Professor Jane Plant has a PhD in geochemistry. When she got breast cancer for the fifth time, she decided, "I had no alternative but to die or to try to find a cure for myself. I am a scientist - surely there was a rational explanation for this cruel illness that affects one in 12 women in the UK?"

Her husband's return from a trip to China prompted her to examine why breast cancer rates were so low in China and she concluded that it was due to their lack of dairy product consumption. This lead her to completely eliminate all dairy products from her diet, which, along with other diet modifications and meditation led to her tumour completely disappearing. As she writes in her book, "Your Life Is In Your Hands":

"I now believe that the link between dairy produce and breast cancer is similar to the link between smoking and lung cancer. I believe that identifying the link between breast cancer and dairy produce, and then developing a diet specifically targeted at maintaining the health of my breast and hormone system, cured me."

If you read Professor Jane Plant's book "Your Life Is In Your Hands", it is immediately evident that she is a very sincere person and has been motivated by true concern to share her cure with others. Personally, I have no doubt that eliminating pasteurized dairy products was the key to her healing.

But there's the crux of this issue: You will note I said, "pasteurized" dairy products. Which indeed is what most of the western world consumes. It's a very important distinction to keep in mind that many doctors and scientists feel it is not RAW milk that causes these kinds of problems, but rather PASTEURIZED milk.

Breastmilk, whether from a cow or human, is a living food, packed full of immune system substances, enzymes to aid digestion, and good bacteria (if the cow is a healthy, pasture-fed - not barn-bound, grain-fed - animal). And once you heat breastmilk (whether from a cow, goat, or human), it is a denatured product that is very difficult to digest and many of the nutrients are unable to be absorbed.

Breastfeeding mothers who pump their milk for baby to have when they're not around, are told to never heat their breastmilk, but rather to put the bottle in a bowl of warm water to slowly raise the temperature. If you do happen to heat your breastmilk, you're told to throw it out and not give it to your baby. This is because heating breastmilk beyond body temperature kills the live enzymes, good bacteria, and denatures the proteins and other co-factors in the milk. It is then considered a toxic substance which could harm the baby.

So, if this is what happens to human breastmilk when it is heated, why should cow breastmilk be any different? It is not.

In addition, homogenization of cow's milk is another nasty process that alters fats and produces substances that many scientists feel harm the arteries and are the primary cause of heart disease.

So again, as with much of our food supply, you have profit-driven motives degrading the safety and nutrient value of our food. To have healthy raw milk, the cows need to roam free on adequate pasture, outside in the fresh air and sunshine. They need to eat fresh grass, not grain or continual hay, the fields need to be free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers and the cows need to be free of any growth hormones or antibiotics. As with humans, 'everything goes through to the breastmilk'.

Now which method of milk production (and distribution since pasteurized milk sits on the shelf much longer) do you think is cheaper for the dairy industry? Do they make more money if you drink pasteurized or raw milk? Follow the money and the truth will emerge.

One can't help but wish Professor Plant had gone further in her examination of cultural diets and health. Perhaps it would have led her to this very important distinction between raw and pasteurized dairy products. For example, take the Masai tribe of Kenya - very strong, tall, healthy people and their diet is mostly raw cow's milk and cow's blood.

Dr. Weston A. Price (a renowned dentist in the 1950's and author of "Nutrition And Physical Degeneration") studied a village in the Swiss Alps, whose primary food sources were rye bread, cheese, and fermented milk products. They were extremely healthy with a tooth cavitation rate of less than 1% and no major diseases. But again, all of their dairy products were from raw and often raw, fermented milk. Traditionally fermented foods add additional necessary enzymes and good bacteria to further aid digestion and whole-body health.

Store-bought yogurt - even if it's organic - is not properly fermented, and the strains of bacteria are not potent enough to derive much (if any) benefit from. Additionally, the milk is pasteurized, not raw.

