October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but we need to make sure that every month is dedicated to Breast Health.
Cancer awareness, breast cancer prevention, screening and breast care are good things to pay attention to. Here is About Your Health's contribution to this critical aspect of women's and men's health.
We are all aware of the of the importance of early diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer; after all female breast cancer does represent 14% of ALL new cancers in the US, but is now the most common type of cancer in the US for 2016, even more than lung cancer. Although it is the most common type of cancer by diagnosis, due to treatment available, breast cancer will be the third most common cause of death from cancer, just behind lung and colorectal cancers.
Let’s not forget the men in this country. For the men, in 2016, 2600 new breast cancer cases will be diagnosed((1:1000), and 440 will die from breast cancer.
So, where did Breast Cancer Awareness come from? How did it get started? Thinkbeforeyoupink.org and Breast Cancer Action has a very good history of this. Here is an excerpt of how it all began.
"In the early 90's, 68-year-old Charlotte Haley, the granddaughter, sister, and mother of women who had battled breast cancer, started a grassroots effort to 'wake up' legislators and America about the need for cancer prevention. She created a peach colored ribbon that she attached to postcards asserting 'The National Cancer Institute’s annual budget is $1.8 billion, only 5 percent goes for cancer prevention. Help us wake up legislators and America by wearing this ribbon.' Her ribbons were a call to action: a demand for prevention of this disease and greater accountability."
Then Self magazine & Estee Lauder called Charlotte.
Self magazine asked if they could use her ribbon in their second annual "Breast Cancer Awareness" issue. Self's marketing executive and Estee Lauder's VP saw the potential of a ribbon branded to breast cancer. But Charlotte told them she wouldn't work with them; they were too corporate and commercial for her. The two companies determined that legally they could use her idea without her permission if they changed the color of the ribbon. And the pink ribbon was born.
“There is a value to awareness, but awareness of what, and to what end?” asks Barbara Brenner, activist and executive director of Breast Cancer Action (BCA) in San Francisco. “We need changes in the direction the research is going, we need access to care—beyond mammograms—we need to know what is causing the disease, and we need a cure. The pink ribbon is not indicative of any of that.”
So what is causing the disease? What do we need to be aware of in order to help prevent cancers, including breast cancer and maintain breast health? There are usually a combination of contributing factors. Each person is different, but they tend to include environmental exposures, dental health, emotional issues, food and lifestyle choices.
Below I will highlight just few of the factors related to Breast Health.
Environmental Exposure (things we eat, breathe, apply topically): Dr. Joseph Mercola, nationally recognized physician, author, lecturer, researcher, and the list goes on and on, gives an updated list of contaminants in our environment that we all need to be aware of. 27 different carcinogens that do not fit into the chemical categories listed below are also considered high priority. These chemicals include certain ones found in pesticides, consumer products, and food.
Two examples of the latter are methyl eugenol, which is used in processed food as a natural and artificial flavoring, and nitrosamines in smoked meats. The researchers also list obesity and medical radiation as preventable risk factors, the latter of which would include unnecessary mammograms.
According to Mercola.com, the following are just some of the High Priority Chemicals to Avoid for Breast Cancer Prevention.
Flame retardants: Flame retardant products, polyester resins, plastic polymers, and rigid polyurethane foams.
Acrylamide: Diet (especially starchy foods, such as French fries, cooked at high temperatures), tobacco smoke, and polyacrylamide gels in consumer products, such as diapers.
Aromatic amines: Polyurethane, pesticides, Azo dyes, and many other products
Benzene: Gasoline (riding in a car, pumping gasoline, and storing gasoline in a basement or attached garage), tobacco smoke, adhesive removers, paints, sealants, finishers, and engine fuel and oils.
Halogenated organic solvents: Dry cleaning, hair spray propellant, soil fumigants, food processing, gasoline additives, and paint and spot removers.
Perfluorooctanoic acid PFOA: Non-stick and stain-resistant coatings on rugs, furniture, clothes and cookware; fire-fighting applications, cosmetics, lubricants, paints, and adhesives.
For the full list click here. Awareness is key.
A very good, simplified tutorial on the influence of the environment and your epigenetics/genetics can be found at the University of Utah's Epigenetics page - believe me it is worth spending some time on this site.
