June 13, 2014

Reducing Your Risk For Breast Cancer

What You Can Do

Mammograms

✤ Confusion- Frequency

✤ 2009 U.S. Preventative Task Force- Screening at age 50, then every 2 years up until age 74. High Risk Women- Start at age 40.

✤ Over-diagnosis- additional testing, biopsies, chemo/radiation

✤ Recent Canadian Study- Women aged 45-59 receiving mammograms every year were no less likely to die of breast cancer than women who did not get regular screening.

Risk Assessment Tools

✤ Thermogram- Evaluates breast health through heat sensors vs radiation. Looks for potential risk factors in the breasts such as lymphatic congestion, excess estrogen and inflammation. Can detect pre-cancer conditions up to 10 years earlier than a mammogram.

✤ Estrogen Metabolite Testing- evaluates estrogen metabolites to help shunt estrogens in healthy pathways in the liver.

✤ Genova Detoxingenomics Test- genetic mutations that may raise your risk of breast cancer

Lifestyle Changes

✤ Weight Management- Overweight women are 3X at greater risk of developing breast cancer. Obese women- 63% higher risk of death 1. Leptin (protein made in fat cells) stimulates estrogen and turns on estrogen pathways. 2. Chronic Inflammation in obesity 3. Fatty liver- not detoxing well

✤ Sleep- over 8 hours/night reduces risk of breast cancer by 72% Low Melatonin levels are associated with higher risk of breast cancer

✤ Chronic Stress- increased Cortisol and lower DHEA and Progesterone It is a cancer growth factor

Lifestyle Changes

✤ Alcohol- increases estrogen in men and women, depletes glutathione and blocks oxytocin.

✤ Pregnancy- Early Pregnancy reaches final breast maturation-increased Estriol and Progesterone

✤ Lactation and Oxytocin- Lactation lowers risk through release of Oxytocin which clears ducts of inflammatory debris. Dry brushing and nipple stimulation creates healthy epithelial lining in ducts

✤ Estrogenic Imprinting- Risk may begin in the womb. Maternal exposure to xenoestrogens lead to precancerous lesions/adult cancer

Nutrition

✤ Metabolic Syndrome- higher circulation of Insulin that feeds tumor cells. Suppresses immune system and increases free estradiol.

✤ Fish- no more than twice/week. Healthy fats (Omega 3). Transfats doubles risk. Avoid GMO’s, fried foods and chargrilled (350%)

✤ Soy- Asian populations eat fermented (not processed) soy. JAMA study-less cancer reoccurance with more soy whether you had estrogen receptor + or - breast cancer, but 91% soybeans in U.S. GMO

✤ Toxins- Avoid Xenoestrogens: pesticides, Bisphenol-A, phalates. Endocrine disruptors: Can mutate genes, alter breast cells to absorb more estrogen and suppress immunity.

Nutrients

✤ Vitamin D- Inhibit the initiation and progression of breast cancer Anti-inflammatory, reduces CRP, immune modulator

✤ Iodine- deficiency can promote dysplasia and cancer. Check thyroid-it helps DNA repair and increases oxytocin

✤ Fermented Wheat Germ Extract- Immune modulator-NK cell activity

✤ Statins- increases risk by reducing CoQ10 (risk increases by 800%)

✤ Healthy Gut Flora- optimizes immune health and check for certain enzymes that can cause increase estrogen

Estrogen

✤ Over 400 functions- brain, bone, blood vessels.

✤ Estrogen can fuel estrogen receptor tumors but not bioidentical estrogen. Breast fat cells produce their own estrogen- can be 10-50X that of the blood.

✤ High estrogen levels thought to to be a “cause” is likely a reflection of the increased production in the breast. Extraneous estrogen does not effect ductal concentrations. Studies- protective

✤ Healthy estrogen metabolism and looking for genetic variations in estrogen detoxing is critical

Personalized Health

✤ Evaluate YOUR personal risk factors

✤ Individualize your care with testing, supplementation and treatment

✤ Visit my website at Wellcast.org for further information

✤ Follow me on Twitter @wellcast