Category Archives: Health

Cervical Screening Awareness Week

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It’s been a while since I have written a women’s health post on Florenec Finds and as it’s Cervical Screening Awareness Week, now seemed like an excellent time to talk about one of those things we all probably dislike doing and might even put off. I’m going to write this in a Q&A style post and I’d love you to both spread the word and get involved if you have any questions – I’ll do my best to answer them throughout the day.

What is a Cervical Smear?
The ‘smear test’ is an examination for women in which cells are taken from the surface of the cervix and examined under the microscope. It is looking for any changes in the cells which may be pre-cancerous and enables early treatment or monitoring. As the cervix is hidden away at the top of the vagina, the test is done using an instrument called a speculum which holds open the vaginal walls for a better view of the cervix.

Who needs one?
All women, (that includes lesbians, nuns, people who have never been sexually active, those who have always used condoms etc etc.) over the age of 25 should have a smear. In normal circumstances it needs repeating every 3 years, but this may change if there is an abnormality. It will never be less frequent until you are over 50, when the tests become 5 yearly and stop at age 65.

Why should I have one?
Smear tests are looking for PRE-cancerous cells – that is cells that are showing signs of changing and that could potentially become cancerous. This is a golden opportunity to prevent cervical cancer ever occurring and potentially save your life.

What if they find a problem?
If abnormal cells are spotted on a smear test (under the microscope – pre-cancerous cells can’t be seen with the naked eye, but other problems can be,) they are separated into different ‘grades’ of severity and the treatment is arranged accordingly. In the most mild cases, it may simply require observation and a repeat smear in 3-12 months. This is because some changes that are seen on smear tests can go back to normal by themselves. Most abnormal findings however require a colposcopy – a test that is often done in hospital where in a similar way to how the smear is first done, the cervix is examined, and a special stain is applied to see if there are any problem cells. They are then sometimes frozen or burned off or cut out. That’s about as pleasant as it sounds but is a small procedure, relatively quick and should solve the problem.

Can I get a smear when I’m pregnant?
No. You can’t have a smear whilst pregnant or for 3 months afterwards as the cervix changes and the results are unreliable. When you’re 3 months post-natal, the cervix has settled down and you can book in. If you are due a smear whilst pregnant, it is perfectly safe to defer it until 3 months after having your baby.

Is there a ‘best’ time to have it?
They say that mid cycle is the best time to have a smear but it really doesn’t matter. If you’re bleeding then the cell sample is often inadequate so avoid your period.

I went to the GP with a female problem and he/she didn’t do a smear. Should they have done?
A smear is not a diagnostic test, just a screening test, so if you are being investigated for a problem it won’t be part of the tests a doctor or nurse does on you. If your symptoms are suggestive of cervical cancer you will be directly referred for a closer look with a colposcopy. You might find however that if you go for another problem that requires a speculum examination and you are due a smear, that the doctor will take the opportunity to get it done at the same time. If you have had a normal smear within the last 3 years, it is very unlikely that you could have a serious cervical problem.

What’s the science behind it?
The reason smear tests are useful is that it takes many years (between 10 and 20,) for cells to change from normal cells into a cancer cell, and they go through many stages on the way. If we can catch them before that, we can offer treatment to prevent the cancer.

Cervical cancer is caused by HPV16 and 18 (2 strains of Human Papilloma Virus or the common wart virus) and it is passed on through sex. This is not the same virus strain that causes genital warts. There are also some rarer forms of cervical cancer that are not related to HPV. Increasingly now smear tests also look for HPV – the virus often clears itself, but in some women it causes changes called CIN (Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia,) which can go on to turn into cervical cancer. HPV infection doesn’t guarantee you will develop pre-cancerous cells or cancer, but it makes the risk much more likely. You may have heard of or received the cervical cancer vaccine – it is actually against HPV.

I think that’s all for now and I suspect I am preaching to the converted. I hope many of you have had your first smear already but knowing how easy it is to forget, (I have done!) move house and not get the invitation, or just put it off, I thought it was worth reminding you all. Once again if there are any questions, just shout. Even if it’s something silly that you never wanted to ask your GP. ;)

Love,
Rebecca
xo

More Resources:

Disclaimer: This article was compiled using my knowledge and day to day practice. Although written by a qualified GP, this article does not substitute you attending your own GP and should not be used for individual medical advice. No liability can be accepted for decisions made on the strength of information contained here or elsewhere on Florence Finds.

