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Confused about Mammograms?

12/1/09 at 06:30 am | No Comments

by Marcelle Pick

The newest information on mammograms has left a lot of women both concerned and confused. What the research shows is that mammograms are not everything we want them to be—they diagnose but are not preventative. The risks for women from the radiation as well as from potential biopsies do not seem to outweigh the benefits.

Women who have been getting yearly mammograms, and have seen both family and friends receive wide variations in these reports, are now understandably confused. What do we do now?

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) now recommends that unless women have specific risk factors, they should start mammography screening at age 50 and obtain a mammogram every two years, rather than yearly. And the teaching of breast self-exams is no longer advised. The Task Force also says that women can stop getting mammograms at age 74. But the final decisions about mammogram timing should be left to a woman and her doctor, and made with respect to her personal medical history.

We must continue research to help support the prevention of breast cancer. New tools are needed to help assess breast tissue and changes in this tissue as early as possible.

So what can you do? Reduce systemic inflammation as it is associated with all forms of cancers. You can start by eating fresh foods, decreasing your intake of prepared foods, and adding turmeric and Omega 3 Fatty Acids (better known as fish oil) to your diet. These will all help keep inflammation low. You also may want to consider talking with your health care practitioner about taking the dietary supplements DIM or Indole 3 carbinol, which can help with estrogen metabolism. (Click here for more information),

For those of us who are health practitioners, we have seen many women become frightened by false positive results. These new recommendations should decrease the incidence of so many women having unneeded biopsies.

Most of all, these changes are an opportunity for you to take charge of your breast health!  Don’t sit in fear and confusion—talk with your health care provider about the best route for you to take.

Last week on my radio show, Core Balance for Women’s Health, I interviewed Dr. Dixie Mills, Chief Medical Director at the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation. Dr. Mills is a noted breast specialist and has a unique and refreshing outlook on breast health. You can hear a preview  of this show by clicking here: Core Balance for Women’s Health

- Marcelle

FILED UNDER: BREAST HEALTH, MAMMOGRAMS, DR. DIXIE MILLS, BREAST CANCER, FEAR

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