OK, women of the world. Grab some paper and a pen and jot down this list of seven check-ups every woman needs. Don't just write them down, though. Make sure you take action on each and every one. They might just save your life.

1. Start with your weight, height, and BMI (body mass index). The scores you get on these simple tests are important because many conditions and diseases are associated with being overweight or underweight.

2. Check your blood pressure, and find out where you stand because hypertension is a disease with no symptoms. High blood pressure puts you at risk for cardiovascular disease -- but there are very effective treatments for this condition.

A new and official report shows cancer is the leading cause of death and disability in Australia.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reveals that cancer is taking more lives -- about 19 percent -- than cardiovascular disease, currently at 18 percent. Cancer is the now to blame for Australia's burden of disease, according to the report, and the disease doesn't appear to be slowing anytime soon.

Burden of disease refers to not only mortality but also takes into account impact of illness and disability. Essentially, this means cancer takes away from healthy life years.

Don't give up that daily cup of coffee just yet. Studies show drinking coffee may reduce your risk of developing Parkinson's disease, diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, and colon cancer. It's even been linked to a decreased risk of inflammatory and cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women.

Why? According to an article in the March 2007 issue of Ladies Home Journal, it's because coffee contains large amounts of flavonoids and antioxidants -- and these combat a whole bunch of illnesses.

Now drinking too much coffee can have adverse side effects, like restlessness, anxiety, and headaches, but limiting yourself to one to four brewed cups per day seems to be a safe practice. Although for those with high blood pressure, consuming between two to four cups per day maybe a bit risky because coffee causes blood pressure to rise immediately after consumption. And all coffee drinkers should fight the urge to add sugar, flavored syrup, and whole milk to to their beverages.

A daily cup of tea seems to be healthy too. Researchers are investigating its use in the prevention of cancer, and we already know both black and green tea have significant quantities of disease-fighting flavonoids -- although not as much as coffee.

When Dr. Jian-Wei Gu went to Mississippi to study the cardiovascular system and the process of blood vessel growth, he had no idea he'd make national headlines about his research into the world of cancer.

Gu, assistant professor of physiology and biophysics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, says his discovery of the mechanism by which alcohol consumption causes tumor growth was purely accidental.

And extremely significant.

Scientists have known for a hundred years about the link between alcohol consumption and cancer. A study from Paris in 1910 showed that 80 percent of patients with cancer of the esophagus or gastric track were alcoholics. More recently, scientists have found correlations between alcohol consumption and cancer of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, large bowel, and even the breasts. Yet lab experiments have always failed to show the effects in animals that investigators knew to be true in humans.

Until now.

It seems past studies used too much alcohol -- in concentrations of 20 percent -- and the animals just wasted away while showing no tumor growth. But when Gu used concentrations of one percent -- about one to two drinks per day in humans -- to study blood vessel growth, he detected stimulated tumor growth in both chick embryos and mice. Thus, his cancer discovery was born.

Gu has further concluded that melanoma cancers in mice grew significantly faster and larger in the mice who consumed the equivalent of one or two alcoholic drinks a day than the mice receiving no alcohol.

Gu's findings, now confirmed by other scientists, are evidence of what many have long suspected -- alcohol, even in moderation, increases cancer risk.

I'm headed for a Saturday morning workout with my fitness trainer. For one hour, I will physically challenge my body and emotionally charge my spirits. I will sweat and pant and if I am required to do the inner thigh exercise, I will scream. I will also whine -- it's in my nature -- and I will push, pull, bounce, balance, lift, squat, lunge, and run until it's quitting time. I will fall short on some of my exercise expectations. And I will surprise myself and exceed others. In the end, I will feel accomplished, strong, motivated, and ready to tackle the day.

I'm making a comeback. I have come back from the depths of cancer and all of its accompanying treatment, and I have invited this powerhouse of a girl to transform me. She has accepted the challenge -- and she has helped me evolve from a weak, shaky, dizzy cancer patient to a semi-strong, 5K-running breast cancer survivor with biceps that are almost visible at a close distance.

This spunky fitness girl -- also an accomplished kick boxer, wife, and mom of two little ones -- has accepted another one of my challenges. I asked her to share some of her health and fitness expertise so that we all may reap the benefits. And so she kindly extracted some important tidbits from her vast library of knowledge and concisely crafted the responses that follow.

Take it from Fitz Koehler -- exercise and healthy eating habits are key for survival. For all of us. Cancer survivors included.

Why is fitness important for everyone?

100% of the population needs to exercise in some way. For the most part, if you're not working to get stronger, you're going to get weaker. Whether it's tummy time as an infant, gym class as a kid, weight training as an adult, or short walks as a senior, in order to live well and live long, we must eat well and exercise. Plus, a fit lifestyle prevents so many horrible ailments and diseases -- heart disease, some cancers, diabetes, GERD. Who wants any of that?

Scallops contain a variety of nutrients that can promote your cardiovascular health, plus provide protection against colon cancer. Scallops are a good source of vitamin B12. A high intake of vitamin B12 has been shown to be protective against colon cancer.In addition to their B12, scallops are a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids and a good source of magnesium and potassium, three other nutrients that provide significant benefits for the cardiovascular system.

