Top 5 BlackBerry Apps You Did Not Know About

If there is one place Apple has RIM beat, it is most definitely with it’s huge number of applications.

While Apple’s App store is available globally, offers 60,000 apps, and has over 1.5 billion downloads, RIM’s numbers are far behind with the App World unavailable in most of the world.

The following are 5 of the best BlackBerry apps you probably did not know about:

1: WiFi File Transfer: This app is developed by a company that goes by the name Chocolate Chunk Apps. I have had the privilege of corresponding with them over the past few weeks, and I must say, I am pretty impressed. They are clearly out to make the best products possible, and are always interested in hearing customer feedback, and I had a lot to provide.

Anyone who uses BlackBerry is aware of the lack of solid software available to properly sync the device. BlackBerry Desktop Manager is what comes with the device and in my humble opinion, has more bugs than features. The media part of Desktop Manager is especially buggy since RIM has apparently teamed up with Roxio to sync media with their devices. Mistake!

So, now that we have established that BlackBerry Desktop Manager is not a reliable option, how best to transfer files from PC/Mac to BlackBerry? Bluetooth? That is also quite a headache, especially on BlackBerrys. Do not ask me why, but RIM apparently thought it was a good idea to add a “Receive using Bluetooth” option that must be selected EVERY time you want to send a file to the BlackBerry via Bluetooth. So, for me, Bluetooth is out.

Wifi File Transfer solves this for you. Can you guess what it does? Look at the name, cmon! Basically, you enable Wifi on the phone, enable it on the PC/Mac, enter an IP address you are given when you launch the app and you are presented with a full fledged browser-based picture of your BlackBerry’s folder structure. You can then easily send files to your BlackBerry. It worked flawlessly, and has pretty much replaced my need for a USB connection to my PC, as well as ever enabling Bluetooth, or removing the memory card from my phone. Another great feature is the ability to play/view files on your BlackBerry straight from your browser without having to worry about transferring them to the PC first.

This is a very very useful app that I would recommend using. I have good news and bad news! The bad news is the app costs $10, but in my opinion, it is very worth it. The good news is, if you are reading this, and own a BlackBerry, you can have it for free.  Simply go here, add the app, then go to checkout and add the coupon code ”technmarketingwft”. Hurry up, there are only 10 free codes. Good luck and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

2: Start Me Up: I would not swear to this, but as far as I know, such an app is not available on any mobile platform. You know how you can type Msconfig on a PC and define what items start up when the computer starts? Well, now you can do that on your BlackBerry. You can not tell me that you do not have any use for this app. The way this app works is, you launch it, launch any app you want to start up, then select it from a list presented to you in the Start Me Up interface. When the device starts up, Start Me Up automatically starts up, launches the requested app, then closes down. Simple yet brilliant!

If, for example, you are using the Gmail app and want it to launch automatically and not have to start it manually every time, this app enables you to do that. An extremely useful app that I am sure ANY BlackBerry user can benefit from, especially since it is FREE, at least for now. Enjoy!

3: VLC Remote: There are not many programs I stick with for years. When good software is introduced, I usually check it out and if it is good, I use it, but generally, it is replaced by something better within a few months. Not VLC Media Player. I have been using as my primary media player on PC and Mac for years now, and I still love it. It is a lightweight media player that plays every format known to man.  Since I am such a huge fan of VLC, any mobile app that supports it will get my vote.

When I first heard about the VLC Remote for BlackBerry, I had to check it out. I assumed it was the same developer of the iPhone version for some reason, but it turns out it is actually Chocolate Chuck Apps who developed this app. I have been using it for a few days now, and I must say, this one is a winner. You can use your phone as a fully functioning remote control to select, view, play, rewind, and fast forward media files on your PC or Mac.

The app uses the advanced shortcuts BlackBerry users are so accustomed to and enables you to do pretty much anything in the app using one single button. You can select a music file or an entire folder to play, easily scan through a movie playing to the exact place you want to watch, as well as control the volume of the PC using the BlackBerry volume keys (nice one). These are just a few of the things you can do with the BlackBerry VLC Remote.

4: BuzzMe: BlackBerrys for some odd reason, when configured to vibrate, cannot vibrate and ring at the same time. So what ends up happening is that the device vibrates for a few seconds, then starts ringing. By the time the second ring comes along, you have missed the call. One of those annoying quirks about BlackBerrys. A developer called BigTinCan, whose primary offering seems to be VOIP calls, makes an app called BuzzMe. It simply enables you to configure how and when the device will ring and vibrate. It is very customizable and they have managed to create a very friendly UI.

