October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Men and women can take preventative steps for avoiding breast cancer and staying healthy. Essentials within your control, include:
• aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week
• maintaining a positive mental attitude
• breathwork and deepening body-awareness (yoga is great)
• expressing your feelings to keep your energy flowing
• eating healthy foods and taking the “right” supplements
• avoiding toxicity.
Some things to avoid:
• Any medication containing acetaminophen. Products such as Tylenol, Sudafid, Bromo seltzer, vicodin, and many others drive down the glutathione levels in the body. Glutathione is an essential antioxidant and detoxifier.
• Aspartame (not to be confused with aspertate) has been proven to cause cancer in rats. It is a common ingredients in many no-sugar products such as yogurt, ice cream, desserts and carbonated beverages. Splenda is also harmful.
• Toxins. Use toxin-free, organic products. Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly with soapy water to remove chemical residues. Better yet, buy only organic products and non-GMO (non-genetically modified) foods. Read labels (Veggies and fruit will have an 9 to indicate organic and an 8 for non-GMO).
• Active computer screens should be at least 18 inches away from your body. You need to be at least 36 inches from your active television screens.
Breast Self Exams are the number one method for detecting changes in breast health. Finding any symptoms does not mean you have cancer. Early detection means your survival, and thriver rate, is very high. Very high! It also means you have a broad range of alternative and complementary treatment options. So learn the signs.
No one knows your body as well as you do. That’s why it’s essential to exam your breasts at the same time every month - so you can detect any changes that might occur. When you do the self-exam, you are reassuring yourself that your body is still in great condition.
There are numerous websites that now offer instruction in self-exams. One I prefer is the Komen Foundation, (www.komen.org/ ) which offers an interactive video you can watch on your home computer, while doing your exam.
Many women find it helpful to have a buddy to call each month to remind or be reminded to conduct the self-exam. It’s never to late to begin a good habit, so invite a Yoga buddy to be your breast health buddy now.
The signs to pay attention to include the following:
A lump, hard knot or thickening
Swelling, warmth
Redness or darkening
Change in size or shape
Dimpling or puckering of the skin
Rash
Itching or scaling, especially on the nipple
Pulling in of your nipple or other breast areas
Sudden discharge from the nipple
New pain in one spot
Some clients have reported one or more symptoms to their medical practitioners, and been told it’s “Nothing”. That may be true. Often the lumps and rashes are not a sign of cancer. But they could be. Rely on your inner wisdom. It if feels “not right”, then keep getting other opinions until you’re satisfied with the results. Thermography, Thermal imaging, a new form of breast cancer detection, is highly recommended as a non-invasive method which is available at some breast care centers in the US.
Dr. Talia Miller, sought after breast cancer & holistic wellness coach, author and seminar leader, is a long-term breast cancer thriver. Contact her at t@BreastCancerCoach.com, visit her website at http://www.BreastCancerCoach.com or call 530-271-0747 for a complimentary phone coaching session.
She is the founding director of the Breast Cancer Support Center, a 501c3 non-profit specializing in utilizing the body-mind-spirit connection for healing. The Center offers free educational seminars by phone, on prevention and avoiding recurrence. Email Director@BreastCancerSupportCenter.org to register for the free October 30th class or free Newsletter.
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