Mammograms

As most people know yesterday new recommendations concerning mammograms have been released by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a government-appointed, independent panel of medical professionals whose recommendations inform decisions by health professionals and insurers.

This panel recommended that all American women without a family history of breast cancer receive a mammogram every two years between the ages of 50 and 74. The report does not recommend routine screening mammography in women aged 40 to 49 years. Also the report recommends doctors stop advising women to do self-breast exams.

First, please consult your doctor before making changes based on this report, and second know the facts.

The Mayo Clinic and the American Cancer Society continue to recommend screenings for women 40 years of age and older. "Mayo Clinic will continue to evaluate new data on mammography and breast cancer detection as information is made available. But at this time...Mayo Clinic physicians feel it is in the best interests of their patients to offer routine screening mammography."

Women need to protect themselves, and unfortunately this government group has made a wrong call.

August = It's Mammogram time

Today was my every 6 month mammogram check. I wanted to share some methods I use to prepare for my mammograms. Then you can try them, too!

Exercise#1: Visit your garage at 3:00 a.m. when the temperature of the cement floor is just about 25 - 30 degrees. Take off all your warm clothes and lay comfortably on the floor with one breast under the rear tire of the car. Ask a friend to slowly back the car up until your breast is sufficiently flattened and chilled. Turn over and repeat for the other breast.

Exercise #2: Place in the freezer two metal bookends overnight. Strip to the waist. Invite a stranger into the room. Press the bookends against either side of your one breast. Smash the bookends together as hard as you can. Set an appointment with the stranger to meet next year and do it again.

Exercise #3: Open your refrigerator door and insert one breast between the door and the main box. Have one of your strongest friends slam the door shut as hard as possible and lean on the door for good measure. Hold that position for five seconds (while you hold your breath). Repeat again in case the first time wasn't effective enough.

Seriously ladies.

• If you're over 39 you should be having yearly mammograms.
  
• Every woman should be doing self breast exams, monthly.
• Know the risk factors, and see how many of them you can include or exclude yourself from. Keep your doctor informed of any of these risk factors you do fall under.
• If digital mammograms are available in your area get one. They cost no more than the regular imaging, are covered by insurances also and detect much smaller, much sooner.

This is very important for all women.

Also click here if you want to give free mammograms to women who would not get them otherwise:

October is...

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Anyone who has read here in the past most likely knows I am passionate about informing people about breast cancer awareness.


Some background, and some facts:

This year in America, more than 211,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at the rate of 1 every 3 minutes, and 43,300 will die. One woman in eight either has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. However, this is not only a disease that affects women. In the U.S. a1one 600 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and 400 will die this year. If breast cancer is detected early, the five year survival rate exceeds 95%. Self breast exams and mammograms are among the best early detection methods, yet 13 million U.S. women 40 years of age or older have never had a mammogram.

What does all of this mean? It means for myself and many others breast cancer either is already or will become personal, this year. For me it has started already with the loss of my Mother on April 1, 2005, as well as my maternal Grandmother June 20, 2003. The reality for me also means that my sister's and myself have an increased risk of breast cancer 5 fold that of the average person due to our family history, being of Ashkenazic decent and just the fact we are women.

So I wanted to pass along some great links for information.
Help Give Free Mammograms by clicking
Get BC Facts
ACS Informs
How to do a self breast exam

For more information just do a search. I don't link to specific fundraising sites because that could take to infinity, and beyond. However, giving is always needed for researching a cure. So find an organization that you believe in, and donate.

Lastly, please schedule your mammograms.

Mammogram Time! Yeah!

Today was my every 6 month mammogram check. I wanted to share some methods I use to prepare for my mammograms. Then you can try them, too!

Exercise#1: Visit your garage at 3:00 a.m. when the temperature of the cement floor is just about 25 - 30 degrees. Take off all your warm clothes and lay comfortably on the floor with one breast under the rear tire of the car. Ask a friend to slowly back the car up until your breast is sufficiently flattened and chilled. Turn over and repeat for the other breast.

Exercise #2: Place in the freezer two metal bookends overnight. Strip to the waist. Invite a stranger into the room. Press the bookends against either side of your one breast. Smash the bookends together as hard as you can. Set an appointment with the stranger to meet next year and do it again.

Exercise #3: Open your refrigerator door and insert one breast between the door and the main box. Have one of your strongest friends slam the door shut as hard as possible and lean on the door for good measure. Hold that position for five seconds (while you hold your breath). Repeat again in case the first time wasn't effective enough.

Seriously ladies.

• If you're over 39 you should be having yearly mammograms.
  
• Every woman should be doing self breast exams, monthly.
• Know the risk factors, and see how many of them you can include or exclude yourself from. Keep your doctor informed of any of these risk factors you do fall under.
• If digital mammograms are available in your area get one. They cost no more than the regular imaging, are covered by insurances also and detect much smaller, much sooner.

This is very important for all women.

Also click here if you want to give free mammograms to women who would not get them otherwise: