Unlike traditional mammograms, which use a film cassette, digital mammography utilizes a system that is equipped with a digital receptor, thereby providing faster and more accurate results. It is incredibly important to understand the risks of breast cancer, because knowledge is prevention. Awareness of this often deadly disease is becoming much more widespread, and organizations are spreading the word about how to prevent – as well as look for signs of – breast cancer.

A Few Risk Factors for Breast Cancer

Digital Mammography vs. Traditional Mammography

The world may very well be switching to a digital era, but there was indeed a time when film was the best option. This holds true for standard mammograms. Using an X-ray cassette, traditional mammograms record images on film. The radiologist then analyzes the film by using what is called a light box, and later storing it in the office archives.

Digital mammography captures an image of the breast by way of an electronic X-ray detector. This detector translates the picture into a digital image, and the radiologist views it on the computer screen. The benefit of digital mammography is the fact that images can be enlarged and brightened, and the contrast can be modified, thus allowing the radiologist to easily distinguish specific areas.

Some critics of digital mammography believe it is equivalent to standard mammography in discovering cancer of the breast. While early stages of digital mammograms did not reveal a considerable improvement over film mammography, experts are working diligently to make noteworthy advancements. Supporters of digital mammography recognize that the new technology is still in early development, and even still, it has proven to emit lower doses of radiation and better detect abnormalities than standard mammography.

As digital mammography continues to advance, radiologists believe it will have many more advantages over film mammography, including a better distinction between breast tissue that is non-dense and breast tissue that is dense; quicker acquisition of images; faster exams; image manipulation that allows for a more precise identification of cancer; and the ability to send out images over a network or phone lines to additional physicians.

If you’d like to learn more about digital mammography, contact your physician today. Breast cancer affects millions of women every year, but it doesn’t have to affect you. With the right prevention techniques – and a lot of knowledge – you can enjoy good health for a lifetime.

Article previously published here.

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Steve Deblorn writes about a variety of health topics, especially those related to technology. He is currently interested in the technology behind digital mammography and digital radiography. Learn more at: http://www.carestreamhealth.com/

Read more articles written by Steve Deblorn

One of the most famous signs of pregnancy is morning sickness. It is described as various degrees of nausea in which some women even experience vomiting. It is thought to be caused by a surge of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin in a newly pregnant woman’s blood. Morning sickness may also be a result of the expanding uterus pushing on the stomach and creating an excess of stomach acids. If a woman is not pregnant a virus, gall bladder disease, or other medical problems may cause this nausea feeling.

Another well known sign of pregnancy is unusual food cravings. This usually occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy and is thought to be caused by hormone changes. In cases of no pregnancy food cravings may be a sign of poor nutrition, early signs of impending menstruation, or a stress coping mechanism.

No wonder it is often difficult to recognize the signs of pregnancy. For example, breast tenderness can begin as soon as 2-3 days after conception. There hasn’t been time for a missed period yet and breast tenderness is often a symptom of the beginning of the menstruation cycle. It is easy to mistake this symptom for a normal occurrence in the monthly cycle. When the woman is pregnant, tender and swollen breasts are a result of the high levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body.

No woman who is pregnant or suspects that she may be wants to experience vaginal bleeding. But to stay in the theme of confusing body symptoms, bleeding can sometimes actually indicate pregnancy. Among the many signs of pregnancy, break through bleeding in early pregnancy is a sign of the egg implanting itself inside the uterus. The color is usually pink or brownish instead of vivid red. If the woman is not pregnant this bleeding is probably the beginning of her period or a result of taking birth control pills.

These signs of pregnancy are just a few of the many misleading events that can happen when a woman is trying to conceive. While home pregnancy tests are fairly accurate, the only real way to know for sure if conception has occurred is to visit the doctor for a blood pregnancy test.

The first trimester is an exciting time when you consider all of the instant changes that take place. The first two tiny cells have already divided thousands of times before the expectant mom is even aware of their existence. At the six week mark the baby already has a heartbeat. While still very small, the baby is growing at a rapid rate at this pregnancy weekly checkpoint. The umbilical cord is developed and in place and the baby’s heart is pumping blood on its own. All of this is incredibly exciting, but you haven’t seen anything yet.

In the second trimester things slow down some for the tired mom to be. Most of the difficult symptoms of early pregnancy are gone and the baby reaches more milestones. Our pregnancy weekly check has us at week 21. While fetal growth slows during this time, other amazing things are happening. The baby is busy with the continued development of his or her tiny legs. At this point they are becoming proportionate with the rest of the body. The heart is also continuing its hard work in becoming stronger to accommodate the greater blood flow and prepare for life outside the womb.

