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A
topic which concerns all women and an increasing number of men is that of
breast cancer prevention and treatment. Of all cancers women develop, 25%
are breast cancer. By age 25, 1 in 20,000 women will develop breast cancer.
By age 50, this number changes to 1 in 50 and by age 75 an even more dismal
statistic: 1 in 11. In a total lifetime, 1 in 8 women will develop breast
cancer!
In
January, 2005, cancer became the leading cause of death in the United
States. And get this statistic: the number of new breast cancer cases
increased from 82 per 100,000 women in 1973 to 195 per 100,000 women in
2000!
But
there is much to be positive about when you understand what we are dealing
with. For one thing, genetics plays only a small role in breast cancer:
less than 7%. And the technology for tomorrow for prevention of breast
cancer is already here today. It is with proper nutrition!
Many
breast cancer risk factors have been identified, some legitimate and some
not. We have been told that a low-fiber diet, use of tobacco, and alcohol
abuse are all high risk factors for breast cancer. That is true. But, we
have also been told that a high-fat diet is a risk factor and that is not
quite so simple. If you are a Nutritional Type II (Protein Type) it is not
true. And also, 80% of cancers occur in Type I (Carbohydrate Type) people.
So, if you are a Type I, fat is significant. However, if you have been
reading my Newsletters for very long, you will also know that not all fats
are the same. There are healthy fats and there are unhealthy fats. For a
quick rule, never ever use hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats, margarine,
shortening, spreads, or vegetable oils. Never use any kind of soy product. Do
use the oils I recommend on my Proper Use of Fats Chart!
All
of these factors can be modified and controlled by women. However, there
are several factors seemingly beyond a woman’s control. The longer a woman
is exposed to estrogen in her body, the higher her risk of developing all
cancers, and especially cancer of the breast, ovaries and uterus. This
would include early age at menarche, late age at menopause, long-term use of
birth control pills, and never having given birth (nulliparity). Also, the
exposure to xenoestrogens through heated plastics is becoming an
overwhelming risk factor. In fact, the use of plastics in our lives may be the
main cause of exposure to xenoestrogens and the reason why more and
more young girls are reaching menarche and developing breasts at such a
young age. (Xenoestrogens have been linked to a range of human health
effects, including reduced sperm counts in men and increased risk of breast
cancer in women.) Even the use of thyroid hormone puts women at a higher
risk for developing breast cancer (JAMA, 1976; 238:1124). Conversely, a
lower risk for breast cancer is seen in women who are late in age at
menarche, early age at menopause, and early age at first pregnancy.
A
2002 study on Hormone Replacement Therapy was cut short by 3.5 years
because it was felt that the women in the study were being put at high risk
for development of breast cancer and other cancers. The use of the HRT not
only increased the risk of breast cancer, but also of coronary heart
disease. A federally funded study in 2008 found that the risk of breast
cancer doubled for those women who were taking HRT for 5 years, but it
increased for women taking HRT for any length of time.
And
breast cancer can be proactively kept to a minimum by diet. If you have
frequent breast pain or cysts forming in the breast, you are probably low
on iodine. Fibrocystic breast
disease (FBD) is currently affecting about 84% of the female population of
North America! It is often manifested by breast pain around the time of the
menstrual cycle. In some patients the pain is seen daily regardless of
their menstrual cycle. With the administration of an iodine supplement the
breast pain will often go away in just a few weeks, but the cysts and
nodules may take up to 2-3 years to resolve.
There
are several other nutrients/hormones important to breast health. DIM is a
nutrient from cruciferous vegetables. It helps the body metabolize
estrogen. DIM is a natural way to prevent angiogenesis, the process by
which new blood vessels develop and feed tumors. In cancerous mice tumor
growth was inhibited by 64% just by treatment with a DIM supplement.
The
use of NightGain as a supplement (see the March, 2009 edition of our
Newsletter) will help the body to naturally balance the hormones. It works
for both men and women.
Vitamin
D is another breast-supportive nutrient. Without question, almost every
single person in North America, especially in the mid-latitudes and North
of that, is low on Vitamin D. So, I recommend supplementing the diet with 2
grams of D in the summer and 4 grams in the other 3 seasons.
There
are many things you can do to reduce your risk of having breast cancer
occur in your body or to fight the cancer should it occur.
First,
find out your Nutritional Type by getting Typed by a trained Nutritionist
or Doctor. Eat for your Type once you have learned what it is. And eat
organic produce as much as possible. All beef (if you are a Protein Type)
should be grass-fed. All chicken, turkey, and eggs should be free-range.
All fish should be wild caught. Never eat processed meat and potato
products.
Avoid
all soy products, plastics, personal care products containing phthalates,
products coated with Teflon. Limit your consumption of dairy products, even
if it says “organic.” Don’t use any oils on your skin unless they are oils
you would consume on your foods (olive oil, nut oils, coconut oil).
Store
your food in glass containers. Only use natural and non-toxic cleaners in
your home.
Try
to live organically as much as possible. This includes eating organic
produce, grass fed beef, free-range chicken, turkey and eggs, and wild game
and fish (never farm raised). It also means avoiding processed foods,
artificial sweeteners, and always, but always eating for your Nutritional Type!!
And
no Newsletter on cancer would be complete without mentioning sugar!
Sugar is a substance which directly attacks the immune system of the body.
Just one teaspoon causes a horrific decrease in white blood cell activity
that lasts for around 6 hours. So the body’s main army against cancer is
deactivated whenever we have sugar. Also, cancer cells themselves feed on
sugar. So get the sugar out of your diet!
Once
a cancer has occurred, it is more important than ever that you keep up good
nutrition. In other words, nutrition is important for not only prevention
of cancers, but also for the period of treating and defeating cancer. The
number one reason people lose the cancer battle is malnutrition! That’s
right, the reason most people die of cancer is that they are not getting
the nutrients the body needs to survive, let alone thrive. When you just
cannot eat properly, I suggest juicing vegetables and drinking that juice. Almost
as good is a “green drink” and I highly recommend our Nano-Greens. One scoop (which tastes delicious) is comparable
to 10 servings of organic fruits and vegetables! While this is
certainly no complete meal, it will provide the Phytonutrients which will
help the body to battle for survival.
And
remember that breast diseases are best detected by Thermography, and not by Mammography. Thermography is also
called digital infrared imaging (DII). There is no exposure to damaging and
harmful radiation. It is non-invasive as there is no compression. It is
used to detect temperature changes in tissue and thus is able to detect
potentially cancerous changes in tissue far in advance of mammography. To
find where to have a Thermogram done, check out The International Academy of
Clinical Thermology (iact-org.org) or the American College of Thermology
(thermologyonline.org).
Please
tell your family, friends, co-workers, and everyone you know to please sign
up for the Newsletter Pathways to Optimal Health at www.wholebodyhealth.us and tell
them it’s free!
As
always, your questions, comments, and suggestions are welcomed!
All of Dr. Baldwin’s recommendations are based on
solid scientific research. However,
no one Nutritional Plan will work for ever person, nor will any one
Nutritional Plan work for every disease or degenerative condition. Pathways is not a substitute for
proper medical diagnosis of conditions which may require medical or
surgical intervention. Our
Diagnostic System allows us to treat the person with the condition and not
the condition that has the person.
Our program is not simply a weight loss program. It is a program intended to help
the client learn how he or she can attain optimal health and
wellness with a healthy immune system.
We maintain that everyone should be able to live life to the fullest
and enjoy each day of life. To get in touch with us, dial 410-326-6690 and
we will be only too happy to help you!
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