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Breast Cancer Updated 03/25/09The medical community seems to feel that if a woman lives long enough, she will have breast cancer. Breast cancer is the second leading single cause of death in American women; it takes such a high toll each year we would be remiss if we didn't cover it separately in this web site. Dr Schulze told us of a 1994 poll in which one thousand women were asked if they were happy with the size and shape of their breasts. Not a one answered "Yes." Our internal dialog affects our immune system. The reason the average woman does not look like the average model gracing the covers of the average glamour magazines is that the average woman is not seventeen. Accepting our bodies and not falling for the Hollywood images of beauty is the first step to preventing cancer. Carcinogens accumulate in fatty tissues. Breasts are made up of, mostly, fatty tissues. The average woman comes into contact with innumerable carcinogens and toxins daily, from the soaps she washes with to the makeup she uses, not to mention pesticide residues, smoke and exhaust fumes, solvents, and cleaning compounds. Dr David G Williams in his news letter Alternatives [April, 1994; 5: 10] pointed out that, "from tests performed at breast screening clinics, that carcinogenic agents are often found in both the breast tissue and the fluids extracted from the nipple." He goes on to add that "high levels of DDT, PCBs, dioxins, and heavy metal[s]" have been found in breast milk. The good news, he states, is there is a simple procedure he discovered at the International Symposium on Prevention and Detection of Cancer, in a presentation by Dr Timothy Murrel of the University of Adelaide. Dr Murrel suggested a very simple technique that might prevent cancer: nipple stimulation. Dr Williams reports that during nipple stimulation, oxytocin is produced, which stimulates the sac-like glands and small muscles in the breast to contract and help clear the breast of carcinogens. Dr Williams recommends that any woman over the age of 18 should examine her breasts at least monthly, and two or three times a week, she should gently stimulate the circulation to her nipples, three minutes per nipple. TopAdditionally, stimulating the lymph glands (tapping them lightly for one minute) is something that is part of a daily routine for over one million Chinese. Raise your arm, and, using the base of the thumb on the opposite arm (hand), "whap" your armpit repeatedly. Do not do it so hard as to cause any discomfort, just a slight tap is all you need. [See Qigong Self Massage] TopNext is a breast massage from China, used for prevention and for existing tumors (see below). Once youve done the nipple massage, this massage follows. Rub your breasts in ever increasing circles and finish each stroke rubbing toward the armpit (lymph glands). Do this a minimum of three times a week, a minimum of three minutes per breast. TopOne more element of Dr Williams' research we should mention: breast cancer rates are higher in colder regions than in the warmer ones. He feels that looser clothing and the extra vitamin D from sun exposure could be responsible for this difference. This is something to consider in your plan to prevent breast cancer. TopAmericans are suckers for hormonal therapies, yet these therapies are a two edged sword and can be one of the greatest associated causes of breast cancer here in America. The Physicians Desk Reference (PDR) points out that an increase in estrogen causes a dramatic increase in breast cancers, yet estrogen is still prescribed as if it were absolutely harmless. If you suffer from PMS or are experiencing hormonal imbalances following menopause, you should know there are alternatives to the estrogen therapies (most estrogen comes from horse urine). TopDong Qui is used by over one billion women in China. It increases circulation, and it is through your circulatory system that messages concerning your hormonal needs are transmitted. Other herbs to help balance hormonal imbalances in a woman's cycle are the wild yam and discorea villosa. Discorea is a DHEA precursor (it promotes the production DHEA), and according to Dr Harlan Mittag in "The Health Benefits of Specially Prepared Aloe Vera & Discorea:" Top
