1. "Some days there won't be a song in your heart. Sing anyway", as Emory Austin said.

Breast cancer loss leaves us feeling drained of our usual cheerful spirit, we must cope with that also. Singing, even if it's off key or in the shower lifts our spirits.

2. Speak with gratitude of your loved ones life.

How did she cope with this realization, that she actually had breast cancer, again? Did she march to a beat that only she could hear? In my experience the answer is yes. She dared to be original, the real thing. You can speak of her creativity. You can speak of your appreciation for differences she made in others lives.

3. Learn more about breast cancer.

Become well informed about early and recurring symptoms of breast cancer. Find a way to help others cope with their breast cancer circumstances. Support breast cancer research.

4. Express your grief by teaching others.

Being a role model for family members and friends is an important role. As others watch us, they may be possibly thinking, how will I handle breast cancer if it comes my way? After this loss how does she cope and continue her life? Let others see your fighting spirit, speak publicly about your experience. Be the answer to these questions.

5. Become interested in a new hobby or sport. Studying art or bowling or numerous other hobbies give a new outlook. Keeping your hands busy lets your mind rest. For me, painting is a way to cope.

6. Write a letter.

Tell her how much you love her, how much her life means, that she is missed each day and how hard it is to cope without her in your life.

7. Build a memorial.

This will be a place for quiet time. Cope with your loss here. This a memorial in honor of her life.

Yes, it is hard to cope, but it does get easier, that's God's way of letting us go on living. Let's move forward, donating our time and money to breast cancer research, so that others may live.

10% of the profits from my paintings, giclee's, greeting cards, commissions and workshops are donated to breast cancer research. Being involved has helped me cope and heal after the death of my daughter.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ellene_Breedlove_Davis

When a woman has breast pain, usually her first response is to be concerned that it may be a symptom of breast cancer. While this is sometimes the case, there is no need to be alarmed. The best thing to do is to see your doctor as soon as you can for a mammogram. This test will show your doctor if there are any lumps or other masses that might be an area of concern.

When you see your doctor with breast pain, always try to give and accurate description of the symptoms. Try to describe the location of the pain, the intensity and frequency as well. This will assist your physician greatly in finding the cause. Breast pain of varying degrees is expected to be experienced by 7 out of 10 women at some point in their lives. According to studies, 10% of all women complain of moderate to severe breast pain for five or more days out of every month. Sometimes the pain lasts throughout the menstrual cycle. This kind of pain is associated with young or premenopausal women, but can occur in women of any age.

With cause, many women who experience breast pain are immediately concerned about breast cancer. As mentioned earlier, this is why it is extremely important to have regular breast exams by your doctor. You can also perform self breast exams. There are numerous sites on the internet that can show you in great detail how to perform these exams. Self examination can go a long way towards early detection of breast cancer.

Simply having breast pain is not a normal sign of breast cancer. Breast pain can have many causes, the most common being hormone level fluctuation. Many women find that their breasts are tender or sore during their menstrual cycle each month. This pain usually affects both breasts. Another cause could be a bra that doesn't fit properly.

There are numerous causes of breast pain and many ways of treating it. Over the counter medication may be recommended by your physician. In more severe cases prescription medication may be needed. In any case you should investigate any pain and never delay seeing your physician.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Kings

Xenoestrogens are a modern phenomenon from the plastics we use so often. Useful products like plastic containers (yes, even polystyrene has recently been discovered to be a problem), zip lock bags and many other petroleum based products out gas a bit of the petroleum they are made from. The fumes and airborne particles get into our bodies and cause us to produce more estrogen, thus increasing our chances of breast cancer and other estrogen related problems. Other reports indicate that the increase in estrogen may decrease the male sex drive by throwing off the testosterone/estrogen balance. Now there's a motivation to avoid petroleum products!

A few things you can avoid to reduce your exposure to these xenoestrogens are: household candles, plastic bags and containers, new carpet and upholstery, pesticides, perfumes, air fresheners, soaps and lotions with fragrances, that new car smell, etc. Do you see the pattern? It's basically anything that makes you breathe in deep and say, "ooh that smells so good!" Products that are applied directly to your skin cause more bodily damage than those ingested, as the skin absorbes them directly into your blood stream without washing them through your liver.

We don't need to get worried about everything in our environment, we just need to be aware so we can keep our exposure to the xenoestrogens to a minimum. I try to reuse glass containers like spaghetti and peanut butter jars rather than plastic cups or containers. I have been washing and saving the glass jars other people use from SoBe and ice tea drinks and using those for water bottles. The glass is thick and does not break easily. We use glass and ceramic bowls and put stainless lids over them for food storage in the fridge. We try not to use skin products with fragrances or parabens. I don't burn my pretty candles, just the ones from the health stores. We open the doors and windows to keep the house smelling fresh rather than use plug-ins and don't use scented cleaners. I also try to avoid fleece clothing and blankets. However, I have yet to find a good substitute for zip lock baggies for my kids lunches.

Using fewer petroleum products will help help our health, be better for the earth and may make a tiny dent in our oil consumption (at least it won't hurt!).


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathy_Loidolt