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(Note: Please see other cancer pages on this site for additional breast and general cancer information.) I would also see Ingrid Naiman's book, Cancer Salves: A Botanical Approach to Treatment ( http://www.amazon.com/Cancer-Salves-Botanical-Approach-Treatment/dp/1882834151), which shows describes many cures of breast, skin, pancreatic, liver and skin cancers by the use of cancer salves. See my Main Cancer Protocol Page for Supplements I would take. If you are having radiation or taking Chemotherapy, also see my "Chemo Protocol" page for supplements to help protect you against their side effects. Is Your Bra Killing You? (The Link between Bras and Breast Cancer) In a study involving 4,700 women, those who never wore a bra had the same incidence of breast cancer as men, in whom cancer of the breast is a rare condition. Women who wore bras for more than 12 hours, but did not sleep in them, had 21 times the risk as women who wore a bra for less than 12 hours. Put in a slightly different way, the statistics are just as chilling: Women who war a bra 24 hours a day are 125 times as likely to develop cancer as women who don’t. Medical anthropologist, Sydney Ross Singer, made this bra/breast cancer claim in the mid-1990’s, but was simply laughed at by the so-called “experts.” But with the new study involving 4,700 women demonstrating such dramatic results, Singer may get the last laugh. It is postulated that lymphatic vessels are blocked by the bra, thus preventing lymphocytes (white blood cells) from destroying abnormal cells. This blockage, over a period of years, presumably causes a build-up of cancer cells which eventually overwhelms the body’s defense mechanisms, and cancer ensues. (Another consideration is that a much higher level of hormones tends to collect in the breasts, and wearing a bra for too many hours blocks the movement of these hormones out of the breasts – this is also why breast massage is recommended, especially soon after removing the bra, to reduce the high level of cancer-causing hormones.) From Professor Singer’s research, it would appear that wearing a bra for less than 12 hours a day would be prudent. Make sure your bra is not constricting the lymphatic system. If, when you remove the bra, there are grooves in your skin or red lines where the bra was, you are asking for trouble. The worst thing you can do is to wear your bra to bed – Dr. Singer’s number one admonition is: “Do not wear a bra to sleep!” Other precautionary measures include: Avoid bras with underwires or anything that tends to shape the breasts, including push-up bras and strapless bras. Also, massage your breasts (see below) upon removing your bra to get the lymph flowing and reduce the local concentration of hormones. For more information, by the book “Dressed to Kill” by S. R. Singer and Soma Grismaijer (paperback, 1995, Avery, $11.95, http://www.amazon.com/Dressed-Kill-between-Breast-Cancer/dp/1930858051/) – at 12 bucks, it’s a great bargain – and could save your life. Breast Massage Technique to Reduce Chances of Breast Cancer: The health of your breasts depends in large part on supporting the effective drainage of harmful fluids from breast glands. A combination of self-massage and proper nutrition can promote breast health by helping to maintain toxin-free breast glands. Research indicates that wearing a bra for prolonged periods of time during the day can impede the drainage of harmful fluids from breast glands. The following massage technique, done once a night, will enhance lymphatic drainage from the breast. 1. After removing the bra, lie on your bed, on your back. Straighten one arm and raise that arm over your head, allowing it to rest on the bed. (For our purposes here, let's presume you raised your right arm first.) The idea here is not to rub the skin overlying the breast and armpit, but rather to rhythmically and very gently pump the lymph from the breast into the armpit and then further up the lymph system. Continue this pumping procedure for about 3 minutes, and then switch to the other breast and armpit area. (Remember to raise the opposite arm over your head.) One 3-minute session on each side nightly is all it takes. Diet If the fruits and vegetables you eat are not organically grown, then at least be sure to wash and rinse them well. You can do this with mild soap and water, with one of the pre-made produce washes found in health food stores, or with diluted grapefruit seed extract. Also, make sure your drinking water is free of organochlorines and other foreign chemicals. I believe distilled water is always the safest. To learn more about the water distiller I recommend, click here. Avoid toxins Stop using antiperspirants, as the chemicals they contain can be absorbed through the skin and cause the underlying lymph nodes to constrict and block lymph flow. Switch to natural deodorants, which don't cause the nodes to constrict. http://www.betterlife.com/prod_home_page.asp?prod_id=27565 (Lemongrass - Earthy Lemon Deodorant by Terra Naturals, 55g, 11829-9, $3.84) or Likewise, use nontoxic and/or natural pesticides and herbicides, both indoors and out. Always wear protective gloves and clothing to avoid getting any of these substances on your skin, and be careful not to breathe the fumes, as chemicals can easily enter the body via the respiratory system. Breast Cancer and Breast Massage Instructions The medical community seems to feel that if a woman lives long enough, she will have breast cancer. Breast cancer is the second leading single cause of death in American women; it takes such a high toll each year we would be remiss if we didn't cover it separately in this web site. Dr Schulze told us of a 1994 poll in which one thousand women were asked if they were happy with the size and shape of their breasts. Not a one answered "Yes." Our internal dialog affects our immune system. The reason the average woman does not look like the average model gracing the covers of the average glamour magazines is that the average woman is not seventeen. Accepting our bodies and not falling for the Hollywood images of beauty is the first step to preventing cancer. Carcinogens accumulate in fatty tissues. Breasts are made up of mostly fatty tissues. The average woman comes into contact with innumerable carcinogens and toxins daily from the soaps she washes with to the makeup she uses, not to mention pesticide residues, smoke and exhaust fumes, solvents, and cleaning compounds. Dr David G Williams in his newsletter Alternatives [April, 1994; 5: 10] pointed out that, "from tests performed at breast screening clinics, carcinogenic agents are often found in both the breast tissue and the fluids extracted from the nipple." He goes on to add that "high levels of DDT, PCBs, dioxins, and heavy metal[s]" have been found in breast milk. The good news, he states, is there is a simple procedure he discovered at the International Symposium on Prevention and Detection of Cancer, in a presentation by Dr Timothy Murrel of the University of Adelaide. Dr Murrel suggested a very simple technique that might prevent cancer: nipple stimulation. Dr Williams reports that during nipple stimulation, oxytocin is produced, which stimulates the sac-like glands and small muscles in the breast to contract and help clear the breast of carcinogens. Dr Williams recommends that any woman over the age of 18 should examine her breasts at least monthly, and two or three times a week, she should gently stimulate the circulation to her nipples, three minutes per nipple. Additionally, stimulating the lymph glands (tapping them lightly for one minute) is something that is part of a daily routine for over one million Chinese. Raise your arm, and, using the base of the thumb on the opposite arm (hand), "whap" your armpit repeatedly. Do not do it so hard as to cause any discomfort, just a slight tap is all you need. Next is a breast massage from China, used for prevention and for existing tumors (see below). Once you’ve done the nipple massage, this massage follows. Rub your breasts in ever increasing circles and finish each stroke rubbing toward the armpit (lymph glands). Do this a minimum of three times a week, a minimum of three minutes per breast.
One more element of Dr Williams' research we should mention: breast cancer rates are higher in colder regions than in the warmer ones. He feels that looser clothing and the extra vitamin D from sun exposure could be responsible for this difference. This is something to consider in your plan to prevent breast cancer. Americans are suckers for hormonal therapies, yet these therapies are a two edged sword and can be one of the greatest associated causes of breast cancer here in America. The Physicians Desk Reference (PDR) points out that an increase in estrogen causes a dramatic increase in breast cancers, yet estrogen is still prescribed as if it were absolutely harmless. If you suffer from PMS or are experiencing hormonal imbalances following menopause, you should know there are alternatives to the estrogen therapies (most estrogen comes from horse urine). Female Breast Massage for Better Health Breast Massage therapy has been proven to assist in promoting healthy breast tissue, reduce fibroids and cysts, relieve the pain and discomfort associated with PMS or from compression from bras, relieving the pain and tension from stress in the muscles of the chest wall, assist in healthy tissue regeneration and scar reduction following surgery, and as a logical proactive step against cancer and other diseases. Breast massage might be more than a relaxing experience, it may also be very good for your health. A LMT's Use of Breast Massage for Treating Wife's Cancer My wife died from breast cancer just over a year ago, after a ten year fight. She was 41. I worked with her over the years in various ways, and one of them was draining her swollen arms caused by lymphodema, a result of mastectomy and lymph node removal. She had a longer life than many women who have active breast cancers, and I believe that our diligent work with circulation and drainage was a part of that. We were both trained at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital by lymph specialists. We also read and studied a great deal. As a certified massage therapist, I'm hopeful that I can be of help to others to prevent this horrible, painful disease that killed my wife. There was a book published recently entitled "Dressed to Kill". I gave my copy away, so please forgive me for only quoting specific info from memory. The book deals with evidence that wearing tight bras restricts the body from proper blood and lymph circulation, allowing more than a normal amount of toxins to remain in the breasts, contributing to the increase in breast cancer. In the 1960's breast cancer struck 1 woman in 10 in this country. Today the number is 1 in 8. According to studies the author quotes, the incidence in women who wear tight bras is far higher. The body creates it's circulation by both the hearts action, and by exercise. The blood is mostly moved by the heart, while the toxin-bearing lymph uses muscular movement to push it along. Wearing restricting bras, along with the limited muscular association in the chest, does not encourage proper flow. (Another factor is diet. In Japan breast cancer in women during the 1950's was almost nil. Today, with western diets, the incidence almost matches the U.S.) It is important for women to understand that they can be effective in preventing breast cancer by not wearing bras that restrict blood and lymph flow, and by using massage techniques to increase blood circulation, and move toxins out through the lymph glands and blood. They can also strengthen muscle and support tissues through massage. I don't take any credit for developing any of the ideas. They are gleaned from methods shown to me at various times. 1. The first technique is Veinous and Intercellular Circulation. The hands are placed flatly across the breast, covering as much as possible. Pressure is then applied, exactly as if you were pressing water out of a sponge on a flat surface. Press and release. Repeat several times. This should be done horizontally and vertically. The circulation created is obvious. 2. The second part of Veinous and Intercellular Circulation technique is by petrissaging (kneading) and massaging while lifting and pressing the breast. This is done in all directions to move fluid about inside the breast. 3. Supportive Ligament Care is helpful in many ways, some of which are in increased circulation, and strengthening the ligaments and chest muscles. This is done by pressing the breast with the hands flat, as in (1) above, and by both lifting and stretching the tissues, and twisting clockwise and counter-clockwise. 4. Lymph Drainage is normally done through regular exercise for most of the body. If the breasts are not manipulated, lymph will tend to remain. Most lymph is moved through tiny ducts just beneath the surface of the skin. From there it is moved to the blood and toxins are filtered out. Picture in your mind a lock in a canal. Lymph glands are constructed similarly. The lymph is easily moved along by gliding the fingertips over the surface of the skin VERY lightly. Too much pressure will compact the glands, restricting the flow. Try this... place a nickel on your mouse-pad. Use your fingertips to push the nickel across it. That's all the pressure you use. But there's a lot more to know. The direction of the lymph drainage from the breast should be from the nipple outward in all directions, but the actual method is very important, and this is why a therapist can be very helpful. Picture again those little canal locks. They open at each end. You cannot drain one full lock into another full lock. You must first drain a full one before sweeping the second along into it. Another way to picture it is with a pack of Lifesavers. You can't take the middle one out. You have to move the first one out, then move the second one into first position, then out, and so with the third, fourth, and so on. The lymph gets drained the same way. Start at the perimeter of the breast, and sweep lymph out. Then move inward perhaps 1/2 inch, and sweep it out, then inward one inch and sweep out, and so on to the nipple. Then start the process again. So remember, drain, fill, drain. This process gets repeated once for each inch from the perimeter to the nipple. Women should do this once a week followed by upper body exercise. Lymph is drained from other parts of the body in the same way, but where possible, always towards the heart. Breast Massage for Better Health
We begin with a discussion of an important study about bras and breast cancer which suggests that lymph fluid flow may be very important for healthy breasts, then provide details about breast massage in a question-and-answer format. First version June 25, 1997; Last updated March 31, 1998. Copyright (C) 1997, 1998 Author of Breast Massage for Better Health. Bras and breast cancer - Do bras restrict lymph flow and therefore increase the risk of breast cancer? A recent study of over 4700 women (2056 previously diagnosed with breast cancer, 2674 never diagnosed with breast cancer) indicated that there was a positive correlation between breast cancer and the length of time that women wore bras per day: Those who wore a bra all day-long (defined in the study as any period more than 12 hours) had statistically 21 times greater risk of breast cancer than those who only wore a bra for only part of the day (defined in the study as any period up to 12 hours). Women who wore their bras all day and night (essentially 24 hours per day) had a 5 times greater chance of developing breast cancer than those who wore it all day-long. The study conjectured that wearing a bra may constrict the flow of lymph fluid in the breast, which then causes the higher risk of breast cancer. Lymph fluid is the natural watery fluid which surrounds and bathes cells in body tissues. Lymph fluid carries disease-fighting cells and helps remove accumulated toxins, some of which may be carcinogenic (cancer-causing). The impaired flow of lymph fluid is thought to allow toxins to build up, thus causing breast tissue cells to be exposed to higher concentrations of cancer-causing toxins for longer periods of time. The study suggested that women wear their bras for fewer hours, thus giving their breasts time to "recover" and also not wearing bras that feel constrictive or tight. For more details on the study, conducted by Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer, see their book Dressed to Kill, (Avery Publishing Group, New York, 1995). ISBN 0-89529-664-0, available from The Naturist Society, P.O. Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54902, Tel. 414-426-5009. Some relevant Web pages about this study are as follows: Breast massage for better health by improving lymph fluid flow Considering that breast cancer is a very major health risk for women and considering that women in this society wear bras which may Disclaimer: This Web page is conjecture until someday official clinical studies have been undertaken and have proven its effectiveness (or ineffectiveness). No clinical studies are currently known to the author of this page. This page is not a prescription for action or treatment of any kind but rather is a basis for thought and further research for readers; readers must decide their own actions responsibly. Breast massage is hypothesized to be potentially be a preventative measure only. Breast massage is not a treatment for existing breast cancer. Any use of breast massage should be done with due care. Other preventative measures such as breast self-exams and exams/tests recommended by your physician are very useful and should in no way be discontinued if breast massage therapy is undertaken. The remainder of this page is written about how to apply the technique and how it is conjectured to be beneficial and does not constitute any official recommendation that the technique will be beneficial for your health. How does one do this type of breast massage? The receiver may find that certain types of strokes are more comfortable. The receiver may also prefer certain speeds of movement and pressure. Accommodating these preferences makes the breast massage feel much better and helps to encourage the regular practice of breast massage. To drain the lymph fluid from the breast, one useful massage stroke is a gentle radial outward stroke from the nipple to the outer edge of the breast. This is done by applying light pressure starting from the center of the breast and making several strokes from the nipple towards each part of the perimeter of the breast. The direction of the strokes are like following spokes in a wheel from the center to the edge. This stroke can be incorporated as part of the massage but should be combined with the other strokes above which help to stimulate lymph and blood circulation. Think of the radial outward stroke as a specific draining stroke and the other strokes as methods of increasing the fluid flow rate, just as exercising a muscle will increase the flow of blood through the muscle. Increased blood flow to massaged areas is indicated by a feeling of warmth in the massaged area. The warmth generally can be felt by both the receiver and the massage giver. This is a good indicator that the massage is also improving lymph flow. Women's breasts vary considerably in texture and sensitivity to pressure. Hence, gentle strokes for those who are sensitive or have softer breasts. Moderate pressure may be more effective for those with firmer-textured breasts. Gentle kneading and rubbing strokes which constitute the principal method of increasing lymph and blood flow. A breast massage may be combined with a massage of the shoulders and side chest muscles for a more relaxing, revitalizing experience. A more extended massage experience may include breast massage as part of a full body massage. Health Note: As far as possible cancer detection, if during self-massage or giving a massage, any lumps are felt, these lumps should always be investigated thoroughly by informing and visiting a qualified physician. The practice of breast massage should be in conjunction with (and not a substitute for) regular self-breast exams and exams/tests during visits to a physician. What other benefits may be possible? Women who are pregnant or nursing may find that the substantial changes in the quality and sensitivity of their breasts are causing some discomfort. Such women may be pleasantly surprised to find that a breast massage also improves their comfort and makes them feel better about their breasts. (The massaging of breasts is already undertaken by many nursing mothers as a part of the nursing process.) A good breast massage should be gentle and nurturing. The gentle stimulation of the breasts and chest area may release some emotional feelings. During massage, many people experience joy, peace, or sometimes a release of previously-repressed emotions from past events (positive or negative, including possibly crying) followed by a more deep relaxation. This emotional release is also a very normal, human part of the massage experience. For most women, the enjoyment of breast massage is natural and very relaxing. How often should my breasts be massaged and for how long? It is hypothesized that toxins tend to accumulate due to reduced lymph fluid flow during the use of a bra during the day. Hence, one good time for having a breast massage is after taking off a bra at the end of a day or during a break in the day. At such times, a breast massage may be very helpful in stimulating the flow of lymph fluid and blood to remove the accumulated toxins. Some women find bras to be somewhat constricting to their breasts and surrounding musculature or tiresome on the shoulders, which is another reason why a gentle massage after taking off a bra is revitalizing. This should not be taken to discount the value of having breast massages at other times or less frequently than daily. The build-up of toxins may be a gradual long-term effect from wearing a bra for too many hours per day. A breast massage once every few days may be valuable in helping to avoid excess build-up of toxins and is a relaxing experience. Frequent massages should preferably be administered with some lotion or massage oil to prevent sensitizition of the skin. Self-massage once or several times a day may be the most convenient method for improving lymph flow daily if a massage giver is not available to give daily massage. Even if time is short, a few minutes of self-massaging improves the lymph fluid flow for better health. An extended session of self-massage for 20 or 30 minutes or more can be administered during a more relaxed time period. Breast Massage for Better Health Bras and breast cancer -- Do bras restrict lymph flow and therefore increase the risk of breast cancer? A recent study of over 4700 women (2056 previously diagnosed with breast cancer, 2674 never diagnosed with breast cancer) indicated that there was a positive correlation between breast cancer and the length of time that women wore bras per day: * Those who wore a bra all day-long (defined in the study as any period more than 12 hours) had statistically 21 times greater risk of breast cancer than those who only wore a bra for only part of the day (defined in the study as any period up to 12 hours). The study conjectured that wearing a bra may constrict the flow of lymph fluid in the breast, which then causes the higher risk of breast cancer. Lymph fluid is the natural watery fluid which surrounds and bathes cells in body tissues. Lymph fluid carries disease-fighting cells and helps remove accumulated toxins, some of which may be carcinogenic (cancer-causing). The impaired flow of lymph fluid is thought to allow toxins to build up, thus causing breast tissue cells to be exposed to higher concentrations of cancer-causing toxins for longer periods of time. The study suggested that women wear their bras for fewer hours, thus giving their breasts time to "recover" and also not wearing bras that feel constrictive or tight. For more details on the study, conducted by Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer, see their book Dressed to Kill, (Avery Publishing Group, New York, 1995). ISBN 0-89529-664-0.Available from The Naturist Society, P.O. Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54902, Tel. 414-426-5009. Breast massage for better health by improving lymph fluid flow. The author of this Web page hypothesizes that methods of increasing lymph fluid flow may be a preventative measure to reduce the incidence of breast cancer. In muscles, lymph fluid flow can be stimulated by exercise or by massage. For soft non-muscular tissues like breast tissue, massage is a principal method of increasing lymph fluid flow. Massage also stimulates blood flow, which might also be helpful. The following frequently-asked-questions list describes the methodology, which the author feels is deserving of further investigation. Considering that breast cancer is a very major health risk for women and considering that women in this society wear bras which may tend to decrease lymph flow, this is potentially worthy of your consideration. How does one do this type of breast massage? Gentle-to-moderate kneading, rubbing, and squeezing strokes with the hands are sufficient to induce increased lymph and blood flow to the breast. The breast can be kneaded and squeezed by contracting the palm and fingers of the hand (somewhat like a handshake) or the breast can be rubbed and stroked using the palm and fingers of the hand using gentle-to-moderate pressure. It is not necessary to use hard pressure or other techniques which cause pain. A lotion or massaging oil adds considerably to the pleasure of the experience and helps prevent "rug burn" sensitivity. The receiver may find that certain types of strokes are more pleasurable. The receiver may also prefer certain speeds of movement and pressure. Accommodating these preferences makes the breast massage feel much better and helps to encourage the regular practice of breast massage. To drain the lymph fluid from the breast, one useful massage stroke is a gentle radial outward stroke from the nipple to the outer edge of the breast. This is done by applying light pressure starting from the center of the breast and making several strokes from the nipple towards each part of the perimeter of the breast. The direction of the strokes are like following spokes in a wheel from the center to the edge. This stroke can be incorporated as part of the massage but should be combined with the other strokes above which help to stimulate lymph and blood circulation. Think of the radial outward stroke as a specific draining stroke and the other strokes as methods of increasing the fluid flow rate, just as exercising a muscle will increase the flow of blood through the muscle. Increased blood flow to massaged areas is indicated by a feeling of warmth in the massaged area. The warmth generally can be felt by both the receiver and the massage giver. This is a good indicator that the massage is also improving lymph flow. Women's breasts vary considerably in texture and sensitivity to pressure. Hence, gentle strokes for those who are sensitive or have softer breasts. Moderate pressure may be more effective for those with firmer-textured breasts. As a part of a pleasurable, sensual massage, the kneading strokes may be combined with softer caressing strokes over the front chest and abdominal region. This helps relax and give pleasure to the receiver. Stroking and gently pinching the nipples can also be a pleasurable part of a breast massage. These strokes should be used in combination with the gentle kneading and rubbing strokes above which constitute the principal method of increasing lymph and blood flow. A breast massage may be combined with a massage of the shoulders and side chest muscles for a more relaxing, revitalizing, and pleasurable experience. Health Note: As far as possible cancer detection, if during self-massage or giving a massage, any lumps are felt, these lumps should always be investigated thoroughly by informing and visiting a qualified physician. The practice of breast massage should be in conjunction with (and not a substitute for) regular self-breast exams and exams/tests during visits to a physician. If any lump is ever found, that area should NOT be massaged until a physician is consulted. Repeat: do not massage if any lump is found. What other benefits may be possible? Women who are pregnant or nursing may find that the substantial changes in the quality and sensitivity of their breasts are causing some discomfort. Such women may be pleasantly surprised to find that a breast massage also improves their comfort and gives pleasure, and makes them feel better about their breasts. (The massaging of breasts is already undertaken by many nursing mothers as a part of the nursing process.) Will I become aroused by receiving a breast massage? Many women find the stroking of their breasts to be very pleasurable and relaxing. The positive feelings associated with breast massage help to encourage regular practice. Some women find touching of the breasts during the massage to be sexually arousing or causing some emotional feelings. All these feelings are very natural physiological and emotional responses and should not be any cause for concern or embarrassment. Massage in general is a pleasurable, sensual experience in addition to being healthful. A good breast massage should be gentle and nurturing. The gentle stimulation of the breasts and chest area may release some emotional feelings. During massage, many people experience joy, peace, or sometimes a release of previously-repressed emotions from past events (positive or negative, including possibly crying) followed by a more deep relaxation. This emotional release is also a very normal, human part of the massage experience. For most women, the enjoyment of breast massage is a natural, sensual pleasure and very relaxing. For those who may not wish their breast massage to be as pleasurable or arousing, the type, speed, and pressure of the strokes can be regulated if necessary to control this sensation of pleasure and arousal. Again, individual preferences and sensitivities vary; for example, some may find firm strokes to be arousing while others may find light caressing to be overly erotic. How often should my breasts be massaged and for how long? The previous study involving bras provides some evidence that improved lymph fluid flow may be good for your health. It is hypothesized that toxins tend to accumulate due to reduced lymph fluid flow during the use of a bra during the day. Hence, one good time for having a breast massage is after taking off a bra at the end of a day or during a break in the day. At such times, a breast massage may be very helpful in stimulating the flow of lymph fluid and blood to remove the accumulated toxins. Some women find bras to be somewhat constricting to their breasts and surrounding musculature or tiresome on the shoulders, which is another reason why a gentle, pleasurable massage after taking off a bra is revitalizing. This should not be taken to discount the value of having breast massages at other times or less frequently than daily. The build-up of toxins may be a gradual long-term effect from wearing a bra for too many hours per day. A breast massage once every few days may be valuable in helping to avoid excess build-up of toxins and is a relaxing, pleasurable experience. Frequent massages should preferably be administered with some lotion or massage oil to prevent sensitizition of the skin. When working with a massage giver, a more extended massage experience of 20 minutes or more may be very pleasurable and relaxing as well as beneficial for your health. This can be received as often as once or more per day, although even an occasional experience is pleasurable and health-giving. Time constraints of the receiver or massage giver may be the limiting factor in frequency. Self-massage once or several times a day may be the most convenient method for improving lymph flow daily if a massage giver is not available to give daily massage. Even if time is short, a few minutes of self-massaging improves the lymph fluid flow for better health and is pleasurable. An extended session of self-massage for 20 or 30 minutes or more can be administered during a more relaxed time period. For those who wish, a pleasurable breast massage can be integrated as part of a relaxing, sensual experience such as an extended bath or gentle nap-time/relaxing in bed. Other references about breast massage and therapeutic massage A few women have even experienced some mild to moderate reactions to the amount of accumulated toxins being flushed from the breast tissue during the first days and weeks of breast massage. The reported reactions to the toxins include "mild to medium cases of [allergic] hives, increased allergies of the sinuses, headaches, some cramping." It is recommended to start with shorter periods of breast massage and gradually increasing the massage time if such reactions occur. The flushing of the toxins is a very good process for the body, but may need to be done gradually if the person experiences reactions to the accumulated toxins being released from the breast tissue. This site discusses the role of the hormones prolactin and oxytocin in controlling blood flow to the breasts and also contains some recommendations for health supplements. Copyright © 2009 Hpathy.com. All rights reserved. Links to some other articles: http://hpathy.com/cause-symptoms-treatment/treatment-cancer/ http://www.biomedx.com/mammotherm/page2.html As you may be aware, incidents of cancer are on the rise, including breast cancer (which is increasingly being seen in younger women), so let's take some time and talk about breast health. We're about to venture into areas seldom discussed in traditional medical circles. Let's begin by highlighting the top three causes of breast cancer that are directly controllable by women: 1) Mammograms You might find this list quite amazing but you will begin to understand as we outline the roles each of these play in breast cancer development. Let's start with mammograms. The problem here is x-rays. X-rays currently stand as the single item the medical community agrees causes cancer. Yet, the very test used for breast cancer screening is an x-ray. This presents a problem. Fortunately, the movement of technology and understanding what cancer is and how it develops is presenting some innovative adjunct solutions to the mammogram dilemma. We'll talk more on this in a moment. But first, about those bras and antiperspirants. To understand what this is about, you need to understand a bit about the toxic environment that better living through chemistry has wreaked upon our society. Though there are many things in our environment that are suspect, we'll just look at food. Today much of our food supply is grown with pesticides. Some of these contain chemicals called aromatic hydrocarbons and are very similar to human sex hormones. When sprayed on vegetables, they become absorbed into the food. When ingested they accumulate in specific organs that attract this class of chemicals--in women it is the breast. The body recognizes sex hormones as potent chemicals and once used, they need to be broken down by liver enzymes and then rapidly removed from the body. (You should note that the mammary glands are a primary producer of the female hormone estrogen. Although important, once used, it must be removed from the body quickly.) This removal is managed by the lymphatic system. The mammary glands are filled with lymphatic vessels that move from the breast, through the axillary lymph nodes under the armpit, over the collar bone, to the thoracic duct. This is how the breast drains toxins and keeps its internal environment clean. If something impedes the cleansing process, an imbalance occurs and the sex hormone by-products become destructive molecules called free radicals that begin cellular damage (called lipid peroxidation) which leads to breast cancer. Can you possibly see how tight fitting bras and antiperspirants (which close the axillary lymph nodes in the armpit) causes a backup of toxins in the breast? For most women, throwing out the bra is not an option, but some adjustments can be made (the push-up bra for instance, which makes one look bustier are the worst for women). Certainly the antiperspirants can go. Natural mineral salt deodorants are available as an alternative. Now get the picture in your mind of the topics just discussed; we have a constricted lymphatic system causing a toxic backup in the mammary glands, which (in some cases) gets presented annually to a clinic to get squished and assaulted with x-rays. Mmm, sounds like a perfect scenario to engender a cancerous situation. But what might be an alternative, or an adjunct to a mammogram that could greatly stretch the time frame between the need for these dangerous x-rays? The answer comes in part from understanding how tumors develop. Tumors need a blood supply to exist; they have to be fed. When a tumor develops, it creates vascularization (blood vessels) around itself. This is a physiological process. This physiology can be detected in the earliest developmental stages with new high technology heat sensing imagers. A clinic with this technology would place the woman in front of the imager and then take an infrared heat scan of her breasts (sometimes referred to as a mammotherm). There is no contact, no x-rays, no pain, it is completely non-invasive. If there is adverse physiology present, (such as increased vascularization involved with tumor development) it will be highlighted by temperature differentials from one breast to the other. A mammogram is a screen of anatomy, it looks for the actual evidence of a tumor. A mammotherm is a screen of function, it looks for the reflection of physiological happenings. When a mammogram identifies a tumor, it likely has been forming for a long time. When a mammotherm detects a breast temperature differential, it is often at the very beginning stages of a potential problem. This means a woman can become proactive in addressing the situation in a natural, non-destructive manner. Women rejoice! The mammotherm technology is a great leap forward in breast cancer screening. Where mammograms are a humiliating event of having to endure a strangers cold hands manipulating and painfully squishing your breasts between the plates of an x-ray unit to undergo an assault by high energy particle beams, a mammotherm is shear joy by comparison. You can have multiple screens done every year to track even the smallest changes that might occur over time, and you never have to worry about harmful side effects. The mammotherm is particularly important for younger women. A younger woman has more dense breast tissue and mammograms have a difficult time detecting the smallest tumors. Because of this drawback, ultrasound is often advocated as an alternative. However, tumor mass still needs to be evident. The mammotherm on the other hand is not looking for the tumor itself, it is looking for the smallest change in physiology reflected as heat that then becomes a marker for suspicious activity. http://www.biomedx.com/mammotherm/page6.html In the related article "The Bras That Bind", you were introduced to the concept of aromatic hydrocarbons within our environment that in large measure are very similar to human sex hormones. These environmental toxins gravitate to the breasts which generally attract this "hormone looking" class of chemicals. The body recognizes sex hormones as potent chemicals and once used, they need to be broken down by liver enzymes and then rapidly removed from the body. You will recall that the mammary glands are a primary producer of the female hormone estrogen, and once used, it also must be removed from the body quickly. As shown in the diagram of the breast, the lymphatic vessels move from the breast, through the axillary lymph nodes under the armpit, over the collar bone, to the thoracic duct. This is a major pathway for the breast to drain toxins. If the lymph nodes close up (antiperspirant use) or something else impedes the flow (tight bras), toxins back-up, an imbalance occurs, and the sex hormone by-products become destructive molecules called free radicals that begin cellular damage (lipid peroxidation) which can kick start the process known as cancer. As you can see, it is very important to keep the lymphatic system of the breast in tip top shape. There are other factors that come into play in the cancer development process, but before we touch on those items, here is an exercise you should get acquainted with that is very important for the health of your breasts. An Exercise for Maintaining Breast Health 1) Start by raising your arms over your head for a few minutes a day to help open the axillary lymph glands in the armpit. 2) With arms raised, take the fingers or palm of the opposite hand, and gently but rhythmically create a pumping action in your armpit directing very slight pressure up and towards the collar bone. This helps excite and move the axillary node garbage towards the thoracic duct thereby helping to drain the breast of toxins. Do it a few minutes everyday--take off the bra, lay down, and do the exercises to help your breasts stay internally healthy.