I was using BuzzMe before the latest round of improvements, and I have to say, these guys are working hard. Their new versions are a HUGE improvement over the previous version both in terms of UI and functionality. So what else can BuzzMe do? You ready for this? You can change the color of your LED light that blinks when you get a call/email/message. Now they do offer a free version that only supports calls, but their paid version, BuzzMe Pro has it all. Define how long you want the phone to vibrate, what color the LED should be, whether it should alert you during a call, and the ability to make the app start up automatically, plus much more.

BuzzMe also has a version for the Storm that makes use of its built-in accelerometer. This version enables you to silence the phone’s vibration by putting the phone face down. Another cool feature. OK, so I have good news and better news. You can download the free version here (OTA) or if you have a Storm here (OTA). The good news is the paid version is only $2.99, so it is VERY worth it. The better news is it is FREE for our readers. You can get a free copy of the regular Pro version here (OTA) or the Storm version here (OTA). I am sure you will love it. If you come across any issues with the app or the installation, please let me know in the comments and I will pass it on.

5: UberTwitter: This app is a little more well known, but it still has not replaced TwitterBerry as the main Twitter app for BlackBerry. I am not going to go into the entire app and all its advantages, I will just say, I use it as my primary Twitter app, and have even assigned a shortcut key to quickly launch the app. It has an extremely user-friendly interface and offers almost all the features Tweetdeck has or any other Twitter client for that matter. The only issue I have is a lack of threaded tweets. There is an “In Reply To” button available, but as of now, it has never worked properly for me.

They are always enhancing the app with the latest additions including fully integrated picture upload, as well as advanced use of the built in GPS. I have tried a lot of Twitter apps on a lot of mobile platforms including Windows Mobile, Symbian, iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry. Aside from maybe TwitterFon on the iPhone, UberTwitter is the best I have seen. I am currently testing out a new beta version, and somehow UberTwitter just keeps getting better. The app is free and you can download it here.

OK, that was a little longer than expected, but I hope you enjoy these apps and please leave me your thoughts in the comments.

Source : Click Here

Top 5 BlackBerry Apps You Did Not Know About

If there is one place Apple has RIM beat, it is most definitely with it’s huge number of applications.

While Apple’s App store is available globally, offers 60,000 apps, and has over 1.5 billion downloads, RIM’s numbers are far behind with the App World unavailable in most of the world.

The following are 5 of the best BlackBerry apps you probably did not know about:

1: WiFi File Transfer: This app is developed by a company that goes by the name Chocolate Chunk Apps. I have had the privilege of corresponding with them over the past few weeks, and I must say, I am pretty impressed. They are clearly out to make the best products possible, and are always interested in hearing customer feedback, and I had a lot to provide.

Anyone who uses BlackBerry is aware of the lack of solid software available to properly sync the device. BlackBerry Desktop Manager is what comes with the device and in my humble opinion, has more bugs than features. The media part of Desktop Manager is especially buggy since RIM has apparently teamed up with Roxio to sync media with their devices. Mistake!

So, now that we have established that BlackBerry Desktop Manager is not a reliable option, how best to transfer files from PC/Mac to BlackBerry? Bluetooth? That is also quite a headache, especially on BlackBerrys. Do not ask me why, but RIM apparently thought it was a good idea to add a “Receive using Bluetooth” option that must be selected EVERY time you want to send a file to the BlackBerry via Bluetooth. So, for me, Bluetooth is out.

Wifi File Transfer solves this for you. Can you guess what it does? Look at the name, cmon! Basically, you enable Wifi on the phone, enable it on the PC/Mac, enter an IP address you are given when you launch the app and you are presented with a full fledged browser-based picture of your BlackBerry’s folder structure. You can then easily send files to your BlackBerry. It worked flawlessly, and has pretty much replaced my need for a USB connection to my PC, as well as ever enabling Bluetooth, or removing the memory card from my phone. Another great feature is the ability to play/view files on your BlackBerry straight from your browser without having to worry about transferring them to the PC first.

This is a very very useful app that I would recommend using. I have good news and bad news! The bad news is the app costs $10, but in my opinion, it is very worth it. The good news is, if you are reading this, and own a BlackBerry, you can have it for free.  Simply go here, add the app, then go to checkout and add the coupon code ”technmarketingwft”. Hurry up, there are only 10 free codes. Good luck and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

2: Start Me Up: I would not swear to this, but as far as I know, such an app is not available on any mobile platform. You know how you can type Msconfig on a PC and define what items start up when the computer starts? Well, now you can do that on your BlackBerry. You can not tell me that you do not have any use for this app. The way this app works is, you launch it, launch any app you want to start up, then select it from a list presented to you in the Start Me Up interface. When the device starts up, Start Me Up automatically starts up, launches the requested app, then closes down. Simple yet brilliant!

