Detecting Breast Cancer to Save a Life

When thinking about the people in life that we love the most; that we try hardest to protect and that we'd be lost without, we tend to think of the women in our lives. It is our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, wives, daughters and other special women that we feel the most protective over. Unfortunately, they are also the people most likely to be diagnosed withe breast cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

Luckily, breast cancer does not have to be a life sentence. Detecting it early equals a greater chance of survival. Cancer in the breast can be detected by self breast exams (SBE), clinical breast exams (CBE) and mammograms. Taking the time to learn about breast cancer and informing others can help save a life of the people we love.

Self breast exams should be done monthly after the woman's menstrual cycle. There are several steps to performing a SBE. First, without a shirt or bra on, a woman should examine her breasts in the mirror looking for warning signals such as lumps, dimpling, discharge or any other sudden changes in the appearance of the breast. Continue looking at the breasts with both arms above the head. Second, lying down with the right arm overhead, use the three middle fingers of the left hand to feel around the right breast. Starting at the nipple and moving outward, make circular motions around the breast using light pressure, then medium pressure and hard pressure. Next, using the same fingers, feel the breast in lines going up and down the breast from the nipple. Switch the arm and the hand and redo the steps on the left breast. Although doing SBE's is not the recommended method for finding breast cancer, it is highly important in helping women know what is normal for their breast and their body while helping to spot any changes.

To assist in early detection, women over 20 are also encouraged to get clinical breast exams (CBE) by their doctor every three years and every year after age 40. The process of a CBE is much like that of a SBE only it is done by a trained medical professional.

While self breast exams and clinical breast exams are important factors in detecting breast cancer, the most effective tool is a mammogram. Mammograms are recommended yearly for women over 40.

The best detection method is to use all three of this exams together as recommended.

While early detection is helpful to survive breast cancer, there are also steps that can be taken to prevent it. A person can help to prevent breast cancer by limiting alcohol consumption to 1 drink a day, exercising regularly, knowing their body and knowing their family history.

Together, we can educate all of the special women in our lives and encourage them to start a breast exam schedule.

6 Ways to Lower Your Breast Cancer Risk

Although there's no sure-fire road map to breast cancer prevention, these good habits can help.

One in eight women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime — a sobering statistic that leaves many women asking, “What can I do to lower my breast cancer risk?”

Yes, there are some factors you can’t control, such as being a woman and getting older — about two out of three women with invasive breast cancer are 55 or older when the cancer is found. However, there are steps you can try to improve your odds of avoiding this disease.



Breast Cancer Prevention: What You Can Do

Making these smart lifestyle decisions can shift the odds in your favor:

* Lose the extra pounds. Being overweight or obese raises your breast cancer risk after menopause. If you have a body mass index (BMI) of more than 25, you need to consider losing weight.

Susan Gapstur, PhD, MPH, vice president of epidemiology at the American Cancer Society, says consistently gaining weight throughout adulthood also puts you at higher risk. Research has shown that women who gained 55 pounds or more after age 18 have an almost 50 percent greater risk of developing breast cancer than women who maintained their weight. What’s worse, Gapstur says overweight women who get breast cancer have a higher risk of dying from it than leaner women do.

Why does carrying extra weight put you at greater risk after menopause? Gapstur says the relationship is not entirely understood, but fatty tissue appears to contribute to higher levels of estrogen and other hormones, raising the risk of developing post-menopausal breast cancer.

* Get moving. Regular exercise not only protects your heart, but may also play a role in breast cancer prevention. It’s believed that women who exercise vigorously for 45 to 60 minutes on five or more days a week may reap the most breast cancer protection.
Gapstur says the main point is to get moving. “If you can do 60 minutes of moderate exercise on most days, that’s okay, too.” She adds that keeping a healthy weight and being physically active can keep estrogen and other hormone levels in check, which has beneficial effects on insulin levels and the immune system.

* Cut down on cocktails. Gapstur says there’s a clear connection between alcohol use and an elevated risk of breast cancer. If you are a regular drinker, do so only in moderation. For women, that means no more than one drink per day of any kind.

Even drinking at that level slightly elevates risk. And research indicates that risk goes up with every drink. In 2007, the International Agency for Research on Cancer analyzed more than 40 epidemiological studies and found that the equivalent of two drinks a day may boost risk by 21 percent.

Gapstur says exactly how alcohol affects breast cancer risk is not completely understood. Several factors may come into play, and one could be that alcohol increases levels of circulating estrogen or other hormones in women.

* Be cautious about hormonal therapy for menopause. Lower hormone levels in menopause can lead to hot flashes, thin bones, and vaginal dryness. To relieve these symptoms, women sometimes use hormone replacement therapy (HRT). But one type of HRT that combines the hormones estrogen and progesterone appears to increase the risk of breast cancer and other diseases in some women, especially in those who use hormones for several years.