Humans have been consuming fermented milk products (made from raw milk) for thousands of years. There are even tales of how warring armies - like Genghis Khan - took their probiotic starter cultures with them as they travelled to wage war since they recognized how important fermented raw milk was to the health and strength of their armies.

Indeed, if Professor Plant had looked just over the border towards Nepal, she would have discovered that the primary foods of the Nepalese (and Tibetan) diet are raw yak's milk and raw butter. And both these groups of people are renowned for their robust health and longevity.

So yes, throw out all your pasteurized dairy products and never eat/drink them again. In that regard, I am in complete agreement with Dr. Jane Plant and I'm sure they are a principle cause of breast cancer and many other diseases. But then don't ignore the healing benefits of raw dairy products - which are historically and across many cultures proven to be beneficial to the health of humans.

The best approach is to avoid as many risk factors as possible while increasing protective factors.

Doctors and scientists do not know why one person gets cancer and another one does not. Review the following "proven" risk factors that may increase the chance of getting breast cancer:

Estrogen: Being exposed to estrogen over a long time may increase the risk. This increased exposure occurs in the following ways:

1. Early menstruation: Beginning to have menstrual periods at age 11 or younger increases the number of years the breast tissue is exposed to estrogen.

2. Late menopause: The more years a woman menstruates, the longer her breast tissue is exposed to estrogen.

3. Late pregnancy or never being pregnant: Because estrogen levels are lower during pregnancy, the tissue is exposed to more estrogen in women who become pregnant for the first time after age 35 or who never become pregnant.

Other risk factors include:

1. Hormone replacement therapy/Hormone therapy: Therapies given to women who have had their ovaries removed or who have had a hysterectomy

2. Exposure to Radiation: Radiation to the chest for the treatment of cancers starting 10 years after treatment and lasting for a lifetime. The risk depends on the dose of radiation and the age at which it is given. The risk is highest if radiation treatment was used during puberty. Radiation therapy to treat cancer in one breast does not appear to increase the risk of developing cancer in the other breast.

3. Obesity: Increases the risk in post-menopausal women who have not used hormone replacement therapy.

4. Alcohol: Drinking alcohol increases the risk. Risk rises as the amount of alcohol consumed rises.

5. Inherited risk

Protective factors that may decrease the risk include:

1. Exercise: Exercising four or more hours a week may decrease hormone levels and help lower breast cancer risk. This effect is greatest in pre-menopausal women of normal or low weight.

2. The risk appears to be lower if a woman has her first full-term pregnancy before she is 20 years old.

3. Breast-feeding: Because estrogen levels are lower during breastfeeding, a woman may decrease her risk.

4. Ovarian ablation: Estrogen is reduced when one or both ovaries are removed and can decrease the risk.

5. Late menstruation: At age 14 or older decreases the chances of breast cancer.

6. Early menopause: The fewer years a woman menstruates, the shorter the time her breast tissue is exposed to estrogen.

7. Tamoxifen: Lowers the risk in women who are at high risk for the disease. The effect last for several years after drug treatment is stopped.

8. Raloxifene: Helps prevent breast cancer in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis.

9. Aromatase inhibitors: Lowers the risk of new breast cancers in post-menopausal women with a history of the disease.

10. Prophylactic mastectomy: Some women with high risk may choose to have both breasts removed when there are no signs of cancer. The risk of is lowered in these women. It is very important to have a cancer risk assessment and counseling about all options for possible prevention before making this decision.

11. Prophylactic oophorectomy: Women who have a high risk may choose to have a prophylactic oophorectomy (removal of both ovaries when there are no signs of disease) to decrease the amount of estrogen made by the body and lower the risk. It is very important to have a cancer risk assessment and counseling before making this decision.

12. Fenretinide: At type of vitamin A called retinoid that may lower the risk when given to pre-menopausal women who have a history of the disease.