If, for example, you are using the Gmail app and want it to launch automatically and not have to start it manually every time, this app enables you to do that. An extremely useful app that I am sure ANY BlackBerry user can benefit from, especially since it is FREE, at least for now. Enjoy!

3: VLC Remote: There are not many programs I stick with for years. When good software is introduced, I usually check it out and if it is good, I use it, but generally, it is replaced by something better within a few months. Not VLC Media Player. I have been using as my primary media player on PC and Mac for years now, and I still love it. It is a lightweight media player that plays every format known to man.  Since I am such a huge fan of VLC, any mobile app that supports it will get my vote.

When I first heard about the VLC Remote for BlackBerry, I had to check it out. I assumed it was the same developer of the iPhone version for some reason, but it turns out it is actually Chocolate Chuck Apps who developed this app. I have been using it for a few days now, and I must say, this one is a winner. You can use your phone as a fully functioning remote control to select, view, play, rewind, and fast forward media files on your PC or Mac.

The app uses the advanced shortcuts BlackBerry users are so accustomed to and enables you to do pretty much anything in the app using one single button. You can select a music file or an entire folder to play, easily scan through a movie playing to the exact place you want to watch, as well as control the volume of the PC using the BlackBerry volume keys (nice one). These are just a few of the things you can do with the BlackBerry VLC Remote.

4: BuzzMe: BlackBerrys for some odd reason, when configured to vibrate, cannot vibrate and ring at the same time. So what ends up happening is that the device vibrates for a few seconds, then starts ringing. By the time the second ring comes along, you have missed the call. One of those annoying quirks about BlackBerrys. A developer called BigTinCan, whose primary offering seems to be VOIP calls, makes an app called BuzzMe. It simply enables you to configure how and when the device will ring and vibrate. It is very customizable and they have managed to create a very friendly UI.

I was using BuzzMe before the latest round of improvements, and I have to say, these guys are working hard. Their new versions are a HUGE improvement over the previous version both in terms of UI and functionality. So what else can BuzzMe do? You ready for this? You can change the color of your LED light that blinks when you get a call/email/message. Now they do offer a free version that only supports calls, but their paid version, BuzzMe Pro has it all. Define how long you want the phone to vibrate, what color the LED should be, whether it should alert you during a call, and the ability to make the app start up automatically, plus much more.

BuzzMe also has a version for the Storm that makes use of its built-in accelerometer. This version enables you to silence the phone’s vibration by putting the phone face down. Another cool feature. OK, so I have good news and better news. You can download the free version here (OTA) or if you have a Storm here (OTA). The good news is the paid version is only $2.99, so it is VERY worth it. The better news is it is FREE for our readers. You can get a free copy of the regular Pro version here (OTA) or the Storm version here (OTA). I am sure you will love it. If you come across any issues with the app or the installation, please let me know in the comments and I will pass it on.

5: UberTwitter: This app is a little more well known, but it still has not replaced TwitterBerry as the main Twitter app for BlackBerry. I am not going to go into the entire app and all its advantages, I will just say, I use it as my primary Twitter app, and have even assigned a shortcut key to quickly launch the app. It has an extremely user-friendly interface and offers almost all the features Tweetdeck has or any other Twitter client for that matter. The only issue I have is a lack of threaded tweets. There is an “In Reply To” button available, but as of now, it has never worked properly for me.

They are always enhancing the app with the latest additions including fully integrated picture upload, as well as advanced use of the built in GPS. I have tried a lot of Twitter apps on a lot of mobile platforms including Windows Mobile, Symbian, iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry. Aside from maybe TwitterFon on the iPhone, UberTwitter is the best I have seen. I am currently testing out a new beta version, and somehow UberTwitter just keeps getting better. The app is free and you can download it here.

OK, that was a little longer than expected, but I hope you enjoy these apps and please leave me your thoughts in the comments.

Source : Click Here

20 Ways to Prevent Cancer

First, the good news: You probably won’t get cancer.

