Once in a blue moon!

It's time for all of you to do those things you said you would do "once in a blue moon"!

Tomorrow is the only blue moon this year and what a great time to begin those healthy lifestyle changes you may already know. 

This month, a follow-up report from the WOMAN (Women on the Move through Activity and Nutrition) study, was published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  Dr. B B Gibbs and her colleagues followed 481 overweight and obese postmenopausal women divided into groups and reported in the 48 month.  They found that the lifestyle-change group, coached in healthier eating behavior, lost weight.  They found four eating habits that were associated long-term with weight loss:

• increasing fruits and vegetables
• decreasing desserts
• decreasing sugar-sweetened beverages
• decreasing meats and cheeses

A summary can be found at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_128703.html.

Those who changed their eating patterns as listed above noted a sustainable weight loss.

For more about the "blue moon" check out EarthSky http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/when-is-the-next-blue-moon.

Together we can prevent 86,000 breast cancers each year!

This content is general information and not personal medical advice, but you may see the blue moon early tomorrow morning on the way to the gym!  I will!

Time for school and time for Mom!

With the start of school comes a perfect time for Mom to take care of herself!

Come in to your local Breast Doctor to make certain that you don't have breast cancer, then get the prescription for breast cancer prevention.

For most women, screening for breast cancer includes self breast examination and clinical breast examination.  For those women without increased risk, most physicians (including this Breast Doctor) recommend screening mammograms, beginning at age 40. 

For those younger women, screening mammograms may be beneficial at a younger age: if a family history of breast cancer at a young age, a positive HALO test or a high BREVAGen test result.

Breast sonogram or ultrasound may be recommended for those with dense breast tissue, a positive HALO test, a high BREVAGen test result or a mass found by examination or mammography.


Once you are certain that you don't have breast cancer then we can write the prescription for breast cancer prevention individualized for you.



Together we can prevent 86,000 breast cancer cases this year!


This content is general information and not personal medical advice.

11,000 more lives saved!

The most recent update from the American Institute of Cancer Research estimates that 86,000 breast cancer cases could be prevented each year!

The new estimates for other cancers can be found at http://preventcancer.aicr.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=21865&news_iv_ctrl=2302.

They arrive at these numbers from the Continuous Update Project.  For more information on their methods http://www.dietandcancerreport.org/cup/report_overview/index.php.

Just imagine being one of those 86,000 this year!  Diet, activity and weight control are all part of the equation.  If you would like your personal prescription to prevent breast cancer, I will write yours.  Call for an appointment at 512-451-5788.  For more information check-out this blog or www.owenwinsettmd.com.


Together we can prevent 86,000 breast cancer cases each year!


Be lean, be active, exercise!

But, does it prevent breast cancer?

We are considering everyday things we do that reduce your risk for breast cancer.  Yesterday we reviewed those cruciform vegetables.  Today let's look at some other things.

Does _____ reduce your risk for breast cancer?

1. eating radishes                              Yes (see yesterday)
2. eating celery                                 Yes (apogenin)
3. drinking a coke, real or diet             NO!
4. walking the dog                             Yes (activity)
5. watching TV                                  No, unless on a treadmill!
6. adding sugar to your tea                 No
7. working out in the gym                   Yes
8. Greek yogurt for breakfast              Yes, protein fills you up
9. losing a pound                               Yes 
10. gaining a pound                             No
11. taking Evista                                  Yes
12. 1200mg daily dietary calcium            No, but helps  your bones
13. Omega3 fish oil                              Yes
14. 2 glasses of wine each day               No
15. reading this blog                             Only if it activates you!   

These topics have been covered in prior blogs.  To find celery, type celery in the search block at the right and the June 4, 2012 blog appears for your review.

May you BE LEAN, BE ACTIVE and EXERCISE!

Together we can prevent 86,000 breast cancer cases each year!

(Tomorrow why the number went up: 11000 more women saved!)   

This content is information and not personal medical advise, but if you need a prescription to prevent breast cancer, call 512-452-5788 or www.owenwinsettmd.com.

                          

Does it prevent breast cancer?

Evidence for reducing breast cancer risk is accumulating for many things we can do every day from eating the right foods, to activity, to exercise, to prescription drugs.  We will begin today with some foods.

A cup a day of each of these has been shown to reduce breast cancer risk:

• arugula
• bok choy (Chinese cabbage)
• broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• cabbage
• cauliflower
• collard greens
• horseradish
• kale
• parsnips
• radishes
• rutabaga
• turnips
• watercress
• wasabi

Always better for you fresh and not overcooked.  For more information about these cruciform vegetables and some recipes http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/super-veggies-cruciferous-vegetables.

Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!

This content is general information and not personal medical advice, but you can call us at 512-451-5788 and come in to get your individual breast cancer prevention prescription.

When it comes to yogurt, go for the GOLD...or at least the Greek!

Why go for Greek yogurt?  

