In the last 3 weeks I have been told about two acquaintances diagnosed with endometrial cancer. One has excellent chances and the other is preparing to die. The endometrium is the layer in your uterus that grows up then sheds during your period. Endometrial cancer is the cancer of this layer and is quite common in the United States. It is most often thought of as a post-menopausal cancer; however younger women should be aware too.
The most common symptom in women is bleeding. In a woman who is post-menopausal, she might bleed or spot again when she hadn’t bled in 12 months or she may experience thin white or clear discharge.
In a woman who is still cycling, she may experience very heavy or prolonged periods, multiple periods in a month, or spotting between periods. This could be due to other reasons such as thyroid abnormalities, hormone imbalance, or clotting disorders, however if this has been ruled out then ask for additional work-up.
Diagnostically, a pelvic ultrasound and sampling of the endometrial layer through a biopsy is important. Routine Pap smear tests and pelvic exams may not show any abnormality in the early stages. An ultrasound will show a thickening in the lining while the endometrial biopsy will give an actual diagnosis of the cells inside the uterus.
Risk factors for any woman are as follows: high levels of estrogen, low levels of progesterone, unopposed estrogen (ie. estrogen therapy without progesterone), obesity, prior diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia, never having been pregnant, starting your period at a very young age, menopause begins after 55 years old, polycystic ovarian disease, irregular ovulation or not ovulating, and a personal history of diabetes, breast cancer and/or ovarian cancer.
The good news is many women are diagnosed early and stage I endometrial cancer has a 75%-95% 5-year survival rate. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed in this article and you haven’t been worked up, or if you begin bleeding or experiencing discharge again after your periods have stopped, please talk with your healthcare provider.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Surviving Summer Naturally
It’s that time of year for vacations at the beach, camping in the mountains and lazy afternoon bbq’s. Unfortunately, even the best intentions to enjoy the weather may have a few boo-boo’s along the way. Here are a few tips for surviving minor incidences a little more naturally…
1) Sunburn: if you were exposed a little too long the best thing to do is to stay hydrated and soothe pink skin with aloe vera. Either break the leaf of a plant and apply the thick gel or buy aloe vera in a bottle for instant relief.
2) Over-strained muscles: too much hiking or cleaning out the garage? Try using homeopathic arnica found at any food store in the natural section. Rub the cream onto tired muscles for support. Mix a few drops of lavender essential oil into almond or jojoba oil and gently apply to the area.
3) Bruises: you can also use homeopathic arnica orally and as a cream when you’ve been bumped. Do not apply into broken skin.
4) Insect Repellant: If you aren’t too keen on using bug spray with chemicals, try using natural bug repellants or blending essential oils of citronella, geranium, rosemary, eucalyptus, sage, lavender, pennyroyal and/or tea tree into a spray bottle of water. Shake and apply regularly when outdoors or mix into Almond or Jojoba oil and rub onto skin.
5) Relief for bug bites: Once you’ve been bitten, apply a drop of peppermint or Lavender essential oil onto the bite or place a hot wash cloth to the area. This opens up the circulation and diffuses the histamine reaction out.
6) Overindulgence: a little too much at the BBq? Chew on some fennel seeds or brew up a tea of fennel, peppermint and chamomile. Let cool and sip slowly. Ginger root or ginger capsules also works well.
7) Sea-sickness: first outing on the boat cause some wooziness? Try chewing on ginger or take ginger capsules before leaving the dock.
8) Swimmer’s ear: place a few drops of undiluted white vinegar into the ear twice-a-day for a week.
9) Dehydration: severe dehydration and heatstroke should seek medical care. If you feel it’s a minor case, mix ¼ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. baking soda, 2 Tbsp. of sugar and 5 cups of water together. Sip slowly until you are feeling better and your urine is clear. If baking soda is unavailable, add another ¼ tsp of salt.
10) Cuts and scrape: First wash the area well with clean water and pat dry. Apply the herb calendula either in a cream or spray as a natural antiseptic and cover with a band-aid. All-natural honey is another great antiseptic – smear a little bit onto the cut to keep bacteria out.
11) Bee sting: ouch! Gently scrape stinger out with a fingernail or tip of a credit card and apply Neem oil to the spot. You can also make a paste out of apple cider vinegar or Lemon juice and baking soda and apply to relieve the toxin effect.
