Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce

by Darra McMullen, Women’s Health Network Writer/Researcher The topic of diabetes is a large, multifaceted health issue with physical, emotional, and financial ramifications for the U.S. and the world.  For the purposes of this article, we’ll take a peek at some of the many ways we as individuals can help prevent the disease from starting or can help treat diabetes if it is already present.             Shortly, we’ll look at a number of ways we can help ourselves to escape diabetes’ grip, but first, let’s examine some of the latest scientific studies that give us new clues about reducing diabetes risk and/or more successfully treating the disease if it is currently affecting ourselves or our loved ones. Recent Scientific Studies:             •  The first and perhaps most interesting study hails from the Netherlands, where researchers found that people with diabetes who were exposed to a temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit for six hours per day had a 43% increase i

Four Important Things Everyone Should Know about Lung Cancer Screening during Lung Cancer Awareness Month By:  Rubina Abrol, M.D. Physician Leadership American Lung Association Houston, TX Every five minutes a woman is told that she has lung cancer, and yet only three percent of women consider the disease a top-of-mind concern. Lung cancer is the nation’s leading cause of cancer deaths, and this year 14,500 Texans will be diagnosed with the disease. During Lung Cancer Awareness Month, the American Lung Association’s LUNG FORCE initiative is highlighting the new availability of a lifesaving tool – lung cancer screening. Part of the reason that lung cancer is so deadly is that many patients don’t experience symptoms until the cancer has spread and developed into late stages, making it more difficult to treat. While anyone can get lung cancer — which is caused by smoking, radon, genes, particle pollution and hazardous chemicals — lung cancer screening with a low-dose CT