“The breast is a sponge for everything in the environment.” Jose Russo, M.D., F.A.C.P., Breast Pathologist and Scientist, Fox Chase Cancer Center.”

Current studies and research have identified the following NEW risk factors (continuation from Part 1):

LESS OR NO BREASTFEEDING. Many women breastfeed for less than 20% of the recommended breastfeeding time. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that infants should be fed only breast milk for the first 6 months. While 3 out of 4 new mothers start out breastfeeding, relatively few still breastfeed 6 months later and even fewer breastfeed exclusively. Breastfeeding lowers the risk of getting breast cancer by forcing breast cells to become more mature. As with pregnancy, breastfeeding also causes genetic changes that protect against breast cancer.

HORMONE MEDICINES. More of our adolescents and women take prescription hormones as contraceptives and/or menstrual regulators. A pooled analysis from more than 50 studies found that while women were taking birth control pills (and shortly thereafter), they had a 10-30% higher risk of breast cancer than women who had never used the pill. Once women stopped taking the pill, their risk began to decrease and returned to that of never users in about 10 years. Post-menopausal women who take hormones for more than five years have twice the risk of developing breast cancer, and breast cancer survivors who took hormone replacement therapy (HRT) had more than three times as many breast cancer recurrences. Taking these extra hormones can cause breast cell growth and growth of breast cancer. Many adolescents and young women start using oral contraceptives earlier and stay on them longer. The longer we take these drugs, the higher the risk.

OVERWEIGHT. Obesity is a modern epidemic and established breast cancer risk factor. Overeating increases body fat and promotes food cravings, leading to more weight gain. Fat cells make estrogen, so extra fat makes extra estrogen. Fat also collects and stores many environmental pollutants that act like estrogen. Diabetes is more common in obese individuals, which involves high levels of blood sugar and insulin-type hormones. In addition, overweight mothers are more likely to have overweight babies. Being heavy at birth is a risk for breast cancer later in life. Obesity is also associated with chronic inflammation of our cells and tissues, which produces chemicals that can damage our cells and make it harder for the immune system to function and heal damage. Unrepaired cell damage can increase the risk of breast cancer.

ALCOHOL. More of our young girls and women drink, and greater amounts of alcohol are consumed. Alcohol interferes with the breakdown of estrogen, increases estrogen production, and makes estrogen receptors inside breast cells more sensitive to estrogen. In girls, alcohol use is associated with a higher rate of benign breast changes, some of which are linked to a higher risk of breast cancer later in life.

SMOKING. Women who smoke have an increased risk of developing breast cancer, especially if they become smokers early in life. Unhealthy cancer-causing chemicals from smoke go to all parts of the body. Blood vessels are narrowed, blood flow is reduced, toxins build up in tissues, and cell damage occurs. To make matters worse, the body has less ability to repair this everyday damage and fight against cancer.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS. The widespread use of synthetic (man-made) chemicals has dramatically changed the chemical makeup of the environments inside and outside our bodies. Some pollutants directly damage our genes, and others mimic estrogen or disrupt the normal hormonal balance that lead to abnormal breast cell growth. An increased risk of breast cancer is most likely to result from exposure to chemicals during breast development and sensitive daily cell operations. Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most common chemicals we are exposed to in everyday life, used in lining metal food cans, dental composites, many food and beverage containers, and household products including baby bottles, microwave ovenware and eating utensils. Phthalates are a family of synthetic chemicals used in a wide variety of consumer products, including plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to make them more flexible or resilient. Phthalates are known as “endocrine disruptors” because they mimic the body’s hormones and act like fertilizer for cancer cells. They are found in nail polish, perfumes, skin moisturizers, baby care products, toys, food packaging, hoses, raincoats, shower curtains, vinyl flooring, wall coverings, lubricants, adhesives, detergents, hair spray and shampoo, flavorings and solvents. These chemicals do not stay in the plastics they soften or the countless other products in which they are used. Instead, they migrate into the air, food and people, including babies in their mother’s wombs.
Now, more than ever, we need to focus our efforts on finding ways to reduce the risk of breast cancer. With so many lives at stake, we must provide our girls and women with enough information about established lifestyle risk factors.

Meanwhile, here is the Green Secret’s “Beating Breast Cancer” juice. (Make sure to scrub and wash all vegetables and fruits well before juicing). It is a MUST to use organic vegetables only.

3-5 stems malunggai
1 cup fresh pineapple slices
½ cilantro
½ lime
1” turmeric

Juice all ingredients in your masticating juicer. Stir and serve at room temperature or chilled, as desired.

Armed with the green secret, let us break the chain of women dying every minute from breast cancer! Thank you IAJ WELLNESS CORPORATION for making this information public. For more information or questions, email me at [email protected].

Christine E.V. Gonzalez is a doctor of naturopathic medicine and holds PhDs
in holistic nutrition and natural medicine. LLM (MS Environmental Laws & Labor)
©Wellness Institute International (632) 656-WELL (9355) • (046) 483-0115 (0917) 888-HEAL • (0920) 958- HEAL (4325)