Cancer Society

Sign Of Breast Cancer Author: Adam Douglas

Knowing the different breast cancer signs and symptoms can truly help save your life in the future. It is essential you understand everything that can be a signal for breast cancer so you can get treatment as soon as possible. Here are six breast cancer symptoms to be aware of.

Sign Of Breast Cancer

1. Lump

Although most lumps found in breasts are not cancerous, this is the most common sign of breast cancer for both men and women. A lump or thickening in the breast is a clear indication that you should get a physical exam to make sure everything is ok. Often times the lump is painless, but it may be tender or sore from time to time.

2. Discharge from the nipple

You may experience a spontaneous clear or bloody discharge from your nipple. This is often times associated with a breast lump. While this does not mean you definitely have breast cancer, it is certainly a symptom you do not want to take lightly.

3. Change in size of your breast

This is where it becomes essential you are familiar and aware of your body. It can be difficult to notice a slight change in the size or contour of your breast, but this is a clear breast cancer sign to pay attention to. In some cases, the change in size may be much more obvious.

4. Indentation of your nipple

If you notice a retraction or indentation of your nipple, this is not something that typically occurs. You want to keep an eye on it and if it worsens, get into a doctor for a physical exam.

5. Indentation of skin over the breast

In addition to indentation of your nipple, you also want to keep an eye on the skin that is around the breast. A symptom of breast cancer is if you notice an indentation or flattening of the skin over your breast.

Mesothelioma Treatment-Who Are the Members of Your Health Care Team? Author: Bello kamorudeen

Mesothelioma cancer is a very challenging diagnosis to cope with, it puts you and your loved ones under a lot of emotional stress. To help you cope and manage this cancer are usually a group of professionals that constitute most times what you can refer to as your health team. You have to be conversant with the different members of your health team and the different roles they all perform. These are different members of your health team:

The Patient
Your role as the patient is the most important member of the team. You have to be a good consumer by gathering information and asking questions. Following are some easy ways to make the most of your appointment times with other members of your medical team:

Once you know the day and time of your appointment, start a list of questions you want to ask that particular team member. These questions could be about mesothelioma itself, about test results or about treatments you are undergoing or considering. It is also a good idea to write down any symptoms you may be experiencing so that they can be addressed at this time. If there is something you don’t completely understand, ask to have it explained in simpler terms. Above all, don’t be embarrassed to ask questions or request clarifications.

If possible, take along another person who can take notes, ask additional questions or record your appointment for later review. Sometimes it can be helpful to return home and play back what was discussed.

Ask for written material or brochures that can help in making treatment or care decisions . These might include information on nutrition, pain management, support groups or hospice or home care.
Other than your doctors, who could include your primary care doctor, surgeons, medical oncologists, and/or radiation oncologists, you will probably have the most contact with your nursing staff and your social worker. These medical professionals can be your best source of practical assistance when trying to navigate the waters of a mesothelioma diagnosis.

Doctors
Mesothelioma doctors are usually medical specialists of different fields of medicine ,they include respiratory physicians, thoracic surgeons, oncologists, radiotherapists, and pathologists. They all play different roles in the management of mesothelioma, some are involved more in laboratory diagnosis and work{pathologists} while others are involved in other aspects of treatment.

Nurses

All specialized cancer treatment facilities have specially trained nurses who are familiar with implementing the cancer treatment plan initialized by your doctor, and are trained to administer medication, monitor side effects and conduct routine tests. Whether you are a hospital inpatient or outpatient, you can benefit greatly from developing a strong working relationship with your nursing staff.
You may also request home visits by a registered nurse, if necessary. If approved by your doctor, these visits may be covered under insurance. Be sure to check with your individual insurance provider for details.

Social Workers

Social workers are a good starting point for newly diagnosed patients who are overwhelmed by their diagnosis and the many things that have to be accomplished and decided.
There are different types of social workers:
Oncology social workers specialize in assisting those diagnosed with cancer. Most cancer treatment facilities have certified oncology social workers on staff.

Clinical social workers specialize in providing services aimed at family therapy and counseling, or counseling for those coping with a serious illness.

Hospital social workers can help find resources in your local area such as home care, transportation services or support groups, and can also help you understand your diagnosis, your treatments and other care options.

