Yesterday we had our first "Lunch & Learn Workshop," in which we discussed hormone imbalance and breast cancer. The experience was so wonderful that I have to share some information with you all on this blog! It's our goal at Active Community Chiropractic to empower you to take control of your own health. With this in mind, we put together some information that will allow you to evaluate certain environmental factors in your life and figure out how to change them for the good of your health.

For the past 25 years, the month of October has been recognized as "National Breast Cancer Awareness Month." Since so many of us are directly affected by this problem, we decided we need to educate our practice members about the various ways you can actually help prevent it from ever occurring. But first, let's discuss a little bit of history...This awareness all began when the drug company, AstraZeneca, decided that the key to managing breast cancer is early detection, and the best way to do this is through yearly mammography studies. They succeeded in spreading this message quickly. A few years later, Estee Lauder (a cosmetic company), created a campaign for this awareness. The idea was sparked by a little pink ribbon, and, as we all know now, that campaign is the official color for breast cancer awareness. Today, there are so many pink items sold, walks/runs are held, and various opportunities have been created all in the name of breast cancer research. To most this seems like a wonderful thing. We are so good at early detection that we now have a 90% survival rate. That's wonderful! However, there are critics...

The first criticism comes from the fact that AstraZeneca, a drug company that makes breast cancer therapy drugs, does not really want this month of awareness to become a month of prevention, but rather early detection so that they can sell more therapeutic drugs. Quite frankly, that's a fair point. The second criticism comes from the fact that Estee Lauder, the company who has worked so hard to spread the pink campaign, refuses to remove known cancer-causing additives from their cosmetic line. Again, that's a reasonable critique. One other argument comes from the fact that very little of the proceeds made from the pink campaign actually goes to breast cancer research. In fact, it's less than 5%, and again, it's really only going to pharmaceutical companies to make more drugs.

So, with this history and criticism in mind, we decided it was time to empower our practice members and help them learn how to change certain habits that might be contributing to our breast cancer epidemic.

First of all, we need to be educated on what actually causes breast cancer. We've all heard of the genetic component, but less than 30% of individuals have this component. Most of our research states that there are key factors in the development of breast cancer such as never having been pregnant or early menopause. Again, only a small percentage of women with breast cancer fit in this category. We also know that there is a direct link from radiation (x-rays, for example) and cancer. Plus, we know of a variety of carcinogens linked in foods, cosmetics, and house-hold products. With all of this in mind, do we still know what really causes it? One of the main reasons is a hormone imbalance -- too much estrogen, to be exact. With an increase of estrogen in the body, many disease processes can occur.

Our goal for this workshop was to teach women how to avoid certain environmental factors that increase estrogen within the body. For the purposes of this blog, I'm just going to list the items for you. It's up to you to decide what you can live without or change in order to take one step closer to arming yourself with good health and preventing the possibility of breast cancer.

Items that increase estrogen levels in your body:

1. Cosmetics containing "parabens" -- look for them in lotions, make-up, shampoos, etc.

2. Foods that contain pesticides -- the following foods should only be ingested if they are organic, as they retain pesticides easily: strawberries, raspberries, apples, peppers, peaches, nectarines, pears, cherries, grapes, spinach, celery, and potatoes

3. High insulin levels -- limit your intake of sugar

4. Painkillers -- avoid daily use of drugs when possible

5. Plastics -- avoid reusing plastic water bottles or heating plastic in a microwave

6. Water Supply -- concern yourself with the quality of your water -- try distilled water

7. Prolonged Stress -- find out how to reduce your daily stress in order to balance hormones

Obviously there are many factors that play a role in your health; however, you have the ability to take control of most of them. There are many things you could avoid that may be linked to breast cancer and other diseases, especially those things listed above. At the same time, there are many things you could add to your lifestyle to help ensure that you will live a happy, healthy life.

Things to add to your daily routine:

1. Chiropractic care -- you cannot function without a properly functioning nervous system. Your chiropractor will help you with that.

2. Nutrition -- eat good, locally grown, living whole foods.

3. Exercise -- get adequate amounts of exercise to build up your energy levels and balance your hormones (especially estrogen) naturally.

4. Water -- drink half your body weight in ounces daily.

5. De-stress -- find activities that help you manage stress.

6. Pay attention to your body -- learn how to read and listen to you body, as it will tell you what it needs.

One other thing I'd like to mention is the idea that mammography is a device that uses radiation to detect anatomical changes (i.e., tumors). While mammography is great for detecting breast cancer, it could also be argued that it causes breast cancer. There is a device known as digital infrared imaging, or thermography, that simply uses your body's temperature as a means of detecting physiological changes. This imaging is safe and just as effective as mammography for detecting breast cancer. I would urge you to look into imaging centers in your area to see if they offer digital infrared imaging.

There are so many topics related to increased estrogen and breast cancer. These are just a few things you could change in your life to balance your hormones and decrease your chances of getting breast cancer. It's up to you to educate yourself, take control of your own health, and change that which hinders your quality of life. It's my goal to help you embrace your life and live it well. Cheers!

For more information, visit:

http://www.activecommunitychiropractic.com/

http://www.bcaction.org/

http://www.breastthermography.com/