That is, if you have a healthy lifestyle. “As many as 70% of known causes of cancers are avoidable and related to lifestyle,” says Thomas A. Sellers, PhD, associate director for cancer prevention and control at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. Still, since cancer is one of the top five lady killers, taking steps to eat a healthy diet, increase exercise, and avoid tobacco products is key; however, recent research has uncovered many small, surprising ways you can weave even more disease prevention into your everyday life. Try these novel strategies and your risk of cancer could dwindle even more.


1. Filter your tap water
You’ll reduce your exposure to known or suspected carcinogens and hormone-disrupting chemicals. A new report from the President’s Cancer Panel on how to reduce exposure to carcinogens suggests that home-filtered tap water is a safer bet than bottled water, whose quality often is not higher—and in some cases is worse—than that of municipal sources, according to a study by the Environmental Working Group. (Consumer Reports’ top picks for faucet-mounted filters: Culligan, Pur Vertical, and the Brita OPFF-100.) Store water in stainless steel or glass to avoid chemical contaminants such as BPA that can leach from plastic bottles.

2. Stop topping your gas tank
So say the EPA and the President’s Cancer Panel: Pumping one last squirt of gas into your car after the nozzle clicks off can spill fuel and foil the pump’s vapor recovery system, designed to keep toxic chemicals such as cancer-causing benzene out of the air, where they can come in contact with your skin or get into your lungs.

3. Marinate meat before grilling
Processed, charred, and well-done meats can contain cancer-causing heterocyclic amines, which form when meat is seared at high temperatures, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which get into food when it’s charcoal broiled. “The recommendation to cut down on grilled meat has really solid scientific evidence behind it,” says Cheryl Lyn Walker, PhD, a professor of carcinogenesis at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. If you do grill, add rosemary and thyme to your favorite marinade and soak meat for at least an hour before cooking. The antioxidant-rich spices can cut HCAs by as much as 87%, according to research at Kansas State University.

4. Caffeinate every day
Java lovers who drank 5 or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day had a 40% decreased risk of brain cancer, compared with people who drank the least, in a 2010 British study. A 5-cup-a-day coffee habit reduces risks of oral and throat cancer almost as much. Researchers credit the caffeine: Decaf had no comparable effect. But coffee was a more potent protector against these cancers than tea, which the British researchers said also offered protection against brain cancer.

5. Water down your cancer risk
Drinking plenty of water and other liquids may reduce the risk of bladder cancer by diluting the concentration of cancer-causing agents in urine and helping to flush them through the bladder faster. Drink at least 8 cups of liquid a day, suggests the American Cancer Society.

6. Load up on really green greens
Next time you’re choosing salad fixings, reach for the darkest varieties. The chlorophyll that gives them their color is loaded with magnesium, which some large studies have found lowers the risk of colon cancer in women. “Magnesium affects signaling in cells, and without the right amount, cells may do things like divide and replicate when they shouldn’t,” says Walker. Just 1/2 cup of cooked spinach provides 75 mg of magnesium, 20% of the daily value.


7. Snack on Brazil nuts
They’re a stellar source of selenium, an antioxidant that lowers the risk of bladder cancer in women, according to research from Dartmouth Medical School. Other studies have found that people with high blood levels of selenium have lower rates of dying of lung cancer and colorectal cancer. Researchers think selenium not only protects cells from free radical damage but also may enhance immune function and suppress formation of blood vessels that nourish tumors.

8. Burn off your breast cancer risk
Moderate exercise such as brisk walking 2 hours a week cuts risk of breast cancer 18%. Regular workouts may lower your risks by helping you burn fat, which otherwise produces its own estrogen, a known contributor to breast cancer.


9. Skip the dry cleaner
A solvent known as perc (short for perchloroethylene) that’s used in traditional dry cleaning may cause liver and kidney cancers and leukemia, according to an EPA finding backed in early 2010 by the National Academies of Science. The main dangers are to workers who handle chemicals or treated clothes using older machines, although experts have not concluded that consumers are also at increased cancer risk. Less toxic alternatives: Hand-wash clothes with mild soap and air-dry them, spot cleaning if necessary with white vinegar.

10. Ask your doc about breast density
Women whose mammograms have revealed breast density readings of 75% or more have a breast cancer risk 4 to 5 times higher than that of women with low density scores, according to recent research. One theory is that denser breasts result from higher levels of estrogen—making exercise particularly important (see #8). “Shrinking your body fat also changes growth factors, signaling proteins such as adipokines and hormones like insulin in ways that tend to turn off cancer-promoting processes in cells,” Walker says.