#JanuaryJoy – Family Planning

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A while back, following one of the medical posts I have written, a reader who shall remain nameless ;) wrote to me and asked me to do a pre-conception post. I think a lot of women skip that pre-natal trip to the GP to ask advice before they get pregnant as so much is freely available on the internet and they feel they might be wasting our time. In fact nothing is more important than staying healthy and never more so than when creating a new life.


Image Credit: Baby Space

This isn’t intended to freak anybody out, nor to make those who simply got on with it and got pregnant feel bad. I figured that 2013 might well be the year that many of you have decided will be the year you’ll try to get pregnant, so thought this might be useful to stash away and read when the time comes. I won’t be covering getting pregnant as if you’re struggling that’s definitely one for your GP, and if you’re not then, well, I guess you knew what to do ;)

So here’s my check list of things to think about both from a health and sensible point of view.

1. Take Folic Acid
Number One on any pre-conception list has to be Folic Acid. Taking 400mcg of Folic Acid daily from the day you decide to start trying (all pregnancy vitamins contain the correct amount, or you can buy it alone,) will help prevent neural tube defects, or Spina Bifida. You might not think it’s important, but Scotland saw a nasty rise in Spina Bifida births in recent years when folic acid usage took a dip. The neural tube is the part of the baby that forms the spinal cord and surrounding structures and as the foetus develops it arises from the cells folding around the developing cord. This takes place from conception to 12 weeks, and if it doesn’t happen properly can cause problems below the level of the defect (with the bladder, bowels or legs for example) and babies born with deformities in their back. All these things can often be corrected but prevention is better than cure, especially as most people don’t know they’re pregnant until 4-6 weeks. It’s never too late to start taking folic acid if you find out you’re pregnant and haven’t been taking it, but it’s better even if you think there’s an outside chance of an accident happening to be covered all the same. (NB! Women with some conditions such as epilepsy are recommended to take a higher dose of 5mg daily – check with your GP if you are unsure.)

Now we have covered my number one issue, onto the other stuff.

2. Get in shape.
To give yourself the best possible chance of pregnancy you need to be fit and healthy, which also gives you a head start on enjoying your pregnancy. If you’re overweight, think about trying to shift a few pounds as obesity makes a pregnancy higher risk and can affect your chances of getting pregnant in the first place too. Whether you stop drinking entirely is up to you, but reducing your alcohol intake to an occasional glass won’t hurt and if you smoke it goes without saying, just stop.

3. Review your medications.
Plenty of medications are fine to take in pregnancy and often we have to weigh up the pro’s of mum being happy and healthy against the possible risks to the baby, but some are not, including anti-depressants, anti-epileptics and acne treatments. Unsurprisingly there is always a lack of evidence for drug use in pregnancy as nobody tests drugs on pregnant women, so the advice will often be to stop if you can. In the case of essential drugs however like anti-epileptics, it’s often just a matter of switching to a baby friendly variety in good time before you get pregnant. Diabetics should also see their GP prior to trying to concieve.

4. Get your cervical smear.
You can’t have a smear early, (and don’t forget you’re due one every three years from the age of 25,) but you also can’t have one when you’re pregnant, or for 3 months after having a baby as the cells the test samples are different due to the hormones of pregnancy. If you’re trying and a reminder comes through, don’t delay!

5. Lastly, check you are up to date with your jabs.
Once pregnant you will be offered (correct at time of posting, Jan 2013,) a flu jab and whooping cough vaccine. However your immune system is slightly suppressed whilst pregnant and catching some diseases like rubella or measles can seriously damage an unborn baby. We’re seeing a big risk in incidence of these diseases due to the fear over MMR vaccines some years ago now. If you aren’t sure if you have been vaccinated, check with your GP and get up to date.

One last thing. You may not be ready to try for a baby yet but if it’s on the cards in the next few years you might want to re-think your contraceptive choices. Especially if you’re a little older, it pays to be able to start trying as soon as possible from when you discontinue your chosen contraceptive, so you want one that’s immediately reversible rather than taking ages for your fertility to return. The main one to watch out for is the Depo Provera contraceptive injection. This can take several months to fully leave the system before your fertility comes back and you start ovulating again, so I don’t recommend it for women thinking of having a family in the next 12-24 months, or even between babies, unless you’re happy to deal with a long wait. When coming off the pill your periods can take a few months to settle into a normal pattern but it’s not a widely recognised problem. The coil, Mirena or IUS and implant are all immediately reversible.