Psychiatrists and Psychologists

Because of the emotional stress experienced by most mesothelioma patients and their families, they might need the help of someone trained to deal with depression, anxiety or inability to cope. Don’t be afraid to ask for this type of help for yourself or your loved one , good emotional health is essential to quality of life.

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in providing psychotherapy and other general psychological services to their patients. They are licensed to prescribe medications such as antidepressants and sleep aids.

Psychologists can provide many of the same services as a psychiatrist such as counseling for depression, anxiety, etc.They are not doctors and they are not licensed to prescribe medications, they can only offer psychotherapy.

Nutritionists and Dietitians

Nutrition is another area that can greatly affect quality of life. Many patients lose weight because of anxiety associated with the diagnostic process, subsequent treatments or the natural progression of mesothelioma. Working with a nutritionist or dietitian as soon after diagnosis as possible is one of the most important benefits you can obtain from your health care team.

These professionals can help you be sure you receive enough calories, vitamins and protein to maintain a healthy weight, as well as tailoring a program for those with concurrent health problems such as diabetes or high cholesterol. They can also suggest ways to minimize the side effects of chemotherapy or other aggressive treatment.
Most local hospitals have registered dietitians on staff, or you can ask your doctor to recommend someone in your area. As with other health care needs, check to see whether these services are covered under your insurance. If they are not, there may be community-based services available in your area at no cost.

Hospice Care

Hospice care is palliative in nature, and provides comfort care by helping to control a patient’s physical symptoms as well as offering emotional and spiritual support. Although in most cases, care is provided at home, there are also hospice facilities that provide full-time care in a hospital setting. You can discuss the benefits of hospice with your doctor, nurse or social worker.

Home Care Agencies

Home care provides assistance in the home with daily activities such as bathing, meal preparation or household chores. These services are usually provided by a home health aide, and may or may not be under the supervision of a nurse. Ask your doctor, nurse or social worker for Home Health Care Agencies in your area.

How to Choose the Best Home Care Service For Mesothelioma Patients Author: Bello kamorudeen

Much of the care that you are going to get as a mesothelioma cancer patient will be given in an outpatient setting, which includes home care. In many ways, home care for the person with cancer is no different than the home care that is given to people with other kinds of illness.

A mesothelioma patient will need help with diet and nutrition, physical therapy, home health aides, speech and respiratory therapy, personal care, emotional support, volunteer services, pharmacy, support from clergy, and other kinds of care.

Also skilled nursing services involving the use of an oncology nurse specialist, who is an expert in cancer care might be available for home care treatment of the mesothelioma patient. Many of these same services are also offered as part of hospice care.

Some of the home care services that could be provided for the mesothelioma patient are:

- chemotherapy

- immunotherapy or biologic therapy (which use different parts of the body’s immune system to fight cancer or lessen the side effects of some cancer treatments)

- blood products

- pain management

- antibiotic treatment

- nutritional support

- anti-emetic therapy (treatment for vomiting)

- hydration (giving of fluids, usually IV or through a feeding tube, for patients who cannot drink enough liquids). These infusion therapies can be given at home by home care agencies.

There are some points that you must consider if you want ton choose the best home agency for your care. You must first of all discuss with your health team to know the types of services you will need. Then you can find agencies that offer those services.

Find out about the accreditation, licensing, and certification of the agencies that you are considering. Also ask questions about your prospective agencies quality of cancer care, the type of experience they have with providing cancer care services, and the skills and training of staff at the agencies you are considering.

There are a number of questions you might ask when you’re looking at a home care service:

Certification

Are the home care providers that you are considering Medicare-certified? Medicare-certified programs have met federal requirements for patient care and management. Home care providers are closely supervised and controlled. Medicare certifies only agencies with skilled nursing care. To find a Medicare-approved home health agency, you can visit “Home Health Compare” on the Web at www.medicare.gov. This helpful tool is listed under the search tool “Compare Home Health Agencies in Your Area” on their home page. It gives you names, addresses, and phone numbers of nearby agencies. You can also look at quality measures and compare how well the home care agencies deal with common health problems.

Accreditation

Is the agency you are considering accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body, such as the Joint Commission? You can look up the agency on the Joint Commission Web site at www.qualitycheck.org. The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates and accredits health care organizations and programs that volunteer for their review. Accreditation is an important measure in selecting quality health care services. You can ask to see the results of the home care agency’s most recent Joint Commission survey.