11. Head off cell phone risks
Use your cell phone only for short calls or texts, or use a hands-free device that keeps the phone—and the radio frequency energy it emits—away from your head. The point is more to preempt any risk than to protect against a proven danger: Evidence that cell phones increase brain cancer risk is “neither consistent nor conclusive,” says the President’s Cancer Panel report. But a number of review studies suggest there’s a link.

12. Block skin cancer with color
Choosing your outdoor outfit wisely may help protect against skin cancer, say Spanish scientists. In their research, blue and red fabrics offered significantly better protection against the sun’s UV rays than white and yellow ones did. Don’t forget to put on a hat: Though melanoma can appear anywhere on the body, it’s more common in areas the sun hits, and researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found that people with melanomas on the scalp or neck die at almost twice the rate of people with the cancer on other areas of the body.

13. Pick a doc with a past
Experience—lots of it—is critical when it comes to accurately reading mammograms. A study from the University of California, San Francisco, found that doctors with at least 25 years' experience were more accurate at interpreting images and less likely to give false positives. Ask about your radiologist's track record. If she is freshly minted or doesn't check a high volume of mammograms, get a second read from someone with more mileage.

14. Eat clean foods
The President’s Cancer Panel recommends buying meat free of antibiotics and added hormones, which are suspected of causing endocrine problems, including cancer. The report also advises that you purchase produce grown without pesticides and wash conventionally grown food thoroughly to remove residues. (The foods with the most pesticides: celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, and blueberries. See the full list of dirtiest fruits and vegetables here.) “At least 40 known carcinogens are found in pesticides and we should absolutely try to reduce exposure,” Sellers says.

15. Read food labels for folic acid
The B vitamin, essential for women who may become or are pregnant to prevent birth defects, is a double-edged sword when it comes to cancer risk. Consuming too much of the synthetic form (not folate, found in leafy green veggies, orange juice, and other foods) has been linked to increased colon cancer risk, as well as higher lung cancer and prostate cancer risks. Rethink your multivitamin, especially if you eat a lot of cereal and fortified foods. A recent CDC study discovered that half of supplement users who took supplements with more than 400 mcg of folic acid exceeded 1,000 mcg per day of folic acid. Most supplements pack 400 mcg. Individual supplements (of vitamin D and calcium, for instance) may be a smarter choice for most women who aren’t thinking of having kids.

16. Up your calcium intake
Milk's main claim to fame may also help protect you from colon cancer. Those who took calcium faithfully for 4 years had a 36% reduction in the development of new precancerous colon polyps 5 years after the study had ended, revealed Dartmouth Medical School researchers. (They tracked 822 people who took either 1,200 mg of calcium every day or a placebo.) Though the study was not on milk itself, you can get the same amount of calcium in three 8-ounce glasses of fat-free milk, along with an 8-ounce serving of yogurt or a 2- to 3-ounce serving of low-fat cheese daily.

17. Commit to whole grains
You know whole wheat is better for you than white bread. Here’s more proof why you should switch once and for all: If you eat a lot of things with a high glycemic load—a measurement of how quickly food raises your blood sugar—you may run a higher risk of colorectal cancer than women who eat low-glycemic-load foods, found a Harvard Medical School study involving 38,000 women. The problem eats are mostly white: white bread, pasta, potatoes, and sugary pastries. The low-glycemic-load stuff comes with fiber.


18. Pay attention to pain
If you’re experiencing a bloated belly, pelvic pain, and an urgent need to urinate, see your doctor. These symptoms may signal ovarian cancer, particularly if they're severe and frequent. Women and physicians often ignore these symptoms, and that's the very reason that this disease can be deadly. When caught early, before cancer has spread outside the ovary, the relative 5-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is a jaw-dropping 90 to 95%.

19. Avoid unnecessary scans
CT scans are a great diagnostic tool, but they deliver much more radiation than x-rays and may be overused, says Barton Kamen, MD, PhD, chief medical officer for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In fact, researchers suggest that one-third of CT scans could be unnecessary. High doses of radiation can trigger leukemia, so make sure scans are not repeated if you see multiple doctors, and ask if another test, such as an ultrasound or MRI, could substitute.

20. Drop 10 pounds
Being overweight or obese accounts for 20% of all cancer deaths among women and 14% among men, notes the American Cancer Society. (You're overweight if your body mass index is between 25 and 29.9; you're obese if it's 30 or more. Click here to gauge your BMI.) Plus, losing excess pounds reduces the body's production of female hormones, which may protect against breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and ovarian cancer. Even if you're not technically overweight, gaining just 10 pounds after the age of 30 increases your risk of developing breast, pancreatic, and cervical, among other cancers.


