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Wednesday, October 20, 2021 - Pike County Journal Reporter - Page 9A
To Your Health
Support groups, resources for breast cancer patients
A strong support
network can help breast
cancer patients navigate
their treatments and all
of the uncertainty that
can arise after a cancer
diagnosis. Many women
undergoing treatment
for breast cancer lean
on friends and family for
everything from emo
tional support to help
with household tasks and
much more. Though fam
ily and friends are often
invaluable to women
during their battles with
breast cancer, sometimes
a little support from
women going through
the same ups and downs
can be just what patients
need to stay the course
and overcome their
disease.
According to the
World Cancer Research
Fund, breast cancer is
the most common cancer
in women across the
globe. The WCRF esti
mates that breast cancer
accounts for roughly 25
percent of all cancers
in women. The World
Health Organization
reports that 2.3 million
women were diagnosed
with breast cancer in
2020. Those figures
are significant, but it’s
important that women
recognize that five-year
survival rates have
improved dramatically in
recent decades. In fact,
the American Cancer
Society notes that the
five-year survival rate for
localized breast cancers
is 99 percent, while the
rate for breast cancers
that has spread outside
the breast to nearby
structures or lymph
nodes is 86 percent.
Rising survival rates
for breast cancer mean
millions of women across
the globe have already
survived the disease, and
many such women play
vital roles in support
groups that help women
every day.
CancerCare is dedi
cated to providing free,
professional support ser
vices to anyone affected
by cancer. All CancerCare
services are provided by
oncology social workers
and renowned cancer ex
perts. The following are
just a few of the support
groups cancer patients
can access through
cancercare.org.
• Breast Cancer
Patient Support Group:
This free, 15-week online
support group is for
people diagnosed with
breast cancer who are
currently receiving treat
ment. Access the group at
cancercare.org/support_
groups/43-breast_cancer_
patient_support_group.
• Metastatic Breast
Cancer Patient Sup
port Group: This free,
15-week support group
is for people diagnosed
with stage IV metastatic
breast cancer who are
currently receiving
treatment. Access the
group at cancercare.org/
support_groups/44-meta-
static_breast_cancer_pa-
tient_support_group.
• Breast Cancer Post-
Treatment Survivorship
Support Group: Patients
who have completed
their breast cancer treat
ment within the past 18
months are eligible for
this free, 15-week sup
port group. Access the
group at cancercare.org/
support_groups/180-
breast_cancer_post-treat-
ment_survivorship_sup-
port_group.
Support groups can be
invaluable resources for
women as they navigate
breast cancer treatment.
Parenting and caring for a special needs child
The day a child is born
is one of the happiest
days in parents’ lives. New
parents understand they
have things to learn and
that there will be challeng
es along the way. Those
challenges could be more
immediate for parents of
special needs children.
Examples of special
needs may include
children with learning
or behavioral conditions
such as dyslexia or atten
tion deficit hyperactivity
disorder. Children with
autism spectrum disorder,
Down syndrome, multiple
sclerosis, or paraplegia
also may fall under the
special needs umbrella.
The National Center for
Education Statistics says
that, in the 2019-20 school
year, 7.3 million public
school students between
the ages of three and 21
received special needs
education services under
the Individuals with Dis
abilities Education Act.
One of the key chal
lenges parents of special
needs children may
face is providing care
and assistance without
making the child overly
dependent on his or her
parents. Another chal
lenge may be carving out
time to decompress from
the role of caregiver.
• Ask for help. Parents
and caregivers should not
hesitate to ask for help
when raising special needs
children. Caregivers must
overcome any misconcep
tion that they will be a bur
den if they seek support.
• Release the bonding
hormone. Researchers
have found that the hor
mone oxytocin is re
leased when one person
experiences empathy for
another, creating a sense
of well-being and trust
between the two people,
according to Active Par
ent Publishers. Empa
thize with your child and
you can work together
more successfully.
• Build on strengths.
Stimulate independence in
your child while resisting
the urge to reach in and do
everything for him or her.