The following have been proven NOT to be risk factors or their effects are not known:

1. Abortion

2. Oral Contraceptives

3. Progestin-only contraceptives that are injected or implanted

4. Environment: Studies have not proven that being exposed to certain substances in the environment such as chemicals, metals, dust and pollution) increases the risk.

5. It is not proven that a diet low in fat or high in fruits and vegetables will prevent breast cancer.

6. It has not been proven that either active cigarette smoking or passive smoking (inhaling secondhand smoke) increases the risk of developing the disease.

There are new studies going on continuously to find more ways to prevent breast cancer. These studies include:

• The effects of exercise

• The effects of quitting smoking or taking certain medicines, vitamins, minerals or food supplements

Here are some well known facts about breast cancer. It is highly likely that your doctor is only aware of a few of these facts.

* The causes of breast cancer and all cancers are well known and have been well known for decades.

* Breast cancer can appear at anytime from your mid 20s onwards.

* Breast cancer is now appearing in countries where once it was unheard of.The more developed the country, the more likely one will contract the disease.

* Nobody has ever died of primary breast cancer, it's metastasise cancer, cancer which has shifted, that kills.

* By the time breast cancer is detected, whether by self examination or mammography, it is well established.

* 90 percent of breast cancers are found by the women themselves.

* Mammograms have 20 to 30 percent of false positives and false negatives.

* There is no safe level of radiation as is used in mammograms, the effects are cumulative.

* A safer and better way to detect cancer growths in the breasts are with thermography. It uses no radiation, only a heat detecting camera.

* Our mainstream medical system doesn't have a cure for breast cancer, only treatments.

* Breast cancer awareness month in October has done nothing to bring the cancer rate down, facts that we are all aware of. It has also been called breast cancer recruitment month.

* Breast cancer is classed in stages, 1 to 4. (4 being the worst)

* Removing the cancerous lump in the breast only addresses the problem, not the cause of the problem. (That's why the cancer returns)

* Radical mastectomies do not address why you got breast cancer in the first place.

* Having a double mastectomy as a preventative measure may stop breast cancer but does nothing for all other cancers.

* DCIS which is Ductal Carcinoma in Situ is a very mild form of breast cancer; it is classed as stage 0. (It certainly doesn't require radical treatment)

* The drug tamoxifen has demonstrated its ability to prevent the recurrence of breast cancer but a fact that is well know is that it can promote aggressive liver and uterine cancer.

* Herceptin has been heralded as a miracle drug for breast cancer but has been described by the well know cancer expert Dr Ralph W Moss as practically worthless. (Check out his website)

* All cancers are only one similar disease, but found in over 100 locations. (The causes are nearly all the same)

Facts that are well known to have caused breast cancer are a diet high in animal fat, salt and refined sugar, having been on the contraception pill for many years, the regular consumption of alcohol, our sedentary lifestyle (i.e. not exercising) and the use of chemicals, especially underarm antiperspirants, sunscreens and hair dyes.

Facts that prevent and stop breast cancer are a healthy diet of fresh fruit and vegetables, vitamin D, exercise and removing the known factors that have caused it.

Once a disease of the Western world, breast cancer has become a global concern. Breast cancer is the most lethal form of cancer for women in the world. An estimated 1 million cases will be identified this year, and about 500,000 new and existing patients will die from breast cancer. In the U.S., breast cancer will be diagnosed in 1 in 8 women. In other emerging economies, breast cancer is a relatively new concern. Previously a malady that mostly afflicted white, affluent women in the industrial hubs of North America and Western Europe, breast cancer is everywhere. By 2020, 70% of all breast-cancer cases worldwide will be in developing countries. Worse, as the reach of the disease is expanding, the reach of detection and treatment is not. For a woman battling breast cancer in the West, new diagnosis and treatment options come along all the time. Not so elsewhere. In the U.S., an estimated $8.1 billion is spent to diagnose and treat breast cancer each year. In India, half of all women with the disease go entirely without treatment. In South Africa, only 5% of cancers are caught in the earliest phase of the disease. With Westernized life spans, can come Western habits too-fatty foods, lack of exercise and obesity, all of which may raise the incidence of breast cancer. In many parts of the world, breast cancer is still a shameful secret.