Do let me know if this was useful and of course, remember, reading this is no substitute for a chat with your GP – we really enjoy seeing people for chats like this – it’s our job! Now I’d love to hear if any of you have been thinking about getting ready for trying, or if you’re already a mum or pregnant, how did you prepare? (Feel free to write anonymously if you want to stay private.)

Happy weekend readers!

Love,
Rebecca
xo

#JanuaryJoy – Try a new Exercise class

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There are a few things that are traditional to January… healthy eating, trying to lose weight after Christmas excesses and most of us feel compelled to try and get fit again. Last January saw me starting BMF classes – in fact my first class was on the third of January 2012. At the time I was looking for a cost effective way of exercising that I could do outside and that I would enjoy. Pete plays football 2-3 times a week and I wanted to ditch the gym as I was never going, but I couldn’t vouch for my safety running alone at night, or my motivation to keep it up.


Image Credit

I totally got the bug and although there were times I let it slip for a week or two, or weeks when I was on holiday, I managed to attend over 60 classes last year and that’s even despite the fact I barely went in November and December. For those of you who don’t know much about it, it’s group exercise outdoors, in all weather, at parks across the UK – near cities where it’s hard to exercise outside. You don’t have to be a fitness guru to attend and it’s not at all sadistic. Instructors are all ex-military and amongst the most supportive and motivational people I have met – they really know how to make you keep going. Classes are intense but as a result they go really quickly, and the effort you make starts to pay off really fast, spurring you on further. If you would like to read more about my experience of British Military Fitness, you can click through here – it’s no-where near as scary as it sounds! And if you fancy having a go, try a free class!

This year, I have a different fitness objective. 2012 was all about getting physically fit, strong, increasing my resistance and stamina. In 2013, I’m aiming for a more holistic approach. I’m keeping up my BMF classes but I’m going to add in some Yoga classes. This is partly a need – I’ve never been particularly bendy, but the strength work at BMF means I am permanently tight. It’s about more than fitness though. Yoga is something I have dipped in and out of for years with several longer spells of regular classes. I know enough Astanga yoga now to be able to run through a short sequence by memory and I’m always left with the most incredible feeling of well being.

Last year was busy and stressful at times, I certainly didn’t get much time for reflection or quiet contemplation. In short, there wasn’t much ‘me time’. So this year I’m going to try and attend a yoga class here and there, but more frequently to practise at home – I have a brilliant DVD Jayne Middlemiss: Love Yoga (don’t be put off by Jayne Middlemiss – she just does the yoga in the background!) which has 2 workouts for different levels of experience and my goal is to work up to the harder one this year.

Now it’s over to you… have you any plans to improve your fitness or goals you want to achieve? Or will you be looking for a more holistic approach like me this year?

Love,
Rebecca
xo

#JanuaryJoy – Overhaul your Skincare

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January is a time for fresh starts, clean slates and good intentions. I don’t know about you but I’m always in need of a kick up the behind when it comes to skin care and I can’t think of a better time than now, when I’m feeling motivated and thinking about all the events I have coming up this year that I want my skin to be glowing for.

In a moment I’m going to share my skin care resolutions and I’d love to hear yours. As with so many of the #JanuaryJoy prompts, just writing something down makes me feel much more committed to the idea and it’s fab sharing tips and thoughts with you all.


Image of and credited to Keiko Lynn

First though, I want to update you all on something I have been doing for my skin for a while now. Back in June I wrote 2 posts on Adult Acne… One busting the myths and encouraging you all to seek treatment if you need it, instead of putting up with less than perfect skin and a second detailing the acne treatments you might be offered. At the time, my skin had been particularly troublesome. Barely a day went by that I didn’t get a new red lump under my skin and whilst they were easily coverable with make-up, who wants to have to do that everyday? The spots were also leaving areas of increased pigmentation behind and after looking back at some honeymoon photos of ours, (when I had been on treatment for spots) I realised how good my skin had been and how I had really just got used to the spots, kidding myself when I had a good few days that it wasn’t that bad. Don’t get me wrong, I was by no means acne-ridden, but I certainly fell into one of the categories of women who I was trying to target in those posts – Living with acne and not feeling like I really warranted medical treatment for it.

