DIY: How To Contribute Globally

How to Contribute Globally

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Have you ever wanted to make a change in the world? Now you can! You do not have to work in a charity group, an AIDS program, or even the United Nations (UN). You just have to learn about the world and its issues; it is not that difficult.

Steps

1. Try watching the international news instead of the local or national news. This world is not that small.
   
2. Go to BBC's website and find out stuff in Asia, Europe, Africa and South America.
   
3. Persuade your buddies to help you by making signs, informing youcommunity about your beliefs, or even send a letter to the national capital of your nation.
   
4. If you are making a small AIDS benefit, draw diagrams showing condoms, words such as "safe sex" or "protect yourself" or you can just talk about what YOU can do about AIDS.
   
5. Try conducting research about the ailments and illnesses of the world and try to find potential products that can fight or even cure them.
   
6. Learn about the world's past. You have to learn history to see how things in the present occurred and potential events in the future.
   
7. Share. You learned this when you were three or four. Give a little money to UNICEF or something. That would be very appreciative.
   

Tips

• Have small meetings in your community about global issues.
  
• Try getting a small job if you are young (under 16), attempt to get a simple second job if you can manage it. Babysit on the weekdays and mow lawns on weekends. Then take a practical percentage of your profits and use it for charities.
  
• One person can make a difference, but it is good to get a third or fourth hand.
  
• If you have a National Geographic Atlas, read it and find Global Awareness topics. You can also get Google Global Awareness Map on Google Earth to see where global issues take place such as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), destroyed villages in Darfur, etc.
  

Warnings

• Don't work too hard. If you are still in school do these things on the weekends or when you have free-time after you have done your homework.
  
• If you are going to make picket signs, don't strike or march in busy areas. This may lead to violence.
  

Things You'll Need

• Time
  
• Perseverance
  
• Support :)
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Contribute Globally. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

DIY: How To Prevent Cervical Cancer

How to Prevent Cervical Cancer

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

All women are at risk for cervical cancer. With regular screening tests and follow-up, cervical cancer is the easiest female cancer to prevent. It is also highly curable when detected and treated early.

Steps

1. Know that almost all cervical cancers are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV).
   
2. Be tested. There are two tests that are most often taken to prevent and detect cervical cancer. These are:
   
   • The Pap test (also known as Pap smear). This test looks for precancers, changes in the cells on the cervix that could evolve into cervical cancer if left untreated. The test can find cervical cancer early, when treatment is most effective. The Pap test is one of the most reliable and efficient screening tests attainable.
     
   • The HPV test. This test checks for the virus that can most often causes cell changes.
     
   
   
3. Start getting routine Pap tests at age 21, or within three years of having sexual intercourse for the first time (whichever comes first). Continue getting a Pap test regularly, even if you believe you are too old to have a baby, or you have stopped having sex.
   
4. Visit your doctor regularly for a check-up that may include a pelvic exam.
   
5. Get the HPV vaccine. The vaccine, Gardasil, can prevent 4 types of HPV infections, including the infections that cause most cervical cancers. Talk to your doctor to find out more about this vaccine and if it is right for you.
   
6. Don’t smoke. Smoking increases your risk for cancers.
   
7. Use a condom during sexual intercourse.
   
8. Limit your number of sexual partners. Maintaining a long-term monogamous relationship with a partner free of STDs reduces your risk for contracting HPV.
   

Tips

• The HPV test may be used for screening women 30 and older, or for those who have uncertain Pap test results.
  
• If you are over 65 and have had normal Pap test results for a few years, or if you have had a hysterectomy, your health care provider may tell you it is fine to stop having regular Pap tests.
  
• You are more likely to get HPV if you began having sex at a young age, or if you or your partner have had sex with multiple partners.
  
• Cervical cancer does not usually have signs and symptoms. Advanced cervical cancer may cause unusual bleeding, such as bleeding after sex, or abnormal discharge from the vagina.
  
• Always follow up with your doctor if your test results are not normal.
  
• For those who have no insurance or a low income, The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program may be able to help you with testing. To learn more, visit www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp.
  

Warnings

• Having HIV increases your risk of getting cervical cancer.
  
• The HPV vaccine does not provide protection against all types of HPV that cause cervical cancer.
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Prevent Cervical Cancer. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

DIY: Know The Symptoms Of Ovarian Cancer

How to Know the Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Ovarian Cancer. It is a chilling and unmatching result of words that no one should ever put together. This type of cancer affects only women and it is much worse than breast cancer or any type of cancer for that fact. It is deadly and have killed at least or more than 15,520 women as of this year. Most of the deaths have been caused due to the fact the women did not know they have ovarian cancer. Do you not want to be one of those women?

