Chapter A1. Escape From Breast Cancer (The Play)
(The following play is for entertainment value only. Do not make any
changes affecting your health without first consulting a trusted medical
professional)
Escape from Breast Cancer - (a Play)
(How a Young Girl took control of her health & life)
Forward to Escape from Breast Cancer -
Every mom wants to see her daughter to enjoy a healthy and productive
life. Certainly, moms want daughters to avoid breast cancer (& other 'ship
wrecks'). Instead of giving long boring list of do's and 'avoids', much of
this information is presented as a play (with no thoughts of winning a
Pulitzer Prize)
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While others visualize 'world peace', Leontyn visualizes a healthy,
happy, and productive life for herself, husband and soon to be children.
Here's the 'PLAY' that Leontyn sees:
Act 1, Scene 1 'Flashback':
(I, Leontyn, have just graduated from college at age 19 and have
married my sweetheart Mark, solid, cute and with a sense of humor.
During a Sunday picnic I did a little daydreaming)
Slide 1: eight year old Leontyn scores the game winner in her first
soccer game
Slide 2: aunt Diedrye, who was always so cheerful, has a lumpectomy to
remove a cancerous breast tumor. Mom remarks that Diedrye is a
big meat eater, 'couch potato' and never had children
Slide 3: mom sits me down and tells me that the 'Big BC' runs in the
family so I'm going to have to watch my 'health P's & Q's':
no red meat or pork, keep active in sports, pure water, fresh
organic food, vitamin/mineral pills as 'extra insurance'; later,
if you want kids, have one 'early' (before age 24, before 20
even better). mom says I have to use the 'RED triangle' to
slash my BC risk:
Reproductive/Hormonal factors R
Exercise E
Diet D
The 'RED triangle' is not everything, but is the foundation
of my 'house of health'. Mom said that if I 'optimized'
(she talked like an engineer) each of the 'points' in the
'RED triangle', I would reduce my BC risk by at least 80%.
More importantly, I would reduce my odds of having a heart
attack.
Slide 4: five months past my sixteenth birthday I have my first
period. some of my friends had theirs before age 12; but
I've read that puberty that early increases BC risk by
roughly 20%. More digging has gleaned that each year of
vigorous exercise delays puberty by 5 months. Also, a low
fat vegetarian diet is another 'delay path'.[puberty after
15 reduces your BC risk by perhaps 15-20% versus puberty
before age 12; in the U.S. in 1860 the average age of
puberty for girls was between 16 and 17 years!!!]
Slide 5: still five months past sixteen I graduate from high
school. The first eight years of education were via home
schooling. I give the graduation commencement address:
Recapturing Time-Tested Values. Good applause but a few
call me 'judgemental'. My response: Mother Nature is
the final authority; if your 'life CONTENT' leads to poor
health, judge Mother Nature has given you the old 'thumbs
down'.
Slide 6: College begins. Unlike that dropout, Bill Gates, I expect
to graduate; but I would not mind being in the same income
bracket as $Bill$, so I start a consulting business on the
INTERNET. Since being scared by the threat of BC, I've done
tremendous 'digging' on the topic of PREVENTING BC so it's
time to start cashing in.
Slide 7: I 'accidently' trip Mark and he asks me for a date. I tell
him I only have raisins. After he gives me a quizzical look
, I agree to a date.
Act 2, Scene 1 (Doctor's office. Enter Dr. Sarah Sharp)
Sharp: Leontyn, as you thought, you're pregnant. I do not expect any
serious problems. The tests we did for you before conception
showed a strong immune system and very low toxin levels. As
you likely know, by having a first full-term pregnancy before
age 24, you've reduced your BC risk substantially. You're just
19. If you had waited until after age 35 for your first,
your BC risk would have roughly doubled (compared to age 19).
Leontyn: Let's repeat those tests to be double sure I'm still a good
'home' for Clare (or will it be Chuck?). Any recommendations
regarding diet, supplements, and exercise?
Sharp: Your diet is excellent (immune boosting and BC protective).
It's high in fiber, the fat is 15-20% of total calories,
vegetarian with the bulk of it being fresh and organic (some
coming from your own garden). You eat a lot of soy products
AND KELP to boost your IODINE levels. A side benefit of the
vegetarian diet is much 'cleaner' milk for breastfeeding.
You've always taken potent multi-vitamin tablets. But I
think you should bump up your folic acid for added insurance;
(your 'multi' has 1 mg of folic acid). [a truly healthy diet
with supplements will chop your BC risk by a (conservative)
40%.]
Leontyn: I think you mean folic acid to protect Clare against neural
tube defects. What do you suggest?
