Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a scary disease that affects mostly women, although men can develop breast cancer too. Below are some things to be aware of.

Risks:

Age – women over 50² [This is just another good reason to never get older. Stop your birthdays now! Have anniversaries instead like Dr. Carm.]

Personal history²

Family history² [Unfortunately you can pick your nose, but not your family.]

BRCA1, BRCA2, and CHEK2 genes²—these genes can cause a 80% chance of breast cancer development¹

Exposure to female hormones (natural or medicated)-levels/duration of ovarian hormone (this stimulates cell growth). For example, early first menstruation, late menopause.^2,3
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) such as estrogen therapy, as well as, menstruation starting before age 12 or menopause starting after age 55 increases your risk¹

First pregnancy at a later age (older than 30) or never giving birth^1,3

Obesity (poor diet and low exercise)² – This is controversial. “The theory is that obese women produce more estrogen, which can fuel the development of breast cancer”¹

Excess alcohol consumption² [*sigh*]

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) – used during pregnancy in 1940-1971 to prevent miscarriages and other pregnancy problems^1,3

“About 20-30% of women with breast cancer have a family history of the disease”¹

Radiation – radiation in the chest area. “The younger you started such radiation and the higher the dose, the higher your risk—especially if the radiation was given during breast development”¹

[Please note that some factors in pregnancy may decrease the risk of breast cancer and other cancers such as ovarian and endometrial. “Being pregnant more than once or becoming pregnant at an early age reduces your risk of breast cancer.]^1,3

Symptoms:

Early breast cancer usually does not cause symptoms, hence the need for breast exams¹

Changes to breast size, shape, or feel^1,2

Dimpling, rash, or skin changes²

Lumpiness or thickening of the breast (or armpit)^1,2

Unusual or persistent breast pain²

Nipple soreness or fluid discharge^1,2

Swelling or discomfort in armpit²

For men – symptoms include: breast lump, breast pain, or tenderness¹

Advanced Symptoms:

Bone Pain, Breast pain/discomfort, skin ulcers, swelling of one arm, weight loss¹

Exams and Tests:

Breast MRI¹

Breast ultrasound¹

Breast biopsy¹

CT scan¹

Mammography¹

PET scan¹

Sentinal lymph node biopsy¹

 

Treatments:

Lumpectomy – removal of the lump with radiotherapy^1,2

Mastectomy surgery – removal of breast itself^1,2

Chemotherapy^1,2

Axillary clearance – removal of affected lymph nodes²

Hormonal therapy^1,2

Radiation therapy¹

Targeted therapy¹

 

Controversy: What do you think?

A quick summary

A study was done by Grismaijer and Singer that showed a link between bras and breast cancer, because it inhibits the flow of the lymphatic system.⁴ Women who wear a bra for 24 hours/day were 125 times more likely to have breast cancer than those who are bra-less.⁴ Those women who do not wear a bra have the same risk as men for developing breast cancer.⁴ Here’s a summary of their findings:

3 of 4 women (75%) that wore their bras 24 hours/day developed breast cancer⁴

1 of 7 women (14.3%) that wore their bras more than 12 hours/day (but not to bed) developed breast cancer⁴

1 of 152 women (0.7%) that wore their bras less than 12 hours/day developed breast cancer⁴

1 of 168 women (0.6%) that rarely or never wore a bra developed breast cancer⁴

Thoughts against this study:

Lacked control on epidemiological data for the correlation⁴

Lacked proof that lymph contains carcinogen and that carcinogen can cause cancer⁴

There is an existence of correlations between obesity and post-menopausal breast cancer. The study did not look at pregnancies, age, obesity (where women who have smaller breasts tend to go bra-less more often), diet, or medications (such as hormone replacement therapy).⁴

Claims by the medical and scientific communities—the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and the National Institute of Health—have stated that there are no solid correlations between bras and breast cancers.⁴

Examples:

National Institute of Health: “Breast implants, using antiperspirants, and wearing underwire bras do not raise your risk for breast cancer. There is no evidence of a direct link between breast cancer and pesticides”¹

Budden (2012): “But rest assured, there is no evidence that wearing bras-with or without underwires, during the day or night-increases your risk of breast cancer.”²

So, what do you think? Should women be concerned with bras and breast cancer?

