Ideal Bite gives bite-sized ideas for healthy, light green living.

Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer

My sister was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and one of her treatments was Hormone Therapy. I was a little puzzled by this, as I always thought that HRT was unsafe for women with breast cancer. I’ve since found out that Hormone Therapy is NOT the same thing as Hormone Replacement Therapy or HRT.

Hormone replacement therapy is generally used to treat menopause symptoms such as mood swings and hot flashes that don’t respond to alternative treatments. Hormone Therapy is an anti-estrogen therapy that works against hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. They work by lowering the amount of estrogen hormone in the body and by blocking the action of estrogen in the body. This treatment works for hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers. Estrogen makes this type of tumor grow, so by reducing the amount of estrogen produced by the body or by blocking the action of estrogen, you can help the cancer tumors shrink and can reduce the risk of new tumors from growing or recurring. This treatment does not work for hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer.

To learn more about Hormone Therapy as a treatment for Breast Cancer click here

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Do you Suffer from Bladder Weakness?

I recently came across an interesting article from PRNewswire about bladder weakness in women. Apparently one in every four women suffers from bladder weakness. Here’s a excerpt from the article:

One in four women suffers from bladder weakness, but according to the survey, nearly 40 percent of women with symptoms have never discussed their condition with anyone. Of the women who acknowledge they have bladder weakness, almost half (48 percent) are embarrassed to discuss it and more than half (52 percent) either hide symptoms or are afraid of what others would think. The condition carries such a stigma that women would rather discuss other sensitive topics than their bladder weakness: infertility/fertility (32 percent would discuss before bladder weakness), their relationship with their spouse (30 percent), mental health (23 percent) and menopause (15 percent).

“Women often try to cope with private or embarrassing issues such as bladder weakness on their own, but they should know that they are not alone. The reality is that while bladder weakness affects a significant number of women, it doesn’t have to slow them down. There are pelvic floor exercises and protective products out there to help women combat this issue. It’s important for women to discuss the condition with their doctor so they can learn about their options,” says Dr. Lauri Romanzi, a board certified gynecologist with more than 20 years of experience in women’s health.

Click here to read the rest of the article

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Breast Pain

After having the mammogram scare and still experiencing unexplained breast pain, my sister in law told me about an article she read in Woman’s World about some natural remedies for breast pain.

Here’s what the article said about relieving breast pain:

One of the more common reasons for breast pain is cysts. If you’re prone to non-cancerous cysts, you may want to try switching to decaf coffee and cut back on chocolate. In a study by Duke University, 61% of women tested experienced less breast tenderness. According to Emily A. Kane, N.D. coffee, tea and chocolate all contain methylxanthines which are natural stimulants that encourage cyst growth.

Laurie Steelsmith, N.D. explains that upping iodine reduced breast pain in women with cysts. The iodine blocks the estrogen from binding to the breast tissue cells, which is a common cause of breast cysts. Seaweed dulse is a great source of iodine and it’s also a good alternative to salt as it’s lower in sodium. Look for seaweed dulse granules at your health food store.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that by eating a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, women are 67% less likely to to suffer from non-cancerous breast cysts. Foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids are flaxseed, walnuts and fatty fish.

Emily A Kane, N.D., also reports that watermelons, cucumbers, celery, parsley and dandelion tea are all natural diuretics which can help rid the body of excess fluid and can relieve the discomfort caused by swollen, sensitive breast tissue.

Try blocking estrogen with steamed broccoli. Research shows that by eating steaming cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower and watercress, it boosts their levels of indole-3-carbinal (a compound that shields your breasts from estrogen.

I hope you’ll find this information helpful.

References: Womans’ World Magazine 8/10/09

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