Got this in my email earlier.  A forwarded email.   Sounds funny and absurd but yet worth reflecting on -

On the first day, God created the dog and said:

‘Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years.’
The dog said:
‘That’s a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I’ll give you back the other ten?’
So God agreed..

On the second day, God created the monkey and said:

‘Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I’ll
give you a twenty-year life span.’
The monkey said:
‘Monkey tricks for twenty years? That’s a pretty long time to
perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?’
And God agreed.

On the third day, God created the cow and said:

‘You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer’s family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years.’
The cow said:
‘That’s kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years.
How about twenty and I’ll give back the other forty?’
And God agreed again.

On the fourth day, God created man and said:

‘Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I’ll give you twenty years.’
But man said:
‘Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten The dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?’
‘Okay,’ said God, ‘You asked for it.’

So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

Make sense. right?  I was laughing after reading it.  I realized how a person’s joke in time of seriousness can lead to disaster.

By the way, Are you in need for a Rackmount monitor for your convenience , for an out of town speaking engagements?  March is soon to come and maybe some of you is like my boss who is already booked for eight speaking engagements in 8 different places.    Then gone are the days when u just carry up your message in a piece of paper.  Nowadays, almost everyone wanted to use the LCD to present their point to the people.   So check out the site, maybe you need one these modern gadgets.

Here’s the continuation of  Part I

So let’s now come to Part II –

FIGHT CANCER

Although your genes and the environment play a part in your overall cancer risk, your health habits also determine whether you’ll develop this. (I really totally agree with this statement — it’s our lifestyle that can kill us sooner or make us live longer )

7.  If you smoke, quit.  Smoking is a leading cause of many types of cancer, as well as heart disease.  Talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement therapies, such as nicotine gum, patch and nasal spray, as well as Zyban, an antidepressant that research suggests can minimize withdrawal symptoms.

8.  To check for cervical cancer, women who are sexually active or over 18 should have a yearly pap test and pelvic exam.  (huh am guilty of not doing both And this really bugs me for a long time now that i should go and see a doctor for a test))

9.  Women should get clinical breast exams every three years between the ages of 20 and 39, and yearly if they are 40 or older.

10.  The American Cancer Society suggests that women perform breast examinations monthly, starting in their 20′s.  (i dunno how to do this )  “Lumps that are especially worrisome feel like wood—not round, smooth, and squishy like a grape,”  says Dr. Susan Haas, chief of the Harvard Vanguard Division of OB/GYN at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts, USA.

11.  If you’re 40 or older, have a yearly mammogram; if you’re not yet 40, but may be at increased risk for breast cancer because of having close relatives who have had the disease, having had yourself, or having precancerous breast lesions, talk to your doctor about starting earlier.

12.  If you suspect you are at high risk for breast cancer, talk to your doctor about tamoxifen, a drug that studies suggest may reduce your risk.   It has, however, been linked to blood clots in the lungs and major veins, and uterine cancer, so you and your doctor will need to consider your overall health profile.

13.  At menopause, women at high risk for uterine cancer should have a sample of endometrial tissue examined for dysplasia (irregular cell growth that may be cancerous).

14.  To screen for colon and rectal cancer, the ACS recommends that men and women ages 50 and older undergo either a fecal occult blood test yearly and a flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years;  or a colonoscopy or double contrast barium enema every five to 10 years.  When you have any of these tests, the doctor should perform a digital rectal exam.

15.  Men ages 50 and older should undergo a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal examination yearly to screen for prostate cancer.

16.  To get a sense of your cancer risk, “find out the types of cancer that occured in your family and bring this to the attention of your physician,” says Hentry T. Lynch, MD, director of Creighton Cancer Center in Nebraska, USA.

17.  Learn the health threats your job may pose, such as exposure to carcinogic materials likes abestos.  Do what you can to minimize the danger, such as wearing a safe mask when working near the substance.

Author: Sandra Gordon, a coauthor of Global Eating: The 30 Secrets of the World’s Healthiest and Most Delicious Cuisines.