The information below is taken from the FDA newsletter that I receive:

FDA is aware of concerns that antiperspirant use -- in conjunction with underarm shaving -- may be associated with increased risk of developing breast cancer. FDA continues to search scientific literature for studies examining this possible adverse drug effect. Unfortunately, there are many publications that discuss the issue but very few studies in which data have been collected and analyzed. Overall, the studies that contain data are inconclusive in determining whether antiperspirants, in any way, contribute to the development of breast cancer. FDA hopes that definitive studies exploring breast cancer incidence and antiperspirant use will be conducted in the near future.

The issue is the aluminimum found in antiperspirants. Given this fact, numerous companies in the beauty industry are shifting away from adding aluminum and other potentially harmful ingredients to their products.

Why wait for solid proof that aluminum is causing breast cancer - especially as there are alternatives. Visit your health store, pharmacy or even quality supermarket. There you will find aluminum free deodorants.

CBS did a two-part special on Tom's of Maine deodorants. Part 1 evaluates the correlation between cancer and use of antiperspirants and Part 2 evalutes Tom's of Maine's antiperspirant products.

It may seem odd yet I have not used deoderant for about 10 years now. I do not need it. No I don't stink! It is based on what my observant older sibling told me years ago, Don't eat dairy and you won't stink.

I thought he was full of it. Yet when I tried it, he was correct. I do not totally eliminate dairy from my diet as it tastes too damn good. Yet I do not drink milk.

Yet if one is in a stressful job and sweating all the time [which I am beginning to do being a medical student in clinical training, a safe anti-perspirant may be necessary.

I have located a review on a medical resesarch database about deodorants and breast cancer.

Another study entitled, An earlier age of breast cancer diagnosis related to more frequent use of antiperspirants/deodorants and underarm shaving.

For more antiperspirant information, visit the full article on the FDA website.

copyright 2005 by Benjamin Lynch and HealthE Goods

Benjamin Lynch has a BS degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Washington. Currently, he is obtaining his doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University. Visit Ben's natural health product store, HealthE Goods where one can use our free health information service where one may ask specific health questions. We provide physician-grade non-prescription natural health products. Wholesale spa products are available to all that qualify. Do visit our Natural Health Information Center: Read. Ask. Learn.. We are here to help serve the public with proper health information and effective products.

My Legs Are Already Big Enough. I Keep Hearing Working Legs Is A MUST. Why Is That So Important?

Believe me? I hated leg workouts. Until I realize the true potential that a simple set of squats could unleash.

Frankly? I see the same people on the leg press machine, leg extensions, doing lunges and doing squats week after week. But for every other muscle group, it?s like a new day. There?s the familiar faces of course, but there?s always new people. It?s like working leg is an exclusive club.

And yet that is 50% of your body! Your entire lower body you will neglect because:

?You don?t like working legs
?You don?t want bigger legs
?Your leg are big enough

But let?s suppose? you do work legs. And without much weight at all. Just enough to stimulate your entire body propelling it into new levels of growth. Do you think that is possible?

How can doing squats increase our bench press? If you are stuck on bicep curls, how can incorporating legs into your routine break you thru those plateaus?

I?m here to tell you right now, as you read this, that doing leg workouts is a whole lot more then just getting bigger, more toned, or stronger legs.

Think about it. Testosterone is a primary ingredient of building muscle. So you do a hard set of tricep pushdowns. Your body responds by making more testosterone. Let?s just guess at 10% more for the day. Phew. Hard workout. Good job!

Do you qualify as one of those people?

But,? let?s say you do a set of breathing squats at 100% intensity.

You just boosted your testosterone production 1000%.

Do you think I?m being facetious?

But back to the purpose of this question. Working your legs isn?t an option. It?s something you do. So you don?t want bigger legs? Fine. Don?t pile on the weight. Don?t overload them. Just stimulate your metabolism, and stimulate your body changing. So you don?t like legs? Get over it.

Fact is, by incorporating legs into your workout, you will see more gains in 6 weeks then most people do in 3 months.

Don?t take my word for it. Look around at your gym? The guy with a huge upper body and tiny chicken legs. Do you want to look like that? Who are the bigger guys in your gym? Who are the women that you most want to look like? I can assure you those people do legs. Any top notch physique does legs.

Doing a cardio machine that uses legs is not the same.

So that?s why working your legs is so important. Please do not make excuses. You do not have to train to failure where you cannot walk. You don?t have to squat 600 lbs. You simply must train the 50% of your body that pretty much 80% of everybody just doesn?t do.

Next time you are in the gym take a good look around. Notice the leg equipment. Notice the same people using that week after week.

Become one of the individuals at your gym that trains legs and discover the secret to growth.

Here are the reasons why working every muscle - not just certain ones - is the superior method of getting the results you want:

1.Builds lean muscle
2.Reduces body fat levels
3.Increases energy
4.Balances blood sugar in the body
5.Increases neuromuscular efficiency
6.Improves sexual performance
7.Lowers cholesterol in the body
8.Protects against heart disease
9.Improves mood

All the above reasons are by-products of increased testosterone. For men, this means better muscle gains. For women, don?t worry you don?t have enough testosterone to get big and bulky like a man. For everybody, working legs will help you with the above factors and assist you in reaching your goals.

Marc David is a bodybuilder, writer, and author of the the e-book The Beginner's Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding (BGFB): What Every Beginner Should Know but Probably Doesn't. The Beginner's Guide is oriented towards fitness minded men and women who are just starting or have worked out for years without results who want weight loss and to gain muscle. To learn more about the Beginner?s Guide, visit Beginning-Bodybuilding at: http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com

Are you as careful to protect your skin from sun damage as you should be? Do you wear sunscreen every time you go outside for prolonged periods? Or do you think you're safe for some other reason?

Most people are aware of the dangers of skin cancer resulting from overexposure to the sun. While people who rarely burn are less likely to contract skin cancer than people who burn easily, everyone is at risk. Even with no family history. And our collective knowledge about skin cancer risks is constantly changing. For example, dermatologists used to condone minimal use of high-pressure tanning beds (which use UVA rays almost exclusively, with very little of the UVB rays) for people who tan easily and rarely burn. The tan from these beds was thought to protect your skin from natural sunlight. Now dermatologists are finding that UVA rays cause deeper tissue forms of skin cancer, which are more difficult to detect and treat.

Even if you never contract skin cancer, overexposure to sunlight also accounts for a surprising number of the signs of aging we think of as normal. Tanning produces deep skin wrinkles, makes the skin texture leathery, and can cause discoloration such as age spots. Avoiding sun and tanning bed exposure will help keep your skin tone even, your wrinkles fine and your skin texture soft.

Broad-spectrum sunscreens provide excellent protection from natural sunlight exposure. Even if you're not going to be out in the sun for long, it's a good idea to put some on exposed skin while dressing in the morning, particularly in the summer time. If you're concerned about potentially dangerous chemicals that have been used in sunscreen, such as PABA, you should be aware there are sunscreen products available now that don't include harmful chemicals. In fact, many are comprised mainly of natural ingredients, including moisturizers, which are the basis of any good anti-aging routine. If you already have skin damage resulting from sun exposure, there are a number of products available to even skin tone and soften deep wrinkles.

Devina Hoff reviews online skin care, cosmetics and hair care vendors for Cochesi Skin Care and Beauty. Find what you're looking at from http://cochesi.com.