12) Stress! Not everything in summer is easy breezy – place 3-5 drops of Rescue Remedy (found in the health section of your grocery store) under your tongue or in your water when you feel a moment coming on. Take before a stressful occasion (in-laws? reunion? road-trip? kids?) and as needed afterwards for instant sanity.
For any serious summer boo-boos or if you are pregnant/nursing, please consult with your doctor. The summer weather and great escapes makes us excited for summer but even a masterful outdoorsman (or woman!) gets the occasional scrape, bump or bruise. Please use these guidelines for quick and natural relief.
1) Sunburn: if you were exposed a little too long the best thing to do is to stay hydrated and soothe pink skin with aloe vera. Either break the leaf of a plant and apply the thick gel or buy aloe vera in a bottle for instant relief.
2) Over-strained muscles: too much hiking or cleaning out the garage? Try using homeopathic arnica found at any food store in the natural section. Rub the cream onto tired muscles for support. Mix a few drops of lavender essential oil into almond or jojoba oil and gently apply to the area.
3) Bruises: you can also use homeopathic arnica orally and as a cream when you’ve been bumped. Do not apply into broken skin.
4) Insect Repellant: If you aren’t too keen on using bug spray with chemicals, try using natural bug repellants or blending essential oils of citronella, geranium, rosemary, eucalyptus, sage, lavender, pennyroyal and/or tea tree into a spray bottle of water. Shake and apply regularly when outdoors or mix into Almond or Jojoba oil and rub onto skin.
5) Relief for bug bites: Once you’ve been bitten, apply a drop of peppermint or Lavender essential oil onto the bite or place a hot wash cloth to the area. This opens up the circulation and diffuses the histamine reaction out.
6) Overindulgence: a little too much at the BBq? Chew on some fennel seeds or brew up a tea of fennel, peppermint and chamomile. Let cool and sip slowly. Ginger root or ginger capsules also works well.
7) Sea-sickness: first outing on the boat cause some wooziness? Try chewing on ginger or take ginger capsules before leaving the dock.
8) Swimmer’s ear: place a few drops of undiluted white vinegar into the ear twice-a-day for a week.
9) Dehydration: severe dehydration and heatstroke should seek medical care. If you feel it’s a minor case, mix ¼ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. baking soda, 2 Tbsp. of sugar and 5 cups of water together. Sip slowly until you are feeling better and your urine is clear. If baking soda is unavailable, add another ¼ tsp of salt.
10) Cuts and scrape: First wash the area well with clean water and pat dry. Apply the herb calendula either in a cream or spray as a natural antiseptic and cover with a band-aid. All-natural honey is another great antiseptic – smear a little bit onto the cut to keep bacteria out.
11) Bee sting: ouch! Gently scrape stinger out with a fingernail or tip of a credit card and apply Neem oil to the spot. You can also make a paste out of apple cider vinegar or Lemon juice and baking soda and apply to relieve the toxin effect.
12) Stress! Not everything in summer is easy breezy – place 3-5 drops of Rescue Remedy (found in the health section of your grocery store) under your tongue or in your water when you feel a moment coming on. Take before a stressful occasion (in-laws? reunion? road-trip? kids?) and as needed afterwards for instant sanity.
For any serious summer boo-boos or if you are pregnant/nursing, please consult with your doctor. The summer weather and great escapes makes us excited for summer but even a masterful outdoorsman (or woman!) gets the occasional scrape, bump or bruise. Please use these guidelines for quick and natural relief.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Dealing With The Chronic Itch ‘Down There.’
How many women have had a yeast infection? How many women thought they had a yeast infection and instead it was bacterial vaginosis (BV)? What’s the difference?
The vagina is its own little ecosystem. It plays host to a number of flora that live in there and has the ability to self-correct if things get off balance. Typically your pH runs from 3.5-4.5 so it’s relatively acidic. Blood (from your period) and semen increase the pH to be around 7. Ovulation also increases your pH to match that of potential incoming sperm (making it a friendly environment instead of killing them off).
When your pH shifts, the healthy lactobacillus bacteria count shifts and can make way for other things to grow up such as yeast, BV, and bacteria. This is when the symptoms begin. You may experience itching, redness, discharge, burning, and/or odor. But how do you know what’s what?
First of all, get yourself tested. The itch of yeast and the itch of BV may be the same yet the treatments are very different.
Bacterial vaginosis always occurs with a higher pH (typically above 5). Very characteristic is the ‘fishy odor’ especially after sex, although it is not always there. The discharge is usually thin and gray, white, or yellow.