References

How many years has the agency been serving your community? Can the agency give you references from cancer care professionals, such as an oncologist, oncology nurse, cancer center, or an oncology social worker, who have used this agency? Ask for names and phone numbers. A good agency will give these to you if you ask. Talk to these people about their experiences. You may also wish to check with your local Better Business Bureau, your local Consumer Bureau, or the State Attorney General’s office. They can tell you if complaints have been filed against the agency.

Licensure

Is your prospective care provider licensed by your state?Most states require licensing of home health agencies.

Consumer information

Does the agency have written statements that list services (including cancer care services), eligibility requirements, costs and payment procedures, staff job descriptions, and malpractice and liability insurance? Ask that they send you any brochures or other information they can share about their services.

Higher Incidence of Breast Cancer in City Women Author: Alex White

Typically, breast tissue includes the underlying pectoral muscle, blood vessels, fibrous tissue, lymph vessels and nerves. Does the structure of breast tissue have any bearing on a womans risk of developing breast cancer? Apparently it does. A recent study has found that the denser a womans breast tissue is, the more are the chances of her developing breast cancer.

Women living in urban areas are normally found to have denser breasts, which in turn translates into higher susceptibility to the development of Breast Cancer . Breast tissue which is more glandular shows up as denser than the ones that are fatty on a mammogram. Women with glandular breast tissue are almost 4 times more likely to develop breast cancer than the ones with fatty breast tissue.

To determine the factors that contributed to higher breast density, researchers studied several mammograms from women in rural, suburban and urban areas.

Surprisingly, what emerged from the study was that women who lived in the city had significantly denser breasts that those who lived in the outskirts or rural areas. The 45 to 54 year age group showed increased risk with density variation most prominently.

The study outlines just one of the possible factors that may contribute to higher breast tissue density. Further research is needed to conclusively state that the place of residence contributes to the density of breasts. There are several other factors that also contribute, such as stress, workplace and other lifestyle factors.

Digital mammography may be more appropriate for women with dense breasts. Breast tissue is not just restricted to the chest, but it also extends to under the arms. Screening of breasts for any signs of malignancy through regular mammograms is advised as a preventative measure against breast cancer. The recent study indicates that women living in cities are at higher risk and must have better access to routine screening.

Mesothelioma Clinical Trials A Good Option? Author: Thomas Ajava

Mesothelioma is an insidious form of cancer because of the fact it is often discovered so late that treatment options are simply non-existent. For many people, the only option is to consider clinical trials. The question is whether this is a good option.

What are clinical trials? They are testing periods for new drugs or procedures that may eventually prove effective and be approved by the FDA as a treatment for something. Put another way, they are the process of testing whether a drug or procedure does what it is intended to do. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don’t.

Mesothelioma is a brutally difficult cancer to deal with for a unique reason. The problematic characteristic is it is very hard to find until it is too late for the patient. A person can have the cancer for 10, 20 or 30 years during which it can be treated, but still die of it because it went undetected. Given this problem, there are many different clinical trials going on all the time devoted to Mesothelioma treatments. For example, one related to the Mesomark, which is a promising new blood test that can lead to early detection.

Is it safe to take part in clinical trials? Generally, the answer is that it is safe to do so. A drug company does not just produce a drug and then start testing it on people. It must undergo testing and vetting processes before that happens. Still, clinical trials are undisputedly a form of experiment. The researchers think the drug or procedure being tested will work, but arent sure. This is, after all, why they have not been approved as of yet. The downside is usually just ineffectiveness, but side effects and rarely even death can occur.

Should you submit to clinical trials if you have Mesothelioma? The decision is entirely up to you. A late stage diagnosis of Mesothelioma is very often fatal, so there may be little choice.

7 Important Tips to Help You Find the Best Mesothelioma Doctor Author: Bello kamorudeen

Making a choice on your preferred doctor can be a long process and you should resist the temptation of rushing the process so as to get your treatment started as soon as possible.

Carefully choosing the doctor you need now (such as a good surgeon, radiologist, and/or oncologist) will pay off for years to come. Your relationship with this person will probably last through treatment into long-term follow-up care. These are some important steps you need to take to be able to make the best choice:

1-Make up your mind about the desired qualities you want in your doctor.