Yogurt, that fermented milk product of the "probiotic" starter bacteria Lactobacillus delbrueckii (subspecies bulgaricus) and Streptococcus thermophilus, is usually considered among the healthy foods.  So what's the difference between regular and Greek yogurt?  Straining.  That's all!  The whey, water, some sugar, some sodium and some calcium are strained away to leave a thicker product.

But is it better for you?  When comparing Greek yogurt to regular yogurt in 6oz portions, Greek yogurt generally has:

• more protein, typically 15-20gms or twice as much
• less carbohydrate, without fruit added 5-8gms or half as much
• less sodium
• more potassium
• more B vitamins
• slightly less Calcium, usually about 250mgs (20% of daily rec)
• fat: more unless you get nonfat or low fat (read the label)

So, what did I eat this am after the gym and a run?  Non-fat Greek yogurt with strawberries.

The benefits in various studies of daily Greek yogurt:

• weight loss (fewer breast cancers)
• lower blood pressure
• improved lactose digestion in those lactose intolerant
• improve gut transit time
• stimulate gut immune system

Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!

This content is general information and not personal medical advice.

More activity about inactivity!

To hear from an expert about the idea of treating "lack of exercise" as a medical condition review Dr Joyner's comments at  http://www.mayoclinic.org/news2012-rst/7031.html.

Don't let the sedentary lifestyle get you down!

May you be lean, be active and exercise!


Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!


This content is general medical information and not personal medical advice.

Should we doctors treat inactivity?

Now, there's an idea!  

And here's the science.  A recent study published in The Lancet (http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(12)61031-9/fulltext) suggests that inactivity is as big a hazard to your health as smoking.  The authors estimate that 5 million deaths world-wide each year are caused by inactivity, the same number caused by smoking!

Imagine, 5 million people being active, feeling better and being alive longer!  Imagine that doctors actually treated inactivity by prescribing graded exercise training.  We have seen in other blogs benefits of physical activity from reduction in morbidity and mortality to specifically, reducing breast cancer incidence.  There is evidence that physical activity reduces the rates of:

• all-cause mortality
• breast cancer 
• colon cancer
• heart disease
• high blood pressure
• stroke
• metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes
• depression 
• falls

So, what about prescribing exercise?

That's the proposal of Dr. Michael Joyner in his commentary in The Journal of Physiology (http://jp.physoc.org/content/590/15/3413.full?sid=c90bb139-314f-4336-bb47-192fd51987ed).  He notes that the well-established morbidity and mortality of physical inactivity and lack of exercise, what he calls deconditioning, can be prevented.  He suggests that if we made deconditioning a diagnosis, we might all be more likely to take the prescription of EXERCISE!  Who doesn't at least consider diet, exercise, niacin or statin drug if she is told her cholesterol is high?   


Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!


This content is general medical information and not personal medical advice.  You already know that I prescribe exercise, so if you know someone who needs the exercise prescription, have them call. 

Is a sugar calorie just a calorie?

Sugar is necessary for energy, but can be found in many forms.  Some are better for us than others as we shall see.  I will make the argument in the blog over the next month that added sugars, those not naturally occurring in fruits or milk, are not part of the optimum diet and may be harmful.

I will give reasons and links to expert information to make my point, remembering that weight gain leads to excess breast cancer risk and added sugar is an all to easy way to get those excess calories leading to weight gain.  

Sugar is a member of the macronutrient group of foods that provides energy, called carbohydrates.  We will explore the differences between the simple and complex carbohydrates: and why quantity and type matter.

Today, I will begin with some basics and remind you as we go through this discussion to feel free to comment.  I would also encourage you to read the food label on what you eat for carbohydrates and sugars.  A good explanation of labeling is found at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nutrition-facts/NU00293/.  You may find far more added sugar than you expect.


I offer two sites to begin our journey: the US Department of Agriculture site http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/calories/added-sugars.html to define added sugar and one noted researcher's view http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2009/06/8187/obesity-and-metabolic-syndrome-driven-fructose-sugar-diet with one well written NY Times article http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html?pagewanted=all.

It is my contention for the healthy diet, we do not need added sugar.  


Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!


This content is general medical information and not personal medical advice.

This breast surgeon is not the only one interested in weight loss benefits.

A multitude of research about the benefits of weight loss was presented at the recent American Psychological Association's convention.  For details, check out http://forms.apa.org/convention/index.cfm?convention=Keyword and type in the keyword obesity.  16 sessions come up.

Everything from behavioral treatments for obesity to the latest findings about food addiction were addressed at the meeting.  The APA president Suzanne Bennet Johnson said "obesity is the No 1 health challenge facing our country today."

Work presented at the meeting in a variety of studies conducted by Dr Rena Wing from Brown University's Alpert Medical School centers on the benefits of modest weight loss http://brown.edu/academics/medical/.  In one of the studies, a weight loss of only 14 pounds reduced the risk of development of Type 2 diabetes by 58%.  Other studies showed a beneficial effect on sleep apnea, high blood pressure, mobility and quality of life, with a 10% weight loss (20 pounds in the 200 pounder).