Yeast can grow up in either a high or low pH. It typically resides in your vagina however it’s the job of your healthy bacteria (lactobacillus) to keep it under control. Many women know the symptoms to include itching, burning, redness, white discharge, and possibly swelling of the labia.
There are other bacteria that can grow up and cause similar symptoms such as E.coli and Beta hemolytic strep. The only way to know for sure is to have your healthcare practitioner collect a swab to look under the microscope and send out for culture.
To help protect yourself, practice good hygiene, take probiotics (the good bacteria such as lactobacillus) especially if you are on antibiotics, eliminate sugar (yeast feed on this), use cotton underwear, be wary of tight thongs, and do not use scented soaps, lotions, douches or tampons in and around the vagina.
Don’t forget about fertile mucus! Sounds strange but I have had women concerned about the amount of discharge they produce every month and treat themselves for yeast. Upon examination, the discharge comes around ovulation and is on the stretchy-side.
Of course, there are a number of sexually transmitted diseases that also cause vaginal symptoms. Trichomoniasis (Trich), Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis require medical attention and antibiotics. Probiotics and cotton underwear will not make these go away.
The vagina is its own little ecosystem. It plays host to a number of flora that live in there and has the ability to self-correct if things get off balance. Typically your pH runs from 3.5-4.5 so it’s relatively acidic. Blood (from your period) and semen increase the pH to be around 7. Ovulation also increases your pH to match that of potential incoming sperm (making it a friendly environment instead of killing them off).
When your pH shifts, the healthy lactobacillus bacteria count shifts and can make way for other things to grow up such as yeast, BV, and bacteria. This is when the symptoms begin. You may experience itching, redness, discharge, burning, and/or odor. But how do you know what’s what?
First of all, get yourself tested. The itch of yeast and the itch of BV may be the same yet the treatments are very different.
Bacterial vaginosis always occurs with a higher pH (typically above 5). Very characteristic is the ‘fishy odor’ especially after sex, although it is not always there. The discharge is usually thin and gray, white, or yellow.
Yeast can grow up in either a high or low pH. It typically resides in your vagina however it’s the job of your healthy bacteria (lactobacillus) to keep it under control. Many women know the symptoms to include itching, burning, redness, white discharge, and possibly swelling of the labia.
There are other bacteria that can grow up and cause similar symptoms such as E.coli and Beta hemolytic strep. The only way to know for sure is to have your healthcare practitioner collect a swab to look under the microscope and send out for culture.
To help protect yourself, practice good hygiene, take probiotics (the good bacteria such as lactobacillus) especially if you are on antibiotics, eliminate sugar (yeast feed on this), use cotton underwear, be wary of tight thongs, and do not use scented soaps, lotions, douches or tampons in and around the vagina.
Don’t forget about fertile mucus! Sounds strange but I have had women concerned about the amount of discharge they produce every month and treat themselves for yeast. Upon examination, the discharge comes around ovulation and is on the stretchy-side.
Of course, there are a number of sexually transmitted diseases that also cause vaginal symptoms. Trichomoniasis (Trich), Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis require medical attention and antibiotics. Probiotics and cotton underwear will not make these go away.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
What Increases Your Risk of Breast Cancer?
Did you know that the majority of women with breast cancer have no known risk other than being a female? Did you know there are women with multiple risk factors who never develop breast cancer? As a Naturopathic Physician, it’s my job to educate you on your risks so you can lower them and help protect yourself.
First and foremost, being an aging woman increases your risk of developing breast cancer (but I still wouldn’t trade it for anything! Women are awesome!).
Second, if you have had breast cancer before then your risk greatly increases.
Having a first degree relative such as your mother, daughter, or sister moderately increases your risk. The further away in your family tree (ie. your aunt, great grandma or cousin) the less risk you have.
Speaking of family trees, if you have the genetic mutation for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, then you are at a very high risk.
Still keeping you at risk but not nearly as high as the above factors includes the following:
Your estrogen exposure – either because you started your periods early in life (before age 12), or ended them later in life (after age 55), or both means that you had more cycles of estrogen in your body. Likewise, exposure to estrogen from the birth control pill or hormone replacement also increases your risk.
The age you had children – having your first child after the age of 30 increases your risk as does never having children.
Your weight affects your risk – carrying extra pounds especially in the abdomen and especially after menopause is a problem on many levels and for many risks besides cancer.
Alcohol consumption – as the new research points out, any more than 2 drinks per week (yes, that’s PER WEEK!) increases your risk of breast cancer.