Before you start looking for a doctor, think about the qualities you want your doctor to have. A few ideas are listed below, but you may want to add others.

Choose a doctor who has experience with mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer and doctors have better success treating this cancer only if they have a lot of experience with it.

You will probably need a doctor who is part of your health plan (often called a preferred provider) and/or accepts your health insurance. Otherwise, you may have to pay for your health care yourself.

Pick a doctor who has privileges (is able to practice) at a hospital that you are willing to use. Doctors can only send patients to hospitals where they have admitting privileges.

Choose a doctor you feel comfortable with. Languages spoken, gender, ethnicity, and educational background may be important factors for you to consider. You may also have your own preferences for certain personalities and bedside manners. Some people prefer their doctors to have a business-like manner, while others value a doctor who can help with their emotional health as well as their medical needs.

2-Make a list of doctors who might be a good fit

You can also start your search for a good mesothelioma doctor by asking your primary care doctor, usually your family physician to refer you to good specialists in this field. If you know people that are receiving treatment for this type of cancer, you can also ask them for other options of doctors
. Some hospitals and communities also have physician referral services available by phone or online. These allow you to learn more details about the doctors in your area, such as their areas of expertise, medical certifications, office locations, languages spoken, and so on. You can find these referral services through many hospitals by calling their main number or visiting the hospital Web site. Or you can ask your primary care doctor about them.

If you are in a health plan, you can begin by checking their list of doctors. This is usually available online or by calling the member services hotline. You will still want to find out more about each doctor before you decide.

3-Make the first visit to your doctor, call the doctors’ offices and make appointments.

Once you’ve found doctors that seem like a good fit for you, call their offices and ask whether they are covered by your health plan and are taking new patients. You may also want to find out which hospitals they work in and have admitting privileges for.

During this first appointment, ask them how long have they been managing mesothelioma? If they are surgeons ask them how many times have they carried out mesothelioma related surgeries, and what has been their success rates in these surgeries.

After the visit ask yourself how comfortable you feel with the doctor. One way to measure this is to ask yourself these questions after your appointment.
Did the doctor give you a chance to ask questions?
Did you feel like the doctor was listening to you?
Did the doctor seem comfortable answering your questions?
Did the doctor talk to you in a way that you could understand?
Did you feel the doctor respected you?
Did the doctor ask your preferences about different kinds of treatments?
Did you feel like the doctor spent enough time with you?
Trust yourself when deciding whether this doctor is right for you. Keep in mind, though, that relationships take time to develop and you may need more than a single visit before you and your doctor really get to know each other.

4-Find out if the doctor is board certified.

Doctors who are board certified have had extra training in special treatment areas, such as medical oncology (cancer care), hematology (diseases of the blood), or gynecologic surgery (female reproductive system). They have taken and passed certification tests given by doctors in their field. To keep their certification, doctors must continue their education and keep up with advances and changes in their specialty area.
Not all doctors who are specialists are board certified. Doctors do not need to be board certified to be excellent caregivers. Still, more than 85% of doctors become board certified in at least 1 specialty.

To find out if a doctor is board certified, contact the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) at www.abms.org. The ABMS has a list of board certified doctors who subscribe to the ABMS service. You can search for all doctors in a certain specialty by state. Or you can type in the name of the doctor you have questions about to learn about their specialty. Information on doctors who have extra training and certification may also be available at your public library. Ask for the Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialists, or get your librarian to help you.

5-Find out the experience of your prospective doctor

Find out how long the doctor has been in practice. Ask how many people with cancer she has treated. If you are thinking about surgery or special procedure, you may want to ask about the number of these procedures she has performed. How many patients is the doctor currently treating? How many are cancer patients? How much experience does she/he have with mesothelioma cancer?

Along with finding out about the doctor’s experience, you may also want to find out who the leading authorities in the field are. A visit to a medical library may be useful. You can do research on the Internet, too. You can start with us, or go to other respected Web sites like www.cancer.gov, healthfinder.gov, or medlineplus.gov. Look for the names of doctors who have written about the cancer you have and whose work is most often quoted. If your doctor has done research and had it published, you may ask to see copies of those articles at the library. By doing so, you will learn more about her approach to cancer treatment.

