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Every October we are reminded of the nasty flu bug, but more importantly what we can do about it. Our annual Don’t Bug Me campaign educates the public on the importance of hand washing and flu shots to help from getting sick during the cold and flu season. While it is not 100 percent effective in preventing the flu, the flu vaccination is one of our strongest defenses today. Could the same be true of breast cancer someday?

In a way, eyes are a reverse two-way mirror. The majority of the time, we are using them to look out into the world to see what is going on and consume that information. Sight is one of our five senses to help us understand our surroundings and how to respond. Our eyes can also help us look inward to see and understand what is going on with our health. Researchers are using that information to better determine our stroke risk.

What started with a project at Cornell University in 2011 has skyrocketed, literally. NASA recently announced they were funding a $125,000 grant to build a prototype 3-D printer that could print pizza in space for future missions, possibly to Mars, where NASA says a 520-day food supply would be needed. The 3-D printer, they believe, could provide astronauts with food exceeding the 15-plus-year shelf life requirement.

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta has once again taken flight, drawing in more than 500,000 visitors, representing 18 countries in the sky. More than 550 balloons inflate in the dark early hours of mornings of the nine-day fiesta to reveal the Sandia Mountain horizon glittered with vibrant colors and shapes. Albuquerque’s altitude ranges from just under 5,000 feet above sea level at its lowest point to nearly 7,000 feet in the Sandia foothills.

If you are under the age of 40, should breast cancer be on your radar? Are you high risk or moderate risk or little risk? With 7 percent of all breast cancer cases diagnosed before the recommended first mammogram at the age of 40, knowing your risk can lead to early detection and treatment.

Lovelace Women’s Hospital is presenting the Sixth Annual Girls’ Night Out from 5:30-8 p.m. Friday, October 4 at Hotel Albuquerque, 800 Rio Grande NW. The free event will feature spa and wellness vendors and samples, a Dillard’s fashion show and a demonstration of the Da Vinci Robotic Surgical System. More than 350 women attended last year’s event.  The fashion show begins at 7 p.m. For information, call 898-3030.

Lovelace Bariatrics Director Dr. Duc Vuong joins us on the blog today to talk about how one powerful message can easily derail your diet when it shouldn’t.

What if you could dramatically reduce your risk of developing cancer by adhering to two principles? The American Institute of Cancer Research estimates nearly 30,000 women in the United States could be spared of endometrial cancer – affecting as many as 50,000 women a year – if they exercise for 30 minutes a day and maintain a healthy body weight, according to a recent review.

Heart disease and stroke deaths don’t have to happen. That is the finding of a report from the CDC stating that more than 200,000 deaths in 2010 were preventable. While progress has been made since 2001, with the number of preventable heart disease and stroke deaths decreasing by 30 percent, health care providers know there still is work that needs to be done. More than half of the 200,000 lives were under the age of 65.