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| Photo: Getty Images/Neo Vision |
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March
National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month In March—National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month—protect yourself and your loved ones against this highly preventable disease. Colon, or colorectal, cancer kills an estimated 2,300 Hispanics yearly. Talk to your doctor: Starting at age 50, men and women generally should undergo routine screening. Between screenings, check with your physician if you experience abdominal discomfort, constipation, diarrhea, or blood in the stool—some common symptoms—for more than two weeks. And refrain from smoking or excessive use of alcohol. Studies suggest both may be linked to colon cancer.
How we approach nutrition is often the product of our upbringing and sometimes that is not a good thing. The Hispanic community consistently has higher-than-average obesity rates, which increase the risk for many diseases. Don’t lose your battle with the bulge. To find a nutrition specialist near you, visit the American Dietetic Association or call 1-800-877-0877.
Check up on your kidneys. This month, resolve to take care of your kidneys. They may be small, but they filter about 200 quarts of blood a day, getting rid of waste and excess water so that you stay healthy. You’ll probably never hear them complain. In fact, according to the National Kidney Foundation, nearly half of the 20 million Americans who have chronic kidney disease (1 out of 8 being Hispanic) don’t even know it. That’s because early kidney disease has no symptoms. Most people don’t realize anything is wrong until their kidneys are about to fail, and by then the damage is usually irreversible. The only way to find out if you have kidney disease is to get evaluated through simple tests. So talk to your doctor about kidney disease and, at your next appointment, ask to be tested.
Learn something new about your brain. Your brain is one of the most complex structures we know of. To celebrate Brain Awareness Week (March 12-18), make a commitment to keeping your brain in shape by learning something new— take a class, memorize a poem, start doing the crossword puzzle.
Updated: October 2006 These links are provided for informational purposes only. AARP does not endorse, and has no control over, or responsibility for, the linked sites or the content, advertisements, materials, products, or services available on or throughout these sites. |
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