Alternative medicine schools that offer a degree in Acupuncture and Oriental medicine will include in-depth studies in mental health, geriatrics, orthopedics, neurology, women's health, preventive medicine, pediatrics, principles and theories of Chinese medicine, translation of Chinese medical language and terminology, and clinical and practical training in acupuncture, in addition to internship.

Aside from degree programs in Oriental medicine and acupuncture, students may well have further degree options in Chinese herbal medicine. What's more, Oriental medicine schools also extend Associates, diploma and certificate programs to their students in a variety of health fields. For example, if you are interested in bodywork, Oriental medicine schools frequently provide diploma programs in massage therapy, holistic health, Asian body therapy, and Tuina. Some practitioners will go on to specialize in acupuncture or chiropractics.

Similar to regular massage schools, Oriental massage programs usually run about 500 class hours, and involve hands-on training in Tuina and Shiatsu. Programs for holistic health practitioners are typically intensive and longer in duration, and entail added academics in clinical instruction and Oriental medical theories. Other Oriental medicine school courses may include Associate Degree programs in massage therapy, with an emphasis on Chinese medicine theories. Upon successful completion of an Oriental medicine course, such as the Oriental massage therapy Associate degree program, the student may take a licensure exam to become a licensed massage therapist.

For prospective students, there are many attainable certificate and degree options available in Oriental medicine. Your success in earning your unique education depends entirely on you.

To learn more about Oriental Medicine Schools and additional learning programs, search our site for more in-depth information and resources.

Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved by Media Positive Communications, Inc.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website however, ALL links must remain intact and active.

C. Bailey-Lloyd is a former staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. Visit our Natural Healing Directory and find Acupuncture Schools and Chiropractic Schools, Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools and Healing Arts Schools at SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools.

Natural options for men

With women, taking the natural options with regard to breast enlargement require that women combine different methods to achieve “maximum” results. With men, the same principle applies, as men also need to combine different methods, which usually include exercises and supplements. Usually, men who want to grow breasts are encouraged to do chest massages, which can enhance growth in the area. In addition to this, men are also advised to do the massage using serum or creams that are formulated with external stimulating factors and other ingredients like estrogen.

With regard to exercises, men are usually advised to do exercises that would help lift the pectoral muscles to force the tissue and any breast tissue growth in the area to grow outward. In addition to this, doing these exercises can also help round, firm, and tone the chest area, which would give a fuller and more feminine look to the breasts. Usually, these exercises include chest flies, push-ups, and squeezing of lateral pectoral muscles. More importantly, men who take these natural options are encouraged to eat a balanced diet because doing so can create the an ideal environment that is conducive to breast growth.

Nowadays, the options that are available to women with regard to breast enlargement have also been made available men who want to grow breasts. This also applies to the natural options that women take like exercise and taking natural supplements. However, the same principle of combining natural methods also applies to men, which can also help them achieve maximum results.

Breast Enlargement provides detailed information on Breast Enlargement, Breast Enlargement Pills, Natural Breast Enlargement, Breast Enlargement Pumps and more. Breast Enlargement is affiliated with Silicone Breast Enhancers.

Prostate cancer staging conventionally was done by classifying the stages as Stages A, B, C and D. Stages A and B may be curable, and in both cases, the cancer is localized within the gland. In this type of prostate cancer staging, stage C has the cancer spreading beyond the prostate but has not reached the lymph nodes. Some in this stage have some hope of being cured. In stage D, the cancer has already reached the lymph nodes, bones and some other areas. Though the prostate cancer in this stage may no longer be curable, it can be treated for purposes of slowing its effect down.

New prostate cancer staging systems now use the TNM notation. T means tumor, N means Nodes (lymph nodes), and M means metastasized to other body organs.

For this prostate cancer staging system, the T classification has two types: a.) clinical stage, and b.) pathologic stage. The clinical stage is important in determining whether removal of the prostate gland may be in order, though it will not show the extent of the cancer spread. The pathologic stage is determined after surgery and will enable one to know the severity of the cancer ? also, one will be able to have a better impression on how it might fair for him in the future.

