October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This month I lost a third friend and mother of two young kids to breast cancer. This stat is too high for me. Know your risks for breast cancer.

Decisions about birth control, hormone replacement therapy and how often to have a mammogram are vital and must be made with your health care provider. If you are going to a health care provider that does not talk to you about prevention then it is time to consider changing your provider. Education is really important to help women and those who care, understand the questions they need to ask. While you can’t change some breast cancer risk factors – family history and aging, for example – the ones below you can control. 

Diet: Saying "no thanks" to a tempting dessert could help reduce the risk of breast cancer by eating right. We do know that a lifetime exposure to estrogen is linked to breast cancer risk, and that fatty tissue produces estrogen. More the fat in a woman's body, more estrogen and higher insulin levels she is exposed to. Maintaining a healthy weight through proper diet and exercise may make all the difference.

Mammograms: Find out if you have dense breasts. This can make cancers harder to spot. You may need 3D mammography and other more sophisticated imaging technology.

HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy): Hormone therapy, whether for birth control, menopause or osteoporosis prevention, can also expose women to estrogen. Find out low dose birth control options and limit HRT use to no more than 5 years.

Some symptoms that should have you making a beeline to the doctor are:

• ​Hard, often painless lumps in the breasts
• Swelling in/around your breasts, collar bone or armpits
• Thickening, redness or itchiness of breast skin
• Sudden changes in look of or discharge from the nipple
• Persistent pain or discomfort in the breasts.

Finding out that you are facing a possible breast cancer diagnosis or have breast cancer can make you feel overwhelmed, vulnerable, and alone. Suddenly having to learn about complex medical treatments and trying to choose the best one can also be stressful during this time. You can reach out to American Cancer Society's Reach To Recovery Program or trained volunteers for support. To get matched with a Reach To Recovery volunteer, call 1-800-227-2345.

Complementary and alternative therapies are used for preventing and treating disease. They have been used in other countries for centuries, but are not taught widely in medical schools in the United States. Complementary therapies may include exercise, prayer, nutrition, homeopathy, acupuncture, Qigong, massage, Reiki, and chiropractic care. Currently, prominent cancer treatment centers like Dana Farber, Brigham & Women's and Children's Hospital Boston are recognizing and offering Reiki and other integrative therapies alongside traditional medicine/therapy to maximize care and minimize/ease recovery time with no contraindications. 

Reiki is a non-invasive therapy used for a variety of health purposes primarily for treating pain, stress, and fatigue; for speeding recovery from surgery or cancer therapy; for improving memory and feelings of well being and for end-of-life care.

Note most complementary therapies are not paid for by insurance. Some insurances will cover acupuncture and chiropractic services. Reimbursement by third-party insurance carriers varies by state. Though most complementary therapies are reasonably priced.

Reliable cancer information sites: www.cancer.org, www.cancer.gov, www.cdc.gov.
Trending complementary therapy books:

• Cancer Hacks (Elissa Goodman)
• 21st Century Understanding Cancer Toolkit: Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), Unconventional Treatments, Herbs, Vitamins, Diets, Naturopathic Medicine, Ayurvedic, Homeopathy (Progressive Management)
• Beyond wearing pink: How you can support breast cancer awareness by donating in various ways to genuine charities and avoid donating to a scam.

Knowledge is power. Forewarned is forearmed and so on. Know your risks for breast cancer.  Let us not lose more friends, mothers, women.

Sincerely, Cheryl

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