Breast cancer is an illness that touches the lives of almost everyone.  Since 1 in 8 Canadian women will be diagnosed at some point in their lives, you will most certainly know someone affected.  There are many variables that go into its progression, and with the attention given to this disease the number of survivors are continually increasing (Yay!).

In recognition of the space for preventative health care, today I'd like to share some basic tips for supporting the health of breasts not just in the area of cancer, but also changes that occur like cyst formation and development of fibrous tissue.

When it comes to our health, it is the daily steps we take towards healthy living that that keep us in a state of wellness.  Small, repeated action is the way to go.

Tips to Support Breast Health

1. Ground Flax Seeds
   - Eating 2 tbsp per day helps to bind extra estrogens and allow them to leave the body through the bowels.  It's common for estrogens to be recirculated if they don't have a route out of the body.  Mix them into apple sauce, yogurt, smoothies, oatmeal, or protein balls.
   
   
2. Vitamin D
   - The sunshine vitamin is an immunomodulator, which means it impacts a healthy immune system allowing it to do proper surveillance for rogue cells in the body.  Many women with breast changes have low vitamin D levels, so have your numbers checked and treat accordingly.
   
   
3. Limit Plastics
   - Plastic components, called xenoestrogens, mimic estrogen in the body and bind to receptor sites.  Going with BPA-free plastics isn't always helpful as it has been found that other replacement chemicals have similar effects in the body.  Instead, choose glass food storage containers, watch canned foods and beverages (there is a plastic lining in the can), bring your own refillable water bottle, and avoid touching payment receipts when you can.
   
   
4. Use Less Toxic Cleaning Products
   - Being relatively fatty tissue, the breasts are a site susceptible to toxin accumulation (we hide toxins in fats).  Exposure to cleaning products through breathing, and through the skin can happen on a regular basis.  I suggest using vinegar or essential oils for cleaning when possible, but you should still wear gloves.
   
   
5. Choose 'Clean' Body Care Products
   - Hair dye, moisturizers, lotions, makeup, shampoo and other body products are a huge source of hormone disrupting and possibly carcinogenic compounds: like parabens, phthalates, and heavy metals.  You don't need to toss everything out immediately (unless you want to), but as you run out of each item, look for healthier replacements.  Eventually you will have a cleaner lineup of items in your bathroom.
   
   
6. Avoid the Dirty Dozen, Shop in Season
   - Our foods are another opportunity for limiting chemical exposures.  Of most significance is minimizing foods listed in the "Dirty Dozen" (www.ewg.org).  Instead, you may choose to consume organic varieties of these foods or you can focus on eating them when in season (eg. strawberries in June). 
   
   
7. Sleep
   - Apart from rest, sleep is also a crucial time for our body to conduct repairs.  Without adequate time to take out the trash, issues can sneak past our surveillance systems and lead to cellular changes that can no longer be controlled.  Each person is different, but aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep per night is generally the right amount.  
   
   
8. Move
   - There are a lot of reasons to be active but when it comes to the breasts, movement encourages the circulation of lymphatic fluid.  Lymph is what houses our immune system, so moving it around provides more opportunity for our immune cells to find and discard of things that could do us harm.  Movement also helps to lower stress levels, another prevalent cause of illness.

Bonus tip: Healthy breast tissue requires iodine (found in salt and seaweed) and can also respond to lowering caffeine intake.  If you have fibrous or dense tissue, or very painful breasts with PMS, you may want to consider these dietary changes.

There are many more individualized approaches to take depending on your specific health needs and where you are at right now, but I want you to be aware of the things you can do every day that help to make a difference in your body.

Yours in health,
Dr. Christa
 
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"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity."
~ Amelia Earhart

In our families we might see trends of weakened systems: an aunt with breast cancer, a grandfather who had a heart attack, or a sister with rheumatoid arthritis.  It's true that patterns of predispositions show up within blood lines, however it's not always clear to understand whether it is a subject of DNA inheritance, or one of patterned lifestyle choices.  I believe it's a combination of both, and truly new research is showing an interaction of the two - since lifestyle can turn genes on or off and genes can drive our behaviours.  Crazy!  The field of epigenetics, simply put, the study of how our lifestyle impacts our DNA, is blowing up right now and I'm excited to learn as we scratch the surface on this new understanding of health.

One of the main reasons I was attracted to being a Naturopathic Doctor was the deep belief that many chronic health issues could be prevented (eg. type 2 diabetes and hypertension).  The reality is that I don't always get the opportunity to work on preventative health care because most people I see have a current health issue to address.  

Absolutely and for sure we need to work on what's affecting your day to day life.  Sometimes it takes time to heal, and other times there are faster solutions.  Once you are on the path to wellness over illness, and it can be a bumpy road with lots of detours, well, then what?

Maintenance plans are designed to keep you well.  They are personalized to your needs and genetic considerations.  It's also my goal to have you on as few treatments (supplements, herbs) as possible, so it's important to review them twice per year as your needs change.

Chronic diseases take years to manifest, and the best time to address them (if we can) is to catch changes before they progress.  I completely understand that there are times we fall off the wagon and need help getting back on track.

Some of the ways we can optimize your body's function, and look at preventing common chronic illnesses are:

• Check Vitamin D levels
  - Vitamin D is important for mood, immune function, bone health, and cancer prevention.  It costs about $50 to check it, and since there are so many people low in Vitamin D, it's worthwhile to know where you stand.
  
  
• Monitor specific markers & indicators
  - for heart disease:  C-reactive protein and fibrinogen tests tell us about inflammation in the blood, also keeping blood pressure below 120/80, measure waist to hip ratio (men ideally less than 100cm waist and women 80cm)
  - for diabetes:  check fasting insulin (not often done traditionally) to know if your body is having issues regulating blood sugar, also check HbA1c your 3 month average blood sugar reading
  - for bones:  pH readings (read more here) tell us whether or not your body will be needing to borrow minerals from your bones, Vitamin D testing as well

Would you like to stay well?  What are your ultimate reasons for being healthy in the long run?  Jot down your main motivators for living in wellness and bring them to your next appointment, I'd love to help design a plan to keep you on track.

Warmly,
Dr. Christa