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In high school chemistry, I learned about pH: acids had low numbers, alkaline had high numbers and a pH of 7.0 was neutral. This all meant absolutely nothing to me back then. Since my illness of breast cancer 28 years ago I have studied the balance of my body’s pH. It turns out that we have a better shot at long-term health if our body's pH is neutral or slightly alkaline. When our pH is more acidic, we have a greater risk of developing osteoporosis, weak muscles, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and a host of other health problems. The solution, I found was to eat a diet that yields more alkaline and less acid. Just what kind of diet is that? One that's high in fruits and vegetables. That might not seem like a big surprise, except for a few unexpected twists and turns.

Did you know that Acid-yielding foods deplete the minerals in your body?

If the idea of balancing acid and alkaline foods seems a bit off the wall, it does have a somewhat gray past. Most people, including physicians, aren't familiar with the dangers of acidosis, except in the most extreme situations. Those include lactic acidosis, from over- exercise; keto-acidosis, when diabetes start burning their own fat; and renal acidosis, which can be a sign of kidney failure.

But the problem with acid-producing eating habits is very real. After digestion, all foods report to the kidneys as being either acidic or alkaline. The kidneys are responsible for fluid balance and maintaining a relatively neutral pH in the body that’s where things get interesting. When acid-yielding foods lower the body's pH, the kidneys coordinate efforts to buffer that acidity. Bones release calcium and magnesium to reestablish alkalinity, and muscles are broken down to produce ammonia, which is strongly alkaline. By the time the response is all over, your bone minerals and broken down muscle get excreted in urine.

Long term, excess acidity leads to thinner bones and lower muscle mass. These problems are compounded by normal aging, which increases acidosis, bone loss, and muscle wasting. Along the way, calcium and magnesium losses can cause deficiencies. Both minerals play essential roles in bone formation and normal heart rhythm. Low magnesium levels can cause muscle cramps, arrhythmias, and anxiety.

The strongest evidence in support of maintaining an acid-alkaline balance relates to osteoporosis. Consider that Americans consume more calcium-rich dairy foods than almost every other nation, and we have one of the highest rates of osteoporosis. There's a real disconnect here. Dairy may be rich in calcium, but most dairy foods also produce an acid yield. So remember foods that create an acidic pH in the body will deplete our bones of minerals and our muscles of protein.

Can supplements help?
Millions of women take calcium supplements to help maintain their bone mass and reduce their chances of developing severe osteoporosis with age. But do supplements have any real benefit in alkalizing the body? Your pH is really a sign of how your body is managing your mineral reserves.
Potassium has turned out to be a crucial mineral for maintaining bone.

High-potassium diets -- that is, those rich in fruits and vegetables -- slow bone loss, mainly by promoting alkalinity. So do supplements, such as potassium citrate and bicarbonate. A handful of raisins, two dates, or a small banana each provides more than 300 mg of potassium. You can’t go wrong if you eat your fruits and veggies.

How to test your own pH

You can test your own pH simply and inexpensively. All you need are some pH test strips. Tear off two three-inch strips. As you as you awaken, before you drink or eat anything, put some saliva on the test strip. Compare the color to a pH color chart that comes with the test strips. Next, measure the pH of your secondurination of the morning. To do this, urinate on the strip or collect the urine in a plastic or glass (not paper) cup and dip the test strip. Again, compare the color to the pH color chart. It is recommended doing the saliva and urine tests for 10 mornings in a row. Ignore the top three and bottom three tests because they're extremes. Average the remaining four to determine your pH. You can retest a few weeks after changing your eating habits. Some acid foods are listed below.