Steps

1. Recognize the following symptoms:
   
   • Bloating
     
   • Pelvic or abdominal pain
     
   • Trouble eating or feeling full quickly after you begin eating
     
   • Urinary symptoms, such as urgent or frequent feelings of needing to go to the bathroom/restroom
     
   • Abnormal bleeding from your vagina, especially after menopause if you are not using any hormonal medicines
     
   • Pain or bleeding during sex or after sex
     
   • Decrease of energy
     
   • Fatigue and/or fever
     
   • Back pain
     
   • Difficulty breathing
     
   • Gastrointestinal symptoms (such as gas, indigestion, nausea, or changes in bowel movements)
     
   
   

Tips

• Go to a local doctor if you experience five or more of these symptoms within two weeks.
  
• Get tested as soon as possible. The sooner you get tested, the better the results will be.
  

Sources and Citations

• http://www.healthline.com/adamcontent/ovarian-cancer?utm_medium=ask&utm_source=smart&utm_campaign=article_toc&utm_term=Ovarian+cancer+treatment#treatment&ask_return=Ovarian+Cancertreatment
  
• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000889.htm#Treatment
  
• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ovariancancer.html
  
• http://www.webmd.com/ovarian-cancer/news/20061115/ovarian-cancer-new-treatment-working
  
• http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_Do_we_know_what_causes_ovarian_cancer_33.asp
  
• http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_2X_What_causes_ovarian_cancer_33.asp?sitearea=
  
• http://www.medicinenet.com/ovarian_cancer/article.htm
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Know the Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

DIY: How To Defend Yourself

How to Defend Yourself

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

The difference between walking away and becoming tomorrow's newspaper headline is how well you are prepared to protect yourself in a bad situation. By keeping this information in mind you will know what can be done before and during an attack.
There are various types of confrontations:

• The 'wind-up', the argument before the fight erupts,
  
• The 'duel' an arranged meet to resolve a dispute between conflicting parties or the ambush.
  
• The brawl will usually be only after the verbal "woofing" has been exhausted and someone throws a punch.
  
• An ambush is usually premeditated and one or more assailants will attack when they feel the timing is right, usually after distracting the victim with a question e.g. "Have you got the time?".
  

Steps

Preparation

1. Think about potential situations in which you will need to defend yourself. No two attacks are the exact same, so think about what you could do if attacked from different sides or in different situations (large numbers of people, alone, at night or at day, assailant is armed or not armed, size of assailant, assailant's intentions). By thinking about it beforehand, you will not be as likely to become shocked and panic during the real thing.
   
2. Take a self-defense course. Actually being able to run through potential situations and consult with an expert will help you immensely. Try taking a form of martial arts.
   

Confrontations

1. If you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, try to leave the situation. In an uncomfortable social situation, this can be as simple as firmly asserting yourself ("Back off right now!"). Take all verbal or directional paths to non-confrontation; actual physical confrontation should be your last line of defense, although sometimes it may be the only.
   
2. Try to stay standing with a wide base, both left-to-right and back-to-front, so that your feet are diagonal from each other (a typical martial arts fighting stance). This will lessen your likelihood of getting knocked or pushed over.
   
3. Assess your potential assailant: tall/short, stocky/thin, male/female. Look at their hands. If they were about to attack with their hands, they would have their hands out. However, if they are concealing a weapon, they will have them hidden or at their side.
   
4. The best tactic in any confrontation is to RUN.
   

Preparing for a confrontation
One simple step to judge when a confrontation has passed the point of a verbal exchange is when the person starts to invade your personal space. To mark this, you put up a fence. A fence is simply putting your hands in front of you in a conciliatory/peaceful gesture (palms out). If the assailant tries to move past your fence, you are entering a physical confrontation - what other reason would they have for getting closer?. The general (but unpalatable) consensus at this point is you have to end the fight as quickly as possible by striking first, striking hard, and striking as many times as you can, then escaping. This goes against the oft quoted 'bushido' or warriors code and our innate civilised sensibilities, however not many assailants care for either of these.

Defending yourself from the front

1. If the attacker is trying to punch you or grab you from the front, put your hands on your forehead in a "Not in the face!" sort of gesture and your arms tight on your body. This may look like a weak defensive position, but that is to your advantage since it brings your opponent's guard down. In addition, this position protects your face and your ribs, two places you'll likely want to protect.
   
2. From your "Not in the face!" position, when you are close in on your assailant, lift your elbows into your opponent's lower ribs or right below his pectoral muscles. These are sensitive spots and can cause a lot of pain.
   