Have a candid conversation with your doctor about the risks and benefits of using hormone therapy. If you decide to go ahead, it’s recommended that hormones be used at the lowest dose for the shortest amount of time possible.

* Consult your doctor about using oral contraceptives. Gapstur says that recent use of the Pill may add to breast cancer risk. But 10 years after stopping the pill, the risk is back down to average.

* Consider breastfeeding. Not only is it good for baby, it also lowers your breast cancer risk. Breastfeeding lowers estrogen levels, so the longer you do it, the better.

Go on the Offense, Too

Gapstur notes that if you have a strong family history of breast cancer, you should let your doctor know. You and your medical team can look at a detailed history and decide what other preventive measures might be appropriate for you.

Focusing on the risk factors you can control is a great breast cancer prevention strategy, but there are no guarantees in life. That’s why regular screenings like mammograms and clinical breast exams are so important. The American Cancer Society continues to recommend yearly screening mammograms beginning at age 40 for women who are not at high risk of breast cancer. If you’re unsure of when to start, speak to your doctor.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer in Women

We often are made aware of the importance of regular periodic breast examinations, looking for lumps which may be symptoms of breast cancer, but how often do we hear about the other equally important signs which may also be symptoms of cancer? Yes, they do exist and should be as much a part of those regular periodic breast examinations as are the lumps for which we look and hope not to find.

The first is when a breast feels unusually warm or hot to the touch. This may well be a sign of what is called inflammatory breast cancer. While this is a rare type of cancer, it does still occur and is known to be a very aggressive type of cancer so it is important to be aware of its symptoms and to act immediately if there seem to be any possible signs of it.

The second sign that we don't often here about is when an ordinary looking nipple that suddenly takes on an unordinary look is also another sign of possible cancer. If a nipple becomes flat, inverted or distorted in any way it is important to have it checked immediately.

The third sign is what I term the super itch. Again this is something that should be checked immediately. An itchy breast or nipple is again a little known but very real sign of a possible cancer.

Fourthly, the skin of the breast and also around the breast takes on a, for lack of a better term, dimpled appearance, looking much like a piece of the skin of an orange.

Fifth, a consistently swollen breast. Many women look at an increase in breast size as a blessing. This isn't necessarily so. If the size of a breast increases, there has to be a reason and it is important to have it checked out in case this reason is cancer.

Sixth, the breast becomes red and blotchy. Also it may develop a rash. This is another sign of a possibility of inflammatory breast cancer and should be checked out as soon as possible.

All of these signs are as valid as the lumps when it comes to possible signs of cancer and should be watched for and if they should arise, they should be examined and tested by a medical professional as soon as possible. Cancer doesn't wait once it has started. It is quick to claim its territory and to aggressively spread to other parts of the body. Cancer doesn't wait and neither should we.

Breast Cancer Natural Treatment

Breast Cancer Natural Treatment

Breast cancer natural treatment uses resource from nature to heal the body. It does not use conventional treatment. The natural healing process involves eating healthy organic vegetarian diet, moderate exercise and sunlight therapy.

Eating vegetables, fruits, spices, herbs, sprouted beans, legumes, whole grains, low-fat diary products, and only good oils can change the body sufficiently enough for you to notice boost of energy, higher immune system, better bowl movements, and loosing unwanted weight. naturally.



Organic leafy greens vegetables and colorful fruits does not contain harmful pesticide and chemicals that builds more toxic in your body. The breast cancer natural treatment only supports ways to heal the body without unnecessary added chemicals, including conventional foods with artificial coloring, preservatives, or hydrated fats.

It may take some time to adjust to the breast cancer natural treatment for preparing meals. Just because you cannot eat your favorite sweet dishes that have high fat and sugar does not mean that your meals are going to be tasteless. On the contrary, there are too many tasty recipes that are easy to make. Especially if you adjust to a raw vegan diet, all or most of the foods require no heating. You can make delicious smoothies, shakes, and main dishes made from sprouted beans and tasty vegetables. Do you know that there are more nutrients from sprouted grains and beans, because they are alive?

As part of the breast cancer natural treatment, moderate exercise such as walking outside on a nice sunny day provides natural vitamin D from the sun, boosting the metabolism level and more oxygen to the body. Dr. Budwig discovered in her research that cancer cells does not thrive in blood that has good oxygen supply. The sun provides the highest level of vitamin D naturally.

How does it cause sun burns and skin cancer? Again, Dr Budwig states that a person who eats processed, saturated fats, sugar, refined carbohydrates, and meats causes the body unable to accept the natural vitamin D from the sun. Eating organic foods allows the body to accept the sun without the burns or irritation.

Breast cancer natural treatment is a whole new lifestyle that is healing and enjoyable. You can google and find many breast cancer survivors who speak of their healing process via books, support groups for breast cancer, personal websites, and forums.