Brief Recap of Tweets for The Great American Smokeout

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA The Great American Smokeout Twitter Chat presented by Sharecare was ongoing spirited conversation for five hours filled with valuable information. The Hashtag #quitforgood led the chat. Every third Thursday in November The American Cancer Society marks the Great American Smokeout. First, thank you to all the participants. Thank you to all the smokers who were involved in the conversation. Whether you recently quit smoking, were looking for information on…

Read More...

Sharecare Presents: The Great American Smokeout Twitter Chat

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 43.8 million people (18 years or older), in the United States smoke cigarettes. What’s even more astounding is that cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Every year in the United States more than 440,000 deaths occur. Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, and lung diseases (including emphysema, bronchitis, and chronic airway obstruction)….

Read More...

Alcohol and Cancer: What You Ought to Know

Guest post submitted by MD Anderson Cancer Center When you raise your glass at this year’s holiday toast, choose your beverage wisely. Research shows that drinking even a small amount of alcohol increases your chances of developing cancer, including oral cancer, breast cancer and liver cancer. Yet, other research shows that drinking small amounts of alcohol may protect the body against coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Some evidence even suggests that red wine…

Read More...

How to Filter Cancer Prevention Headlines

Guest post submitted by MD Anderson Cancer Center Most of us can’t keep up with all the new ways to avoid cancer. Thanks to the Internet, we now have an unlimited supply of cancer knowledge at our fingertips.  But, how can we filter out the good, the bad and the questionable? Below are steps to help you tease out the facts when reading that next big news story on preventing cancer. Says who? Don’t just…

Read More...

Dr. Mehmet Oz and Jeff Arnold launch Sharecare.com, where experts share their knowledge with consumers

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Sharecare.com launched yesterday in San Francisco at the Health 2.0 conference and while I was unable to attend this exciting event, I followed the live twitter feed (#health2con) and it almost felt like I was there.  Having attended the Health 2.0 conferences in the past, the excitement and energy that circulates is always infectious. As a registered nurse, I am thrilled and honored to be included and surrounded by…

Read More...