Top 10 Ways To Prevent Breast Cancer

1) Keep your BMI (body mass index) under 25: Breast cancer is often detected in later stages in obese women who more often than not, do not have as strong immune systems to help fight off the disease. Grab a partner and hit the gym this weekend!

2) Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week: Doing physical activities such as brisk walking can reduce your risk of breast cancer by 15-25%.

3) Avoid alcohol at ALL costs!: In 2000, the National Institutes of Health actually listed alcohol as a human carcinogen! One drink a day can raise your risk of breast cancer.

4) Diet from the past: Eat like our ancestors used to! Fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, no sugared drinks or refined carbohydrates.

5) No hot flashes? No need for hormones!: Hormone therapy may increase your risk of breast cancer. Although it is OK to use hormone therapy at menopause to assist with those unworldly symptoms, however, it is probably a good idea to take them no longer than 5 years.

6) Consider estrogen-blocking medicine: If you are over the age of 60 and breast cancer runs in your family, you may want to consider certain types of drugs that can actually help you block estrogen from your breast cells!

7) No Smoking!: We all know smoking leads to lung cancer, but did you know it can lead to breast cancer too? Active smokers and exposure to second hand smoke can increase the risk in premenopausal women by 20% or more!

8) Put the baby formula away: Breast feeding your baby plays a significant role in the risk of developing breast cancer. Your body produces more of the hormone prolactin which in turns lowers the amount of estrogen in your breasts. In countries where breast feeding is done for longer periods of time, the number of women that develop breast cancer is much lower than that of the United States. The longer you can breast feed, the more protected you are.

9) Become a lab rat: Taking part in ongoing research is a great way to learn about new and improving ways to lower your risk of breast cancer while helping other women find answers too.

10) Show your support: Joining the fight against breast cancer by attending a charity event, walking for a cure, or making any donation can all help raise money for breast cancer research.

Read the full article here...

Exercise and Cancer

Someone asked me what was the point of working out, since I ended up getting cancer anyway? While its true exercise did not prevent my getting cancer, it did help prepare me for the fight of my life and it can help you too.  

Cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation are specifically designed to break down your body’s cells. Exercise and physical activity are the best forms of treatment for rebuilding them! In fact, the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ASCM) are urging doctors to encourage their patients to be as physically active as possible before, during and after cancer treatment. 

So where do you start? First, check in with your doctors to see what is and is not appropriate for you. Once you get the go ahead, try to include the following fitness components into your routine.

Aerobic (cardio) exercises are designed to strengthen your heart and lungs. They help lower your stress and anxiety, which have undoubtedly increased since your diagnosis. A strong cardiovascular system helps:

·        Clear toxins from your body quicker

·        Speed up recovery times

·         Lessen treatment induced fatigue

·        Increase your stamina

Cardio also helps keep your weight down, which in turn can lower your chances of a recurrence by 30- 50%.  Simply brisk walking for 30 minutes, 5 days a week will do the trick.

Surgery often affects your range of motion, posture and strength, especially for patients who have under gone a mastectomy.  Exercises like gentle yoga and tai chi are a great way to regain your flexibility and relieve symptoms of lymphedema which may result from having lymph nodes removed or radiated.

The stronger you are, the easier it is to get around and do daily tasks, making resistance training an important part of your routine. Resistance training exercises help:

·         Increase bone density, lessening your risks for developing osteoporosis,

·         Keep muscles from wasting away

·         Improve blood circulation and lymphatic flow

They can be performed 2-3 days a week, with rest days in between. Words of caution however; do not start weight training if your cancer has metastasized to your bones.

Don’t forget to throw some balance exercises into your routine.  

Surgery or reactions to certain medications may cause nerve damage known as neuropathy which can affect your balance, placing you at greater risk for falls and broken bones. Simply standing on one leg for 10 seconds, then switching sides is a great way to start.

No matter where you are in your journey, exercise can play a vital role in your treatment plan.  Go slowly, gradually building up over time and keep checking in with your doctors. The good news is it appears that any exercise, in any amount is beneficial!

Cara Novy-Bennewitz

Cancer Exercise Specialist

Author – Diagnosis: Breast Cancer –The Best action Plan for Navigating Your Journey

www.workingoutcancer.com

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Navigating The Legal Maze of Cancer

There are over 12 million cancer survivors in the United States.  As cancer treatments have improved, increased attention is being paid to the field of cancer survivorship.  What do survivors need? How can we support them?

A 2005 report by the Institute of Medicine, “From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition,” recognized that employment, insurance, and financial issues should be addressed in order to improve the quality of life of cancer survivors.   

When people hear the dreaded words, “you have cancer,” the last thing, if at all, people think about are the legal issues that they may face because of their diagnosis.   

Many of those people are unaware of their rights and the resources available to assist them through the vast maze of legal, employment, and insurance systems.  And most of those individuals are completely unaware of the financial impact that cancer may have on their lives.

Take Paul, for instance.  Paul is 35 and has been working his way up the ranks at ABC Company for ten years, since graduating from business school at the top of his class.  He was married three years ago, had his first child two years ago, and bought his first home last year. 

Paul has just learned, after an annual visit to the doctor, that he has a thyroid cancer.

Paul’s diagnosis sends him reeling down a path in a maze of cancer-related legal issues.  As the maze twists and turns, Paul knows that he can’t take a wrong turn, or he may lose his job, his insurance, or even his home.  Overwhelmed by decisions that need to be made and deadlines that need to be met, Paul now has to inch his way down the road in front of him, trying to figure out  . . .