Potential Link Between Aluminum Salts In Deodorants And Breast Cancer Chemicals that mimic the body's natural hormone oestrogen are known to affect a woman's risk of breast cancer. Evidence is mounting that the aluminium-based compound, which often makes up quarter of the volume of some antiperspirant agents, can break through the skin and that once in the body it could mimic oestrogen. A review just published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology calls for further research to evaluate the potential that this could increase the risk of getting breast cancer. Over recent years scientists have found that many compounds in the environment mimic or interfere with oestrogen. These compounds are normally complex molecules and are found in many plants, and used in materials like detergents, pesticides and plastics. Now scientists are realising that a variety of simple metal ions, including aluminium and cadmium can also bind to the body's oestrogen-receptors and influence their action. "Since oestrogen is known to be involved in the development and progression of human breastcancer, any components of the environment that have oestrogenic activity and which can enter the human breast could theoretically influence a woman's risk of breast cancer," says author of the review Dr Philippa Darbre, who works in the School of Biological Sciences, at the University of Reading, UK. Aluminium salts in antiperspirants are a major source of exposure to aluminium in humans. It is often sprayed into armpits, inadvertently concentrating exposure near to the breast. In addition, it is often applied immediately after shaving, when the skin is likely to be damaged and less able to keep the aluminium out. "It is reasonable to question whether this aluminium could then influence breast cancer," says Darbre. Her concern is not confined to aluminium. Smoking tobacco introduces cadmium into the body, and research shows that it too can collect in breast tissue. There are indications that this accumulation of cadmium may also be linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, potentially showing one of the reasons why smoking could be linked to this disease. "Each of these agents on their own may not have a powerful effect, but we need to see what happens when a number of them act together?" it could be that this would have a significant effect on diseaseslike breast cancer," says Darbre. Article: Darbre P D. Metalloestrogens: An Emerging Class of Inorganic Xenoestrogens with Potential to Add to the Oestrogenic Burden of the Human Breast. Journal of Applied Toxicology 2006; DOI:10.1002/jat.1135 The Journal of Applied Toxicology is devoted to publishing original research, theoretical and literature reviews relating to the toxicity of drugs and chemicals to living systems at the molecular, cellular, tissue and target organ level. This also encompasses teratogenesis, carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, mechanistic toxicology, pharmacokinetics, environmental toxicology and environmental health (including epidemiological studies) in addition to analytical and method development studies. Papers dealing with in vitro techniques and alternatives to the use of animals are encouraged. The journal's Editor-in-Chief is Dr Harry Salem of the Edgewood Chemical & Biological Center, USA, and Dr Philip Harvey of Covance Laboratories UK Ltd, Harrogate is its European Editor. The journal can be accessed online via Wiley Interscience at http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/jat. What have scientists learned about the relationship between antiperspirants or deodorants and breast cancer? A different study examining the frequency of underarm shaving and antiperspirant/deodorant use among 437 breast cancer survivors was released in 2003 (4). This study found that the age of breast cancer diagnosis was significantly lower in women who used these products and shaved their underarms more frequently. Furthermore, women who began both of these underarm hygiene habits before 16 years of age were diagnosed with breast cancer at an earlier age than those who began these habits later. While these results suggest that underarm shaving with the use of antiperspirants/deodorants may be related to breast cancer, it does not demonstrate a conclusive link between these underarm hygiene habits and breast cancer. Additional research is needed to investigate this relationship and other factors that may be involved. Other research has focused on certain preservatives (parabens) that are used in deodorants and antiperspirants, as well as many cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical products. Parabens have been shown to mimic the activity of estrogen (a hormone) in the body's cells (5). Because estrogen promotes the growth of breast cancer cells, some scientists have suggested that the use of deodorants or antiperspirants could cause the accumulation of parabens in breast tissues, which may contribute to the development of breast cancer. This hypothesis was supported by a 2004 study that found parabens within 18 of 20 samples of tissue from human breast tumors (6). However, this study did not prove that parabens cause breast tumors (5). The authors of this study did not analyze healthy breast tissue or tissues from other areas of the body, and did not demonstrate that parabens are found only in cancerous breast tissue (6). Furthermore, this research did not identify the source of the parabens, and cannot establish that the accumulation of parabens is due to the use of deodorants or antiperspirants. More research is needed to specifically assess whether the use of deodorants or antiperspirants can cause the accumulation of parabens in breast tissue, and whether these chemicals can promote the development of breast cancer. Copyright © 2009 Hpathy.com. All rights reserved. Breast Cancer: Six Signs to Look For by Dr. Weil A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area Mammograms offer no health benefits whatsoever, doctors conclude (NewsTarget) An increasing number of doctors are contesting the claim that annual mammograms decrease women's risk of dying from breast cancer. Danish researcher Dr. Peter Gotzsche first made this claim in a study published in "The Lancet" in October 2006. Gotzsche had re-analyzed the studies originally done on the benefits of mammograms and found them unconvincing. Since then, other doctors have begun to assert that in addition to failing to offer protection, mammograms — which involve exposing patients to radiation —may actually increase women's risk of cancer. "The latest evidence shifts the balance towards harm and away from benefits," said Dr. Michael Baum of University College in London. According to Canadian columnist Dr. W. Gifford -Jones, women between the ages of 40 and 49 who have regular mammograms are twice as likely to die from breast cancer as women who are not screened. "Experts say you have to screen 2,000 women for 10 years for one benefit," he wrote recently. Gifford-Jones also points to other risks, from the physical to the psychological. According to some authorities, the squeezing of women's breasts during mammograms may rupture blood vessels, causing cancer to spread to other parts of the body and actually increasing a patient's risk of death (as do biopsies 50% of the time). He also pointed to the trauma suffered by women who receive false positives from their mammograms, and to the dangerous sense of security felt by those who receive false negatives. Studies show that mammograms fail to detect cancer 30 percent of the time in women aged 40 to 49. In addition, it can take eight years before a breast tumor is large enough to detect, by which time the cancer could have spread to other parts of the body. "Mammograms actually harm far more women than they help," said Mike Adams, author of "The Healing Power of Sunlight and Vitamin D," a free report that teaches prevention strategies for breast and prostate cancer. "They are used more as a recruiting tool to ensnare women into a system of medical control based on false diagnosis and fear tactics. Most women then give in to chemotherapy, surgery or radiation treatments that may ultimately harm them or even kill them." Lymph Health - An Herbal Recipe for Breast Cancer and Lymphomas (NaturalNews) Everyone needs to cleanse their lymph system of all the wastes that have built up over a lifetime. Cleansing the lymph helps the body to cleanse every organ and system you have. The waste from each cell must be removed or the body will die in its own waste. The lymph system transports lymphatic fluids but it also works as a filter, removing bacteria, microorganisms, dead cells, and other unwanted substances. In today's world, our bodies are inundated with an abundance of unwelcome matter and toxins that can block the lymph nodes, decreasing the body's ability to resist disease. Over time, waste builds up inside the body and starts to clog organs, veins, and lymph which in turn can cause not only cancer but many illnesses such as swollen lymph nodes, skin problems, high cholesterol, sinus congestion, fatigue, and headaches due to a weakened immune system. When toxic waste builds up in the lymphatic system it impedes the entire body's function. Because the lymph system is the foundation of the immune system, it is vital that its function not be congested by useless wastes that can be naturally flushed out with simple herbs and supplements. At the end of this article is an herbal recipe for Lymph Clear. The herbs in the formula support one another, and support a solution to clearing the body of environmental causes which have been found in all cancers, but especially Breast Cancer, Lymphatic Cancer and Lymphoma. I have used it as an alternative treatment for many cancers and I have had Naturopaths order this tonic from me to treat their patients for everything from cancers to lymphoedema. In addition to using Lymph Clear, it is important to change lifestyle, diet and add additional supplements which I recommended here: Overall Cancer Prevention tips along with additional suggestions for Breast Cancer: 1. Use broccoli and broccoli sprouts. Research has shown broccoli is the best vegetable you can 2. Omit foods that contain or are grown with hormones like dairy and meats. 3. Supplement with the herb Black Cohosh for breast cancer prevention. This herb has been used for years by herbalists for treating menopause. A new laboratory study now backs its usage and suggests that extracts from Black Cohosh, an herb most commonly used to reduce menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, may stop breast cancer cells in their tracks. This adds more evidence to a small but growing body of research suggesting that Black Cohosh could have a use in breast cancer prevention. 4. For breast cancer, supplement with DIM (Diindolylmethane), which is intended to reduce your undesirable "BAD" estrogen metabolites. 5. Drink green tea. It has an anti-tumor effect on breast cancer cells. A study by Dr. Maheshwari that was published earlier this year in Cancer Letters showed that green tea is effective in delaying tumor incidence as well as in reducing the tumor burden. Green tea was found to inhibit growth of tumors as well as induce death of breast cancer cells. Epidemiological studies also suggest that the risk of breast cancer is found to be less in Asian countries consuming green tea. These studies have greater clinical significance since the ability of these phytochemicals to activate anti-cancer program of tumor cells might determine the success of chemotherapy. 6. Reduce your processed food, sugar and grain carbohydrate intake. 7. Check for food allergies. Ex: Blueberries are an excellent antioxidant but if you are allergic to them they will do more harm than good. Anyone who is suffering from critical or chronic illness should have a combined IgE and IgG4 allergy test taken. IgE shows what foods cause an instant allergic reaction where IgG4 shows delayed allergy that may take up to 4 days for an allergic reaction. The IgG4 allergies are what I term 'hidden allergies'. 8. Reduce your exposure to environmental toxins like fertilizers, pesticides, household chemical cleaners, synthetic air fresheners, scented candles, car exhaust, and air pollution. Use Cilantro tincture to remove heavy metals from your body. Or, eat fresh cilantro in salads. 9. Instead of frying your foods bake, boil, or steam them. 10. Normalize your ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats by taking a high-quality fish oil and reducing your intake of most processed vegetable oils 11. Supplement with vitamin D. Cod liver oil will provide vitamin D, vitamin A and omega-3. 12. Get regular exercise; even if it's just going for a daily walk. One of the primary reasons exercise works is that it drives your insulin levels down. 13. Get a good night's sleep. Research shows when the immune system is compromised, it takes 9 hours of sleep in the dark to restore your immune system. 14. Limit your exposure to radio waves produced by cell phone towers, base stations, phones, computers and WiFi stations. 15. Cultivate a spiritual life. This can be done with brief meditations, introspections, appreciating nature, taking up a hobby, listening to music, readings. In essence, make room in your day for yourself and something you love. Browning's Lymph Clear dried herb ingredients: Black Walnut (juglans nigra): It has been effective for treating colitis, infections, liver, tuberculosis and tumors. Helps regulate blood sugar levels, burns excess toxins and fatty materials, rids the colon of parasites, and contains magnesium which feeds the muscles and the nerves. It has been shown to have oxygenating abilities which may help burn up excess toxins and fatty materials and cleanse the blood. By oxygenating the blood, it kills parasites. Bloodroot (sanguinaria canadensis): Lymphatic. Showing results as an antibacterial, anti-edemic, anti-gingivitic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-plaque, antiseptic, expectorant, fungicide, gastrocontractant, respiratory stimulant and more. It is showing great scientific promise in fighting cancers today as it did hundreds of years ago in folklore medicine. Burdock (arctium lappa): Lymphatic. Helps to eliminate waste in the body, it is an anti-biotic, antiseptic, and antifungal, detoxifying herb. Chaparral (larrea tridentate): Lymphatic plus it is an antibacterial, antiviral, anti-tumor. Chelidonium aka Celandine (chelidonium majus): It has been reported to exhibit anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and anti-microbial properties both in vitro and in vivo. It helps relieve inflammation and chronic disorders of the hepatic and biliary system and inflammation of the respiratory organs. Cleavers (galium aparine): Is one of the best tonics for the lymphatic system available. It treats swollen glands anywhere in the body and has been useful in the treatment of ulcers and tumors by lymphatic drainage which detoxifies the tissue. It is an alternative, lymphatic, helps remove obstructions, swelling. It is helpful in clearing the urinary tract with basis in the lymphatic drainage, which helps detoxify the kidneys keeping them in good working order. Dandelion Root (taraxacum officinale): Liver & Pancreas. It acts by straining and filtering toxins & wastes from the bloodstream and its beneficial effects on liver complaints have been well documented by both Asian practitioners and American physicians. Echinacea Root (echinacea purpurea): Stimulates lymphatic activity and boosts the immune system. Figwort (scrophularia nodosa): Figwort is among the most useful herbs for the lymphatic system especially for swollen lymph nodes. Lemon Peel: Alkalizes the body and is excellent for liver and lymph. Plantain (plantago major): Great for boosting the Immune system, combating infection, counters blood poisoning, removes toxins. Poke Root (phytolacca americana): Lymphatic. The root has a very favorable influence on the glandular system. Red Clover (trifolium pretense): Lymphatic. Clinical evidence shows that there is a basis for its long standing tradition in treating cancer. Red Root (ceanothus americanus): It is an excellent lymphatic remedy. It stimulates lymph and inter-tissue fluid circulation for lymphatic drainage. It is also effective on enlarged lymph nodes and for shrinking non-fibrous cysts. Sarsaparilla (smilax medica or smilax ornate): Blood tonic, it is especially good for removing these heavy metals if taken properly, it contains calcium, copper, iron, iodine, manganese, potassium, silicon, sodium, sulfur, B-complex and vitamins A, C, and D. Yellow Dock (rumex crispus): It improves the function of the kidneys, liver, lymph glands, and intestines, thus aiding the body's natural cleansing processes. It has been used to help the body eliminate pollutants, including heavy metals such as lead and arsenic. What cooking tools and other ingredients you will need: 2 stainless steel or glass 20 quart pots with lids. For bottling you can use regular canning jars. If using pint jars you will need about 22 jars. If using quart jars you will need about 11-12 to 8 jars. You can cut recipe in ½ for a smaller batch. Add to Pot 1 1 oz Bloodroot Cover with lid and set on stove on warm heat overnight so that the roots can be softened for extraction. In the morning turn up the heat and bring the water to a low simmer for about 4 hours then bring to a boil for 15-30 minutes. After boiling turn off heat and strain the liquid into a clean container by laying a layer of cheesecloth over your strainer. Add to Pot 2 1 oz Black Walnut Cover and set on counter and let soak in water over night. In the morning place the pot on the stove on warm/medium heat to steep (not boil) the herbs like you would a cup of tea. Let them steep for at least 4 hours then strain the liquid by laying a layer of cheesecloth over your strainer. Compost the strained herbs in your garden. Mixing the pots: Once the liquid is strained from both pots, mix it together in one of the 20 quart pots and let it simmer for about 15 minutes Then add: 16 oz of vegetable glycerin Stir and let the mixture mingle for 15 minutes or so. When ready to bottle use a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the liquid. You want the temperature at 190* to prevent any bacteria to grow in the tonics. Maintain this heat temperature throughout bottling. While waiting for your liquid to reach the accurate bottling temperature prepare your canning jars. Sterilize jars and lids. Once your bottles are sterilized and your herbal liquid is at the right temperature add the tonic liquid to the hot jars. Fill to ½" from top of jar and cap. Let cool overnight. Check to make sure all the jars are sealed properly then store them. Tonics can be stored for 1 year. Once you open a jar of tonic for use you must Refrigerate it. The tonic will last for 2 months in the refrigerator once it has been opened. Sediment in the bottom of the jars is normal. Give the jar a little shake or stir to mix the sediment before taking. DO NOT TAKE IF YOU ARE PREGNANT Adult Folklore Dosage: 1 Tablespoon 1 times a day for prevention. 1 Tablespoon 2 times a day for lymphoedema. 2 Tablespoon 2 times a day when breast and lymph is congested or cancerous. Refrigerate after opening. Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing. Sources: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (2007, December 9). Green Tea Shown To Possess Anti-tumor Effect In Breast Cancer. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 10, 2007, from (Link) Black Cohosh - International Journal of Cancer November 1, 2007;121(9):2073-83 (Link) About the author All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml Breast Cancer Deception: New tell-all report from Mike Adams reveals profit motive behind the pink ribbons Breast Cancer Industry A Scam? Support Education, Not Medication http://www.naturalnews.com/Author301.html http://www.naturalnews.com/cancer.html Killer cancer treatment: How toxic chemotherapy kills both cancer cells and cancer patients Low vitamin intake makes chemotherapy side effects even worse Mammograms and the Ravages of Breast Cancer While breast cancer rarely strikes men, the destruction it wreaks on families and friends affects everyone. Breast cancer is the leading type of cancer in women. Of the 180,000 women who developed breast cancer in 1994, sadly, 45,000 died of the disease. This should not have happened. Most doctors will tell you that the best chance for a cure is to detect the disease early, which is basically true. Unfortunately, the method they have chosen to detect breast cancer, the mammogram, also causes breast cancer, especially in women who are at the greatest risk. Studies have shown that mammograms increase the risk of developing breast cancer from 1 percent to 3 percent a year (depending on the technique used), which means that if you religiously have a mammogram every year for 10 years, you increase your risk 10 percent to 30 percent. Some radiation experts feel the danger is much higher. Radiation experts agree that the breast is one of the areas of the body most sensitive to cancers caused by radiation exposure. As women age, they are more likely to have cancer cells in their breast. By age 50 the figure reaches 45 percent. This does not mean that 45 percent of 50-year-olds will develop breast cancer, because in most women these cancer cells remain dormant. What it does mean is that these women are at high risk of spurring these cancer cells to full activity. -- Dr. Blaylock Exposing the Truth on Cancer and Radiation Exposure A friend of mine was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and I spent a good deal of time discussing treatment with her. In the course of our conversation she told me that she religiously went for a mammogram for over 20 years prior to her diagnosis. Millions of women are following the same advice, but is it good advice? At the time I entered medical school, yearly chest X-rays was a new fad as a way to detect lung cancer. The same justifications were used then as are used now for breast cancer — mainly early detection and treatment would give a greater chance of cure. After several years, the practice was abandoned because the number of cancers being detected was rather low and radiologists worried that repeated radiation exposure in and of itself would increase the risk of developing cancer. Studies have shown that the same is true with breast mammograms. Repeated exposure of the breast to radiation increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer by 1 percent to 3 percent per year. Remember, the damaging effects of radiation are mainly on the DNA of breast cells and the effect is accumulative. This means that with each mammogram you add 1 percent to 3 percent risk of the test itself causing breast cancer. Over 20 years, that amounts to a substantial increase of 20 percent to 30 percent. Actually, these figures are deceptively low because some women are already at increased risk. For example, women with a strong family history of breast cancer (or cancer in general) are at a higher risk from radiation exposure. Studies have shown that these women have defective DNA repair enzymes and can’t repair all of the damage after being exposed to radiation. Over years or decades, enough damage accumulates to initiate a cancer. Women who have poor diets, low in antioxidants and high in omega-6 fats (vegetable oils such as corn, safflower, sunflower, peanut, soybean and canola oils), are also at much greater risk. Likewise, women with chronic diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, colitis, and other autoimmune disorders are at substantially higher risk of cancer with yearly mammograms. It is ironic that the women who are in the greatest danger from yearly mammograms are the very ones being told to have them. Some, with very strong family histories of breast cancer are even told to have mammograms every six months. This, in my opinion, is insane. A woman often follows her doctor’s advice and goes for her mammogram every year. Then 10 or 20 years later a cancer shows up and the doctor tells the patient, “Boy, it sure was a good thing you had that mammogram! We caught the cancer early!” He never considers that the mammogram itself may have caused the cancer. Even worse is the advice encouraging women who have had breast cancer to have a mammogram every six months to see if it is recurring. Numerous studies have shown that radiation exposure can make a cancer more aggressive, and we know that cancer cells can often be found decades after a breast cancer is removed. One study found that 50 percent of women thought to be free of cancer still had live cancer cells in their blood stream 10 years after their surgery, even though they had chemotherapy and radiation treatments. -- Dr. Blaylock --- Curcumin Protects Breasts From Radiation-Induced Cancer (CAT Scans, Mammograms) Radiation is one of the most agreed-upon causes of breast cancer. Women exposed to radiation from nuclear blasts at Hiroshima had breast cancer rates four times higher than normal, and studies have shown that mammograms can increase breast cancer 1 percent to 3 percent per year. In general, I advise women to seek other types of examinations, such as thermograms and breast MRI