We've all been watching the annual parade of 'pink' - all in the name of raising money to fight breast cancer! The objectives are admirable - more money for research for early detection and maybe to defeat the causes of breast cancer. AND it's important.

Somehow, despite all the pink ribbons and fundraising, the disease continues to affect thousands of families every year. Today breast cancer affects nearly 1 in every 6 women and all cancers affecting 1 in 3 women. There is no family that has been left untouched by cancer. An astounding toll!

So, what's going on here? Are there ways to minimize my chances of getting it?

You know, it didn't seem like the odds of being affected by breast cancer were as great when I was growing up. That didn't mean I didn't see loved ones affected. In fact, my mother-in-law contracted the disease and I would massage her right arm after her mastectomy removed not only her breast but also the lymph nodes under her arm, leaving swelling and hard lumps. Because of my mother-in-law, I also had an unusually large clientele of breast cancer patients or those recovering from breast cancer.

Even with those experiences, it seemed that if you had a relative who was affected, genetically you had a better chance of having breast cancer. In fact, a common response to the very mention of 'Cancer' was an automatic assumption that you had been diagnosed and given a death sentence. Of course, we now know that isn't the case and much progress in diagnosis and successful intervention/treatment has occurred in the past two to three decades. At the same time, we've also seen the incidence of breast cancer skyrocket! So it's now our responsibility to find and practice common sense habits that will help the long-term prognosis for us and for our daughters and granddaughters.

According to a number of research efforts at major universities and research centers, there's ample evidence to suggest that our immune systems are being weakened from exposure to toxins and chemical poisons. Everyday exposure to chemical poisons in our household and personal care products can keep the body from warding off or mitigating breast cancers and other diseases.

So what are everyday exposures that I might have?

We know that much of the current surge of interest in natural and organic products is coming from women - fully 60-80% depending upon which research study you are focusing on. These are women who want to improve the overall wellness of their families and themselves. Just that fact, alone, is cause for celebration. But every consumer also needs to realize what 'natural and organic' may be covering up in their everyday products!

Not everything that carries a byline of 'natural and organic' is free from toxic or harmful ingredients. Becoming educated about toxic ingredients, like the ones in the following list, is critical to your efforts to buy products that 'Do No Harm'.

Avoid these Red Flag ingredients in your products:

· Alcohol, Isopropyl (SD-40)

· DEA (Diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine), & TEA (Triethanolamine)

· Dioxin (not listed as an ingredient - a by-product from manufacturing)

· DMDM Hydantoin & Urea (Imidazolidinyl)

· FD&C Color Pigments

· Fragrances

· Parabens (common xeno-estrogen preservative)

· PEG (Polyethylene glycol)

· Phthalates (emulsifier, extender, softener - commonly used in baby products/bottles/etc.)

· Propylene Glycol (PG) and Butylene Glycol

· Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)

· Triclosan (anti-bacterial thought to create super-bugs; non-recyclable contaminant in water)

· Sunscreen ingredients like benzophenone, avebenzone, cinemates, PABA

Begin by reading the ingredient label on every product. Perhaps most disturbing is the fact that many of these toxic ingredients are hormone disruptors, wetting agents that assure the products act faster/penetrate better, and preservatives known to affect health. Making a choice to purchase products that contain NO xeno-estrogens or other toxins is a bold step in the right direction!

I really believe that we could all begin this effort by simply checking out the back labels in our bathrooms. While it's pretty scary to think about, experts tell us that most of us come in contact with over 200 toxic chemicals before we get dressed in the morning. That means we are bathing ourselves in toxins!

Whether it's the shampoo and conditioner, the body wash, our toothpaste, deodorant, hair styling products, or the makeup on our face, it all adds to the chemical load on our bodies. I encourage you to replace just one or two products a week with products certified ToxicFree® - your assurance the product contains no hormone disruptors, carcinogens or other known toxic ingredients. Each step will create a safer, cleaner, healthier home for you and for your family.

Every woman really needs to take exercise seriously as well. Just 30 minutes of exercise per week has been shown to return major benefits. A recent study revealed that 30-150 minutes of exercise per week greatly reduced the risk of developing breast cancer.