Prostate cancer staging systems, whichever is used, provide a general guideline on what to expect at each particular level. It describes the condition of the prostate and the cancer cells in it, the treatment that may work for your particular stage, and the prognosis for your case.

With the valuable information it provides, prostate cancer staging systems will be a useful tool for both patients and doctors alike. Patients will be able to understand their current situation and the specific status of their prostate. Doctors will be able to rely on them to come up with the suitable approach for the patients they are treating.

Without prostate cancer staging systems, there would not be any means of putting meaning of the level and severity of the cancer experienced by the patient ? no reference for appropriate approach in treating prostate cancer. A prostate cancer staging system has continued to be an efficient tool and basis for one?s treatment &amp prognosis.

Milos Pesic is an expert in the field of Prostate Cancer and runs a highly popular and comprehensive Prostate Cancer web site. For more articles and resources on Prostate Cancer related topics, treatment options and much more visit his site at:

=>http://prostate.need-to-know.net/

The colon and the rectum for the large intestine. First, a tumor appears in the colon or sometimes in the rectum, and then it starts to grow, and the cancerous tissue spreads. In time it can reach other organs, such as the liver or the lungs. In its early phases colon cancer can be treated quite easily, and the survival rate for patients diagnosed with stage 2 or 3 colon cancer is over 80%. However, if the cancer advances to the third or fourth stage, it will be really hard to cure it, the survival rate drops under 10%, but there still is hope.

This is why it is important to learn the signs and symptoms of colon cancer, and detect them early in order to start the treatment as soon as possible. The problem is that stage 1 or 2 colon cancer has almost no symptoms at all, and it's hard to detect this disease until it has already advanced too much.

These are the common symptoms that may indicate an early colon cancer or a high risk of developing colon cancer:

-stool that contains small amounts of blood-bleeding from the anus, which appears more rarely, and may just be a coincidence, but it can also be a sign

If colon cancer has advanced, then many symptoms appear. The most commonly encountered ones are:

-pain in the abdomen
-vomiting and nausea
-larger amount of blood in the stool
-change in bowel habits
-sudden weight loss
-thin stool
-stomach cramps
-diarrhea
-fatigue or tiredness

If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above then immediately consult a doctor. Some of them can be cause by other affections, but in either case it's important to seek medical attention. The doctors will perform some tests and clinical trials which will determine if you have or haven't got colon cancer,and how far has it spread.

If it has not spread much then it can easily be treated with a colon cancer surgery, that removes the parts of the large intestine where tumors are. A stage IV colon cancer diagnose is a very bad news, and it will probably change your life, but remember that there still is hope.

For more resource on different colon cancer subjects please click this link http://www.colon-cancer-center.com. You can also find valuable information about colon cancer diet or even about stage3 colon cancer

Saline Breast Implants

A saline breast implant is filled with a sterile salt water solution that is harmless to the body. Saline implants are commonly used in breast augmentation procedures and they have the distinct advantage of leaving shorter surgery scars on a woman's body. There is also some thought that since these implants contain less material which your body recognizes as foreign, your body has less reaction to this type of implant. Obviously this can be an advantage in Beverly Hills breast augmentation.

The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved saline implants for use in breast augmentation. This type of implant is also considered to cause fewer problems on the rare occasions when an implant ruptures. Furthermore, the saline implant seems to be less prone to the breast augmentation complication of capsular contracture, which is the tightening of the natural tissue lining that forms around any type of implant, breast or otherwise.

Silicone Breast Implants

The material within a silicone breast implant is derived from the element silicon that has metal-like properties. However, during chemical processing the silicon is transformed into the silicone molecule that is a polymer that can be formed into a liquid, gel, or rubbery substance.

The FDA has also approved silicone breast implants for breast augmentation, and they enjoy some advantages over saline implants. For example, silicone breast implants are lighter weight and therefore more resistant to the normal forces of sagging over the years. Also silicone breast implants have a more natural look and feel. They are less likely than saline implants to show any rippling or palpable edges through your flesh.

