Beyond the Basics
Thanks to the passion behind the green movement, the organic movement, and the resurgence of holistic medicine, there is an undercurrent of lifestyle change occurring in the way we consider the environment, our food, and our health. We are finally coming back to a more conscientious, mindful living style in our western culture and that goes for breast health too.
What more can we do for our breast health?
Women want to know what they can do for their breast health in between annual checkups, but when we ask our allopathic, insurance-based physicians about it, we find no answers. As long as we stick to conventional diagnostics and therapies, we are given a shrug when we express other preferences and concerns. And if we (dare to) question or refuse conventional practices, we are often shown the door and dismissed with a verbal spank.
However, there are holistic, common-sense approaches that are effective, as exemplified through an ongoing study by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). In 2007, the WCRF published the results of a study of 13 different kinds of cancer in 4 different countries, which included breast cancer. For each country, they determined an estimated percentage of each type of cancer that could be prevented with diet, exercise, and weight loss alone. In the US, they found that an estimated 38% of breast disease could be prevented in this manner.1 Over 1/3 of the cases!
What does this mean? It means that you can help yourself prevent breast disease through your nutrition and lifestyle.
Breast Cancer Prevention 101
Diet + Exercise + Weight loss = Food (nutritious) (delicious) + Activity (consistent) (fun)
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1. Wholesome foodFiguring out what to eat (and how to make your food taste wonderful) as well as what to avoid eating is the number one basic place to start. If that's a big challenge, face it with some help. Find yourself a savvy nutritionist who also teaches cooking and you'll be on the scrumptious yellow brick road to healthful meals in no time. If you don't like to cook, at least educate yourself so you can make better buying choices. Since you eat multiple times a day, what you eat is your number one power play. |
2. Move your body
The second basic thing to do is to get active and lose the extra weight. Sound like clanging symbols? It does to many of us. Start by wrapping your brain around how you want to move your body. What would be fun?
The smartest, best place to start is to find an experienced trainer who can help you figure out what you're physically capable of doing, encourage you to go beyond your limits, and assist you with accountability. And don't leave out the fun part. If you already know what you like to do, at least go and enjoy it as often as you can.
Let's take it a step further
Every woman, and every person for that matter, is unique with a unique history, unique life stressors, diet, body type, temperament, and genetic tendencies.
A roomful of women can have the same breast diagnosis, and although there may be some commonalities, the story behind how the disease process developed will be different for each woman and therefore each woman will need to be cared for differently. It make sense to improve upon the WCRF's estimated percentages of breast cancer prevention with a tailored program for every woman.
Every woman, and every person for that matter, is unique with a unique history, unique life stressors, diet, body type, temperament, and genetic tendencies.
A roomful of women can have the same breast diagnosis, and although there may be some commonalities, the story behind how the disease process developed will be different for each woman and therefore each woman will need to be cared for differently. It make sense to improve upon the WCRF's estimated percentages of breast cancer prevention with a tailored program for every woman.
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The 6 Facets of Breast Health
Take a look at the 6 Facets of Breast Health illustrated here. The 6 Facets are made of organs and organ systems that affect and underlie breast health. But as far as standard, insurance-based annual checkups are concerned, the only facet ever addressed is the Breast Tissue, and that's been to see whether we have an established disease yet.
Meanwhile, our breasts are intimately connected with our hormone and reproductive systems. They are indirectly affected by our chronic immune system challenges, our diets, and our digestive capabilities. They are poisoned by our toxic load and, as with our whole bodies, nourished or devastated by self-perception and relationships with others (love and stress). |
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Out of the 6 Facets, it's likely that you have one or two priority facets, ones where you have the most symptoms. However, resolving the symptoms in one facet often entails addressing the underlying, causal issues within another. For example, seasonal allergies are the resulting symptoms of impaired digestion capabilities. So although allergy symptoms belong in the Immune System facet, your physician should be diligently addressing your Nutrition & Digestion facet too.
In a nutshell, prolonged, chronic allergies exhaust your immune system and adrenal glands, thus congesting your lymphatic system and unbalancing the delicate interplay of your hormone glands. Both results can slowly undermine your breast health.
In a nutshell, prolonged, chronic allergies exhaust your immune system and adrenal glands, thus congesting your lymphatic system and unbalancing the delicate interplay of your hormone glands. Both results can slowly undermine your breast health.
Even if you are feeling great, there is always room for improvement in one or more facets, especially as the seasons change. For instance, in the springtime after the winter months, it's wise to clear your detoxification pathways with a liver, lymph, and kidney cleanse. And in the fall, it's beneficial to cleanse and boost the immune system to prepare for the winter months.
Find professional guidance
Too overwhelming? Do yourself a favor and find an experienced naturopathic physician or holistic doctor to help you. With professional guidance in addressing the facets through various diagnostics and employing natural therapies appropriate for you, you will be feeling better than ever and offsetting breast issues as well.
Be proactive in this way and you will learn the underlying causes of your health complaints and how to overcome them. Plus, if you do have to make any tough decisions regarding a diagnosis, you will be more likely to make them from a place of understanding and options rather than pressure and fear.
With a holistic, 6-faceted perspective, your breast health will make sense to you, and you will see that your health complaints are not only intertwined, but can be unraveled and resolved with perseverance.
As a final note, plan to maintain a long-term, close relationship with your naturopathic physician. In reality, it can take time to resolve the underlying causes of anyone’s chronic health complaints, even those that are seemingly inconsequential, like occasional UTIs or seasonal allergies.
And from there, you will find your own lifestyle of breast health, one that you will come to love, one that brings you full circle into feeling alive and empowers you to live as the wonder that you truly are.
As a final note, plan to maintain a long-term, close relationship with your naturopathic physician. In reality, it can take time to resolve the underlying causes of anyone’s chronic health complaints, even those that are seemingly inconsequential, like occasional UTIs or seasonal allergies.
And from there, you will find your own lifestyle of breast health, one that you will come to love, one that brings you full circle into feeling alive and empowers you to live as the wonder that you truly are.
(1) World Cancer Research Fund / American Institute for Cancer Research. Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective. Washington DC: AICR, 2007
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