According to the lead researcher, breast cancer rates were 50% lower in the group of women who exercised - and up to 70% lower among African-Americans who exercised. The best news was that the risk for various types of breast cancer was reduced - even the most aggressive types.

Teaching our families how to prevent illness begins with a healthy role model. READ labels, exercise, buy healthy products, do regular self-examination - and teach your daughters the same wellness habits!

The hormone replacement therapy (HRT) controversy has been raging for over a decade now. But, finally, new research has made the HRT cancer link clear.

Two recent hormone replacement therapy studies, specifically on the HRT cancer link, both report what scientists have suspected for a while - there's a definite connection between hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer.

The U.S. has the highest rate of breast cancer in the world. It affects 1 out of every 8 American women in their lifetime and, next to skin cancer, it's the most common cancer for women. Breast cancer is also the second most deadly, after lung cancer.

The HRT Cancer Link Research

In each of the studies, the cancer research teams found that as more and more women became aware of the HRT cancer link, more and more women gave up using hormone replacement therapy in favor of alternative treatments for menopause symptoms.

And, as women gave up HRT, breast cancer rates started dropping.

In 2003, breast cancer statistics went down by about 10%. Researchers were surprised, since they had never seen such a dramatic drop in just one year. And the rates are still going down - particularly for women over 50, who appear to be more sensitive to HRT.

Dr. Peter Ravdin of the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, reporting to the 29th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, said he's convinced the big drop in breast cancer is related to the big decrease in HRT use as a menopause treatment.

The author of the second study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Dr. Christina Clarke of the Northern California Cancer Center in Fremont, agrees.

"Hormone therapy use dropped by 68% between 2001 and 2003, and shortly thereafter we saw breast cancer rates drop by 10% to 11%. This drop was sustained in 2004, which tells us that the decline wasn't a fluke."

Natural Help with Menopause Symptoms

What are your options for treating menopause symptoms naturally?

The best thing you can do is to make the same lifestyle changes necessary to maximize your health and minimize your risk of breast cancer.

That means, eat the healthiest diet possible and exercise regularly. Healthy women simply have far fewer disturbing menopause symptoms.

You can begin with a nutritious diet rich in:

• Colorful fruits and vegetables,

• 100% whole grains,

• Lean poultry and low fat dairy,

• And cold water fish, such as salmon.

Eliminate processed trans fats, high fat dairy, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, carbonated sodas and other high glycemic carbohydrates, such as refined flour. And definitely get out for a half-hour walk at least three to five days a week - preferably daily.

If you really want to increase your odds of having a pleasant, easy menopause, you should also get started as soon as possible on a high quality food supplement program.

Besides the necessary vitamin and mineral requirements, make sure you include good quality essential fatty acids, particularly omega 3 fish oil with EPA and DHA.

How Omega 3 Fish Oil Can Help

Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for the production, release and balance of hormones. High quality, balanced omega 3 fish oil capsules can help to reduce hot flashes and eliminate mood swings by balancing the production of hormones.

And, besides greatly reducing menopause symptoms, fish oil has been shown to dramatically reduce the incidence of breast cancer.

Mammograms can be life-saving. They can also be prohibitively painful to some women. Here are six tips to make your mammogram hurt less.

1. Have your mammogram when you don't have much breast engorgement. (For most women, this means the two weeks after menstruation has finished but the time varies with the individual. Other women might find day 18 to 22 after the first day of menstruation more appropriate)

2. Use as little salt as possible for a week before the test. Again, this will reduce the extent of breast engorgement for most women and hence the pain associated with the compression required for the test.

3.Taking 400 international units of vitamin E for 3 weeks before the test. Why this works has not been documented. However, this works frequent enough for you to try out.

4. Using simple analgesics like paracetamol, aspirin, diclofenac one hour before the test, provided you don't have an allergy to these. These have to be taken after food.

5. Drink green juice, made from green apples, capsicums, celery, bitter melons and cucumbers on alternate days for a week before the test. This is a little secret one of my patients shared with me. This green juice is also helpful for breast pain in general. Make sure you don't drink this more frequent than suggested as it may lead to hypotension or even dizziness.

6. Tell the radiographer when you feel pain during the test. The radiographer does have some lee-way to adjust the degree of compression of the breasts against the x-ray plates.

