How to Prevent Breast Cancer

Breast cancer remains one of the most widely acknowledged and discussed cancers in the U.S. The National Cancer Institute estimates that in 2014 there will be 232,670 new cases of breast cancer, with approximately 12.3 percent of women in the U.S. being diagnosed in their lifetime. Much has been done over the past few decades to really raise awareness of breast cancer and while awareness of the disease itself is promoted, little is done to explain why the incidence of breast cancer is so high.

Advocates of breast cancer prevention recommend that women perform regular self-exams and to have annual mammograms, especially if there is a history of breast cancer in the family. However, and interesting statistic shows that there is no strong link to suggest breast cancer can be hereditary since 85% of women diagnosed have no family history of the disease.

Other advice to prevent breast cancer includes improving the diet, limiting alcohol intake, exercising regularly and keeping weight down and recently there was a breakthrough discovery linking estrogen levels to breast cancer.

Estrogen Levels and Their Role in Preventing Breast Cancer

The results of recent research indicate that there is a very strong connection between breast cancer and estrogens. Most women are aware that estrogen is a hormone which is naturally occurring in the body and it can be referred to as natural estrogen but far less known are estrogens which enter the body from the environment, and these are known as environmental estrogen. Both of these forms of estrogen have the ability to adversely affect breast health and therefore regular monitoring of the levels of these estrogens can play a leading part in breast cancer prevention.

Natural Estrogen – can be divided into two forms – the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’, in this case two metabolites; 2-hydroxyestrone and 16-hydroxyestrone. The 2-hydroxyestrone is considered the good estrogen because of the role it plays in preventing cancer. Conversely, the metabolite 16-hydroxyestrone promotes the growth of cancer by stimulating cells to reproduce, including cancerous cells in the breast. For this reason, it is important for a person to know what their ratio is between these two metabolites, so they can take steps to reduce their 16-hydroxyestrone if it is high.

Environmental Estrogens – can cause extensive damage to the body and are particularly dangerous, since most people are unaware that they exist. Environmental estrogens are synthetic substances such as plastics, pesticides, detergents and preservatives which when absorbed into the body act as hormone disruptors, causing, among other things, endometriosis and breast cancer, two diseases increasingly found among young women.

Early Detection of Breast Cancer is the Best Prevention

At LifeWorks Wellness Center we take breast cancer prevention seriously. We offer female patients a urine test, the results of which show the ratio between the two types of estrogen metabolites mentioned earlier. A ratio of 2.0 or higher seems to indicate a lower risk of getting breast cancer. A lower ratio indicates your chances for developing the disease is higher.

Another method of breast cancer prevention is thermography, an alternative to mammograms which uses a special infrared camera to produce images which show subtle temperature differences in the breast. These temperature differences can give us a much earlier clue to the existence of breast disease than has been possible through mammography. Mammograms only detect change in breast tissue when it has occurred. With thermography, biochemical changes can be detected up to 10 years in advance of cancer developing in the breast. Most of our female patients much prefer this method of screening since it is non- invasive, no radiation, painless, no contact with the body, F.D.A approved and only takes about 15 minutes.

By encouraging female patients to test their estrogen levels and to have annual thermograms, we can make the best use of early detection of issues which may lead to tissue disease. Abnormalities or imbalances can be reversed with holistic treatments and in most cases, breast cancer can be prevented.

Expert Guidance on How to Prevent Breast Cancer

With breast cancer rates rising, learning how to prevent breast cancer is one of the best ways to protect yourself. LifeWorks Wellness Center is long recognized as one of the foremost natural health clinics in the US. At our Tampa Bay, Florida alternative medicine office we have been offering alternative breast cancer therapy (link) since we opened our doors in 1997, and thousands of our patients have benefitted from it. Patients fly in from all over the world because they simply can’t find clinics offering alternative breast cancer treatments and alternative cancer treatment where they live.

We have helped many patients regain their health and we would love to help you, too. To become a patient or for more information feel free to call the New Patient Scheduler at (727) 466-6789 or simply submit an online web inquiry with your request.