By Denise Baker, M.D.
With nationwide awareness campaigns highlighting our personal risks of acquiring breast cancer we want to share the bad news and the good news with you!
The Good Cancer News:
1. Cancer risks, just like immunity risks, are NOT STATIC! You CAN change your risk of initiating and growing a Breast Cancer. Your risks change with age and change with your environment. Your environment is what you present to your body and your cells.
The Bad Cancer News:
There are things you can’t change.
1. Your Sex
2. Your Age
3. Your Genes (but you can affect which ones are switched on)
4. A few other factors
NOW TO THE GOOD NEWS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO
MOVE; WEIGH; INHALE; EAT; TEA; MINERALS; VITAMINS; DIM DOWN; EXPOSE; KNOW NUMBERS
1. MOVE: Regular, scheduled aerobic exercise send powerful (hormonal) messages to your bones & muscles but also to your brain and endocrine systems. If you are not exercising now, start with a bike ride or a swim 2 times a week for 20 minutes. Over the course of the next 16 weeks gradually increase to four times a week. By 6 months, you should be at 240-360 minutes a week! This lowers your risk of starting and growing a Breast Cancer.
2. WEIGH: yourself once a week, on the same day of the week and at the same time of the day. Have on the same amount of clothing. WRITE THE WEIGHT in your Health Care Notebook Calendar. Each month it should be a lower number until you reach your ideal body weight. This weight reduction lowers your risk of starting/growing a new Breast Cancer and also lowers your rate of recurrence (coming back) if you already had this cancer disease. Maintain your healthy weight range.
3. INHALE GOOD/CLEAN AIR: If you don’t smoke, please don’t start. If you do smoke, cut down by one cigarette/cigar per week, or do whatever it takes to stop. You know yourself best. Try gradually decrease your dependence on the nicotine chemicals and on the legitimized break time in your day. Uncouple your tobacco with its usual beverage. If you need chemical support, use the patches, gum or tablets until your coupled behaviors are gone.
4. EAT: Your healthy food choices day in and day out make your body its healthiest. You want your immune surveillance system to work its best. We all make many cancer cells in our bodies every day. It is our immune system that recognizes the bad (cancer or pre cancer) cells and sends a hormone message directing the natural killer cells to destroy that bad/abnormal cell. Make each meal nutritious to feed your cells well.
5. TEA: Drink your healthy teas and an adequate amount of water instead of your alcohol. Drinking beer, wine & liquor each can increase one’s risk of starting and growing a Breast Cancer that has hormone receptors on the outer cell walls. Limit alcohol.
6. MINERALS: The Standard American Diet/SAD is limited in the minerals, and the soil mineral content where were raised and where we currently live affects breast density health in particular. Talk with your doctors about the role of Iodine in your diet and the significant added benefits on breast health.
7. VITAMINS: Vitamin D levels in your blood (serum Vitamin D) suggest a greater risk of starting and growing a new Breast Cancer. We know that the standard levels on lab reference ranges are poor guidelines. You want optimal blood/serum levels of at least 80 to control normal breast cell growth and early data show that this level may be able to slow down breast cancer cell growth rate.
8. DIM DOWN: Several studies show that night workers/third shifters have a greater risk of starting & growing a Breast Cancer. We see this same finding for those with high levels of external lighting. So give your brain darkness for sleep.
9. EXPOSE: Recognize chemicals in Cosmetics, in Household Cleaners, in Foods, in Lawn & Garden Work, in your Water system, in Sunscreens, in Processed Foods and in Plastics.
10. KNOW YOUR NUMBERS: there are many numbers on your blood tests that are significant, that can be predictive of disease promotion or disease risk reduction. Work with a doctor who will take the time to evaluate your risks and hormone states, make recommendations for changes and re-evaluate your progress.
While there is no sure way to prevent your starting and growing a Breast Cancer, these are a number of things that are entirely in your grasp to control and lower your risk.
At Longevity Wellness, we are experts in guiding your path to a healthier you. We will help you dial down your risks, lower your toxicities, invigorate your immune system, optimize your health. Call us today as your Mind, Body & Spiritual Medicine Specialists.
Anti Aging Open House – Nov. 6th
LONGEVITY WELLNESS CLINIC
Specializing in integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine, Functional Medicine, Energy Medicine, Medical Qigong, and Chinese
Herbology for the recovery and reversal of:
. Acute and Chronic Pain
. Anxiety & Depression
. Traumatic Stress
. Stroke
. Digestion
. Cardiovascular Concerns
. Sports Injuries
. Memory
. Stress
. Dermatology
. Respiratory Issues
. Diabetes and Metabolism
LONGEVITY WELLNESS CLINIC
528 48th Street Court East
Bradenton, FL 34208
941.923.9355
www.longevitywellnessclinic.com