Cancer is a disease that, in a high portion of cases, is completely avoidable with proper diet, exercise and healthy living choices (including where and how you live). But for those unlucky enough to be diagnosed with cancer, I found this video that has some promising results. Screw chemotherapy, hello radio waves!

The Bottom Line

The best cure is avoidance.

For those who may not know who Randy Pausch is, he’s the university professor who was told he had only 6 months to live, as such, he decided to give one last lecture to his students. If you had only one last lecture to give, what would you speak about? This is great advice from somebody who has lived a very good life and some of these words may help you achieve your goals in the future.

Lecture’s Key Points

Aptly titled, his lecture is about achieving your dreams and allowing others to achieve theirs, here are the key points from his lecture:

• he grew up always being happy in his childhood, always dreaming about what could be, he was a child of the 60’s while people where landing on the moon when he was young
• dream specific dreams, they help to establish focus and make things happen
• get the fundamentals down otherwise the fancy stuff doesn’t work
• when people stop pointing out to you the things you are doing wrong, it means they have given up on you
• critics that carve you up are actually expressing their love for you
• experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted
• learning that is done indirectly is the most valuable type as they tend to stick with you through life and aren’t as easily forgotten
• you don’t have to be the smartest, most talented nor physically gifted person to succeed in life and lead others
• it’s cool to meet your boyhood idol but even better when they come to visit you because you have done something special
• brick walls are there not to keep you out but to provide a challenge to keep others out (how badly do you really want to achieve this goal?)
• it’s easy to sound smart when you study a subject intensely and ask others for advice
• wait long enough and people will surprise you
• it’s important to realize when you are in a pissing match and even more importantly to get out of it as quickly as possible
• there is a good way and a bad way to say “I don’t know”
• giving people a bar to strive for only does them a disservice, tell people they can always do better then they will, DO BETTER. People will always better themselves at a far faster pace then if you give them specific criteria to be met
• if you are going to be a pioneer in anything, you will get arrows in your back and experience many headaches but it will be all worth it when you look back
• find somebody better then you to give a project you hold dear
• self-reflection is the best give you can give anybody
• parents and mentors are vitally important to achieving a successful life
• being humble is a very difficult habit to build and maintain
• respect authority while questioning it
• never loose your childhood wonder, it’s what keeps your mind young and energy boundless
• it’s fun to do the impossible
• loyalty is a two way street
• actions speak louder then words
• never give up on achieving your goals
• you cannot get “there” alone, earnest people are worth more then any salesman could ever hope to be
• apologize when you screw up and focus on other people
• brick walls show us our dedication
• don’t bail out, the best gold is at the bottom of barrels of crap
• when you do the right thing, good things will come out of it
• get a feedback loop and LISTEN to it
• show gratitude
• don’t complain, just work harder
• be good at something that makes you valuable
• be prepared, luck is where preparation meets opportunity
• if you lead your life the right way, karma will make your dreams become reality

If you wish to watch this for yourself, here is the video of the entire lecture thanks to Google.

After the lecture

As some of you may know, this lecture became an international hit in 2007 after it was given. He appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show to discuss his situation and the lecture, spent a day with the Pittsburgh Steelers to accomplish his goal to play for the NFL and even better, Disney through it’s subsidiary, purchased the rights to his story for millions of dollars, providing his family with financial security long after he is gone. I think the only way to explain this is the last summary I wrote about his lecture, if you lead your life the right way, karma will make your dreams become reality.

The Bottom Line

Dreams are as important as breathing (hint hint).

PS: I wish everybody a very happy and prosperous 2008!

More information about:

• Randy Pausch himself at Carnegie Mellon
• Transcript of this lecture
• Alice Programming Project
• Entertainment Technology Center
• Randy Pausch on Wikipedia

There are two types of lies in this world, those you tell yourself and those you tell others… smokers seem to be experts in both! Caring about their health while smoking is one of the biggest.

