Message From Dr. Minkoff
The most common cancer that we treat at LifeWorks is breast cancer.
Just this morning I ran across an interesting article on the link between wearing bras and getting breast cancer.
This is taken from Dr Mercola’s newsletter *, but he excerpts this from The Midwestern Doctor.
Here in the information:
Breast cancer — The most controversial topic is the potential link between bras and breast cancer.
While major cancer organizations deny this connection, some holistic and even mainstream sources21 argue that lymphatic stagnation,22 worsened by bras, could contribute to cancer development.
Though not widely accepted, the possibility remains a point of concern.
In turn, there is some evidence to support the contention that bras are linked to breast cancer.
Specifically:
- A 1991 Harvard study of 9333 people23 that found “Premenopausal women who do not wear bras had half the risk of breast cancer compared with bra users.”
- A 1991 to 1993 study of 5000 women24 that found:
- Women who wore their bras 24 hours per day had a 3 out of 4 chance of developing breast cancer.
- Women who wore their bras for more than 12 hours but not to bed had a 1 in 7 risk for breast cancer.
- Wearing a bra less than 12 hours per day dropped breast cancer risk to 1 in 152.
- Women who never or rarely wore bras had a 1 in 168 risk for breast cancer.
For reference, this is 4 to 8 stronger than the association between smoking and lung cancer and is discussed further in the book “Dressed To Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras.”25
Furthermore:
- A 2009 Chinese study found that avoiding sleeping in a bra lowered the risk of breast cancer by 60%.26
- 2016 Brazilian study of 304 women found women who were frequent bra wearers were 2.27 times more likely to develop breast cancer.27
- A detailed 2016 meta-analysis comprised of 12 studies found wearing a bra while sleeping doubled one’s risk of breast cancer.28
While “au naturale” is not the norm in today’s society, bra wearing could be one of those factors along with pseudo estrogens in the environment and poor health habits in general that have led to the breast cancer epidemic.
In the 60’s and 70’s when I was in college, our hippie women rarely wore bras. I am sure, once they “grew up” they acquiesced to the common norm of wearing them.
I bring this to your attention for your own discernment on the subject.
From the medical viewpoint, I think that constricting clothing including bras are not good for the health of the breast.
It might be that during exercises like running that structural support is helpful, but since it is restricted to a brief time each day, would not be a problem.
Have a good week.
David I Minkoff, MD
*How Your Clothes and Their Materials Shape Your Health (mercola.com)
Breast Cancer Symptoms
Breast cancer originates from the breast tissue, usually from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Breast cancer occurs as a result of mutations, or abnormal changes, in the genes responsible for regulating the growth of cells and keeping them healthy.
Often, the first noticeable breast cancer symptom is the detection of a lump that is noticeably different from the rest of the breast or a lump may be found in the lymph nodes, within the armpits which may also indicate breast cancer.
Common Breast Cancer Symptoms:
- a hard lump, noticeably different from the rest of the breast
- a lump found in or around the armpits
- one breast becoming enlarged or changing in shape
- a nipple changing position
- a nipple becoming inverted
- dimpling of the skin
- a growing vein in the breast
- a red or hot area of the breast
- sores on the breast
- discharge from nipple
- constant pain in a part of the breast or armpit
- swelling beneath the armpit or around the collarbone.
Stages of Breast Cancer
While breast cancer often starts in the breast, left untreated the cancer cells can migrate to nearby healthy breast tissue and can make their way into the lymph nodes located in the underarm.
Your lymph nodes are a part of the body’s filtration system, designed to eliminate and remove foreign substances. If breast cancer cells get into the lymph nodes, they have a pathway into other parts of the body.
The stages of breast cancer are expressed by a number on a scale of 0 through IV and we describe these in the next section.
Classification of Cancer Stages
These 7 factors have made identifying the stage of breast cancer more complex, but more accurate.
