Supporting Those With Breast Cancer

I thought this blog from the Shaklee Health Wise Blog would be fitting! My cousin conquered beast cancer and I’m proud of her for being strong and diligent though it all! 

When women get breast cancer they become the focus of attention (as it should be), but what gets less attention is how their loved ones’ lives are turned upside down with this diagnosis. The difficulty for any caregiver is how to be truly helpful to someone who is dealing with breast cancer.

Some of us have a tendency to want to look for solutions and fix things (which is a good trait), but for many cancer is beyond their knowledge which can leave them feeling inadequate and unsure how to help. Supporting someone you love who is going through any serious disease can be a challenging and confusing time, so let’s look at specific suggestions of how to best support someone with breast cancer.

It should be noted here that men can develop breast cancer, but the numbers are very low. The lifetime risk for men is one-tenth of one percent (or about 1 percent of all breast cancers). Men should check their breasts for lumps, just as women should.

How to best support someone with breast cancer:

Change: The first thing to understand about a diagnosis of cancer is that things are going to change. Women are faced with thoughts of their own mortality and this alone can bring about dramatic change. There may be changes in which foods she wants to eat, how much rest she needs, how much work she can get done around the house, and how she feels about herself, especially sexually. Women may fear how you will view them if they need to have a mastectomy, so it is helpful to tell her that you care for her as a person and want her to make the right decisions for her future health.

Emotions: Every woman will react differently to her diagnosis. Some are fearful, some angry, some sad. The most likely scenario is that a woman will experience all of these emotions over the course of dealing with this disease. As a caregiver it is important to understand the variety of emotions and to try to not take any of them personally. Find ways to remind her of your love and caring, that you are trying to understand and are there for her in whatever way she needs.

Decisions: There can be lots of decisions one has to make when diagnosed with cancer, or any serious disease; from choosing the right specialists, to what procedures to have done, to which medications to take. Choosing the best course is a major source of anxiety in women with breast cancer. It is best to start early with a discussion of how you are going to make these decisions and what role you as the caregiver can provide. Your job is not to be a medical expert, but to listen and to share thoughts, feelings, and opinions. Help her weigh the choices, but let her make the decision. Ultimately, the most important thing is to support whatever decision she makes.

Advocate: One of the great ways to support someone going through breast cancer is to go with her to every appointment. It helps to have someone else in the room to hear, take notes, and ask questions. You can also function as an advocate helping her get what she needs

Being a good caregiver is definitely a learning process. Don’t expect to always “get it right” and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Most breast cancer specialists will have an array of various specialists of different types whom you can call or make appointments with. It may be helpful to remind your loved one about reaching out to family members or other trusted confidantes, including spiritual advisors to help navigate difficult times. While you are not the only support, you are an important one—so take care of yourself too!

Have a healthy and productive day! 

MJ 

Shaklee, 57 years of natural prevention: http://mjshealthyway.com 

The 12 major hormone disrupting chemicals and how to avoid them-Part 2

7. Lead. Lead has been phased out of gasoline and paint for years, but some older homes still have lead paint on the walls and the soil around them, making it easy for small kids to be exposed when they get lead-laden dust or dirt on their hands and then put their fingers in their mouths. Lead poisoning has been linked to some major health problems such as brain damage, lowered IQ, hearing loss, miscarriage, high blood pressure, and damage to the kidneys and nervous system.  

Avoid it. If you have lead paint in your home, regularly dust and vacuum to keep lead particles from accumulating. And use a water filter to remove lead from your drinking water.

8. Arsenic. The mere mention of the word arsenic conjures up images of old murder mysteries and poisoned food, doesn’t it? Levels of arsenic in food get confusing because some foods contain organic arsenic – which occurs naturally —while others contain inorganic arsenic, which is a synthetic compound used in pesticides. It’s the inorganic form that is a known carcinogen and has been linked to bladder, lung and skin cancers; diabetes; and cardiovascular disease.