Fast forward 6 months and after 5-6 months of treatment, my skin is massively improved. I barely get a spot now and if I do they are much less significant. My skin tone is also so much better. All the pigmentation I was worried about has almost completely faded and apart from my desert island beauty item of blusher to brighten up my monotone skin, I’m happy to go completely barefaced any time, any where. (Here I am, doing just that.)

I’m so glad I went back to my GP (GP’s have their own GP too!) and got it sorted out. As with all my other skin care tips I wanted to remind you, if one of your resolutions this year is to sort your skin out, before forking out on expensive cosmetics and skincare, go back and read those posts and think about whether you actually need professional help. (It was interesting to note, even after writing those posts, that when I tweeted about how much my skin had improved yesterday, everyone was hoping I would reveal a miracle cosmetic product.)

Ok, so skin sorted, what am I focusing on this year when it comes to my skin?

  1. My devotion to Eve Lom is unwavering but my laziness seriously gets in the way of maintaining her regime. I’m going to try my very best not to fall into bed without taking my make up off and at the very least, keep some make-up remover wipes in my bedside to use if tiredness gets the better of me.
  2. Now I’ve turned thirty, I feel like it’s time to start thinking more seriously about anti-aging products. I’m not entirely convinced any anti-aging product actually works but I am going to endeavour to apply my eye cream at night and to moisturise my neck too.
  3. On the same note, I’m going to start the search for a super-serum to improve my skin and at the very least hydrate it better.

So let’s hear your thoughts now. What are your skin care resolutions? Did you visit your GP after reading my Adult Acne posts and have you seen a difference? Or has this post made you realise now is the time?

Here’s to your best skin ever in 2013!

Love,
Rebecca
xo

PS. Here are those Acne posts if you want to re-read.

#JanuaryJoy – Dry January

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The health service is full of health initiatives, I should know – each new one brings a slew of patients worried about the recently highlighted health issue. There was Stop-tober (Stop Smoking) recently and this month Alcohol Concern is promoting Dry January and Cancer Reaserch is simultaneously running Dryathalon and using it as a fundraising opportunity.


Image credit

So time for a tough question. Do you ever feel like you drink too much? I definitely drink less than I used to (in the Uni years for example!) but the festivities seem like a never ending marathon of drinks and overindulgence. When the party season isn’t in full swing it’s all too easy to unwind after a busy or stressful day at work by heading straight for the fridge and pouring a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

So until 25th of January (when we’re planning a weekend away for Pete’s birthday) and with the exception of next Saturday when I have an annual Black Tie event to attend, I’m staying off the hard stuff, the bubbly stuff, the lot. I know it’s not the whole month, but it’s what will work for me and a good start.

For me this is about health. Cutting out alcohol not only cuts out the calories it contains but hopefully is going to seriously help my will power when it comes to making healthier food choices. You see, put a drink in my hand and I suddenly lose all ability to make sensible choices when it comes to food. For me, a drink goes with nibbles, olives maybe or some bar snacks. Then I’m hungry, and I go for a burger or the cream sauce pasta instead of a healthier choice. That’s before I even get to the dessert menu.

So who’s with me? I’m hoping cutting out alcohol is going to make me feel fitter and brighter. No hangover at the weekend and a healthier start to the New Year. I’d love to hear what your attitude to alcohol is – have you ever given up the booze for a short period like this or wanted to do it? Let’s raise a glass (of tonic, hold the gin,) to Dry January.

Love,
Rebecca
xo

#BeYourPersonalBest [Part 3]

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Last week, amidst the other swimmers in the pool, it suddenly struck me that triathlon is a real challenge. When I started this Be Your Personal Best challenge, I was pretty fit, after months of BMF classes and I was feeling pretty smug when I had my gym induction and tore up the treadmill with my usual activity of running. The cycling was harder, definitely harder, and then last week came the swimming. As I did my lengths I realised that doing all three back to back was going to be even harder. And it’s going to be even harder on my holiday!

You know what though? I think I’m getting the bug all over again. Being fit is addictive. Before this year, I never missed exercise, even when I did it regularly, now 2 or 3 days go past and I’m desperate to properly exert myself. And I’m not talking about a brief amble on the treadmill, or 10 minutes on the cross trainer, barely breaking a sweat and paying more attention to Coronation Street than what my arms and legs are doing.