scans. For women determined to have mammograms, protection is essential. This study found that rats exposed to gamma-radiation (the most damaging and similar to X-rays) were significantly protected against the development of breast cancer if they were fed curcumin for 10 days prior to exposure. I usually recommend taking 500 milligrams of curcumin powder mixed with one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil three times a day with meals. You can mix it with your food. Curcumin is a flavonoid found in the spice turmeric and is available as an extract. -- Dr. Blaylock --- I would not recommend yearly mammograms for women. Even with the digital radiographs, the x-ray dose can be too high. One thing the radiologists rarely tells people is that radiation damage is accumulative, which means each year it adds up. Let’s say your risk of developing a breast cancer caused by the radiation from the mammogram is 2% a year. In 10 years your risk has increased 20% by the study alone. It is probably much higher for women with a hereditary risk of breast cancer, since they have impaired defenses against radiation injury. When I was in medical school, the American Cancer Society had just approved its program of yearly chest x-rays for early detection of lung cancers. It took them a while to appreciate that they were not only radiating the lungs every year, but also the spine, the thyroid, the eyes, the abdominal organs and the breast. At the same time this X-ray craze was underway, a number of studies found that doctors were finding very few early cancers. Additionally, radiologists often found ill-defined things in the x-rays — what they jokingly call ‘concatenations of shadows’ — that resulted in expensive and dangerous lung biopsies. The same occurs tens of thousands of times a year with mammograms. Stories of breasts removed for “lesions” thought to look like cancer on mammograms and even biopsies abound. It is the old dilemma I started off this letter mentioning: if you find something, anything, you always need more tests! A new fad is the total body CT scan or MRI scan. Recently, medical authorities have put out a call for doctors to discourage their patients from getting whole body CT scans. Studies indicated that such scans doubled cancer risk from the radiation. I recommend for the Period-of-Life Exam the following tests. I will discuss special testing for men and women separately. -- Dr. Blaylock --- Danger in the Radiology Department Admission to the hospital, even for minor problems, generally requires a trip to the X-ray department. Your doctor may require X-rays every few years as part of your annual physical. Depending on your reason for being admitted, Xrays of the chest and other parts of the body are often considered routine. In addition, your doctors may order CT scans and various radioactive tracer studies, such as a bone, liver or brain scan. With each of these tests, you will be exposed to a dose of radiation that could vary in strength from very low to quite high. One thing to always keep in mind is that radiation damage is cumulative, meaning that with each exposure the damage is compounded. The greatest injury is to the DNA of your cells. This is how radiation causes cancer. It has become popular for people to get a totalbody CT scan as a screening procedure to make sure they are healthy. A recent study found that this practice doubles your risk of developing cancer later in life. The same is true of yearly mammograms. Women at high risk for breast cancer actually increase their chances of developing the disease by having yearly mammograms — with a 1 percent to 3 percent increased risk per year. When I practiced neurosurgery, I was concerned about how much radiation exposure people received during a single hospital stay, when they would have a dozen or more X-rays, one or more radioactive scans and several CT scans. It is important to note that you are receiving all of this radiation exposure while you are the most vulnerable to the harmful effects. This is because your body’s defenses, such as antioxidant enzymes, DNA repair ability and cellular strength, are collectively impaired by your disease, surgical trauma and the poor diet you receive in the hospital. NASA devotes a lot of experimental study to radiation protection because astronauts and high-altitude pilots are exposed to extreme levels of gamma radiation. From these studies has come a considerable amount of scientific literature showing that some of the best protection is derived from food extracts and vitamin combinations. Among the most potent are curcumin, quercetin, hesperidin, ginkgo biloba, beta-glucan and vitamins E and C, as well as multivitamin combinations. All of these are available from health food stores without a prescription. Here are some things you can do to increase your protection against radiation injury: * Curcumin (an extract of the spice turmeric): 250 mg. taken three times a day for adults. Children older than age 6 can take 100 mg. twice a day. It is oil-soluble, so dissolve it in extra-virgin olive oil. This flavonoid is a powerful anti-cancer substance, inhibits inflammation, is a powerful and versatile antioxidant, promotes wound healing, inhibits the growth of bacteria and viruses and protects organs, especially the brain and heart, against damage. * Quercetin: 500 mg. This is a very common flavonoid found in cranberries, onions, tea and apples. It has been shown to significantly protect against DNA damage. Because it makes insulin work better, it is especially beneficial to diabetics. It is also a very powerful and versatile antioxidant and reduces inflammation. * Folic acid: 800 ug. a day. Folic acid, along with vitamins B-12 and B-6, plays a vital role in the protection and repair of DNA. Significant defense against radiation damage to DNA has been shown. * Vitamin B-12: 1,000 ug. a day. This is a very important vitamin. Recent studies have shown that commonly used anesthetics can severely deplete vitamin B-12, producing sudden and severe deficiencies. Do not take cyanocobalamin, the most commonly sold form of B-12. It is poorly utilized and contains toxic cyanide. The variety your body uses is called methylcobalamin, which can be purchased as a sublingual tablet (it dissolves under your tongue). * Vitamin E succinate or natural vitamin E (mixed tocopherols): 400 IU a day. These are the only two forms of vitamin E to buy. Vitamin E acetate is of little use. * Vitamin C (buffered, as calcium or magnesium ascorbate): 1,000 mg. three times a day. Do not buy ascorbic acid. It causes the blood to become acidic and is poorly utilized by the body. Normally, it should be taken on an empty stomach to prevent excess iron absorption, but if you are having surgery you will need additional iron. If you have a condition called hemochromatosis, do not take vitamin C supplements, as they can cause excess iron absorption. * Multivitamin/mineral capsule: In general, I recommend that such mixtures of vitamins and minerals come in a powder form, since hard tablets are often poorly absorbed. The combination should contain all of the vitamins, including vitamin K, beta-carotene, niacinamide and D-3, as well as sele- nium, zinc and magnesium. (Vitamin Research Products, Inc. (www.VRP.com ) makes a very well-balanced multivitamin/mineral.) Jarrow Multi Easy (www.vitacost.com) may be better yet. * Aged garlic extract: 300 mg. twice a day. Once it ages, garlic extract contains some compounds that strongly protect DNA against radiation injury. In addition, it protects against cancer, stroke and heart attacks and lowers blood pressure in hypertensives. It can thin the blood slightly (equal to about one aspirin a day) and should not be used by pregnant women or surgical patients. * Alpha-lipoic acid: 50 mg. a day. This is one of the body’s chief antioxidants. It also greatly protects against radiation injury, reduces mercury in the body and guards against all forms of free radicals. It can cause the blood sugar to drop, so it should be taken with meals. It is an excellent product for diabetics. * Beta 1,3/1,6 glucan: 250 mg. a day. As we have seen, this is an excellent immune stimulant and has been shown to significantly protect bone marrow cells from radiation damage. Cells in the bone marrow and spleen are the most sensitive to radiation injury. Source Naturals and ImmunoDyne both make a very pure product. Purity is essential. It is vital to eat at least three servings of fruits and vegetables daily, because these foods contain an assortment of vitamins, minerals and flavonoids that protects cells from radiation damage. In addition, fruits and vegetables contain other compounds, many still unidentified, that protect the body. These chemicals act together to enhance effectiveness. Special Testing for Women Breast Exams Breast cancer prevention has gone from science and good medicine to a powerful business. High profits are driving the propaganda for mammograms. Capitalism is also driving innovation, something socialized medicine would never consider. Newer methods, such as digital mammography, have significantly lowered radiation doses and the need for extreme compression of the breast. Recent studies have shown that yearly mammography increases the risk of breast cancer by 1 to 3% per year, depending on the study. This is significant, since the effect is additive as mentioned in the introduction. Even at 1% per year, in 10 years that is a 10% increased risk. For women with a high genetic risk of breast cancer and those with known impaired DNA repair disorders, the risk is even greater. Safer alternatives include thermograms, ultrasounds, careful self-examinations and MRI scan of the breast. MRI scanning has been shown to provide significantly better examinations of the breast without the use of radiation. It is especially useful for women with dense breast tissue, such as premenopausal women and those with significant fibrocystic disease. And no “smashed” breast — which is required for a proper mammogram! The problem is that most insurance will not pay for MRI breast scans as a routine screening procedure. They will pay if the conventional mammogram suggests a need. Female Hormone Testing Routine testing in pre-menopausal women is generally not indicated. For the post-menopausal woman considering hormone replacement, it is essential. Unfortunately, most doctors, even gynecologists, never test these women; they just write a standard prescription and hope for the best. Most of the hormones used contain estradiol, the most powerful of the estrogens, as the primary hormone. It is also the one most connected with breast cancer. Estriol is much weaker and may even protect against breast cancer. Before taking a supplement, I would suggest a comprehensive female hormone test that measures all three of the female hormones, testosterone, DHEA, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and the sex hormone metabolic products. From these test results your doctor can better design and adjust your hormone replacement. Of special importance are the sex hormone metabolic products. These include 2-hydroxyestrone and 16-alpha-hydroxyestrone. The latter of these is associated with a significantly higher risk of breast cancer (and other cancers). This test measures the ratio of 2-hydroxyestrone to 16-alpha-hydroxyestrone. High ratios are protective against breast cancer and vice versa. Radiation you ups your risk for future cancer. A recent study found that curcumin can dramatically reduce the risk of developing a radiation induced breast cancer. Radiation is the only proven carcinogen as a cause of breast cancer in women. I find it ironic that women are urged to get yearly exposure of their breast to radiation in the form of a mammogram. Some, those at high risk of breast cancer, are told to get one every 6 months. One can only wonder how many women have died of breast cancer following this medical advice. In this study, researchers exposed female rats to gamma radiation and observed them for breast tumor development. They found that 70.3% of the control animals developed breast tumors, most of which were cancers. Yet, animals given curcumin before and 3 days after exposure saw a tumor incidence of only 18.7% (75% lower) and most were benign tumors (fibroadenomas). They also found that curcumin had no toxicity and did not harm the fetus of pregnant animals. Many nutritionists and physicians think that curcumin is poorly absorbed, but in fact, studies have shown that curcumin is converted in the gut wall into tetrahydrocurcumin, which has all the anticancer and radioprotective properties. Curcumin has also been shown to increase DHA and EPA levels, both functional components of fish oils. In this same study, they found that the curcumin also reduced the number of pituitary tumors by 1/3 in animals exposed to whole body radiation. Most chemicals that cause cancer also produce free radicals, since it is the free radicals that damage the DNA. Most anticancer compounds, block free radicals. It has also been observed that nitric oxide, a gas produced in most cells of the body, plays a role in cancer induction. Radiation stimulates the enzyme that increases cellular nitric oxide (iNOS). Curcumin, and resveratrol (extracted from grape skins) both powerfully inhibit nitric oxide production. Nitric oxide excess in the presence of the superoxide radical forms a very powerful free radical called peroxynitrite. This very same radical is strongly associated with Alzheimer’s dementia and Parkinson’s disease. In another study researchers found that giving curcumin 3 days before and 2 days after exposure to high dose gamma radiation reduced DNA damage 50 to 70%.16 Of equal importance, curcumin was found to fully restore the activity of the antioxidant enzymes suppressed by the radiation.17 Curcumin also increased one of the cells’ most important antioxidants called glutathione. This can also be increased using N-acetyl L-cysteine, alpha-lipoic acid, magnesium and other antioxidants. As I stated above, one of the problems associated with radiation exposure is poor wound healing. The radiation damages the healing mechanisms. It has been known that curcumin promotes the healing of surgical wounds under normal circumstances, but recently it was shown that it also significantly promotes wound healing in animals exposed to radiation. In this study they measured critical substances used in wound healing, such as collagen, hexosamine, DNA and nitric oxide synthesis, and found that pretreatment with curcumin significantly enhanced the rate of wound healing in mice exposed to very large doses of whole body gamma irradiation.18 All of the wound healing factors were significantly elevated in the curcumin treated animals. The most efficient way to absorb curcumin is to mix ½ of a teaspoon in one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. This can be mixed with food or taken whole. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been used for centuries for treatment of nausea and as an anti-inflammatory. Newer studies are showing it to be a very powerful radioprotectant. One of the effects of radiation treatment for cancer is the development of food aversion-that is, finding that previously desirable foods suddenly cause one to become nauseous. Even the odor of the food can trigger the effect. Studies have shown that ginger can prevent this.19 In fact, it was as effective as the powerful anti-nausea drugs. It has also been shown to prevent radiation sickness, one of the early signs of radiation exposure.20 In this same study, researchers found that it protected the GI tract and restored glutathione levels as well. Another study found that ginger extract powerfully protected mice exposed to massive doses of gamma radiation, if the ginger was given five days in a row before exposure.21 No reductions in deaths were seen if given after exposure. This is not to say that ginger only protects if given before, because at lower doses of radiation (that not causing immediate death) it was highly protective. Ginger protected by reducing free radicals, reducing lipid peroxidation and by elevating cellular glutathione. -- Dr. Blaylock Q: My doctor insists I need to get a mammogram. I’ve put it off for some time, but he’s still pressuring me. I’ve shown him all of your information, but he doesn’t want to read it. What should I do? — Emma D., Wichita, KS A: A respected international organization, the Cochrane Collaboration of Copenhagen, concluded that most of the studies that show mammograms are effective, were useless. In fact, of the seven large mammography trials they evaluated, three were of poor scientific quality and two were so flawed that the researchers discounted the results. And these weren’t small studies. They involved over half a million women. The analysis, performed by Ole Olsen and Peter Gotzche, criticized the studies for failing to adequately randomize women in the studies for age and other factors. They also raised questions about the bias of researchers in some of the studies. Two medium-quality studies found that mammography made no difference in the death rate. But the three poor-quality studies found an average 32% reduction in breast cancer mortality. And most interestingly, none of the five studies showed that regular mammography reduced overall mortality! This puzzled the researchers. The mammograms should have showed some drop in overall mortality rates. So they looked a little deeper. What they found was scandalous! The lead researcher said, “If we look at the data that we can get access to, it seems as if there is a tendency for doctors to more rarely write ‘breast cancer’ on the death certificates of women that have been screened [with mammography] but more often on those of women who have not been screened,” he said. “But the total number of deaths is the same.” Olsen and his colleagues also found that women who get mammograms receive more aggressive therapy for breast cancer than women who do not get them, including some 30% more lumpectomies and mastectomies. I’ve seen nothing that would cause me to recommend you get a mammogram. If you want to spare yourself unnecessary expense, needless radiation, and physical trauma to your breasts, forget mammograms! Instead, visit my website (see page 6 for details) and search for my articles on thermography and other ways to prevent and fight breast cancer. If your doctor doesn’t support these safer and more effective methods, it's time to find a new doctor. -- Dr. Rowen Radiation From Full-Body CT Scans and Mammograms Causes Cancer Last month, I told you about all the Russians who developed cancer after the Chernobyl fallout. Now there’s evidence a full-body CT scan can expose you to the same degree of radiation and cancer risk. A new study, published in the journal Radiology, shows that a full-body scan exposes you to doses of radiation comparable to those received by Japanese atomicbomb survivors. And these folks show clear evidence of an increased cancer risk. According to David J. Brenner, PhD, Dsc, lead author of the study and professor of radiation oncology and public health at Columbia University in New York City, there is now “definitive evidence that radiation risk is associated with full-body CT scans.” The study found that a 45-year-old person who undergoes one full-body CT screening would have an estimated lifetime cancer mortality risk of approximately 0.08%. That level of risk would produce cancer in one person out of every 1,200 people. However, a 45-year-old who has annual full-body CT scans for 30 years would accrue an estimated lifetime cancer mortality risk of about 1.9 percent or almost one in 50. Now consider mammogram radiation, which no one in the industry wants to address. The radiation dose of a CT scan is almost 100 times that of a screening mammogram. However, the radiation from a CT scan is scattered throughout the entire body. The radiation from a mammogram is concentrated on a small portion of the body. That means the small dose of radiation from a mammogram would have definite increased risk for cancer. And especially if it’s done yearly! Radiation causes cancer! It doesn’t matter how it hits you, whether from a bomb, a nuclear meltdown, a medical exam, or as a treatment for cancer. I’ve warned about the risks of radiation for many years. Of course, that’s why you subscribe to Second Opinion — to get the medical information you need years before anyone else. If you’re exposed to radiation in any way, including X-ray, I strongly recommend you use the only supplement that helped the Russians after their massive exposure. It’s the absolutely miraculous probiotic extract I told you about last month called Delta Immune, distributed by NutriCology. If you are faced with a need for therapeutic radiation (i.e. cancer), intravenous hydro- gen peroxide and/or hyperbaric oxygen can greatly enhance the effectiveness, while reducing the toxicity. Ref: “Full-Body CT Screening Increases Risk of Cancer Death,” Radiological Society of North America, August 31, 2004; Radiology, September 2004. No More Breast Biopsies? A research team at Duke University is developing a system using sound waves to distinguish malignant tumors from benign lesions. The hope here is to save millions of women the trauma of a painful and potentially risky (spreads cancer in more than 50% of cases) needle biopsy when a suspicious mass is found on a mammogram. Currently, the overwhelming majority of biopsied lesions are negative for cancer. This technique uses ultrasound waves to measure the tumor’s elasticity. Benign and cancerous tumors have significant differences in their mechanical properties, and recover their shape at different speeds. The pressure of the sound waves moves the tissues ever so slightly. Then the properties of the movement and recovery are measured, and can be correlated to the likelihood of cancer. Technology is a wonderful thing when it can lead to such positive and non-invasive advances. If this technology proves accurate, the fear that women carry when a suspicious lump is found will be quickly extinguished or validated. I am not a fan of needle biopsy. It leave a tract for cancer cells to migrate through, when it might have otherwise been contained. -- Dr. Rowen Q: Please, can you help