Scallops are classified in two broad groups. The larger sea scallops, which can be 1 1/4 to 2 inches in diameter, and bay scallops which are usually about 1/2 to 1 inch in size. When buying scallops look for those with a pearly, off white or pale golden color. Bright white scallops may have been treated with phosphates to keep them fresher longer and should be avoided. Scallops should also have a sweet fresh smell. A spoiled scallop smells sulfurous. Don't overcook scallops or they will become rubbery. Cooking time for scallops should only be about 3 minutes.

Vicki's Scallops with Orange Caper Sauce
16 medium scallops cleaned
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
salt & black pepper
3 tablespoons of capers
1 orange squeezed
1/2 lemon squeezed
1 tablespoon of butter
 
Wash and pat dry the scallops. Heat a medium sized pan and brush with the oil. When pan begins to smoke add the scallops and turn heat back to medium. Season with a little salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute on one side and then turn the scallops over and cook for one minute giving them a light brown sear on each side. Add the capers and butter along with the orange and lemon juice and cook for two more minutes shaking the pan constantly so not to stick. Serves 2

Serve with brown rice and a fresh veggie of your choice for a low fat, nutritional meal good for the heart and health.

The term Omega-3 has become well known in recent years with studies that this healthy fat found in fish and most other seafood can reduce the risk of cancer, and particularly prostate and breast cancer. Consumption of fish has been shown to have cardiovascular health benefits like reducing triglycerides and reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Vicki's Broiled Lime Cilantro Salmon
1 whole side Salmon fillet, 3/4" thick 
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 lime sliced thinly

Combine cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and salt in bowl and mix well. Place fish on a plate or platter skin side down if the skin is still on, and pour mixture over fish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour. Spray non-stick cooking oil on broiler pan and place fish on pan. Place lime slices around on top of the fish. Place in oven about 12 inches from the heat and broil for about 6 minutes. Keep an eye on it as it broils because all ovens heat differently. Take fish out of oven and let stand for 3 to 4 minutes as fish will continue to cook on its own with the heat already in it.  Slice and serve.

Another option is you can grill the salmon with this same recipe but grill covered for about 4 to 5 minutes.

It's summer time, it's hot, and most back yard cookouts have an ice cream maker churning away making that creamy frozen dessert that everyone loves.  Why not put a healthier more nutritional dessert on the table that even children will love? A diet high in fruits is likely to be linked to a decrease in the risk of cancer of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, lung, colon, rectum and possibly other cancers. Eating large amounts of fruits has been clearly linked to a decrease in the risk of cardiovascular disease. Eating fruits may also help improve bone health, diabetes control, and the maintenance of a healthy body weight. The consumption of fruits may strengthen the immune system, which is the body's defense against various diseases including cancer.

Three weeks ago one of my dalmatians developed a lot of bacteria in her stomach and my veterinarian reminded me of the healing powers of the cultures in yogurt.  She loves a couple of spoon fulls in her dry food. Tonight while I was on a fruit binge in the grocery store to fulfill my dedication of going back to my alkaline based diet, I remembered this salad recipe mixing the best of both worlds. I wasn't even tempted to pause at the frozen foods section to gaze longingly at my favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream.  By the way all of these ingredients are on the alkaline side of the food spectrum except for yogurt.  But your best diets contain 70 percent alkaline and 30 percent acid. So this salad is perfect.

Vicki's Mixed Fruit and Vanilla Yogurt Salad (with a minty twist)
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup diced strawberries
1 cup green grapes (slice them in half)
1 peach diced
1 pear diced
1 Granny Smith apple diced
1/3 cup sliced raw almonds
3 or 4 fresh mint leaves finely chopped.
1 6 ounce container vanilla yogurt

Mix everything but the mint in a large mixing bowl stirring gently so not to crush the raspberries and strawberries.  Sprinkle a pinch of the freshly chopped mint on the top of the individual servings.  It looks fancy and gives the dessert a little extra zing. This recipe serves 6 to 8 people. But remember if you have left overs to store them in an air tight container and then use them in the morning on your cereal or granola or for an added dessert treat at lunch.

Every year many Americans are faced with cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. What do a lot of these diseases have in common? The way we as a society chose to eat and treat our bodies. Now I don't want to start a major debate on factors like heredity, environmental issues and the like but we need to face facts that we have become a fast food, fast-paced society dealing with a lot of stress and bad eating habits and are paying less attention to a well balanced diet and the necessary exercise to stay fit. I am as guilty as the next person.

Eating raw vegetables as snacks instead of chips, nuts, pretzels, cheese and crackers and more, will not only help you lose weight but it will help you with digestion and will help your body maintain a more alkalized ph balance where disease can not live. As your body becomes more acidic the acid wastes build up in tissues and stored fat. If your body is in an alkaline state it is like heaven for normal cells and like hell for cancer cells. Cancer cells thrive and multiply when your body reaches a low enough PH level. Even eating slightly steamed or grilled veggies is better than fully cooked.