3. If your assailant's upper body is far from you but you are still at risk (e.g. your opponent is choking you), attack their legs. This is especially effective on larger attackers because the bigger he/she is, the more stress he/she has on his/her legs and knees. Do not deliver a typical Karate Kid style kick; instead, kick his/her shins soccer-style (with the instep of your foot). This is a quick and painful kick. In addition, if his/her legs are close enough, lift your knees into their inner leg (femoral nerve), outer leg, knee, or groin. These will break down your attacker and may disable him/her, as only 12-16 pounds of pressure are needed to break a knee.
   
4. If your opponent has his/her head in reaching distance (which is often the case when you attack his/her legs), you will want to attack it. Try to poke or press on the eyes, as no one can resist an eye poke no matter how big he/she is. Clapping on the ears can stun or, if done perfectly, breaks the eardrums. Striking the cheekbones can cause bruises or broken bones. Striking the nose causes nosebleeds and temporary blindness.
   
5. In some cases you may also want to attack your attacker's neck (usually open when the head is). To effectively choke someone, do not do the typical Hollywood "hands around the entire neck," but instead just put your thumb and fingers around his/her trachea (especially easy to find on men with large Adam's apples). Also, right below his/her trachea is a notch in his/her neck. Dig, drive, and sink your fingers into this notch and they will experience intense pain and probably fall down.
   

Attacks from behind

1. If an attacker tries to attack you from behind to choke you, press his/her forearm against your collarbone instead of trying to pull it directly off (which doesn't work well). Put one hand above his/her elbow (on the forearm) and one hand below it (so your hands are on both sides of the elbow). Then, in one strong and determined movement, step and swing your entire body around like the arm is the hinge to your body acting as a screen door. This will get you out of his/her choke and leave his/her head, ribs, and legs wide open to your counterattack. (Also note that, when your attacker is behind you, his/her shins are right behind your legs and primed for your stomping and raking.)
   
2. If the attacker is trying to pick you up from behind, drop your hips quickly and violently as if you were plopping down on a love seat. This will make you harder to pick up and give you an extra moment to attack them and fend them off (stomp on their shins).
   
3. If the attacker is trying to choke you by wrapping his arms around your neck, bring the ball of your foot forward, as if you just kicked a soccer ball, and fast and FORCEFULLY, slam it into the area of their leg between their ankle and mid-leg. This will, (if done hard enough) break their leg.
   

Other potential situations

1. If you fall, try to fall on top of your attacker. While falling, keep the pointy parts of your body pointy (your knees and your elbows) and aim for your attacker's groin, ribs, and neck.
   
2. If your attacker is wrestling with you on the ground and has you pinned under him/her, grab his/her body by unlocking his/her arm joints, or pin a hand to the ground. Then, put one leg firmly on the ground, push off of it, and swing your hips over. This will have you falling on top of your opponent, which should be done with a good amount of pointedness.
   
3. If an attacker attacks with a weapon, know where the weapon is effective. If he/she has a knife, try to stay out of stabbing range, and if he/she has a gun, don't count out running and dodging left to right. Also, note that the attacker invests him/herself on that weapon and can leave him/herself open to grabbing/pinning the weapon hand or a different attack.
   
4. If you get a chance to leave safely, go for it. Be sure that you're safe from your opponent when you decide to stop defending yourself.
   

Tips

• If someone is attacking you, you are right and the other person is wrong. Their motivation is probably wanting your money or possessions or body, while yours is self-preservation. This means that you can fight without rules, since your cause is "righteous". In all likelihood, there will be a point in time, somewhere between the knees to the groin, elbows to the ribs, and strikes to the nose, that whatever he/she wanted before isn't nearly as important as stopping the pain you're dishing out.
  
• In a self-defense situation, take a "not me" attitude: don't let yourself be the one they see in the paper the next morning. This starts before the fight, since experienced rapists and muggers will choose their victims not by what they are wearing or who they are, but how they act. If you are confident, you will not be the one they target.
  
• If you get the opportunity, talk with your friends about how one would defend one's self in a dangerous situation. If possible, run through potential situations and where to target on someone's body and what seems to work and what doesn't.
  
• If you think that you may be entering "a bad neighborhood" or any place where an attack could possibly happen, keep some pepper spray with you. This could be an invaluable lifesaver. Never keep a potentially lethal weapon such as a firearm or a knife with you as you may turn a mugging into a fight to the death, especially if the assailant is armed.
  
• Threatening an assailant with a weapon like a knife or firearm is a bad idea unless you fear for your life. It is not worth going to jail for murder, manslaugter or getting killed over your wallet. Remember, the assailant is most probably stronger and more experienced in fighting than you or he would not have chosen you.
  
