Female Care

One of the most impressive natural agents that has been shown to combat aging, reduce risk of degenerative disease and help optimize health and well-being is the daily ingestion of ground flaxseed.

Flaxseeds are the richest source of a wondrous bioactive substance known as SLD (secoisolariciresinol diglycoside) that provides the body with a multitude of benefits. In fact, flaxseeds contain 800 times more SLD and related compounds (mammalian lignan precursors) than any other food on earth. Ingesting the equivalent of two heaping tablespoons of ground flaxseed (flaxseed powder) or approximately 40-50 gm of flaxseed is of great value in protecting female reproductive organs, and the male prostate gland from disease processes, keeping cholesterol within a safe range, supporting liver and gallbladder function, improving large bowel health, reversing fibrocystic breast disease, possibly supporting bone density and improving the texture and smoothness of the skin (an effect that almost everyone notices within the first few weeks of use). Here’s how and why flaxseed should be part of your daily wellness plan whether you are a woman or man.

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Menopause is a time of change and new opportunity. It can also be a time of challenge as the sweats and hot flashes so commonly experienced by women during this phase in their life must be dealt with. As more women choose to forgo hormonal therapy and face menopause naturally, nonprescription remedies are needed to help women get through this time comfortably. A natural hot flash remedy that has recently been studied is the use of acupuncture for treatment of sweating and hot flashes. Is acupuncture good for menopausal symptoms?

A study recently published in the medical journal Menopause looked at the role acupuncture may play in relieving the sweating and hot flashes associated with menopause. Postmenopausal women with symptoms of sweating and hot flashes were randomized to three treatment groups. One group received standard care, but no acupuncture. The second group received sham acupuncture in which they thought they were receiving acupuncture but only shallow needling was used. A third group received traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture. After two months of twice weekly therapy, the frequency of sweating and hot flashes experienced by the women were quantified. The results? The group receiving the sham acupuncture as well as the group receiving actual acupuncture both had a reduction in the frequency of sweating and hot flashes. In contrast, the usual care group did not.

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About 80 percent of breast cancer patients have no family history of breast cancer. Their cancers are called “sporadic” breast cancers. Another 15 to 20 percent of breast cancer patients have some family history of breast cancer, called “familial” breast cancer, that may indicate a genetic susceptibility.

Between 5 and 10 percent of breast cancer patients have a very strong family history of breast cancer. Their cancers are considered “hereditary.” This term could apply to the occurrence of breast cancer in closely related family members on one side of the family across generations: for example, breast cancer in a combination of one’s mother, aunt, daughter, grandmother, and great aunt. It could also apply to more than one occurrence of early-onset (under age 50) breast cancer or the incidence of cancer in both breasts in an individual family member; or to the presence of male breast cancer in the family.

Mutations in two particular genes — named BRCA1 and BRCA2 — account for most hereditary breast cancers. To illustrate the power of these mutations, consider these statistics: The general population has a 7 percent chance of getting breast cancer; those with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations have a 55 to 87 percent chance. Risks for some other types of cancer also increase for those with either gene mutation, male or female.

Although genetic, or gene, testing can be done on a sample of blood obtained the same way as for the diagnosis of illness or for routine blood work-ups, much thought and discussion with one’s oncologist and a genetic counselor on his or her professional team should precede testing because of the complicated DNA testing process that is done only at specialized medical laboratories and its resulting high cost.

Testing results are considered very reliable. A genetic counselor is specially trained to understand and explain the statistical probabilities that can be derived from testing and clarify the result obtained, because it isn’t as simple as “you have it” or “you don’t have it.” It is one of four possibilities: positive, ambiguous, or one of two types of negative. Along with a personal consultation, the genetic counselor uses simple graphs, charts, and layman’s terms to make the process understandable.

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By Brandy Stoner

Most women are apprehensive about the pre-menopause period, and rightly so. There are a lot of changes that take place in the body during that time and most of them are highly unpleasant. A few changes in your daily schedule and food choices can do wonders in combating most of these dreaded symptoms.