Drug addicts are all the same

So far, I have talked to smokers from Canada, United States, Australia, Malaysia, Japan and Korea over an extended period of time and the excuses are all the same. They seem to relish describing how “addicted” or “hardcore” they are. I was talking to one addict yesterday and they where quite proud to say their breath smelled like that of an ash tray… interesting, another from Australia told me exactly the same thing while I was in that country! Here are some fantastically delusional lies you can expect to hear from a smoker (feel free to add more):

I can quit anytime

If this where true, they could quit right now but just try to get enough guts and throw their pack away in front of them… they will run like a squirrel right into the bin to get them. I know… I have done this several times with the same results.

I don’t smoke that much

Sadly, the effects of smoking both primary and second (onto non-smokers) is cumulative. You won’t die right away from emphysema or COD but I wouldn’t want to be a lung in a smokers body after a few decades of continual self-poisoning.

I feel fine

Next time a drug addict tells you that they feel fine, ask them to join you for a hike up a sizable hill… their tune will change guaranteed. The reason they feel fine is because they are use to living in a marginalized body, not because they are actually “fine”.

It helps me keep my shape (slim)

There are two ways to keep your body in shape, one is to exercise and the other is to under-feed it. Sure, smoking is keeping you slim, but guess what, you can accomplish far more by working out and quitting smoking then otherwise. What you are doing is actually starving your body, making it waste resources trying to clean the crap out of the air you take in instead of improving or optimizing it.

My father/mother/uncle smoked till they where 90 years old!

George Burns also smoked a cigar until he hit 100 years old, sure, there are some people out there with wonder genetics but odds are, you don’t have them. Imagine if George Burns never smoked, he might still be alive today! Regardless of how you cut it, smoking WILL reduce not only your lifespan but the quality of the live you live dramatically with time.

Smokers Facing Death

I had a grandfather who I wish everyday never smoked because he died a painful death over several years, his body was fine but his lungs where shot from a live addicted to cigarettes. Now, this week, I got news that one of my uncles, one who saw what my grandfather went through his final years, has been diagnosed with lunch cancer caused by smoking. My grandfather openly admitted that if he ever got a lung transplant that the first thing he would to is smoke and oddly, my uncle, even while at hospital surrounded by smokers slowly fading away, still had the conscience to go… you guessed it right… smoke in hiding! Each and every smokers has to face up to the fact that one day, guaranteed, they will face their maker far sooner then anticipated due to a slow, selfish, purposeful self-poisoning of the very body they inhabit.

Unfunny Joke

Here is an unfunny joke I seem to repeat to myself just about every time I see somebody smoking. What is the difference between a smoker and a junkie? One uses a legal substance. Sad isn’t it… mentally, a junkie is in the same place as a smoker.

How do I treat smokers?

I take my health very seriously, to the point that if I find out a friend smokes, they are no longer somebody I associate myself with. I would honestly prefer to be alone the rest of my life then to spend it with somebody hell bent on destroying their health. There is no sugar coating things, smokers have a death wish but are too much of a coward to get it over with, instead, they drag the emotions of those around them into the hole they inhabit. My only exception to this “banish them from my sight” rule is family but then I try to spend my time outdoors with them as much as possible, limiting exposure to second-hand smoke. Would I ever hire somebody who smoked? Nope, politically correct or not, why the hell would I want to invest my time and resources into somebody who doesn’t give a damn about themselves?

Spiders on Drugs

To some, alright, many out there, this may seem kinda harsh but I live my life by many simple rules, at the top of my list is that if you don’t care about yourself, then I don’t care about you. I do have a very well developed sense of humor so here is something to lighten up the mood on a serious topic. The effect of drugs on spiders! If you can’t laugh at even the worst of things, then the thoughts that follow them have no way out of your head.

The Bottom Line

Reversing a denial is the first step towards a successful life.

The American Cancer Society along with a list of Cancer experts has released a simple guideline that help women realize that they may be suffering Ovarian Cancer symptoms.

What is Ovarian Cancer?

Although the cause is unknown, like other cancers, they are a localized uncontrollable growth of cells, in this case, Ovarian Cancer occurs on the Ovaries which produce eggs and hormones for women. Because there may be very few noticeable symptoms until it reaches and advanced stage, early detection rarely occurs, as such, there is only a 50% survival rate after 5 years! Cancer sure does suck.