• If this is any sort of domestic situation, you may be wondering at what point it becomes bad enough to warrant you defending yourself. By legal standards, any unwarranted contact is an assault. It doesn't matter if he/she "only" pushed you, it's still an assault, can still be dangerous, and you still deserve to defend yourself.
  

Warnings

• Don't get in fights over trivial things like disagreements in a bar about beer/girls/sports teams. Be the bigger person and walk away. You're better than that.
  
• Don't comply with someone who has you under duress (in other words, if the attacker says, "Get in the car," don't get in the car. The attacker wants to move you probably because he/she doesn't want to do what he/she intends to do in your current situation. You have a much better chance of surviving if you resist as soon as possible, however, if you do not escape at that moment, the attacker will probably kill you and take the keys.
  
• In many cases, you can end the situation immediately by giving the attacker your wallet. This is a logical choice, especially if at knife- or gunpoint. Your life is worth much more than the cash and cards you have on you. toss the wallet away from you and run.
  
• This plan does not cover every situation, but it's rather a brief overview of what you can expect. By no means are you completely safe; however, after reading and understanding this you have a better mindset if a situation does arise. Above all, remember that you are right and you can decide if you're not going to be the victim.
  
• Only carry a weapon if you have sufficient training to use it legally and effectively.
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Defend Yourself. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

What Is Activism And How Can I Be An Activist?

The following information was written by me and is posted on the "Activism" page on my Riot Grrrl Online website.

What Is Activism?

Activism is any intentional action to bring political or social change. This action is in support of, or opposition to, one side of an argument. The word "activism" is often associated with "protest" or "dissent". Activism can take a wide range of forms, from writing letters to newspapers, protesting, boycotting, blogging, and a number of other tactics. Activism means getting involved in causes or issues that affect you as a person. Activism can be considered DIY or do it yourself as well. There are many ways to get involved in activism.

35 Ways You Can Get Involved In Activism
1.) Make a zine...online or in real life. (DIY as well)
2.) Make a zine distro...online or in real life. (DIY as well)
3.) Submit articles, submissions, classifieds, etc. for a zine.
4.) Create a Ladyfest in your area. (DIY as well)
5.) Support and join ladyfests
6.) Help organize a ladyfest. (DIY as well)
7.) Make a blog, start up a journal, message board, or website. (DIY as well)
8.) Participate in websites, message boards, blogs, etc.
9.) Protest about something you are for or against. (DIY as well)
10.) Sign or start petitions...online or in real life. (DIY as well)
11.) Vote in elections. (DIY as well)
12.) Start a journal...in real life. (DIY only)
13.) Make an online group, such as on yahoo, msn, myspace, etc. (DIY as well)
14.) Write a book. (DIY as well)
15.) Make your own recipes. Don't go traditional, try to make your own food and desserts. (DIY only)
16.) Start your own non-profit organization. (DIY only)
17.) Start a band, write songs, and/or play an instrument. (DIY as well)
18.) Visit websites of important causes/issues and visit click-to-donate websites.
19.) Make art and be an artist. (DIY as well)
20.) Make pins, patches, shirts, clothing, jewelry, stickers, and/or buttons (DIY as well)
21.) Donate blood to the Red Cross and donate an organ to somebody that needs it. You can also donate organs when you die, to be used for research. This involves signing a paper and leaving the request in a will.
22.) Visit a hospital and/or a nursing home. You could be making someone's day.
23.) Donate money to charity or to a non-profit organization.
24.) Write the government or elected officials a letter.
25.) Start your own record label. (DIY as well)
26.) Make and hand out flyers. (DIY as well)
27.) Start your own riot grrrl chapter or join a riot grrrl chapter. Hold riot grrrl conventions. (DIY as well)
28.) Make posters. (DIY as well)
29.) Start a support group, such as for survivors of cancer, abuse, etc. (DIY as well)
30.) Share your stories with others. Others stories can inspire us and can remind us that we are not alone in what we are going through.
31.) Write about causes or issues that are important to you. This is also called ranting, if you share your opinions about the cause or issue. You can also write essays on a cause or issue.
32.) Find your passion. There are lots of causes and issues out there that could inspire you and be your passion. I can't make a list because it would be never ending. You can find some causes and issues on dmoz.org, under "Society". It is a web directory. You can even do a search for "causes", "issues", "get involved", "list of causes", and "list of issues".
33.) Volunteer at a shelter.
34.) Create and/or Organize a fundraiser. (DIY as well)
35.) Advocate for a general cause or issue.