For more information on breast cancer and support visit: http://www.breastcancer.org/

Tool to find out your risk: www.cancer.gov/bcrisktool

(You must be 35 years old or older for the calculation to work)

 

¹Breast cancer. (2011). National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000913.htm 
²Budden, L. (2012). Monday’s medical myth: Wearing a bra to bed increases your risk of breast cancer. The Conversation, 2012 (23 July). Retrieved from http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/499/1/Monday's_medical_myth__wearing_a_bra_to_bed_increases_your_risk_of_breast_cancer.pdf 
³Fact Sheet: Reproductive history and breast cancer risk. (2011). National Cancer Institute.  Retrieved from http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/reproductive-history 
⁴Grismaijer, S., & Singer, S. R. (1995). Dressed to kill.  ISCD Press. ISBN 0895296640. Retrieved from http://pomegranatebreastoil.com/pdf/Dressed_to_Kill.pdf

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Nails

Sweets and Sugars

Happy Halloween!

Now I know you all have a busy day of scaring children and eating their candy, so I’ll try to be short and sweet. Too late! I’m already short and sweet…mostly sweet, of course. Anyway, here’s some info for you:

Top selling candies worldwide and how much sugar they contain [please note that I did the top worldwide candies, top US, and top UK candies (since the US and UK are my biggest audience on the blog at the moment)]:

Cadbury’s Dairy Milk (Cadbury) – Milk chocolate bar ~ 1 bar has 22 grams of sugar

Chick-O-Sticks (Atkinson Candy Company) – Peanut butter and coconut sticks ~ 1 stick has 32 grams of sugar

Hershey’s (Hershey) – Milk chocolate ~ 1 bar has 31 grams of sugar

Hollywood (Cadbury) – Chewing gum ~ Sugarless

Hsu Fu Chi (Hsu Fu Chi International) – Assorted Candies ~ Sugar content varies

Kit Kat (Nestlé) – Milk chocolate wafer ~ 1 bar has 22 grams of sugar

Lemonheads (Ferrara Pan Candy Company) – Sour hard/soft candy ~ 1 piece has 1.2 grams of sugar

M&Ms (Mars Inc.) – Chocolate candy (milk chocolate) ~ 1 package has 31 grams of sugar

Meiji (Meiji Seika Kaisha) – Chocolate bar ~ 1 bar has 30 grams of sugar

Mike-n-Ikes – Chewy fruit candy ~ 1 piece has 1.1 grams of sugar

Milka (Kraft) – Milk chocolate ~ one bar has 24 grams of sugar

Now and Laters – Taffy ~ one piece has 2.6 grams of sugar

Orbit Gum (Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.) – Chewing gum ~ sugarless

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (Hershey) – Milk chocolate and peanut butter ~ 1 package is 25 grams of sugar

Snickers (Mars) – Milk chocolate, nougat, peanuts, caramel – 1 package has 30 grams of sugar

Strawberry Twizzlers (Hershey) – chew fruit candy ~ 1 piece has 4.75 grams of sugar

Trident Gum (Cadbury) – Chewing gum ~ sugarless

Vivident (Perfetti Van Melle) – Chewing gum ~ sugarless

Now, according to www.livestrong.com, the “U.S. government does not make recommendations for how much sugar you should get each day.” Sugar is a simple carbohydrate therefore, “the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that each person take in between 45 and 65 percent of his daily recommended calorie requirements as carbohydrates.” [I know, you’re loving this!!!]

Now, before you eat all that candy….

