This great article from healththroughawareness brings home the point about mammograms and why we should consider other options: It seems like every week there is an article published in a prestigious medical journal questioning the value of mammography. Fact: The compression of a mammogram is the equivalent of 50 lbs of weight on the breast. Fact: In 2005 The National Toxicology Program classified x-rays (and therefore mammograms) as known human carcinogens. Fact: A 2011 study published in Radiology Today stated because the digital breast tomosynthesis exam requires at least two additional exposures over a standard mammogram, the total radiation dose from the combined 2D and tomosynthesis examination is 3 times that of a standard mammogram. Fact: A former professor at The National Cancer Institute, Charles Simone, stated, Mammograms increase the risk for developing breast cancer and raise the risk of spreading and metastasizing an existing growth. He also stated that a mammogram results in one thousand fold greater radiation exposure than a chest x-ray. Fact: According to the Nordic Cochrane Study If 2000 women are screened regularly for ten years, one woman will benefit from the screening and ten healthy women will become cancer patients and be treated unnecessarily with chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Fact: Mammography has an inherent false negative rate of 20%. The false negatives increase in women with dense breasts which has led many states (including New Jersey) to pass a law requiring mammography centers to advise patients of this fact. In July 2014 a bill was introduced in Congress to make this a national law. Fact: In July 2013 a group from the National Cancer Institute published an opinion that stated that DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ) should be renamed to exclude the word carcinoma. DCIS is not cancer so why are we calling it cancer, stated Dr. Laura J. Esserman, director of the Breast Care Center and Professor of Surgery in radiology at UCSF. Fact: An article in the February 2014 British Medical Journal stated, Annual Mammography in women aged 40-59 does not reduce mortality from breast cancer beyond that of physical examination or usual care when adjunct therapy for breast cancer is freely available. Fact: In the New England Journal of Medicine on November 22, 2013 a study that encompassed the years 1976 to 2008 stated that they estimated breast cancer was over diagnosed in 1.3 million US women is the last 30 years. ********************************************************************* Now the good news...Thermography Fact: In 1982, the FDA approved breast thermography as an adjunctive diagnostic breast cancer screening procedure. Fact: Thermography is a completely non-invasive breast health risk assessment test, utilizing FDA approved infra-red imaging. It is done without compression or radiation and has no known adverse effects and/or contraindications. Fact: Thermography detects the physiologic changes in the breast tissue at a cellular level that have been shown to correlate with cancerous or precancerous states. Because it is a physiologic study it has the potential to find breast abnormalities 8 to 10 years before anatomic studies. This allows for a proactive approach to breast health including diet and lifestyle changes which have been shown to forestall and prevent progression of diseases of the breast. Fact: In the last 30 years there have been more than 800 reported peer-reviewed studies on thermography, with more than 250,00 women evaluated. Some of these studies, which have followed women over a 12 year timeframe, conclude that breast thermography has been shown to be the single most important marker of detecting the development of breast disease and is more significant than family history. Fact: Thermography has a 95% detection rate when used as part of a multifaceted approach; Thermography, self breast exam, exam by a health care professional and anatomic testing. Thermography is an empowering yet simple and graceful procedure for breast health risk assessment. It allows women to be proactive and maintain their dignity without putting themselves at risk. ************************************************************************ What can you do to create and maintain healthy breasts? The answer is... A Lot!!! The following are a few suggestions: Avoid sugars: Sugar is cancers favorite food. All forms of sugar promote cancer and are harmful to general health. Yes, that includes sugar from fruits, so while organic fruit is very good for you, moderation is key. Eliminate Processed Foods: Processed foods are those which have been chemically processed and are made from refined ingredients and artificial substances. Processed foods are high in sugar, high fructose corn syrup, refined carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats and are low in nutrients. Improve your diet: What you are eating is key. Eat a diet rich in whole foods, dark leafy greens, lots of cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale), colorful fruits (in moderation) and vegetables and eat organic whenever possible. Organic also applies to your meats, poultry, dairy, eggs, cheese, etc. If you are eating factory farmed meats you are ingesting all of the antibiotics, hormones and pesticides that the animal has been given. Avoid Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs). Add high quality fats to your diet such as avocado, olive oil and coconut oil. Vitamin D: In a nutshell, sunlight generates Vitamin D which helps to prevent cancer. Iodine: Adequate iodine levels are necessary for proper immune function. Iodine contains potent antibacterial, anti-parasitic, antiviral and anticancer properties. Iodine is also effective for treating fibrocystic breasts and ovarian cysts. For more info read: Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You cant Live Without It by David Brownstein, M.D. Bras: Avoid under-wire bras or bras that are too tight as they can damage delicate breast tissue and impair the lymphatic system. We have seen many women with pain and cystic changes in the area where the under-wire sits. Exercise: Thirty minutes of aerobic exercise three to five times a week can lower your risk of breast cancer by 30 to 50 percent. Brisk walking 4 to 5 times a week can tone the muscles, reduce body weight, clear the lymphatics and burn calories. Add a boost to your walk by holding 3 or 5-lb hand weights and pumping your arms while walking. Stress Reduction: In this fast paced world we all need a healthy way to relax and unwind. Stress, from all causes, is a major contributor to all diseases. Dental Health: In doing thermography , we have seen a great correlation between poor dental health and poor breast health. The biggest culprit appears to be low grade infection from prior root canals that are reflexing to the breast and causing problems. Toxins: Sadly, toxins are everywhere; in our water, food, air, clothing, furniture, etc. Here are just a few suggestions. Eliminate commercial household cleaners, laundry detergents, air fresheners, etc. Use organic skin care products and deodorants (not antiperspirants). Try to minimize your exposure to Electromagnetic Fields. Use only BPA free plastics. Do not use the microwave. Detoxification: It is incumbent upon each and every one of us to do all that we possibly can to reduce our toxic load so we can experience vibrant health. Try a semi-annual or quarterly gentle detox or cleanse (do your homework or ask a health care professional before deciding which cleanse is appropriate for you.). Detox weekly or daily by drinking plenty of water, working up a sweat, going in the POD, dry brushing and taking Epsom Salt baths. Nurture Yourself: And last but certainly not least nurturing yourself trumps everything else!!! This could be a whole newsletter in and of itself. Taking good care of yourself is not an act of self-indulgence but is in fact an act of self love and each and everyones responsibility. *********************************************************************** Here are just a few great resources: A Cancer Answer, by Catherine Frompovich Womens Bodies, Womens Wisdom, by Dr. Christiane Northrup The Promise, A documentary film The Major cause of Breast Cancer Almost Everyone Ignores. - Dr. Mercola Feb 14, 2012 How the Cancer Industry Controls Women by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, Natural News Editor Pink Ribbons, Inc., a book about where the money goes when you donate to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Breast Cancer Action (bcaction.org) The Center for Cancer Education. BeatCancer.org Think before you Pink is a slogan coined by the Breast Cancer Action Group. They are a non-profit, educational and advocacy organization that does not accept funding from pharmaceutical companies or any other organizations that profit from or contribute to the breast cancer epidemic. One of their most important messages is not to buy pink products unless you know where the money is going and exactly how much money they are spending on cancer research. *************************************************************************
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 19:52:14 +0000
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