This brings us to week 30, just ten weeks before the arrival. This pregnancy weekly point brings more changes. The baby has gone back to rapid growth, similar to that of the first trimester. The baby can now open and close those beautiful eyes that in a few short weeks will make your heart melt with love. On a more clinical note, the bone marrow is now independently doing its job of producing red blood cells.

Keeping tabs on your pregnancy weekly is a good idea for you and the little one. It helps the new mom to be expecting some of the changes happening to both her and the baby.

For a look at pregnancy week by week, let’s take a particular week from each trimester to get a clear look at how quickly things change inside an expectant mother’s uterus. Week 6 of the first trimester is usually about the time mom discovers the existence of her little one. By this stage, the baby already has a heartbeat but is only about 1/17 of an inch long. That heartbeat is moving the baby’s own blood through the tiny body and the beginnings of arms and legs are forming. Facial features are also on their way to development at this early stage. Each baby and pregnancy is unique so this is a rough guess of the state of progress at week 6.

Jumping forward a few months to the second trimester in pregnancy week by week places events at week 21. The baby is beginning to move a lot at this stage. Dad and other loved one may be able to feel the movement now. Growth slows a little as the heart becomes stronger. And to help out with all of that movement, the baby’s legs are becoming more proportionate to the rest of the body. Mom is probably feeling more comfortable with morning sickness hopefully behind her. This is about the time when her pregnancy is becoming obvious to others.

In the third trimester it’s a run for the finish line. Week 30 is right in the middle of the third trimester in our look at pregnancy week by week. At this point the baby probably weighs about three pounds and is gaining weight on a daily basis. That means mom is probably feeling a little awkward and uncomfortable. The baby’s eyelids are functioning. Week 30 also brings the baby’s ability to produce his or her own red blood cells. In other words the bone marrow is now functioning independently of Mom.

Despite the feeling of pregnancy lasting forever that many expectant moms experience, pregnancy week by week is a new adventure. Both mother to be and the new arrival are in constant motion preparing for the final stages of this beautiful and exciting time.

Any woman who has had children or suspected they may be pregnant is probably familiar with using a home pregnancy test. Many jokes have been made about peeing on sticks at many baby showers. Home tests are typically wand like devices made to be placed in the urine stream or in a container holding urine. After about 1 minute, the results can be clearly seen by a line in the test window. The appearance of a line means a positive pregnancy result, no line means the likelihood of pregnancy is low. These tests work by detecting the presence or lack of hCG, the most common hormone found in pregnancy.

There are a number of different websites giving pregnancy curious women a way to test the probability of pregnancy. Obviously without physical evidence to go on, no online pregnancy test is going to be fool proof. An online test will ask a series of questions relating to last period date, appearance of any symptoms, and any other physical changes. The program then calculates the probability of pregnancy. These tests were designed to instruct the user if there is enough cause to take a home pregnancy test or contact their doctor. A quick web search will yield a large number of online tests to choose from.

The most accurate of all is the pregnancy test performed by a doctor. They may use a urine test similar to a home test in addition to performing a pelvic exam. Certain internal signals like changes in the cervix, tip off medical professionals as to the probability of an existing pregnancy. This is also a good time to receive medical advice pertaining to care and nutrition for a strong, healthy pregnancy. Most of the time, a new mom to be has already taken a home pregnancy test and the doctor’s visit is just for confirmation.

Whichever pregnancy test you choose to use, proper medical care and knowledge about your pregnant condition are key in bringing your little bundle home safe and sound.

As mentioned before, morning sickness and unusual eating preferences are normal in the first trimester. Some other less well known pregnancy symptoms are common as well. While usually associated with the third trimester, moms in their first trimester often have a need for more frequent urination than ever before. Changes to the breast are another visible change that happens early in pregnancy. The mom to be may experience swelling and sensitivity of her breasts. Often the areola becomes darker as well. Due to the tremendous surge of hormones in this trimester it isn’t unusual for mood swings to become a part of daily life at least for a little while.

Pregnancy symptoms in the second trimester tend to be much different than those in the first few months. It is important to remember that while these symptoms are common they don’t happen to everyone and are usually no cause for alarm. As the baby puts on weight during this trimester so does mom. As long as a healthy diet is being maintained, Mom-to-be shouldn’t worry about each and every calorie and pound. The baby is also becoming more active at this stage. Expectant mothers may also develop what is commonly called “mask of pregnancy.” This is a darkening of pigment on certain areas of the face usually around the eyes. Fortunately this darkening goes away after the baby is born. On the plus side, the second trimester tends to be more comfortable for mom since morning sickness is a thing of the past and heaviness of the third trimester is still in the future.

