Many of us do not like to think about the possibility of getting cancer. We are supportive of others who have cancer and fight along with them for improved research and better treatment, but rarely think about getting cancer ourselves. Or, if we think about the possibility, we are paralyzed with fear. Thinking about it and gathering information could be a liberating experience, though.

My risk for breast cancer is fairly high: I am female, started menstruating before the age of twelve, have family members who have had the disease, I have a high BMI (body mass index) and I am over 30 with no children. (For more on the risk factors for breast cancer, go to the American Cancer Society website.) Knowing these risk factors, I can do something. I can lose weight, exercise and be vigilant about breast exams, both self exams and at my annual doctor's visit.

I can also research the different treatment options available. Knowing which way you would like to go can save a lot of time and can also alleviate a lot of stress at a time when it would be difficult to make decisions. Knowing that I would probably want to mix conventional methods with some alternative healing methods can help me if i ever have to deal with a cancer diagnosis. Knowing other risk factors for cancer, such as stress and high fat diets, also gives me incentive to change my lifestyle. Reading the blogs on this site has also given me a lot of ideas and helpful tips. Knowing that I am somewhat prepared and definitely informed helps put my mind at ease. Do you think that going over your risk factors and preparing a plan of action is worth it?

I am a Licensed Practical Nurse with five years' experience in this profession. I believe it is essential to go back to the basics in all things in order to really understand them. I am fascinated by how our bodies work and I hope I can get my readers to share my fascination. I hope we all learn new things and marvel again at the things we already know. This feature -- which includes a closing section on how disease affects the topic in question -- will run on The Cancer Blog on Wednesdays, and The Cardio Blog and The Diabetes Blog on Thursdays. [The contents in this post are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or substitute for professional medical care.]

We start with the cell, because so much of what happens to us when we get sick, and how we get healthy again, can be explained by what happens on a cellular level. The cell is extremely complex and I will only touch on the basics in these posts, but at least we can have a rudimentary understanding.

We have discussed cell membranes (May 23), as well as cell organelles (May 30). On June 6, we discussed the cellular transport mechanisms. Today we will look briefly at the cell nucleus. As with the other parts of the cell, this can be a short discussion or a series of articles in and of themselves. I have decided to stay very basic and not discuss each component separately.

With the exception of mature red blood cells, human cells have a nucleus and some, like skeletal muscle cells, have more than one. The nucleus is composed of three main parts, the nuclear envelope, the nucleolus and the chromatin.

The nucleus is separated from the cytoplasm by a double membrane (nuclear envelope) that have lipid bilayers like the plasma membrane. The outer membrane of the nuclear envelope is continuous with the rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It controls the movement of substances between the nucleus and the cytoplasm through nuclear pores -- channels that perforate the nuclear envelope. Small molecules can diffuse through the nuclear pores, but larger molecules, like ribonucleic acid (RNA), need to use active transport facilitated by carrier proteins. The other structural element of the nucleus is the cellular lamina, a mesh-work that adds support, much like the cytoskeleton supports the cell as a whole.

I am a Licensed Practical Nurse with five years' experience in this profession. I believe it is essential to go back to the basics in all things in order to really understand them. I am fascinated by how our bodies work and I hope I can get my readers to share my fascination. I hope we all learn new things and marvel again at the things we already know. This feature -- which includes a closing section on how disease affects the topic in question -- will run on The Cancer Blog on Wednesdays, and The Cardio Blog and The Diabetes Blog on Thursdays. [The contents in this post are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or substitute for professional medical care.]

We start with the cell, because so much of what happens to us when we get sick, and how we get healthy again, can be explained by what happens on a cellular level. The cell is extremely complex and I will only touch on the basics in these posts, but at least we can have a rudimentary understanding.

We have discussed cell membranes (May 23), as well as cell organelles (May 30). Before we look at the nucleus of the cell, I would like to do a short post on some of the mechanisms for molecular movement across the cell membrane. Transport across the cell membrane is important to understand, because a lot of the newer research seems to focus on this aspect.