Acid-Yielding Foods: Spaghetti -Corn flakes -While rice -Rye bread -White bread - Whole milk
Lentils –Beef –Pork

Very Acid-Yielding Foods: Parmesan cheese - Processed (soft) cheeses -Hard cheeses - Gouda cheese - Cottage cheese - Brown rice - Rolled oats - Whole wheat bread – Peanuts – Walnuts Salami - Luncheon meat, canned - Liver sausage – Chicken – Cod – Herring – Trout - Eggs

Alkaline-Yielding Foods: Apricots - Kiwifruit – Cherries - Bananas - Strawberries - Peaches
Oranges - Lemon juice – Pears – Pineapple - Peaches – Apples – Watermelon – Celery - Carrots
Zucchini – Cauliflower – Broccoli - Green peppers – Cucumber – Tomatoes – Eggplant - Lettuce
Green beans – Onions – Mushrooms - Mineral water

Very Alkaline-Yielding Foods: Spinach – Raisins – Dates - Walnuts

Note: All fruits and vegetables are alkaline yielding, unless they have been pickled or marinated.

Important things to remember:

Your body is 70% water. For YOU to be healthy, all that water needs to have a healthy pH balance—not too acidic, not too alkaline. The letters "pH" mean "potential of hydrogen" and simply measure how acidic or alkaline your body is on a scale of 0 to 14. You achieve optimum health when your body stays in a slightly alkaline environment—about 7.0 to 7.5 as measured by saliva.

Stress and depression can ruin your holidays and hurt your health. Being realistic, planning ahead and seeking support can help ward off stress and depression.
For some people, the holidays bring unwelcome guests stress and depression. And it's no wonder. In an effort to pull off a perfect holiday, you might find yourself facing a dizzying array of demands work, parties, shopping, baking, cleaning, caring for elderly parents or kids on school break, and scores of other chores. No time for relaxing, or slowing down.
Actually, with a few simple and practical tips, you can minimize the stress and depression that often accompany the holidays. You may even end up enjoying the holidays more than you thought you would.
Holiday stress and depression are often the result of three main trigger points. Understanding these trigger points can help you plan ahead on how to accommodate them.
The three main trigger points of holiday stress or depression:

Relationships. Relationships can cause turmoil, conflict or stress at any time. But tensions are often heightened during the holidays. Family misunderstandings and conflicts can intensify especially if you're all thrust together for several days. Conflicts are bound to arise with so many different personalities, needs and interests. On the other hand, if you're facing the holidays without a loved one, you may find yourself especially lonely or sad.
Finances. Like your relationships, your financial situation can cause stress at any time of the year. But overspending during the holidays on gifts, travel, food and entertainment can increase stress as you try to make ends meet while ensuring that everyone on your gift list is happy. You may find yourself in a financial spiral that leaves you with depression symptoms such as hopelessness, sadness and helplessness.
Physical demands. The strain of shopping, attending social gatherings and preparing holiday meals can wipe you out. Feeling exhausted increases your stress, creating a vicious cycle. Exercise and sleep good antidotes for stress and fatigue may take a back seat to chores and errands. High demands, stress, lack of exercise, and overindulgence in food and drink all are ingredients for holiday illness.

When stress is at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. Try to prevent stress and depression in the first place, especially if you know the holidays have taken an emotional toll in previous years. Here are some tips you can try to head off holiday stress and depression:

Acknowledge your feelings. If a loved one has recently died or you aren't able to be with your loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness or grief. It's OK now and then to take time just to cry or express your feelings. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.
Seek support. If you feel isolated or down, seek out family members and friends, or community, religious or social services. They can offer support and companionship. Consider volunteering at a community or religious function. Getting involved and helping others can lift your spirits and broaden your friendships. Also, enlist support for organizing holiday gatherings, as well as meal preparation and cleanup. You don't have to go it alone. Don't be a martyr.
Be realistic. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Hold on to those you can and want to. But accept that you may have to let go of others. For example, if your adult children and grandchildren can't all gather at your house as usual, find new ways to celebrate together from afar, such as sharing pictures, e-mails or videotapes.
Set differences aside. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all your expectations. Practice forgiveness. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. With stress and activity levels high, the holidays might not be conducive to making quality time for relationships. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression, too.
Stick to a budget. Before you go shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend on gifts and other items. Then be sure to stick to your budget. If you don't, you could feel anxious and tense for months afterward as you struggle to pay the bills. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Donate to a charity in someone's name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange.
Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make one big food-shopping trip. That'll help prevent a last-minute scramble to buy forgotten ingredients and you'll have time to make another pie, if the first one's a flop. Expect travel delays, especially if you're flying.
Learn to say no. Believe it or not, people will understand if you can't do certain projects or activities. If you say yes only to what you really want to do, you'll avoid feeling resentful, bitter and overwhelmed. If it's really not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.
Don't abandon healthy habits. Don't let the holidays become a dietary free-for-all. Some indulgence is OK, but overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don't go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. Continue to get plenty of sleep and schedule time for physical activity.
Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Steal away to a quiet place, even if it's to the bathroom for a few moments of solitude. Take a walk at night and stargaze. Listen to soothing music. Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and restoring inner calm.
Rethink resolutions. Resolutions can set you up for failure if they're unrealistic. Don't resolve to change your whole life to make up for past excess. Instead, try to return to basic, healthy lifestyle routines. Set smaller, more specific goals with a reasonable time frame. Choose only those resolutions that help you feel valuable and that provide more than only fleeting moments of happiness.
Forget about perfection. Holiday TV specials are filled with happy endings. But in real life, people don't usually resolve problems within an hour or two. Something always comes up. You may get stuck late at the office and miss your daughter's school play, your sister may dredge up an old argument, your partner may burn the cookies, and your mother may criticize how you're raising the kids. All in the same day. Accept imperfections in yourself and in others.
Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for several weeks, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. You may have depression.

Remember, one key to minimizing holiday stress and depression is knowing that the holidays can trigger stress and depression. Accept that things aren't always going to go as planned. Then take active steps to manage stress and depression during the holidays. You may actually enjoy the holidays this year more than you thought you could. Happy Holidays.

Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare cancer that gets its name from the appearance of the skin on the breast. Inflammatory breast cancer is an aggressive type of locally advanced cancer that occurs in a very small percentage of women with breast cancer. Typically women with inflammatory breast cancer are diagnosed at a younger age than those diagnosed with other forms of breast cancer. They're more likely to experience cancer spread (metastasis), and they have a greater chance of succumbing to the disease than women with noninflammatory breast cancer. In very rare circumstances, inflammatory breast cancer is diagnosed in men. Historically, survival statistics have been grim for women diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer, but there's hope. New approaches in treatment offer greater odds for survival than ever before. Inflammatory breast cancer grows rapidly — changes can become apparent in a matter of days to weeks. Unlike other types of breast cancer, you probably won't develop a distinct lump. Instead, you might notice an area of thickness or a feeling of heaviness in one of your breasts. Inflammatory breast cancer tends to develop as a sheet rather than a lump or tumor.

It's easy to confuse the signs and symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer with those of a breast infection (mastitis). Breast infections occur most often in younger women who are breast-feeding. Breast infections cause a fever, and they're easily treated with antibiotics. On the contrary, inflammatory breast cancer doesn't typically cause a fever, nor does it respond to antibiotics. In some cases, redness, warmth and swelling of the breast are caused by a previous operation or radiation therapy that involved the outer breast or underarm. These procedures can cause partial blockage of lymphatic Causes: Despite its name, inflammatory breast cancer isn't caused by an inflammation or infection. Inflammatory breast cancer occurs when cancer cells clog the lymphatic vessels in the skin overlying the breast. The blockage in the lymphatic vessels causes the red, swollen and dimpled skin that's a classic sign of IBC . When to seek medical advice: Because inflammatory breast cancer progresses rapidly, by the time most women seek medical advice, the cancer is already quite advanced. If you notice any of the signs and symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer, see your doctor right away. If you're being treated for a breast infection (mastitis), but your signs and symptoms last longer than a week after starting antibiotics, ask your doctor to do some imaging studies of the breast or to perform a breast biopsy. If these test results show no signs of cancer, but your signs and symptoms appear to be getting worse, talk with your doctor about performing another biopsy or ask for a referral to a breast specialist. Stay healthy, until next month. Moments with Mary.