As with any implant, the possibility of capsular contracture remains, and some in the medical community consider the silicone implants to have a higher incidence of this condition.

Choosing Your Implant for Breast Augmentation

The type of implant selected for your breast augmentation surgery will be decided by you and your doctor. The structure of your body and your breast enlargement goals will be assessed by your plastic surgeon and used to make this decision. Right now, saline implants are used the majority of the time. But in other countries, such as in Europe, the majority of patients and plastic surgeons choose silicone gel breast implants. It remains to be seen if this will be the case when people seek a cosmetic surgeon.

Your motivations for seeking breast augmentation are likely similar to the reasons of other women. Typically, women desire a fuller bust or they want to rebuild their figure that has been diminished by pregnancy. Although it is natural to desire the full bloom of youth for your body, it is important to be well informed about breast augmentation as you consider your options before going forward with surgery.

Lloyd M. Krieger is a cosmetic surgeon in Beverly Hills. Detailed information and before & after photographs of Beverly Hills breast augmentation are available at http://www.rodeodriveplasticsurgery.com/beverlyhills-breastimplants.html.

The good news is that the mortality rate, or number of deaths, due to Breast Cancer is on the steady decline. Treatment is customized for each patient's specific cancer. Being an author, I decided to take notes about my treatment should I ever want to write a book about it.

When women think of having a Mammogram the first word that comes to mind is, 'ouch!' or something similar. Unfortunately, until medical science comes up with a better method, Mammograms are a fact of life for women, especially over the age of 40.

Being a person who is usually viewing life on the up side, I found more humor in what I was going through than I ever thought possible. People do not associate cancer with laughter but I hope to change that, to a degree, anyway. Your doctor will not tell you how to prepare for a Mammogram but I will here.

Exercise #1

1. Open your refrigerator door and insert one breast between the door and the main box.
2. Have one of your strongest friends slam the door shut as hard as possible and lean on the door for good measure.
3. Hold that position for five seconds.
4. Don't breathe.
5. Repeat again in case the first time wasn't effective enough.
6. Repeat all steps on the other breast.

Exercise #2

1. Visit your garage at 3:00 a.m. when the temperature of the concrete floor is just perfect (anywhere below 32 degrees.)
2. Take off all your warm clothes and lay on the floor with one breast wedged tightly under the rear tire of the car.
3. Ask a friend to slowly back the car up until the breast is sufficiently flattened and chilled.
4. Turn over and repeat for the other breast.

Congratulations! You are now properly prepared for your Mammogram.

The day of my first Mammogram after my diagnosis was one I will never forget. I entered Hooterville Breast Care Center with more apprehension than usual. When I told her I might be writing a book about my treatment, the technician said she wanted to be called Ginger. I made a note of that. I wasn't sure if we would still be speaking after she was done with me. And, since the body parts to be examined are so personal, I named my right breast, Laverne, and my left breast, Shirley. Laverne was under the gun today.

I have to give kudos to Hooterville for supplying me with an extra large gown even though I told her that, at my age, all I needed to do was pull up my skirt! Then Ginger led me into the room with the Booby Trap. It's the only contraption I know of that takes cups and turns them into saucers without having to sweep up glass. Ginger is tall, pretty…oh, who cares? This is about me.

You larger than tiny gals know the drill. I stepped up to the Booby Trap and introduced myself. He didn't care and we all now it's a 'he.' Ginger pulled out the largest shelf she had and invited Laverne to have a seat. Laverne obliged having had the memory of her last Mammo squeezed out of her.

As Ginger pressed the button on the floor, I knew what was coming even if Laverne didn't. I was grinding my teeth as the top shelf began depressing Laverne into enough square footage to carpet my veranda! She began to spill over the sides and reminded me of that old fifties, 'The Blob.' Satisfied that she could squeeze no more, Ginger told me to hold my breath and don't move. Now I must note here that it was not possible to take a breath because my right lung was oozing out my nipple! And as for moving…well that's too ridiculous to even address. “I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille.”

