has been speaking on behalf of the 46 million uninsured Americans? When they get sick, there are real consequences. Do they pay the mortgage or the hospital bill? Do they buy food or save to pay for the tests that may prolong a family member’s life?

These are issues that deserve attention from our lawmakers and policymakers, not red herrings like "death panels" and purported coverage for illegal immigrants. It’s disheartening that public officials elected to serve their constituents have the audacity to play political football with something as crucial as healthcare reform. Our nation will have a serious discussion on healthcare reform only when the politicians put their constituents ahead of their desire to maneuver for political gains. What’s so disturbing is that many opponents of healthcare reform, and most assuredly many public officials, are aware of the data showing how quickly healthcare costs are rising out of control and damaging our society.

The reality is that our safety-net systems are crumbling under the cost of caring for people who are uninsured or underinsured. The working poor simply have no or limited options for providing healthcare for themselves and their families. This predicament devastates communities of color, where more than seven million African Americans are without coverage. This is not a contrived problem; rising healthcare costs are a real crisis.

So why, suddenly, must healthcare reform legislation become a budget-reduction bill?

Instead of focusing on how to obtain the best coverage possible for millions of people without insurance, the debate in Congress has been transformed into a referendum on which plan can save government the most money. This is not how it should be. When Congress was allocating billions of dollars for the war in Iraq, the focus was on how to win the war, not on how much taxpayer money could be saved.

Right now, the nation needs its leaders, President Obama and the Congress to focus on the best plan for the people, regardless of the cost. There has been much debate over whether there should be a "public option" allowing the government to offer insurance. The public option should be considered not based on its cost, but its merit. It should be included if it can offer additional competition in the marketplace and drive down the premiums charged for other insurance plans. Now is not the time for ideological battles over government-run programs, now is the time for finding and implementing programs that work, be they government, private or hybrids. The nation needs programs that reduce the cost of insurance to consumers and cover the uninsured.

This over emphasis on costs has led to some ridiculous proposals that would ultimately be bad public policy if enacted.

Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), for instance, has a plan mandating that all Americans purchase health insurance. Because his plan has no public option, struggling middle-class families would be forced to buy health insurance at rates likely to be difficult for them to pay.

The Kaiser Family Foundation recently released data further reinforcing why real healthcare reform must be enacted. Already, healthcare coverage for the average American family costs $13,375 a year, and health insurance premiums increased 138 percent over the last 10 years. At that rate, many families will suffer financial hardships.

Yet, largely because of the diversionary issues used to cloud the debate, the public doesn’t focus on the fact that we all pay a price when healthcare costs skyrocket. The businesses that pay the healthcare coverage for 160 million Americans must either deduct more money from employee wages or raise the price of their products or services, or in some cases, do both.

Healthcare in America is a train racing toward derailment.

When lawmakers consider the cost of a plan, they need to also consider the pain and higher cost caused by their inaction. They need to hear the voices of the 46 million people who are uninsured. They need to hear from the people with soaring medical bills.

And they need to remember that if the town hall meetings had been populated with people without insurance, they would wave signs, saying, "Help Me."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Henrie M. Treadwell is director of Community Voices, a nonprofit organization at Morehouse School of Medicine working to improve health services and health-care access for all Americans. Media seeking interviews with Dr. Treadwell please contact Alicia Ingram, 404-493-1724 to Schedule.

Alexandria, VA (BlackNews.com) – A new report by The Vision Council, Making the Grade? finds state laws regarding vision assessments for children entering school are inconsistent, which can impede children’s ability to succeed in school. Since 80 percent of what children learn is through visual processing of information, undetected vision problems among children can severely impact cognitive development. This is particularly a concern for African American children because of the disproportionate rates of vision problems in their community.

Since many health and vision problems such as Glaucoma disproportionately affect African Americans, early detection and treatment of vision problems are key to preventing permanent vision loss in children. According to a survey conducted in 2006, almost one-third (30 percent) of African-American parents report that their child has never seen an eye care professional.

The report by the Vision Council examines the importance of early detection of vision problems for children and provides detailed information on states laws. Since the report was first issued in 2005, 14 states have enacted or enhanced laws regarding vision assessment for school-age children. "Many states are recognizing the critical connection between vision and learning," said Ed Greene, CEO of The Vision Council.

Key findings include:

* Nine states(i) do not require children to receive a vision assessment before starting school or while enrolled;
* Thirty-nine states(ii) (including the District of Columbia) require a vision screening for children entering school, however 32(iii) of these states do not mandate any follow-up care for children who fail the screening; and
* Three states(iv) require all children to receive a comprehensive eye exam by an eye care professional before entering elementary school.

