West Virginia Association for Family & Community Education has received an educational grant from Reaching Out…Raising Ovarian Cancer Awareness in WV and the WV Comprehensive Cancer Program in collaboration with the WV Division of Tobacco Prevention. The award is in the amount of $2,500.00 Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers. In West Virginia, cancer of the ovary is the 6th leading cause of cancer incidence and the 4th leading cause of cancer mortality for women (West Virginia Cancer Registry 1999-2003).
The high mortality associated with this cancer is due in large part to the late diagnosis of the disease, when it is already in the advanced stages and has spread to other abdominal organs. This is why it is called the disease that just “whispers.”
By: Jan Hrkach
Americans love chocolate. In fact, millions of us are admitted “chocoholics.” U.S. chocolate consumption is around 3.3 billion pounds per year, according to the National Confectioners Association. That’s nearly 12 pounds for every man, woman and child in the nation.
But for more than 21 million Americans with diabetes, forbidden treats – such as luscious dark chocolate truffles – are not part of a healthy diet. Many of us believe that sinfully sweet indulgences must be unhealthy, especially for diabetics. Or are they? The good news is that recent clinical studies show some types of chocolates actually have significant health benefits. Dark chocolates, particularly those made with minimal processing, are high in flavonoids, which are plant compounds with potent antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are known to gobble up free radicals – the killer compounds that harm cell membranes, damage the heart, attack DNA, cause aging, and make heart attacks and cancer far more likely.
Pet trusts are becoming more and more commonplace due to the love and concern Americans have for their pets. After all, pets are considered family members, and it only makes sense to provide for your family member in the event of your disability or death.
A pet trust is a legal document that can be monitored by the courts and allows you to entrust money or property to a “trustee” who will be responsible for managing it and distributing it to your designated caregiver for the duration of your pet’s life. There are several steps involved in creating a pet trust—follow these steps and you’ll have your trust set up in no time.
1. Review the laws of the state you reside regarding pet trusts. West Virginia and Ohio are both “pet trust” states.
2. You will need to identify the designated trustee and designated caregiver for you pet; as well as, a successor trustee and successor caregiver who will take over in the event that the primary trustee or caregiver can no longer fulfill their obligation to care for your pet. You will need to the name, address, and telephone numbers of those designated in the trust.
3. You will need to have a way to positively identify your pet, such as photos, x-rays, dental records or microchips. DNA samples are becoming more prominent.
4. Accurately and with as much detail as you can, describe your pet’s lifestyle including play habits and specific care instructions. Specify any health problems and/or current medications along with the name, address, and telephone number of your vet. Request that your trustee and/or caregiver provide regular veterinary check ups for your pet.
5. Determine, to the best of your ability, the cost of providing care for your pet for the rest of its life; including additional money as the pet gets older.
You will also need to be specific about how the money is distributed to the caregiver and what kind of ‘check and balance’ you want your trustee to obtain. You will also need to include the cost of administrating your pet’s trust.
6. Name a beneficiary to receive any remaining money if they are not totally used during your pet’s lifetime. Again, make sure to specify the name, address and telephone number of the named beneficiary.
7. And lastly, you will need to provide detailed instructions on how you want your pet to be handled at the time of its death. For example, burial or cremation. Where you want the pet buried or how you want the ashes handled.
You will also need to specify how you want “end of life” issues dealt with if your pet is in extreme pain or is no longer able to function at a good capacity. The Humane Society of the United States publishes a free estate planning kit, titled, “Providing for Your Pet’s Future Without You” and encourages every pet owner to establish a trust to ensure your pet is cared for in the event of your severe disability (in which case a will would not be valid).
For more information or to order a kit, visit the HSUS Web site: www.hsus.org/petsinwills.
A good source for information on estate planning for pets is the book “All My Children Wear Fur Coats” by Peggy R. Hoyt, J.D., M.B.A.
Women are well known for their love of horses. Once a young girl has experienced the love of a horse, the bond goes on forever. It is a bond like no other bond you will experience in life with an animal. Horses are beautiful animals. They are graceful, elegant and athletic. There is no other feeling in the world like riding a horse. If you’ve never had the pleasure of riding a horse you don’t know what you’re missing. It is an absolute feeling of freedom. People the world over love horses. Today there are more than 350 breeds of horses and there are approximately 75 million horses in the world.
