For years we have been hearing results of surveys that have told us that minimal drinking actually has a positive effect on your health. One glass of red wine per day is, or was, supposed to be beneficial on several different levels. Unfortunately to drink or not to drink is becoming a difficult question to answer, especially since the latest studies have linked even a little drinking of alcohol to an increase in developing certain types of cancer.

In one of these studies, researchers have found that women who have one drink per day have an overall higher risk of developing certain types of cancers such as breast, liver, rectum, throat, mouth and esophagus cancers. In the meantime, there are several different studies from the past that have shown heart health and alcohol have a positive relationship.

So, what does this mean? Who do you believe? While some experts disagree on some answers, they do agree that anyone with a dependency issue with regards to alcohol and women who are pregnant should not drink alcohol. Following are some opinions they have on general health and alcohol consumption.

The research on health and alcohol use suggests some harm and some benefit. Studies show a link to breast and liver cancer with the consumption of alcohol as well as to other cancers. Reduction of alcohol intake can reduce your incidence of head, neck, and colorectal cancer, but there seems to be a benefit of alcohol and heart health.

Doctor Arthur Klatsky, former practicing cardiologist and now a investigator for research, says that there isn’t one answer for everyone. “It must be individualized according to a specific person and it is crucial to take into consideration age, sex, specific medical conditions, and family history. There is not a one size fits all answer.”

For example, a 60 year old man who has given up smoking but has a family history of heart attacks, a less than ideal cholesterol level and no dependency issues with alcohol decides to have a glass of wine per day with dinner…well he would be better off continuing this practice.

On the other hand, a 25 year old, health conscious woman with no risk for heart disease, who drinks very little should not boost her wine intake just for heart health. It just isn’t going to do any good for 40-50 years. For men 40 and older and women 50 and older there are benefits from alcohol for heart health with moderate drinking. Moderate drinking is defined as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

Considering alcohol and cancer risk only, studies show new potential links and studies have shown the link for many decades. There seems to be a clear link to alcohol consumption and cancer of the head and neck, especially among cigarette smokers.

“We can confidently say that even moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a modestly higher risk for breast and colorectal cancer. If you don’t drink there is no reason to start. If you are someone who drinks and you’re a woman, limit drinking to one a day; if a man, to two a day” says Susan Gapstur, PhD, MPH and V/P for epidemiology for the American Cancer Society, Atlanta. If you are at a high risk for cancer you may want to limit yourself to less than that.

A family history of certain types of cancers, such as breast, head or neck may be a good reason to limit your intake or to consider abstaining from drinking alcohol all together, with the exceptions of special occasions. This advice is equally for both men and women. Alcohol combined with tobacco especially boosts the risk for head and neck cancers. However, those with a family history of only heart disease may do well with moderate drinking as it seems to be a benefit.

Research is showing that there does indeed seem to be a gender gap with developing or increasing your risk to getting cancer, but experts tend to disagree on to the extent of this. For example, even light to moderate drinking is associated with female breast cancer but for men light to moderate drinking doesn’t seem to have any effect on an increased risk to cancer. It is not protective, but it will not increase the risk. This is generally true, but living in an area that has high pollutant levels may also pose an increased risk of cancer.

When all is said and done we have to read the evidence, study the science and look at our own individual situation, health and history to determine what is best for us. The research seems to point out there is no exact science that can determine that one drink per day is fine for everyone. Nothing is safe for everyone but there is a sensible level of drinking that must be tailored to the individual. Sensible does not mean “saving” them up and then drinking a weeks worth of alcohol in two days. That is considered binge drinking and is not considered healthy for anyone.

Is it better to drink a little each day or just twice or three times a week? Experts do not agree on this either some saying, to be on the safe side a glass of wine twice a week whereas others say just a little each day is healthier. Again, do what you need to do to get this right for you as an individual.

The original article, which has been rewritten, came from the website Web-MD.

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Some people intentionally ignore possible cancer symptoms. It is usually denial but not always. Young people have a tendency to believe that cancer is a problem for older people and although in a lot of cases that is true, young people are more frequently being diagnosed with cancer. Some have a cultural belief that cancer is incurable so why go there. It has been studied the earlier you find the cancer the better the chances of survival.

Here are the 15 possible cancer symptoms women sometimes ignore.

1. Unexplained Weight Loss

Although most women would be very happy to lose weight without trying it can be a symptom of something more serious. If you experience sudden weight loss, 10 lbs. in a month, without changing your eating or exercising habits, you should see your doctor.
It could be something other than cancer, such as an overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism. The doctor should check for this and then do a process of elimination for other causes.

2. Bloating

Some symptoms of ovarian cancer is bloating. Other symptoms include abdominal or pelvic pain, feeling full quickly when eating very little, and urinary problems such as an urgent need to use the washroom.
If you experience bloating on a daily basis and lasts more than a few weeks you need to see your doctor.

3. Changes in your breasts

Most women know their breasts, even if they do not do self exams on a regular basis. We are always on the lookout for lumps but that is not the only obvious symptoms. Redness and a change in the thickness of the skin in your breasts could be a symptom of a rare but aggressive type of breast cancer known as inflammatory breast cancer. If you have a rash that persists over w few weeks you need to make an appointment with your doctor.
Changes in the nipple can also be symptoms. If you have a discharge coming from your nipple and you are not breast feeding, get it checked. Likewise, if your nipple is usually turned out and now it is turned in, that is not a good sign. If they are inverted (turned in) naturally, no worries. It is the change in appearance that could be a worrisome concern.