6-Find out which hospitals is the doctor affiliated

Where you will get inpatient cancer care is determined by where your doctor practices. Find out where you would go for surgery or other care. Check with your health insurance company, to see which doctors and hospitals your insurance plan covers.

7-Find out if the doctor is affiliated with any medical school

If the doctor is affiliated to a respected medical school it may suggest that a doctor is a leader in her field. Doctors who teach and who also practice medicine often are more abreast with the latest information concerning that type of cancer and they are usually in contact with medical experts from around the country.

Breast Cancer Early Detection Author: Adam Douglas

Detecting Breast Cancer early is a key step in protecting yourself from the dire consequences and risk of breast cancer. There is now some new technology using Infrared to help you do self-examinations in the privacy of your own home. Surprisingly these units are in expensive only about $100.00; the device is called; iFind

The unit is relatively small and not bigger than a deck of cards. It discovers malignant or cancerous tissue quickly and emits a red flash and an audible tone. The process is not too scientific, actually the principles are quite simple indeed. The Infrared light picks up cancerous areas through the detecting of oxygen levels in the bloodstream. The near-infrared beam has no side effects what so ever.

Breast Cancer Early Detection

The unit is over 90% successful in detection in patients who check themselves routinely over a 5-6 year period, however the manufacturers of the unit believe over time they will be close to 100% as they refine the unit. The unit is on fast track with the FDA for approval and could be the answer to inexpensive breast cancer preventative early detection. Such a simple device can be put in a purse taken with on vacation or during travel and it could end up saving your life, ifind is definetely needed in the fight against breast cancer and will assist in the most crucial point and that is early detection. Think on this.

More About Breast Cancer Click here

There are now very strict protocols both for testing and interpreting. Perhaps due to these guidelines, thermography (as with all digital technology) has exploded in its technique and capabilities. Thermal cameras detect heat emitted from the body and display it as a picture on a computer monitor. These images are unique to the person and remain stable over time. It is because of these characteristics that thermal imaging is a valuable and effective screening tool. Tumors or other breast diseases measures warmer than surrounding tissue and can thereby alert a physician to a problem before a tumor is actually palpable.

Finally A Mesothelioma Blood Test? Author: Thomas Ajava

Cancer is a health problem that has been heavily studied through the years as treatments have been sought to cure the disease which kills so many. One thing that has been discovered is that certain cancers can be discovered by identifying markers in blood. This may also now be the case with Mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is often associated with exposure to asbestos. The cancer is rare, but has a very high mortality rate. This is due primarily to the fact that diagnosing the disease can be very difficult. Although it can take 40 years or more to reach the later stages of development, the cancer produces symptoms that are often associated with other diseases. Even at death, many patients are incorrectly diagnosed as having other diseases.

As with most cancers, discovering the problem as early as possible is the key to a successful resolution. For the longest time, this was nearly impossible with Mesothelioma and that led to huge mortality rates. Well, things may be changing for the better. The answer may be the Mesomark.

Medical researchers have found that blood contains some subtle indicators of health problems including cancer. These indicators are known as biomarkers. Researchers have discovered that patients with Mesothelioma have high levels of a biomarker known as SMRP. The test has been available in Europe and Australia for years, but has only been approved by the FDA in the United States since 2007. Independent studies have shown such strong results that it is all but a foregone conclusion that Mesomark will become the screening application for Mesothelioma diagnoses.

Cancer research is frustrating to patients and researchers alike because there never seems to be that one big breakthrough. In the case of Mesothelioma, there should be no mistaking the fact that the Mesomark is just that. Mesothelioma patients have typically carried the cancer for 30 or more years without knowing it. With Mesomark, the diagnosis can be made very early and the mortality rate should drop dramatically.

The Surprising Links Between Sleep, Exercise and Breast Cancer Author: Kirsten Whittaker

Being active, carrying out exercise and breast cancer are known to be linked, with those who are more active having a reduced risk of cancer. But when you’re lying in bed warm and comfortable and the alarm goes off for your early morning workout it can be hard to find the motivation to ‘get up and go’.

Now a new study examines how a lack of sleep might blunt the effectiveness of all that exercise in reducing your cancer risk.

