A recent study posted in the June 15th issue of JAMA reported that home births were up 20% from 2004 to 2008. This fact is demonstrating that many more people are trying to go give birth the “old fashioned way” as opposed to the new modern way, ie in a hospital.
According to Recent Article in JAMA. The beneifts of mammogram screening in average risk women with no symptoms are marginal at best.
Imagine we took 4,000 women, 40 years of age, with no symptoms, and separated them into 2 groups. We offer 2,000 of the women a mammogram yearly or every other year for 10 years. The other 2,000 women don’t have a mammogram for 10 years. What would the difference in breast cancer death rates be over the following 10 years between the two groups? The results may surprise you.
In the women who do NOT undergo yearly or every other year mammogram for 10 years (5- 10 mammograms), 7 of the 2,ooo, would die from breast cancer
In the women who DO undergo a mammogram yearly or every other year for 10 years (5-10 mammograms), 6 of the 2,000 women would die from the mammogram.
In other words, the science shows that 1 in 2000 women, aged 40-49, will avoid breast cancer due to the screening mammogram. Stated another way, between 10,000 to 20,000 mammograms (assuming one is done every 1-2 years) need to be conducted to prevent 1 breast cancer death for an average risk women between the age of 40-49.
Likewise, there will be 120-400 false positive screening tests requiring a surgical biospy and 2-10 women will be “overdiagnosed” resulting in unnecessary diagnosis and treatment resulting in surgery, radiation, chemotherapy for breast cancer.
While I am NOT recommending women avoid mammograms, I do recommend women talk to their doctors, their risk factors for breast cancer and what the best course of prevention and screening is best for them. In addition, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy body weight and exercising routinely are strongly encouraged to help prevent cancer from beginning in the first place.
Remember, a mammogram simply finds a cancer that is already there. It does not prevent cancer itself. In fact, the cumulative radiation doses may increase risk of cancer for a small number of women after 10 to 30 years of mammograms. In addition, low levels of vitamin D are also a risk factor for developing breast cancer. I would recommend you ask your doctor to measure your vitamin D level and strive to reach levels >50 ng/ml.
Sources:
The Benefits and Harms of Mammography Screening, JAMA January 13, 2010. Vol. 303, No. 2
By the time women enter menopause, almost half are in the beginning stages of osteoporosis. Men are not too far behind. Osteoporosis is a bone disease in which the bones become thinner and weaker, increasing risk of deadly fractures. Prevention starts early on. Avoid soda, which can steal the calcium out of your bones. Increase intake of calcium rich foods like yogurt, spinach and cheese. Consider calcium supplements and perform weight bearing exercise at least 3 times a week.
80% of Americans and most people worldwide are deficient in Vitamin D. Studies show that those with the lowest levels of vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, are at increased risk for breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart attacks, strokes, osteoporosis and more. Ask you doctor to check your vitamin D level. Most people need at least 2,000 IU daily of vitamin D to increase their blood levels.
When you go to your doctor, you get your blood pressure measured. Many people are confused by the numbers and don’t understand what they mean.
Your doctor will tell you it is either normal or high. Blood pressure is the amount of force your heart muscle needs to exert as it pumps the blood through your arteries (not veins). A blood pressure reading consists of 2 numbers and is expressed as “120 over 80″ or “120/80″.
The 120 (bigger number) is called your systolic pressure while the 80 (smaller number) is the diastolic pressure. Both numbers are important. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 or less.
If your blood pressure is >140/90 on two or more occasions, you have high blood pressure and need to see your physician.
High blood pressure increases your risk for heart attacks and strokes, so controlling it is very very important. Diet, exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a lot of fruits and vegetables can all help lower blood pressure. You many also need to be on blood pressure medicine.
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