Columbus, Ohio has one of the largest horse events in the United States. Called the Equine Affair, the event is scheduled in April of each year. People travel from all over the United States to attend this event. Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia are “big” horse states. The horse industry in Kentucky is one of its major businesses. Tennessee is becoming well known for its community developments for horse lovers; complete with stables, acreage, and everything the horse lover wants. These plantation style homes with acreage are for all age groups as the common denominator is the horses. Spring is the start of the horse circuit season and is also when new foals are being born. Horse lovers cannot wait until spring! New foals, training, riding, trail riding adventures, horse shows, sporting events, are the upcoming activities that horse lover’s think about constantly.
In this part of the country there is a vast majority of breeds, but the American Quarter Horse is the most popular. However, one of the most colorful breeds is the Appaloosa. The Appaloosa’s heritage is as colorful and unique as its coat pattern. Usually noticed and recognized because of its spots and splashes of color; although the abilities and beauty of this breed are more than skin deep. Appaloosas has very distinctive characteristics. The four identifiable characteristics are: coat pattern, mottled skin, white sclera, and striped hooves. Mottled skin is a basic and decisive indicator of an Appaloosa. This is a speckled or blotchy pattern of pigmented and nonpigmented skin. The sclera is the area of the eye which encircles the iris – the colored or pigmented portion. The white of the human eye is an example. All horses have sclera but the Appaloosa’s is white and usually more readily visible than other breeds. All horses can show white around the eye if it is rolled back, up or down or if the eyelid is lifted. Readily visible white sclera is a distinctive Appaloosa characteristic. Appaloosas have bold and clearly defined vertically light or dark striped hooves.
One of the most exciting things about an Appaloosa is how it changes color. It is not always easy to predict the color of a grown horse. Most foals are born with lighter colored coats than they will have when they shed their baby hair; with the exception of gray horses, which are born dark and progressively become lighter. Most often, a black horse is born mousy gray. Appaloosas that are born with a solid color may change color over time.
The Nez Perce Indians of Washington, Oregon and Idaho became especially sophisticated horsemen and their mounts, which included many spotted individuals, were prized and envied by other tribes. Historians believe they were the first tribe to breed selectively for specific traits – intelligence and speed – keeping the best, and trading away those that were less desirable. The Nez Perce’ tribes inhabited the Palouse River country of central Idaho and Eastern Washington. When white settlers came to the Northwest Palouse region, they called the spotted horses “Palouse horses” or “a Palouse horse.” Over time the name was shortened and slurred to “Appalousey” and finally “Appaloosa.”
Now an international breed registry, the ApHC – along with the Appaloosa Museum and Heritage Center – is located in Moscow, Idaho. More than half a million Appaloosas are on record, with about 10,000 new horses registered and with 26,000 members annually.
Appaloosas are found in nearly every discipline. Setting speed records on the race track, excelling at advanced levels of dressage, jumping, games, reining, roping, pleasure, endurance and as gentle family horses – any of these roles can be filled by the versatile Appaloosa. Their eagerto-please attitudes and gentle dispositions make them a pleasure to work with in any area.
Did you know that Secretariat’s first foal was an Appaloosa? First Secretary, a 17 hand chestnut with a white blanket, socks and a blaze, was foaled November 15, 1974.
Detoxification is a widely used for removing harmful toxins from the body. Although this method of healing has been around for thousands of years and is very popular in Europe, it is only recently becoming a popular treatment in North America. Modern society has created an environment full of preservatives, processed foods, drugs & medications which are very toxic to our bodies These man made or chemically altered toxins are entering our bodies faster than our body’s natural detoxification system can eliminate the toxins. As a result, toxins start to build up throughout the body.
Air purifiers are rapidly increasing in popularity because they make indoor air healthier and cleaner. An air purifier makes your home or your office space pleasant. Many people feel that air purifiers are expensive. While air purifiers can be expensive, you need to remember one thing–they clean the air you breathe. When you ask yourself the value of breathing clean air in your home and your office, the value of an air purifier is quite high. Most of us would have a hard time justifying a reason not to purchase an air purifier at any cost when we consider the health benefits an air purifier can provide.
As we age and experience life, changes occur and one of these is the development of facial veins (telangectasia) and spider veins on our legs. Men seem to have more on their face and rarely on their legs and women primarily complain of leg spider veins. Fortunately there is a solution. We now have laser technology to improve these unsightly blemishes and one of the signs of aging.
How does the laser work? The laser creates a beam of high-intensity light that penetrates the skin and targets the blood vessels. This energy beam is then converted to heat in the blood vessel creating an inflammatory response. Then over the next few weeks the spider veins or telangectasia fades away. We are tricking the body to remove these unwanted vessels.