Prior exposure to radiation – if you have had excess radiation exposure to your chest wall and/or breasts increases your risk.
If you have had a breast biopsy and the results were ‘ductal hyperplasia’ or ‘complex fibroadenoma,’ then you are at a higher risk.
Caucasian women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer however African American women are slightly more likely to die from it.
Bottom line is this, some risks you have absolutely no control over so there is no need to worry about them. You can not inherently change being a woman and you can not change growing older (darn!) but you can change your alcohol consumption, your lifestyle and your weight. You can monitor your breasts by doing exams and seeing your healthcare practitioner if anything comes up.
First and foremost, being an aging woman increases your risk of developing breast cancer (but I still wouldn’t trade it for anything! Women are awesome!).
Second, if you have had breast cancer before then your risk greatly increases.
Having a first degree relative such as your mother, daughter, or sister moderately increases your risk. The further away in your family tree (ie. your aunt, great grandma or cousin) the less risk you have.
Speaking of family trees, if you have the genetic mutation for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, then you are at a very high risk.
Still keeping you at risk but not nearly as high as the above factors includes the following:
Your estrogen exposure – either because you started your periods early in life (before age 12), or ended them later in life (after age 55), or both means that you had more cycles of estrogen in your body. Likewise, exposure to estrogen from the birth control pill or hormone replacement also increases your risk.
The age you had children – having your first child after the age of 30 increases your risk as does never having children.
Your weight affects your risk – carrying extra pounds especially in the abdomen and especially after menopause is a problem on many levels and for many risks besides cancer.
Alcohol consumption – as the new research points out, any more than 2 drinks per week (yes, that’s PER WEEK!) increases your risk of breast cancer.
Prior exposure to radiation – if you have had excess radiation exposure to your chest wall and/or breasts increases your risk.
If you have had a breast biopsy and the results were ‘ductal hyperplasia’ or ‘complex fibroadenoma,’ then you are at a higher risk.
Caucasian women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer however African American women are slightly more likely to die from it.
Bottom line is this, some risks you have absolutely no control over so there is no need to worry about them. You can not inherently change being a woman and you can not change growing older (darn!) but you can change your alcohol consumption, your lifestyle and your weight. You can monitor your breasts by doing exams and seeing your healthcare practitioner if anything comes up.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer: What Is It?
Women know to look for a lump. We do our monthly self-exam and see our healthcare practitioners every year for our check-up. No lump = no cancer, right? Not necessarily.
Inflammatory breast cancer doesn’t have to have a lump. In fact, it can start out with redness of the skin. It may cause your breast to enlarge or swell, be tender, warm to the touch, look like an infection, or look like mastitis as if breast-feeding! The cancer cells plug up the lymphatic vessels in the skin not allowing fluid to drain away which causes the breast to change color and swell.
This is a fairly uncommon cancer although aggressive in nature. It doesn’t improve with antibiotics if you suspected an infection nor does it improve with typical mastitis treatments. Women may suspect they have a rash on their breast and let it go before seeing their healthcare practitioner. Don’t wait! If you have any of these symptoms and they do not improve after treatment then see your doctor! Typical diagnosis is made through mammogram, possibly ultrasound or MRI and biopsy. Because there isn’t a lump, biopsy of the skin is important.
Doing a self-exam every month is just as critical as examining your skin in a mirror to look for any color, texture, or nipple changes. If you find something, have it checked out right away because this is your health we’re talking about!
Inflammatory breast cancer doesn’t have to have a lump. In fact, it can start out with redness of the skin. It may cause your breast to enlarge or swell, be tender, warm to the touch, look like an infection, or look like mastitis as if breast-feeding! The cancer cells plug up the lymphatic vessels in the skin not allowing fluid to drain away which causes the breast to change color and swell.
This is a fairly uncommon cancer although aggressive in nature. It doesn’t improve with antibiotics if you suspected an infection nor does it improve with typical mastitis treatments. Women may suspect they have a rash on their breast and let it go before seeing their healthcare practitioner. Don’t wait! If you have any of these symptoms and they do not improve after treatment then see your doctor! Typical diagnosis is made through mammogram, possibly ultrasound or MRI and biopsy. Because there isn’t a lump, biopsy of the skin is important.
Doing a self-exam every month is just as critical as examining your skin in a mirror to look for any color, texture, or nipple changes. If you find something, have it checked out right away because this is your health we’re talking about!
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