Just like I said last week, trying something new has got me excited again. Whilst I can’t see myself taking up cycling (the thought of cycling on the road terrifies me and unfortunately I don’t live close enough to work for cycling there to be a viable option,) I am loving getting into swimming again and the fact that I have something to aim towards. I want to improve my front crawl (currently I swim breast stroke pretty well,) and I’m going to do what Carley did, and try and build up my ratio of crawl to breast stroke over the coming weeks. I think winter will be all about swimming for me :)

In the meantime, I have just under a week of training left for me to improve my fitness and Be My Personal Best! So this weeks question is, have you ever trained for an exercise related challenge like this? What was it and how did you train? Did you follow a plan or just keep practising? I’d love to know :)

Love,
Rebecca
xo

#BeYourPersonalBest challenge [Part 2]

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This week, to continue my #BeYourPersonalBest challenge in association with Virgin Active, I wanted to talk about swimming. I’m a really big believer in switching up your exercise routine to get better results, and not only that, but swimming is often a form of exercise you can take on holiday with you. After all, it’s nothing but a pleasure doing a few lengths in the sun, rather than in a local pool. I’ll admit, so far I’ve been a bit slow to take advantage of the pool at my local Virgin Active, but I’m really excited to try it out today and see what my personal best is for the 400m I have to complete as part of the triathalon challenge. Eek – it’s not far off now!

First up, I’m all about the kit, and I think lots of women avoid swimming because they dont have appropriate swimwear for exercise, as opposed to poolside in the sun. I must confess, I’m a bikini lover and yet it feels more than a little bit silly heading into a lap pool wearing a two piece. I invested in a new sports swimsuit last year for exercising in and now I wish I had investigated some of the options from the more design led brands aimed at women. Here’s just a few that I would snap up if I was in the market for a new one-piece and some other finds that make swimming that bit more exciting. :)


Dynamo swimsuit and Power swimsuit (black) both from Sweaty Betty // Merlin Swim MP3 – 4GB Waterproof MP3 Player // Microfibre Sports/Travel Towel // Boots Sun Swim & Gym Shampoo for dry or damaged hair.

It’s funny, when I was a child, swimming was one of my ‘things’. You couldn’t get me out of a pool on holiday and I had swimming lessons and took part in competitions for several years until I was into my mid teens. Why do we get so lazy about it when we get older? One of my friends has recently got back into swimming competitively, has lost a ton of weight, met a whole new group of friends and is getting amazing fitness results after a lapse in her competitive swimming since being a teen. It seems to me that for women it has so many benefits, the type of exercise protects your joints, supports your body through pregnancy and post-natally, and it the kind of exercise that promotes lean muscle rather than bulking up, which some women are afraid of in the gym. For me it’s pure laziness and a constant battle with my hair that keeps me away from the pool- how lame is that? I tend to wash my hair every other day and think it is the most boring activity known to man, so if going swimming and inevitably messing up my hair doesn’t co-incide well with my hair-schedule (i.e. if I have already washed it that morning,) then it’s just another excuse.

This week, I’d like to hear if any of you reading enjoy swimming – do you go regularly, did you use it through pregnancy, or would you like to restart after doing it as a child like me? What’s your favourite stroke?! And do you have any beauty tips for keeping your hair protected from the chlorine?

Love,
Rebecca
xo

Disclaimer: Rebecca has been provided with Virgin Active membership whilst completing the challenge but all subsequent posts are an honest appraisal of the service provided and the benefits she gained.

#BeYourPersonalBest Challenge [Part 1]

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Just last week, I was contacted by Virgin Active to see if I would take part in their #beyourpersonalbest campaign. The idea is to highlight the facilities they have and the personalised support and training they have available at their fitness clubs and put it to the test. My challenge was an indoor triathalon – 2.5km run, 10k Bike ride and a 400m swim.

The idea couldn’t have come at a better time for me as I had already felt my enthusiasm for the British Military Fitness classes that I usually attend waning, as the nights drew in and more significantly the rain continued to fall. Although I started the classes in January and went through bitter frosts in the dark, somehow it only got easier as the weather improved. In reverse it’s not as appealing. Cold I can manage, wet I don’t love. So with my holiday at the end of the month (and bikini) in mind I decided to take them up on their offer, and to see if I could improve my fitness. I know many of you will be facing the same challenges I am right now so thought by sharing some of my activities it might help you guys stay motivated as the long dark nights approach, when the urge to get off the sofa and away from the ice cream tub hits an all time low.

