I’ve had the privilege of teaching a women’s Bible class this fall at my church and would like to share (with her permission) the story of one of the ladies in my class.  Julia is this vibrant, strong, matter-of-fact woman with the loveliest English accent.  At our first class she mentioned that she had been for her routine, annual mammogram, and it showed something questionable and was being sent for an ultrasound.  Upon reading the ultrasound, she was scheduled for a biopsy.  Several weeks later Julia reported that she had the biopsy and was waiting to hear the results.  Last Friday I received an email from her reporting that she indeed has breast cancer and is visiting a surgeon this week to see how to proceed.

I’m sharing Julia’s story because I believe it is a powerful reminder of the importance of early detection.  Because a mammogram is something she does routinely, the doctors had a baseline with which to compare the new results.  Being diligent to maintain her annual checkup, this screening caught the changes early and discovered Stage 1 breast cancer which is likely very treatable, and it appears there is no lymph node involvement.

While we all can agree that mammograms are no fun, it is our best early detection tool.  In addition to self-exams and early detection measures, here are some personal steps you can take to limit your risk of developing breast cancer:

1.  Maintain a healthy weight.  Have you noticed this one tops the list for most all disease prevention guidelines?  It is the most important thing you can do to prevent inflammation, avoid chronic disease and reduce your risk of breast cancer.
2.  Exercise regularly.  At JTA, we recommend 30 to 60 minutes a day, 6 days a week to help maintain lean muscle mass, prevent weigh gain and avoid chronic disease.
3.  Sleep at least 7 hours.  Research shows that a lack of nighttime sleep can be a risk factor for breast cancer.
4.  Don’t drink alcohol.  Women should limit alcohol consumption to no more than one drink a day.  Studies show that alcohol in excess increases a women’s risk of developing breast cancer.
5.  Avoid exposure to chemicals that can cause cancer.  For a list of substances known to interfere with normal function of the body, Click Here.
6.  Limit exposure to radiation from medical imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans, and PET scans if not medically necessary.
7.  If you are taking, or have been told to take, hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives, ask your doctor about the risks and find out if it is right for you.
8.  Breastfeed!  Breastfeeding has been correlated with a lower risk of breast cancer.

So, what’s the good news?  In recent years, advances in science have made clear that there are actions we can take to help prevent breast cancer.  In addition, physicians and scientists continue to perfect treatment options to be less invasive and more effective.  This October, taking charge of your health to prevent breast cancer is pretty, powerful and PINK!!

Tips for today’s newsletter adapted from www.cdc.gov