In U.S. and Europe the type of breast cancer relies on estrogen to grow but for Asian and black women , breast cancer is more aggressive and relies on estrogen-receptor negative, or ER negative and strike 10 years earlier. There is also of ER-negative cancer called the basal-like subtype, resistant not only to estrogen but also to progesterone. Gene can also cause problems. All that to say that detecting breast cancer in the Asian population may present special difficulties.

If the spread of U.S. and European life-styles is contributing to the breast-cancer boom mainly the eating habits and reproductive habits. Women who give birth to fewer than 2 children have higher risk of developing breast cancer, pregnancy providing a sort of estrogen holiday and lactation preventing cells from becoming cancerous.

Finally, there is the lack of exercise. Studies show that leaner body mass and healthier diet for women cannot hurt. Greater awareness and greater testing are needed to start toward ending the global breast-cancer crisis. A good weight loss program is also
recommended. It is also worth mentioning that cancer dislike an alkaline ph level.

Studies show that for women, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death after lung cancer and the odds of a woman dying from the disease is 1 in 33. However major medical advancements and new forms of treatment have reduced the odds significantly.

There are several different types of breast cancer and they are differentiated depending on which area of the breast it occurs in. the different forms of treatment include chemotherapy, radiation or surgery, which treatment is used depends on the kind of cancer, its location and the extent of its spread.

While all women are at risk of getting breast cancer, there are certain factors that increase the chances of developing the disease. Some of the risk factors that are taken into consideration include family history, age and smoking. Absence of one or multiple risk factors does not necessarily mean that the person will definitely not get cancer just as someone who is at high risk will not necessarily develop it.

Unlike smoking, which is an avoidable factor family history and age are inescapable risk factors. Studies show that almost 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer are over the age of fifty. Also most women came from families where other women in the family also suffered from the disease.

Although Caucasian women are at higher risk for getting breast cancer they are less likely to die from it, whereas a higher number of African -American women who get breast cancer will die from it. American Indian, Hispanic and Asian women are also less likely to get breast cancer.

Women who started menstruating before the age of 12 are at higher risk and so are women who go through menopause after the age of 55.

Some of the other high risk factors include radiation to the chest in early years, obesity, long term use of HRT, use of alcohol and childlessness. Birth control pills could possibly increase the odds and women should discuss this with their doctor before hand.

Early detection plays a huge role in reducing the risk of dying from breast cancer and it is critical that women learn how to perform self-examination of their breasts. Some of the things to look for in breast self-examination include a milky or bloody discharge from one or both nipples, introversion of nipples, tiny lumps in and around the area of the breasts or under the armpit. Women who are past the age of 40 should conduct breast self-examination at least once a month on a regular basis in order to catch the cancer early. In addition to breast self-examination, women over the age of 40 should also undergo a clinical examination by an experienced medical practitioner on an annual basis.

Breast cancer is a major health concern and you need to know if you have breast cancer symptoms or signs. Women including men have breast cancer as I wrote in my last newsletter. According to the recent survey worldwide, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer and the fifth most common cause of cancer death in the world.

Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer among women. The number of cases worldwide has significantly increased since the 1970s, a phenomenon partly blamed on the way that we eat and the pollution that exists in the water, air, and food. The other big factor in cancer is the thoughts that we have. Toxins and chemical pollution cause acid and free radicals in our body and so do negative thoughts. It is these acids and free radicals that change your body's pH and that depletes the oxygen in your cells allowing cancer to form freely and to multiple. To protect yourself against cancer, you need to know the signs of breast cancer so you can take action against it right away and to learn good nutritional habits.

