Top Ten Breast Cancer Prevention Tips

Photo: AP
Photo: AP

Earlier this week, the White House put up a giant pink ribbon over the front steps in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Follow these “Top Ten” vital tips to help prevent Breast Cancer from occurring in the first place.

This Health Alert is not just for women – men need to know this information too!

TOP TEN TIPS TO PREVENT BREAST CANCER


1. Get regular mammograms. It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many women don’t.

Earlier this month, an Australian study found that women who get regular mammograms had a 4.7 percent risk of dying of breast cancer; women who weren’t screened had a 56 percent mortality rate. Some women “hate” mammograms, I don’t like them either, see Tip #3 below.

2. Find out whether you or women close to you have “dense breasts”.

What does this mean? It means the breast cells grow and multiply more rapidly, raising your risk. Plus dense breasts make it harder for a mammogram to “see” through the tissue and detect a tumor.

While dense breast tissue is more common in younger women who haven’t yet had children, it’s also hereditary and can affect any woman. I have a dear 43-year-old friend whose breast tumor failed to show up on three years’ worth of mammograms before her doctor finally ordered an MRI.

How to find out? Schedule a breast exam and ask your doctor. Also talk to the radiologist who’s administering your mammogram.

3. Ask your doctor to recommend other tests.

Surprise: Mammograms are only 16 to 40 percent accurate, studies show.

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Curcumin Could Reduce Hormone Therapy Breast Cancer Risk

curcuminA new study shows that Curcumin, a popular Asian spice from the turmeric root, might protect women from breast cancer who are taking estrogen and progestin (synthetic progesterone) used as hormone replacement therapy following menopause.

Previous studies found that postmenopausal women who have taken a combined estrogen and progestin hormone replacement therapy have increased their risk of developing progestin-accelerated breast tumors. Now, University of Missouri researchers have found that curcumin, a popular Indian spice derived from the turmeric root, could reduce the cancer risk for women after exposure to hormone replacement therapy.

“Approximately 6 million women in the United States use hormone replacement therapy to treat the symptoms of menopause,” said Salman Hyder, the Zalk Endowed Professorship in Tumor Angiogenesis and professor of biomedical sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center. “This exposure to progestin will predispose a large number of post-menopausal women to future development of breast cancer. The results of our study show that women could potentially take curcumin to protect themselves from developing progestin-accelerated tumors.”

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Breast Cancer Breakthrough

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. All over the country women are out in droves to raise awareness of this disturbing and oftentimes, fatal epidemic.

We have an answer. We have uncovered research that shows how to reduce the incidence of cancer by a staggering 76%.

Yes, 76%!

Every 24 Seconds Someone is Diagnosed with Breast Cancer

While billions of dollars of government and special donor research money has been spent fighting this dreadful and often fatal disease, the odds are that a shocking one out of seven women will develop this disease. Breast cancer has become the second largest cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer, and the leading cause of death for women between 35 and 54.

Ever since the so called “war on cancer” was declared, more women have died of breast cancer than the total number of Americans who lost their lives in World Wars I and II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, COMBINED!

Clearly we are in the midst of a breast cancer epidemic. (Read my  article, “Breast Cancer Is Stealing Our Best & Brightest” from Feb 2007.)

By the time a tell-tale lump is detected in the breast, there already an estimated 45 billion cancer cells present, and some of these malignant cells have metastasized to other parts of the body. 

There is hope – a light at the end of a dark tunnel. Read the excerpt below from the June 2007 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 

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Breast Cancer "Cure"

The world media exploded earlier this month with the news that a “cure” or breakthrough treatment for Breast Cancer had been found.

The news was incredible, but if you’ve been reading my newsletters regularly, you knew all about it way in advance.

Vitamin D is a high potent treatment and possible preventative “cure” for Breast Cancer.

And we have the most powerful, total Breast Cancer protection formula available.

Vitamin D may lower Breast Cancer Risk

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor WASHINGTON (Reuters)

Breast cancer patients with lower levels of vitamin D were far more likely to die and far more likely to have their cancer spread than women with normal levels, Canadian researchers reported on Thursday.

Women deficient in the “sunshine vitamin” when they were diagnosedWoman in sunshine with breast cancer were 94 percent more likely to have their cancer spread and were 73 percent more likely to die than women with adequate vitamin D levels.

More than three-quarters of women with breast cancer had a vitamin D deficiency, the researchers reported to a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
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Beat Breast Cancer for 8 Cents a Day‏

“Some stunning news hit my desk this week about fighting cancer, especially Breast Cancer.

A special formula containing high potency Calcium along with Vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol) reduced cancer rates for ALL FORMS OF CANCER, by a staggering 77% in an exhaustive four year trial.

The findings bolster a recent study which uncovered a direct association between Calcium and Vitamin D intake and a far lower risk of breast cancer.

We have the formula used in the test, and it costs just 8 cents a day”

Every 24 Seconds Someone is Diagnosed with Breast Cancer

While billions of dollars of government and special donor research money has been spent fighting this dreadful and often fatal disease, the odds are that a shocking one out of seven women will develop this disease.

Breast cancer has become the second largest cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer, and the leading cause of death for women between 35 and 54.

Ever since the so called “war on cancer” was declared, more women have died of breast cancer than the total number of Americans who lost their lives in World Wars I and II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, COMBINED!

Clearly we are in the midst of a breast cancer epidemic. (Read my February 4th newsletter, “Breast Cancer Is Stealing Our Best & Brightest“)

By the time a tell-tale lump is detected in the breast, there is already an estimated 45 billion cancer cells present, and some of these malignant cells have metastasized to other parts of the body.

There is hope – a light at the end of a dark tunnel.

Read the excerpt below from the June 2007 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Continue reading “Beat Breast Cancer for 8 Cents a Day‏”

Breast Cancer is Stealing our Best and Brightest

Just this past week the terrifying scourge of breast cancer took two of our best and brightest women. Unfortunately, this is not rare.

Both so very young.

One was Angelina Jolie’s mother, just 56 years of age. The second was the famously insightful reporter, Molly Ivins, whose syndicated column was read by millions every week. Molly Ivins was a gem. In a world where women’s voices are still rare, her’s could not be ignored.

She wasn’t just good at what she did, she was great. I didn’t always agree with her, but I always read her. She had a unique way of seeing the world and putting it into words that made a Molly Ivins column totally recognizable and often unforgettable. She was passionate and inspirational, and now that passion and inspiration is gone. Stolen by breast cancer. Another one lost. When will this end?   

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), things are not getting any better. Death rates from cancer in this country are down, albeit just barely. In 2007, NCI predicts 178,480 women and 2,030 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer; 40,460 women and 450 men will die of it. Molly Ivins was one of the 41,000 we lost.

It may be better, but it is hardly good enough. It is an epidemic, a war just like Iraq, spiraling out of control by the second.

One of my patients had a double mastectomy last week against my passionate urging not to, and is now embarking on debilitating and crippling radiation treatment. The first reports from the pathologist are grim.
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