Dental Health: Your teeth can also influence disease in the body. Did you know that each tooth has a connection to an organ? Several cutting edge clinics treating cancer patients begin with cleaning up dental work.
Emotional Health: "According to an article written for "The Truth About Cancer", trauma is the emotional response someone has to an extremely negative event. In-the-moment responses to such events (often called “shock”), such as racing pulse, dizziness, confusion, numbness, disorientation, and distraction, are a normal part of our system’s “fight or flight" response.
"When emotional trauma goes unhealed, the body system is in a constant state of heightened stress. Numerous studies have connected stress with lower immune function and higher incidences of disease in general. A recent report, however, analyzed the findings of close to a hundred other studies that showed how the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) can actually encourage metastasis when it is chronically activated."
"The SNS is the primary system involved in the chemical changes that occur during “fight or flight.” In acute situations, the SNS becomes active. As soon as a traumatizing event has passed, however, the body goes back to homeostasis within about an hour. Under chronic stress, the SNS is “turned on” virtually all the time. In this state, adrenaline and noradrenaline stimulating mechanisms within it will alter genetic code.
This genetic alteration can lead to a number of pro-cancer processes:
- Activation of inflammatory responses
- The inhibiting of immune responses
- Inhibition of programmed cancer cell death
- The reduction in the cytotoxic function of Natural killer cells
- The inhibiting of DNA repair
- Stimulation of cancer cell angiogenesis"
Specific things to be aware of as a woman: For women, all your female health products affect you overall. Think about things that create hormone imbalances and products you use topically and internally. This includes various lotions, perfumes, make-up, body wash, lip balms, oral hygiene products, deodorants,shampoo, sunscreen, dryer sheets and detergents. Products used day after day. Exposures day after day.
How about tampons and pads? Today, the feminine hygiene aisle is full of healthier options to the traditional tampon and pads. There are now tampons made with organic materials, reusable cloth pads and menstrual cups.
Here are some options:
Pads - Look for organic cotton panty liners and pads made without rayon, plastics or similar synthetic materials. Also, stick to brands that specifically advertise being free of petroleum-based ingredients and polyethylene. Stay away from scented or fragranced versions, as the phthalates that make up the scent may disrupt normal hormonal balances in the body.
Tampons - Make it a point to purchase tampons made only from 100 percent organically produced cotton. Organic tampons are usually free of pesticides, petroleum-based chemicals and other additives. And as always, scents and fragrances are a no-no.
Menstrual cups - We know it may sound weird, but seeing as the average woman throws away 300 pounds of feminine hygiene products in her lifetime, a reusable menstrual cup is the best way to be environmentally friendly and keep your body safe from chemicals. Worn internally like a tampon, these bell-shaped cups collect your, ahem, flow and should be removed and emptied two to three times a day.
Cloth Pads - Instead of throwing away your pad after each use, cloth pads are meant to be washed and worn again. Since they’re typically made from organic cotton (and without any chemicals/additives), they’re one of the most natural options on the market!
New and innovative products coming in to the market all of the time. Have you tried Thinx underwear? These period panties are period proof underwear that keeps you dry.
Another part of breast health includes "breast screening”. The recommendations for specific screenings get changed at intervals, so be aware of the trends. But one trend that never goes out of fashion is knowing your own breast, what they look like & how they feel, at every phase of your cycle. Even after your cycle ends.
Self breast exams are a must for all women and men of all ages. Instructions for the self breast exam can be found here. You can also add a lymph self massage with essential oils to add another breast health enhancing technique. We like Healthy Girls Breast Oil. If you subscribe to their newsletter, you will receive instructions on how to do a lymphatic self massage.
Thermography can be a useful adjunct to good breast health awareness and is totally safe at any age. Got implants? Safe. Had breast surgery? Safe. Don’t want radiation? Safe. Not “old” enough for the recommendation mammograms? Got ya’ covered. The American College of Clinical Thermology is a great resource for more thermography information and to locate a thermography technician in your area.
Know your breasts! What they feel like, what they look like and your own individual thermal fingerprint.
Education is your biggest advantage for your health. And it is readily available to you. Pursue by yourself or make it a group effort with some friends. Call us or come by the store and check out our comprehensive health services.
Just do it: maintain and support Breast Health.