Due to the high incidence of breast cancer among older women, screening is now recommended in many countries. Recommended screening methods include breast self-examination and mammogram. This test has been estimated to reduce breast cancer-related mortality by 20-30%. Routine and annual mammography of women older than age 40 or 50 is recommended.

Mammograms do not detect all possible cancer tissue. They can detect micro calcification of calcium, which might indicate the presents of cancer. Calcium can deposit in tissue and this is caused by an acid body. To stay in solution, calcium must have enough sodium in the surrounding liquid. In an alkaline body, there is plenty of sodium to keep calcium in solution, but in an acid body, calcium will precipitate out and form crystals.

Early signs and symptoms of breast cancer are usually not painful. This may be the reason why most women don't know they have breast cancer until after several breast cancer signs and symptoms start to appear. You should see your health care provider, if you notice the following:

· Lump in the armpit or above the collarbone that does not go away in two weeks or so. Although most breast lumps are not cancerous, it always best to check them out

· Breast discharge is a common problem and is rarely a symptom of cancer, but if it is from only one breast or if it is bloody, then check with your doctor

· Nipple inversion is a common in normal nipples, but nipple inversion that has developed recently can be of concern

· Changes in the breast skin including redness, changes in texture, and puckering. These changes are usually caused by skin diseases but occasionally can be associated with breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a condition where you lack oxygen in your cells and when you have an acid body. To prevent cancer from forming, you need to learn how to make your body more alkaline. In my new nutrition course, I concentrate on how you can make your body more alkaline. An alkaline body not only stops cancer but also stops and prevents most diseases from forming in your body.
Don't wait until you have symptoms of breast cancer or any other disease before you start improving your health habits. Start now learning what good nutrition is and how you can be free from illness.

Breast cancer is a disease where the breast and the surrounding tissues are attacked by malignant cancer cells. The person with breast cancer is bound to experience a lot of problems including problems with health and a fenago of emotional trauma.

Fortunately, the medical science has developed and prospered enough to prescribe certain effective measures to prevent this serious disease. Most people who are vulnerable to this disease should be happy to learn that they can prevent the development of this disease.

There are several factors you should give utter importance to in order to work towards the prevention of this disease.

Here are some measures you can take in order to prevent breast cancer:

A) Restrict alcohol in take

There is a strong association between consumption of alcohol and breast cancer. Here, the type of alcohol you consume makes no difference. You may claim to indulge in the finest of wine, beer or mixed drinks. No matter what, an alcohol consumption is just an alcohol consumption period. You should focus on limiting your alcohol consumption rather than justifying the brand, quality or amount of alcohol you take. Avoid alcohol completely in the word, Abstain!

B) Weight control

It is very important to maintain a healthy body weight. Consider your height and check the ratio of your body weight to the height. Consult a health care professional regarding the ideal weight you should maintain. Exercise for about 30 minutes daily and focus on healthy foods such as salads and fruits. Excess fatty tissue will circulate estrogen in your body.

C) Physically active lifestyle

It is extremely crucial to maintain an active lifestyle if you want to maintain a healthy blood sugar level in your body. Regular exercise will help you in this regard. You need to aim for at least 30 minutes of work out each day. Consult a health care practitioner and start an exercise regime today. Go for regular walking, Jogging or aerobics sessions. You will be able to keep your bones strong.

D) Limit fat intake

According to several studies and researches, people who take a large amount of fats in their diet are at higher risk of developing breast cancer. Hence, you must make sure that your diet has limited amount of fat and oily subscribers in it.

- There are some other preventive options available for breast cancer.

These include going for certain therapies, eating certain medications and also keep yourself checking for any traces of lumps in or around the breast and under the armpit, change in the size and appearance of nipples and breast.

One must stay far off from long term use of hormone therapies. Birth control pills, antibiotics and pesticides should also be strictly avoided. Exposure to pesticides may cause a lot of health problems to an individual. One of the serious health risks may be in shape of breast cancer development.

Breast cancer can be prevented by including natural or synthetic forms of retinoid (vitamin A) and flax seeds in your diet.