Some women have reported that labor and delivery was easy after experiencing the third trimester. Hopefully it isn’t as bad as all of that, but pregnancy symptoms towards the end can be a challenge. This is where backaches and shortness of breath begin to be an obstacle to comfort. The baby is much larger now and strange protrusions may be seen from the outside on mom’s belly. A new mom’s walk may change to accommodate her growing abdomen. Practice contractions happen in the final run for the roses so to speak, but they are normally relatively painless. Of course, the final symptoms are the beginning of labor and birth of the new arrival.

Pregnancy symptoms vary from woman to woman and pregnancy to pregnancy. No two experiences are ever the same. It is useful to know some of the more common symptoms and how to handle them to have the happiest, healthiest pregnancy possible.

One early pregnancy sign that can make it difficult to determine that the pregnancy exists is light bleeding. Many times when this occurs in the early stages of pregnancy the new mom attributes it to her normal monthly flow. It doesn’t help that this happens around the same time as a normal period. Light bleeding is a result of the fertilized egg implanting itself in the endometrial lining of the uterus. Most of the time it results in light bleeding or spotting. Unless the pregnant woman decides to take a pregnancy test because her flow is too light, she may not be aware of the pregnancy for a few more weeks.

It’s not like trips to the bathroom are uncommon for most women, but when it seems to a constant occurrence and you feel like the bathroom door should be revolving, something is probably up. And that something is probably a little one making its presence known discreetly. Frequent urination is one of the pregnancy signs that seems to last throughout the entire nine months, not just at the beginning. It is completely possible to miss this pregnancy sign early on as well as it can begin as soon as one to two weeks after conception, much too early to have missed a period.

Everyone’s least favorite of the pregnancy signs is irritability. Sudden hormone changes tend to bring this one on. Of course it doesn’t help anyone’s disposition to also be dealing with heartburn, nausea, and constant trips to the bathroom. That would make most people a little cranky. The good part about irritability is that it usually fades in the second trimester. By then hormone surges have decreased and the mom to be has adjusted to some of the changes in her body. The only cure is patience, good nutrition, and pregnancy friendly exercise. It also helps to get plenty of rest.

Pregnancy is temporary, so exercising a little patience will go a long way in relieving some of the classic pregnancy signs.

One of the most often heard of the pregnancy questions is how much weight is healthy and normal to gain? The answer is that with a normal sized woman having a normal sized baby, the gain is usually between 25 and 35 pounds. For an underweight mom, doctors may suggest a higher amount. For an overweight mom, recommendations may be to gain less if possible. The important thing for moms of any size is to eat regular healthy meals and stay hydrated. The importance of this can’t be emphasized enough.

Another common question relates to exercise. Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy? This pregnancy question is fairly straightforward. If the new mom is active before the pregnancy began, then there is no reason she can’t continue during pregnancy. Of course using common sense is a good idea. Check with a doctor if you have high blood pressure or want to start a new exercise routine while pregnant. Sweating and raising heart rates is fine as long as it is at a moderate level. A pregnant mom will want to be sure she drinks enough water and avoids places where perspiration can’t occur freely, like a hot tub.

Diet restrictions certainly rank up on the list of pregnancy questions. For the most part, there aren’t any dietary restrictions during pregnancy for a healthy woman. However, experts do suggest eating only cooked meats. Sushi may need to be avoided at this time. Checking to be sure meat is fully cooked would definitely limit some unpleasant problems. It is also a good idea to be careful about ingesting raw eggs and unpasteurized cheeses. Caffeine should be limited. Overall a pregnant woman’s diet doesn’t need to change dramatically for the health of the baby, though some considerations may be needed.

Pregnancy questions are an important part of maintaining a strong, healthy pregnancy. Resources for answers include your doctor, the many books written on the subject, and don’t underestimate the knowledge of other women who have been there and done that.

A key tool in gathering this information is the nutrition label found on the packaging of almost every piece of food we buy. This little label provides essential information summarized to help you maximize your weight-management efforts. Knowing how to read this label is a vital skill that should be part of every grocery shopping trip.

By simply taking a moment to factor in these nutritional facts, you gain concrete, reliable data that can take the guesswork out of your diet. Here, we give you the skinny on what to look for, so you can quickly get the info you need and get going.

Step One – Look at the Serving Size

This is the single most important piece of information on the Nutrition Facts label. All the other information on the list is based on a single serving size, so knowing this size is vital to understanding the rest of what we’re reading.