Being a breast cancer survivor of 28 years I have learned how to Make Today Count. Cancer changes you and makes you a much stronger person or at least it did for me. I learned strength about me that I didn’t know existed. From the moment I developed breast cancer I knew there was a need for women to talk and try to feel whole again. Putting your life back on tract takes time, patience and lots of understanding from yourself, loved ones and friends. It may take months, sometimes years, to help yourself but just knowing that there is someone else who has been through what you have helps you get through some of the rough times that lay ahead. Life is forever changing and that is just one of the reasons we grow and become who we are. This article is for all of you women who need to know the facts about breast care.

* Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of death from cancer among women in the United States, following lung cancer.

* Mammography plays a key role in early detection. Through mammography, your doctor can detect breast cancer nearly one to three years before you might actually feel a lump in your breast.

* Mammography is X-ray imaging of your breasts designed to detect tumors and other abnormalities .

Mammography can be used either for screening or for diagnostic purposes in evaluating a breast lump:

* Screening mammography is used to detect breast changes in women who have no signs or symptoms or observable breast abnormalities. The goal is to detect cancer before any clinical signs are noticeable. This usually requires at least two mammograms from different angles of each breast.

* Diagnostic mammography is used to investigate suspicious breast changes, such as a breast lump, pain, or an unusual skin appearance, nipple thickening or nipple discharge. It's also used to evaluate abnormal findings on a screening mammogram. Additional images can be made from other angles or focus on areas of concern at higher magnification.

* The National Cancer Institute recommends women age 40 and older have a mammogram every one to two years.

* Mammography produces mammograms — black-and-white images of your breast tissue on X-ray film. A radiologist interprets the images and sends a written report of the findings to your doctor. The radiologist looks for evidence of cancer or noncancerous (benign) conditions that may require further testing, follow-up or treatment.

Possible findings can include: Calcium deposits (calcifications) in ducts and other tissues, masses or lumps, distorted tissue, and dense areas appearing in only one breast.

Dense areas that have appeared since your last mammogram : Calcifications can be the result of cell secretions, cell debris, inflammation, trauma, previous radiation or foreign bodies. Tiny, irregular deposits called Microcalcifications may be associated with cancer. Larger, coarser deposits called Macrocalcifications may be caused by a benign condition such as fibroadenoma — a common noncancerous tumor of the female breast — or by aging or injury. Most breast calcifications are benign, but if calcifications appear worrisome, the radiologist might order additional diagnostic images with magnification. Dense areas indicate tissue with many glands and can make calcifications and masses more difficult to identify. They could also represent cancer. Distorted areas suggest tumors that may have invaded neighboring tissues. If the radiologist notes areas of concern on your mammogram, further testing may include additional mammograms known as compression or magnification views as well as ultrasound imaging or a biopsy. Some situations require the use of diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in areas where the current imaging with mammography or ultrasound is negative.

Knowing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer may help save your life. When the disease is discovered early, you have more treatment options and a better chance for long-term recovery. Most breast lumps aren't cancerous. Yet the most common sign of breast cancer for both men and women is a lump or thickening in the breast. Often, the lump is painless. Other signs of breast cancer may include:

* A spontaneous clear or bloody discharge from your nipple,* Retraction or indentation of your nipple,

* A change in the size or contours of your breast, * Any flattening or indentation of the skin over your breast

A number of factors other than breast cancer can cause your breasts to change in size or feel. If you notice anything different call your doctor and let him or her check the problem further. Learning how to do proper monthly BSE on you makes good common sense.Take care and healthy blessings to all.

Do you live in the past instead of the present? Have you sometimes asked yourself why the past seemed safe or unforgiving? Would you change your past if you could? If you could live your life ove(r, would you change anything? How has your past, changed you? Think about each of these questions before you answer.