Source: Click Here

20 Ways to Prevent Cancer

First, the good news: You probably won’t get cancer.

That is, if you have a healthy lifestyle. “As many as 70% of known causes of cancers are avoidable and related to lifestyle,” says Thomas A. Sellers, PhD, associate director for cancer prevention and control at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. Still, since cancer is one of the top five lady killers, taking steps to eat a healthy diet, increase exercise, and avoid tobacco products is key; however, recent research has uncovered many small, surprising ways you can weave even more disease prevention into your everyday life. Try these novel strategies and your risk of cancer could dwindle even more.


1. Filter your tap water
You’ll reduce your exposure to known or suspected carcinogens and hormone-disrupting chemicals. A new report from the President’s Cancer Panel on how to reduce exposure to carcinogens suggests that home-filtered tap water is a safer bet than bottled water, whose quality often is not higher—and in some cases is worse—than that of municipal sources, according to a study by the Environmental Working Group. (Consumer Reports’ top picks for faucet-mounted filters: Culligan, Pur Vertical, and the Brita OPFF-100.) Store water in stainless steel or glass to avoid chemical contaminants such as BPA that can leach from plastic bottles.

2. Stop topping your gas tank
So say the EPA and the President’s Cancer Panel: Pumping one last squirt of gas into your car after the nozzle clicks off can spill fuel and foil the pump’s vapor recovery system, designed to keep toxic chemicals such as cancer-causing benzene out of the air, where they can come in contact with your skin or get into your lungs.

3. Marinate meat before grilling
Processed, charred, and well-done meats can contain cancer-causing heterocyclic amines, which form when meat is seared at high temperatures, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which get into food when it’s charcoal broiled. “The recommendation to cut down on grilled meat has really solid scientific evidence behind it,” says Cheryl Lyn Walker, PhD, a professor of carcinogenesis at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. If you do grill, add rosemary and thyme to your favorite marinade and soak meat for at least an hour before cooking. The antioxidant-rich spices can cut HCAs by as much as 87%, according to research at Kansas State University.

4. Caffeinate every day
Java lovers who drank 5 or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day had a 40% decreased risk of brain cancer, compared with people who drank the least, in a 2010 British study. A 5-cup-a-day coffee habit reduces risks of oral and throat cancer almost as much. Researchers credit the caffeine: Decaf had no comparable effect. But coffee was a more potent protector against these cancers than tea, which the British researchers said also offered protection against brain cancer.

5. Water down your cancer risk
Drinking plenty of water and other liquids may reduce the risk of bladder cancer by diluting the concentration of cancer-causing agents in urine and helping to flush them through the bladder faster. Drink at least 8 cups of liquid a day, suggests the American Cancer Society.

6. Load up on really green greens
Next time you’re choosing salad fixings, reach for the darkest varieties. The chlorophyll that gives them their color is loaded with magnesium, which some large studies have found lowers the risk of colon cancer in women. “Magnesium affects signaling in cells, and without the right amount, cells may do things like divide and replicate when they shouldn’t,” says Walker. Just 1/2 cup of cooked spinach provides 75 mg of magnesium, 20% of the daily value.


7. Snack on Brazil nuts
They’re a stellar source of selenium, an antioxidant that lowers the risk of bladder cancer in women, according to research from Dartmouth Medical School. Other studies have found that people with high blood levels of selenium have lower rates of dying of lung cancer and colorectal cancer. Researchers think selenium not only protects cells from free radical damage but also may enhance immune function and suppress formation of blood vessels that nourish tumors.

8. Burn off your breast cancer risk
Moderate exercise such as brisk walking 2 hours a week cuts risk of breast cancer 18%. Regular workouts may lower your risks by helping you burn fat, which otherwise produces its own estrogen, a known contributor to breast cancer.


9. Skip the dry cleaner
A solvent known as perc (short for perchloroethylene) that’s used in traditional dry cleaning may cause liver and kidney cancers and leukemia, according to an EPA finding backed in early 2010 by the National Academies of Science. The main dangers are to workers who handle chemicals or treated clothes using older machines, although experts have not concluded that consumers are also at increased cancer risk. Less toxic alternatives: Hand-wash clothes with mild soap and air-dry them, spot cleaning if necessary with white vinegar.

10. Ask your doc about breast density
Women whose mammograms have revealed breast density readings of 75% or more have a breast cancer risk 4 to 5 times higher than that of women with low density scores, according to recent research. One theory is that denser breasts result from higher levels of estrogen—making exercise particularly important (see #8). “Shrinking your body fat also changes growth factors, signaling proteins such as adipokines and hormones like insulin in ways that tend to turn off cancer-promoting processes in cells,” Walker says.