Consider a chicken noodle soup can, for example. The label says that the soup has 890 mg of sodium, or 37% of the daily-recommended intake for a 2,000-calorie diet. This is not the total for the entire can, it is the total per serving. However, there are 2.5 servings in a single can. This means the can has 2225 mg of sodium, or 92.5% of the daily value. This is the difference between one can being a third of our daily allowance and nearly ALL of our daily allowance.

Step Two – Look at the Categories

There are a number of elements listed, always in a standard order, and again always broken down by serving size. Not every label has every item. Foods made from fruit typically don’t list cholesterol, for example. As a rule of thumb, if the label doesn’t list it, then that element isn’t present (or at least not in a statistically significant amount). These sections typically have a hard number per servings, but also can include sub-sections explaining in more detail.

For example, the categories on our sample soup can include:

Step Three – Look at the Numbers

There are several important groups of numbers on every Nutrition Facts label. Each set of numbers has their own meaning, and can provide a great deal of information.

The first number to consider is typically labeled “%DV,” which stands for percent of daily value. A serving of chicken noodle soup has 15mg of cholesterol, which is 5% of the daily-recommended value.

Notice that these percentages, however, are based on a 2000 calorie a day diet. Everyone’s dietary needs are different, so the Nutrition Facts label has to shoot for an average. If you were an athlete training on a 2400 calorie a day diet, 5% of your daily cholesterol would be 18mg, not 15mg.

This means that while the percentages are a useful guideline, they can only serve as that. More important are the hard numbers of these ingredients, in grams and milligrams. Consult your dietician or nutritionist and establish what your target daily allowance of calories, fats, and the like will be, and then use that information to determine what your percentages are.

Step Four – Make the Info Count

Of course, we need more than a list of raw data when it comes to taking control of our eating habits. As mentioned above, remember that you need to speak with a professional and identify your specific dietary needs before you can truly take advantage of this information.

For example, a diabetic has different nutritional requirements than someone who is simply a few pounds overweight. For the diabetic, the carbohydrates section will probably be the most important, since it includes the sugar content of the food in question. For someone simply looking to lose a few pounds, knowing the calorie content is probably going to be the focus, so they can compare their exercise to their diet intake. Sodium will of course be relevant to those with high blood pressure, and so forth.

The important thing to remember is that this label is a tool for taking control, not a warning list to make you feel guilty about eating. Yes, our can of soup has a great deal of sodium in it, something that should give us pause. That doesn’t mean we have to skip it, it simply means we need to consider reducing salt intake in our other foods for the rest of the day, or perhaps having only half the can at a time, with a piece of fruit as a side.

The Nutrition Facts label is a great opportunity for personal empowerment, because it gives us so much of the information we need, in one convenient place. For example, consider organizing your daily food journal in the same way a nutrition label is laid out. Take some time to examine the labels in your pantry, and find a way you can use this information to help you take control.

Author’s Note: This article also published here.

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Julie J. Price is Director of Weight Management at http://www.HabitChanger.com/, offering effective and empowering solutions for losing weight. Try our 42-day weight loss program for Losing Weight.

Read more articles written by Julie J. Price

The style of the chosen pregnancy calendar isn’t as important as the information it contains. Mom and Dad to be can record the little things like Mom’s weird food cravings and the unusual way her feet got wider. A pregnancy calendar is also a good place to add information about doctor’s visits, the baby’s estimated weight at various stages, and pictures from ultrasounds and baby showers. There are so many exciting moments and events to record during pregnancy.

Some new moms choose to create a pregnancy calendar in the traditional way. It could be a purchased book with places to write and add pictures designed with week by week details about the normal phases of mom’s and baby’s development. Another pregnancy calendar option is to create a scrapbook of the parent’s memories and experiences during the pregnancy. This choice is special because it is completely designed by mom and truly expresses her thoughts and feelings about the pregnancy. The important aspect of any calendar is its purpose in helping the parents to be keep track of their child’s progress and development while making a keepsake for their family.

Another option many new parents are choosing for their pregnancy calendar is to create a digital or online version. Many pregnancy and parenting website offer this service free of charge. Some are equipped to work as a personal web page and allow family and friends to stay current on the latest pregnancy news by visiting online at their convenience. Most can be customized to suit the tastes of the mother to be and can be burned to a CD for safe keeping after the arrival of the little one.

Creating a personal pregnancy calendar in any of the various forms available is a great way to keep the memories of this special time. No matter how hard people try to remember the details they get lost in time and keeping a calendar with all of the special moments is sure to keep them fresh for years to come.