DIY: How To Defend Pro-Choice Beliefs

How to Defend Pro-Choice Beliefs

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

When a woman becomes pregnant, sometimes, for some reason or another, she wants to abort the pregnancy. This action has become a "hot topic" for discussion over the past few years, with almost everyone choosing one side or another on the abortion issue. There is the Pro Life side, which argues abortion is wrong, and the Pro Choice side, which argues that, while abortion isn't a wonderful thing, it isn't wrong. Here is how to defend your choice if you choose to agree with the Pro Choice side of the abortion issue.

Steps

1. Explain that even if abortion was illegal, it would be impossible to enforce such laws. The procedure used in performing abortions is identical to the procedure used to investigate bad pap smears. This is how abortions were covered up in the past.
   
2. Explain that abortion laws, such as the one mentioned in Roe vs. Wade, were not about the moral implications of abortion. They were about safety.
   
   • Modern Medicine and Sanitation practices are relatively new medical concepts. Doctors were literally using medical instruments to remove infected tissue and then using the same equipment to perform abortions. Women were dying more frequently from physician performed abortions than from self-induced abortions. The law overturned in Roe vs. Wade did not outlaw abortions, only doctors performing them. The Supreme Court ruled that the reasoning behind the law was no longer valid (The law was written before sanitary practices were instituted.)
     
   
   
3. Try and find a middle ground with the other person. If they say abortion is wrong in all cases, try and find a case in which they agree it would not be wrong. Cases of rape, incest, and cases in which a birth of the child would kill the mother are often good middle grounds.
   
   • Try and stretch the middle ground. If they agree that cases of, say, rape, would be fine for an abortion, ask if it would be okay if the woman received an abortion if the fetus was not going to live after birth, and she knew. Generally, just try and find more ways in which they agree abortion should be allowed.
     
   • Continue to push different cases. The person with whom you are debating should realize, after they've agreed to a few scenarios in which abortion would be allowed, that maybe abortion isn't as horrible - after all, it deals with legal, emotional, and physically traumatizing events. If they don't realize this, mention it, but only after they've agreed on a few cases in which abortion should be allowed. If they think war can justify murder of adults as the lesser of two evils then why not abortion?
     
   
   
4. Mention the mother's well-being. Ask if they believe the birth of an unwanted child to a young, promising woman would hinder her life. They will agree that it will; it is obvious. They might mention, at this point, that if the woman didn't want to have a child, she shouldn't have had sex. Mention cases of rape, leave it at that.
   
   • Ask about cases in which the mother could be seriously harmed by the birth of the child, or even killed. This is also something good to mention when you are trying to find a middle ground with whomever you are discussing abortion with - even the most die-hard Pro Life supporter normally will agree that abortion should be allowed in cases in which the mother will be killed by giving birth.
     
   
   
5. Emphasize the magnitude of damage to children of being born to unwanting parents.
   
   • If they mention giving up the child for adoption, simply counter with the fact that orphanariums worldwide are overflowing with too many children, and it would very possibly be even more damaging to the child to be left in an orphanarium for eighteen years, which happens to a very large portion of children given up for adoption.
     
   • Dropping a mention of the homeless rate is also a good idea for defending abortion. There are too many people in the world to force parents to have children when they are nowhere near ready, or when there is only a mother.
     
   
   
6. Ask them to consider the following question: if we cannot decide at what point life actually begins, can we decide at what point life ends? If they cannot answer, talk about brain death, and how doctors pronounce a patient dead when the brain stops sending pulse signals to the body. Ask them if they know when the brain actually begins to send signals. The answer is eight weeks into pregnancy. Use this argument to show that since life ends when the brain stops, shouldn't life begin when the brain starts?
   
7. If they insist that life begins at fertilisation, point out that up to two weeks after fertilisation, that clump of cells could split up into identical twins. Where did the second life come from?
   
8. If they insist that life begins at fertilisation, ask what they think about cloning? Assuming that human cloning takes place - probably a matter of time - no fertilisation takes place at all, the new person has the exact same genetic information as the "donor", yet they are clearly distinct individuals.
   
9. Remind the person that pro-choice people are not "pro-abortion" - they understand the gravity of the decision and none of them think abortion is all sunshine and puppies. But they also realize that legal or not, there have always been unwanted pregnancies and a demand for abortion, and when abortion is not legal it does not stop happening, it just becomes a lot more dangerous and even deadly. Being pro-choice means wanting to keep abortion safe, legal and rare.
   
   • Ask them to consider societies where abortion was illegal such as Communist Romania and watch the film 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. The same rate of women attempted to have an abortion, but maternal mortality rates and child abandonment rates soared.
     
