Early Detection of Breast Cancer

Early detection of breast cancer can lead to greater likelihood of cure. The American Cancer Society recommends the following guidelines for the detection of breast cancer in women who are asymptomatic (show no symptoms of breast cancer):

Women 20 years of age and older should women should be told about the benefits and limitations of breast self-exams (BSE). Women should be aware of how their breasts normally feel and report any new breast change to a health professional as soon as they are found. [Note: while the American Cancer Society recently amended its guidelines and no longer recommends monthly BSE, many healthcare professionals believe strongly in this easy, no cost method of screening for breast cancer and continue to recommend BSE on a monthly basis].

Women 20-39 should have a physical examination of the breast (CBE or clinical breast exam) at least every three years, performed by health care professional such as a physician, physician assistant, nurse or nurse practitioner. CBE may often be received in the same appointment as a Pap smear. Women 20-39 should also perform monthly BSE.

Women 40 and older should have a physical examination of the breast (CBE or clinical breast exam) every year, performed by a health care professional, such as a physician, physician assistant, nurse or nurse practitioner. CBE can often be performed in the same visit as a mammogram. Monthly BSE should also be performed.

Women 40 years of age should receive a screening mammogram every year. The National Cancer Institute recommends mammography every one to two years for women between 40-50 years of age. Beginning at age 50, screening mammography should be performed every year.
Women with a high risk of breast cancer and/or family history of breast cancer are encouraged to consult their doctor or other trained medical professional about receiving annual screening mammograms starting between the ages of 30 and 40. Woman at a very high risk of breast cancer (such as those tested positive for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 breast cancer genes) should speak with their physician about beginning annual mammograms as early as age 25.

Breast self-examination (BSE) is a visual and manual examination of the breast that can be easily carried out by women on a monthly basis. While breast self exams have not been shown to increase the chances of surviving cancer, BSE helps women familiarize themselves with the characteristics of their breasts. Done regularly, the exam has been shown to permits the detection of some early changes and small lumps in the breast in some women. A woman who discovers a lump in her breast should report it to her doctor immediately. Some healthcare professionals recommend that women begin BSE in their teens, after they have gone through puberty and have begun regular menstrual cycles. Click here for detailed information on breast self exam.

Clinical Breast Examination (CBE)
A clinical breast examination (CBE) is a physical examination of your breasts by a trained medical or health professional, such as a physician, nurse practitioner, nurse, or physician’s assistant. CBE includes inspection (looking) and palpation (feeling) of the entire breast/chest area including the lymph node areas above and below the collarbone and under each arm. Women should discuss breast-self examination techniques and personal findings with the healthcare professional performing their CBE. Women should also use the CBE session as an opportunity to learn how to correctly perform breast self-exam.

For the CBE examination, the patient undresses from the waist up. Using the pads of the fingers, the examiner will gently palpate (feel) each breast. Special attention will be given to the shape and texture of the breasts, location of any lumps, and whether such lumps are attached to the skin or to deeper tissues. The armpits and areas under both arms will also be examined.
A small percentage of breast cancers are not detected by mammography but can be felt during a clinical breast examination. Therefore it is important that a woman have both her mammogram and clinical breast exam done in the same month.

The earliest sign of breast cancer is usually an abnormality that shows up on an annual mammogram before a woman or her health care provider can feel it. The National Cancer Institute estimates that mammography can often detect very small cancers up to two years before it can be discovered by physical exam.
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Regaining your shape after pregnancy!

Many women think that right after pregnancy they will go back to their original size. Think about it this way. It took nine months to get to your full term size so getting back into shape will take about that long.

Most women think that diet is the quickest way to lose weight after giving birth, experts say a dramatic cut in calories is not the best way to begin – particularly if you are breastfeeding.
"You should be eating at least 1,800-2,000 calories a day while breastfeeding, and if you eat less you will not only be shortchanging yourself, you'll be shortchanging your baby. You can't produce quality milk if you are not eating enough," says nutritionist Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy.

Insteading of Dieting , one should go for exercise but it is recomended to start slow. Remember that your body just went through a great ordeal during birth. It takes time to heal. Give your body that time. Walking is always good. Swimming is an excellent form of excercise. What ever you do, remember to listen to your body.

A good workout should leave you feeling energized not tired. Some recommended physical activities :

Yoga : great relaxing form of excercise.
Aerobics : good for increasing heart rate and loosing weight.
Running : Careful with running if you have weak knees.
Swimming : Wonderful for the body.

Try and do some weights as well as a cardio workout. Taking walks with your baby or any other activity that keeps you moving and not sitting like a lump on a log is great. Really just keep active.

Calcium: An Important Mineral For Women

Calcium is essential to the development and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. Young women (adolescents and young adults) need to make sure they get enough calcium, as they can achieve their peak bone mass just after this age. Adequate amounts of calcium will help her bones reach optimum bone density. This can help protect her from osteoporosis later in life. Mature women need calcium to prevent break down of bone. There is also a growing body of research that suggests that calcium may prevent PMS.

How Much Does A Woman Need?
The amount of calcium that a woman should get per day ranges from 1000mg-1500mg, depending her age group, and hormonal state.

a) Ages 11-24 (adolescents and young adults): 1200-1500 mg
b) Ages 25-50: 1000 mg
c) Pregnant and nursing: 1200-1500 mg
d) Older than 50 (postmenopausal):
-- on estrogens: 1000 mg
-- not on estrogens: 1500 mg
e) Older than 65: 1500 mg

Sources of Calcium

Dairy foods are very high in calcium, especially milk, yogurt and cheese. Other good sources include calcium-enriched orange juice, rice beverages, and soy beverages. For more information, see Food Sources of Calcium at BC HealthGuide

Calcium a "Miracle" Mineral

Calcium and Weight Loss:
When Dr. Robert Heaney, a calcium expert at Creighton University in Omaha, recently examined the health records of 575 women, he was astonished at the results. "We were looking at mid-life weight gain and found that women with the highest calcium intakes didn't gain weight and those with the lowest did," Dr. Heaney said.

Similarly, at the University of Tennessee, Michael Zemel, Ph.D., reported that because calcium plays a key role in metabolic disorders linked to obesity and insulin resistance, a diet low in calcium literally stockpiles fat cells while higher calcium diets depletes them. Dr. Zemel discovered that a high calcium diet released a hormone which sends signals that are read by the body's fat cells to lose weight.

Calcium and Premenstrual Syndrome:
Susan Thys-Jacobs, an endocrinologist at St. Luke-Roosevelt Hospital's, has found that calcium supplementation can relieve the physical and emotional toll of PMS by almost 50%. At least half of the 497 women she studied who took 1,200 mg. of calcium supplements experienced fewer mood swings, depression/sadness, anxiety/nervousness; breast tenderness, bloating and other aches and pains. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center in Grand Forks, N.D. reported similar results after studying 10 women with PMS who spent half the study period on a daily diet containing 600 mg. of calcium, the other half upped to1300 mg. Women on the high calcium diet were less irritable, weepy, and depressed and averted backaches, cramping, and bloating.

Read more at Discovery.com