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Below, you'll find extensive information on leading
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Breast Cancer, Prevention Is The Cure
By Pamela Cronan-Maddox, Fri Dec 9th
October has been Awareness month since 1985. Inthe coming days, pink ribbons will emerge in abundance,symbolizing the efforts of educational and fund raising eventsthat take place to find the "cure", and offering hope to thosealready diagnosed. These local and national events will generatemillions of dollars. As the "Race for the Cure" continues, howcan women incorporate preventative measures into their dailylives? Prevention is the hope that you will not be one of thegrowing numbers of women being diagnosed with eachyear. Women are repeatedly told that "early detection is the bestprotection". Early detection is vital if you have been diagnosedwith breast cancer, but this is not the same as prevention.While researching for this article, I realized that "earlydetection" is often confused with actual "prevention". Sue Macleod, a survivor and health careprofessional, observes that since the petro-chemical era of the1930's, the incidence of has risen from 1 in 50women to 1 in 8 by the year 2000. To date, research continues toexplore the links between and the environment. Thestudy, "State of the Evidence: What is the Connection BetweenChemicals and Breast Cancer?" presented by the Breast CancerFund and Action explores and summarizes theresearch about links between and the environment.The document points out that we can no longer ignore theincreasing evidence that repeated exposure to certain chemicalsare contributing to the rising incidence of eachyear. Chemicals such as parabans, pesticides, cleansers andpharmaceutical drugs act like estrogens in our bodies. This istroubling, because a woman's vulnerability to breast cancerincreases as her lifetime exposure to estrogen increases.
The mounting evidence linking synthetic chemicals to the risingrates of is empowering women to make healthychoices in their everyday lives. These choices are preventative. What can be done to prevent and minimize risk?*Choose 100% pure, synthetic chemical free cosmetics.Individuals can make healthy choices regarding the personalproducts they use daily. Many of these, including lotions,cosmetics, shampoos and conditioners, contain chemicals thathave been linked to breast cancer. According to industryestimates, on any given day, a woman may use as many as 25different cosmetic and personal care products containing morethan 200 different chemical compounds. Avoid rubbing these toxiccocktails
into your skin by choosing healthy, organic andnatural products. *Be a more informed consumer. Ask critical questions about "pinkribbon promotions" before you purchase a product. The cosmeticindustry has been criticized for raising money for breast cancerresearch by promoting products that may actually contribute tothe rising tide of breast cancer. See www.thinkbeforeyoupink.orgfor ways to demand safer products from cosmetic companies. *Include high dietary intake of carotenes: dark leafy greens andgreen and yellow produce. *Eat foods rich in Vitamin E and Selenium: sunflower seeds,freshly ground wheat, olive oil, flax oil, garlic, onions, andmushrooms. *Reduce consumption of animal foods that contain hormones, suchas milk, chicken, beef, and pork. *Increase consumption of organically grown foods. *Create sufficient consumption of Vitamin D: sunlight, 10minutes daily; sardines and tuna. *Discover what really moves you and keep moving: gardening,yoga, dance, walking, etc. *Reduce or eliminate the use of plastic containers for foodstorage. *Avoid unnecessary radiation; radiation is cumulative over alifetime. *Avoid using pesticides (weed killers, insecticides, etc) inyour yard or home. Join community action groups that support organizations that areinvesting in research that focus on cause and prevention.Support the "race for the cause". So when you see those pink ribbons emerge this month, considerthat they proclaim "Prevention is the Cure". Laura Weinberg,co-president of The Great Neck Coalition says itbest, "The old pink ribbon is hope for the future. This pinkribbon is saying there is something we can do today." Resources: Breast Cancer? Breast Health, Susan Weed State of Evidence, www.bcaction.org, www.breastcancerfund.org Pathways to Prevention, The Fund Stop Cancer.org Cancer risk: Could beauty products have an ugly side? SueHutchinson, San Jose Mercury News, September 20 2005. Use With Discretion, India Statesman, Women's Feature Service,September 4, 2005 ### Pamela Cronan-Maddox, herself an ovarian cancer Survivor, isthe visionary and president of The Alchemist's Apprentice, Inc.www.alchemistsapprentice.com., an online apothecary dedicated toproviding 100% pure, organic and healthy personal care products.
About the author:Pamela Cronan-Maddox, herself an ovarian cancer Survivor, is thevisionary and president of The Alchemist's Apprentice, Inc.www.alchemistsapprentice.com., an online apothecary dedicated toproviding 100% pure, organic and healthy personal care products.
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