While the report finds that many states are enhancing their requirements for vision assessments, most do not include provisions for adequate follow-up care.

Undetected vision problems can affect children’s cognitive, emotional, neurologic and physical development by potentially limiting the kinds of information to which they are exposed and impacting performance in extracurricular activities like music and sports.

The warning signs of potential vision problems include:

* Squinting, closing or covering on eye
* Constantly holding materials close to the face
* Tilting the head to one side
* Rubbing eyes repeatedly
* One or both eye turn in or out
* Redness or tearing in eyes.

To view the report and an interactive map of the country, showing current vision assessment requirements, visit http://www.thevisioncouncil.org/2020advocacy

Dedicated to enhancing life through better vision, The Vision Council represents the manufacturers and suppliers of the optical industry. We provide a forum to advocate for better vision and to promote quality vision care products and services in the global community.

3 STEPS TO BETTER HEALTH FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS IN 2009

There must be some good earthly explanation of why in this free society that we live in today, we find clear, sharp, pronounced dismal facts about the health of the Black population. The life expectancy of Blacks has significantly decreased as compared to our white counterparts since the year 2005.

This is compelling enough evidence to warrant a full-blown investigation, mass proclamation, institution, resolution and solution to the issue that we face as a race. We can not go silently into the night and allow this to be our legacy for which our ancestors have endured a torturous existence, just so that we could, “be”. How can we move forward and reverse this downward spiral into physical bankruptcy?

Here’s a 3 point guide – simple, but yet extremely effective stepping stones to support longevity and optimal, quality living:

1) Never skip a meal. Instead, snack on any of the foods. Apple halves, dried fruit combinations, brown rice cakes, raw almonds or, dry whole-grain cereal packed in little baggies can provide a practical, inexpensive, yet healthy alternative to junk food when you are in a hurry.

2) Drink pure water. Essential to human health, drinking pure water helps with digestion, keeps the skin healthy, wards off fatigue and removes impurities from the body quickly to optimize good health. You must use a pure water source or you will be doing more harm than good. Using an inexpensive water filter in your home to bottle your water is ideal. It is best to sip on water throughout the day to hydrate the cells rather than gulping down huge quantities all at once. Drinking half your total body weight in ounces is recommended to be properly and thoroughly hydrated.

3) Engage in physical activity. 20-30 minutes a day will help keep the doctor away. If it’s doing laundry, put extra effort into it. Walk the dog, go out dancing, and just go at it vigorously. This helps with good cardiovascular function, good mood, increased energy and more. Start out with doing some kind of physical activity for at least 20 minutes a day and gradually increase the time as you get into a routine. If you miss a day, don’t scratch the whole week, just pick it up the next day and do 30 minutes on that day.

Once you have implemented these 3 easy steps into your everyday life, you will feel more confident about adding another 3, and another, until finally you are living the life we all were meant to live.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

For more secrets and tips about health, buy Makeisha Lee’s new book "Why Black People Can’t Lose Weight" available at www.WhyBlackPeopleCantLoseWeight.com. Also, join her online movement at www.BlackHealth.org

5 EASY TIPS TO AVOID OVER-EATING THIS SEASON

The change of the seasons alone is enough to cause some people to overeat, especially those in cold climates. Combine this with the stress of the economy, the holidays, and an abundance of seasonal foods – and the temptation can become very overwhelming for some.

So how can you short-circuit that temptation and still enjoy yourself? Here are 5 easy, practical and realistic tips to use:

1) Don’t Starve Yourself
The number-one rule to avoid holiday overeating is to make sure you eat enough. This is not the time to start restricting calories to the point where you’re so hungry…even the foods you “hate to eat” starts to look good. The key is to eat small meals or snacks frequently throughout the day. This way, you won’t ever really feel hungry, and you’ll be able to resist all those grains and high-sugar foods that will sabotage your healthy diet. Fill up on all the nutritious foods, like healthy meats, vegetables, coconut or some berries that you want so that you won’t feel that you’re missing out.

2) Buy a New Outfit
This tip can work for Ladies and Gents! Whether you decide to indulge in a new blouse, dress or a special shirt and tie, the point is to purchase something that you are really looking forward to wearing and that you feel good about. When you feel good about yourself on the outside, it will help you to respect yourself from the inside and you’ll be less inclined to keep reaching for the “better than sex” cake.

3) Get Some Fresh Air
A simple, quick walk outside will not only give you a quick burst of energy, it will also take your mind off of food. By the time you come back inside, you’ll feel refreshed and your food cravings will likely be diminished. Taking a walk after dinner is especially helpful because moving around will help your meal to digest and reduce your chance of becoming sluggish or tired.