Self examination of breast also plays a significant role in preventing breast cancer.

Breast cancer has been characterized as a serious disease that strikes mainly women. This is the reason that most people and experts in the field of medical science and research have devoted themselves who make a research on breast cancer and other factors revolving it.

Here are some of the results concluded by these experts with some known facts about breast cancer.

A) How common is this disease?

Breast cancer is very common in the UK. It is sad but true that about 44,000 women are diagnosed with this deadly disease each year. This actually estimates to about more than 100 women in a day. Though this disease is rare in men, about 300 men every year are diagnosed with this disease.

Medical experts have warned that the rates of this disease have increased by 50% over the last twenty years. In UK, this rate has been increased by about 12% in last 10 years. Women over the age of 50 are usually diagnosed with this disease.

B) Surviving the disease

Today, fortunately, more women are surviving this disease. The survival rates have actually improved in the last twenty years. The reason is the increasing awareness of this disease and early diagnosis.

C) Causes of breast cancer

Exact causes of breast cancer are not known. However, the experts have a drawn certain conclusions on the basis of the studies and researchers they have made.

Here are some of the causes that may be responsible for the development of breast cancer.

a) Woman with a family history of breast cancer can develop this disease. Usually women with their mother, sister or daughter diagnosed with this disease are at greater risk.

b) Obesity is another major reason for the development of this disease. This increases the risk of post menopausal breast cancer by up to thirty percent.

c) Women who have been under or are using HRT or hormone replacement therapy for about five years or more than that can develop this disease. The treatment increases the risk of the development of this disease by 35 per cent.

d) Women using oral contraceptives are more vulnerable to breast cancer development as compared to those who are not using any oral contraceptive methods.

e) Alcohol consumption is yet another cause of increasing the risk of the development of this serious disease.

f) Less active lifestyle is another reason for the development of breast cancer. One should lead an active lifestyle. Make sure you exercise daily for at least half an hour at stretch or go for a walk.

D) Risk factors

- Benign breast cancer

- Age

- Personal history of breast cancer

- Family history of breast cancer

- Reproductive history such as age at menarche, parity, age at menopause, age at first birth and breast feeding

- Endogenous hormones

- Exogenous hormones

- Body weight

- Mammographic density

- Physical activity

- Height

- Diet

- Alcohol

- Ionizing radiation

- Socio-economic status

E) Treatment options

There are several treatment options available from surgery to medication. However, medical experts believe that early diagnosis of this disease is the best treatment.

Breast cancer is known to be a disease that can affect women and sometimes men in rare cases. Most people are unaware of this disease and hence, unable to treat it timely. Breast cancer can occur at any age.

It is important to know about this disease if you want to be detected on time and save yourself from a lot of health and emotional problems it brings along with.

Here are some important things regarding this disease. Read and understand the information for your own health benefits.

- The part affected

In case of a breast cancer, the malignant cancer develops inside the cells that provide lining to the ducts. This can also be referred to as a ductal breast cancer. Most of the time, cancerous cells tend to develop inside the lobules. This can be referred to a type of lobular breast cancer. The cancer can also develop in other tissues of the breast.

- Risk factors

There are several risk factors for development of breast cancer. Here are some of these:

a) Woman

Being a woman is the biggest risk factor.

b) Early periods

Some women tend to get their period prior to the age of 12. This increases the chances of developing breast cancer.

c) Family history

This plays an important role. Doctors usually consider sisters, mothers and daughters when analyzing family history for breast cancer detection. In case, anyone in your family gets diagnosed, it puts you at greater risk.

d) Alcohol

If you are taking more than about two alcoholic beverages on a daily basis, you are at risk.

e) Diet with excess fats

Make sure that you don't have a diet that consists of high amounts of saturated fat. If you do, then there are more chances of carrying this disease. Try to avoid food that is too high in fat content. Also do not eat foods that contain poly unsaturated fat.

f) Late pregnancy

Pregnancies after the age of 26 are risky as far as development of breast cancer is concerned.

g) No pregnancy

Women who have never had pregnancy are also at risk of developing breast cancer.

h) Personal history

Women with personal history of breast cancer can also develop this cancer later in their life. Hence, regular breast check ups are necessary.

