Men's Knowledge of Testicular Cancer May Be Rising

Compared to a few decades ago, men may be more aware of issues surrounding testis cancer, including symptoms and cure rates, and may be more likely to perform self-examination, according to research published in the October issue of Urology.

Rowan G. Casey, M.D., of the Adelaide and Meath Hospital Dublin in Ireland, and colleagues analyzed survey data from 677 men -- who answered questions testing their knowledge about testis cancer and whether they performed testis self-examination -- and compared the data with similar research from 1986. The men ranged in age from 18 to 67, with an average age of 44.9 years.

The researchers found that more men in the recent study were aware of the existence of testis cancer (99.4 versus 68 percent), and more men were more aware of potential symptoms (71 versus 23 percent). In the recent group, 48.2 percent felt that the disease had a high cure rate, compared to 14 percent of men in 1986. Only 4 percent performed self-examination regularly, but this represented a modest increase over the 1.3 percent in the earlier group.

The improved level of knowledge of testis cancer since the original study is gratifying, as is the increased prevalence of testis self-examination. This is possibly because of high-profile public figures with testis cancer and wider availability of educational material. However, the rates of monthly testicular self-examination still fall below recommended rates but overall are commensurate with other studies.
Collected from- http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=news&id=132933&cn=26

The Number One Reason Why People Fail

I like simple, or in other words "basic." I have found in my experience that basic ideas are easier to understand, and when I understand them I can implement them faster.

To this point, there are three basic or key components for "success" (how ever you define success.) They are:

1. A strategy
2. Tactics
3. Mind-set

The strategy is the "big picture" of what you'd like to accomplish. The tactics are the "how" you are going to get there. The mind-set is the catalyst for implementing the tactics.

There are hundreds of books, CD's etc. that talk about the strategy, the tactics as well as the mind-set. What I've found is that the majorities of people focus on points 1 & 2 and give little attention to point 3...the mind-set.

So what is mind-set in relation to success?

Again, I like simple. Here are the four characteristics of a strong mind-set:

1. Knowing what you want
2. Committing yourself to your goal
3. Taking courageous action
4. Determination to finish what you start

That's it!

Simple? Absolutely!

Easy? Not so much.

Let's take a closer look at these.

Knowing What You Want:
Many people can't get pass this one. They THINK they know what they want, but as soon as they hit a little resistance...BAMB! They're blown out of the water. Seth Godin in his book "The Dip" goes over the phenomenon in detail. Basically the book talks about that sooner or latter we will all come into a dip. Things just aren't going to go as planed. It's at this time that the most people bail. Seth discusses the importance of evaluating the worthiness of your goal. I won't go into the details here...pick up the book if you want to find out more.

Committing Yourself to Your Goal: 
This point of failure is tied directly to "knowing what you want." The reason most people won't commit to their goal is they really don't know if it's what they want. Let's face it, if you approach a goal with the attitude "it would be nice to achieve this" are you really committed? If not, why waist your time going after it!?

Taking Courageous Action: 
Notice I didn't say timid action...I said courageous action. This means being bold, taking risk, putting yourself out there for the entire world to see. Sure ANY action is better then no action. But if you've got points 1 and 2 secure, you may want to take a closer look at this one. Nothing happens without action...period! Oh sure, I can hear the followers of "The Law of Attraction" pooh-poohing this one. Believe me, I'm a big believer of the LOA when it is used in conjunction with action. There are way too many couch creators taking about the LOA, but refuse to look at their results. Results are directly proportional to a persons vibration AND their action....no action, no results. Timid action = timid results. Courageous action = spectacular results!

Determination to Finish What You Start: 
This by far is probably the toughest to work through. With the emphasis today on multi-tasking and the "next best thing" right around the corner many become distracted. If they don't become distracted, as soon as they hit a wall or a dip they'll look for an easier way. This point is also closely tied to point #1 - "knowing what you want." If you truly, deeply know exactly what you want you will find the determination to finish what you start. Here is where FOCUS comes in. You know...

F = Follow
O = One
C = Course
U = Until
S = Successful

When you FOCUS, finishing what you start will take care of itself.

So, how does all this fit into my statement about "The Number One Reason Why People Fail?"

After all I've given the three key components for success and talked about the four characteristics of a strong mind-set. I've haven't given a single solitary point that absolutely points to the reason why people fail...or have I?

If you've been paying attention you'll see that there is a common thread through ALL 7 points in this article.

Want to know what it is?

YOU!

Yup...you're the main reason for your lack of success. I know this can sound pretty harsh. After all, the economy is bad, prices are going up, and I'm out of a job.

You know what?

There are many people out there in the same or worse condition then you and they're making their dreams and goals happen.

"What one can do, anyone can do."

OK...so I might have been too tough. It's not YOU as the person; it's YOU as the thinker. This is why mental strength coaching and training is so critical...especially in these days!

Mental strength coaching and training will help you develop the four characteristics of a strong mind-set. And presuming you have your strategy and tactics in place, with the development of the mind-set you WILL be able to accomplish your desired goals.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gregg_Swanson

Memory Improvement Games - Here Are Your Three Best Choices

One of the most popular ways to improve memory power is to stimulate your brain. And what better way to stimulate your brain than having a little fun? Here are our top three choices for games to improve memory...

Ways To Improve Memory

Your memory is a complex, ever changing set of skills. And while it is true that memory skills will gradually decrease as we age, there are a number of effective techniques to help prevent the decline.

First, memory is a function of various parts of the brain. All five senses are involved in developing and maintaining your memory. To illustrate, consider each of the five senses: hearing, seeing, tasting, touching, and smelling.

We can use an example of how each individual sense helps you remember. You can recall what a train whistle sounds like, and you can also recall what a train looks like. You can vividly remember what your grandmother's house smelled like as she prepared a holiday feast, and you can recall the taste of the desserts she baked.

And while all five senses combine to help create our memory, it is our brain that is in charge of compiling all the various images, sounds, and text that helps us retrieve data on demand. The very best way to help the brain run at full capacity is to train it to remember, using scientific methods that are proven to work.

But you can also stimulate your brain in other ways, like playing brain teaser games or just giving your brain a good workout. Here are our top three brain games to help improve your brain power and memory:

Crossword Puzzles
There is a reason why crossword puzzles are so popular. They pose a challenge for us to remember elements of vocabulary, along with a predefined fit within the puzzle structure. Using your vocabulary is an element of memory, so any activity that helps your vocabulary also develops your memory.

Like any form of exercise, it is a good idea to start with a puzzle you can master rather easily, and then progress to those that are more challenging. This building block approach is a good way to develop your overall mental capacity and assist in training your brain.

Word Association

Games that help you connect one word or phrase to another are also a very good choice. The old television show "Password" is a perfect example. While there is an element of guessing involved, the clue also stimulates your brain into thinking of the various possibilities. Further, coming up with effective clues is another excellent brain exercise. In essence, you need to remember which specific clue will help your partner guess the proper answer.

There are dozens of word association games available, both online and offline. These are particularly fun since they can be played in a group setting as opposed to individually.

Image Association

Scientists have determined that images are probably the most important memory trigger. In fact, most brain training programs teach students to associate an image with something they want to remember.

Since images are so powerful in the overall memory improvement process, it stands to reason that image association games will help improve your memory. A good example is the game "Pictionary", where participants try to determine the picture being drawn. Even the time tested game of charades is a great brain workout, as it forces you to remember song, movie and book titles,

Summary

The biggest key to improving your memory is improving your brain and its ability to recall details on demand. While this is a complex process, you can help ward off memory decline by keeping your brain active. A fun activity like the games mentioned above are ideal because you are much more likely to participate in an enjoyable process versus standard memorization or other less interactive methods.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Hofman