·         Can he continue working through treatment, or if he will need to take time off work? 

·         Can he get a reasonable accommodation to help him continue to work through his treatment? 

·         If he takes time off, does he have to disclose his diagnosis to his employer?  

·         What are his company policies? 

·         Will his job be protected?

·         Will any period of leave be paid or unpaid?

·         If he does take time off or loses his job, can he keep his health or life insurance coverage? 

·         If he does lose his health insurance coverage through his employer, what are his other options for health insurance coverage now that he has a pre-existing medical condition?

·         Does he qualify for state or federal disability insurance benefits to maintain his income? 

·         How will he be able to pay his bills or take care of his family? 

·         What if he becomes unable to make health care or financial decisions for himself?

The list of questions goes on and on.  At each turn in the maze another question/issue/potential problem arises for Paul and he isn’t sure where to turn for help. 

Fortunately for Paul, and the millions of other cancer survivors like him, there are organizations and agencies stationed out there in the maze that can help him find his way. 

Nonprofit organizations such as the Cancer Legal Resource Center (CLRC) (www.cancerlegalresourcecenter.org) can help people understand their options and rights.  The CLRC provides a national Telephone Assistance Line (866-843-2572) where people can get free information and resources to address their cancer-related legal issues, including navigating the legal issues in the workplace.

Cancer and Careers (www.cancerandcareers.org) is another nonprofit organization that specifically focuses on the practical issues related to work and cancer, including disclosure, balancing cancer and careers while working through treatment, and free online job search tools and career coaching for those seeking employment.

In order to help people figure out what health insurance options are available to them based on their specific situation, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has created a new online portal, www.Healthcare.gov.  This website was created under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (health care reform) and provides information about specific health insurance options as well as information about recent health care reforms.

Cancer can be a life-altering experience.  But arming oneself with information about legal rights and options can help slay any dragons that may be hiding in the maze of cancer-related legal issues. 

Joanna L. Morales, Esq. has served the cancer community as a cancer rights attorney, advocate, speaker, and author for over 18 years.  She is currently Principal at North Star Alliances, a nonprofit and business consulting firm.  She was formerly the Director of the Cancer Legal Resource Center and an Adjunct Professor at Loyola Law School, teaching cancer rights law.  She can be followed on Twitter @CancerRights.

Cancer Connect Episode 6

Cancer Connect reunites with Julie Grimm after the ONS Conference in New Orleans. Julie tells us WHY it is so important to have a planner when first diagnosed and HOW her planner will not only keep you organized, but act as your comfort blanket and friend during this uncertain time.

Julie Grimm is a breast cancer and brain tumor survivor and knows first hand the feelings and emotional state the flood a patient's mind and body when newly diagnosed. Inspirational and motivational, Julie is a great person with an amazing product!

Milk and Cancer

Dear Dr. Bone,

Is it true that there is a difference in the risk for cancer if you drink whole milk instead of skim or 2%? My friends and I were discussing it at lunch. I thought the benefits of lower fat were all related to heart disease, but they say that whole milk also contributes to cancer. Who is right?

D.L.

Dear D.L.

The relationship between milk and cancer is complex. Countries whose inhabitants do not consume much milk seem to have lower incidences of certain cancers. For example, in Japan and Mongolia there is less breast cancer than in the United States. One of the reasons posited for this phenomenon is the presence of hormones in milk. In order for cows to produce more milk they are kept pregnant for prolonged periods of time. Milk from pregnant cows naturally has a higher estrogen content. Farmers also inject the cows with hormones. One in particular, recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH), results in milk that contains higher amounts of Insulin-like Growth Factor, known as IGF-1. IGF-1 can be absorbed from the milk and stimulate cancer cells. Since hormones in milk are fat soluble, it would seem safer to drink low fat milk. On the other hand, conjugated linoleic acid, a natural anti-cancer molecule, is found at its highest concentration in whole milk as is calcium, a necessary building block for our bones.

The popular book called The China Study looks into the relationship between diet and cancer. I have many friends who became vegan after reading it because they were convinced that dairy consumption can be dangerous, not just for cancer, but for heart disease and other ailments too. A moderate by nature, I suggest that each person find their comfort level after assessing the data. It is unlikely that an occasional glass of milk or ice cream will cause cancer, but dietary modifications along with exercise, decreasing alcohol consumption, and controlling stress, should results in a longer, healthier life.

~ Dr. Bone

Chicken Nuggets

Dear Dr. Bone,

My mother hates it when I eat McDonald’s food. She says that the chicken nuggets are loaded with chemicals. Would I be more likely to get cancer from eating too many chicken nuggets? If so, what kind of cancer?

Junk Food Junkie 

Dear Junk Food Junkie,

Hard question to answer. I won’t single out one fast food chain. Most chicken nuggets bought at a fast food restaurant are made with combinations of chicken meat and what are called by-products. These are other parts of the chicken including the tendons that attach muscles to bones. They grind the meat into a paste and add food starch, dextrose, and other flavorings. There is no documented evidence that the contents of nuggets cause cancer and it is highly unlikely that eating nuggets now and again will cause cancer. However, a diet rich in vegetables and fruits will help to prevent cancer. So, if you are going to eat chicken nuggets and fries, you’d be smart to order the apple slices or carrot sticks to go along with them!!!

Dr. Bone