Avoid it. Use a good water filter to reduce the amount of arsenic in your water and use these tips to minimize arsenic in other commonly contaminated foods such as rice.

9. Mercury. It’s a sad fact of our modern life that one of the healthiest foods to eat — seafood — is also heavily contaminated with the heavy metal mercury. A recent study found that 84 percent of the world’s fish are contaminated with mercury. Most mercury pollution is emitted by coal power plants, but it is also produced as a byproduct of gold mining, cement production, iron and steel production and waste disposal. Mercury poisoning can lead to health issues such as impaired fetal development, kidney failure, hair loss and extreme muscle weakness.

Avoid it. Check out this post on avoiding mercury and eating seafood safely.

10. Perfluorinated chemicals. Also known as PFCs, perfluorinated chemicals are the chemicals used to make nonstick cookware and many other stain- and water-repellent products. They are found in everything from pots and pans to furniture to pesticides. They have been linked to neurological delays, low sperm count, delayed puberty, earlier menopause and infertility. 

Avoid them. Steer clear of nonstick pans and products that use stain and/or water-resistant coatings.

11. Organophosphate pesticides. Think about this: organophosphate pesticides are chemically designed to attack the nervous system of insects. This is what makes them great insecticides. It’s also what makes them so dangerous for humans. Not surprisingly, organophosphate pesticides have been linked to neurological disorders and other dysfunction in the human body such as ADHD, lowered IQ and delays in reproductive development.

Avoid them. Buy organic produce whenever possible. See this list for the best foods to buy organic.

12. Glycol ethers. Ethylene glycol ethers are common solvents found in paints, cleaning supplies, brake fluid, and even some cosmetics. Exposure has been linked to problems with fetal development, male infertility, asthma, and allergies.

Avoid them. Stay away from any products with names like 2-butoxyethanol (EGBE) and methoxydiglycol (DEGME) in the ingredient list.

Source

Have a healthy and productive weekend! 

MJ 

Shaklee, keeping our planet green since 1957. See the difference at http://mjshealthyway.com

The 12 major hormone disrupting chemicals and how to avoid them-Part 1

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) released one of its "Dirty Dozen" lists today, this one with the goal of educating consumers about the worst offenders when it comes to endocrine-disrupters, or hormone-altering chemicals, commonly found in our environment and in our homes. Chemicals that affect or mimic human hormones can cause problems in all of the body's major system, leading to such diseases as high blood pressure, cancer, brain damage and infertility.

Here, according to the EWG, are the Dirty Dozen Endocrine-Disrupters and what you can do to minimize your exposure.

1. BPA. It's no surprise that BPA, or bisphenol-A, tops the EWG's list of endocrine disrupters. We've written about BPA's links to breast cancer, reproductive problems, obesity, asthma, tooth decay, early puberty and heart disease. This chemical, which is commonly found in plastics, mimics the hormone estrogen, wreaking havoc on the body's systems. What's worse, studies show that more than 90 percent of Americans have BPA in their bodies.  

Avoid it. The best ways to avoid BPA are to steer clear of plastics (particularly when it comes to food packaging;) choose fresh foods over canned; and opt for a glass or stainless steel water bottle instead of plastic.

2. Dioxin. Dioxin is a byproduct of many industrial processes that involve combustion and it can also be created by natural causes such as volcanic eruptions or forest fires. Dioxins accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals and work their way up the food chain. Humans are primarily exposed through meat and dairy products, fish and shellfish. In the body, they can disrupt the signals of both male and female sex hormones, leading to such problems as infertility, nervous system disorders, skin lesions and cancer.

Avoid it. Dioxin is tough to avoid because of its prevalence in the environment, but the best way to limit exposure is to reduce your consumption of meat, dairy products and fish.

