Breast Cancer CanadaBreast Cancer Canada Breast cancer is the most common cancer among North American women: one –in- nine women will die from it if they live beyond the age of eighty-five. In my mind, and probably in yours too, dying from breast cancer after age eighty-five seems less tragic than dying from it at age thirty-five. So, in a way, these statistics feel unfair and unnecessarily worrisome. Here are some facts outlined by the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada: A study about breast cancer Canada was done in 1995 and showed that out of one thousand females born healthy and alive: • Ages 35-39 one will get breast cancer and zero will die from it This is not to say that those deaths are insignificant in any way. Every person who dies from breast cancer is one or more of the following: a mother, a friend, a daughter, a sister, a wife, a partner. Pink Ribbon Campaign The pink ribbon campaign is meant to support breast cancer research and awareness through donations and through the purchase of merchandise. Please be careful when purchasing items from the pink ribbon campaign to make sure you are purchasing from a registered charity (some companies use the logo "pink ribbon" without actually donating a portion of the sales. See, there are scammers everywhere).
Risk of breast cancer increases with hormone replacement therapy Here are some more figures presented by Dr. Christiane Northrup in her book, The Wisdom of Menopause: Out of one thousand women who have never taken hormone replacement therapy, seventy-seven will get breast cancer by the age of seventy-five. For women who have taken hormone replacement therapy for five years an additional two women will get breast cancer, raising the number to seventy-nine. For women who have taken hormone replacement therapy for ten years, an additional six women will get breast cancer, raising the number to eighty-three. For women who have taken hormone replacement therapy for fifteen years, an additional twelve women will get breast cancer, raising the number to eighty-nine. Again, these numbers show that your risk of getting breast cancer from hormone therapy is low, but I think any risk is not worth taking if you are having a natural and normal menopause. Bioidentical Hormones and Breast Cancer Risk The studies have not yet confirmed how many additional women will get breast cancer from the use of bioidentical hormones. We have to wait until enough women are on it for a certain period to publish these statistics. In the mean-time, before your mother, sister, partner, wife or friend becomes one of these statistics a lot of people are making a lot of money selling these hormones. I wrote an article on bioidentical hormones that you may want to take a look at if you are considering taking these. This is a fact that bears repeating: The International Menopause Society states there is lack of evidence that the benefits and risks of bioidentical hormones are any different than conventional hormone treatments. Conclusion for Breast Cancer Canada In my mind, if you are having a mild to moderate natural menopause ask yourself if it is worth the risk to take these hormones, whether bioidentical or conventional. There are so many other, more natural ways to balance your hormones such as diet, phytoestrogens, herbs, exercise, relaxation, joy of life, giving back, that all help to balance your hormones in a healthy, non-life threatening way. I live in Canada and that's why I am particularly concerned about Breast Cancer Canada, however, I am, of course, concerned about Breast Cancer around the world in all women. Please reduce your risks, and please be careful and please support the Pink Ribbon campaign to end breast cancer.
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