For PMS, menopause, or any menstrual hormonal problems, you can get Dr Schulze's formula from the American Botanical Pharmacy at (800) 437-2362. As always, check with your health care practitioner, for s/he might have even better ideas for your specific needs. And don't let anyone tell you that there are no alternatives to estrogen therapies. TopIodine Most Americans are deficient in Iodine. Doctors in both Canada and the US have been curing breast cancer with Iodine. We've reprinted an article written by the wonderful people at Breast Cancer Choices (a site we HIGHLY recommend for anyone reading this page) in our Alternative Cancer Therapies section. You can find it here: Iodine. With all cancers, and especially those the medical community is convinced we'll all get some day, prevention is the best medicine. Here are a few facts we've uncovered: Diet, The Key to Prevention! Reduce your dietary fat intake to no more than 20% of total calories. The optimum goal is 10%. Base your diet on rice, potatoes, corn, beans, whole grains and pasta. Eat lots of fresh organic vegetables and fruit. Stress the cancer-fighting foods - the protease inhibitors: fermented soy products (see warning below), chick-peas, lentils, limas, and red, black and white beans; the cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower; and the beta-carotenes including carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, and squash. Eat plenty of fiber - that's whole foods. Avoid all dairy products and minimize or avoid animal protein. Avoid all hydrogenated oils: use only olive oils and fish oils, from natural sources. Add a tablespoon of raw flax oil to your diet daily. The Budwig Recipe is a must in preventing breast cancer. Every time you put any other oil (other than what is recommended here) into your body, you are asking for trouble: they wreck havoc on your hormonal system, and induce cancer causing hormones and prostaglandins (hormone-like chemicals) that cause cancer. For more information, read Johanna Budwig Revisited (and be sure to check out the Omegasentials.) For cancer prevention and battling an existing cancer, fermented soy products have been recently touted for many reasons. Top Here's something you won't see often: an article within an article: (keep in mind that we recommend ONLY fermented soy products and be sure to see the warning below) Soy Protein May Protect Against Breast CancerReprinted from the November 1994 issue of Medical Sciences Bulletin , published by Pharmaceutical Information Associates, Ltd.Breast cancer, the second most common form of cancer in the West, occurs significantly less often in Asia and the Third World. Among women 60 to 65 years old, the rates of breast cancer are 199.4 per 100,000 in England and Wales, but only 52.3 per 100,000 in Japan. Epidemiologically, susceptibility to breast cancer is probably the result of environmental factors rather than genetic factors, with diet playing a major role. There are many vegetable sources of dietary estrogen, and several plants contain high levels of isoflavones (nonsteroidal estrogen), which have partial estrogen agonist-antagonist effects. Animal studies have shown dose-dependent reductions in chemically induced mammary tumor growth. All soy-derived foods contain isoflavones, which the Japanese consume at the rate of 150 to 200 mg/day. The most common forms of soy protein are beans, miso (a fermented soy product), tofu, and soy milk. Six healthy women between the ages of 21 and 29 years were recently studied for nine months, during which time they were fed a control diet and then a diet containing 60 g textured soy protein a day, designed to deliver 45 mg isoflavones; a 1- to 4-month washout period intervened. Every 3 days, fasting blood samples and 24-hour urine samples were analyzed. Fecal samples were collected to determine gastrointestinal transit time. Body weight did not significantly change during the study. Soy protein delayed menstruation by 1-5 days for five of the six subjects and increased the length of the follicular phase by a mean of 2.5 days. There was no change in the length of the luteal phase. Urinary isoflavone excretion increased 1000-fold for all subjects and accounted for 1.8% to 12.9% of total intake. Two subjects excreted high amounts of equol -- a specific metabolite of the soy isoflavones daidzein and genistein -- and one excreted significantly lower amounts. The two subjects with the highest levels of urinary equol excretion had the greatest increase in follicular phase length. Soy protein suppressed midcycle luteinizing hormone peaks to one third the value with the control diet and follicle-stimulating hormone peaks to about half the control value. Maximum plasma progesterone concentration occurred later for all subjects while on the soy diet. Sex hormone- binding globulin concentration was not affected. Estradiol concentrations were significantly higher during the follicular phase but not at midcycle or during the luteal phase. Plasma cholesterol declined significantly by 9.6%. Soy protein had no effect on gut transit time. Daily ingestion of soy protein produces significant biological changes in women. Since the mitotic rate for breast tissue is four times as great during the luteal phase as during the follicular phase, a significant lengthening of the menstrual cycle, especially the follicular phase, may protect against breast cancer. (It should be noted that Asian women have longer menstrual cycles than western women.) Examination of a dose-response effect was not possible in this study. Dietary soy protein may, in