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than half your daily calorie allowance of added sugars. (This actually includes fats and sugars)

Therefore:

Woman, no more than 24 grams of sugar

Men, no more than 36 grams of sugar

So this means according to your daily sugar intake (rounded to whole or nearest quarter if less than one serving):

Women	Men
1 Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Chocolate Bar	1 Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Chocolate Bar
¾ Chick-O-Stick	1 Chick-O-Sticks
¾ Hershey’s bar	1 Hershey’s bar
Unlimited Hollywood Gum	Unlimited Hollywood Gum
Varies ~ Hsu Fu Chi	Varies ~Hsu Fu Chi
1 Kit Kat bar	1 Kit Kat bar
20 pieces of Lemonheads	30 pieces of Lemonhead
¾ package of M&Ms	1 package of M&Ms
¾ Meiji bar	1 Meiji bar
21 pieces of Mike-n-Ikes	32 pieces of Mike-n-Ikes
1 Milka bar	1 Milka bar
9 pieces of Now and Laters	13 pieces of Now and Laters
Unlimited Orbit Gum	Unlimited Orbit Gum
1 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup (I’ll let the 1 gram slide)	1 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup
¾ Snickers	1 Snickers
5 pieces of Strawberry Twizzlers	7 pieces of Strawberry Twizzlers
Unlimited Trident Gum	Unlimited Trident Gum
Unlimited Vivident Gum	Unlimited Vivident Gum

Note: This does not mean you eat the whole column. You would choose one item in your column for your daily maximum intake (assuming you don't have anything else that would be considered sugars/simple carbohydrates that day).

Sorry to depress you. Go back out, come back, reread, and stop before you reach “Now, before you eat all that candy….” That should do it!!!!

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Pass the Honey!

 
General Honey Facts

• Honey is 95% carbohydrates²
• The enzyme invertase can convert sucrose to fructose and glucose¹
• The sugars in honey are “immediately digestible” in the small intestines²
• In 100 grams of honey, there is 300 calories¹
• Honey is virtually in-nutritious to humans²
• Honey helps preserve food and lower bacterial counts¹
• The enzyme glucose oxidase makes hydrogen peroxide¹
• The enzyme catalase aids in oxygen and water production from the hydrogen peroxide¹
• The pH range for honey is 3.2-4.5²
• Honey with a pH of 3.9 or less does not support the growth of bacteria. “Dilutions with body fluids will raise the pH and may lessen this antimicrobial activity”¹
• To pasteurize honey, it should be heated to 161 degree Fahrenheit (71.7 degrees Celsius)³  
• Heat (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit/37 degree Celsius) can cause the honey to decrease or lose its medicinal properties
• Do not store honey in metal containers³

Honey Used in Medicine

Digestion

• Honey can be used to solve tummy problems, such as shortening the duration of diarrhea from gastroenterisitis (Salmonella, Shigella, and E. coli)^2,1
• It helps the body absorb sodium and water²
• It can reduce gastric acid; hence it can be used to treat gastric ulcers²

Wounds and Abscesses:

• Honey works with a wide variety of wounds, such as: abrasion, abscess, amputation, bed sores, burns, chill blains, burst abdominal wound, cervical ulcers, cracked nipples, diabetic ulcers, fistulas, leprosy ulcers, varicose ulcers, sickle cell ulcers, surgical wound or wounds to abdominal wall and perineum¹
• Honey is a “non-irritating, non-toxic, self-sterile, bactericidal, nutritive, easily applied and more comfortable than other dressings”²
• It helps speed up the healing process and prevents infection. Please note that wounds heal better when honey is applied on the bandages rather than the wounds themselves¹

Diabetes:

• Studies found that “sucrose or honey at breakfast have no additional acute hypoglycaemic effect over and isoglucocidic amount of bread in type II diabetic patients”²
• Honey, although mostly sugar, has a lower glycemic index for those with diabetes¹

Other treatments:

• Gluconic acid (from glucose) in honey promotes calcium absorption¹
• Candidiasis (Candida albicans) also have been found to react to honey (this includes ringworm and athletes foot)¹
• Honey may be used as a treatment for blepharitis, keratitis, conjunctivitis, corneal injuries and chemical and thermal burns to the eyes (may cause stinging)¹
• It is also good for athletes before and after resistance training¹