Original Three Classifications
There are several characteristics that are used in determining the stage of breast cancer. The original 3 factors were T, N & M:
- (T) – the size of the cancer tumor and whether or not it has grown into nearby tissue
- (N) – is cancer in the lymph nodes
- (M) – did cancer spread to other parts of the body beyond the breast
Four New Classifications Added In 2018
- Tumor Grade – a grading to show how much the cancer cells resemble normal cells
- Estrogen & Progesterone Receptor Status – do the cancer cells have receptors for estrogen and progesterone hormones
- HER2 Status – are the cancer cells making a lot of the HER2 protein
- Oncotype DX score – a score is given based on whether the cancer is estrogen-receptor-positive, HER2-negative and if there is no cancer in the lymph nodes
Natural Breast Cancer Screening
At LifeWorks Wellness Center, we encourage all of our female patients to have an annual thermography session, which is the use of thermal imaging to provide early detection of any abnormalities in the breasts, sometimes up to 10 years in advance of breast cancer occurring.
It is our opinion that this is a safer, more accurate screening method than mammograms which carry radiation risk and only detect changes in breast tissue when actual structural changes have already taken place.
Patient Testimonial
Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer that has spread to my bones. “Your condition is terminal; get your affairs in order”. Traditional, Western Medicine Oncology.
Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer that has spread to my bones. “I believe that I can get you into remission”. LifeWorks Wellness Center, Dr. Neena Iyer.
As you have probably guessed, I chose the latter treatment plan and am so grateful to God for His healing and for choosing LifeWorks Wellness Center as His vessel for restoring my health. When I arrived at LifeWorks Wellness Center, I had a difficult time walking, sitting and standing for longer than five minutes as I was in so much pain. After 16 weeks of treatments, I am very pleased to say that I am 90% healed according to a recent PET Scan and Cancer Antigen lab test. I can now walk and jog and have been able to resume sewing and baking among other activities. I am continuing with more treatments and feel confident that I will be in remission soon. Another astonishing element to the approach that this clinic uses is that they treat the entire body, not just the main issue that brought you to LifeWorks. I was dumbfounded with how out of balance that my entire body was. LifeWorks gets to the root of the problem and doesn’t just treat the symptoms.
My husband and I have both been business owners and we are amazed on a daily basis the level of skill and compassion that the staff delivers to us. We constantly say, “Where did the clinic find these incredible people?” The treatment plan can be grueling at times however the professionals at the clinic helped guide and prop me up when I needed it. The clinic assigned Dr. Iyer to me as my doctor and I am so thankful for her unwavering dedication and skill. Her nurse, Mia, has also been a Godsend. Mia is exceptional in her role as a nurse at the clinic and has excellent communication skills as she always responds in a very timely manner. We also appreciate that I was assigned a nutrition/supplement counselor that we met with weekly as navigating all of the supplements and diet can be overwhelming and confusing. My nutrition counselor, Megan helped us tremendously. The clinic takes a completely different approach in terms of their treatments and modalities than Western Medicine. Most people aren’t accustomed to their method, myself included, so having this help has proved invaluable. I am also thankful to Tamora, the Clinic Director who helped me out more than once, along with Amy and the others who work in the reception area, and my scheduler, Kara. The nurses that work on the IV team are also top notch and professional yet very personable. I am so grateful to every one of them that have encouraged and cared for me while I have been on this journey.
The sense of community that we have felt at LifeWorks has been remarkable. The patients and caregivers are typically very friendly and eager to help each other out, particularly when a person is new to the clinic and trying to navigate their way around. We all love to hear of the excellent news that another patient has healed. The most important piece of advice that I would give to someone who is a patient at LifeWorks is that you make a point of adhering to the personalized protocol that has been laid out for you. It can be overwhelming and daunting at times however; the doctors and staff truly want to see their patients heal and the clinic has had a great deal of success with the treatments and supplements. At times the protocol will feel difficult as you are detoxing, but after all, that is why a person comes to LifeWorks in the first place.
Jan
More Breast Cancer Resources
Thermography
Breast Cancer – Alternative Treatment for Breast Cancer
Video: Dr. Minkoff Explains Cancer Treatment at LifeWorks
Helpful Cancer Resources
- Alternative Cancer Treatment - a page dedicated to treating cancer naturally.
- Alternative Cancer Treatment Testimonials - patient success stories overcoming cancer.