the future, provide an alternative approach to breast cancer prevention. (Cassidy A et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994; 60: 333-40.) Top A Note On Soy: Warning!The Gerson Institute, probably the one center with the most experience in nutritional programs for cancer, has determined that soy products should not be used by persons with estrogen receptive cancer. In their experience, the cancer comes back. Plain and simple. Check with your health care provider. Additionally, there are so many recent findings on the trouble with soy products (not fermented soy) that we will send you to Dr Mercola's site for a gander at them. Dr Mercola's Soy Index Top Detoxing Your BreastsSince environmental toxins (PCBs, DDT, and DDE) in the fat cells of the breasts seem to be the culprit behind triggering breast cancers, you will want to rid yourself of them and here are a few suggestions we've found from many professionals in the Minnesota wellness community:
Though it would be best to follow this regimen for the rest of your life, following this formula for three weeks to a month each year is recommended. Top For Existing Tumors Edgar Cayce recommended a castor oil packs for existing tumors. Soak wool or cotton flannel in castor oil, and wrap it around the affected area. Cover with an oil cloth (to prevent the oil from getting on everything else in the house), lie back and put a heating pad over the area. Do this for three hours, three times a week. (See the article "Alternative Cancer Therapies" for more on castor oil packs.) Additionally, always cover the liver. A castor oil pack over the liver is wonderful for the liver and the immune system. Personally, I do a liver pack every six months.The breast massage recommended above for prevention can also be used to break up existing tumors. Remember, when you are breaking up things, your immune system must be kept in tip top shape to clean up the necrotic tissues. This method of massage should not be used if you are not under the care of a trained health professional because many feel that you can spread the cancer if you have not prepared your body for it. However, we will give you, for information sake only, the instructions of how to do this self-administered massage, though if done by a partner, it is even betterwhich you'll see the first time your try it for it is awkward. Before attempting this, make sure your colon is clean, your liver is healthy, and you are detoxifying and taking antioxidants to handle the garbage your tumors can give off as you practice this massage: You will make increasingly larger circles about both breasts and then drain everything to your armpits. For prevention (above) it was recommended to do this massage for a minimum of three minutes per breast, three times a week. However, for existing tumors, some texts say to do this 300 times a day, some just 100. What ever you do, start out slowly, and use an oil if you want to make it to the hundreds. Top Coenzyme Q10Three case reports published last year noted the complete regression of tumors in three cases of breast cancer and the disappearance of metastases in the liver after treatment with 390 mg of Coenzyme Q10 daily. The minimum effective oral dose of Coenzyme Q10 in breast cancer appears to be in the range of 90 mg to 390 mg daily. Oral dosage relates to the sufficient elevation of blood levels. [ Lockwood, K., Moesgaard, S. and Folkers, K. (1994) Partial and Complete Regression of Breast Cancer in Patients in Relation to Dosage of Coenzyme Q10. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 199:3, 1504-1508.]Two additional case reports published in 1994 also recorded the complete disappearance of breast tumors in two patients after treatment with Coenzyme Q10. In these patients the complete regression was interpreted to have occurred as a result of the therapy. [ Lockwood, K., Moesgaard, S., Yamamoto, T., and Folkers, K. (1995) Progress on Therapy of Breast Cancer with Vitamin Q10 and the Regression of Metastases. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 212:1, 172-177.] TopAs far as chemotherapy goes, Tamoxifen is touted to be the least toxic on the market. It suppresses estrogen which, in too great an amount, has been shown to be responsible for estrogen receptive breast cancer. However, modern medicine wants you to believe that Tamoxifen is the only solution to this problem, and they refuse to recommend a natural approach to controlling estrogen production; in other words, treat the symptom and not the problem. Well, let's re-evaluate Tamoxifen: Tamoxifen (claimed to reduce the risk of breast cancer in high risk women by 49%) has a list of side-effects almost as hazardous as estrogen. It is toxic to your liver, which is a primary organ involved in battling cancer. It has been linked to endometrial and uterine cancer, is toxic to the eyes, and can cause blood clots. The Sep 2000 issue of The Lancet stated that after