Several pictures were taken in different poses and than Laverne was released to wait with me while Ginger put them up for auction on Ebay. As we're waiting, I looked down at Laverne and she was as red as a tomato. It took all my self-control to keep from hollering down the hall, “I need a bucket of ice…I'm on fire in here!” Ginger must have found some takers because she returned to take me to the ultrasound room.

I can be flippant about it now because the pain is gone. What I want you to realize from reading this account is that attitude is very important in your recovery. I chose to see the humor in a difficult situation. Because of that, you had a good laugh or two by reading about it. I am pleased to say that I am a two-year survivor and should the cancer return, I hope I will again be able to laugh a little.

More about the author's experience can be found at: http://www.lscoffman.com

L. S. Coffman is the published author of “Cancer…It Won't Get The Breast of Me,” a novel, “Sentenced To Redemption,” and two children's picture books.

Unfortunately, treating metastatic lung cancer presents significant challenges. Since the cancer has spread from another part of the body, treatment not only involves addressing the cancer in the lungs, but also the original cancer and any other areas of the body that may have also become affected. In some cases, if the primary tumor is successfully removed and if the spread of the tumor cells to the pulmonary regions is relatively localized, then the management of the cancer by surgical techniques may do the job. However, if the metastatic lung cancer is extensive, because so many areas of the body may be under the influence of the cancer, certain treatments (such as surgery, and in many cases, radiation therapy as well) may prove ineffective. Which leaves most patients with chemotherapy as the primary treatment of choice.

Chemotherapy often uses a combination of drugs (often referred to as “anti-cancer” drugs) to kill cancer cells, though a single drug may be used as well. While the aim of these drugs is to stop cancerous cells from multiplying, they also can damage healthy cells. This is what creates the side effects that are often associated with chemotherapy, such as the loss of hair, nausea and vomiting, and fatigue. The good news, however, is that the healthy cells will generally repair themselves once the chemotherapy process is over.

Chemotherapy can provide a cure (when the cancer disappears and does not return) or help to control the cancer (to keep it from spreading and perhaps kill cancerous cells that have already spread to other areas of the body, such as is the case in metastasized lung cancer) or relieve the symptoms of the cancer (to provide the patient with a better quality of life, even in the face of a poor prognosis). How it's used in any particular situation is dependent upon the type of cancer, the stage of the cancer, the prognosis, and the plan as set out by the patient and his or her physician.

In addition, there are complementary and alternative treatments. These can include everything from proper nutrition to pain management, from spiritual approaches to natural herbs and supplements. Of course, such alternative plans will vary much the same as traditional treatments, depending on the location and size of the tumor, the age and general health of the patient, and other factors.

Metastatic lung cancer is certainly more challenging to overcome than other forms of lung cancer because the fight against the cancerous cells is not confined to the lungs. And while a cure is unlikely in most cases, in rare instances (usually when the primary tumor has been removed and the spread of the cancer has been limited), the lung metastases can be removed surgically, with a prognosis of long-term survival.

Please note that the information provided in this article is for information purposes only. It should not be used during a medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of lung cancer or metastatic lung cancer. Such situations should always involve the expertise of a physician or health care provider.

David Silva is the webmaster for Lung Cancer Insights, a site dedicated to the dissemination of information about lung cancer, mesothelioma, non-small cell lung cancer, and their treatments.

Breast cancer has the highest incidence and mortality rates worldwide, and it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for women in the United States. While mammography is far from perfect, it remains the best screening tool available for the early diagnosis of breast cancer.

But studies show that about one in four women, forty and older, have not had a mammogram within the last two years. That figure is even worse for low-income women, with 40% admitting that they have never stepped within a few feet of the bucky. A recent study out of New Hampshire revealed that more than one-third of the women in that state who are eligible for mammography have either never had the breast cancer screening test or have not been tested in more than two years (Cancer, September 12, 2005).

This is despite the enthusiastic efforts by breast cancer screening advocacy groups to promote screening and boost awareness (American Cancer Society, May 9, 2005).