me? I am a 70-year-old woman, have no family history of breast cancer, but have been told by a GYN that she feels a “nodule” in one of my cystic breasts. I wish to avoid mammograms or biopsies, for protective reasons, but I am considering an ultrasound. My question: Do you know of any research or suggestive findings concerning possible dangers to the breast of ultrasounds? Thank you. — Beryl Soparkar, Lexington, MA A: I am definitely in your camp when it comes to mammograms. The ultrasound technology you’re referring to is under development. It remains to be seen if it is superior to biopsy, but if it can accurately diagnose a malignancy without a needle or excision, I would take my bets on it regardless of the limited heating from ultrasound. But, first, I would consider a completely safe alternative. The best evaluation of your breast, in my opinion, is with digital infrared thermography (DIT). I would place my bets on it as a prognostic indicator. If there’s no heat coming from this nodule, it’s far less likely to be cancer. If you were my wife, I would recommend DIT first, before anything else. If you find a hot spot, I would say you definitely need to chase it down, since malignancies are areas of greater metabolism, and hence, more heat. DIT will be the breast evaluation wave of the future. It involves no contact with the breast, it images only the heat emissions, and it’s literally 100 percent safe. For more information, see the Web site www.breastthermography.com. -- Dr. Rowen Breast Thermography Availability I’ve written a good bit in the past year about a new technology that detects breast cancer before it actually becomes a tumor. The technology is called thermography and it’s vastly superior to mammography. Why? Mammograms simply wait for the cancer to happen — they detect cancer, whereas thermography detects the pathology long before cancer appears. Women’s Health Letter editor and colleague, Nan Fuchs, had breast thermography performed and found estrogen dominance. Estrogen is considered the greatest risk factor in breast cancer development. She applied a progesterone cream to her breasts to counteract the estrogen effect and, within four months, the pattern began reversing. Many of you have asked where you can find thermography centers. Start by checking out the website www.breastthermography. com. If you live in California, you can visit our facility in Santa Rosa. Call 707-571-7560 to set up an appointment. -- Dr. Rowen (also: http://www.thermalmedrx.com/location_map.html) Dr. Phillips recently published a study demonstrating that the breath test can identify women with breast cancer more accurately than screening mammograms! In his study, 201 women had breath samples collected and there were 198 biopsies. The breath test differentiated between healthy women and those with breast cancer with 94 percent accuracy. In women with breast cancer and negative mammograms, it picked up 62 percent of those who had cancer, falsely identifying cancer in only 18 percent. A negative breath test was superior to a negative mammogram in excluding breast cancer. Since the breath test would be expected to be negative in 7,356 of 10,000 women over 60 years old, it could eliminate the painful procedure in over 70 percent of all cases. The NIH provided financial support for this valuable study, which must be verified in larger clinical trials to be accepted by the FDA. In lung cancer, the journal Chest reported the breath test predicted lung cancer 85 percent of the time. The FDA approved a breath test for nitric oxide last summer as a diagnostic tool for asthma. I’m excited about technology that can spare you the knife or pain and radiation (as in mammograms). Perhaps your exhaust of chemicals will serve as a warning to the increased risk of cancer, allowing you to head it off at the pass. I’ll keep you informed of this developing breakthrough. More information can be obtained from Menssana, Inc.’s website at www.menssanaresearch.com. I do think the day is coming when we’ll be able to diagnose via reading the body’s energy emissions. Dr. McCoy, we’re headed your way! -- Dr. Rowen Ref: McKie, Robin. The Observer, December 21, 2003; Chest, June 2003. Breast Cancer: A Preventable Disease Through Good Nutrition (NaturalNews) Cancer. It feels like a modern version of the plague. The word strikes fear in us. We all know someone who has it, or had it, or is in remission from it. The recent Breast Cancer Awareness month was dedicated to the importance of early detection. We read articles about breast cancer statistics, symptoms and treatment. Strangely missing from the mix was information on prevention. Did you see anything on prevention? Me neither. All the hoopla around Breast Cancer Month only made me angry. More than angry: outraged. The propaganda from the medical community constitutes an elaborate scam by reiterating, over and over, the need for funding to research - what? Treatment. Not prevention, not cure. Cancer is discussed as if it were a chronic but manageable disease, something like diabetes. But wait. Isn't that how the medical and pharmaceutical industries stay in business? If we could prevent it, or cure it, a lot of people would be unemployed. Forgive me if I sound a little cynical. I have pursued a lifelong interest in health and nutrition. When I retired last fall, I had loads more time to continue my research and reading. One of the things I learned is that the chemicals used in chemotherapy are so toxic that they require a MSDS (Materials Safety Data Sheet). That's, like, industrial strength. Bluntly, what is being put in your body are hazmats (hazardous materials). Conventional cancer treatment is still in the Stone Age. Something else I learned: the American Cancer Society takes donations for "cancer research." Whatever is left over after paying salaries and overhead is funneled to organizations like Planned Parenthood. Their financial statements for the past 3 years are available on their website (they are required to make that information public because of their nonprofit status). For example, in 2005, out of millions and millions of dollars they received, only 3 percent went to actual cancer research - and that was a research grant for a medication for only one type of cancer (http://tinyurl.com/yr278x) . Even more important, I learned something I had suspected all along: cancer can be prevented. Notice that no fund-raising agencies ever talk about this approach, nor will they. They depend upon cancer to stay in business. Think about this: every society, throughout history, around the world, has always known one thing to be true - we are what we eat. Yet in the last three generations the quality of the SAD (Standard American Diet, an apt acronym) has plummeted. Our vegetables are grown on depleted soils whose micronutrients have long been exhausted. Chemical fertilizers replace only N (Nitrogen), P (Phosphorous) and K (Potassium). During the growing season and post-harvest, they are sprayed with an assortment of toxic chemicals before appearing in your local market. Processed foods are loaded with health-destroying substances like HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup), MSG (Monosodium Glutamate, a dangerous excitotoxin) and Nutrasweet (Aspartame, another excitotoxin). Your milk and dairy products may come from cows treated with rBGH (Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone). At the very least, they have been pasteurized, destroying all beneficial bacteria and enzymes necessary for optimal health. Products made with corn, soy and rice very likely contain genetically modified (GM) versions of these crops, whose impact on human health and the environment has never been evaluated; and you will never know, because food processors are under no obligation to label GM ingredients. Your meat contains traces of antibiotics and growth-accelerating hormones, and your chicken was so awash in avian feces that we take it for granted that it is contaminated with salmonella, as are commercial eggs. (Consumer Reports compared 525 chickens from 27 brands and found only 17% of the samples to be free from salmonella and campylobacter). We have been consuming artery-clogging trans fats (in the guise of margarine, vegetable oils, deep-fried foods and baked goods), and our ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids is skewed. Your grandmother would not recognize most of the ingredients in a simple product like a modern donut. We have been lied to by the food growers, processors, manufacturers and distributors, all in the name of the almighty dollar, and the first casualty has been our health. Food allergies, asthma, autism, obesity, diabetes, and ADD/ADHD are becoming epidemic and endemic in our society; and I submit that every one of them can be traced to the "jiggery-pokery" going on in our food supply. Even artificial colors and flavors act in unpredictable ways on immature brains. When will we start to question what we are putting in our bodies? By choosing whole, unprocessed (local and organic when possible) foods, we can reassert control over our diet. We can make better choices about slow and wholesome foods as opposed to "crap-in-a-box" or drive-through foods. I learned how. So can you. But most important, I learned that cures for cancer exist. I repeat: cures for cancer exist. I know those four words are hard to read because they contradict what we "know" and what we have always "known," i.e. what the medical community has taught us to know. Anything different strikes us as heresy, denial, quackery, even conspiracy. In fact, "conspiracy" may be a good word. A conspiracy of silence exists around those four words because they embody methods from which the pharmaceutical industry cannot profit. Consequently, any attempt to promulgate information of this nature results, first, in warnings of fraud from the FDA and ultimately, confiscation of personal property and imprisonment. At least three names reappear at the center of the claims for cancer cures. Jerry Brunetti's two-part documentary, Food As Medicine, recounts his personal experience in curing his lymphoma. Max Gerson's career as cancer healer, carried on by his daughter, is detailed in the documentary Dying to Have Known. Both are available on line. Interestingly, both emphasize diet. And the concepts of Dr. Ryke Geerd Hamer are embodied in what is called German New Medicine, (http://www.germannewmedicine.com/documents/welcome.html). These are only three of a variety of cancer therapies that promise affordable and commonsensical healing. Let's take a final look at prevention. How can you best take care of yourself so as not to become sick in the first place? * If you smoke, quit. * Keep alcohol consumption at no more than 1 ounce of spirits, 1 glass of wine or 1 beer per day. * Eliminate sugar from your diet. Cancer cells thrive on sugar. * Eliminate processed foods (including HFCS, MSG, aspartame and other artificial sweeteners). Yes, that means soda pop, fast food, chips and other junk. * Eliminate or cut back on starchy carbs like white bread, white rice, white potatoes. * Increase fresh fruits and vegetables. The more brightly colored (blueberries, cantaloupe, broccoli), the more anti-cancer qualities. * If you choose to eat meat, try to limit yourself to organic or at least local, grass-fed meat and free-range poultry. * Limit fish intake to less than 12 ounces per week (4 ounces for pregnant and nursing mothers). Good choices are herring, sardines and wild Pacific salmon. Fish oil or cod liver oil is an appropriate substitute since it is mercury-free. * Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. * Get adequate sleep. * Avoid stress; find ways to combat unavoidable stress (a hot bath, massage, yoga, music, EFT, whatever works for you). * Strengthen your immune system: take one gram of Vitamin C and 2000 mg. of Vitamin D3 a day (or better still, get at least 15 minutes of exposure to direct sunlight every day, without sunscreen). * Limit your exposure to environmental toxins (molds, mildews, harsh cleaners and other chemicals). * Make a point of including at least 30 minutes of brisk exercise in your day, at least 5 times a week. Little of this is new; you probably heard most of it before. It's all well documented. Are you going to dismiss it again? Or will today be the day you finally make the decision to take responsibility for your own health? Many women take Tamoxifen to prevent breast cancer and in fact the FDA has amazingly approved this drug for healthy women despite the fact that it has not been proved to prevent cancer in healthy women and in fact, causes uterine cancer! Although Tamoxifen can prevent certain cancers at first, especially estrogen sensitive tumors, over time it actually promotes cancer. Tamoxifen resistance acts by damaging the p53 gene that suppresses cancer. It may also permanently alter the estrogen receptor sites so they become abnormal and no longer function properly. If that isn't bad enough it can also causes blood clots. Indole 3 Carbinol does everything that Tamoxifen does to prevent cancer and does it better and without risk of side-effects or tumor promotion. As such it is an excellent alternative to Tamoxifen. In fact, in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells, Indole 3 Carbinol provides 90% inhibition versus only 60% for Tamoxifen! Bloodroot herbal mixture (Hoxsey Formula) and Breast Cancer: http://www.hopewelltechnologieslimited.com/Breast_Cancer.html Enzyme Therapy & Breast Lumps "Enzymes substantially reduce the occurrence of metastases and the recurrence of cancer. They make malignant tissues more sensitive to radiation, and at the same time, reduce pain and other side effects of radiation. When used in conjunction with surgery, they reduce postoperative pain and hemorrhage. In terminal patients, they ease the pain of the last days, quite often eliminating the need for strong drugs, which can make the patient somewhat less than human. They are useful in conjunction with many other forms of therapy. They are effective against a broad spectrum of malignant diseases, including cancers of the reproductive organs, the breast, the skin, the digestive system, connective tissues, and others (including Hodgkin's disease and leukemia)." - Enzymes & Enzyme Therapy, Anthony J. Chichoke, D.C., Keats Publishing, Inc., New Canaan, Connecticut, 1994, pages 193-194. Do You Have a Breast Lump? "The Janker Clinic's test results indicated that the benign lumps and painful processes disappeared in 90% of women using enzymes with vitamin E. Should the lump later reappear, a repeat course of enzyme tablets and vitamin E usually had the same positive result. This seems to be an almost harmless recipe, but one which is certainly capable of freeing many women of anxiety, thus sparing them other, more unpleasant, treatments." - Enzymes & Enzyme Therapy, page 192. Editor's Note: If possible, always use natural source vitamin E containing mixed tocopherols. (from http://www.alkalizeforhealth.net/cancerpain.htm) Thermography Cancer was named by the ancients, after the great veins that usually surround the malignant growth, who compared them to the "claws of a crab" or "cancer" (Latin). - Reich (page 61). Editor's note: These great veins carry glucose to the cancer site. Also, the increased blood flow to the cancer creates a "hot spot" that is the basis for "thermography" which can see cancer years before "mammography". Mammography looks for the increased density of tumors. Thermography is a much more gentle procedure that does not require squashing the breasts (contributes to breast sagging), nor does it expose the breasts to cancer-causing radiation, making it much safer than mammography. Modern high-resolution thermography devices are much more accurate and reliable than mammography. For initial screening, thermography should replace mammography everywhere immediately. "A unique aspect of cancerous tumor growth is a process called neoangiogenesis (new blood-vessel growth). As the cells multiply, they need an increased blood supply to bring in nutrients and remove waste. This increase in circulation gives off heat. An infrared-type camera can detect this heat, giving the patient and doctor an opportunity to take action long before a tumor develops...thermography can see developing pathology eight to 10 years before any other method. This is well in time to take corrective measures to stop or reverse the deterioration. (My research and years of clinical experience suggest that one can usually reverse precancerous cells. Once they become cancerous, you are dealing with another animal entirely.)" - Dr. Robert Jay Rowen's Second Opinion, June 2002. (from http://www.alkalizeforhealth.net/cancerpain.htm) Detoxing the Breast Cancer of the breast is the most common cancer among women. It is the second leading cause of death in women. It is estimated that each year there are 175,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer. And over 43,000 deaths occur each year due to breast cancer. The numbers say 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer! The human breast is a gland that contains milk ducts, lobes, fatty tissue, and a network of lymphatic vessels. While there may be many reasons why a woman may develop breast cancer, one of the major contributing factors seems to estrogen. Estrogen promotes cellular growth in the breast and reproductive organs. With many contributing factors to breast cancer and no absolutes, and sometimes no rhyme or reason, we know the best route to take is always prevention. So today we are talking about breast detoxification and prevention. • Clean that liver. When the liver is toxic the liver cannot Eat 5 fresh fruits and veggies daily. No under-wire bras • The connection between exercise and cancer is fairly new of research. Some studies suggest that getting regular exercise in youth might give life-long protection against breast cancer. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Do it today! "Valerie Saxion, N. D. earned her Doctorate in Naturopathy from Clayton College in 2000. She is not a medical doctor and her statements and recommendations are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease." © 2003-2005 Valerie Saxion's Silver Creek Laboratories, Ltd. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/04/13/cancer-risk-part-one.aspx Let's not forget the primary cause of most all cancers: unresolved emotional traumas, often combined with a breakdown in your system due to an unhealthy lifestyle and exposure to toxins in your environment. (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/08/21/a-new-view-of-cancer-german-new-medicine.aspx and http://www.germannewmedicine.com) So if you want to know how to nip cancer in the bud -- before it ever begins -- pay close attention to these 12 lifestyle changes that can VIRTUALLY ELIMINATE your risk of cancer and chronic disease. These are the things that will truly keep you healthy -- in ways that a vaccine could never come close to. Twelve Changes That Will Cut Your Cancer Risk in Half Quitting smoking Exercising more Eating healthier food Getting recommended cancer screenings In 2005, over 1.3 million Americans will learn they have cancer, and of the expected 570, 280 cancer deaths it's estimated that more than 168,000 of those will be caused by tobacco use and one-third will be related to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, being overweight or obese or other lifestyle factors. That makes up 62 percent of all cancer deaths. To show how an American could, in reality, reduce their death risk from cancer, one expert pointed out that quitting smoking would eliminate about 50 percent of cancer deaths, while maintaining a healthy body weight and exercising would eliminate another 10 percent. Another fraction would be reduced by regular cancer screenings, as some cancers, such as breast, colon and prostate cancers, are easily treated if caught early on before they spread. According to researchers, if all women between the ages of 50 and 79 got mammograms every year, breast cancer deaths would go down by nearly 40 percent. The easiest way to prevent cancer, according to the report, is to stop all use of tobacco. Education, excise taxes on cigarettes and clean air laws have all helped to get the nation's smoking rate down to below 25 percent, however, another major cancer risk, obesity, appears to be harder to slow down. Experts say making healthy food more easily accessible and increasing physical activity is a step in the right direction to tackling obesity, along with getting schools to remove sodas and other junk foods from their vending machines. Adult Cancer Risks More than one in four men and more than one in five women still smoke cigarettes. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight. That includes the 30 percent of us who are obese. Not quite half of U.S. adults get enough exercise. Only about one in four U.S. adults eats five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day. American Cancer Society March 31, 2005 Dr. Mercola's Comments: Based on studies of human remains ranging from 5300 B.C. to the mid-19th century, we know that cancer used to be quite rare. Cancer is becoming a far more common problem in our culture. Earlier this year cancer passed heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States. We are now up to 175 people EVERY HOUR being diagnosed with cancer and another 65 that are actually dying from cancer. Considering how important this issue is for nearly everyone you know, it might be a good one to forward to your friends and relatives. You can easily do this by using the E-mail to a friend button in the upper right hand section of this page, just under the search box. You can make a larger impact if you write them a personal message in the e-mail as to why they should seriously consider the advice--and why they may want to subscribe to the newsletter. What innovative medicines, technologies and strategies are suggested by the Cancer Society to slow the spread of cancer by an amazing 62 percent? Doing nothing more than making some simple lifestyle changes. Eat healthier foods (ideally based on your body's unique metabolic type). Incorporate more exercise in your daily routine. Stop smoking today. Schedule periodic cancer screenings. The American Cancer Society is as traditional as medical organizations come. It is reassuring that even their conservative researchers now suggest a 62 percent reduction with simple lifestyle changes. One of the skills my father drilled into me from early childhood was to never settle for second best. For the most part I haven't, and I would encourage you to follow that advice when it comes to cancer prevention. Why would you settle for a meager 62 percent reduction? I believe you can VIRTUALLY ELIMINATE your cancer risk if you follow risk reduction strategies that have not been formally "proven" yet by conservative researchers. Why do you want to wait another 20 or 30 years for these to be proven and risk falling into the group of 175 Americans that are being diagnosed with cancer every hour? In 25 years another 15 million will die from cancer. I suggest you get with the program now and save you and your family a cancer diagnosis. So what can you do to virtually eliminate your cancer risk? There are a number of simple, yet very powerful, steps you can take to radically lower your risk of cancer in the future. Some of the most important ones are as follows: Control your fasting insulin and leptin levels. This is the end result, and can be easily monitored with the use of simple and relatively inexpensive blood tests. Make certain that you limit your intake of processed foods, grain carbohydrate and sugars as much as possible. Yes, this is even true for whole unprocessed organic grains as they tend to rapidly break down and drive your insulin and leptin levels up, which is the last thing you need to have happening if you are seeking to resolve a cancer. Get appropriate amounts of animal-based omega-3 fats and make sure you use cod liver oil (but not too much -- see Vitamin D article links below) if you don't have regular access to sun exposure. Normalize your ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats by taking a high-quality krill oil or fish oil and reducing your intake of most processed vegetable oils. Get regular and appropriate exercise. One of the primary reasons exercise works is that it drives your insulin levels down. Controlling insulin levels is one of the most powerful ways to reduce your cancer risks. Normalize your vitamin D levels and vitamin A levels with safe amounts of sunlight exposure and consider careful supplementation when this is not possible. This works primarily by optimizing your vitamin D level. If you have regular access to sun exposure then you should use fish oil, not cod liver oil, as your primary source of omega-3 fats. Ideally, it would be best to monitor your vitamin D levels. If you take oral vitamin D and have a cancer it would be very prudent to monitor your vitamin D blood levels regularly. Ideally, it would be best for all people to monitor their vitamin D levels. Only 25 percent of people eat enough vegetables, so by all means eat as many vegetables as your metabolic type allows. Ideally, they should be fresh and organic. However, please understand that, frequently, fresh conventionally grown vegetables are healthier than organic ones that are older and wilted in the grocery store. They are certainly better than no vegetables at all, so please don't use that as an excuse. If you are a carb metabolic type, you may need up to 300 percent more vegetables than a protein metabolic type. Eat according to your metabolic type. The potent anti-cancer effects of this principle are very much underappreciated. When we treat cancer patients in our clinic this is one of the most powerful anti-cancer strategies we have. Make sure you are not in the two-thirds of the population who are overweight and maintain an ideal body weight. Limit your exposure and provide protection for yourself from information carrying radio waves produced by cell phone towers, base stations, phones and WiFi stations. Reduce your exposure to environmental toxins like pesticides, household chemical cleaners, synthetic air fresheners and air pollution. Have a tool to permanently reprogram the neurological short-circuiting that can activate cancer genes. Even the CDC states that 85 percent of disease is caused by emotions. It is likely that this factor may be more important than all the other physical ones listed here, so make sure this is addressed. Energy psychology seems to be one of the best approaches and my particular favorite tool, as you may know, is the Emotional Freedom Technique. German New Medicine is another powerful tool. Boil, poach or steam your foods, rather than frying or charbroiling them. Get a good night's sleep. Consume flax seeds (organic only) that have been freshly ground in a coffee grinder. The water soluble fibers (lignans) are a simple nutritious solution to decrease the risk of breast cancer and nicely complement your omega-3 fats. Breast massage and not wearing a bra to bed. Avoid push-up, strapless and tight-fitting bras that leave marks. Use broccoli sprouts as an adjunct to everything above. Eating sprouts is not the only course of action I recommend for preventing or treating breast and prostate cancer. Here are a few other guidelines: Lower iron levels by donating blood. Excess iron can be a major cause of many cancers. (IP6 and Artemisinin work by targeting the large amounts of iron in cancer cells). The bottom line: Eat nutritious (for your metabolic type) meals and get plenty of exercise if you want to reduce your risk of breast cancer. For starters, following the plan detailed in my Total Health Program will optimize your weight and familiarize you with the foods that ward off diseases. Additional guidelines to reduce breast cancer risks: Avoid sugar and grains Normalize your omega-3 and omega-6 fat ratios with fish oil Get plenty of exercise One of the newest things that I have learned to lower the risk of breast cancer is that you can improve the ability of your body to metabolize estrogen. It is well documented that excessive estrogen will increase the risk of breast cancer. One can actually measure the ratio of estrogen metabolites to determine how effectively a person is able to remove estrogen from their system. However, if the estrogen metabolite ratio is compromised there are several effective nutritional solutions to improve it. Consume omega-3 fats from cod liver and fish oil. The One Simple Thing You Can do to Radically Lower Your Risk of Cancer http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/03/08/staying-active-with-exercise-lowers-a-womans-breast-cancer-risks-for-a-lifetime.aspx Upwards of six hours of strenuous activity each week could reduce the risks of invasive breast cancer by as much as 23 percent. A recent survey of over 15,000 women shows that exercise has a lifelong protective effect against invasive breast cancer. The survey was of women between the ages of 20 and 69 living in Wisconsin, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. During structured telephone interviews, researchers questioned almost 8,000 women without breast cancer, more than 1,500 survivors of non-invasive breast cancer, and more than 6,000 survivors of invasive breast cancer. The women were asked about their physical activity, occupation, family history of breast cancer, menopausal status, and body mass index. A reduction in risk for women who exercised was apparent whether the physical activity took place early in life, in the postmenopausal years, or in the recent past. Sources: Dr. Mercola's Comments: Many don't realize my initial intention when I went to medical school was to help people use exercise to stay healthy. Virtually no one disagrees that it is essential to achieving health and treating illness. However, I have noticed that many physicians tend not to advocate exercise as much as they could. I suspect this is likely related in most cases to them personally not adopting exercise in their own life so it would be "hypocritical" of them to advise their patients to exercise when they aren't. This is certainly not true of all physicians but it is for a great many of them. This is a major pity. I really do believe one of the requirements for medical school should be personal disciplines that help the physicians achieve high levels of health and wellness so they can model it to their patients. Unfortunately, this is simply not the case nor will it likely happen in the near future. In the meantime you can "Take Control of Your Health" by understanding how you can use exercise to improve and optimize your own health. One of them is realizing that the most common cause of death for you and for nearly everyone reading this is actually cancer. So what can you do to prevent cancer? Exercise Not only does it treat and prevent heart disease but it is equally as effective in cancer -- most likely for similar reasons, improvement of insulin levels. Last night I learned that my brother-in-law, who is several years younger than me, had a heart attack and will be having bypass surgery. Even though I helped him stop smoking 20 years ago and he stopped his six cans of soda a day about 10 years ago there were many other elements of a healthy lifestyle he did not embrace. One of the things he had not embraced in his lifestyle changes was exercise. Not only would exercise have dramatically lowered his risk of a heart attack, it would have also radically lowered his cancer risk. This is a "hidden" benefit of exercise that most people are not at all aware of. Interestingly, both diseases are likely affected by the same mechanism, lowering insulin and leptin levels. Probably the most important aspect about using exercise to optimize your health: You must treat it like a drug, meaning it must be prescribed precisely to do the most for your body. There's no truer evidence than this recent study about exercise and its protective effect on invasive breast cancer. At least six hours of strenuous exercise every week -- a prescription for health -- cut a woman's risks of invasive breast cancer by 23 percent. Most importantly, a woman can receive the very same protection exercise affords her against breast cancer at any stage in her life, meaning it's never too late to start. If you need some help, you'll want to review my beginner's exercise page today. Please remember, though, that while exercise is a vital component of optimal health, restricting your health plan to exercise exclusively is a prescription for disaster. The evidence for this assertion becomes apparent when you examine elite endurance athletes who develop cancer. You can learn more about virtually eliminating your cancer risks by reviewing my major recommendations. On Vital Votes, Lifestyle and Nutrition Coach Josh Rubin from San Marcos, California adds: "I agree 100% that exercise is one piece to the healing and prevention puzzle. I have found as well that most of my clients that have breast cancer in their family, are worried or get it, are estrogen dominant. This can mean high levels, but as well normal levels of estrogens. Estrogen dominance means that one has low levels of progesterone in order to oppose estrogen. "Estrogen caused cell proliferation and cell growth. Estrogen dominance in this day and age in my opinion comes from many places, but the most common are: "1. Plastic water bottles and containers contain xenoestrogens. "2. Stress causes the body to steal pregnenolone (precursor to progesterone) from the metabolic pathways in order to keep up with the production of cortisol. This leads to adrenal issues and low progesterone levels. "3. Most hygiene products, perfumes, etc will cause estrogen levels to increase, as well as make a women's hormones go haywire. "4. The pill causes most women's hormones to go haywire. Most have synthetic estrogens in them, which cause adrenal stress, as well as add to estrogen dominance. "5. Soy, and this is a whole discussion topic in itself." http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/01/26/diet-sunlight.aspx In the study, researchers looked at dietary supply data for a number of countries in North and South America, Asia and Europe. Such data reflects only the supply of food in a given country, and not the food intakes of different people. Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet-B (UV-B) rays was estimated based on a country's latitude. As for the role of sunlight, researchers found an association between latitude and breast cancer suggesting that higher UV-B exposure was protective. UV-B rays spur the production of vitamin D in the body, it is likely the vitamin is behind the association he found in this study. Other research suggests vitamin D may help ward off cancer. Cancer January 1, 2002;94:272-281 Dr. Mercola's Comments: The evidence is becoming quite compelling that sun exposure that causes us to make vitamin D will help lower the risk of many cancers, including some of the most common ones around, breast and prostate cancer. Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin, but a steroid hormone precursor that is primarily formed when our skin is exposed to sunshine. Women who limit their exposure to sunshine will have lower vitamin D levels and an increased risk of breast cancer, in addition to an increased risk of osteoporosis. This can be partially compensated for by taking natural vitamin D. The best source I know of is Carlson's Lemon-Flavored Cod Liver Oil. This is not the oil your grandmother gave you and caused you to grimace. This actually tastes like lemon melted butter and provides not only vitamin D but also vitamin A and the essential fatty acids DHA and EPA. Today, I am writing this comment on the first frost of the new season. This means that most of us in the US will have progressively decreasing exposure to sunlight on our skin until April next year, so now is the time to start taking the cod liver oil. Breast feeding moms should also be aware that vitamin D may be the only supplement that their babies will require. Again, this is related to the fact that vitamin D is not really a vitamin but something that we normally get from exposure to sunshine, not food. Cod liver oil is one of the few food sources that will provide it. Not only will it provide vitamin D for infants, but the balanced DHA has been repeatedly shown to enhance brain and neurological development. Concern Over Deodorants & Breast Cancer However, this study showed no direct evidence that deodorants were linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. Further work is required to examine any association between estrogen and other chemicals found in deodorants and breast cancer, researchers say. BBC News January 11, 2004 Dr. Mercola's Comments: The concern with antiperspirant is that the aluminum it contains is absorbed by the body and wreaks havoc in the brain, where it likely contributes to the growing numbers of people coming down with Alzheimer’s disease. So it appears that the urban legend that antiperspirants have been identified as the leading cause of breast cancer may actually have some truth to it. A study was conducted in 2004 by Dr. Kris McGrath, a Chicago allergist who claims to have found a connection between antiperspirants, underarm shaving and cancer. He believes the culprits in these antiperspirants are the toxins in aluminum salts such as aluminum chlorohydrate. He says they don't normally penetrate the skin enough to cause a problem--unless the skin is shaven. If you disrupt the skin by shaving, it can open up the door, because just under the skin is the lymphatic system, which is connected to the breast. In this study, more than 400 Chicago-area breast cancer survivors recalled their lifetime history of using antiperspirants and underarm shaving. He found that women who perform underarm shaving more aggressively had a diagnosis of breast cancer 22 years earlier than the non-users. Now with the study above, British researchers have found traces of chemicals called parabens in tissue taken from women with breast cancer. These researchers also published a study last year in the Journal of Toxicology that suggested underarm cosmetics might be a cause of breast cancer. It is unclear how valid this proposed mechanism is, but it would sure seem safe to avoid all antiperspirants and deodorants just to be safe. At the very least, if you are using a deodorant in order to avoid the aluminum in antiperspirant, you will also want to be certain that the deodorant you choose does not contain parabens. Parabens are used as preservatives, and on the label they may be listed as methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, propyl paraben, butyl paraben, isobutyl paraben or E216. Look for natural deodorants, which should be available in your local health food store, but be sure to read the labels, as all "natural" deodorants are not paraben-free. I personally have not used any antiperspirants or deodorants for over 20 years. Simple soap and water has served me quite well for the last two decades, and I don't ever recall anyone telling me I had an offensive odor. So, I suggest avoiding the chemicals, save some money, prolong your life and drop the underarm chemicals. A New Understanding of Breast Cancer Alcohol and Low Vegetable Intake Linked to Breast Cancer Vitamin A: Little Known Secret to Preventing Breast Cancer Exercise Reduces Breast Cancer Broccoli Sprouts for Prostate & Breast Cancer Broccoli (Sprouts or Extract) May Halt Growth of Breast Cancer Cells Absolutely not!!! My strong recommendation would be to get the entire family of beneficial nutrients. One way to do this would be to eat broccoli but the best way is to consume broccoli sprouts, which are hundreds of times more potent than regular broccoli. I first wrote about this in 1997 when I posted information on using broccoli sprouts. They are an inexpensive and more effective cancer-treating alternative to eating the whole vegetable. You can purchase organic broccoli seeds from Johnny's at (207) 861-3901. Reference item #148, four ounces are $9, or one pound is $26.15. For sprouting instructions call Jaffe Brothers at (619) 749-1133. Your local library or health food store may also have some instructions on sprouting seeds. Dr. Mercola's Comment: At the present time, broccoli sprouts are not being grown commercially. However you can grow them yourself quite easily. You can purchase organic brocolli seeds from Johnny's at 207-437-4301. Item number 148, four onces are $9.00 or a pound for $26.15. Non-organic seeds can probably be purchased through farm supply stores or other seed catalogs. You can also call Jaffe Brothers at 619-749-1133 for instructions on how to sprout. They also sell sprouting lids to apply to Ball jars which make the entire process quite convenient. The library or health food store may also have some instructions on sprouting seeds. A small amount of sprouts go a long way. A pound of sprouts will probably make over ten pounds of sprouts which from the researchers calculations translates up to as much cancer protecting phytochemicals as 1000 pounds (half a ton) of broccoli! The other major benefit is that the sprouts don't smell as you don't have to cook them. They are eaten raw, usually as an addition to salad. I have already ordered my sprouts. I suspect that there are similar benefits for many of the other vegetables when eaten as sprouts.