Living cells constantly interact with the external environment, like tissue or blood. In order to do that, materials must move through the plasma membrane, taking in some substances and secreting or excreting others. There are several methods by which movements can occur: diffusion, osmosis, facilitated diffusion, active transport, filtration, endocytosis and exocytosis. We will look at each of these briefly.

Alicia's blog on SFGate (the San Francisco Chronicle online edition) is the type of blog that you read and re-read, and then have to walk away from and come back to, because it is so raw and honest. She was working for the San Francisco Chronicle during a two-year fellowship when she found out she had cancer. This blog is her account of her illness, starting from the day she found out she had cancer.

I do not have cancer and I will never be able to truly comprehend what someone with cancer goes through. Through blogs like Alicia's, though, I can have some understanding. Her conversational tone when she writes about her diagnosis and even her thoughts on her funeral, makes it real and has an impact that something more "sensationalized" would not have. She has an amazing style and I felt immediately drawn by her account.

Alicia chronicles her cancer in chapters, which makes it a story, in a sense. Which is also what she calls her blog; "Alicia's story." A story about a brave young woman. A story about cancer. A story that helps me understand and get a glimpse of what it is like to go through this. This is also a story that so many people are living right now and to them, it is not a story. To them it is harsh reality, as it is for Alicia.

I am a Licensed Practical Nurse with five years' experience in this profession. I believe it is essential to go back to the basics in all things in order to really understand them. I am fascinated by how our bodies work and I hope I can get my readers to share my fascination. I hope we all learn new things and marvel again at the things we already know. This feature -- which includes a closing section on how disease affects the topic in question -- will run on The Cancer Blog on Wednesdays, and The Cardio Blog and The Diabetes Blog on Thursdays. [The contents in this post are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or substitute for professional medical care.]

We start with the cell, because so much of what happens to us when we get sick, and how we get healthy again, can be explained by what happens on a cellular level. The cell is extremely complex and I will only touch on the basics in these posts, but at least we can have a rudimentary understanding.

Structure of cells

A cell has three basic parts:

1) Plasma membrane: This post will discuss the membrane in more detail.

2) Cytoplasm: All the cellular contents between the plasma membrane and the nucleus and can be further divided into the Cytosol and Organelles.

3) Nucleus: Technically an organelle, but usually considered separately because of its numerous and diverse functions.

Membrane

A membrane lies at the border of the cells. It consists of lipids and proteins.

Phospholipids (one of the three classes of membrane lipids) are formed into what is called a lipid bilayer. This occurs because it is amphiphilic (containing both hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties).The hydrocarbon tails of the molecule are hydrophobic (water repelling) and its polar head is hydrophilic (water loving). As the plasma membrane faces watery solutions on both sides, its phospholipids accommodate this by forming a phospholipid bilayer with the hydrophobic tails facing each other. Picture a row of heads facing the outside of the cell -- which contains water -- with the tails facing in and another layer of the heads facing the inside of the cell with the tails facing in.

Just as the angels of heaven sing in melodic and lilting harmony, there are angels among us here on earth who use the language of music, singing our spirits into healing on translucent angel wings. The lyrics and music of Sandi Kimmel is as inspiring as the first rays of light at dawn, as joyful as the flutter of butterfly wings, as comforting as a warm cup of tea and as healing as the kindness and love of a friend. As a music healer and chronicler of the inner journey, Ms. Kimmel has met her calling here on earth with spiritual authenticity and wisdom. The healing power of her music is intended to make the struggles of life a little easier to handle. Many chemotherapy patients, their families and medical staff have played her music during treatment. TRANSITIONS, a collection of uplifting original songs about life’s most defining moments and challenging transitions, is recognized and valued in many healthcare settings for its healing properties, and has been distributed worldwide. MUSIC IN MY SOUL, is Ms. Kimmel's second collection of original music as a sharing of love and joy in these complex times. Music Healer is Ms. Kimmel's website, which features her lyrics, music and columns focusing on the healing power of music.