 Honey fights against and/or kills

• Bacillus anthracis¹ (causes anthrax)
• Candida albicans²/ C. pseudotropicalis²/ C. stellatoidea²/ C. tropicalis² (different types of yeast infections)
• Clostridium perfingens² (can cause food poisoning)
• Corynebacterium diptheriae¹ (causes diphtheria)
• E. coli² (causes digestive problems, urinary tract infections-UTI)
• E. Faecalis² (can cause problems in the urinary tract, heart, bloodstream, stomach/intestines, and skin wounds)
• Haemophilus influenzae¹ (Causes cellulitis, osteomyelitis, epiglottitis, and infectious arthritis)
• Klebsiella pneumoniae¹ (Causes pneumonia, urinary tract infections, degenerative inflammatory arthritis, whole body inflammation – septicemia, and soft body infections)
• Listeria monocytogenes¹ (Causes listeriosis)
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis¹ (Causes the “white plague” or tuberculosis)
• Pasteurella multicoda¹ (Causes zoonotic infections)
• Proteus mirabilis^2,1 (Causes urinary tract infections)
• Ps. aeruginosa²/Psuedomonas aeruginosa¹ (Causes urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, dermatitis, soft tissue infections, bacteremia, bone and joint infections, and gastrointestinal infections)
• Salmonella² (diarrhea, typhi)¹ (Causes food poisoning)
• Serratia marcescens¹ (causes generic infections of wounds, urinary tract infections, respiratory and eye infections)
• Shigella^2,1 (Causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps)
• Staphylococcus aureus¹/ S. aureus² (Causes skin and soft tissue infections—boils, furuncles, and cellulitis. It can also cause bloodstream infections, pneumonia, bone and joint infections)
• Streptococcus² (faecalis, mutans, pneumonia, and pyogenes)¹ (pneumonia, dental caries, strep throat, endocarditis, erysipelas, meningitis, and necrotizing fasciitis)
• Vibrio cholerae¹ (Causes cholera)

 Adverse Honey Properties

• Honey may cause stinging upon some topical applications (otherwise soothing) ¹
• Some people might have a rare allergy to honey and therefore should avoid it¹
• Excessive honey may lead to tissue dehydration¹
• Children less than a year should not eat honey because of the spores – botulinum endospores – which older children and adults can digest³
• Diabetics should always check with their doctors about any foods that might affect their blood sugar levels (whether consumed or applied¹
• Honey intoxication can result if honey is produced from oleanders, rhododendrons, mountain laurels, sheep laurel, and azaleas³

References

¹Bansal, V., Medhi, B., & Pandhi, P. (2005). Honey—a remedy rediscovered and its therapeutic utility. Kathmandu University Medical Journal, 3(3), 305-309.

²Jeffrey, A. E., & Echazarreta, C. M. (1996). Medical uses of honey. Rev Biomed, 7(1), 43-49.
³Wiki. Retrieved September 13, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey

Sweet!

   

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Sweets and Sugars 

What Does Your Hair Say About Your Health?

Let’s talk about your natural hair (no dyes , perms, extensions, etc.)

 How does your hair grow?

Did you know that your hair continuously breaks and regenerates?¹ Yep! It’s true! There are three stages to get your luxurious locks.

First stage is called Anagen. This is when hair is regenerated and new hair grows.¹ This can take from two to eight years!¹ To give you a better idea, your eyebrows only take two to three months to finish this stage.¹

Second stage is called Catagen. The hair stops growing in this stage and the follicle regresses.¹

Third stage is called Telogen, aka the “resting stage.”¹ Hey, everyone needs a break! Including Dr. Carm…hang on a minute *plays some music that repeats the same tune over and over*

*Comes back a little while later.* That was nice! So, as I was saying, this stage is when your hair sheds.¹ This takes about two to three months before it loops back around to stage one.¹

What your hair color can mean about your health

And, yes, this means your natural hair color! If you are gray, then you can look at what your hair color was before you turned old….er…mature…seasoned…ummm…you know what I mean!

