No professional knows your body as well as you. That is why every person should develop a routine of watching for bumps and moles. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends a full-body self-examination every three months. Here is their handy A-B-C-D (Assymetry, Borders, Color and Diameter) checklist to help you monitor all your marks and moles.

            You will need a full length mirror and a hand-held mirror in a room with very good lighting. Spot your marks and moles and become familiar with them. Watch for any changes using following checklist:

Assymetry        Both sides of mole have a uniform shape.

Border            The edges of a mole should be smooth and not blurred or ragged.

Color.              Tan, brown and dark brown are normal colors for moles. A very dark mole or one that has changed color is not normal. Red, white, blue and black are not normal colors for moles.

Diameter          Be suspicious of moles that are larger than ? of an inch in diameter or ones that are increasing in size.

            In short, watch your “spots” and listen to those sometimes annoying voices inside your head. An over active sixth sense has alerted many “would be” cancer victims to trouble which has ultimately prevented serious consequences. If you do spot something that looks suspicious, do not allow denial to stop you. Of course, and thankfully, not every lump and bump will be potentially malignant. But, if your doctor is alerted, he or she along with you, can begin to monitor any changes over time. Finally, make sure that you are confident in your doctor’s diagnostic capacity. You should not discount a professional who can not diagnose something upon first glance. But, you should rejoice if you find that you are in care of one who believes, “When in doubt, check it out!” and promptly sends you off to another professional for a second opinion.

            Today, cancer is a very real and very nasty part of our reality. It will affect you or someone close to you at some point in this life journey. It is vitally important to realize that every person can take steps to facilitate early diagnosis. While this will not always guarantee a cancer free life, it certainly is a great asset in fight against a very real killer.

Valerie Harker graduated from the University of Alberta with a BED. Melanoma is a skin disease that has run in Valerie’s family and has opened her eyes to the need for education and preventive treatment in skin care. For more information you can visit her site at: http://www.dna-repair-solutions.com

Because it protects our cells by attacking external poisons, levels of L-Glutathione in our blood have potential to significantly impact our overall health. Studies have demonstrated that administration of L-Glutathione is extremely effective in treated diseases such as Hepatitis. It has also been shown to be a key player in regeneration of liver, and to combat cirrhosis. The compound is useful in treating jaundice and protects brain and body tissues in event of poisoning. In addition, level of tissue damage from Carbon Monoxide, Hydrogen Sulfide, heavy metals, pesticides, and environmental poisoning has been demonstrated to be significantly lower with adequate L-Glutathione in blood stream. Finally, side effects of chemotherapy and growth of cataracts have been demonstrated to be significantly reduced with addition of L-Glutathione.

So what does all of this mean? Essentially, it is time to supplement your diet with L-Glutathione or proteins that help your body make more of this essential nutrient. Although L-Glutathione is readily made by your body, supplementation with it and its precursors may increase your overall level of protection. Glutathione and its precursors, Cysteine, Glycine and L-Glutamic Acid, are all readily available as food supplements in your local health food store. In addition to eating a healthy and balanced diet, supplementation with Glutathione and its constituents can only help to increase your overall level of health, and may even slow down process of growing old.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

About Barrett Niehus