(This post is a little off this blog’s usually topic, but important for your health nonetheless. It was written by an outside contributor. I hope you find this post informative)

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that affects melanocytes—the cells of the skin that provide pigment. Usually triggered by ultraviolet light exposure, the genetic structure of the cells change and leading to cancer. Melanomas make up just 1% of all new cancers, but lead to the highest number of deaths. According to the American Cancer Society, there are more than 76,000 new cases of melanoma skin cancer every year and more than 10,000 people will die from the disease. It’s most common in older adults—the average age for diagnosis is 63—but it is not uncommon to see it in men and women age 30 and younger, which makes it one of the most common cancers for young adults.

Melanoma’s inborn traveling system

As with most cancers, the effectiveness of treatment depends on how early it is diagnosed. The longer a cancer has to grow and spread, the more difficult it is to treat depending on what other organs and tissues are involved. The spread of a cancer is called metastasis and for most cancer cells the process of invading surrounding cells and tissues takes time and great effort and time to spread throughout the body. However melanocytes—when they shift to a cancerous state—awaken a dormant process that allows them to travel much more efficiently than other cells and invade other areas of the body some types of cancer take years to reach.

Patients may be late to seek a diagnosis

It can be easy to overlook changes in your skin. Particularly in the places melanoma can form—like on the scalp, on the soles of the feet, between the toes, and yes, even under your fingernails. Men tend to delay medical care for skin changes more often than women do, but both groups may be likely to miss identifying early changes in their skin which raises the risk for advancement and metastasis before a diagnosis is made.

Know your risk and take measures for prevention

Everyone should understand their personal risk for the development of melanoma and take measures to prevent its development. Risk factors according to the American Cancer Society include:

• Exposure to indoor or outdoor UV light
• Moles
• Fair skin, freckles, and light hair
• Personal or Family history of melanoma
• Weakened immune system
• Age
• Being Male
• Xeroderma Pigmentosum

Researchers also say that in addition to these risk factors, some patients may also carry a genetic predisposition to the development of melanoma which can be identified with genetic testing. For those who may be at high risk for cancer, getting a liquid biopsy may help you learn more so that you and your healthcare team can better address health concerns on a more personalized level. Working with your healthcare team to make a plan that will help you monitor and prevent melanoma from developing is a very important step to treatment should it be required. Melanoma doesn’t have to sneak up on your body. Staying vigilant will help you be healthy for years to come. Talk to your doctor to learn more about your risks of Melanoma.

Is your memory not as sharp as it used to be?
Do you suffer from anxiety and/or depression? Brain fog? 
Do you want to know how to resolve these issues and optimize your brain, on your own?

You might think that a nutritionist isn’t the person to talk to about your anxiety or depression. We have been taught to run to the doctor and grab a prescription. Often doctors will prescribe to treat a symptom, without exploring WHY someone is having that symptom. But anxiety is NOT a deficiency in Xanax and depression is NOT a deficiency in Prozac. I am not anti-medication. I am PRO-HEALTH.  Doesn’t it make more sense to treat the underlying cause of your symptoms and actually resolve them at the source? No amount of Band-Aids (read: meds) will make up for a vitamin deficiency or a toxin traveling up your gut-brain axis.

I will be leading a one-hour educational discussion on the keys to brain health. You will walk away with tons of useful ways to help your own brain.

Topics Include:

• The many possible causes of depression and anxiety (these will surprise you!)
• Foods, botanicals and nutrients to prevent or resolve memory issues, anxiety, and depression and to sharpen focus
• How to minimize age-related decline of brain cells & reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease
• The gut-brain connection.

Do not miss cutting edge information about how to resolve and optimize brain functioning. You can get started the next day!

Sunday June 12^th, 2016

10am-11am

Roots and Wings

317 N Main St, Natick, MA 01760;  Wings Room

$15

Please register with Dianne by emailing dianne.rishikof@gmail.com

Premenstrual syndrome…the butt of many jokes. But it doesn’t feel like a joke to those who suffer from it. There are 150 possible physical and behavioral symptoms that fall under the umbrella of PMS. Seven to fourteen days before the menstrual cycle, PMS can strike. It can last those whole 2 weeks or some part of it. Some symptoms are minor. Others are severe and can interfere with a woman’s life. Approximately 40% of women suffer from some form of PMS and it is mystery why some suffer and some don’t.

But nutrition CAN offer some remedies:

Vitamins and Minerals to be sure to get enough of (or a little extra):

• B6 (make sure it is the activated P-5-P)
• Magnesium (mg glycinate is one of the best absorbed forms and doesn’t stay in GI track and cause loose stools)
• Calcium

Diet:

• Reducing sugar intake (prevent sugar ups and downs and hypoglycemia by reducing the sugar in your diet and eating plenty of protein and healthy fats to maintain blood sugar throughout the day)
• Reduce Caffeine
• High fiber diet (After being used, estrogen gets dumped into the gut and excreted with the rest of the waste. But if you don’t have enough fiber to bind it, that estrogen may get reabsorbed leading to higher than necessary levels of estrogen in your blood. This can lead to symptoms.)

Herbs (These herbs have been known to normalize hormone levels and alleviate symptoms):

• evening primrose oil
• gingko biloba
• black cohosh

If you have severe PMS with at least 5 major symptoms that interfere with life, you might have PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) and should seek advice from a medical professional.

Image courtesy of imagerymajestic at FreeDigitalPhotos.net