If you get to know better the health benefits of flax seed, you may come across the fact that its nourishing properties are attributive of its omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fibers, and high-lignan content. Given these medicinal constituents, then it won't be difficult to think of flax seed as a powerful agent against breast cancer. Millions of women from around the world-particularly those in the postmenopausal stage, are inflicted with breast cancer and while a fully determined cure is still unavailable, flax seed supplementation is what medical researchers are hoping to be an effective prevention against this deadly disease.

The grain's anti-cancerous property is mostly attributed to its high-lignan content, where flax seed is regarded as the chief source of lignans among various plant species. Pertinent research confirms that the antioxidant lignan helps reduce the proliferation of cancerous cells. Experiments also reveal that a reduction in tumor size among breast cancer patients was evident following a period of supplementation with flax lignan capsules under a controlled diet. But the most successful results materialized when diets were supplemented with ground flax seed and the lignan capsules. Though the potential of flax seed as an anti-breast cancer agent is not yet fully recognized by the scientific community, the grain's observed ability to regulate the excess production of estrogen hormones during the post menopausal stage likely becomes the springboard to prevention. Moreover, flax seed retains its stature as a promising remedy that medical authorities have been using to treat certain cases of cancer.

The medicinal benefit of flax seed is however not limited to the control of cancer and tumor cell regeneration. In fact, it is imbibed with nutritional values that promote an overall healthy body. Besides the antioxidant activity of lignans, flax seed is also enriched with omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fibers-both soluble and insoluble.

Omega-3 is an essential factor to cellular mechanisms, and this unsaturated fatty acid lowers bad cholesterol (low density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol) levels. Dietary fibers on the other hand enhance digestion as well as the absorption of essential nutrients in the body, which is an important factor in boosting immune system functions. Maintaining good blood circulation and strong immune defenses are indispensable factors to the upkeep of health, particularly in surviving the after effects of cancers. What makes chemotherapeutic treatments (that are probably thought of as the only effective means to fight cancer cells) dangerous is that these procedures compromise immune system conditions. The side effects of chemotherapy such as diarrhea, hair loss, and blood cell diseases among others convey compromising repercussions to a patient's overall health.

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. So for women crossing over to the post menopausal stage, it wouldn't cost so much to sustain a daily supplementation of milled flax seed and flax lignan capsules to help regulate estrogen levels in the body. In the end, flax seed becomes your mighty protector against breast cancer!

Self examination of the breasts is important in detecting cancer. More than 90 percent of breast tumors are found this way. Physical examination by a doctor and other diagnostic tests can establish whether the tumor is cancerous or not. With early detection and treatment, you have a better chance of beating the disease.

"A breast tumor itself is not lethal. The disease kills by metastasizing - that is, by spreading through the lymph system of the bloodstream to other parts of the body. Thus, if breast cancer is caught early, while the tumor is small and before malignant cells have spread to neighboring lymph nodes, there is about a 90 percent chance of a cure," according to Dr. David E. Larson, editor-in-chief of the "Mayo Clinic Family Health Book."

Unfortunately, in half of cases, the breast cancer has already spread, making treatment impossible. A study made by the University of the Philippines College of Medicine - Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) show that 75 percent of cases are in the advanced stage before the first diagnosis is made.

How often should women examine their breasts? The Philippine Cancer Society Inc. recommends monthly breast self-examination and an annual breast exam by a physician for women 30 years old and above. This will help them detect suspicious lumps easily when they are at a curable stage. How should this be done? Here are some tips taken from the "Mayo Clinic Family Health Book":

Examine your breasts once a month. If you have not yet reached menopause, the best time is a few days after your period ends because your breasts are less likely to be tender or swollen. If you are no longer menstruating, pick a day of the month and do the examination regularly on that day.

Stand in front of a mirror. With your arms at your sides, look at the skin on your breasts for any sign of puckering, for dimples, or for changes in the size or shape of the breasts. If your nipples are not normally inverted, look to see whether they are now pushed in. Rest your hands on your hips, and then place them behind your head; in each position, check for the same signs.

Next, step into the shower and, once your breasts are wet and soapy, place your left hand behind your head and examine your left breast with your right hand. Think of your breast as the face of a clock, and place your right hand at 12 o'clock, at the top of the breast. Hold your hand flat, fingertips pressed together, and make a tiny circling motion, feeling for lumps.