There is plenty that can be done to prevent and circumvent most of the unpleasant effects. Here are some simple ways to ease the transition.

Introduce exercise in your daily routine.

Exercise is a must for anybody – young or old. However, for pre-menopausal women, regular exercise is even more important because it eases their mood swings, increases restful and restorative sleep, fights depression, and improves digestion. This is a good time to practice yoga and other such exercises that combine meditation (mental relaxation) along with body fitness for overall health and a sense of wellbeing.

Avoid coffee and caffeine.

This is a time when coffee, carbonated drinks, tea and other such drinks should be avoided as these promote hot flashes. Avoid consumption of alcohol for the same reasons. Carbonated drinks decrease the ability to absorb calcium and may leave you more vulnerable to osteoporosis and tooth loss. Have plenty of fruit juice, vegetable juice, and water. You need plenty of hydration to counter the dryness of the mucus membranes of the body, and juice will replenish some of the vitamins and minerals your body so greatly needs right now.

Consider HRT.

Hormone replacement therapy involves literally putting hormone levels back in balance and sustaining that balance. Though some studies show that this therapy sometimes increases the risk of breast cancer, this method is still the fastest way to get relief from many of the pre-menopausal and menopausal physical symptoms.

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Breast cancer survivors who are obese have an increased risk of lymphedema according to a study by the University of Missouri. In a news release dated December 16, 2008, the MU researcher reported that the risk of lymphedema is 40 to 60 percent higher in women with a body mass index, or BMI, that is classified as overweight or obese.

Worldwide, there are 10 million breast cancer survivors who have a lifetime risk of developing lymphedema. The chronic condition is the swelling of limbs. In the case of a breast cancer survivor the swelling would most likely affect the arms.

The abnormal swelling of the limbs is an emotionally upsetting side effect of cancer treatment. Lymph glands carry fluids throughout the system. Surgery and radiation damages the lymph system, so that the fluid is not carried through the system as it should be. This causes an abnormal swelling in the extremities

Any woman can get lymphedema, but women who are overweight are at a higher risk of the uncomfortable condition. According to information on the Sinclair School of Nursing website, as estimated two million women in the US are at risk of developing the abnormal swelling. This new report indicates that women who are obese have a much higher risk of lymphedema compared two women of normal weight.

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Women are notorious for looking after everyone except themselves. It is a dangerous habit to fall into, since many health problems are completely preventable or at least treatable when caught early enough. Since women often avoid the doctor and don’t seek medical help until their symptoms are a real problem, it is often too late for a good prognosis.

Going in for regular exams is vital to staying healthy, for women around the world. So is getting the recommended tests and exams such as a mammogram or Pap smear. These are valuable tools that can help save lives, yet too many women don’t have them done because they feel uncomfortable with the procedure. It might be a good idea to remember that a little discomfort is nothing compared to months of radiation or chemotherapy!

Finding the Right Doctor is Key

One of the most common issues with health problems for women is the old-fashioned approach of many doctors. It was taught, not so long ago, in medical schools, that the majority of women’s “health issues” were really all in the head. Many doctors still feel this way and are more likely to dismiss potentially risky symptoms in women than they would in men.

To avoid being short-changed in the health department, look for a doctor that will listen to you and take you seriously. If you aren’t comfortable talking with your general practitioner or gynecologist, find a new one. When you are comfortable with your doctor, you are more likely to see her for any concerns, instead of waiting until the problem gets worse.

A good doctor will listen to you without jumping to conclusions or rushing you. If you feel that your gynecologist is only interested in getting you out the door so her next patient can come in and she can earn a bit more, start looking for a new doctor. Talk to friends about doctors they trust and don’t feel bad about going in for a checkup, just to meet the doctor and see if you like him.

