Holiday time is a perfect time to begin exercising. You have time and can be encouraged by family to do so or encourage a family member to do so and find a lasting exercise buddy.
One of the added benefits of just going for a walk, say after a turkey dinner, is that you will feel better! Not so stuffed! More energetic!
And, on a walk you can communicate with a friend or family member better than in front of the TV!
Moving around and exercise can be fun and rewarding!
Let this holiday season be the one that gets you started on a program to reduce your risk for breast cancer and begin with exercise. Don't wait for inspiration. Do it and you will feel better and get the inspiration to continue!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
PREVENTION, PREVENTION, PREVENTION!!!
I am sure that you all noted a lack of attention to PREVENTION in this week's "pink page" breast cancer supplement to the Austin American Statesman.
We need to tell all our friends and families about the good news. At least 75,000 breast cancer diagnoses per year can be prevented!
BE LEAN. BE ACTIVE. EXERCISE EVERY DAY.
Those three are the main achievements for breast cancer reduction.
For some (after discussion with your doctor or me) aspirin, omega3, limit alcohol, limit red meat, add red apples, red grapes, strawberries, walnuts and coffee.
Help me get the news out: 75,000 cases of breast cancer prevented each year!
We need to tell all our friends and families about the good news. At least 75,000 breast cancer diagnoses per year can be prevented!
BE LEAN. BE ACTIVE. EXERCISE EVERY DAY.
Those three are the main achievements for breast cancer reduction.
For some (after discussion with your doctor or me) aspirin, omega3, limit alcohol, limit red meat, add red apples, red grapes, strawberries, walnuts and coffee.
Help me get the news out: 75,000 cases of breast cancer prevented each year!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
More is better when talking about activity.
Data is emerging that, although exercise is a good way to reduce the risk of breast cancer, one needs to be active all day. According to Dr. Neville Owen at the recent American Institute for Cancer Research meeting (http://aicr.org) "sitting time is emerging as a strong candidate for being a cancer risk in its own right."
Many people sit as much as 10 hours a day: driving to work, work , eating, etc. He cited studies that demonstrated that measures such as waist circumference, insulin resistance and inflammatory factors, all increased with sitting and decreased with activity. These factors are related, not only to cardiovascular disease, but also cancers. He noted a benefit to just 1 or 2 minutes ACTIVITY during each hour.
We need practical solutions NOW. I offer mine and others from the meeting. I am fortunate to have a job of walking up and down the hall and in and out of rooms, but I sit on a 65cm exercise ball at the computer and use a standing desk when writing. Get up and walk down the hall or around your desk the last 5 minutes of each hour (set the alarm on your computer). Use hand weights. Stand to talk on the phone. Walk down the hall to deliver a message instead of emailing. You get the idea.
MORE MOVEMENT MEANS FEWER BREAST CANCERS!
Many people sit as much as 10 hours a day: driving to work, work , eating, etc. He cited studies that demonstrated that measures such as waist circumference, insulin resistance and inflammatory factors, all increased with sitting and decreased with activity. These factors are related, not only to cardiovascular disease, but also cancers. He noted a benefit to just 1 or 2 minutes ACTIVITY during each hour.
We need practical solutions NOW. I offer mine and others from the meeting. I am fortunate to have a job of walking up and down the hall and in and out of rooms, but I sit on a 65cm exercise ball at the computer and use a standing desk when writing. Get up and walk down the hall or around your desk the last 5 minutes of each hour (set the alarm on your computer). Use hand weights. Stand to talk on the phone. Walk down the hall to deliver a message instead of emailing. You get the idea.
MORE MOVEMENT MEANS FEWER BREAST CANCERS!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
From IDEA to ALPHA and MORE EXERCISE EQUALS FEWER BREAST CANCERS
A recent report of the continuing ALPHA trial (Alberta Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention) by Christine Friedenreich, PhD not only gives more evidence that physical activity lowers the risk for breast cancer but gives insight into mechanisms at work (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/753114).
The study was designed to examine the effect of a year long supervised exercise intervention on biomarkers associated with breast cancer. Previously these researchers have reported lower estrogen levels with exercise in postmenopausal women.
The trial of 320 healthy but inactive women, 156 agreed to one year of supervised exercise 5 days a week for 45 minutes. The ages of the women ranged from 50 to 74 years. The control group did not change activity level and neither group changed diet.
The results reported at this time reveal a lower C-reactive protein (CRP) level in the exercisers. This is a protein which is a biomarker for inflammation. Although we don't know exactly how inflammation raises cancer risks, we know that chronic inflammation produces chemicals in the body that encourage cell proliferation and suppress normal cell death, which increases cancer risk.
We are getting closer to the answer for how exercise reduces cancer risk, in the meantime, we know exercise works.
MORE EXERCISE LEADS TO FEWER BREAST CANCERS!!!
The study was designed to examine the effect of a year long supervised exercise intervention on biomarkers associated with breast cancer. Previously these researchers have reported lower estrogen levels with exercise in postmenopausal women.
