| Breast cancer has become a major health issue | | | | in other words hormones in balance. |
| for women in North America. The rate of breast | | | | The Million Women Study of whom about half |
| cancer has increased by 1 per cent a year since | | | | used or had used HRT(synthetic hormones |
| 1940. | | | | consisting of estrogen with a synthetic progestin), |
| In our country, a woman dies of breast cancer | | | | indicated for the first time that the increased |
| every 12 minutes! It has become the most | | | | Breast Cancer risk started between one and two |
| common cancer-related cause of death in women. | | | | years of HRT use, dashing any suggestion that |
| World-wide about 1,670,000 women have breast | | | | increased cancer risk only developed after |
| cancer. Our risk of surviving malignant breast | | | | long-term use. But the risks grew larger the |
| cancer is just about the same as it was 50 years | | | | longer the HRT treatment continued. |
| ago, when the only treatment was mastectomy; | | | | What many women do not realize is that we |
| about one in three. The incidence of breast cancer | | | | don't just "GET" hormones as we approach |
| is steadily rising and the numbers are appalling. | | | | menopause. Women suffer from hormone |
| Between 1973-1998 the incidence of breast | | | | challenges in their teen years while women in their |
| cancer rose by over 40%. | | | | 70's and 80's can still be suffering hormonal |
| October is a month where women of all ages and | | | | challenges. Hormonal imbalance does not only |
| stages of life will join together and wear pink | | | | produce cancer in women but can manifest itself |
| ribbons to remind us of the seriousness of Breast | | | | with symptoms such as: PMS, Mood swings, |
| Cancer and to remember those, whose lives it | | | | PCOS, Endometriosis, weight gain, menstrual |
| has touched. We become advocates for more | | | | headaches, heavy bleeding or irregular cycles and |
| grass roots education like self-breast exams as | | | | infertility. |
| well as for more research to be done and a cure | | | | We may not be able to our genetic risk factors |
| for breast cancer be found. | | | | for Breast Cancer- that is true. However, a |
| However, if I had my wish every pink ribbon | | | | growing body of research is showing us that |
| would carry an additional message for women. | | | | women really can make a difference in their |
| That message would be that "YOU can improve | | | | breast health through becoming better informed |
| your breast health and reduce the risk of breast | | | | about how our body makes hormones, |
| cancer right now!" | | | | understanding about hormonal imbalance and then |
| We need to ask ourselves "What am I doing to | | | | learning some natural alternatives to deal with out |
| truly become aware about breast cancer and | | | | of balance hormones. |
| preventing it within my own body?" Wearing a | | | | Evaluating hormone levels using saliva testing is |
| pink ribbon is simply not enough. | | | | one way to know if our health challenges are |
| We are now learning that Breast cancer is likely a | | | | connected to hormone issues. A saliva test kit is |
| result of hormonal imbalances. Specifically they are | | | | inexpensive and can be used in the privacy of our |
| a result of excess estrogen or Estrogen | | | | own homes. What a small price to pay to have |
| Dominance. Estrogen dominance describes a | | | | the peace of mind knowing if your hormone levels |
| condition where a woman can have deficient, | | | | are in balance! Taking the test results to our |
| normal, or excessive estrogen but has little or no | | | | health care practitioner and asking them to work |
| progesterone to balance its effects in the body. | | | | with us toward hormone balance would be a |
| Even a woman with low estrogen levels can have | | | | natural "next step." |
| estrogen-dominance symptoms if she doesn't | | | | I feel that women need to have all the |
| have any progesterone | | | | information presented to them on the hormone |
| The Johns Hopkins University conducted a 20 | | | | issue so that they can make a well informed |
| year study, published in 1983 in the American | | | | choice as to which path they would like to travel |
| Journal of Epidemiology, showing that women who | | | | down in order to bring balance to their hormones. |
| had good progesterone levels had less than a fifth | | | | It is my goal that in October 2006 women across |
| of the amount of breast cancer. The outcomes | | | | this country will wear pink ribbons knowing that |
| suggested that having a normal level of | | | | there are things that they can do to improve |
| progesterone in balance with normal levels of | | | | their health and reduce their risk for breast |
| estrogens protected women from nine-tenths of | | | | cancer. Knowledge is power!! |
| all cancers that might otherwise have occurred..... | | | | |