   
   

Tips

• Make sure your arguments can be supported by logic and/or scientific evidence.
  
• Be polite. Just because you disagree with the other person's opinion on abortion, don't interrupt and shout at them. Calmly explain your point, and allow them to do the same.
  

Warnings

• If you mention religion too much, be prepared as this may turn in to a never-ending argument.
  
• Understand that this is a very touchy issue for most people, and that it can break friendships, and cause grudges. Stay away from "hot button" issues such as abortion if you feel it may cause a fight or create a rift between two people.
  
• Don't expect to change anyone's mind in five minutes. If you feel very strongly about this, then they probably feel just as strongly about their own opinions. Allow them time to think about it, and never push too hard. Pushing will only cause the other person to feel antagonized, and you will get nowhere.
  
• Pro-lifers use extremely graphic images usually of late term abortions which are a tiny proportion of all abortions.
  

Sources and Citations

• http://www.elroy.net/ehr/abortionanswers.html
  
• http://www.elroy.net/ehr/abortion.html
  
• http://www.naral.org/
  
• http://www.prochoiceactionnetwork-canada.org/
  
• http://www.childrenbychoice.org.au/nwww/myth.htm
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Defend Pro Choice Beliefs. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

DIY: How To Do A Breast Self Examination

How to Do a Breast Self Examination

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Breast cancer is the most common disease and the second leading cause of cancer death among women. This year more than 211,000 new cases of breast cancer are expected in the United States. Of this number, 1,600 will be men, and 400 are predicted to die from the disease. Seventy percent of all breast cancers are found through breast self-examination. When breast cancer is detected early the five-year survival rate is 96%. By performing the following self-examination steps, you may detect any changes in your breasts early.

Steps

In The Shower

1. Fingers flat, move gently over every part of each breast. Use your right hand to examine left breast, and left hand for right breast.
   
2. Check for any lump, hard knot or thickening.
   
3. Carefully observe any changes in your breasts.
   

In Front of a Mirror

1. Inspect your breasts with arms at your sides.
   
2. Raise your arms high over your head. Look for any changes in the contour of each breast, such as a swelling, a dimpling of skin or changes in the nipple.
   
3. Place your palms on your hips and press firmly to flex your chest muscles. Your left and right breasts will not exactly match - few women's breasts do.
   

Lying Down

1. Place a pillow under your right shoulder, place your right arm behind your head.
   
2. With fingers of left hand flat, press right breast gently in small circular motions, moving vertically or in a circular pattern covering the entire breast. Use light, medium and firm pressure.
   
3. Squeeze nipple; check for discharge and lumps. Repeat these steps for your left breast.
   

Tips

• Breast tissue is found all the way from the nipple to under the armpit. Be sure not to neglect checking along the side of your chest, as well, as it is still, technically, part of your breast.
  
• If you are wondering what to include in an early detection plan, here are some tips.
  
  • Do monthly breast self-exams starting at age 20.
    
  • Have a breast exam at a medical facility every three years from age 20 to 39 and every year from age 40.
    
  • Have a baseline mammogram by age 40.
    
  • Depending on the results of the mammogram, women 40 to 49 should have one every 1 -2 years.
    
  • Women 50 and older should have a mammogram every year.
    
  • Keep a record of your self examinations, mammograms and doctor visits.
    
  
  

Other checks for women

• The other part of the body women must check is their outer genital area. It is as just as easy as examining the breasts. This area is called the vulva and there is a such thing called vulvar cancer and to report any lumps, sores or anything which aren't feeling normal or right, to the doctor no matter how little it is. Another word for the vulva is the labia.
  

Treatments for vulvar cancer

• Biopsy
  
• Surgery to remove part/all of the vulva - This is called vulvectomy. Vulvectomy comes in different types, shown below
  
• Skinning vulvectomy - Removal of the top layers of the vulva only.
  
• Simple vulvectomy - Removal of the whole vulva only.
  
• Radical vulvectomy - Removal of the whole vulva, plus the lymph nodes on both sides of the groin
  
• Partial vulvectomy - Removal of part of the vulva/one side of the vulva only.
  
• Radiotherapy
  
• Chemotherapy
  
• Extensive female surgeries e.g. pelvic exenteration can sometimes include vulvectomy (vulva removal)
  

Warnings

• Breast cancer risk is higher among women who have a mother, aunt, sister or grandmother who was diagnosed before age 50.
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Do a Breast Self Examination. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Change the World in 10 Ways

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

The world today is definately not a paradise. Hunger, abuse, poverty, pollution and other dangers are all too common. Granted, the world never has and probably never will be perfect, but that is no excuse to not try. YOU can help to create a better world for the future. And it's not as hard as you think...