Of course, the issue is too complicated to attempt to summarize in a single-shot. Still, breast imaging experts agree that certain broader obstacles continue to plague cancer screening programs and continue to keep women out of screening facilities.

Personal experience

Chances are that every woman knows at least one person in her life who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, treated for breast cancer, or, worst of all, had a breast cancer scare. And if it happened to a friend (or even a friend of a friend), why couldn't the same fate befall her? As a result, many women subscribe to the “ignorance is bliss” school of thought. Getting an annual mammogram would then be akin to actively searching for a problem, pointed out Dr. Daniel Kopans, director of breast imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The possibility of breast cancer is scary enough the process of getting a mammogram only adds to that anxiety, he said.

For a woman who has undergone screening, one bad experience — in the form of a false-positive mammogram or an benign biopsy — can make for a lifetime of aversion, according to Dr. Carol Kornmehl a radiation oncologist in Ridgewood, NJ and the author of The Best News About Radiation Therapy

On the other hand, personal experience can have the opposite effect. “Women who have a family member or close friend with breast cancer are more likely to learn and see first hand the advantages of yearly mammography,” said Dr. Nancy Elliott of the Montclair Breast Center in Montclair, NJ. But if their experience at the radiology facility is a negative one, all good influence may go out the window, she added.

“Women sometimes forgo timely mammograms because of life events such as taking care of a sick relative or losing a spouse. Because women take care of the world, we forget to take care of ourselves,” said Dr. Beth Deutch, founder/medical director of HerSpace: Breast Imaging Associates in Monmouth, NJ.

Dr. Elizabeth Shaughnessy, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the division of surgical oncology at the University of Cincinnati agreed: “Family care issues may be a problem as women age. Women tend to be primary caretakers of their own parents, and spouses. Often, they delay their own care because they are dealing with the care of others who may be sick or dying.”

Referring physicians

Assuming that many women will find any excuse to avoid annual screening, whose responsibility is it to make sure that she still does it? Physician referral for screening has proven to be the strongest evidence why women get screening regardless of age, according to Cheryl Kidd, director of education for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in Dallas.

Still, the influence of a primary care physician (PCP) does have its limitations. Shaughnessy stressed that each generation faces medical management differently. For example, women born in the pre-baby boomer era tend to follow their physician's recommendations before taking initiative in their own care. Unless the physician tells them to obtain a mammogram, they most likely won't. On the other hand, younger generations take a different view of self-care. They are more in tune with their bodies and are more apt to undergo screening tests.

Education is key. A large medical organization may support screening, but if an individual's doctor does not, his or her patient is not likely not avail herself of those services, Kopans said.

Public policy

A mixed message is being delivered to women as to the details of screening. Government and professional organizations advocate mammographic screening for breast cancer, but differ on what age, and how often, a woman should screen. Consumer and breast cancer organizations also offer potentially conflicting information. Some believe that women have been misled about the benefits of screening in women, ages 40-49., stating that there is no proof that mammography reduces breast cancer mortality in women less than 50 (National Breast Cancer Coalition, May 23, 2004)..

The Komen Foundation, as well as the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) recommend screening yearly beginning at age 40. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) recommend screening every one to two years beginning at age 40.

There are various reasons for the controversy in screening. One is that some of the trials were flawed in one way or another, which skewed results. Another is the tendency of the media to sensationalize news which, in turn, influences public opinion. In addition, in the 90s, there was a major cover-up at a government agency ignoring facts and trivializing the significance of breast cancer screening among women in their forties.

So whose advice should a woman heed? “There are no data that, when properly analyzed, have ever shown that any of the parameters of screening change abruptly at any age,” wrote Kopans in a recent commentary. “The age of fifty is completely meaningless and is arbitrary. Although many 'experts' understand this, opponents of screening have not found it necessary to alert women and their physicians to this fact”(The Death of Mammography by Rene Jackson and Alberto Righi, Caveat Press. Ashland, OR, 2005, p. 144).