- Treatment options

There are several treatment options available for people with breast cancer. If detected at an early stage, this disease can be treated easily. There are some standard treatments for this disease. One is usually advised to go for a treatment clinical trial at first. It is a type of research where new treatments are found for this disease.

Other options include surgery such as lumpectomy, partial mastectomy, Total mastectomy, modified radical mastectomy and radical mastectomy

There are other alternative treatment options such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy.

Make sure that you keep yourself updated with the latest and full information on breast cancer in order to get total relief from it.

Remember that early detection is the best treatment for this disease.

Breast cancer is a serious disorder that attacks women. It is a disease that women dread about. In medical terms, this disease can be defined as a formation of malignant or cancer cells in the breast tissues.

The disease has been termed as heterogeneous. This means that it is a different disease that appears and forms differently in different women of different age groups. Younger women are said to be more vulnerable to this disease.

This disease can be cured if detected early. This is the reason that young women are advised to carry out a self-examination for any kind of lungs inside their breast every three to six months. They should also go for a medical examination in every six months.

When failed to detect, this disease can result in to some real threatening stages. In certain severe and final stages of breast cancer, women are advised to go for a breast removal surgery or masectomy. This is really dreadful moment in a woman life.

Fortunately, this disease can be treated successfully if detected early. Hence, it is very important to learn about the symptoms of breast cancer and keep tabs on any of the warning signs that may hit our body anytime.

Here are some potential breast cancer symptoms to help you learn about this disease and detect it on time in a better and effective way.

- The warning sings

Usually, breast cancer does not carry any pain. However, a woman is still advised to visit her health care practitioner on a regular basis to know about the development of the disease in her body.

Common symptoms

a) Change in breast and nipple feel

You may suddenly experience tenderness of nipple or even a lump or thickening near the breast or underarm area without any specific reason.

b) Change in the appearance of breast or nipple

This means that there is a change in the shape or the size of the breast or a nipple. The nipple may appear scaly, read, swollen, turn slightly inward or contain ridges or pitting similar to the skin of an orange.

c) Nipple discharge

Sometimes, you may also experience nipple discharge. The discharge may be clear or bloody.

d) Pain

You may sometimes feel pain in the nipple.

e) Swelling

Women with breast cancer can even observe swelling or mass inside the arm pit.

f) Lump

A lump near the arm pit or breast is a clear indication of breast cancer.

g) Rash

You would find a rash on a nipple or the surrounding area.

All the above mentioned signs and symptoms are an indication that you may be suffering from breast cancer.

However, there are several other ways to detect breast cancer such as self examination. You can conduct a self examination at your home. Just inspect your breasts for any lumps or swelling, changes in contour of each breast, dimpling of skin or changes in the nipples.

Remember that early detection of this disease is the only way to cure it. You need to focus on the signs and symptoms of this disease in order to detect it. Watch out for the symptoms and be safe.

Everything we eat, do and think about has an impact on our health. As we look for ways to fight a wide range of diseases, the American Association for Cancer Research 2008 Annual Meeting suggested that continuous engaging in bad habits like drinking and eating fatty foods may lead to cancer, melanoma or other diseases.

The group is emphasizing the need to control our thirst for liquor and beer, especially among women, and food that may eventually post health hazards in the future. It was found that women consuming moderate amounts of alcohol may increase their risk of breast cancer. Comparing a heavy drinker woman consuming three or more glasses each day from a nondrinker, the former has a 51-percent increased risk of ER+/PR+ breast cancer.