Move the hand to 1 o'clock, to 2 o'clock, and so on. Once you return to 12, slide the fingertips closer to the nipple and repeat the motions you just went through, going around the clock in a circle within the first circle; then make an even smaller circle.

Continue until you have checked the tissue under the nipple; look for discharge from the nipple at that time. Finish by examining the area adjacent to your breast, below your armpit, because it also contains breast tissue. Repeat the whole procedure using your left hand on your right breast.

In addition, examine your breasts while you are lying on your back. Again look for nipple discharge. To examine your right breast, put a pillow under your right shoulder and place your right hand under your head. To examine the left breast, place the pillow under the left shoulder and your left hand under your head. (Next: Guidelines for mammography.)

Because breast cancer is such a mysterious disease, there are many misconceptions about it. Many women assume, for instance, that a blow or any injury to the breast will lead to cancer. Fondling the breast is also said to encourage the growth of cancer and not a few couples have quarreled because of this. Neither of these beliefs is true.

No mater how badly bruised the breast is, you won't develop breast cancer unless you belong to the high-risk group which we discussed in the previous article. Nor does breast cancer result from touching or fondling the breast.

"It's purely coincidental that a woman whose breast was injured would report having cancer at the same time. Most likely, the tumor was already there before the breast was injured and it was only after the accident that attention was drawn to the existing cancer," explained Dr. Corazon A. Ngelangel, professor, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, College of Medicine, and a consultant at the Medical Oncology Section of the University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital.

Inverted nipples are not a sign of breast cancer if you were born with them. These nipples may be infected from time to time if they are not kept clean and dry but they are not cancerous. A previously erect nipple that becomes retracted, however, is another thing. This should be investigated by a doctor to rule out the possibility of cancer.

Do oral contraceptives cause breast cancer? That's probably true for the old pills which contained a high amount of hormones. Today's newer low-dose pills don't pose the same risk and some studies point out that they may reduce the occurrence of breast cysts. To lessen your chances of acquiring breast cancer, don't take birth control pills if you are over 35, smoke, and had breast cancer before.

Breastfeeding was once thought to lead to breast cancer but there is no scientific evidence that shows this. In fact, breast cancer appears to be absent in those who breastfeed. So if you're a nursing mother, there's no need to worry. Continue breastfeeding for as long as possible.

Does diet influence the development of breast cancer? Research indicates that a high-fat diet may be a possible factor in breast cancer and that limiting fat intake may reduce your chances of getting the disease.

Unfortunately, no clear-cut relationship has been established at the moment. But it does make sense to avoid too much fat since this can lead to other serious diseases. Don't eliminate fat from your diet since this is almost impossible and not health¬ful. Instead, reduce your fat intake to about 30 percent of your total calorie intake.

Should lumps in the breast scare you? Don't jump to the conclusion that they're cancerous. Eight out of ten lumps usually turn out to be benign. Some women normally have breast lumps prior to menstruation. That's no cause for alarm.

Anything that persists a week after the menstrual flow, however, should be checked by a physician. Lumps which appear in postmenopausal women are more likely to be cancerous so don't ignore them.

Breast cancer can be identified by the following signs and symptoms: a painless lump or thickening in the breast, a clear or bloody discharge from the nipple, a retracted nipple, swelling or dimpling in the breast, and redness or pitting. (Next: Detecting breast cancer.)

Next to lung cancer, breast cancer kills more women in the United States than any other cancer. It's the leading cause of death in women between the ages of 40 and 44 and one is 13 women will have it sooner or later.

"Breast cancer is the third most common cancer in the world today, despite the fact that it is confined almost entirely to the female sex. Breast cancer incidence rates are rising in several developing countries, and it is already the most frequent female cancer in many," revealed Dr. Corazon A. Ngelangel, professor, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, College of Medicine, and a consultant at the Medical Oncology Section of the University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital.

The exact cause of breast cancer is unknown. But the risk of developing the disease increases after the age of 35, especially in those with a family history of the disease. Breast cancer is also more common in obese women and in those who have never had children or who had a child for the first time after the age of 30.

Those who begin menstruation early and women who had late menopause are also at risk for developing the disease. The same is true for women who previously had breast cancer. The odds are high that these women will have the disease in the other breast too.