extensive research, women who used tamoxifen for 2 - 5 years faced double the risk of endometrial cancer. Their risk jumped to seven times that of a normal person after 5 years of use. (The Lancet, Sept. 9, 2000; 356:881-888, 868-869) In Epidemiologic Reviews, Vol.15, No. 1: Tamoxifen triples the rate of uterine malignancy (including serous carcinoma, mixed muellerian tumors, and clear cell carcinoma, as well as precancerous polyps. The resultant blood clots cause a range of problems from minor strokes to death. And the conclusion to the study? An overall negative impact causing 31 to 57 more negative outcomes than it would prevent. Additionally the increased risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism has had people turning to Raloxifene as a suitable alternative. Conclusion: use of this drug increases a woman's chance of uterine cancer, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, uterine polyps, and ovarian cysts. Any vaginal bleeding, changes in menstrual periods, or vaginal discharges, pelvic pain or pressure should be reported immediately to your physician. Side effects include (but are not limited to) hot flashes, nausea, vomiting, bone pain, diarrhea, menstrual irregularities, skin rash, tumor pain, vaginal bleeding, vaginal discharge, blood clots, depression, distaste for food, dizziness, hair thinning or partial lost, headache, light-headedness, liver disorders, swelling of the arms or legs, vaginal itching or dryness, and visual problems. Top Raloxifene is a drug that has been approved to prevent osteoporosis, which has recently been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer by 66%, and a study published in 1999 in JAMA showed that it reduced the risk of cancer by 76%. Currently underway are studies to see whether Raloxifene has fewer side effects Than Tamoxifen. Raloxifene has been studied for some time now, and hopefully we'll have those results soon. (10/28/04) This (somewhat) new drug, made by Genentech Inc. was released in 1998. It is a unique drug that uses antibodies to disrupt the growth of a common type of breast tumor. It is aimed at the 25-30 percent of women with breast cancer that overexpresses the gene HER2/neu. That gene seems to play role in promoting tumor growth. By blocking its action, Herceptin seems to keep tumors from advancing. In those trials, 14 percent women taking Herceptin alone had some tumor shrinkage, with remission lasting an average 9.1 months.The drug was more effective when taken with other chemotherapies. Forty-four percent of women taking combinations had tumor shrinkage, and those taking Herceptin with Taxol lived longer and had longer remissions. Our original information on Herceptin showed no side effects. Wow, was that wrong! From Oncology World (http://www.oncologychannel.com/chemotherapy/medsideeffects.shtml) we found the following:
It seems the one thing that stands out as far as negative side effects is cardiovascular illness. Herceptin give you a 50% chance of fatal heart damage. If taken with Adriamycin, your chances of heart damage are even greater. After reviewing clinical studies on survival rates, it seems that this drug isn't as promising as we once thought. Top Xeloda TabletsReleased in 1999, this is an oral form of chemotherapy related to 5-FU, a very toxic chemotherapy agent. However, the drug itself is not toxic to healthy tissues. Here's how it works. The drug Capecitabine, not toxic to cancer cells, is converted to 5-FU by the enzyme thymidine phosphorylase. Many tissues in the body contain thymidine phosphorylase, however, cancer cells express an abundance of thymidine phosphorylase. Thus, the drug acts as a smartbomb, releasing its cytoxic (cancer killing) chemical at the cancer site. There are some side effects, though patients have reported fewer side effects than 5-FU. The drug is aimed at breast cancer patients whose metastases have not responded to the conventional chemotherapy drugs. Additionally, clinical studies are showing good responses for colon and liver cancer. Liver cancer survival, till now, has not been very good. Interestingly enough, with the release of this new drug, the medical community has been forced to admit to the collateral damage done by most chemotherapies, since this drug strategy was developed to attack only cancer cells with as little damage as possible to neighboring tissues. We've just learned from some patients on Xeloda Tablets that its effect begins to wear off (stops working) between 11 and 18 months. Femara (Letrozole) This is not a new drug, but rather a new cancer therapy for advanced breast cancers that are classified as Estrogen Receptor-Positive. This drug helps deprive the tumor of estrogen. The drug is already in use, but testing for it's efficacy against cancer has just begun. Still, since it has already received FDA approval, your doctor could recommend it, even though it is still in testing. Side effects include (but