Access

Mammography services currently face many challenges: it is the most frequently litigated radiology modality not enough radiologists are choosing careers in breast imaging and reimbursement rates are still dismally low. Mammography centers are closing their doors, forcing women to either travel longer distances for a screening mammogram, endure a longer wait time, or forgo the test altogether..

The average wait in New York is 40 days or more (versus two weeks in the later 1990s). In some parts of the country such as Florida, there is a three-month wait for a screening mammogram. Since 1990, the percentage of mammography facilities open in the U.S. has dropped by almost 9%.

“Often it is difficult to obtain an appointment or there is a lengthy waiting period some women may just give up and then forget to make the appointment,” said Deutch.

If changes aren't forthcoming in the reimbursement rates, access will become even more limited, according to Kidd. Low reimbursement serves as a disincentive to the development of breast cancer medical expertise and impedes patient access to quality care, she said.

Lead author Dr. Robert Smith from the American Cancer Society pointed out that “radiologists do not have a patriotic duty to read mammograms or to specialize in mammography (but) from a broad public health perspective, we have a collective duty to women at risk for breast cancer to acknowledge that we may be about to face a crisis and not wait for that crisis to occur before we seek solutions” (Reuters Health, August 26, 2005).

Cost

Cost has often been cited as a barrier to screening mammography. However, the American Cancer Society (ACS) holds that lack of accurate knowledge of coverage rather than actual costs have deterred many women from screening.

Most insurance covers screening mammography and most states have laws that mandate health insurers to reimburse some or all of the cost of a mammogram. Medicare also pays for a yearly screening. But women 65 years and older, and women earning less than $20,000 per year, are more likely to misunderstand their coverage, according to the ACS. This narrows it down to women with higher incomes and better education, regarding of their insurance status.

Matters are even more dire for women without insurance, many of whom don't have access to healthcare or are contending with doctors who offer no advice on breast cancer screening, said Kornmehl said. Their lack of compliance may also be fueled back a lack of understanding of the point of screening.

Some states have set up programs that would reduce, or even eliminate health insurance co-payments in an effort to encourage women to comply with screening guidelines. But that loss of income will need to be offset by someone.

“Unfortunately, insurance companies and the federal government think mammography is too expensive, so women have to make a decision about what is important,” said Elliott. “Is it the hairdresser, the massage, the restaurant, or the mammogram?”

Rene' Jackson RN BSN MS
Freelance Health Writer

“The Death of Mammography”
Rene' Jackson RN BSN MS
Alberto Righi, MD
Published November 2005
Caveat Press

Read the press release, reviews, and excerpts from the book at: http://www.rjacksonrn.com rene@rjacksonrn.com

Having seen all the news recently about Kylie Minogue, and having my own customers who have had varying levels of breast surgery from lumpectomy to mastectomy, I finally overcame my procrastination and went to see my doctor who referred me to the Breast clinic. Thankfully, my appointment came through very quickly. The consultant examined me, and I had a mammogram on both breasts a scan and a fine needle aspiration. All of these examinations were only slightly uncomfortable and any embarrassment I felt was very quickly eradicated by the caring, compassionate and sensitive staff who dealt with me at each stage. We even had chance for a giggle when my breasts wouldn?t fit onto the standard mammogram plate ? I am after all an H cup!

My results picked up the lump I was aware of, but more significantly a group of small lumps I was completely unaware of and that could only be picked up by the scan. However, in my case, the news was good: no need for surgery, no need for treatment, and only a requirement for a regular check up. I know how lucky I am. I can only imagine how other women react at being given their results ? good or not so good. And I don?t profess to be an expert on the subject. My experience pales into insignificance against those ladies who receive worse diagnoses than mine.

One thing that sticks in my mind from my talks with the consultant, the radiographers and the breast care nurses, was that they were all surprised I had left it so long before being checked out. After the event, I am angry with myself that I did leave it so long. After all, what would have happened if the results had shown cancerous growths?

The bottom line ladies, is: don?t wait. Don?t procrastinate. Don?t think you are wasting doctors? time. I certainly did not feel that any person I came across at the hospital thought I had wasted their time ? they were genuinely as pleased as me that the outcome was good.