Fish Oil Reduces Breast Cancer Sugar and Cancer Beware of Radiation -- by Talia Miller, Breast Cancer Recovery Coach The AMA at its worst It's starting in Canada If you live in Canada, please see this page and join forces to stop the government ban of all vitamin & herbal supplements: http://www.stopc51.com/ This plant has already been outlawed --- Granulocytes Determine a Person's Anti-Cancer Potential FTC Launches Operation False Cures to Suppress Natural Cancer Remedies Welcome to the town of Allopath Alternative Cancer Article Index on NaturalNews: The media assault on Mexico's alternative cancer clinics Beating cancer -- how to take charge of your cancer cure and outlive the lies of the cancer industry The Cure Con: how you're being deceived by charities that claim to be racing for the cure for cancer and other chronic diseases Cures for cancer already exist, but not in the realm of chemical-based medicine, says holistic nutritionist The cure for cancer already exists as key protein in healthy human tissues, stunned scientists discover Spirulina research shows treatment of breast cancer tumors, HIV virus, and other viruses New science proves that cancer is reversible, but organized medicine insists that cancer cannot be cured Chemotherapy, An Interesting Choice The Scientist, the Holy Plants and the Cure for Cancer Some Clinics in the U.S.: A List Of Clinics That Use A Combination Of Alternative And Conventional Therapy To Treat Cancer: Clinics Outside of U.S. (including Germany and many other countries): Mexican Cancer Clinics: German Cancer Clinic book. Clinics - Alternative Cancer Treatments using these protocols and others: Whenever a Government Becomes Destructive, Health Freedoms Diminish Articles by Tony Isaacs Healing Illness - A Natural Anti-Cancer Protocol The Four Horsemen of the Health Apocalypse Naturopathic Rights Were Included in the Founding of America Modern Medicine Versus Nature in Treating Cancer Colloidal Silver Has Mainstream Medicine Singing the Blues Hiding the Truth About Losing the War on Cancer A Small Supplement Company's Fight for Health Freedom (colloidal silver) Family Love and Medical Greed Can Be a Deadly Combination Mushrooms That Fight Cancer and Boost the Immune System The Addictive Nature of the Pain Killer OxyContin - One Man's True Story The Recipe for Oleander Soup - Make Your own Cancer and HIV Remedy Talcum Powder Linked to Ovarian Cancer Night Lights Cause Cancer While You Sleep Important: see Prostate, Chemo, and main Cancer Protocol pages as much of them is relevant. DIM has been shown in studies to be quite helpful in breast, prostate, lung and other cancers by reducing DHT and estrogen. DIM is oil-soluble, so you cannot just take a capsule containing dry powder, or a tablet (bioperine increases absorption somewhat, but I open and mix my curcumin, quercetin and dim capsules into purified fish or EV olive oil. When I had DIM tablets, I put them in some food containing oil (actually, about 1-2 TBS of plain, unsweetened goat yogurt to which I had added quite a bit of EV olive oil and a little Stevia sweetener) and chewed the tablet into the oil and food prior to swallowing. I take 3 capsules/day of Dandelion; it helps support the liver and remove toxins. Breast Cancer Risk Linked To Red Meat, Study Finds Younger women who regularly eat red meat appear to face an increased risk for a common form of breast cancer, according to a large, well-known Harvard study of women's health. The study of more than 90,000 women found that the more red meat the women consumed in their 20s, 30s and 40s, the greater their risk for developing breast cancer fueled by hormones in the next 12 years. Those who consumed the most red meat had nearly twice the risk of those who ate red meat infrequently. Two months after beginning work on the book, "Why We Walk: The Inspirational Journey Toward a Cure for Breast Cancer," photographer Paula Lerner was diagnosed with breast cancer. The discovery thrust Lerner into a circle of struggling patients and heroic survivors she had sought to chronicle from outside. Here is some of Lerner's work from 2004. The study, published yesterday in the Archives of Internal Medicine, is the first to examine the relationship between consumption of red meat and breast cancer in premenopausal women, and the first to examine the question by type of breast cancer. Although more research is needed to confirm the association and explore the possible reasons for it, researchers said the findings provide another motivation to limit consumption of red meat, which is already known to increase the risk of colon cancer. "There are already other reasons to minimize red meat intake," said Eunyoung Cho, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, who led the study. "This just may give women another good reason." Cho added that the findings could be particularly important because the type of breast cancer the study associated with red meat consumption has been increasing. Eating less red meat may help counter that trend. Other researchers said the findings could offer women one of the few things they can do to reduce their risk for the widely feared malignancy. Breast cancer strikes nearly 213,000 U.S. women each year and kills nearly 41,000, making it the most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death among women. "So many risk factors for breast cancer are things that you can't alter," said Nancy E. Davidson, a breast cancer expert at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. "This represents something women could take charge of -- something you can change to affect your risk." Why red meat might increase the risk for breast cancer remains unknown, but previous research has suggested several possible reasons: Substances produced by cooking meat may be carcinogenic, naturally occurring substances in meat may mimic the action of hormones, or growth hormones that farmers feed cows could fuel breast cancer in women who consume meat from the animals. Researchers have long wondered whether there might be a link between red meat consumption and breast cancer risk, but few studies have addressed the question. Those that have, including one large analysis that pooled data from eight studies, did not find any association. But the earlier studies focused on older women and did not differentiate between types of breast cancer. In the new study, Cho and her colleagues analyzed data collected from 90,659 female nurses ages 26 to 46 who are participating in the Nurses' Health Study II, a long-term project examining a host of women's health issues. As part of the study, participants provided detailed information about their diets every four years. When the researchers analyzed the data from 1991 to 2003, they found no overall link between red meat consumption and an increased risk of breast cancer. But when they examined the data from only the 512 women who developed the type of breast cancer whose growth is fueled by the hormones estrogen and progesterone, they found an association. The risk increased with the amount of red meat consumed, with those who ate more than 1 1/2servings a day of beef, lamb or pork having nearly double the risk of hormone-receptor-positivebreast cancer compared with those who ate three or fewer servings per week. A serving is roughly equivalent to a single hamburger or hot dog. "That's a pretty strong association," said Cho, who is also an associate professor of epidemiology at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Two months after beginning work on the book, "Why We Walk: The Inspirational Journey Toward a Cure for Breast Cancer," photographer Paula Lerner was diagnosed with breast cancer. The discovery thrust Lerner into a circle of struggling patients and heroic survivors she had sought to chronicle from outside. Here is some of Lerner's work from 2004. Other researchers praised the study for being well conducted but said more research is needed to confirm and explore the findings. "The study is well done, and I'm sure it will create some interest to try to replicate the findings," said Eugenia Calle of the American Cancer Society. "But until that happens, we can't draw conclusions about whether this is a true association or something that's just been observed in a single study."Other experts agreed but noted that the findings are consistent with a growing body of evidence that indicates that diet early in life can affect a person's health risks later on. "This suggests that lifestyle, in this case diet, in early adulthood is important in potentially explaining your risk for premenopausal breast cancer," said Carolina Hinestrosa of the NationalBreast Cancer Coalition. While it may be premature to make formal dietary recommendations based on the findings, the Nurses' Health Study II is so well respected that women should take this new analysis into consideration, she said. But noting that earlier studies reached the opposite conclusion, Randall D. Huffman, vice president for scientific affairs at the American Meat Institute, said that research into "diet and health is known for its fluid and often contradictory conclusions. This study is a perfect example of that." "The wisest course of action in the wake of one more contradictory study is to consume the balanced diet recommended by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines," he said. Copyright © 2009 Hpathy.com. All rights reserved. Light at Night and Risk of Breast Cancer SEATTLE -- Oct. 16, 2001 -- Women who work the graveyard shift may face an up to 60 percent increased risk of breast cancer, according to a Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study. Results of the study, the first population-based investigation of the relationship between breast-cancer risk and exposure to light at night as determined by sleep habits, bedroom lighting and graveyard-shift work, will be published tomorrow in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The NCI funded the study. Led by Scott Davis, Ph.D., a member of the Hutchinson Center's Public Health Sciences Division, the study is one of two independent investigations to be published in tomorrow's JNCI that conclude sleep interruption, especially among women who work the night shift, is linked to a significant increase in breast-cancer risk. "Although there have been a number of studies looking at the health effects of night-shift work, from heart disease to stomach ailments, this is the first that has looked comprehensively at both graveyard-shift work and light at night as independent risk factors for breast cancer," Davis said. The study involved in-person interviews with more than 800 Seattle-area women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, as well as a similar number of age-matched control subjects. The study assessed exposure to light at night and history of shift work, among other factors, during the 10 years prior to breast-cancer diagnosis. Davis and colleagues found that women who worked the graveyard shift at least once during the decade before breast-cancer diagnosis were at approximately 60 percent increased risk for breast cancer compared with those who did not work the graveyard shift. In addition, the risk of breast cancer significantly increased with each additional hour per week of graveyard-shift work. The link between sleep, light at night and breast cancer may involve melatonin, a hormone produced by the brain's pineal gland. Production of melatonin peaks at night during sleep. One theory is that nighttime sleep deprivation or exposure to light at night somehow interrupts melatonin production, which in turn stimulates the ovaries to kick out extra estrogen -- a known hormonal promoter of breast cancer. Indirect support of the melatonin/breast cancer connection comes from an earlier study of blind women, who were found to have a 20 percent to 50 percent reduced risk of breast cancer as compared to a comparison group of women diagnosed with stroke and cardiovascular disease. The theory behind this reduced risk: Because blind women are immune to fluctuations in light, their melatonin levels remain constant, which also keeps their circulating estrogen levels in check. Davis and colleagues found that breast-cancer risk was associated with the number of years of shift work and the number of hours per week of working the graveyard shift. For example, women who logged at least four and a half years of frequent night-shift work -- during which they were awake at least three nights per week between 1 and 2 a.m., when nocturnal melatonin levels are typically at their peak -- experienced a twofold increased risk of breast cancer. Similarly, cancer risk increased by 14 percent for each night per week of wakefulness during this crucial time period. There was also some indication -- although not statistically significant -- of increased breast-cancerrisk among the women who had the brightest bedrooms. The degree of ambient bedroom light was based on self-reported recall, such as whether the room was so dark a woman could not see her hand in front of her face or whether she could see to the end of her bed. There was, however, no increased cancer risk associated with getting up at night and turning on a light, such as when using the bathroom. So what's the upshot of these findings regarding light at night, graveyard-shift work and breast cancer? "We'd be premature to make recommendations about specific interventions or behavior modifications for people with average light-at-night exposure," said Davis, also professor and chairman of the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine in Seattle. "More important from a research point of view is to focus on the general notion that anything that disrupts the normal circadian biology of the body might affect hormones that influence cancer risk." Take stress, for example. Could the inherent stress of shift work -- independent of nocturnal light exposure-- also cause the fluctuation of certain key hormones? "Among shift workers, quite a number of factors could affect the mechanisms that control the body's circadian rhythms," Davis said. "One is stress, considering the kinds of jobs that require shift work, from police, fire and rescue work to nuclear-power-plant monitoring to factory work, medicine and nursing." To better gauge the impact of shift work on the body's hormones, Davis and colleagues are planning a study to look at the effects of circadian disruption on the production of melatonin and estrogen."Our next step will be to compare these hormone levels among night-shift nurses and day-shiftnurses. We need to measure the specific biological effects of shift work, because right now, the connection between working nights and decreased melatonin/increased estrogen has yet to be shown in humans." To obtain a copy of the paper "Night Shift Work, Light at Night, and Risk of Breast Cancer" (JNCI, Vol. 93, No. 20, Oct. 17, pp. 1557-1562) call Kristen Woodward in Fred Hutchinson Media Relations, (206) 667-5095 or e-mail kwoodwar@fhcrc.org. Advancing Knowledge, Saving Lives Copyright © 2009 Hpathy.com. All rights reserved. Country Doctor Cures Cancer with Baking Soda & Maple syrup Asheville, N.C. -- "There's not a tumor on God's green Earth that can't be licked with a little baking soda and maple syrup!" That's the astonishing claim of controversial folk healer Jim Kelmun -- who says his simple home remedy can stop and reverse the growth of deadly cancers. The 75-year-old former truck driver has no medical degree and authorities are demanding that he stop dispensing his "wonder drug" -- or facea prison sentence. But his loyal patients swear by the man they fondly call "Dr. Jim" -- and say he's a miracle worker. "Dr. Jim cured me of lung cancer," declares farmer Ian Rodhiuse, 64. "Those other doctors told me I was a goner and had less than six months to live. "But the Doc put me on his mixture -- and in a couple of months, the cancer was gone. It didn't even show up on X-rays!" The gentle, silver-haired grandfather -- who has been preparing home remedies since 1954 -- says he first hit upon the miracle cure in the mid-1970s, when he was treating a family plagued by breast cancer. "There were five sisters in the family and all of them passed away from the big C by age 50 -except one," he recalls. "I asked if there was anything different in her diet. She told me she was partial to sipping maple syrup and baking soda. "I figured, let me try it out on some of my other patients." Since then, "Dr. Jim" has dispensed his mixture to more than 200 patients diagnosed with terminal cancer. Amazingly, he claims that of that number, 185 lived at least 15 more years -- and nearly half enjoyed a complete remission of their disease. "You tell me about another treatment that works that good!" he demands proudly. Medical experts are less enthusiastic. "This man is a quack, plain and simple," blasts an official at a state medical association. "We intend to see that he is arrested for practising medicine without a license." Until that happens, Dr. Jim vows to keep prescribing his treatment: "I'm just going to keep on saving lives." Dr. Jim's Miracle treatment is made with baking soda and maple syrup. Will Dr. Jim's recipe work for you? We don't know -- and Weekly World News urges you to consult your own trusted physician before embarking on any course of medical treatment. But here, for our readers, is Dr. Jim's recipe: Mix one part baking soda with three parts maple syrup in a small saucepan. Copyright © 2009 Hpathy.com. All rights reserved. Stop Cancer with Baking Soda Most of us are going to be surprised to find out that there is an oncologist in Rome Italy, Dr. Tullio Simoncini, destroying cancer tumors with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).[i] Sodium bicarbonate is safe, extremely inexpensive and unstoppably effective when it comes to cancer tissues. It's an irresistible chemical, cyanide to cancer cells for it hits the cancer cells with a shock wave of alkalinity, which allows much more oxygen into the cancer cells than they can tolerate. Cancer cells cannot survive in the presence of high levels of oxygen. Sodium bicarbonate is, for all intent and purposes, an instant killer of tumors. Full treatment takes only days, as does another cancer treatment that heats the cancer cells with laser generated heat. (At bottom see combining ph shift with heat.) Baking Soda and pH Levels Case one: A patient diagnosed with pulmonary neoplasm of the lung, underwent treatment with sodium bicarbonate, before submitting to surgery to remove part of the lung. Treatment consisted of sodium bicarbonate administered orally, by aerosol, and IV. After first treatment reduction of nodules and absorption was evident, and after 8 months was no longer visible at all. Treatments also reduced size of the liver and results were confirmed by both X-ray and CAT scan. Studies have shown how manipulation of tumour pH with sodium bicarbonate enhances some forms of chemotherapy.[iii] Proteins can be modified both in vivo and in vitro by increases in acidity. In fact pH is the regulatory authority that controls most cellular processes. The pH balance of the human bloodstream is recognized by medical physiology texts as one of the most important biochemical balances in all of human body chemistry. pH is the acronym for "Potential Hydrogen". In definition, it is the degree of concentration of hydrogen ions in a substance or solution. It is measured on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 14. Higher numbers mean a substance is more alkaline in nature and there is a greater potential for absorbing more hydrogen ions. Lower numbers indicate more acidity with less potential for absorbing hydrogen ions. Our body pH is very important because pH controls the speed of our body's biochemical reactions. It does this by controlling the speed of enzyme activity as well as the speed that electricity moves through our body. The higher (more alkaline) the pH of a substance or solution, the more electrical resistance that substance or solution holds. Therefore, electricity travels slower with higher pH. If we say something has an acid pH, we are saying it is hot and fast. Alkaline pH on the other hand, biochemically speaking, is slow and cool. Cancer tissues have a much higher concentration of toxic chemicals, pesticides, etc then do healthy tissues. In 1973, a study conducted by the Department of Occupational Health at Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem found that when cancerous breast tissue is compared with non-cancerous tissue from elsewhere in the same woman's body, the concentration of toxic chemicals such as DDT and PCBs was "much increased in the malignant tissue compared to the normal breast and adjacent adipose tissue."[iv] This should say something to the oncologists of the world about chemical etiologies that are going undiagnosed and untreated. Part of any successful cancer treatment includes chelation and detoxification of heavy metals and a host of toxic chemicals, which are all invading our bodies' everyday. It is literally raining mercury, uranium contamination is increasing, lead we are discovering is even more toxic than anyone ever believed and is even in the bread that we eat, arsenic is in our chicken, the government still wants you to get your yearly mercury flu shot, dentists of course are still using hundreds of tons of mercuryexposing patients to internalized toxic waste dumps (mercury vapors from hell), fluoride is still put in the water and chlorine is breathed in most showers. This just covers a small slice of the toxic disaster that is the hallmark of life in the 21st century. But oncologists have just not been able to understand that cancer patients are suffering from poisoning on a massive scale with all the chemicals scientists have already established cause cancer. The IMVA recommends alkaline foods and sodium bicarbonate so that the pH of the blood remains high, which in turn means that the blood is capable of carrying more oxygen. This in turn keeps every cell in the body at peak efficiency and helps the cell eliminate waste products. Detoxification and chelation will proceed more easily and safely under slightly alkaline conditions. Increased urinary pH reduces oxidative injury in the kidney so it behooves us to work clinically with bicarbonate. Patients receiving sodium bicarbonate achieved urine pHs of 6.5 as opposed to 5.6 with thosereceiving sodium chloride. This alkalinization is theorized to have a protective effect against the formation of free-radicals that may cause nephropathy.[v] Dr. Michael Metro Body ph level changes are intense in the profundity of their biological effects. Even genes directly experience external pH. pH differentially regulates a large number of proteins. Increased oxidative stress, which correlates almost exponentially with ph changes into the acidic, is especially dangerous to the mitochondria, which suffer the greatest under oxidative duress. Epigenetics, which may now have begun eclipsing traditional genetics, commonly describes how factors such as diet and smoking, rather than inheritance influence how genes behave. The great advantage of knowing the prime cause of a disease is that it can then be attacked logically and over a broad front. Dr. Otto Warburg, two times Nobel Prize winner, stated in his book, The Metabolism of Tumors that the primary cause of cancer was the replacement of oxygen in the respiratory cell chemistry by the fermentation of sugar. The growth of cancer cells is initiated by a fermentation process, which can be triggered only in the absence of oxygen at the cell level. What Warburg was describing was a classicpicture of acidic conditions. Just like overworked muscle cells manufacture lactic acid by-productsas waste, cancerous cells spill lactic acid and other acidic compounds causing acid pH. After we just saw how important sulfur is in human health and how useful a basic chemical like sodium thiosulfate can be, we now get a crash course in the power of sodium bicarbonate and the act of instantly turning cancer cells alkaline. Might as well shoot a guided cruise missile at them -- so effective, safe, quick and precise is sodium bicarbonate, inexpensive as well. Just a few pennies a day of it will keep cancer further away, keeping it at arms length from ourselves, patients and loved ones. It is something we can use to treat our water with as well, excellent to put in distilled or reverse osmosis water or any water for that matter. A true understanding of cancer is impossible without understanding why some tissues in the body are deficient in oxygen and therefore prone to cancer. Cancerous tissues are acidic, whereas healthy tissues are alkaline. Water (H2O) decomposes into H+ and OH-. When a solution contains more H+ than OH- then it is said to be acid. When it contains more OH- than H+ then it is said to be alkaline. When oxygen enters an acid solution it can combine with H+ ions to form water. Oxygen helps to neutralize the acid, while at the same time the acid prevents oxygen from reaching the tissues that need it. Acidic tissues are devoid of free oxygen. An alkaline solution is just the reverse. Two hydroxyl ions (OH-) can combine to produce one water molecule and one oxygen atom. In other words, an alkaline solution can provide oxygen to the tissues. The pH scale goes from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Below 7 is acid and above 7 is alkaline. The blood, lymph and cerebral spinal fluid in the human body are designed to be slightly alkaline at a pH of 7.4. At a pH slightly above 7.4 cancer cells become dormant and at pH 8.5 cancer cells will die while healthy cells will live. This has given rise to a variety of treatments based on increasing the alkalinity of the tissues such as vegetarian diet, the drinking of fresh fruit and vegetable juices, and dietary supplementation with alkaline minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, cesium and rubidium. But nothing can compare to the instant alkalinizing power of sodium bicarbonate for safe and effective treatment of cancer. Like magnesium chloride or sulfates are excellent emergency medicines, basic chemicals, nutritional in nature, sodium bicarbonate is a nutritional medicine meaning it cannot and will not end up controlled by CODEX. To control bicarbonate they would have to demand mothers stop making cake with it. We might thus identify sodium bicarbonate as an emergency medicine for cancer with the above supporting approaches working on broader levels to help overall physiology change to a degree where body chemistry is unfavorable for new cancer growth. Cancer seems to grow slowly in a highly acid environment (because the acids cause it to partially destroy itself) and may actually grow more quickly as your body becomes more alkaline prior to reaching the healthy pH slightly above 7.4 where the cancer becomes dormant. Therefore it is important to get pH above 7.4 quickly. Once one has achieved a pH above 7.4, it is useful to monitor saliva pH regularly to ensure that the body remains sufficiently alkaline. Earlier and more frequent use of sodium bicarbonate was associated with higher early resuscitability rates and with better long-term neurological outcome. Sodium bicarbonate is beneficial during CPR.