I headed down to my local Virgin Active club last week for my induction with Terry and stated my intentions, so we started off on the machines with a half duathalon to measure my success against at the end of the training period. With Terry spurring me on, I managed 1.25k in 7.08minutes and did 5km on the bike in 9.08. The time I did for the run wasn’t spectacular for me but an improvement on the first fitness test I did at BMF earlier in the year so I’m hoping to shave a bit off that. The bike though? That was hard! I hate cycling and I haven’t dipped my toe into a pool (aside from the holiday variety,) in over a year, so that’s going to be a shock.

It can only be a good thing though right? One of my reasons for taking them up on the challenge was having a specific measurable way of recording my progress but I also wanted to mix up my exercise routine a bit and improve my overall tone. BMF is great but I certainly haven’t lost any weight doing it and whilst I feel a lot more ‘solid’ all over and strong, I’d like to be a leaner more feminine version of that fitness level. I’m a firm believer that shocking your body by trying new things is a great way of doing that. As a result of my request, after tackling some training techniques to improve my fitness, like gradient training on the treadmill, we headed over to the mats for some resistance work.

I tried the Vipr technique, kettle bells and resistance bands and really rated the Vipr technique – it’s unbelievable how many muscles you can feel working and I think it would produce quite a difference if done regularly.

On that note, I’ll keep you posted. Each week I’ll be trying to get you guys involved a little bit so today I’d like to hear what your current exercise regime is, have you winter proofed it and if you want to take the challenge with me, how about doing a preliminary time like the one I recorded above and testing yourself again at the end of the month with me?

Love,
Rebecca
xo

Disclaimer: Rebecca has been provided with Virgin Active membership whilst completing the challenge but all subsequent posts are an honest appraisal of the service provided and the benefits she gained.

Friday Feel…

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Hmmm, this isn’t Friday Frock I hear you say… No, it’s not, it’s far more important in fact. This Friday I’m taking the opportunity to remind you to Be Breast Aware. What can I do as a Doctor to help some of you? I thought it might be useful to talk about self breast examination.

Let me start by saying I see probably 1 or 2 women a week who think they might have a found a lump, or sometimes just want to know how to properly examine their own breasts. Regardless of outcome, I always teach them how to self-examine because there’s nothing better you can do to help protect yourself against Breast Cancer than to be Breast Aware. As a Doctor, I can examine you and pick up what’s normal and what’s not, but you cannot underestimate how different breast tissue is from person to person so the best thing is to get to know your own boobs and then you know if there’s anything different.

As a rough guide, I tell women to self-examine once a month (often enough,) after their period, when the breast tissue is the least hormonally inflamed.

So here’s my DIY guide to Self Breast examination. Please do it. It might save your life.


Illustrations by Laura Manfre for Florence Finds

1. First of all you’re looking for changes in how your boobs look, so stand in front of the mirror stripped off and have a good look. You’re checking for any changes in the skin like puckering or dimples. Check for any new inversion of the nipples (this can be normal for some people so don’t panic if yours are always like that, but get it checked if you’re worried.)


Illustrations by Laura Manfre for Florence Finds

2. Next, still looking in the mirror, place your hands on your waist and squeeze whilst leaning slightly forwards. This tenses the underlying chest muscles and would accentuate any changes you could see within the skin that I described above, so just look over them again in this position.

3. Next, whilst standing, place your left hand over your head and rest it on the back of your neck or just below that. Put your right hand out in front of you with the palm and fingers flat and the fingers closed. Now use the flat part of your fingers to press your breast tissue in small circular movements. Work around the breast systematically, covering all the way from the edges to the nipple itself. It doesn’t matter if you work round in circles or up and down, as long as you do it all.


Illustrations by Laura Manfre for Florence Finds

4. Breast tissue actually has a ‘tail’, by which I mean it extends all the way up across the chest into a point that ends in your arm pit to make sure you continue feeling all the way up your chest towards the arm pit and feel under your arms too.

5. Lastly gently squeeze the nipple to check for any discharge and repeat all steps of the examination on the other side.

