Healthy Breasts For Every Woman

If you regularly read my newsletter, you will know that I have often mentioned the importance of Vitamin D.  Most women with breast cancer are deficient in Vitamin D.  It is very difficult to get Vitamin D through diet and exposure to the sun unprotected is by far the best way.

For years we have been told to keep out of the sun and put on sunscreens (many of which contain potentially harmful chemicals).  According to The Independent, Cancer Research have drafted a “position” statement to stress the importance of brief exposure to strong sunlight to boost levels of Vitamin D.

The draft says, ” The time required to make sufficient Vitamin D is typically short and less than the amount of time needed for skin to redden and burn.  Regularly going outside for a matter of minutes around the middle of the day without sunscreen should be enough.”

Cancer Research have said that this draft does not represent the charity’s official position.

NIkki Mattei

New research from the US suggests that the use of household chemicals could double the risk of a woman getting breast cancer.

The chemicals in our cleaning products are some of the most powerful and dangerous chemicals we expose ourselves to.

“Women who reported the highest combined cleaning product use had a doubled risk of breast cancer compared to those with the lowest reported use,” said Dr Julia Brody, from the Silent Spring Institute in the United States,

“Use of air fresheners and products for mould and mildew control were associated with increased risk.”

I always advise women to use e-cloths for general cleaning.  They are totally chemical-free and do work.  For harder scum or marks I also recommend a natural pumice stone.  It doesn’t scratch and does get off scum marks. 

Air fresheners are big business these days and you are literally filling your home with synthetic aromas and chemicals.  Apart from a link to breast cancer, no wonder so many more people suffer from allergies like asthma.  The easiest thing to do is open the window!

My husband heard a report on this on LBC and told me that one of the main breast cancer charities responded to the research by saying that there was not enough evidence and they did not want to alarm women.  This is always the stock answer.  How much evidence is enough?  Just because there is no evidence for something does not mean that it is not true!  I believe in taking the precautionary principle and if there are easy alternatives to harmful household cleaners, then I will use those.  They will also save you money too!

To read the article of this research by The Telegraph Online, go to http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7837863/Household-cleaners-may-double-risk-of-breast-cancer.html

NIkki Mattei

Those of you who know me or have attended one of my talks will know that I have been “batting on” for years about the chemicals in our food, our everyday personal care and beauty products, which can act like oestrogen in the body.  They can be called endocrine disruptors, oestrogen mimics or hormone disrupting chemicals.

Well, a study has just come out from Denmark which has studied 1000 girls to look for signs of early breast development and has found that the average age of breast development has fallen by one whole year over the past 15 years when they last conducted a similar study.

I listened to a discussion on Radio Four with Tabitha Randell from Nottingham University Hospital and Professor Richard Sharp an expert on reproductive development from the Medical Research Council.

Some people may think that weight might be an issue and that girls are suffering from “puppy fat” but, in fact, it was shown that Body Mass Index had not had an impact.

So if obesity is not the reason for this early breast development, what is?  Perhaps these girls’ own hormones were starting to work earlier but it was shown that the girls did not have higher levels of oestrodial, the key hormone in puberty.

Professor Sharp then went on to explain that it could be the endocrine disrupting chemicals in our food and cosmetics which are having an oestrogenic effect on our bodies.  Tests on animals have suggested that this is possible.  He also said that traces of HRT and the Pill in our water supplies were hard to detect but could not be dismissed.

Tabitha Randell explained that not all girls who show early breast development go on to start their periods early but some do go on to enter true puberty earlier, below the year of 8, and can then go on to start their periods at age 7 or 8 (menstruation usually starts about 2 years after breast buds start to form) which is a big thing for such a young girl to cope with.  Also girls have their main growth spurt during puberty, which could mean that a girl entering puberty at around 6 or 7 could stop growing at around 9, which would make her a very short adult.

The other thing that wasn’t mentioned is that early puberty is a risk factor for breast cancer.

Currently, if a girl starts to develop breasts below the age of 8, she is given medication to block her hormones.  This is usually given by injection every three months and is continued until she is 9 or 10.

Hopefully, a report like this will encourage mothers to take a safer approach to the food they buy and to avoid having harmful chemicals in their homes.  I always advise mothers myself to buy personal care products and make-up for their daughters themselves so that they can choose brands which are free of these hormone disrupting chemicals.

Nikki Mattei

Although the sun has disappeared this week, we have had some nice weather and let’s hope the summer is a sunny one! 