4. Between Period Bleeding or Other Unusual Bleeding

Think of what is normal for you in regards to your regular periods. If you never spot in between your periods and you have started to do so, that is abnormal. For some other women that may be normal, spotting between periods.
Premenopausal women have a tendency to ignore between period bleeding as well as bleeding from the GI tract, which they attribute to their period. In between period bleeding, especially if you are regular, should be checked out. GI bleeding could be a sign of colorectal cancer. As should bleeding after menopause as that could be a sign of endometrial cancer. This is a common gynaecologic cancer and at least three quarters who get it have had abnormal bleeding as a sign.

5. Skin Changes

As well as looking for changes in moles you should also look for a change in pigmentation of the skin as a warning. If you suddenly develop bleeding on your skin or excessive scaling you should have it checked. Although it is hard to say how long you should watch these signs, you should have it checked within a few weeks if it does not clear up.

6. Difficulty Swallowing

You may have noticed this symptom already and decided to adjust your food intake accordingly, such as soups, liquids and protein shakes. That difficulty could be a sign of GI cancer, such as in the esophagus. Be sure to have this checked out by your doctor.

7. Blood in the Wrong Place

If you notice blood in your urine or your stool get it checked! It could be colon cancer. Expect your doctor to ask questions and perhaps send you for a colonoscopy to examine your colon.
Seeing blood in the toilet from a menstruating woman would not be unusual but if not menstruating it could be a sign of bladder or kidney cancer.
Coughing up blood could also be a symptom and should be evaluated. If it happens once it may be nothing but if it happens more than once get it checked!

8. Gnawing Abdominal Pain and Depression

Any woman who has consistent pain in the tummy and is feeling depressed needs to see her doctor. There is a correlation between these two symptoms that relates to pancreatic cancer. The connection is not well understood but has been detected.

9. Indigestion

Women who have been pregnant may relate well to indigestion as they gained weight. Indigestion that is sudden and lasting should be checked. It could be a prelude to cancer of the esophagus, stomach or throat.

10. Mouth Changes

Smokers in particular should keep an eye out for white patches inside the mouth or white spots on the tongue. Both can point to a precancerous condition called leukoplakia that can progress to oral cancer. Be sure to go to your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms.

11. Pain

As we age we all seem to get aches and pains that we didn’t have before. Although most pain is not caused by cancer, as vague as it may be, can sometimes be associated with early symptoms of cancer.
Pain that persists and is unexplained needs to be checked out. Your doctor will decide if further investigation is required.

12. Changes in the Lymph Nodes

If you notice a lump in your armpit or in your neck it may not be a good sign. Although lumps can appear for different reasons, such as a swelling of the glands to fight infection from a sting for example, an increase in the size of the lump/lymph node that lasts for longer than a month needs to be checked.

13. Fever

If you have a fever that is not related to influenza or another infection it could point to cancer. Fevers more often occur in cancers that have metastasized or migrated from it’s original source. It can also point to early stages of blood cancer such as leukemia and lymphoma. Other cancer symptoms can include jaundice or a change in the color of the stool.

14. Fatigue

Fatigue is another vague symptom that can point to cancer as well as a number of other diseases. It can set in as time goes on with cancer but sometimes it occurs earlier in some cancers such as leukemia and certain types of colon and stomach cancers. Better to be safe than sorry and get it checked if you have been tired for a long period of time.

15. Persistent Cough

Coughs are expected when sick with a cold , the flu, or allergies but not so when it is unexpected and persistent. A cough lasting for a month or longer without any other explanation has to be checked out. Your doctor will do a thorough exam which may include x-rays and lung functioning tests.

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In 2010 young women represented 30% of the diagnosed women with breast cancer. These young women were mothers, students, young professionals, interns and all were women working on their lives. They suddenly were thrown into this unknown world and had to learn the vast knowledge that comes with a breast cancer diagnosis.

Fertility isn’t the only concern that these young women may have to endure. There are many challenges that come with a diagnosis but young women are now dealing with possible tumors that are more aggressive and then their treatment must match. They may be pregnant at diagnosis and some may need help with childcare, transportation, meals, and a host of personal challenges.

Fertility in Young Women:

This is a challenge for young women but making correct choices can lessen the burden. Naturally we are concerned with our own mortality when a diagnosis of any cancer is given but knowledge plus the appropriate action equals power.

There are several chemotherapy drugs that can temporarily and sometimes permanently cause infertility. If you are pre-menopausal when you have been diagnosed and nowhere near the age of menopause you may want to discuss the options available with your oncologist. Be sure to have this discussion before letting any treatment begin and know your options. Too many do not realize their fertility may be compromised with chemotherapy treatments so do your homework, have the discussion and ask the tough questions.

You do have several choices to protect your fertility before chemo treatments and preservation afterwards. Ask your oncologist about Lupron injections to prevent ovulation during treatment. You may choose to visit a fertility clinic and have some of your eggs frozen for future use or tissue for future fertility. Many women have found they were able to conceive and have children after treatment for breast cancer but having the information before can lessen the challenges down the road. The good news is that having children does not raise the risk of reoccurrence of the disease.

My best advice to those of you who find yourself in this situation is to do your homework, ask the tough questions. We sometimes don’t want to ask those tough questions because we are afraid of the answer or what we don’t know can’t hurt us. I urge you to change your thought process in this instance and get the answers you need.
Will chemo drugs push you into early menopause? What can I do to protect my fertility during the treatments? Can I have children after having chemotherapy? How long should I wait?

Be sure to ask and plan after getting those answers, for help during and after treatment. There are literally millions of survivors out there and are willing to help so contact a support group locally or go online if that is what is comfortable for you now.

Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Please feel free to leave suggestions, ideas and thoughts in the comments area.