You can repeat steps 3 and 4 whilst lying down for extra reassurance, if you want to.

Top Tip: I generally self examine in the shower, having a look in the bathroom mirror before I get in and then using the soapy-ness to allow the hand to slide around easily whilst checking for lumps.

Any GP will always be happy to go through these steps with you – you don’t have to have a lump to go to the doctors and make sure you’re doing it properly. And if you do have a lump, even if you’re not sure if you can feel something or not, we’ll always check it out for you and refer you for further tests if necessary. If you’re under 50 that often includes a (painless) ultrasound scan and sometimes a sample taken from the lump with a needle to check the cells under a microscope.

So ladies, it’s time to Cop a Feel (have you heard of the charity CoppaFeel?) and make sure you know your own boobs. If you have any questions, please just leave a comment and I can try to help where I can, but please remember, even this advice does not substitute a chat with your own GP and/or being examined if you are concerned about anything to do with your boobs.

Be Breast Aware!

Love,
Rebecca
xo

PS. A huge thank you to Laura Manfre for providing the beautiful illustrations for this post at very short notice – head on over to her site to see her work and do get in touch if you have any custom projects you would like to talk to her about – I was blown away by these. :)

*This post was published as part of Breast Cancer Awareness month and #pinkfridays. It was Kirsty from A Safe Mooring who alerted me to the #pinkfridays and I was more than happy to oblige by taking part – I’ll let her tell you all about it…

On Friday 5th October, bloggers are turning their blogs pink in support of Breast Cancer Care. Join them by turning a Friday pink this October!

Dress pink, eat pink, party pink or work pink. How you turn your Friday pink is up to you. It doesn’t matter how pink you go, we just need you to join the thousands who’ll be raising money during October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And if a Friday doesn’t work, just pick a day that does! It doesn’t matter if you raise £20 or £200 at your Pink Friday as every penny will be help us support more people affected by breast cancer today.

SIGN UP NOW to receive your free Pink Fridays fundraising kit and help make 2012 the best year yet!

To see which blogs are turning pink for Pink Fridays, visit A Safe Mooring or follow #pinkfridays.

If you would like to support Breast Cancer Care but can’t throw a Pink Friday of your own, you can donate here.

Olympic Fever…

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A show of hands then… who has been watching the Olympics and feeling inspired? Inspired to get off the couch? I have been. One of the things about exercise that I love is the feeling of strength. I can’t say I’ve ever been athlete standard of fitness of course, but at my best and certainly since taking up BMF (British Military Fitness), my fitness and strength has rocketed. I started BMF in January, just like many others, full of new years resolutions. I went ski-ing in February and noticed a vast difference in fitness, my legs held out so much longer, I could ski harder and faster for longer without feeling the burn. By the time I went on holiday in May I was positively antsy because I missed the exercise. Trust me when I say that has never happened before. Then came the rain. I kept going in April, then the weather changed, the rain came and every single opportunity I had (my usual sessions for BMF are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday,) it was literally tipping down. At first it was easy to put off, I was about to go on holiday and gave myself time to prepare the blog and pack. I came back to more foul weather and through much of June the rain continued, day after day, night after night. Come July, I attended the odd session, whenever I could between work, Florence Finds and the weather. My fitness went through the floor. I never thought that returning to exercise would be so hard but when I started, I had nothing to miss. Going back after the best part of six weeks away and I was astounded at how much slower I was, how much harder every sprint was. The worst thing was that I started to hate it. The fitter I am, the harder I try. I spurs me on, I feel like I can take on anything. Instead, I left every session exhausted, I let the rain deter me. Last week was a turning point. For the first time in months I’ve been to a full three sessions. For the first time I’ve felt my feet wanting to fly, I’ve enjoyed pushing myself. On tuesday it was warm but drizzling and I loved every second despite the rain because I started to feel the benefits again. So what is the point of this waffle? Well, I thought I’d open the discussion up to hear about how you have been exercising through the poor weather this summer? Pre-BMF, normally come summer I’d be out running a couple of times a week if not more. The pull of BMF is always stronger and I know I would have exercised even less if I hadn’t had that and Pete dragging me there to motivate me. Have you been like me and totally skipped out on exercise or have you managed to stay motived? Have you tried BMF since hearing me talk about it? I’d love to hear your thoughts… Love, Rebecca xo