11. Head off cell phone risks
Use your cell phone only for short calls or texts, or use a hands-free device that keeps the phone—and the radio frequency energy it emits—away from your head. The point is more to preempt any risk than to protect against a proven danger: Evidence that cell phones increase brain cancer risk is “neither consistent nor conclusive,” says the President’s Cancer Panel report. But a number of review studies suggest there’s a link.

12. Block skin cancer with color
Choosing your outdoor outfit wisely may help protect against skin cancer, say Spanish scientists. In their research, blue and red fabrics offered significantly better protection against the sun’s UV rays than white and yellow ones did. Don’t forget to put on a hat: Though melanoma can appear anywhere on the body, it’s more common in areas the sun hits, and researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found that people with melanomas on the scalp or neck die at almost twice the rate of people with the cancer on other areas of the body.

13. Pick a doc with a past
Experience—lots of it—is critical when it comes to accurately reading mammograms. A study from the University of California, San Francisco, found that doctors with at least 25 years' experience were more accurate at interpreting images and less likely to give false positives. Ask about your radiologist's track record. If she is freshly minted or doesn't check a high volume of mammograms, get a second read from someone with more mileage.

14. Eat clean foods
The President’s Cancer Panel recommends buying meat free of antibiotics and added hormones, which are suspected of causing endocrine problems, including cancer. The report also advises that you purchase produce grown without pesticides and wash conventionally grown food thoroughly to remove residues. (The foods with the most pesticides: celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, and blueberries. See the full list of dirtiest fruits and vegetables here.) “At least 40 known carcinogens are found in pesticides and we should absolutely try to reduce exposure,” Sellers says.

15. Read food labels for folic acid
The B vitamin, essential for women who may become or are pregnant to prevent birth defects, is a double-edged sword when it comes to cancer risk. Consuming too much of the synthetic form (not folate, found in leafy green veggies, orange juice, and other foods) has been linked to increased colon cancer risk, as well as higher lung cancer and prostate cancer risks. Rethink your multivitamin, especially if you eat a lot of cereal and fortified foods. A recent CDC study discovered that half of supplement users who took supplements with more than 400 mcg of folic acid exceeded 1,000 mcg per day of folic acid. Most supplements pack 400 mcg. Individual supplements (of vitamin D and calcium, for instance) may be a smarter choice for most women who aren’t thinking of having kids.

16. Up your calcium intake
Milk's main claim to fame may also help protect you from colon cancer. Those who took calcium faithfully for 4 years had a 36% reduction in the development of new precancerous colon polyps 5 years after the study had ended, revealed Dartmouth Medical School researchers. (They tracked 822 people who took either 1,200 mg of calcium every day or a placebo.) Though the study was not on milk itself, you can get the same amount of calcium in three 8-ounce glasses of fat-free milk, along with an 8-ounce serving of yogurt or a 2- to 3-ounce serving of low-fat cheese daily.

17. Commit to whole grains
You know whole wheat is better for you than white bread. Here’s more proof why you should switch once and for all: If you eat a lot of things with a high glycemic load—a measurement of how quickly food raises your blood sugar—you may run a higher risk of colorectal cancer than women who eat low-glycemic-load foods, found a Harvard Medical School study involving 38,000 women. The problem eats are mostly white: white bread, pasta, potatoes, and sugary pastries. The low-glycemic-load stuff comes with fiber.


18. Pay attention to pain
If you’re experiencing a bloated belly, pelvic pain, and an urgent need to urinate, see your doctor. These symptoms may signal ovarian cancer, particularly if they're severe and frequent. Women and physicians often ignore these symptoms, and that's the very reason that this disease can be deadly. When caught early, before cancer has spread outside the ovary, the relative 5-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is a jaw-dropping 90 to 95%.

19. Avoid unnecessary scans
CT scans are a great diagnostic tool, but they deliver much more radiation than x-rays and may be overused, says Barton Kamen, MD, PhD, chief medical officer for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In fact, researchers suggest that one-third of CT scans could be unnecessary. High doses of radiation can trigger leukemia, so make sure scans are not repeated if you see multiple doctors, and ask if another test, such as an ultrasound or MRI, could substitute.

