Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancer in women. About 1 in 8 women born today in the United States will get breast cancer at some point. The good news is that most women can survive breast cancer if it’s found and treated early. A mammogram – the screening test for breast cancer – along with self-exams, can help find breast cancer earlier.
The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign is a chance to raise awareness about the importance of and the simplicity of finding breast cancer early. Make a difference! Spread the word about mammograms, and encourage communities, organizations, families, and individuals to get involved.
There are many ways to encourage others to participate in making others awareness. Whether it be wearing pink on designated days or simply sharing a pink heart on social media…find a way to make a difference. Remind family and friends to keep their medical appointments, provide information on local screenings, and be aware of how to perform self-breast exams…
~While In the Shower
Using the pads of your fingers, move around your entire breast in a circular pattern moving from the outside to the center, checking the entire breast and armpit area. Check both breasts each month feeling for any lump, thickening, or hardened knot. Notice any changes and get lumps evaluated by your healthcare provider at the soonest opportunity.
~When In Front of a Mirror
Visually inspect your breasts with your arms at your sides. Next, raise your arms high overhead. Look for any changes in the contour, any swelling, or dimpling of the skin, or changes in the nipples. Next, rest your palms on your hips and press firmly to flex your chest muscles. Left and right breasts will not exactly match—few women’s breasts do, so look for any dimpling, puckering, or changes, particularly on one side.
~While Lying Down
When lying down, the breast tissue spreads out evenly along the chest wall. Place a pillow under your right shoulder and your right arm behind your head. Using your left hand, move the pads of your fingers around your right breast gently in small circular motions covering the entire breast area and armpit. Use light, medium, and firm pressure. Squeeze the nipple; check for discharge and lumps. Repeat these steps for your left breast.
Think Pink Grapefruit Cupcakes
Ingredients
~2 cups all-purpose flour
~3 teaspoons baking powder
~1/2 teaspoon salt
~3/4 cup unsalted butter
~1 1/3 cups granulated sugar or Splenda for diabetics
~4 large eggs
~1 cup 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
~1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
~4 tablespoons pink grapefruit zest
Frosting
~1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, chilled
~4 cups powdered sugar or “Swerve” for diabetics
~1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
~1 teaspoon pink grapefruit zest and 2 teaspoons pink grapefruit juice
~2 drops red food coloring
How to Make It
~Preheat oven to 350°.
~To make cupcakes, combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
~Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs; mix until smooth. Add half of flour mixture, and combine; repeat with remaining flour mixture. Add yogurt and vanilla; blend at low speed. Blend in zest. Scoop dough into 48 mini baking cups (about 2/ 3 full); bake until tops spring back when touched lightly in center (about 10 minutes). Remove from oven; cool completely.
~To make frosting, place cream cheese in a medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, grapefruit zest, and grapefruit juice; beat until smooth.
~Divide the frosting into 2 bowls. Add food coloring to 1 bowl; mix with a spatula until frosting is light pink. To frost, place a dollop of frosting on top, and swirl. Put frosting in a piping bag with a large round tip (or use a zip-top plastic bag with a corner cut off), and pipe a large dollop on top of each cupcake. Then use another bag with a smaller tip and a different color frosting to make a “bull’s-eye” on top of each dollop.
By: Tonya Payne