And how did they achieve this weight loss?  With these basic behavioral strategies:

• tracking everything they ate
• reducing unhealthy foods
• increasing physical activity

So, long-term, as other studies have shown, we can predict that those women in the study who lost weight will also have fewer breast cancers!  

Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!

This content is general medical information and not personal medical advice, but we are here to help if you want to begin your own personalized breast cancer risk reduction program at 512-451-5788.

Breast sonograms are the answer for the dense breast!

Don't just take it from me, note the recent Wall Street Journal blog  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444246904577573181463638846.html.

This blog posting has a very nice review of the benefits of whole breast ultrasound in the woman with dense tissue.  Now, New York has been added to the list of states requiring the mammogram facility to tell you if you have dense breast tissue.  Connecticut, Texas and Virginia round out the list with ongoing action in many other states.

Mammograms my miss cancers in dense breasts 60% of the time.  And those are the very breasts that have 4-6x more cancers.  Note references in the WSJ blog.

I reviewed the issue in several blogs but offer http://drwinsett.blogspot.com/2012/01/more-about-whole-breast-ultrasound-and.html for a review of the science behind the recommendation for the breast ultrasound. 

Briefly whole breast ultrasounds (sonograms):

• find breast cancers not visible on mammograms
• the numbers are 3-4 per 1000
• most are very early stages
• don't require an IV, contrast agent or sedation
• can be performed in less than 15 minutes
• are reliable
• cost far less than an MRI

See why I believe the whole breast ultrasound is the answer when you have been told that you have dense breast tissue?

Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!

This content is general medical information and not personal medical advice, but if you or a friend have an unanswered question about density, call me 512-451-5788.

Who benefits most from HALO, BREVAGen and density?

The last three blogs have examined those three words in detail.  Now let's look at who would benefit most and begin with density for the obvious reason.


Those with dense breast tissue are the ones that benefit the most.  Now in Texas it is law that you be told if you have dense breast tissue so you can then discuss with your doctor who ordered the mammogram what to do next.  We have made special arrangements to do full breast ultrasounds for those women with dense breast tissue.


The BREVAGen Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Test is particularly beneficial for women, over 35 years, with prolonged estrogen exposure, whether her own or hormone replacement.  That group includes: early first menstrual cycle, late menopause, no full term pregnancy or first pregnancy after 30 years, high BMI, increased breast density, high bone mineral density.  I encourage it for any woman considering hormone replacement.  Any woman who has had a breast biopsy should also consider getting the BREVAGen to help determine her risk.


The HALO is particularly beneficial in younger women, 21 to 35 years.  I offer it to the daughters of all breast cancer survivor mothers.


To put these three words into clinical practice, I remember:

• density: on the mammogram report
• BREVAGen: prolonged estrogen exposure
• HALO: before mammogram age

Performing additional studies in women with dense breast tissue not only allows us to find cancers that the mammogram can't find, but smaller tumors and even precancerous conditions that may be treated so that cancer can be avoided.


For the most common kind of breast cancer, the BREVAGen and HALO are the best breast cancer risk assessment tests we have.  Just like treating people with high blood pressure or high LDL cholesterol to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke, we are given the opportunity to stop the process that may lead to cancer.  Imagine, getting to the cancer before it ever happens! 




Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!




This content is general medical information and not personal medical advice.

Density is the third word you need to know!

Density of your breast tissue, that is.


Why?


When one compares, as has been done in long-term follow-up studies, those women with the most dense breast tissue (>75% of the mammogram) to those women with the least dense breast tissue (<25% of the mammogram) we find 5x more breast cancers in the dense tissue!


Only part of the problem is that density means more cancers.  Actually mammograms don't discriminate in dense tissue well.  The mammogram records the density only and not what is in the dense tissue.  


Sonograms or breast ultrasounds do "see" well into the density and in most cases are the next step when you find out that you have dense breast tissue.  


MRI of the breast is the next exam with good data, but is more expensive than a sonogram, requires an IV and has a rather high false positive rate (things look like cancer that turnout not to be) on the first exam.  


Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) is a very promising next study and may become the one to do, but has limited data behind it, requires an IV and a systemic radiotracer injection. 


Breast tomosynthesis, positron scans and even automated breast ultrasound may one day be useful in "seeing through" dense breast tissue.  I'll keep you posted.


Today in Texas, thanks to Henda's Law (see http://drwinsett.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-do-you-do-if-you-dense-breast.html), the mammogram facility is required to tell you if you have dense breast tissue (its in the report) so you can discuss with your doctor the best next step for you.  For many that is a full breast ultrasound.  Call for one today 512-451-5788 or discuss the option with your doctor, if you have dense breast tissue.




Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!


The content is general medical information and not personal medical advice.