Rabbits may be easy to love, but they’re s easy to care for. These lovable, social animals are wonderful companions for people who take the time to learn about their needs. Though providing care for these adorable creatures isn’t difficult, rabbits have a long lifespan–more than 10 years–and many specific care requirements. Anyone considering adding a rabbit to their family should carefully research books and web sites on rabbit care before making a decision. Here are some quick tips to get you started:
Every rabbit owner should know that the safest place for a rabbit to live is indoors. Rabbits should never be kept outdoors! Domestic rabbits are different from their wild relatives–they do not tolerate extreme temperatures well, especially in the hot summer months. Even in a safe enclosure, rabbits are at risk from predators. Merely the sight or sound of a nearby wild animal can cause rabbits so much stress that they can suffer a heart attack and literally die of fear. Whether you decide to let your rabbit roam free in your entire home or just a limited area, it is important that you make everything rabbit-safe. One little bunny can easily find a whole lot of trouble in an average home. Because rabbits like to chew, make sure that all electrical cords are out of reach and outlets are covered. Chewing through a plugged-in cord can result in severe injury or even death.
Their chewing can also result in poisoning if the wrong objects are left in the open or in unlocked low cabinets. Aside from obvious toxins like insecticides, rodenticides, and cleaning supplies, be aware that common plants such as aloe, azalea, Calla lily, Lily of the Valley, philodendron, and assorted plant bulbs can be poisonous to rabbits. Rabbits need a lot of room to easily move around. A rabbit’s cage should be a minimum of five times the size of the rabbit. Your rabbit should be able to completely stretch out in his cage and stand up on his hind legs without bumping his head on the top of the cage. Additionally, cages with wire flooring are hard on rabbits’ feet, which do not have protective pads like those of dogs and cats. If you place your rabbit in a wire cage, be sure to layer the floor with cardboard or other material. Place a cardboard box or "rabbit condo" in the cage so the bunny has a comfortable place to hide.
Just like cats, rabbits can easily learn to use a litter box. Place a litter box in the cage to encourage this behavior. If your rabbit roams freely through multiple rooms of your home, it’s a good idea to have litter boxes in several places. Many rabbits enjoy spending time relaxing in their litter box, so make sure that it is of ample size. For bedding (litter), stay away from cedar or other wood shavings, which may cause liver damage or trigger allergic reactions in rabbits. Also avoid clumping or dusty kitty litters, which can cause serious health problems if eaten. Instead, stick with organic litters made of paper, wood pulp, or citrus. Newspaper can work too, but may not be as absorbent. Be sure to put fresh hay in the litter box daily, as many rabbits like to have a snack while sitting in their litter box.
Rabbits have complex digestive systems, so it’s very important that they receive a proper diet. Many health problems in rabbits are caused by foods that are incompatible with their digestive physiology. A basic rabbit diet should consist of the following foods:
Rabbits need hay–specifically, Timothy grass hay. Rabbits should have access to a constant supply of this hay, which aids their digestive systems and provides the necessary fiber to help prevent health problems such as hair balls, diarrhea, and obesity. Alfalfa hay, on the other hand, should only be given to adult rabbits in very limited quantities, if at all, because it’s high in protein, calcium, and calories.
In addition to hay, the basic diet of an adult rabbit should consist of leafy, dark green vegetables such as romaine and leaf lettuces, parsley, cilantro, collard greens, arugula, escarole, endive, dandelion greens, and others. Variety is important, so feed your rabbit three different vegetables at a time. When introducing new veggies to a rabbit’s diet, try just one at a time and keep quantities limited.
While hay and vegetables are the basis of a healthy diet, rabbits also enjoy treats. Cartoons and other fictional portrayals of rabbits would lead us to believe that carrots are the basis of a healthy rabbit diet. Many rabbits enjoy carrots, but they are a starchy vegetable and should only be given sparingly as a treat. Other treats your rabbit might enjoy are apples (without stems or seeds), blueberries, papaya, strawberries, pears, peaches, plums, or melon. Extra-sugary fruits like bananas, grapes, and raisins are good too, but should be given on a more limited basis.
With such sensitive digestive systems, there are a number of foods that rabbits should avoid eating. These include iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, corn, beans, peas, potatoes, beets, onions, rhubarb, bamboo, seeds, grains, and many others. Also, don’t feed your rabbit chocolate, candy, anything moldy, or most human foods. If you are not sure about a certain food, ask your rabbit’s veterinarian.