are not limited to): blood clots, shortness of breath, chest pain, nervousness, cough, dizziness or light lightheadedness; fainting; fast heartbeat; heart attack; increased sweating; nausea; pain in chest, groin, or legs, especially the calves; severe, sudden headache; slurred speech; severe and sudden, unexplained shortness of breath; sudden loss of coordination; sudden, severe weakness or numbness in arm or leg; vision changes; bone fracture; breast pain; chills, fever, or flu-like symptoms; mental depression; swelling of feet or lower legs; vaginal bleeding; back pain; bone pain; hot flashes (sudden sweating and feeling of warmth); joint pain; muscle pain; anxiety; confusion; constipation; diarrhea; dry mouth; headache; increased thirst and urination; loss of appetite or weight loss; metallic taste; skin rash or itching; Here's One Your Doctor Won't Tell You:Get pregnant. The number of women with non estrogen receptive cancers who go into sudden remission after getting pregnant is statistically greater than remission from chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation combined. We interviewed an oncologist who was once an obstetrician (and who wants to remain anonymous) who told me a little known theory of cancer that I can pass on to you. (Six months after learning of this theory, I read it again in a pamphlet by Sam Biser called Curing Cancer with Nutrition: The use of diet and enzyme therapy to cure Cancer. You can call Sam's organization at (904) 973-0262 for a copy.) The theory goes like this: cancer cells and trophoblasts are biologically identical. In fact, some physicians feel that many cancers could be caused by trophoblasts sitting around waiting for an hormonal imbalance to send them replicating. Trophoblasts are the sex cells, the cells in a woman's uterus that turn into the placenta. Sex cells that don't migrate to the sex organs, it is theorized, could become cancer cells if triggered by hormones. However, the trophoblasts in a woman's uterus, when triggered by the excess hormones a pregnant woman produces, begin growing at a fantastic rate and would continue growing if it were not for the pancreas that produces enzymes to stop the growth. Now get this: it is the fetus' pancreas that produces the enzymes to stop the placenta's growth. As fantastic and confusing as all this sounds, the heart of the matter is this: hormonal excesses can cause cancer, and pancreatic enzymes can stop cancer's growth. Finally, there is one cause of cancer that we must highlight: stress. Stress is the number one killer in America. Women today, because they can be found in every area of business held traditionally by men, are suffering the same stresses suffered by men. But men don't get breast cancer; they get stomach, colon, and prostate cancer. NCI studies show an increase in stomach ulcers in business women with a concurrent rise in breast cancers. Do not let your job kill you. Many women feel they have something to prove: that they are just as good as men. As a man, I'll let you in on something: you're better. You have nothing to prove, at least to me. You are the nurturing and loving aspect of all that is good in our society, and your breasts are a symbol of that nurturing. Keep them all your life, and find a life in which you may keep them. If your job is killing you, quit. If your partner is abusing you, get out. If your lifestyle is getting you down, get a new life. Find a good counselor and learn to live stress free. As A Course in Miracles says, "Teach only love, for that is what you are." Top References and Further Reading:* James Sparandeo has been investigating the relationship between dietary change and the improved prognosis of cancer patients for over a decade. He has developed an electronic data base of over 50,000 scientific studies to defend his assertions. Jim was originally educated as a chiropractor and is a graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic. He does not practice as a chiropractor, but dedicates his time to educating individuals in the scientific principles of life-style change and as a doctoral student with a dissertation based upon his accumulation of scientific facts. He at present is a consultant to several nutritionally oriented physicians. Balch, James, MD, and Phyllis Balch. Prescription for Nutritional Healing: A Practical A-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins. Garden City Park, NY: Avery Publishing Group, 1990. Frähm, Anne and David Frähm. Cancer Battle Plan: Six Strategies for Beating Cancer from a Recovered "Hopeless Case". Colorado Springs, CO: Piñion Press, 1992.
Newsletters: Environmental Nutrition. New York: Environmental Nutrition, Inc. (Call 800-829-5384 for subscription information.) The Last Chance Health Report. Charlottesville, VA: The University of Natural Healing, Inc. (Call 804-973-0262 for subscription information.) Top
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