4) Deal With Your Emotions
Many of your food cravings have nothing to do with physical cravings and are actually emotionally based. You may associate certain holiday foods with the comfort of your childhood and be tempted to overeat them to try and regain that sense of comfort. Or, the stress of the holidays may be behind your overeating. Instead opt to get involved in a fun board game with friends or relatives. Or you can relax in a recliner and sip on some organic hot apple cider and let the stress melt away!

5) Remember: Its Just Another Meal
Focus on being grateful for life itself and you’ll quickly see that family and friends are at the center. This outlook will take the focus off of food.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Makeisha Lee is the author of "Why Black People Can’t Lose Weight". She is also the founder of the Black Health Network online at www.BlackHealth.org

SEX SELLS, BUT IS IT WORTH THE COST?

If sex sells, what’s the price tag? The estimated $3000 spent on pornography every second. Or perhaps for some it’s $200 an hour spent with a prostitute. Or could it be $5,000 for a 15-year-old Indian blushing bride via sex traffic. For others it could be 15 years of marriage traded in for a 15 minute fling. Maybe the stigma of being a baby’s momma or dead-beat dad. But then again the price could be that anxious wait for the results of a mysterious bump. The CDC states the cost this way. The leading cause for death for African American women between the ages of 25-34 is AIDS(1). Cheap sex can carry a high price tag. After a damaged psyche, wounded marriage, abused bodies & a cesspool of shameful secrets, sex starts to become very expensive. All of us could use some debt relief.

For the African American Church, God is providing relief through seven African-American Christian leaders in their media buzzing book Secret Sex Wars: A Battle Cry for Purity. God has used these seven brothers, writing to their brothers, to produce the #1 Amazon bestseller in Christian sexual ethics. Why the buzz and success? Because Secret Sex Wars is inspiring, practical, redemptive, and liberating. This rare tool trains Christian men to use their Swords to slay the fiery beast of sexual immorality.

After a Bible conference in 2006 Pastor Robert Scott, general editor, along with co-authors, H. B. Charles, Paul Felix, Carl Hargrove, Brian Kennedy, Anthony Kidd and Victor Sholar, realized that Christian men both wanted and needed support in their secret battles against temptation. "In our counseling sessions the greatest need we were finding are people desiring to overcome various types of sexual snares and temptations," says Scott. No genuine Christian man wants to be overrun by the seeming endless attacks he must endure against his pursuit of holiness, but battling against sexual temptation is such a personal matter, where can a man turn for support? The co-authors of Secret Sex Wars have an answer. One of the best places for men to find encouragement would be in the privacy of a simple to read yet thoroughly biblical and practical book.

Reviewers have called Secret Sex Wars A Battle Cry for Purity "biblical, practical, clear and timely," Dr. Charles Ware. Dennis Rainey, president of Family Life says this of the book: "Whether you find yourself in the thick of the battle, or you desire to help others, this book will point you clearly to the only place where real help is found – God’s word."

The result is a book that is relevant for teenagers and adults people of all races and incomes. But with all contributors serving in the African-American community, which is riddled with the highest incidence of STDs and deaths from AIDS in the nation, their prayer is for this book to gain a wide reading in the African American community. "The AIDS epidemic is horrific," Scott concludes. "It should shock everyone that the leading cause of death for African American woman between the ages 25-34 is AIDS."

In a world that promotes promiscuity, Secret Sex Wars: A Battle Cry for Purity is dedicated to promoting the sex safe that God intended. God’s way is less costly and in the long run a whole lot better. Secret Sex Wars not only raises the battle cry that "It’s time we learn how to resist sexual temptation," but it delivers a winning strategy that shows Christians how to live holy victorious lives.

For more information, go to www.SecretSexWars.com. Read the compelling endorsements about Secret Sex Wars, hear the inspiring messages from the authors, and utililze their powerful resources. For review copies and interviews, contact Lori Raschke, lori.raschke@moody.edu or call 312-329-2163. Book available at fine stores nationwide and on Amazon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jamie Morgan is a writer who has been living in Chicago for the past three years. She is a regular freelancer for the award winning magazine the Korean American Journal (www.koreamjournal.com) and Creating Community Connections (www.creatingcommunityconnections.org), which is a alternative online paper focusing on Chicago neighborhoods. She can be reach via email at jamiewrites@hotmail.com.

1. HIV/AIDS among Women http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/resources/factsheets/women.htm, accessed October 6, 2008.