Ovarian Cancer Symptoms

Although the old guidelines still remain true such as:

• Abdominal discomfort and/or pain
• Gas, indigestion, pressure, swelling, bloating, or cramps
• Nausea, diarrhea, constipation, or frequent urination
• Loss of appetite
• Feeling of fullness even after only a light meal
• Unexplained weight gain or loss
• Abnormal bleeding from the vagina
• Hair growth, voice deepening, acne, loss of menstrual periods

This list is very generic and can be a host of any other less severe diseases, wasting precious time going down the wrong road. The American Cancer Society recently added the following to clarification to further promote early diagnosis of this treatable cancer.

If you experience any of the above for several weeks (ei: 2+) and it isn’t from a pre-existing condition, tell your doctor right away. I would suggest you be demand him to perform a CA-125 Assay which is a blood test to measure the amount of this substance in your body. If it’s elevated, it may mean Ovarian Cancer is present

Treatment and Prevention of Ovarian Cancer

Although there are no set guidelines for cancer prevention as the cause is still unknown, a good diet, exercise and healthy lifestyle will go a long way. If anything, this will allow your body to recover that much faster if you need to have surgery to remove the growth(s). Treatment options are surgery, chemotherapy and using radiation in various ways.

The Bottom Line

Cancer is an environmental and lifestyle condition 90% of the time, the healthier you are, the better your chances of not only avoidance but also pulling through in top shape.

References
American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org
http://myfoodcount.com/healthylife/whatis/ovariancancer.html

I found out yesterday that my childhood dentist has been diagnosed with colon cancer… I then realized something I hadn’t previously thought about. No matter how impeccable your health is in one area, it’s the one that you are ignoring that will end up getting you.

The Irony of it all

My dentist had the most amazing teeth I have ever seen in an older person, very healthy gums, white teeth and always told me to brush, brush and brush some more. He was the embodiment of fanatical oral hygiene which is a difficult thing to achieve but in hind sight, my reply to him instead of “yes, I will brush some more” should have been “when was the last time you went for a colonoscopy”? His oral hygiene prevented him from getting gum disease, tooth loss and decay but he neglected a far more easily preventable condition that didn’t have to happen.

Colonoscopy

I went for a colonoscopy about a year ago, sure I was 30 but something wasn’t right and I always prefer to be safe then sorry. I was fine btw, what was causing my condition was eating rotten wheat germ for 3 months straight… that stuff smells like feet fresh or rotten! Anyways, after the age of 50, it is recommended that you get a colonoscopy for the prevention of colon cancer every 5 years. I dare say, go every year or two. It isn’t any fun but the peace of mind is well worth whatever feelings you may have and which would make you feel more embarrassed, showing your cute butt to a doctor or telling your family you have easily preventable colon cancer? The procedure is relatively painless and if your good, they give you a lolly pop at the end of it… kinda tough to refuse huh?

What is Colon Cancer (Colorectal Cancer)?

Colon cancer is one of the easiest cancers to prevent, regular screening and a very well sourced, high fiber diet will pay you huge dividends in this area. Although it’s unknown why it starts, like many cancers, part if it is genetic and an even larger part in my opinion is… you guessed it… LIFESTYLE. We take our bodies for granted, they will have the last laugh each and every time. Smoking, diabetes, alcohol consumption, being a couch potato and obesity are all leading risk factors as well. If you have stomach pains, anal bleeding and blood in your stool get yourself checked-up ASAP. Having Crohn’s disease is also a major risk factor.

What should you do if in doubt?

If you never got yourself checked-out, symptoms or not, then stop reading this, pick up the phone and give your doctor a call for a referral. Throw away all your junk food, adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes a lot of physical activity and turn your life around. Doing nothing is the best way to die a preventable early death. Still reading this? Call the doctor!

Realizations

I guess this whole experience made me realize how much WORK is involved in keeping yourself in top shape! Evaluating your general health, creating new exercise regimens, sourcing new diets and getting enough sleep at the end of the day to repeat this all over again the next. In a way, I am lucky because I spend much of my time researching health, constantly being exposed to what happens if you DON’T follow a healthy lifestyle is a great motivation for those days when the bed seems more attractive then stack of weights.

The Bottom Line

90% of ALL cancers are preventable by proper diet and lifestyle choices. Yes, 90%!

References
http://myfoodcount.com/healthylife/whatis/colorectalcancer.html