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By Susan M. Keenan

Digital mammography is more successful than traditional film mammography in detecting breast cancer. Initially, digital mammography was only more effective in detecting breast cancer in women with smaller size breasts. However, advances in its technology have made it possible for digital mammography to be just as effective with breasts of all sizes.

No longer are hospitals forced to use both types of screening due to variations in breast sizes. The initial digital imaging machines contained image receptors that were too small to be effective in capturing a full image of large size breasts. Large breasts for this discussion are classified as any breast that reaches a “D” cup or larger.

The superior diagnostic techniques that are needed to detect breast cancer in its earlier stages are now provided with the advanced digital imaging capabilities of digital mammography. Original mammography methods were much slower since film had to be developed before any diagnosis could be made.

With this newer process, the images of breasts are captured electronically. This leads to faster results and quicker diagnosis. Additionally, this type of mammography provides an improved contrast between non-dense and dense areas of breast tissue.  This allows for a better diagnostic determination.

In fact, the digital images can be searched for signs of mass or calcifications using special software. If anything shows such as an abnormality, the area is marked for further consideration by the radiologist. One of the benefits for hospitals using digital mammography is that the results are easier to store and retrieve.

Introductory blurb: Fortunately, advances in technology have made it possible for hospitals to offer digital mammography to all women. This means a better opportunity to discover breast cancer sooner.

In a new case-control study of over 5000 women ranging in age from 21 to 75 who had already received breast cancer treatment were compared with a similar number of women who had not suffered from breast cancer.

The study asked many health-related questions including the amounts of regular tea drunk by each person per day.

According to the results of the study, women especially younger women, who drink large volumes of tea every day reduce their risk of breast cancer by just under 38%.

For the terms of the study, “large amounts” of tea was regarded as more than three cups per day.

In both sets of women almost equal numbers drank three cups or more per day 45% and 44% (control group) allowing for a very good rate of comparison.

Although researcher Dr Nagi Kumar based at Tampa Bay’s Cancer Center and Research Institute states that this is in no way conclusive evidence or proof of the effectiveness of tea in combating breast cancer.

And he concedes that it is possible that the study’s findings could simply be no more than chance or coincidence; he does say that the results are interesting and well worth further enquiry.

Several studies had previously suggested that regular physical exercise reduces the breast cancer risk of women.

However, it had been unknown just how much exercise women should take in which period in life in order to benefit from this protective effect.

Moreover, little was known about which particular type of breast cancer is influenced by physical activity.

Answers to these questions are now provided by the results of the MARIE study, in which 3,464 breast cancer patients and 6,657 healthy women between the ages of 50 and 74 years were questioned in order to explore the connections between life style and breast cancer risk.

Participants of the study, which was headed by Professor Dr. Jenny Chang-Claude and conducted at the German Cancer Research Center and the University Hospitals of Hamburg-Eppendorf, were questioned about their physical activity during two periods in life: from 30 to 49 years of age and after 50.

A comparison between control subjects and breast cancer patients showed that women in the control group had been physically more active than patients.

The scientists calculated the relative breast cancer risks taking account of the effect of other risk factors.

For breast cancer survivors, the idea of taking estrogen pills is almost a taboo.

In fact, their doctors give them drugs to get rid of the hormone because it can fuel the growth of breast cancer.

So these women would probably be surprised by the approach taken by breast cancer physician Matthew Ellis, M.B., Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis — he has demonstrated that estrogen therapy can help control metastatic breast cancer.

In a study presented at the 31st annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, he showed that for about a third of the 66 participants — women with metastatic breast cancer that had developed resistance to standard estrogen-lowering therapy — a daily dose of estrogen could stop the growth of their tumors or even cause them to shrink.

Ellis believes that estrogen therapy offers an appealing alternative to chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer that has become resistant to estrogen-lowering agents called aromatase inhibitors, such as exemestane, anastrazole and letrozole.

These drugs deplete the body of estrogen and are standard treatments for hormone-receptor positive breast cancers, which account for about 75 percent of breast cancer cases.
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