Unknown to many, breast cancer can affect men but not as frequently as women. Less than one percent of cases occur in males, usually at middle age or older.

Alcohol is believed to be a factor in male breast cancer. Other high-risk groups include those who are exposed to dust, gasoline, grease, carbon monoxide, and radiation. Men with gynecomastia, the enlargement of the breast that follows exposure to estrogen and alcoholic cirrhosis (in which the liver has been destroyed by years of heavy drinking) are likewise susceptible to the disease.

"Although breast cancer can occur in young boys (the youngest reported was five years old), the incidence generally rises with age. The majority of patients are more than 60 years old. Earlier cancer denotes a strong family history, manifested by the presence of many female relatives with breast cancer," said Dr. David Y. Dy, a general surgeon and surgical oncologist at St. Luke's Medical Center in the Philippines.

Surprisingly, male breast cancer appears to be less common in married men and in those with many children. Like women, most cases have been observed in the left breast although it is not clear why.

"About half of all breast cancers develop in the upper outer portion of the breast, the part of the breast closest to the underarm. The second most common site is the area surrounding the nipple, where about 18 percent of breast cancers are found," said Marrion Morra, assistant director of the Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center at Yale University School of Medicine in Connecticut, and Eve Potts in "Choices: Realistic Alternatives in Cancer Treatment."

Still, majority of breast cancer cases occur in women. Ngelangel believes the presence of the female hormone estrogen may have something to do with the disease.

"The most important risk factor for developing breast cancer is sex. Being female puts you at great risk. The reason for this is estrogen. Women have more of this hormone than men which probably explains why breast cancer is common among females," Ngelangel said. (Next: Breast cancer myths.)

The breast is a gland that consists of breast tissue supported by connective tissue (flesh) surrounded by fat.

The easiest way to understand how the inside of the breast is formed is by comparing it to an upturned bush. Its leaves are known as lobules and they produce milk that drains into ducts that are the branches of the breast tree. These in turn drain into 12 or 15 major or large ducts which empty onto the surface of the nipple, just like the branches of a tree drain to the trunk.

Breast cancer most often involves glandular breast cells in the ducts or lobules. Most patients present with an asymptomatic lump discovered during examination or screening mammography. Diagnosis is confirmed by biopsy. Treatment usually includes surgical excision, often with radiation therapy and adjuvant systemic therapy.

Symptoms:

* Breast Lump

* Breast Pain

* Breast Tenderness

* Decreased Libido

* Dimpling Of Surface Of Breast

* Enlarged Lymph Nodes, Armpit

* Nipple Discharge

* Orange Peel Texture To Breast

* Pain

* Retraction Of Nipple

* Ulceration Of Breast

* Unilateral Breast Enlargement

* Unintentional Weight Loss

* Vaginal Pain

* Veins Visible On Breast

* Weight Loss

What Causes Breast Cancer?

No one knows exactly what causes breast cancer, but we do know that certain risk factors - things that increase a person's chance of getting a disease - are linked to breast cancer. Risk factors change depending on the type of cancer. There are a number of risk factors, both controllable and uncontrollable, which may increase the chances of developing breast cancer. For instance, the risk factors associated with diet can be controlled, but risk factors such as a person's age or family history can't be changed.

While all women are at risk for breast cancer, the factors listed below are associated with an increased chance of developing the disease.

How is it diagnosed?

Most cases are picked up when a woman notices a lump in her breast or through routine screening with mammography. Nine out of ten lumps aren't dangerous, but they should be checked.

Being breast aware, reporting any changes and, for women aged between 50 and 70, attending NHS mammogram screenings help to identify breast cancer early. Women with a strong family history may be offered screening before 50.

Stage and grade of your cancer

Both of these are important for helping to decide which treatments you need. The stage of your breast cancer means how far it has grown and whether it has spread. Grade means what the cancer cells look like under the microscope. Breast cancers can be

* Low grade or grade 1 (slow growing)

* Intermediate grade or grade 2

* High grade or grade 3 (fast growing)

What's the treatment?

Treatment for breast cancer includes surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, biological therapy and hormone therapy (for example, tamoxifen).

Emotional support for the individual and their family is important.