Steps

1. Volunteer - It's not just about working in a soup kitchen or visiting the old folks' home. Today anyone can volunteer to do anything! Contact the local volunteer organisations in your area.
   
2. Get Passionate - Start a petition, donate money, support a charity, fundraise, be an advocate. Choose a cause and get passionate about it! Visit Google and search for your cause. Or check out common causes like:
   
   • Oxfam
     
   • Make Poverty History
     
   • One
     
   
   
3. Recycle - It's not something only hippies do! Anyone can recycle, and these days just about anything can be recycled—from newspapers and plastic, to computers and old mobile (cell) phones. Encourage your school or workplace to recycle and to use recycled products.
   
4. Pay It Forward - Seen the movie? Well, just like Haley Joel Osment, you can help others by "paying it forward." Simply do something nice for 3 people (or, preferably, more and with no limit), without being asked, and in return, tell them to do the same to 3 more people. And so on and so on. Imagine if everyone followed through with this and what kind of world it would be!
   
5. Do not harm the individual - Imagine a society where every single person did not look to harm another individual. You wouldn't have to lock your doors at night and self-defense would be a thing of the past. You may think one person cannot make a difference. The whole world is just six billion individuals. Just think, you may inspire someone to be like you and start a chain reaction!
   
6. Donate Blood - Many countries (especially Australia, Britain, Canada, and the United States) frequently experience record lows of blood stores and desperately need more people to donate. It only takes about half an hour and doesn't hurt (much!). Visit Red Cross for more info.
   
7. Buy a Wristband - They are all the rage in Hollywood, with lots of celebs sporting the most recent fashion accessory—a charity wristband. Not only do they look cool, they're cheap and they're a great way to do your bit for your favourite cause.
   
8. Support animal welfare - After all, animals are God's creations, too, and they should not have to suffer! Donate to the ASPCA!
   
9. Be an Advocate - Speak up about injustices in the world and get your friends involved, too. Organise fundraisers to help raise money for your chosen charity or cause. And if you can't raise money, just add your voice to those already campaigning to end poverty, war, injustice, sexism, racism, or corruption in the world.
   
10. Become an Organ Donor - You won't need your organs when you are dead, so why not give them to someone who can make good use of them? Save the lives of up to eight people by placing yourself on the organ donors' register in your country. Talk about the decision with your family and let them know your wishes.
    
11. Laugh and Smile - Many believe that laughter is the best medicine you can get. Not only that, but people who are happy are often more healthy and are lots more fun to be around! Sharing a smile and a laugh with someone is easy, completely free, and may just make somebody's day!
    

Tips

• Anyone can change the world; all it takes is a little time, effort and dedication!
  
• The Internet is a great place to find information about charities and causes to sponsor/support.
  
• Spread the word. Get your friends involved. The more the better!
  
• Find exciting and fun ways to change the world. Volunteering is not only a great way to help those less fortunate but you might also make some great new friends!
  
• Even if you are broke, there are lots of ways you can help to make the world a better place.
  
• If at first you don't succeed. Try, try, and try again (and again!)
  

Warnings

• People will say you are beating a dead horse. They will tell you that you are wasting your time, that you're an idiot for trying. Don't listen to them. It's because of people like that that the world needs to be changed in the first place!
  
• Use caution when following laws; recent (and not-so-recent) history has shown certain governing bodies to be somewhat untrustworthy. Instead of rigidly following laws set by politicians, cautiously develop your own "laws" on what moral behavior truly is, following a few guidelines:
  
• -It is never acceptable to hurt anybody.
  
• -The action which results in the greatest good is the one which is truly "lawful."
  
• -Never impose your laws on anybody until they fully understand them. If their understanding is complete, the law will be superfluous anyway.
  

Things You'll Need

• Passion
  
• Drive
  
• Motivation
  
• Commitment
  
• Inspiration
  
• A desire to help others
  
• A desire to change the world
  
• Money (if you wish to financially support a charity or cause)
  

Sources and Citations

• Good Causes Online
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Change the World in 10 Ways. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Happy Earth Day

Earth Day-April 22, 2009

Go here for more information on Earth Day.

Today is Earth Day and Earth Day is April 22nd of every year. Happy Earth Day everyone! Here are some ways that you can celebrate Earth Day. These can be found here: http://www.wikihow.com/Celebrate-Earth-Day


1.) Plant trees. As the date also roughly coincides with US Arbor Day, over time Earth Day has taken on the role of tree-planting. Planting trees helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, clean pollution, secure soil in place to prevent erosion, and provide homes for a lot of biodiversity.

