Alternative Treatments for Breast Cancer

It is shocking to live with breast cancer statistics rising to 1 in 8 women developing some form of breast cancer in their lifetime. women 50 and older are at the greatest risk. Breast cancer is usually detected with mammograms or self breast exams. about 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year. While the survival rate is increasing, it is important to note the increase in occurrence over the last 50 years. Lets examine what causes breast cancer so we can prevent and deal with breast cancer naturally.

Causes of Breast Cancer
Everyones cancer is caused by something different, and so pinpointing the cause of breast cancer usually isnt high on the list of priorities once a woman is diagnosed with the potentially deadly disease. But, in general cancer is caused by free radicals, or deformed cells, that attach themselves to your good cells.

Breast cancer specifically has been linked to too much estrogen found in the body. There are several reasons why women have too much estrogen. The birth control pill increases the amount of estrogen in the female body. Hormone replacement therapy also has been shown to cause breast cancer because of its tampering with hormone levels.

High levels of preservatives, herbicides, pesticides and other chemicals used to treat food contribute to breast cancer. And estrogens found in dairy and meat can be overwhelming to the body.

Holistic Treatment of Breast Cancer
Plant estrogens like soy are a great way to combat breast cancer. These plant estrogens give the female body everything it needs without the harmful effects. women with breast cancer should increase their intake of soy foods. When possible they should try to reduce the amount of dairy in their diet and replace it with soy.

Eating whole grains, green leafy vegetables, and fruit also give the immune system a boost and enable the body to wage its own war against cancer. Vitamin and mineral supplements help to fill in the gaps of nutrition you may miss from your diet. Antioxidants counteract the free radicals floating around your body, bind with them, and the body flushes them right out so they can do no harm.

Mental and spiritual well being is also important in a holistic approach to fighting breast cancer. meditation, stress reduction, improved outlook, and positivity all help improve your mental well being. And as many of us realize, you are what you think about. So change your focus, look for the beauty in life, and take care of yourself, inside and out.

exercise is a fantastic way to improve your immune system, build a physically healthy body, and improve your mental well being at the same time. yoga, tai-Chi, and walking are all beneficial ways to exercise the body and mind without overdoing it and causing damage.

Progesterone cream delivers the hormone, progesterone, to the body in the fastest way possible - transdermally, or through the skin. Progesterone helps to regulate the other hormones in the body, especially estrogen levels. As a woman ages, her natural progesterone levels decrease leaving her exposed to excess estrogen. In research conducted in 1995, progesterone was shown to have protective effects on breast tissue because it inhibits the growth of more breast cancer cells. Estrogen does the opposite and encourages breast tissue growth. Pro-Gest is a good progesterone cream for women with breast cancer.

Breast cancer information

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Websites Promoting Pro-Anorexia Lifestyle Dangerous

anorexia nervosa is a complex eating disorder that is characterized by a poor self-image, which ultimately leads to self-starvation and extreme weight-loss.

about one percent of all adolescent females have anorexia, while only 10 percent of total anorexia cases are men. The reason why females are more susceptible to anorexia probably stems from the demands that society places on young women to be thin. A new trend among young adults has been sweeping the nation: pro-anorexia websites. Also known as pro-ana, these sites glorify anorexia nervosa and offer "thinspiration" on maintaining a starvation lifestyle. All pro-anorexia websites have one thing in common - they promote anorexia nervosa.

Pro-ana websites suggest that one follow the "Ana" way of life. Ana promotes thinness and considers overweight people as ugly and inferior. They suggest that one obsess about calories and avoidance of food. food is considered the ultimate enemy.

A signature item that most pro-Ana sites seem to have is a list of rules of commandments. An excerpt from a site I visited: [Being thin is the most important thing in life; Thin is beautiful and good / obese is ugly and bad; You must feel very guilty every time you eat]. sites also offer a variety of tips and excuses that will help anorexics to hide their problem or aid the starvation process. A few tips and excuses I found: take diet pills; No thanks, I ate a huge breakfast (or lunch); If your family suspects you have an eating problem, leave plates and half full glasses around the house so it looks like you ate. Safe food lists are also available on these sites. According to pro-ana, safe foods consist of mostly leafy greens and vegetables with a lot of water content, particularly lettuce and cucumbers. Water is promoted as a weight-loss enhancer and satiety agent. Individuals are encouraged to keep a journal to track their calorie intake, weight-loss and feelings. An array of pictures are used as motivators, usually supermodels and thin celebrities such as Calista Flockhart("Ally McBeal").

Although web-hosting companies have attempted to eliminate these websites, they are still readily accessible. An increase in the "underground network" has allowed individuals to gain access to these sites. The underground network is the same thing that pedophiles use to access child pornography. Users just e-mail one another and once they reach an agreement, they are given the URL for the site that is privately hosted. This has resulted in an ever-increasing challenge for internet surveillance agencies to monitor content on the web.

Treating anorexia nervosa requires a team of professionals consisting of physicians, psychologists, nutritionists and family and friends. most individuals resist treatment at first because they feel that weight-loss will improve their self-image and once they achieve that "ideal," they will stop. The problem with this is that the "ideal" may never be achieved, and hence, the anorexia will continue. Only about half of all treated patients report successful therapy.

Some common signs of anorexia are finding excuses for not eating, becoming obsessed with the mirror, excessive and compulsive exercising, loss of menstrual cycle in women, fear of gaining weight and deliberate self-starvation.

anorexia may lead to malnutrition, dehydration, serious damage to the heart, liver and kidneys and ultimately death. A poor self-image, perfectionism, "all or nothing" attitude, and altered social relationships are also related to those suffering from anorexia.

If you suspect that someone may have anorexia or any other eating disorder, call the national Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) Helpline at: 1-800-950-NAMI. Don't wait until it's too late. Be Healthy!

Chris Theberge is the founder of the nutrition and food Web Archive, NutriWeb Designs, and Dietitian Designs. Visit http://www.nafwa.org for free nutrition and food-related resources.

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