Adorning your social-media and streets with the pink-ribbon, the little reminder to go for a mammogram, get detected early is the message spread by the Breast Cancer Awareness program every year on October 21. But little do people know the extent to which an annual mammogram can in fact increase breast-cancer risk. So, here is the real need-to-know that the pink-ribbons don’t tell you and what you can do about it.
Besides the single-minded pursuit of getting a mammogram as part of Breast Cancer Awareness campaign, there is still very less out there about the details of why to go for it, carcinogens, family dispositions to breast cancer, and the like.1
Understanding What Carcinogenic Is
You’ll surely find less of the word carcinogenic (cancer-causing) in pink-ribbon pamphlets and more about it in real-cases where they can cause cancer, on the news or in grounded medical advisories. So, really understand the term, ‘carcinogenic’, which can be found in chemicals in processed food through preservatives, especially fructose and even food-coloring. Some processing techniques such as charring meats on charcoal or flames are known to stimulate the meat to produce carcinogenic stimulants. Likewise, for some baked, roasted, fried foods out there, a chemical called acrylamide is used, which is a carcinogen used for those lovely but deadly croissants or meat-pies. Carcinogens can also be found in everyday stuff such as pesticides, asbestos, a fireproofing material, lining of walls in some houses etc. This includes those electric blankets or stuff that depends on electromagnetic fields, as they can heighten the risk for cancer. Say no to products with, BPA, phthalates or even xenoestrogens, which are proven direct links to causing cancer.
Pink-Promoted Harmers
Breast-Cancer can seem like an industry, more than an awareness platform when some sponsors for the pink-ribbon are themselves using carcinogens in their products. The manufacturing umbrella, AstraZeneca and Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), were some of the world’s largest (carcinogenic) chemical producers, especially known for using chemical vinyl chloride, which can induce carcinogens to the mammary tissues. Irony was that these companies had signed a million dollar deal for the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in 1993. These companies even had the audacity to brush off the allegation of using carcinogenic chemicals by saying any victims were already predisposed to cancer or did not have a diet or lifestyle that defended them from possible malignancies.
Over-Mammograming
Did you know that the ionizing radiation that occurs in a mammogram is a cancer risk? That’s because when it is used to check for possible malignant tumors, if you do have one, the very compression method of the check is enough to possibly make the cancer from that tumor spread further. Likewise, if your family has a history of breast-cancer or you have possible genetic markers for it, this exposure could further enhance your cancer risk. Yet, it is constantly promoted as a mechanism for preventive checks, with this little fact not being mentioned when looking at those pink-ribbon marketed information leaflets. Moreover, a Swedish study has said that 6 out of 400 women got false positives resulting in severe emotional stress and more so weakening their immune systems only to later find out they were actually cancer-free. Likewise, those who received false negatives, continued to live-on and later found out they had cancer when it was already a stage too late. And no, not even the computer-aided detection (CAD) for mammography, which costs women in US close to $400 million each year, can do anything to improve accuracy of detection or has shown any impact in reducing the number of women with breast-cancer per year.
Early-Detection Is Not Prevention
The pink-campaigns often coin the words prevention, but in what way does a mammogram actually enable you to prevent a cancer that you could invariably already have? Before buying into the marketing lingo to go for some radiation-absorbing checks, take a look at your family history and see how likely you may have breast-cancer in your genes.
Other Ways To Check Your Bosom
To an extent, there is a question as to whether mammograms are the right or only way to detect cancer. In some ways, self-checks for lumps or pain or anything off about your breasts can help you know if there is something to be concerned about. Next you can even check those lumps for color variances and the like, without radiation or invasive checks. Likewise, if you do have a tumor, some new tools are available such as genetic tests for oncotype DX, to assess how well you may respond to chemotherapy before going for it.
What To Do For Your Bosom
Do not underestimate the power of an organic and balanced vitamin-rich diet as nutrition and good lifestyle choices DO make a huge difference. Studies have shown eating about three to six hours before you sleep show a lower number of electrons released by your cells’ mitochondria, enabling less oxidization and production of free radicals. These free radicals are usually responsible for damaging mitochondria and turning them into cancer cells. Increase your Vitamin D intake as each cell in your body thrives on it as a cancer shield, also helping with the function of apoptosis i.e. cell death in case the cell is harmful to the body. Reduce your sugar and protein intake as it enables cancer-growth; make it half or one gram of protein per kilogram of your body weight per day. This includes unfermented soya consumables because the plant-sourced estrogen or isoflavones, is shown to grow breast cell maturation, leading them to mutate into cancer cells. Add some raw veggies and especially greens to your diet, it could be a spinach juice in the morning with a dash of circumin, found only in turmeric, both of which are known to fight cancer-causing processes and stimulants in the body. Consume the right amount of iodine such as iodized-salt and animal-sourced omega-3 fats, found in fish oil, to your diet, as their deficiency is also said to cause cancer. Do some exercise regularly to lower your cancer risk by balancing the body-fat and hormonal levels in the body especially estrogen.
What Not To Do For Your Bosom
Consumption of estrogen-producing foods, and even undergoing hormone replacement therapy, regularly taking birth control-pills or contraceptives, makes your body dependent on artificial chemicals to control your hormones and greatly increase the risk for breast and cervical cancer. If you must, try bioidentical hormone replacement therapy instead, this actually uses organic molecules like the ones in your body instead.
Here was the bosomic guide on what to remember on pink-ribbon day, and do check if they do mention these little facts or not.
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