Many of us feel comfort when thinking back to our childhood. Being able to share both the good and pleasant times with someone we loved so dearly. Our life back then might have seemed rather simple as our loved ones took care of us and displayed and instilled all their teachings of caring, loving values which we someday in later years too would share with others who come into our life. The love and understanding we received with one another became our rock, a solid place for us to stand tall and become sure footed as we went through our childhood and adult years. Though there were times of confusion and awkward daily circumstances the good times were easier to remember and more pleasant to hold on to. Those times we called, loving memories of our past. We enjoyed those special times with our families and loved ones so without knowing it we tucked those memories inside our heads and hearts to again someday replay in our minds or teach or share with our children or families that we will start later in life. Those memories are treasures we tend to hold on to until our dying day.

Then there is the other side of your past that might have been very unpleasant. Maybe in your mind and heart you have tried to forget or hide the bad or uncontrollable circumstances that happened to you. Have you told yourself you don't ever want to remember certain things or deal with certain problems you felt in you’re earlier years because the pain is still real? If so, those unpleasant memories or bad times that hurt you so deeply back then is still haunting you now. (Not dealing with your past, your life won't get any better.) Sometimes those unpleasant memories haunt us throughout our childhood and into our adult years.The pain and unpleasant past can and will affect your adult years or may cause problems when you marry or start your own family. However, by changing or altering the past to fit more pleasant thoughts, or hoping that the real bad things in our past will just go away forever and not be discovered by others who get to know us is wrong. Get help, asking for help is healthy.

Your life can't move forward, if you are always looking backwards. Something's in our life just can't be changed. Then there are other things we can change and make ourselves much happier and healthier. We must first learn to love ourselves. Accept yourself. Some people are unhappy with their lives, they can't move on until they fix the problems at hand. A well rounded person looks for the good and remembers that life will always have its ups and downs and it is up to us to discover which road we want to take. Many times, things that happen to us in our life tend to make us feel they are without purpose and should never have been, but through those experiences we actually learn to grow and become a new person from within. Changing us and our lives forever.

It doesn't matter how good of a person you are, there will be personality conflicts. I have worked with families who just couldn't get along. Every family has their own unique problems so don't think you’re alone, when things don't go well for you. There are times some of the children in a family just don't fit in no matter what they say or do. Many times it is a personality clash. When there is more than one child, jealousy can play a big part. There are times that the more a child or a person tries to fit in the more they tend to be pushed out. Be yourself, whatever the out come. Do and say what is in your heart. Don't do what you think others want you to say or do. Finding a good friend you can talk to and trust is important. Many times the bullies of the world are found out, they will met their match someplace, sometime. I try to always remember, what goes around sooner or later will come back around, and it does! Take a few minutes ask yourself the questions below, be honest with yourself, does your answers surprise you?

1. Has living with my past life changed me? I would have to say, yes. (I truly try hard not to hurt people's feelings. I want to accepted people I met for who and what they are, not for what they should or shouldn't be, loving everyone.)

2. Would I want to live my life over again? I would have to say, no. (Living life over again would not be any better, for what we learn while living life, makes us who we become later in life, and how we deal with what life gives us.)

3. Do I have lots of wonderful past memories? I would have to say, yes & no. (I have lots of wonderful memories that I hold dear to my heart but at the same time I have lots of sad memories too! However, I have always heard if we didn't have some bad along with the good we wouldn't appreciate all the good and treasure it like we should. We all know that with sunshine we must sometimes have rain. That's how we grow!)

4. Do I live in the past or the present of my life? I would have to say, both. (I try not to dwell on my past. Life moves fast and how we live each day makes our tomorrow's what they will be. My memories both good and bad are always there if I choose to recall them. I know what I liked and what I didn't in my past so I try not to repeat or relive the things that I had no control of then or now. I accept my past.) Until next month, LET’S MAKE TODAY COUNT.

Other articles and stories written by Moments With Mary can be read each month by going to www.thisthatnwheels.com

Did you know that Acid-yielding foods deplete the minerals in your body?

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