We are all told these days how dangerous exposure to the sun can be and advised to slap on the cream.  But have you ever wondered what is in your sun cream?  In general terms, the higher the level of SPF, the greater number of chemicals the cream is likely to contain.  These could include Benzophenones (anything ending with that name) and they can provoke allergic reactions in some people; PABAs such as ethyl dihydroxypropyl PABA, padimate-O, padimate-A and glyceryl PABA which are formaldehyde-forming chemicals which can become carcinogenic when combined with other chemicals.  The list goes on and I won’t bore you with all the names.  Although many of the ingredients in sunscreens have been tested individually, it is very rare to find research of the long-term effects of combinations of them.  It is also worth bearing in mind that most sun creams include all the same potenitally harmful ingredients found in other beauty products, such as mineral and synthetic oils, preservatives and fragrances.  Many of these chemicals act like oestrogen in the body and we know that most breast cancers are oestrogen-driven.  You might be interested to know too that skin cancer melanoma is driven by oestrogen and some scientists think that rising skin cancer levels could be due to the high levels of synthetic oestrogen in our bodies rather than increased exposure to the sun.

Some the “safer” creams use titanium dioxide for protection but there is now research that this can cause DNA damage when exposed to light.  Personally, I use creams with zinc oxide which is a mineral which has over a 300 year history of safety with no known adverse reactions.  It protects against UVB and UVA rays.

My recommended organic range, Miessence, has a sunscreen called Reflect Outdoor Balm (click here to read more), but personally I find it a little greasy to use (although it would be perfect for children) and I have recently started using The Organic Pharmacy Sun Cream which also contains zinc oxide but one which is not whitening.   Go to http://www.theorganicpharmacy.com/shop/sun_care/.  For my children, I buy Neways’ Sunbrero, which also contains zinc oxide and is easy to rub in with a high SPF 40.  To find out more, go to https://www.neways.com/gb-en-gb/ProductInfo.aspx?p=10123&PageId=106 and quote my ID of 2100 44696 when you enter your details.

Other things to remember are that the most efficient way the body can generate Vitamin D is through direct sunlight on to the skin.  Low levels of Vitamin D have been linked to breast cancer and most women diagnosed with the disease are deficient in Vitamin D.  You only need 15-20 minutes sun exposure every day on to your face, arms and legs, without sunscreen.  Not always that easy to achieve in the UK!

So like everything, aim to get a little bit of exposure in the sun unprotected, then use one of the safer sunscreens, keep out of the sun in the middle of the day and cover up with tops, hats etc when you are out and about in the sun.

The latest breast cancer wonder drug is a vaccine to prevent breast cancer developing in women in the same way that vaccines have stopped many childhood diseases.  Tests on mice had incredible success and it will be tested on women as early as next year.  The jab boosts the immune system and helps the body to destroy the protein before it appears so tumours don’t form.

The drug targets the protein alphalactalbumin that is found in most breast cancer tumours.

Lead scientist Dr Vincent Tuohy, of the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, said: “If it works in humans the way it works in mice this will be monumental. We could eliminate breast cancer.”

His team, who were funded by the US government, tested the vaccine on rats that were genetically prone to breast cancer. Those which did not have the jab developed breast cancers by the age of 10 months but all of those that were immunised remained cancer-free.

There will be two trials. One will look at the drug’s ability to shrink tumours in women with advanced breast cancer. The second would focus on younger women whose family history puts them at a higher risk of developing the disease.

The need for larger studies on more women means it will be at least 10 years before the jab hits the market.

This article was taken from www.dailyrecord.co.uk.

Nikki Mattei

More and more people are becoming aware of a chemical called Bisphenol A (BPA).  It is used in the production of polycarbonate plastics which are clear and nearly shatter-proof, in particular babies bottles and plastic mineral water bottles.  It is also present in toys, the lining of some food cans and dental sealants.

With bottles, the concern is that BPA can leach into the contents when heated or when the plastic becomes old and gets scratched.  Sheryl Crow is convinced she got breast cancer because she used to drink water from bottles left in her car which had heated up in the sun.

BPA can mimic the effect of the hormone oestrogen in the body.  Animal studies have shown it affects reproductive, neurological and immune systems.  Babies are particularly vulnerable to hormone mimicking effects because they grow rapidly, both in the womb and in their early months and years.

The National Childbirth Trust advises parents to adopt the precautionary principle and avoid bottles containing BPA.  Read their factsheet http://www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com/info-centre/information/view-119 to find out how to choose the safest bottle for a baby.  Bottles with BPA have already been banned in Canada and are in the process of being withdrawn in the US.

Breast Cancer UK have launched a campaign, No More BPA, to draw attention to the potential harmful effects of BPA as a hormone mimic to human health.  The charity has put together a detailed report on the effects of Bisphenol A on the hormone system and, in particular, in connection with breast cancer risk.  You can read more about the campaign and download/read the report at the dedicated website http://www.nomorebpa.org.uk.

It is possible to buy bottles without BPA (the Sistema range available from Lakeland for example).  Most bottles have a number in the recycling symbol on the bottom and the numbers which are safer are 1 or PETE/PET, 2 or HDPE, 4 or LDPE and 5 PP.  Avoid 3, 6 and 7.

Nikki Mattei

I have just read that Debenhams are now offering a KK cup to their customers.

