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APRIL, 2006 NEWS

WOMEN'S WELLNESS:

BREAST & UTERINE HEALTH

Women's Health Virginia is a "statewide initiative to promote and improve Virginia women's and girls' health and well being" (www.womenshealthvirginia.org). They have designated April as Women and Girls Wellness Month, so in honor of their effort, this article will address two important women's health issues that apply to women of all ages - breast health and uterine health.

Many breast problems, including cancer, are linked to too much estrogen in the body in relation to progesterone. While breast cancer often runs in families, we can hedge our bets by taking care of our overall health and finding ways to get the estrogen back into balance. The United States National Research Council (http://www.nationalacademies.org/nrc/) states that 35-70 percent of all U.S. cancer deaths are related to diet and that 60 percent of the cancer incidence in women is related to diet. Other breast issues include fibrocystic breasts and tender breasts. More than 70% of all women have cysts of some type, but only about 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer. For overall breast health, eat a healthy diet high in fresh, whole foods and low in processed foods, sugars, unhealthy fats, sodas, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, alcohol and processed carbohydrates. Also, Whole Health MD recommends taking essential fatty acids (Omega 3's from fish, flax, primrose, or borage oils) which can maintain healthy breast tissue (http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/substances_view/1,1525,992,00.html).

Fibrocystic breast disease is uncomfortable but normally doesn't interfere with a woman's lifestyle or lead to anything more serious. All lumps, however, should be examined by a physician to be sure they're benign. Several simple methods can be utilized to help prevent or treat breast cysts as follows:

1. Eliminate caffeine of all types. Caffeine consumption aggravates breast cysts.

2. Decrease estrogen consumption from all sources. Remember, hormones are added to cow's milk to increase production and are found in most dairy products unless you buy hormone-free. They're also in most meats we eat, like chicken, turkey and red meats, and eggs.

3. Take the herb Chasteberry (Vitex) every day according to bottle directions. A double-blind trial of 104 women compared a placebo against two forms of chasteberry (liquid and tablet) for at least three menstrual cycles. The results showed statistically significant and comparable improvements in the treated groups as compared to the placebo (Mosby's Handbook of Herbs and Supplements and Their Therapeutic Uses, 2003).

4. According to the journal Alternative Medicine Review, calcium D-glucarate supplements will bind to excess estrogen and help remove it from the system (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FDN/is_4_7/ai_91155405). 5. Use castor oil packs. Heat castor oil until very hot. Soak a soft, cotton cloth in the oil & place cloth directly on the lumps. Cover with plastic wrap & leave on over night. Repeat for 5 nights, rest 2 nights, repeat again. It's messy, but works over time to dissolve the lumps.

While beyond the scope of this discussion, there are numerous herbal & dietary protocols that have proved very effective for treating breast cancer and may be used in conjunction with standard protocols. These include calcium D-glucarate, the calcium salt of D-glucaric acid, which is being studied at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center as an alternative to tamoxifen (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FDN/is_4_7/ai_91155405). It has been very successful in animal studies. And never forget, when detected early enough, most breast cancers have a high probability of being cured.

Uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts and cervical dysplasia are very common problems women face. These are mostly benign conditions, but may cause a great deal of discomfort and, if heavy bleeding is present, embarrassment. Ovarian cysts and fibroids have been linked to excess estrogen levels, and ovarian cysts will normally shrink during menopause when estrogen levels drop. Cervical dysplasia often goes away by itself, but can result in discomfort. It is caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) which is sexually transmitted. HPV can lead to cervical or other genital cancers, so it's important to have any wart-like vaginal abnormalities checked by a doctor. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control state that by age 50, at least 80 percent of women will have acquired genital HPV infection (http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm). Luckily, PAP tests will detect cervical dysplasia caused by HPV.

A few helpful things you can do for uterine fibroids and benign ovarian cysts are as follows:

1. Follow the fibrocystic breast protocols and try to reduce estrogen levels.

2. Take calcium D-glucarate as mentioned above.

3. Cleanse the liver by doing a dietary detoxification and taking liver cleansing herbs like milk thistle, burdock root, dandelion root, Oregon grape root, etc.

4. An herbal uterine health formula is often recommended.

5. Drinking red raspberry leaf tea several times a day helps reduce bleeding.

6. Use castor oil packs on the lower abdominal areas. See the previous information on fibrocystic breast disease for directions.

Natural treatments for cervical dysplasia include the following:

1. Anti-oxidant vitamins (A, C & E) which build immunity and fight free radicals.

2. Essential Fatty Acids (Omega 3's) from fish, flax, borage, and primrose oils - 1000 mg 3 times daily.

3. Aloe juice - 1/3 C. 3 X daily (Do not use if you have problems with diarrhea).

4. Apply castor oil packs to the abdomen twice daily.

5. An herbal uterine health formula is often recommended.

6. Soaking a tampon in calendula tea with a few drops of tea tree essential oil will fight the papilloma virus. Use nightly until improvements are noticeable.

Women are known as caregivers to the world. We care for our families, we volunteer in our communities, and many of us nurture our plants and pets. Where we seem to fall down on the job, however, is we don't spend enough time taking care of ourselves!

For a full list of local and statewide Women and Girls Wellness Month activities, visit the Women's Health Virginia website at www.womenshealthvirginia.org/events.html.

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