If you choose to make pellets a part of your rabbit’s diet, it is best to use them as a supplement to the dark green, leafy vegetables, not as a substitute. These pellets should only be given in small quantities (1/8 -1/4 cup per five pounds of body weight per day, spread out over two daily feedings). Also, make sure to purchase Timothy-based pellets. Many brands of rabbit feed contain seeds, corn, and other foods that are too high in calories to be the basis for a healthy rabbit’s diet.
Rabbits should always have an ample supply of fresh water available. Be sure to change your rabbit’s water at least once each day. Water can be kept in a sipper bottle or bowl. If you use a sipper bottle, watch new rabbits to make sure they know how to use the bottles, and clean bottles daily so the tubes don’t get clogged. If you use a bowl, make sure that the bowl is heavy enough to avoid tipping and spilling.
Chewing is part of a rabbit’s natural, but it doesn’t have to be destructive. To keep rabbits active and amused, you may want to put untreated wood blocks or cardboard in their cages. Bowls, balls, and There are millions of successful people who aren’t succeeding on diets. Because diets promise to change your life, then leave you on your own to do it. Weight Watchers ® isn’t a diet. Meetings provide motivation and information that keep you on the road to success. In fact, people who go lose three times more weight than those who go it alone! 1 rings made of willow wood are big hits many rabbits. Avoid objects with sharp edges, loose parts, or soft rubber that rabbits could chew into pieces and swallow.
Rabbits groom each other around the eyes, ears, top of the nose, top of the head, and down the back, so they’ll enjoy it if you pet them on their heads. Like any animal, each rabbit will have an individual preference about where he likes to be touched. Rabbits lack the ability to vomit or cough up hairballs like cats, so try to remove loose fur when you have the opportunity to do so. Simply petting or brushing your rabbit for a few minutes each day should remove most of the excess fur. Some rabbit breeds, such as angoras, have extra grooming needs because of their distinctive coats.
Rabbits need to receive proper medical care, including annual check-ups. It is extremely important that any veterinarian treating a rabbit has experience with rabbits. Make sure that you have a regular, rabbit- savvy veterinarian as well as a listing of emergency clinics in your area.
Spaying or neutering your rabbit is very important. Aside from preventing unwanted litters of kits, spaying or neutering has hea
lth and behavior benefits. Neutering males eliminates the risk of testicular cancer and can reduce aggression and territory-marking behaviors. Female rabbits have extremely high rates of reproductive cancers as they get older, but spaying them can eliminate those potential problems.
When thinking about adding a rabbit to your family, please remember that rabbits are not toys and they are typically not appropriate pets for children. Rabbits are complex creatures–socially, psychologically, and physiologically. They require a great deal of special care and supervision. If you make the decision to add rabbits to your family, please don’t buy from a pet store; instead, adopt from your local animal shelter or rabbit adoption group.
Information from The Humane Society of the United States – www.hsus.org
Facial rejuvenation is almost becoming a household word. Between print ads, TV ads and radio commercials, various ways of facial rejuvenation are being presented to the consumer.
Because of this onslaught, there is confusion, disappointment and, from my point of view, concern. When you are confronted with the latest cream, lotion or supplement with their claims of making you look younger (rejuvenated), how do you sort this out? Trial and error becomes expensive. Then you read about procedures, injectable fillers, and surgery, and another level of concern and expense is added. To either help or add to the confusion I will try to give you a facial plastic surgeon’s point of view. At this point, facial rejuvenation is basically looking younger or better.
The hamster’s friendly nature and adaptability have placed them among America’s most popular small pets. To learn how to fulfill the special needs of these cuddly creatures, follow the suggestions below:
When putting together a hamster’s living quarters, consider the animal’s natural habitat. In the wild, hamsters live underground, emerging under a cover of darkness to search for food. Domestic hamsters still prefer the “night shift”; therefore, it’s best to house them in a quiet, dimly lit room away from drafts, direct sunlight, and noisy animals. An aquarium that holds at least ten gallons and is properly vented is usually suitable for hamsters. A fine-mesh screen will provide ample ventilation; just make certain it’s fastened securely to keep curious hamsters from attempting an escape. Avoid the colorful plastic rodent homes sold in pet supply stores, as they are difficult to clean and offer easy escape routes. Line the bottom of the tank with plain white paper and then add dry timothy hay or shredded white paper for burrowing and nest-building. Avoid using cedar shavings, which can cause respiratory problems.