This approach requires
patience. Children — even
special needs children —
need to struggle to a point
to develop certain skills
and become as indepen
dent as possible. Celebrate
all achievements, no mat
ter how small.
• Establish rules and
routines. Rules and rou
tines provide something
the child can expect each
day. This will encourage
a sense of security.
Planning is often key
when parenting a child
with special needs.
How active seniors
protect their vision
Retirement may be
seen as a time to slow
down and enjoy some
rest and relaxation, but
today’s seniors clearly
did not get the memo.
There are many ways
for active seniors to
protect their vision so
they can continue to
get up and go without
having to worry about
losing their eyesight.
• Make your diet
work for you. The
American Optometric
Association notes that a
number of eye diseases
can develop after an
individual turns 60, and
some of these conditions
can be minimized with
wise lifestyle choices.
For example, a healthy,
nutrient-rich diet can
protect vision over the
long haul. The National
Council On Aging notes
that studies have found
that omega-3 fatty acids,
which can be found in
foods like spinach, kale
and salmon, can reduce
individuals’ risk for age-
related eye diseases.
• Protect your eyes.
Active seniors spend
lots of time outdoors,
and that may have an
adverse effect on their
vision. The NCOA notes
that lengthy exposure
to the sun’s ultraviolet
rays can cause both
short- and long-term eye
damage. Seniors should
wear sunglasses with UV
protection when going
outside. Brimmed hats
also can protect the eyes
from harmful UV rays.
• Be mindful of
screen time. Seniors
also are not immune to
the harmful effects of
spending too much time
staring at their phones
and other devices. The
NCOA recommends
seniors employ the 20-
20-20 rule in regard to
screen usage. Every 20
minutes, look about 20
feet away for 20 seconds.
This quick exercise can
reduce eye strain.
SPECIAL PHOTO
Active seniors can take simple steps to protect their vision.
Peanut butter packs
a nutritional punch
A nutritious, well-
balanced diet is a vital
component of a healthy
lifestyle.
Though peanut but
ter may pack a more
nutritional punch than
people realize, it’s
important that shop
pers check labels when
choosing a jar to take
home from
the grocery
store. Add
ed sugars,
vegetable
oil and
trans fats
can reduce
the nutri
tional value of
peanut butter.
Shoppers who
want to eat more
peanut butter for its
nutritional value should
look for products that
do not contain any addi
tives or trans fats.
So what’s so healthy
about peanut butter?
According to WebMD,
peanut butter is a good
source of:
• Vitamin E
• Niacin (B3)
• Manganese
• Vitamin B6
• Magnesium
The fats in peanut
butter also may pro
mote a healthy body.
Oleic acid is one such
fat and it has been
linked to a host of
cardiovascular benefits.
When substituted for
other fats, oleic acid
has been shown to
help people maintain a
healthy cho
lesterol,
blood
pres
sure and
blood
sugar
levels.
Maintain
ing healthy
cholesterol
and blood
sugar levels
and a healthy
blood pressure are
some ways for individu
als to reduce their risk
for heart disease.
Peanut butter may
not be the first food
people associate with
a healthy diet. But the
right peanut butter can
pack quite a nutritional
punch, which sup
ports the notion that a
healthy diet need not
lack flavor.
SHEPHERDCARE
HOSPICE
Contact:
Meredith Smith
Director of
Marketing
678-603-1321
CARE" it s not just our name, it's our lifestyle!
GRIFFIN OFFICE:
1501B Kalamazoo Dr., Griffin, GA 30224
THOM ASTON OFFICE:
201 N. Church St., Thomaston, GA 30286
We service all surrounding counties to each office.
www.ShepherdCareGA.com
City Pharmacy
Of Zebulon
460 Thomaston St, Zebulon, GA 30295
£ 770-567-8844
SEE YOUR AD HERE:
CALL 770-5B7-344B
Monday - Friday 8:30am-6pm
Saturday 8:30am-1 2:30pm
Sunday CLOSED