2.) Make nature crafts at school or home. Get together with your family and build a birdhouse or make a bird feeder to encourage the local bird population, which plays an important role in every ecosystem. Use objects that would’ve otherwise been thrown away to create beautiful works of art…Here, the possibilities are endless:
*Turn used guitar strings into a centerpiece,
*make a basket from an old orange juice carton,
*convert an old floppy disk into a Starship Enterprise,
*or wear a skirt made out of old umbrellas

3.) Learn more about the environment. Earth Day is a good time to make a commitment to learning more about the environment and how you can help to protect it. Borrow some library books and read up on an issue such as pollution, endangered species, water shortages, recycling, and climate change. Or, learn about a region you’ve never considered before, like the Arctic, the deserts, or the rainforests. Think about the issues that concern you the most and if you haven’t done so already, join a local group that undertakes activities to help protect the environment in your area.

4.) Reduce, reuse and recycle all day long. Buy as little as possible and avoid items that come in lots of packaging. Support local growers and producers of food and products - these don’t have to travel as far and so reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Take your drink container with you, and don’t use any disposable plates or cutlery. Recycle all the things you do use for the day or find other uses for things that you no longer use. Carry a cloth bag for carrying things in and recycle your plastic bags.

5.) Get children to recycle their old toys and games. By giving their old toys and games to younger children who could make use of them, older children learn two lessons: One is about giving to others and the second is about reusing and recycling instead of throwing things away. Adults can also do this with clothes, electrical items, books and more. Learn about product exchange communities like Freecycle and other alternatives.

6.) Rid Litter. Rid litter from our roadways. Many groups use the weekend of Earth Day to clear roadways, highways and neighborhood streets of litter that has accumulated since the last clean-up day. Many companies donate gloves and bags for clean-up groups and villages organize bag pick ups. Once the group has collected the trash and placed the recycled bags along the road, get the village public works department to pick the bags up. It’s a wonderful community project. Great for scout troops, rotary clubs and the like.

7.) Sing or listen to “Earth” songs. There are many Earth Day song lyrics available on the Internet. Many follow well-known tunes. These make a fantastic classroom activity and help younger children to become interested in environmental topics. For listening, even iTunes has songs about the Earth for downloading: try searching for words such as “planet”, “Earth”, “endangered”, “pollution” etc.

8.) Hold an Earth Day fair. Maybe your school, your street, your local neighborhood is interested in getting together to have an environmental fair. Things to have at the fair include demonstrations of environmentally-friendly products, children’s artwork, healthy/locally grown foods to eat, animal care demonstrations (including wildlife rescue), games for the children made of recycled products, musicians and actors performing environmental music and skits, stalls which are recycling unwanted treasures and books, local environmental organisations presenting their issues and wares. Money raised can go towards a local environmental restoration project or to an environmental group agreed upon by all the participants running the fair.

9.) Teach others about the environment. Teachers, professionals, students, in fact anyone who cares about the environment and is willing to teach others, can all provide environmental lessons for others. Most schools already celebrate Earth Day in the classrooms with activities but there are many other ways you can teach about the environment. For example, give a speech at your local library on how to compost with worms; take a group of children down to the recycling center to show them how things are recycled; recite nature poems in the park; offer to teach your office colleagues how to make environmentally-friendly choices at work during one lunch hour. Everyone has environmental knowledge they can share with others.

10.) Wear green and/or brown. Dress in environmental colors for the day; think “tree”! Wear badges if you have them that carry pithy summaries of your environmental views.

11.) Engage others in conversations about your environmental concerns. Don’t be bossy or pushy, just tell people some facts and then explain your feelings about them. Encourage them to respond and if they have no opinions or they seem to not know much, help them learn some more by imparting your environmental knowledge in a friendly and helpful manner.

12.) Cook a special Earth Day meal. Plan a menu that uses locally produced foods, is healthy and has minimal impact on the environment. Favour vegetable and bean products, as these use less resources to grow than mass-farmed meat. If you still would like meat, look for locally produced, organic meat. Try and have organic food completely. Decorate the table with recycled decorations made by you and your friends.

13.) Consider buying a carbon offset to make up for the greenhouse gas emissions you create on the other 364 days of the year. Carbon offsets fund reductions in greenhouse gas emissions through projects such as wind farms, that displaces energy from fossil fuels.

14.) Ride your bike. Use your bicycle or other forms of human powered transportation to commute to work or school and to run errands.

15.) Remember: Every day is Earth Day. Anything to help our environment is a perfect thing to do on Earth Day and every day. Don’t restrict yourself to just one day a year; learn about how you can make a difference to environmental protection all the time. And put it into practice - every day!