Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, second only to non-melanoma skin cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the death rate among women in the U.S. who have the disease is staggering. An estimated 207,090 new cases of breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed this year. In light of these facts, women need to take every precaution to prevent breast cancer.
Cancer is an immune system disease, so it stands to reason that the stronger your immune system, the less likely youll be to develop cancer. There are many things that weaken the immune system and cause cancer. Some of those things are stress, harmful toxins, bad foods, and genetic predispositions. Some of these causes are things we can control; others we cannot. Our job as women is to focus on what we can control and do the best we can to take care of our bodies with the resources we are given.
Thats why this Examiner sat down with Dr. Maritza Paz D.C., DACACD to get some practical advice on things every woman can start doing today to improve, to protect and to persevere her breasts and her health.
The first thing to note according to Dr. Paz is that even if you have a predisposition to breast cancer because it runs in your family, this does not mean you have to get cancer. Genetics are like a light switch, she says. And you can control that switch.
Although the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Cancer Society recommend annual mammograms and clinical breast exams for all women beginning at age 40, Dr. Paz cautions women by saying,
Early detection of breast cancer is not prevention. Just because you have a mammogram does not mean you are preventing breast cancer. Early detection is great, but never confuse it with disease prevention.
So what are some of the things a woman can do to prevent breast cancer? Read on to find out.
Dr. Paz, what are some of the things women can do to keep their breasts healthy?
Avoid underwire bras and make sure the bras you buy fit properly. The lymphatic system is the bodys vacuum cleaner, says Dr. Paz. The wrong size bra interferes with lymphatic tissue. So, its important to see an expert, get measured and get the right fitting bra.
How does the lymphatic system wrok?
Its main purpose is to filter out disease-causing organisms. It also produces certain white blood cells (wonderful cells that fight disease) and antibodies. These antibodies neutralize bacteria. Our lymphatic system also controls fluid and nutrient distribution throughout the body. Lymph nodes, tiny, oval structures primarily located in the neck, groin and armpits, produce lympohcytes. Their main function is to defend the body against microorganisms and foreign particles. That's why things like underwire bras and aluminum (discussed in detail below) could constrain the area under the armpit and interfere with this vital filtering process.
Continue your monthly self-breast exams but beware
Dr. Paz also cautions that self-breast exams can be a doubled-edged sword. To the untrained and sometimes even to the trained, warns Dr. Paz, benign fibrous breast tissue, which many pre-menopausal women have, can feel like a suspicious lump. (Fibrocystic breast disease affects more than 60 percent of women.) If the medical professional you go to is not knowledgeable about these things, a woman can undergo unnecessary biopsies, which is somewhat invasive and painful and does leave a small scar. Dr. Paz says it is vital that each woman know her own body. Do you know what your breasts typically feel like before, during and after you menstruate? You owe it to yourself to find out.
Dr. Paz also advises women to avoid toxic deodorants. Parabins are chemicals that are often used as preservatives in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and in some deodorants. Parabins are toxic. That means, read the ingredient label on a product before your purchase it. In addition, anti-perspirants, which most Americans use to prevent under arm sweat, contain aluminum, which is toxic to the body and should also be avoided.
Why sweating is good for you?
Sweat is a natural and necessary bodily function. Our bodies sweat to maintain a normal body temperature, typically 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The calories we get from the food we eat give our bodies fuel. Fuel produces heat, which is released into the body, and out through our pores in the form of sweat. Stopping this process with the use of anti-perspirants is unhealthy, she says. The odor associated with sweat does not actually come from the sweat itself because sweat is odorless. When sweat decomposes, it is attacked by bacteria, and the attacking bacteria causes odor.
Should women breastfeed?
Studies show that women who lactate [produce breast milk] a minimum of two years have a significant decrease in breast cancer. It doesnt have to be two years with the same child. When women breastfeed, hormones are produced that are beneficial to a womans overall health. Every area of the body has a function and when we use them as intended, we benefit.
Is there a correlation between weight gain and breast cancer?
Obesity is a primary disease, cautions Dr. Paz. Most people do not realize this. Obesity is typically a gateway to other diseases such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. If you are 20 percent over the normal body weight for your height and bone structure, you are considered obese. Click here to compare your height and weight to these easy-to-read charts.
Too much belly fat is a big problem
Your overall body weight should not be your only area of concern. People need to be concerned about belly fat, a term coined by Dr. Mehmet Oz also called visceral fat. This is the fat that is found in the abdominal area of the body. Too much belly fat poisons the liver and leads to disease. Dr. Paz believes Dr. Ozs formula for calculating belly fat will give women an accurate idea of whether or not they have too much fat around their midsection. (See the YouTube video by clicking here.)
The circumference of your waist should be half of your height, according to Dr. Oz. So, grab a tape measure, suck in your waist, wrap the tape measure around your belly button and take note of your measurement.
Since the average height of a woman in the U.S. is 5 foot 3 inches tall, the example used here will be the exact same formula Dr. Oz uses in the video, but where Dr. Oz uses his own height of 6 feet, this example will include the height of an average American woman:
5.3 x 12 = 63.6 + 1 = 64.6 2 = 32.3
You can round the number to the nearest hundredth for the purpose of determining your waist size. So, a woman who is 5 foot 3 inches tall should have a waist measurement of 32 inches or less.
More reasons to eat vegetables
Fat produces estrogen. Therefore, obese individuals have high levels of estrogen, and high estrogen levels fuel tumors. We all know that we need to eat more vegetables, but did you know that cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli actually lower estrogen levels? Yes, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage smell awful and taste even worse, but there are ways to cook them that make these often bitter tasting veggies sweet, aromatic and palatable.
Coming soon
Delicious recipes that will have you eating these veggies and loving them. Stay tuned.
- Recipe No. 1: A cabbage recipe that will make you eat until you're stuffed
- Recipe No. 2: Broccoli can taste good -- just wait till you taste this!
- Recipe No. 3: Pat & Gina Neely's roasted broccoli with cherry tomatoes recipe
- Recipe No. 4: Cauliflower Delight: A simple and tasty vegetable recipe
- Recipe No. 5: Cauliflower is much more than just a flowery vegetable
- Recipe No. 6: Beverly Mucha's Brussels sprouts and bacon saut
Read more from this Examiner by clicking Subscribe at the top of this page.
Learn more about the services offered by Dr. Paz, including thermography painless and radiation-free breast screening by contacting her at Florida Natural Healthcare (954) 436-6161.
Sources:
The CDC; InnerBody.com; Breast.Cancer.org; The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists; The American Cancer Society; WiseGeek.com; YouTube; WebMD.com, BreastThermography.com / Image from: stock.xchng
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