The trial of 320 healthy but inactive women, 156 agreed to one year of supervised exercise 5 days a week for 45 minutes. The ages of the women ranged from 50 to 74 years. The control group did not change activity level and neither group changed diet.
The results reported at this time reveal a lower C-reactive protein (CRP) level in the exercisers. This is a protein which is a biomarker for inflammation. Although we don't know exactly how inflammation raises cancer risks, we know that chronic inflammation produces chemicals in the body that encourage cell proliferation and suppress normal cell death, which increases cancer risk.
We are getting closer to the answer for how exercise reduces cancer risk, in the meantime, we know exercise works.
MORE EXERCISE LEADS TO FEWER BREAST CANCERS!!!
Monday, November 7, 2011
I have a new IDEA!
Impressive results were recently presented at the American College of Rheumatology 2001 meeting (http://www.reuhmatology.org) in the Intensive Diet and Exercise for Arthritis (get it?) trial.
454 overweight and obese people (72% women) with an average BMI of 33 (e.g. 5'5" and 200#) and an average age of 66 years were randomized into 3 groups: intensive diet (maintaining >10% weight loss), moderate exercise (two 15 minute walks and 20 minutes of weight training 3 times a week) or both.
Each group lost weight, but the group both dieting and exercising lost the most.
All groups reported less pain in the knees, but at 18 months the exercise/diet group noted a 51% reduction in pain (twice the reduction of the other two). Furthermore, 40% of those in the diet and exercise group rated their pain at only 0 or 1 out of 10.
Functional status including walking speed improved in 50% of the combined exercise and diet group!
So, LESS PAIN, ABLE TO FUNCTION BETTER!
And they didn't even study the incidence of breast cancer, but we now know those women who lose weight and regularly exercise also will have fewer breast cancers.
454 overweight and obese people (72% women) with an average BMI of 33 (e.g. 5'5" and 200#) and an average age of 66 years were randomized into 3 groups: intensive diet (maintaining >10% weight loss), moderate exercise (two 15 minute walks and 20 minutes of weight training 3 times a week) or both.
Each group lost weight, but the group both dieting and exercising lost the most.
All groups reported less pain in the knees, but at 18 months the exercise/diet group noted a 51% reduction in pain (twice the reduction of the other two). Furthermore, 40% of those in the diet and exercise group rated their pain at only 0 or 1 out of 10.
Functional status including walking speed improved in 50% of the combined exercise and diet group!
So, LESS PAIN, ABLE TO FUNCTION BETTER!
And they didn't even study the incidence of breast cancer, but we now know those women who lose weight and regularly exercise also will have fewer breast cancers.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
An update on breast cancer screening.
Screening mammograms have received too much bad press recently!
In the NY Times Oct 24, by Tara Parker-Pope and in the Washington Post Oct 31, by Manoj Jain, each author chose to compare PSA screening for prostate cancer to mammographic screening for breast cancer, despite the fact that the benefits, risks and science behind each is quite different. There is not nearly the evidence for the value of PSA screening as there is evidence for LIVES SAVED by screening mammography.
I will rehash all of the studies showing that screening mammograms SAVE LIVES in a future blog, but more immediately offer an option for those women dissuaded from mammography by the recent "news" articles.
A new test would seem to be an excellent option to find out who would benefit the most from screening mammography by giving us information on personal risk. Those at higher risk could benefit the most from the screening and intervention.
One such test is the BREVAGen test, which has been validated by science (see my blog 09-12-2011). We have used it to learn who is at higher risk for breast cancer and then offer appropriate screening and intervention. The test is without radiation or false positive risk. It is an inner cheek swab plus personal clinical data. The results are easy to understand, quite convincing and can be compared to the meaning of the cholesterol level to heart attack risk.
Join my blog or call to come in to learn more or have the test done.
In the NY Times Oct 24, by Tara Parker-Pope and in the Washington Post Oct 31, by Manoj Jain, each author chose to compare PSA screening for prostate cancer to mammographic screening for breast cancer, despite the fact that the benefits, risks and science behind each is quite different. There is not nearly the evidence for the value of PSA screening as there is evidence for LIVES SAVED by screening mammography.
I will rehash all of the studies showing that screening mammograms SAVE LIVES in a future blog, but more immediately offer an option for those women dissuaded from mammography by the recent "news" articles.
A new test would seem to be an excellent option to find out who would benefit the most from screening mammography by giving us information on personal risk. Those at higher risk could benefit the most from the screening and intervention.
One such test is the BREVAGen test, which has been validated by science (see my blog 09-12-2011). We have used it to learn who is at higher risk for breast cancer and then offer appropriate screening and intervention. The test is without radiation or false positive risk. It is an inner cheek swab plus personal clinical data. The results are easy to understand, quite convincing and can be compared to the meaning of the cholesterol level to heart attack risk.
Join my blog or call to come in to learn more or have the test done.
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