20. Drop 10 pounds
Being overweight or obese accounts for 20% of all cancer deaths among women and 14% among men, notes the American Cancer Society. (You're overweight if your body mass index is between 25 and 29.9; you're obese if it's 30 or more. Click here to gauge your BMI.) Plus, losing excess pounds reduces the body's production of female hormones, which may protect against breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and ovarian cancer. Even if you're not technically overweight, gaining just 10 pounds after the age of 30 increases your risk of developing breast, pancreatic, and cervical, among other cancers.


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How to Cook Everything a Little Better

Cook Corn

Instead of boiling corn on the cob, dot it with a little butter, salt, and black pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast (350 degrees) until tender. Caramelize a little honey in a sauté pan and, when the corn comes out, brush with the honey.

—Alex Guarnaschelli, Butter, New York; host of Alex's Day Off (Cooking Channel)

Bread Meat

After you've breaded a piece of meat for panfrying (dip in flour, dip in a water-and-egg-white mixture, dip in bread crumbs), spray the breaded meat with a little water from a spritz bottle. The moisture will prevent the crumbs from absorbing too much oil while still preserving that crispy crunch.

—David Burke, David Burke Kitchen, New York

Make a Sandwich

Less is more. Proportion is key, making sure each element balances the next. I like a fresh slaw tossed in a light vinegar for some crunch and some acidity. Throw in the protein of your choosing, bearing in mind the salt that comes with cured or smoked meat. And when is adding a fried egg a bad thing? Butter the outside of your bread, griddle it, and that's a sandwich.

—Michael Schwartz, Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, Miami

Hold a Knife

Pinch the dull side of the blade with your pointer finger and thumb where the blade meets the handle. Wrap your other three fingers around the handle, leaving your thumb and pointer finger gripping the heel of the blade. Practice on a big bag of vegetables.

—Kelsey Nixon, host of Kelsey's Essentials (Cooking Channel)

Scramble Eggs

For two eggs, add two tablespoons of water and two tablespoons of heavy cream, season with salt and fresh-cracked black pepper, and whip the hell out of them with a whisk until frothy. Melt some butter over medium heat and cook the eggs, not touching them until they are partially set. Then start some light stirring until they're almost finished, and turn the heat off. They will finish cooking because the pan is still hot.

—Randy Zweiban, Province, Chicago

Grill Fruit

Start with ripe, juicy fruit with a high moisture content. Lightly brush on all sides with melted butter or coconut milk. Make a dessert rub by combining one cup sugar with one tablespoon cinnamon. Set up your grill for direct grilling — a preheated grate over a hot fire: Brush the grate clean with a stiff wire brush. Oil it with a paper towel folded into a tight pad, dipped in oil, and drawn across the bars of the grate. Oiling prevents sticking and gives you killer grill marks. Dip fruit in rub to coat on all sides, shaking off excess. Grill the fruit long enough to turn the sugar and fruit juices into bubbling, golden caramel.

—Steven Raichlen, author of The Barbecue Bible; host of Primal Grill (PBS)

Cook a Lobster

Use water that's as close to seawater as it can be — extremely salty or, better yet, seawater itself. And don't use much: Put three or four inches in the pot, and when the water is steaming like mad, add the lobster. A pound-and-a-quarter lobster takes about nine minutes. Afterward, don't shock it in ice water. That makes the meat tougher. Just let it cool down.

—Dave Pasternack, Esca, New York

Sear a Scallop

Make sure the scallop is totally dry — use a paper towel for this. Season it with salt. Get your (small) pan very hot and add cold oil. This way, the scallop will never stick. Once the scallop is in the pan, do not touch it. At all. It will caramelize. Flip it once and serve.

—Michael White, Ai Fiori, New York

Make a Spice Rub

Start with spices that are whole (as opposed to ground) and fresh (as opposed to sitting in your cabinet for three years). Black pepper always goes well with coriander and mustard seed. Cinnamon always goes well with clove, anise, and allspice. Cardamom is usually too strong. Toast spices in a dry pan on the stove over low heat for a couple minutes, then grind them. (You can use a clean coffee grinder.) Then rub it on whatever meat you're cooking.

—David Katz, Mémé, Philadelphia

Season Meats

Salt draws moisture out, so season just before sautéing meat or fish. If you salt too early, the surface of the flesh will become wet and will not get that nice golden crust. And if you marinate meat, remember to pat dry and season it just before you sear.

—Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham

Sauté Garlic

Start with a cold pan, add olive oil, then garlic, and turn burner to low heat. Through the gradual increase of temperature, you'll infuse the oil with the flavor of garlic while it turns slightly brown.

—Marco Canora, Hearth, New York; author of Salt to Taste

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