According to a ten year study of nearly 6,000 women led by James McClain, Ph.D., a cancer prevention fellow at the National Cancer Institute, people at the top half of the physical activity levels had a 25% reduction in their cancer risk.

But, if you were a woman from 18 to 65 years old who got about an hour a day of moderate activity yet slept fewer than 7 hours a night, much of the exercise benefit was lost.

Of course this group still had a reduced risk compared to those women who exercised the least.

The take away message is: be active, but get enough sleep or it won’t do you as much good.

The novel research was presented last month during an international meeting in Washington D.C. on cancer prevention hosted by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

The next step for researchers is to investigate the mechanisms underlying sleep and exercise to try and understand the role of each in preventing cancer.

“The important thing to remember here is that nobody was protected unless they were active,” McClain says. “So I certainly don’t think the take-home message is to sacrifice activity to get more sleep. But I think it needs to be more of a conscious thought that both physical activity and sleep are important factors for young to middle-aged women.”

There are any number of health problems that come as the result of a lack of sleep…

Glucose intolerance, imbalances of ghrelin and leptin (appetite regulators), increases in C-reactive proteins in the blood as well as other problems.

And of course during sleep our healing processes are engaged allowing our bodies to recover better from exercise. A good nights sleep also reduces the levels of stress hormones in the body, meaning that psychologically you are more able to face the day and any exercise regime you may have planned.

Getting the right amount of sleep for you gives you the energy you need to be more active and function at peak performance throughout the day.

If you find you’re struggling to sleep, which many people do as they age be sure to practice good sleep habits to ensure you get the rest you need.

The study didn’t make specific recommendations on how much exercise would be enough, but McClain suggest using the government’s physical activity guidelines as a starting point. They suggest getting at least 5 hours of modest exercise, or 2½ hours of intense exercise per week.

The good thing is that normal household chores slot under the modest exercise banner, so you can count that towards your total for the week.

Many women understand the link between exercise and breast cancer, and are starting to increase their levels of activity, but the link between sleep and cancer shines a new light on the need to also ensure sufficient rest is taken each day as well.

The Truth About Green Tea and Prostate Cancer Author: Milton Haslam

Most people don’t realize this, but there is a definite connection between green tea and prostate cancer. The positive effects of reducing the risk of numerous cancers such as stomach, esophageal, colon, breast and oral cancer have been widely documented.

However, a recent Italian study presented at the 96th annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research has indicated that men between the ages of 45 and 75 had their risk of contracting prostate cancer slashed after taking green tea catechins [GTC] for a year. These men were in a high risk group in that they had been previously diagnosed with premalignant lesions of the prostate. This condition normally has about a 30% chance of developing into invasive prostate cancer within one year. The men taking the GTCs had a 3% rate. That is not a misprint, 3%.

"Numerous earlier studies, including ours, have demonstrated that green tea catechins, or pure EGCG (a major component of GTCs), inhibited cancer cell growth in laboratory models," said Dr Saverio Bettuzzi, who led the Italian research team. "We wanted to conduct a clinical trial to find out whether catechins could prevent cancer in men. The answer clearly is yes."

EGCG or epigallocatechin gallate is one of four powerful anti-oxidants in green tea that are collectively called catechins. They seem to increase the number of enzymes that convert carcinogens to inactive, harmless forms. The researchers added that GTCs used an important gene called Clusterin as a mediator to prevent programmed cell death in the prostate.

The research team also said that earlier studies demonstrated primarily that GTCs were safe for human consumption. EGCG was identified as targeting prostate cancer cells specifically for death, without damaging the benign controls.

"EGCG induced death in cancer cells, not normal cells, inducing Clusterin expression," said Dr Bettuzzi.

Although this particular research concentrated on catechins, other studies have shown that vitamin D, beta carotene, folic acid, zinc, saw palmetto and the trace element selenium are directly related to improved prostate health.

One must be careful here. It is not a good idea to start taking large doses of any of the nutrients I just mentioned, including tea. For example, doses as large as 400 mcg/day of selenium can actually be toxic. It is also important to note that many of the antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients work best in combination with other vitamins and minerals.

To use a baseball analogy, I have found that drinking a cup or two of freshly brewed tea between meals along with a well balanced vitamin/mineral/herbal supplement covers most of the bases. I try to touch the others with exercise and a well thought out diet.