Chapter G1. Much better than Tamoxifen and it's NATURAL!
Why should women have to compromise; i.e. reduce their risk of
breast cancer but increase the risk of uterine cancer and blood
clots? In April 1998 headlines tell women at high risk for breast
cancer of the benefits of the drug tamoxifen in reducing breast cancer
risk. However, one study does not a proof make and what are the long
term side-effects of tamoxifen? Answer: 'we' do not know. Let's compare
tamoxifen with a natural preventer of breast cancer, 'XR':
Tamoxifen 'XR'
----------------------------------------
Reduces BC risk? not proven many studies
support BC prevention
Reduces death from NO YES
'ALL-CAUSES'?
Reduces symptoms of NO YES
depression?
Inexpensive? NO YES
Patented? YES NO
---------------------------------------
What is 'XR'. It's a new wonder 'drug' called exercise:
Women get 'EXERCISED' about Breast Cancer
One research report says beta-carotene helps to prevent cancer but another
report claims that beta-carotene may increase cancer risk. No wonder the
public is becoming cynical about medical research results. In 1994
researchers Leslie Bernstein, et al., of the University of Southern
California reported that:
'young' (under age 41) women who exercised at least 3.8 hours/week
( consistently since puberty [menarche] ) reduced their breast
cancer risk by 58%. The reduction in risk is 72% for exercisers
who are also moms (i.e. parous). [3.8 hours/week is about 33
minutes/day] (Physical Exercise and Reduced Risk of Breast Cancer
in Young Women, JNCI, 1994, 86:1403-1408)
The reduction of BC risk by 58% is relative to 'couch potatoes' (i.e.
women who do zero exercise).
Is this report credible? 'Believe it or not', a layman only need
need learn only 9 or 10 technical terms ('significance', 'relative risk',
'confounding', etc.) to read and mostly understand a report such as
this. Here is what the medical journal WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUES said
about Bernstein's report:
In contrast, Bernstein interviewed subjects and obtained periodic
lifetime histories of physical activities and then classified
subjects according to the number of lifetime hours per week
spent exercising. Thus, the Bernstein study had a far more
comprehensive and quantitative measure of physical activity patterns
than the other studies, and presented convincing evidence of a
reduced breast cancer risk in physically active women (Exercise
in the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Disorders, WOMEN'S HEALTH
ISSUES, Patricia A. Deuster, 1996; 6:320-331)
What kinds of exercises were these women doing? "racquet sports,
swimming, gymnastics, running/jogging, or walking for exercise; workouts
at gyms; and participation in dance or exercise classes."
Any other health benefits from physical activity? Bernstein, et al.,
inform us, "Data on the health benefits of physical activity continue
to accumulate as physical activity appears to have a protective
effect against a number of chronic conditions, including coronary
heart disease, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, and colon cancer risk
(26-28), and possibly, as suggested by recent evidence (29), against
endometrial cancer risk."
Any 'recent' confirmation of the 'Bernstein' results? In May 1997 the
New England Journal of Medicine reported results from a Norway study:
1. women who exercised at least four hours/week during leisure
time have a 37 percent reduction in the risk of breast cancer
2. risk of breast cancer was lowest in lean women who exercised
at least four hours per week (72 percent reduced BC risk)
(NEJM, Inger Thune (MD) et al., 1997, 336:1269-1275)
There have been other reports supporting reduced BC risk for high
exercisers. Some reports found no benefit. So, should women exercise
and thus, be confident that they will reduce BC risk? In the same
issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, respected researcher
Anne McTiernan (MD, PhD; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle,
WA 98104-2092) wrote:
How should the physician answer a woman who asks whether she
should exercise and whether it will help prevent breast cancer?
I recommend a resounding "yes" to the first question. Regular
physical activity in women reduces overall mortality and the
incidence of coronary heart disease, diabetes, mellitus, stroke,
osteoporosis, obesity, and disability, and it also lessens the
impact of such chronic ailments as arthritis and cognitive decline.
With respect to whether exercise reduces the risk of breast cancer,
however, too many questions remain for women and their doctors to
make informed decisions on whether, how, and how much to exercise.
Not a ringing endorsement with respect to BC prevention. But women
should ask themselves, does exercise enhance the immune system and
is a healthier immune system useful in preventing breast cancer and
recovering from it? I.E. it is my opinion that Anne McTiernan, is
being a bit too 'conservative'.
The godfather of the aerobics movement, Dr. Kenneth Cooper, says
says in his 'new' book (The Antioxidant Revolution) that he, like many
others, primarily exercise for the mood enhancing effect. Dr. Cooper
makes the important point that over exercising is also a danger to good
health. Dr. Cooper also asserts that the best anti-oxidant is:
.............................EXERCISE!!!
Cynics and defeatists say there is little or nothing one can to do
prevent cancer. Research is exposing these people as being ill informed.
(Were Bernstein, et al., confident of their 58% BC risk reduction via
via exercise? Yes. When researchers are at least 95% confident of
a finding, it is called 'significant'. They found the relative risk of
breast cancer for women who averaged at least 3.8/hours exercise
per week was .42(0.27,0.64);i.e. they were 95% confident that the risk
reduction was somewhere between 36% and 73%)
What kind of exercise should you do?
You require exercise in three different areas:
1. aerobic
2. strength
3. flexibility (e.g. stretching)
What about women who 'have no time' for exercise?
Some people spend more time commuting to and from their exercise
place than actually exercising. But, do not despair, since 'rebounders
come to the rescue'. A rebounder is a mini-trampoline (about 40 inches
wide); it has almost all
the benefits of jogging without the jarring effect on your joints.
Nothing is 100% safe, so ask your medical advisor if he/she thinks
rebounding is safe for you. Do a jogging motion for maximum aerobic
effect; when you first start rebounding, just do a few minutes of
exercise. Slowly build up the duration of your daily session. If
you do the rebounding shortly after arising in the morning (and after
a few warm-up exercises) you've eliminated an extra shower (likely)
since you were going to shower anyhow; and there is no commute if you
have a rebounder in your home. A good new rebounder can be purchased
for under $200; good used ones (turn it over; if any rusty springs, do
not buy it) can be bought for $40-$80.
Consider hiring your own personal trainer.
Serious women athletes should read Optimum Sports Nutrition (Dr. Michael
Colgan). These are athletes doing much more than 33 minutes per day.
If you have been inactive, start any exercise program very gradually
since avoiding injury is of first importance. Have a checkup by your
doctor before starting your exercise program.
'Postscript': Women with ' rounded ' shoulders have an alternative to
breast implants
Many women are concerned about BL (not bacon and lettuce sandwiches but
their Bust Line). 'Rounded' shoulders is not uncommon and definitely
impairs a woman's BL. There are a number of exercises that can bring
your shoulders back to a square position and thus, improve your BL and
your health. If you hire a personal trainer for a few sessions to show
you the exercises, it will be much cheaper & should be much safer than
an 'idiotic' breast implant procedure. (Men will also look better if
they can 'square' their shoulders; but I can not promise them more
dates).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous articles by Brent Rooney on breast cancer prevention:
No Breast Cancer for My Daughter How to Reduce the Risk
(July/August 1995 ALIVE magazine), pp. 17-18
An Early First Birth for Breast Cancer Prevention
(April 1997 ALIVE magazine), pp. 35-36
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALIVE magazine has a readership exceeding 500,000
References:
see EXERCISE in Chapter R
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
copyright Brent Rooney ( [email protected] )