[vi] "The therapeutic treatment of bicarbonate salts can be administered orally, through aerosol, intravenously and through catheter for direct targeting of tumors." All of Dr. Tullio Simoncini's treatments with sodium bicarbonate are directed as specifically as possible to the organs involved, for example, vaginally as well as abdominally into the peritoneal space for cervical cancer, through the hepatic artery for liver cancer in order to get the solution as close to the affected area as possible. Sodium bicarbonate administered orally, via aerosol or intravenously can achieve positive results in most tumors, including the brain, while others, such as the serious ones of the bones can remain unaffected. Dr. Simoncini, with the help of interventionist radiologists was able to reach those areas of the body that had previously been inaccessible. This was achieved through positioning appropriate catheters either in cavities for peritoneum and pleura, or in arteries to reach other organs.[vii] The most effective measure to treat RT-induced mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer is frequent oral rinsing with a sodium bicarbonate rinse, to reduce the amount of oral microbial flora.[viii] Case two: A nine-year-old child is hospitalized and diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma on the right humerus. Despite several chemotherapy cycles surgery removed the humeral bone. Growth of three tumor masses continued despite continued efforts to stop progression. Sodium bicarbonate salts treatment were then started administered by catheter into the right sub-clavian artery in order to administer the salts (phleboclysis of 500 cc at five per cent) directly on the tumoral masses. Of the 3 masses shown by the scographic scan of May 7, 2001, whose size is respectively: a. 6.5 cm, b. 4.4 cm, c. 2.4 cm. After the sodium bicarbonate salts treatment only one tumor was left, with a size of only 1.5 cm, which is most likely residual scarring, as shown by the echography of September 10, 2001. Sodium bicarbonate injection is also indicated in the treatment of metabolic acidosis which may occur in severe renal disease, uncontrolled diabetes, and circulatory insufficiency due to shock or severe dehydration, extracorporeal circulation of blood, cardiac arrest and severe primary lactic acidosis. Sodium bicarbonate is further indicated in the treatment of drug intoxications, including barbiturates. Sodium carbonate has been found effective in treating poisoning or overdose from many chemicalsand pharmaceutical drugs by negating the cardiotoxic and neurotoxic effects. [ix] Sodium bicarbonate is useful in treating neurological disorders in children. Knowledge of sodium bicarbonate is important for parents because the rate of childhood cancer is growing exponentially. But parents who resist the radiation burning, cutting and the lethal chemicals are regularly hauled before the courts only to have their children taken away from them. Oncologists are increasingly resorting to the justice system to have children made wards of the courts who then turn them over to medically irresponsible practitioners. It is inexcusable separating a child from his mother and father in the middle of a medical crisis. Adding to the stress by tormenting patients' hearts and souls has nothing to do with safe or effective medicine. The naked truth is doctors and medical institutions have not earned the necessary trust for this level of intervention in people's lives. With patient safety slipping year by year,[x] children are not safe in hospitals, much less so if forced at gunpoint from their parents embrace. An extremely simple therapy used by physicians who treat autism is to supply a mild antidote that neutralizes the excess acids. The most convenient product is a nonprescription drug called AlkaSeltzer Gold™. Do not use any other kind of AlkaSeltzer™. AlkaSeltzer Gold™ is simply a very safe product (sodium and potassium bicarbonate) that helps to neutralize excess acids of any kind. Dr. William Shaw on Biological Treatments for Autism and PDD. One mother wrote, "It worked so well for both of my children that the die-off was an uneventful experience, even though they both had very high levels of yeast." The restoring of acid/alkaline balance also relieves many allergies. "These children also had grave disturbances in electrolyte chemistry, and tended to be acidotic (low CO). The data that unfolded was fascinating and clearly earmarked the acidosis and hypoxic state (low serum bicarbonate = low O2 levels). Potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate and the like were used. Now we began to understand why so many children responded to Buffered C (potassium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate), and others needed a more specific buffer (in some children for example niacin was grossly depleted and they required niacin bicarbonate)," wrote Patricia Kane. The acid/alkaline balance is one of the most overlooked aspects of health, though many have written much about it. In general, the American public is heavily acid, excepting vegetarians. Case three: A 62-year-old patient undergoes surgery in December 1998 for endometrial adenocarcinoma, followed by successive cycles of radiotherapy and anti-hormone therapy. Following the thickening of the peritoneum and the growth of several lymph nodes due to carcinosis; from the clinical point of view, the patient's condition decayed with the presence of exhaustion, general swelling, intestinal meteorism, irregularity of evacuation, steady feeling of heaviness and blood pressure instability. Treatment with a 5% sodium bicarbonate solution administered alternately thru an endoperitoneal catheter and via IV showed rapid improvement to a normal condition of health. A final CAT scan confirms the regression of the peritoneal carcinosis and a stabilization of the size of the lymph nodes when compared to the preceding year.The kidneys are usually the first organs to show chemical damage upon uranium exposure, military manuals suggest doses or infusions of sodium bicarbonate to help alkalinize the urine if this happens. This makes the uranyl ion less kidney-toxic and promotes excretion of the nontoxic uranium-carbonate complex. The oral administration of sodium bicarbonate diminishes the severity of the changes produced by uranium in the kidneys.[xi] Case four: A 40-year-old patient underwent surgical intervention (left radical mastectomy) for mammarian carcinoma seven months earlier. After three months of chemotherapy, the patient is affected by: "diffused pulmonary and hepatic metastasis; bone metastasis particularly to the fifth and sixth lumbar vertebrae, with invasion and compression of the medullar channel, which is causing extreme pain which makes the patient unresponsive to any treatment." All pain suppressant drugs --morphine included -- are totally ineffective and the patient is totally prostrate even unable to sleep. Believing that fungal colonies amassed in the medullar channel will respond to administration of sodium bicarbonate salts, lumbar injections are begun. Dr Tullio Simoncini recounts: "As I administer it by slowly injecting 50 cc of sodium bicarbonate solution at 8.4 %, the patient tosses and with a thread of a voice confesses to me that she has slept only two hours in the last week. Exhausted, she whispers to me: "If only I could sleep half an hour tonight." But the day after, she calls me on the phone and says: "I have slept all night". After two more lumbar injections of the bicarbonate salts in the next month, the pain disappeared completely. Magnetic Resonance imaging reports performed before and after treatment were defined by hospital head of the radiology department as "shocking." Sodium bicarbonate is the chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is commonly used as an antacid for short-term relief of stomach upset, to correct acidosis in kidney disorders, to make the urine alkaline during bladder infections and to minimize uric acid crystallization during gout treatment. Prescription sodium bicarbonate products are given by injection to treat metabolic acidosis and some drug intoxications. Sodium bicarbonate is available as a nonprescription medical as well as a general house hold item. It is also used with other non-prescription drugs for short-term treatment of various conditions to treat anything from fever to moderate pain. Sodium bicarbonate possesses the property of absorbing heavy metals, dioxins and furans. Comparison of cancer tissue with healthy tissue from the same person shows that the cancer tissuehas a much higher concentration of toxic chemicals, pesticides, etc. Sodium bicarbonate neutralizes acids present in gases (in particular hydrochloric acid, suphur dioxide, hydrofluoric acid) to form sodium salts (sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, sodium fluoride, sodium carbonate), which are all known as Residual Sodium Chemicals. Sodium bicarbonate can be made into a paste salve with vinegar, it relieves burning from bug stings (particularly bee stings), poison ivy, nettles, and sunburn. It is used as an antacid to treat acid indigestion and heartburn. Mixed with water in a 10% solution can soften earwax for removal. Substituting a sodium bicarbonate solution for saline infusion prior to administration of radiocontrast material seems to reduce the incidence of nephropathy.[xii] Dr. Thomas P. Kennedy American Medical Association. Because sodium bicarbonate has long been known and is widely used, it has many other names including sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium bicarb, baking soda, bread soda, cooking soda, bicarb soda, saleratus or bicarbonate of soda. It is soluble in water. This white solid is crystalline but often appears as a fine powder. It has a slight alkaline taste resembling that of sodium carbonate. It is a component of the mineral natron and is found dissolved in many mineral springs. It is also produced artificially. World wide production is on the scale of 100,000 ton/year. Sodium bicarbonate is primarily used in cooking (baking) where it reacts with other components to release carbon dioxide,that helps dough "rise." It is commonly used to increase the pH and total alkalinity of the water for pools and spas. Sodium bicarbonate can be added as a simple solution for restoring the pH balance of water that has a high level of chlorine. It is sometimes used in septic tanks to control pH and bacteria. Sodium bicarbonate-rich mineral water in conjunction with a low-salt diet may have a beneficial effect on calcium homeostasis.[xiii] Distilled water is not safe, it lacks bicarbonates and minerals and yes, it is acid forming to the body. Yet it is an excellent aid in detoxification and chelation for its purity pulls on toxicities in the body. Part of the reason why our body is acid is that it lacks enough bicarbonate necessary to neutralize the acid. Whenever the water lacks the proper bicarbonates to neutralize the water in distilled water your body basically becomes a little more acid. But we can easily treat distilled or reverse osmosis water by adding bicarbonate and magnesium and perhaps even some sodium thiosulfate. (The art and science of water treatment will be covered in The Waters of Life, another IMVA publication due out later this year. The conscious use of water favorably increases medical outcomes, often it even determines the prognosis. You cannot separate out hydration from pH. Dehydration would certainly push the body toward acidity.) pH of the blood is the most important factor to determine the state of the microorganisms in the blood. The native chemical and physical properties of sodium bicarbonate account for its wide range of applications, including cleaning, deodorizing, buffering, and fire extinguishing. Sodium bicarbonate neutralizes odors chemically, rather than masking or absorbing them. Consequently, it is used in bath salts and deodorant body powders. Sodium bicarbonate tends to maintain a pH of 8.1 (7 is neutral) even when acids, which lower pH, or bases, which raise pH, are added to the solution. Its ability to tabletize makes it a good effervescent ingredient in antacids and denture cleaning products. Sodium bicarbonate is also found in some anti-plaque mouthwash products and toothpaste. Sodium bicarbonate also is indicated in severe diarrhea which is often accompanied by a significant loss of bicarbonate. Vigorous bicarbonate therapy is required in any form of metabolic acidosis where a rapid increase in plasma total CO2 content is crucial e.g. cardiac arrest, circulatory insufficiency due to shock or severe dehydration , and in severe primary lactic acidosis or severediabetic acidosis. Sodium Bicarbonate Injection, USP is administered by the intravenous route. In cardiac arrest, a rapid intravenous dose of one to two 50 mL vials (44.6 to 100 mEq) may be given initially and continued at a rate of 50 mL (44.6 to 50 mEq) every 5 to 10 minutes if necessary (as indicated by arterial pH and blood gas monitoring) to reverse the acidosis. Caution should be observed in emergencies where very rapid infusion of large quantities of bicarbonate is indicated. Bicarbonate solutions are hypertonic and may produce an undesirable rise in plasma sodium concentration in the process. of correcting the metabolic acidosis. In cardiac arrest, however, the risks from acidosis exceed those of hypernatremia. In the current system, if a promising compound can't be patented, it is highly unlikely ever to make it to market, no matter how well it performs in the laboratory or in emergency room situations. The hormone melatonin,[xiv] sold as an inexpensive food supplement in the United States, has repeatedly been shown to slow the growth of various cancers when used in conjunction with conventional treatments. Dr. Paolo Lissoni, another Italian oncologist has written many articles about this hormone and conducted clinical trials. But he has despaired over the pharmaceutical industry's total lack of interest in his treatment approach. We need a new approach to fight cancer, one that will work safely and effectively since the majority of us are now destined to have to suffer through cancer at one point or another in our lives. The situation in the field of oncology is horrendous and in the area of childhood oncology they have earned their place in the book "The Terror of Pediatric Medicine", (which one can download as a free e-book.) Most people today cringe at the idea of finding a cancer then slashing, burning and poisoning it to smithereens. Most would agree that the mainstream cancer approach offers only marginal benefits at best, and providers push screening and aggressive treatment in part because they have nothing else to give, and also because it's very profitable. If the body's cellular metabolism and pH is balanced it is susceptible to little illness or disease. Since 1971, when President Nixon declared war on cancer, the budget of the National Cancer Institute has increased to $4.8 billion from half a billion and cancer rates are still going up. For most of the past half-century, medical treatment of invasive tumors like those of the breast and colon has relied mainly on drugs, radiation or both, in effect carpet-bombing the DNA of cancer cells. These highly toxic treatments do not address the root causes of cancer and are extremely dangerous, medical approaches involving the highest risks. The great variety of cancers must reflect a fundamental mechanism by which the disease arises, one that has not been so clearly apparent until now. Though allopathic medicine already uses sodium bicarbonate it will not any day soon turn to its own arsenal of already available safe and inexpensive medications like sodium bicarbonate or magnesium chloride. The medical industrial complex seems unwilling to change its views on cancer so patients will need to quietly ask their doctors for intravenous bicarbonate without specifying it as a substance they want to use to cure their cancer. It will be easier to find someone if one approaches with a need to treat acidic conditions than the actual cancer. Few doctors are willing to risk their licenses so it is better not to put them in an uncomfortable situation that they cannot control. The closer the pH is to 7.35 -- 7.45, the higher our level of health and well being and our ability to resist states of disease. Sadly this does not address the need for the use of catheters which target tumors more directly thus pushing us toward a more complete protocol that will target cancer in a more general and comprehensive way. This needs to be done anyway because killing the tumor with a rush of alkalinity that provokes an oxygen rush into the cells will not prevent the condition from reoccurring. Though we can think that acidity is a basic cause of cancer a more basic cause is addressed when we look at what leads to the acidic conditions that are so prevalent in our bodies today. Sodium bicarbonate is an anti-fungin substance that is very diffusible and thus very effective. Dr Tullio Simoncini says, "It is useful to consider the extreme sensitivity of fungi to saline and electrolytic solutions. These solutions, because of their extreme capacity for diffusion, are able to reach all the myceliar biological expressions, including the most infinitesimal ones. Salts and bicarbonates, by making the terrain completely inorganic, eliminates the slightest organic fonts that fungi could use for nourishment. In this context, sodium bicarbonate, which is currently used in children's oral candidoses, appears to be a simple and handy weapon capable of uprooting, inhibiting, or attenuating any neoplastic formation wherever it is possible to easily apply it." Cancer is actually a four-letter word ACID, especially lactic acid as a waste product due to the low oxygen level and waste products of yeast and fungus. For centuries, medicated baths have been one of the first lines of treatment for psoriasis. Even today, with sophisticated immunosuppressivetreatments available, Dead Sea salts and spa waters are recognized to be beneficial in the management of psoriatic patients. To assess statistically the efficacy of sodium bicarbonate baths in psoriasis patients, thirty-onepatients with mild-moderate psoriasis were studied. Almost all patients who used NaHCO3- reported a statistically valuable improvement. NaHCO3- baths reduced itchiness and irritation; in general, the patients themselves recognized a beneficial impact on their psoriasis, so much so that they have continued to bathe in NaHCO3- even after the end of the study. [xv] Sodium bicarbonate therapy is harmless, fast and effective because it is extremely diffusible. A therapy with bicarbonate for cancer should be set up with strong dosage, continuously, and with pauseless cycles in a destruction work which should proceed from the beginning to the end without interruption for at least 7-8 days. In general a mass of 2-3-4 centimetres will begin to consistently regress from the third to the fourth day, and collapses from the fourth to the fifth. Generally speaking, the maximum limit of the dosage that can be administered in a session gravitates around 500 cc of sodium bicarbonate at five per cent solution, with the possibility of increasing or decreasing the dosage by 20 per cent in function of the body mass of the individual to be treated and in the presence of multiple localisations upon which to apportion a greater quantity of salts, instructs Dr Simoncini. In the early stages of acidic pH in the body's tissues, the warning symptoms are mild. These include such things as skin eruptions, headaches, allergies, colds, flu and sinus problems. These symptoms are frequently treated (manipulated) with antibiotic drugs and suppressive medications. The longer and the deeper we become acidic the more our illness takes hold so it's best to fight acidic conditions early on and in every presenting clinical situation. Certainly a highly toxic drug like anti viral Tamiflu won't do a fraction of the job sodium bicarbonate will do especially if it's combined with magnesium chloride and iodine as well as high levels of vitamin C. Copyright © 2009 Hpathy.com. All rights reserved. Links to some other articles:
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