I was also amazed to read that the average bra size has increased over the past ten years from a 34B to a 36D.  This must be mainly due to the increasing average weight of women (I think the average dress size is now a 16).  After all, breasts are meant to be mainly fat and if you put on weight, then your breasts will also be “fatter”.

As far as breast cancer risk is concerned, weight becomes an issue for post-menopausal women - younger women with breast cancer tend to be on the lean side.  I have never heard the medical reason why this might be.  My opinion is that slim women have less fat to store synthetic hormones which are found in so many of our everyday products and maybe any hormone disrupting effects have a faster impact in their bodies.  It is my understanding that the body can eliminate natural oestrogen if it is not needed but that it is not as easy with chemicals which act synthetically like oestrogen.  Synthetic chemicals tend to be stored in body fat.

On a practical level, the larger your breasts, then the harder it is to check them thoroughly.  I have a nutritionist friend who a client who lost about three stone in weight.  Later on she found a cancerous lump in her breast which was in the early stages and was treated immediately.  She said herself that if she had been bigger, she would have been unlikely to discover the lump so early.

So when it comes to breasts, I believe that bigger is not better.  I am sure most men would disagree!  And probably also a large proportion of young women out there who seem keen on cosmetic surgery - but that’s a whole different topic (which I have actually covered in a previous blog!).

Nikki Mattei

Healthy Breasts For Every Woman

Scientists have developed a simple blood test that can detect breast cancer significantly earlier then standard mammograms.

Known as the Diagenic BCtect test, the new method looks for chemical markers in blood that has flowed through a tumour and is capable of detecting a growth the size of a seed - this is three times smaller than what is likely to be noticed in an X-ray.

“This test will be particularly useful for younger women.  They tend to have denser breast material which mammograms cannot easily penetrate,” Dr James Mackay, an oncologist at London University, told The Daily Mail.

The test is currently being evaluated by Nice and, if the trials are successful, could be available on the NHS within five years.

Nikki Mattei

Earlier in the month I visited Natural & Organic Products Europe at Olympia.  The show was buzzing and I spent the day sampling delicious food, finding out about natural health products for women and seeing a vast array of natural and organic beauty companies.  It was great to meet and talk with so many like-minded people.  It also confirmed the choice of the Miessence organic beauty range which I recommend to my clients.

The Soil Association also chose the exhibition to launch their Organic Market Report for 2010.  The conclusions were more encouraging than you might expect in the current economic climate. 

However, despite the near 13% decline in organic sales, organic milk and baby food resisted the downward trend – their sales increased by 1% and 20.8% respectively. Sales of organic health and beauty products continued their rapid growth, increasing by a third to £36 million. The area of organic farmland increased by 9% on the previous year, up to 4.3% of agricultural land. While the rate of conversion to organic farming is slowing, the area of organic land will continue to increase for the foreseeable future. This report points out that organic products continue to attract shoppers from across the social spectrum, with groups that include manual and casual workers, pensioners, students and people on benefits accounting for 33% of spend.

To read the more and dowload the report go to http://www.soilassociation.org/News/NewsItem/tabid/91/smid/463/ArticleID/350/reftab/57/t/Organic-market-set-to-return-to-growth/Default.aspx

I am delighted that so many people have chosen to stick with their principles and see health as something which should not be compromised by price.  This is always the last area I cut back on as I know from personal experience how important it is to have your health.

Nikki Mattei

In my February newsletter I reported about the concerns that mammograms were leading to unnecessary surgery in women who were found to have ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and that in many of these cases, the women would not have gone on to develop breast cancer.

Now there is a study showing that more lives are saved than cases overdiagnosed.  The study was undertaken by experts from the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry and appears in the Journal of Medical Screening.  It focused on data from 80,000 women from the age of 50 and looked at data from Sweden and England before and after the introduction of screening.

The research estimated that 5.7 breast cancer deaths were prevented for every 1,000 women screened over a 20-year period in England.

At the same time, 2.3 women per 1,000 were told they had a lump but it was not clear if it was an aggressive form of cancer that needed to be treated.

Put another way, for every 28 cases diagnosed, 2.5 lives were saved and one case was over-diagnosed.

To read more go to http://www.nhs.uk/news/2010/03March/Pages/Breast-cancer-screening.aspx

It is confusing for women when they hear conflicting stories.  And these studies do not consider the safety of mammograms themselves.

As part of my campaign, Healthy Breasts For Every Woman, I inform women about Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging as it can detect abnormalities in the breast about eight years earlier than a mammogram and covers the whole chest area, including the armpits, not just the part of the breast which can be put in the clamp.  It is also useful for monitoring any changes in the breast.  It is pain-free and non-invasive.  It is not currently available on the NHS but the cost is certainly not prohibitive.  Go to www.meditherm.com to find your local practitioner.

Nikki Mattei