I have picked up some statistics and self awareness tips below ? copied directly from the UK Breast Cancer Care site (http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk) which I have found very useful:

1. Approximately 41,700 people are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK (245 men).

2. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and accounts for almost one in three of all cancer cases in women.

3. Breast cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death in people in the UK, after lung cancer and bowel cancer.

4. The incidence of breast cancer in British women is increasing by more than 1% each year.

5. Survival rates beyond five years are improving, probably due to increased breast awareness, earlier detection and improved treatment.

6. Earlier diagnosis and better treatment have led to a 29% fall in breast cancer mortality rates since 1989 (1993-2002).

7. It is estimated that around 172,000 women are alive in the UK who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last ten years.

Breast awareness means women getting to know how their breasts look and feel normally so that they notice any change that might be unusual. Detecting a change early means that if cancer is diagnosed any treatment may well have a better outcome.

Follow the 5-point breast awareness code:

1. Know what is normal for you

2. Know what changes to look and feel for

3. Look and feel

4. Report any changes to your GP without delay

5. Always attend routine breast screening if you are aged 50 or over

Nine out of ten breast cancers are detected by women themselves or their partners. Although most breast changes will prove to be benign (non-cancerous) women should always report any concern to their GP.

Changes to be aware of:

size - if one breast becomes larger, or lower

nipples - if a nipple becomes inverted (pulled in) or changes position or shape

rashes - on or around the nipple

discharge - from one or both nipples

skin changes - puckering or dimpling

swelling - under the armpit or around the collarbone (where the lymph nodes are)

pain - continuous, in one part of the breast or armpit

lump or thickening - different to the rest of the breast tissue.

Check out http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk and other local breast cancer support organisations and websites if you are not in the UK.

More importantly, check yourself out and see your doctor quickly if you do find something.

Vicki Louise, founder of VickiLouise.com, offers a stunning range of luxurious, designer lingerie and nightwear especially for ladies with a fuller bust. Gift vouchers and a luxury gift wrapping service are also available.

One of the many explanations for the diverse disciplines being offered at alternative medicine schools is primarily the increased interest in alternative medicine as a whole. Increasingly, future medical practitioners are seeking unconventional health education to explore alternatives through a natural healing school.

Some disciplines that are offered may include holistic medicine, transpersonal studies, ayurvedic medicine, naturopathic medicine, complementary medicine, herbal medicine, natural health medicine, homeopathy, Chinese medicine, acupuncture, chiropractic, oriental medicine, bodywork (massage therapy, medical massage, shiatsu, etc.), wellness, nutrition, and many more.

Students who are in search of a quality alternative healing school should carefully review academic programs prior to enrollment. Logically, one should base his or her decision not only on the field offerings and cost, but should also determine whether the particular alternative medicine school provides certificate, diploma or degree programs.

In some cases, like that of acupuncture, chiropractic and naturopathy, students who have met all requirements for graduation may qualify for doctorate degrees (e.g., N.D., Doctor of Naturopathy N.M.D., Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine L.Ac., Master of Acupuncture, DC, Doctor of Chiropractic). Other alternative medicine schools that extend massage therapy, homeopathy and other natural healing arts programs may offer diploma or certificates to students who have successfully achieved completion of specific coursework.

In addition, alternative medicine schools often provide the necessary education and training to health practitioners who will ultimately need to be licensed. For example, practicing acupuncturists must be licensed prior to practicing this alternative health treatment.

Alternative medicine schools have come a long way and instill a sense of pride in the professionalism and vital research that they contribute, not only to their educational structure, but to the field of medicine as well.

To learn more about Alternative Medicine Schools and additional learning programs, search our site for more in-depth information and resources.

Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved by Media Positive Communications, Inc.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website however, ALL links must remain intact and active.

C. Bailey-Lloyd is a former staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Acupuncture Schools and Massage Therapy Schools, as well as Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools and Healing Arts Schools at SchoolsGalore.com.