Blondes:

Blondes tend to have a higher risk of developing macular degeneration (AMD)—women more so than men. AMD is an eye condition that causes blindness. Roberts-Grey (2010) suggests that you should eat things with lutein and zeaxanthin (such as kale, spinach, snow peas) to help. Because blondes are usually fair, they are also at a higher risk of developing Melanoma.⁵

 Brunettes:

Brunettes tend to have less hair which is coarser and thicker than blondes or redheads. Therefore, baldness is more noticeable. Robert-Grey (2010) suggests eating more iron. Interestingly, the melanin (which help makes your dark color) can cause you to become addicted to nicotine faster.⁵ This is because the melanin “prevents your liver from quickly metabolizing the drug.”⁵ Vitamin C is recommended to help this.⁵

 Redheads:

Guess what! Your hair color is a result of a DNA mutation. This mutation can also cause you to be resistant to general and local anesthetics (ouch!) You also have a 90 percent chance of developing Parkinson’s disease, but your folic acid might delay its progression.⁵

Problems

Hair loss (Alopecia):

[Male pattern baldness is called Androgenetic Alopecia]

Patchy baldness is called Alopecia Areata. This happens at the end of the anagen stage (first stage). It can be caused by inflammation or attack on the immune system.^1,3

Transient Hair Loss is called Telogen Effluvium. This happens from a premature telogen stage. This type of balding is caused by drugs, childbirth, stress, fever, diet, and endocrine abnormalitites.^1,3

Anagen Effluvium (similar to transient hair loss) is caused by a disupted anagen stage. This type of balding can be caused by chemotherapy and radiation treatment.¹

 Excessive Hair Growth:

Also known as Hirutism and Hypertrichosis. This happens because of an extended anagen stage. This is mostly likely a result of hormones.¹

 Dandruff:

White Flakes can be caused by oily skin, stress, obesity, weather, eczema, or psoriasis. Graber (2012) suggests using an antidandruff shampoo daily (leaving it on for 5 minutes and rinsing well.)³

Yellow Flakes, also known as seborrheic dermatitis, is an inflammatory skin condition caused by hormones, fungus, or neurological problems. Graber (2012) also suggests antidandruff shampoos or medicine (such as prescription steroids or antifungal medicine) to help this condition.³

 Shedding:

Usually this is normal. However, increased amounts of shedding are classified as telogen effluvium (see above.)

Some Hair Facts

Mammal’s hair is dependent upon hormones and daylight (such as shedding or molting), while human follicle cycles are independent of each other.¹

“Hair that is dry, brittle, dull and damaged often results from outside factors like constant sun, chlorine, salt water, air pollution, heated treatments or chemicals from hair dye or permanents. Constantly wearing your hair in tight bands or hairstyles, like cornrows, can cause balding.”² Also,  you should not over brush your hair.³

Nutrition for your hair includes proteins, iron, omega 3 fatty acids, zinc, and vitamin A. Good foods to achieve healthy hair includes: salmon, spinach, carrots, Brazil nuts, oysters, walnuts, low fat dairy, whole grains, cashews, and vegetables.^3,4

Usually gray hair is genetic, but it can be caused by anemia, thyroid disease, vitamin B12 deficiency, and vitiligo.^3,4

Drugs that can cause hair lost: anticlotting drugs, cholesterol-lowering drugs, antidepressants, NSAIDs, menopause drugs, birth control, and antibiotics. Most likely, your hair can grow back after stopping the use of these drugs.³ REMEMBER: Always consult with your physician before starting or stopping any medications!

Scalp massages have not been proven to improve scalp conditions or slow hair loss.³ Sorry, but it does reduce stress!

 Genetic hair loss is influenced more by your mother’s side of the family than your fathers.³

  
¹Ben-Ari, E. T. (2000). Hair today: Untangling the biology of the hair follicle. Bioscience, 50(4), 303-308. 
²Gargulinski, R. (2011). What your hair & nails say about your health. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com 
³Graber, E. M. (2012). What your hair & scalp say about your health. Retrieved from www.webmd.com 
⁴Johnson, L. S. (2009). What does your hair say about your health? Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com 
⁵Roberts-Grey, G. (2010). Brunettes have more beaus? Hair color facts. Retrieved from http://today.msnbc.msn.com

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