Fwd: Keeping Out of the Pink

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Sun, 12 Oct 2003 23:29:03 -0500

HSI - Jenny Thompson

Keeping Out of the Pink

 

Keeping Out of the Pink

 

Health Sciences Institute e-Alert

 

October 13, 2003

 

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Dear Reader,

 

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and -

right on time - a new study just published in the journal

Cancer may provide us with a simple way to significantly

decrease our risk of a specific type of breast cancer.

 

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Glands & Ducts

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Breast carcinoma in situ (BCIS) is a cancer that's confined

to the milk glands or the ducts that carry milk from the

glands to the nipple. BCIS is highly curable when diagnosed

early. But when not discovered in the formative stages, this

condition commonly develops into invasive breast cancer.

There are currently more than 54,000 new cases of BCIS

diagnosed every year in the U.S.

 

A high level of hormones circulating in the body has been

associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Knowing

that exercise may reduce the total amount of circulating

hormones, researchers at the University of Southern

California (USC) launched the first study of how physical

activity impacts BCIS.

 

The USC team began by examining data from a population-based

study in Los Angeles County. From that study, more than 550

women diagnosed with BCIS were personally interviewed by the

USC researchers. More than 600 women in a cancer-free control

group were also interviewed. Subjects ranged in age from 35

to 64 years.

 

After adjusting for several cancer risk factors, researchers

found that women who reported ANY exercise activity were at

35 percent lower risk of BCIS than women who could be

described as inactive. The lead author of the study, Dr.

Leslie Bernstein, told Reuters Health News that for invasive

disease, " the risk decreased proportionally with increasing

level of exercise. "

 

Unfortunately, there was one group that showed no reduction

in risk associated with exercise: those women who had a first-

degree family history (such as a mother or sister) of BCIS.

 

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The green thing... and more

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In last week's e-Alert " Keep it Green " I told you about two

studies that demonstrated how green tea intake may reduce the

risk of breast cancer. In one study, extracts of green tea

inhibited breast cancer cells from manufacturing the new

blood vessels necessary to promote cancer cell growth. And in

another USC population-based study of almost 1,100 women,

researchers found that women who drank less than half a cup

of green tea daily reduced their breast cancer risk by nearly

30 percent.

 

So here are two very simple preventive measures - moderate

exercise and a small amount of green tea intake - that most

of us could easily incorporate into our daily habits to

significantly decrease our risk of breast cancer.

 

Other lifestyle risk factors that can be addressed to lower

breast cancer risk include smoking, HRT use, excessive

alcohol intake, and obesity.

 

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As long as we're talking " awareness "

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In virtually every web site and news item that promotes

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, you'll find a mention

of National Mammography Day, which is designated as the third

Friday in October (10/17 this year). On National Mammography

Day, hundreds of radiology facilities offer either free or

discounted mammograms.

 

I'm all for helping women become more aware of the ways

they can avoid breast cancer, but on the subject of

mammography HSI parts company with the medical mainstream.

 

In the e-Alerts " Easy as 1... 2... 3 " and " ... And 4 " that I

sent you last August, I addressed in some detail these four

myths about mammogram screening:

 

1) Mammography is safe. (It's not. It may even prompt

existing cancer to spread.)

 

2) Mammography catches cancer at an early stage. (It doesn't.

Only advanced tumors can be detected.)

 

3) Mammography saves lives. (It doesn't. While there are

those who attribute successful cancer treatment to mammogram

detection, several studies show that breast cancer mortality

is statistically the same among women who have had mammograms

and those who haven't.)

 

4) Mammography is the most dependable breast cancer screening

method. (It's not. There are several safer methods of breast

cancer screening that are just as dependable or more

dependable than mammography.)

 

The mainstream mantra that all women over the age of 40

should receive a yearly mammogram is so pervasive that many

women don't even realize that there are potential hazards to

mammography. If you're a woman who's considering a mammogram

(or if you know one who is) I urge you to read the August e-

Alerts (available online at www.hsibaltimore.com) to learn

more about the safe alternatives to mammography.

 

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... and another thing

 

Have you ever cracked open a 3-yolk egg?

 

Sounds like a bonus, doesn't it? Three yolks for the price of

one!

 

Writing in his monthly newsletter, William Campbell Douglass,

M.D., explains that about one in 100 eggs will contain two

yolks. But it may also be a sign that the flock that produced

the egg was treated with hormones. " And a three-yolker? " asks

Dr. Douglass: " Guaranteed to be a hormone-enhanced freak. "

 

Recalling his days on his family's farm, Dr. Douglass notes

that there's more than just a size difference between the

smaller eggs you might get from a local chicken farmer and

the much larger eggs you'll find on most grocery store

shelves.

 

He shares an amusing conversation he once had with an

Arkansas chicken farmer who told him " with a twinkle in her

eye " that those smaller eggs are from chickens who " ain't

never been to the city, and most of them city chickens ain't

never seen a rooster, which means they ain't fertilized,

which ain't normal. "

 

Dr. Douglass says, " It was a little scientific for me, but I

got the message. "

 

Eggs provide great nutrition, especially if we avoid mass

produced eggs from chickens hopped up on hormones. You can

read Dr. Douglass' entire " Featured Article, " as well as a

companion piece titled " Still scared of eggs? " at

www.realhealthnews.com.

 

To Your Good Health,

 

Jenny Thompson

Health Sciences Institute

 

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Sources:

" Lifetime Recreational Exercise Activity and Risk of Breast

Carcinoma in Situ " Cancer, 11/15/03, published online

10/6/03, interscience.wiley.com

" Exercise May Lower Breast Cancer Risk " Reuters Health,

10/6/03, reuters.com

 

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