3. Atrazine. Atrazine is a commonly used agricultural herbicide. It does a great job of killing weeds but also happens to wreak havoc on the rest of the environment. It's sprayed on corn crops and easily finds its way into water sources for both humans and animals. Studies have found that even low levels of atrazine can turn male frogs into females. Atrazine has been linked to birth defects, breast tumors, delayed puberty and prostate disorders.  

Avoid it. Purchase a water filter to remove atrazine from your drinking water and buy organic produce to keep atrazine out of your house and out of the environment.

4. Phthalates. Found in everything from nail polish to pacifiers to window blinds, phthalates are another ubiquitous chemical in the average household. They are chemical additives that do a great job at making plastics flexible but a not so great job of protecting human health. To date, phthalates have been linked to high blood pressure, ADHD, infertility, obesity, birth defects, thyroid dysfunction and diabetes.  

Avoid them: Avoid plastics with the recycling label #3 as these are made from PVC and likely contain phthalates. In the beauty aisle, check product labels and avoid any that list the ambiguous ingredient "fragrance," as this may mean the product contains hidden phthalates.  

5. Perchlorate. How did an ingredient found in rocket fuel and fireworks wind up in our water supply? The EPA decided in 2011 to regulate perchlorate according to the Safe Water Drinking Act, but prior to that, it was unregulated — which is why it is now found in the drinking water in 35 states as well as some vegetables and dairy products. Perchlorate may cause thyroid damage and developmental delays in babies.  

Avoid it. Use a reverse osmosis filter on your drinking water supply to filter this nasty chemicals out of your water.

6. Fire retardants. Fire retardants used in household products — particularly those known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDEs — are incredibly persistent in the environment, which means that even though some of the more toxic versions have been banned or phased out, they will continue to contaminate our water and food supplies for years to come. PBDEs alter normal thyroid function in the body, leading to such problems as lower IQ levels and ADHD.

Avoid them. It's virtually impossible to avoid fire retardants, but you can minimize the level in your home by dusting frequently and using a vacuum cleaner with an HEPA-filter to quickly pick up stray dirt and dust.

Source

Have a healthy and productive weekend! 

MJ 

Shaklee, keeping our planet green since 1957. See the difference at http://mjshealthyway.com

PART 7 Shaklee's Energizing Soy Protein

Soy and Breast and Prostate Health

It has long been known that many soy-consuming Asian populations have better rates of breast and prostate health than do Western populations. There are many factors involved in prostate health, but a recent, large-scale population-health study suggests soy intake as one of those factors. In this study, men who reported frequently consuming soy milk (which contains isoflavones) were 70% more likely to maintain prostate health during a follow-up period, compared to the men who had little or no soy in their diet.

A recent population-health study conducted in China investigated the relationship between soy intake during adolescence and breast health later in life. After adjustments for known risk factors, higher soy food intakes reported during the teen years were associated with significantly better breast health when these women reached their pre- and postmenopausal adult years.9 Researchers believe that soy intake starting at a young age and continued throughout life is linked to maintaining breast health.

Another way that soy may promote heart, breast, and prostate health is by providing protection against oxidation damage. The soy isoflavone genistein has been shown to have antioxidant properties.1

NOTE: While the totality of evidence suggests health benefits for soy, scientific opinion is not uniform on the appropriate use of soy by women with a history of breast cancer. We recommend that women with this history discuss the option of soy intake with their physician.

Soy and Menopause

Cross-cultural studies of menopausal women have found that women in Japan experience a smoother transitional period than women in the West.11 Soy foods are commonly consumed in Asian countries, providing an estimated 25–45 mg of isoflavones per day for the average person.12

For the menopausal woman, soy has particular interest, as it is studied for both its apparent beneficial effect during menopause as well as for bone-building and helping to retain normal cholesterol levels.*

Have a healthy and productive weekend! 

MJ 

If your interested in a business about helping people, contact me at:

mike@mjshealthy.com  

Shaklee, Helping America and the world live a healthier lifestyle since 1956!

http://mjshealthyway.com  

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