Although links have yet to be established why women who drink alcohol have a greater risk of having breast cancer, but the results of the findings showed that many drinkers have suffered from breast cancer. At the same time, women who take hormone replacement therapy may suffer from the disease.

This was according to Jasmine Q. Lew, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Chicago who is conducting this research as a recipient of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute-National Institutes of Health Research Scholarship at the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.

In a study conducted on NIH-AARP Diet and Health in 1995, Lew and her colleagues had 184,418 post-menopausal women who joined the research and were open about their daily alcohol consumption. After seven years of follow-up, they found that women who drink moderately have higher risk of developing breast cancer.

But Lew said several studies have yet to be considered to validate their findings. She added that there might be other factors contributing to breast cancer aside from drinking alcohol. However, she advised that drinking women should cut their alcohol consumption to avoid breast cancer.

Not only is breast cancer a nasty word to hear it is a painful condition and frightening, it gets even nastier sounding if your doctor has diagnosed you with the disease. Sadly, although scary, women still choose to avoid initiating a self breast examination on them self. Why do women ignore cancer awareness alerts which point out the vital concerns of catching cancer in its early stage when they know breast cancer can be a fatal condition?

There can only be one reason why decisions of denial that they are cancer free are made and that is because they are too scared that they may actually detect a lump in the process. Is it not best to find a lump the size of pea than that of one which has developed greater in size? Not all breast lumps are cancerous, breast abnormalities should be checked out sooner than later. "Later is a death sentence". Some women in their seventies said they don't have much road ahead so why the need for a self breast examination. Hey blue rinse gals it is very important for your grand kids have you stick around longer and what of your happy birthday 100th telegram off the Queen. Breast screening regardless of age saves lives (70 years plus). Dutch research of over 860,000 women voiced breast screening decreased the number of deaths by 30% after the upper age limit was extended. Cancer risks increase with age so they say; medical experts have been at odds over whether the over-70s should be checked. UK plans involve raising the upper age limit for routine screening from 70 to 73 by 2012. The Netherlands extended its programme to cover women up to 75 in 1998.

Researchers are continuously and tirelessly looking for answers, e.g. Is breast cancer a hereditary issue or an actual cancer having a specific associated link? (Like Lung cancer in relation to smoking) Overcome your panic thoughts of resistance in finding a lump and it may well save your life.

If you are afraid of the unknown as to what is involved with breast screening then there is nothing to worry over. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breasts. The NHS in the United Kingdom breast screen women aged between 50 and 70. A mammogram will be requested if you have breast cancer symptoms, such as a lump. What you can expect when a mammogram is performed is having a radiographer present. He/she will help you to position one breast at a time on a small flat plate, with an X-ray plate under it. Another flat plate will be placed over the breast. Once the machine is activated, the breast is slightly compressed between the two. Compression of the breast makes it easier for the doctor to see things more clearly. A Mammogram in the UK consists of two snapshots: one from above and one from the side. This is a precaution method to ascertain that nothing is missed. Research opinion says taking a 2 view mammogram can increase breast screening cancer detection rate by 25% or more. Simple explained means every 100 cancers picked up with single view mammograms doubles that to 125 with the double view.

Do mammograms cause pain, well uncomfortable is more the word to depict, however this will depend on breast size and pain threshold of the patient. A mammogram will only take a couple of minutes, so any discomfort will not have to endured for long, unlike the pain caused by breast cancer (physical and mental).

Once a mammogram test is complete the doctor will check for any signs of cancer. Results of the mammogram are normally delivered a week or two later, sometimes longer. Developed breast cancers will more times show up clearly on mammograms. However it is not rare for one to go unnoticed because the x-ray showed no sign. Infancy breast cancer may not involve having a lump, patterns yes, which on a mammogram may suggest breast cancer. The medical term calcification means tiny regions of calcium within the breast tissue. Cancer can be detected through the calcium which creates spots and patterns which suggest disease presence. Breast changes are normal but only your doctor is in the position to say these changes are of the non-cancerous pattern type.