Sharp: You're big on cruciferous veggies (broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
cabbage, cauliflower) from your concerns about family BC. So,
keep that up but also dig into (ORGANIC) asparagus, lima beans,
Irish potatoes, spinach, lettuce, brewer's yeast, FRESH wheat
germ, mushrooms, and nuts. Take one multi-vitamin for break-
fast and one for your evening meal. Your multi-vitamin also
has good amounts of zinc and magnesium. There is much credible
evidence that adequate folic acid reduces DNA mutations and
thus, is a likely cancer preventer. You're a vegetarian & some
of 'you folk' are short of vitamin B12. While you're pregnant,
supplement your diet with spirulina. I almost forgot to
mention, since cooking can destroy B-vitamins ( including
folic acid); best to eat most vegetables raw. Since your
excellent vitamin supplement 'regime' was in place before
conception (and you'll keep it up) you've reduced your odds of
a very preterm birth by about 83%.
Leontyn: Exercise, should I give up rugby?
Sharp: You should give up pulling my leg. You've been averaging
30-35 minutes of vigorous exercise daily, thus reducing your
heart disease risk sharply and slashing your BC risk by about
26%. Once you have your FIRST birth, keeping up the 30-35
minutes will bump the BC risk reduction to 72%(!) (marriage has
its advantages). During the remainder of your pregnancy it's
probably best to emphasize one of the safest forms of exercise,
swimming. I know you like suanas and 'hot-tubs'. While pregnant
and until about 12 months after birth avoid both since they
increase the risk of birth defects and infection.
Leontyn: I want to breastfeed Clare for 3 years minimum & have done some
reading about it. But whom would you recommend to advise me on
the practical aspects?
Sharp: Well, I recommend me, for some of your questions. Jakki Noble
of the La Leche League lives in your area and undoubtedly can
answer most of your questions. Here's her phone number. It's
likely not a big surprise to you that breastfeeding a minimum
of 3 years reduces your odds of contracting BC by perhaps
30%-40%. The more 'nursing' the greater the BC protection.
Also, there is some evidence that your breastfed daughter will
have roughly a 26% reduced BC risk; but give her at least 12
months of mom's milk to get that benefit.
Leontyn: I do not intend to vaccinate 'Clare' after reading and thinking
about the book Vaccination (Viera Scheibner, PhD). She has
50,000 pages of medical journal articles to back her up. I can
understand why establishment types fear to debate her.
Sharp: Vaccinations are a controversial topic. Certainly, virtually
everyone who has a vaccination should have an ascorbic acid
IV 'shot' right before the 'main event' to reduce toxic side-
effects. My daughters, all very healthy, never had any
vaccinations; as you may know, doctors and their families are
one of the LEAST VACCINATED groups. I know about your keen
interest and knowledge about health and I expect 'Clare' to
have a strong immune system, with a big boost from long term
breastfeeding. Of course you want to have her tested at least
once a year to ascertain her immunity status. I do recommend
HOMEOPATHIC vaccinations which are safe (and no needle).
Leontyn: Some relatives are pressuring mom to have a yearly mammogram
now that she is 50 years old. Do you think she should?
Sharp: In a future age when the bulk of people pursue optimum health,
mammograms will be on the scrap heap. However, currently
mammograms may be justified for some women over age 49. I
think there are superior technologies to mammography that
will identify 'pre-cancerous' conditions well ahead of when
the cancer will likely occur. One of these is a NON-INVASIVE
diagnostic tool called EAV. Why don't you and your mother
make an appointment and we can discuss it.
Leontyn: Do you agree with my mom that the 'RED Triangle' is the key
to woman's health?
Sharp: Does the sun rise in the East? If you want do double your
risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer,
and increase your risk of osteoporosis? If 'yes', then have
no children. During her pregnancy and in the 12 months
following term birth a woman slashes her suicide risk by
over 50%. Not having any births also increases a woman's
risk of uterine fibroids and thus, hysterectomy. There is
strong evidence that vigorous consistent exercise and a
healthy diet reduce not only breast cancer risk but reduce
'all-cause' mortality.
Leontyn: OK. Any parting words?
Sharp: GARLIC!
Leontyn: As an underarm deodorant?
Sharp: No, crush it, eat it & make sure Mark eats it too. That way
neither of you will notice anything 'off' on the other.
GARLIC has antioxidants (selenium and germanium), anti-
biotic compounds and other 'goodies'.
Leontyn: You know more than 'Dear Abby'. I'm off to see midwife Maime.
Act 2, Scene 2 (Bing Crosby Swimming Pool, Mark and Leontyn are water-
jogging)
Mark: Is this how Mark Spitz got his start?
Leontyn: You're off the mark on that.
Mark: Why the glum look today, mon ami?
Leontyn: BC rates are still going up and the best 'they' can suggest is
mammograms and self-examination.
Mark: But your clients are going 'great guns' preventing BC; why
do you not expand your 'circle'?
Leontyn: You've earned your salt today, 'spitzy'..
Act 2, Scene 3 (Public lecture hall in Seattle, Washington)
Leontyn: So, in summary, young moms: if you want a healthy daughter
with a healthy heart and greatly reduced risk of BC, assemble
a 'RED triangle' . In extremely brief form:
Reproductive factors - (a first birth before age 24, long
term breastfeeding, a second birth before age 30, no
induced abortions, no ESTROGEN therapy, no ESTROGEN birth
control pills)
Exercise - at least 3.8 hours/week of vigorous exercise since
age 8 or 9
Diet - vegetarian, fresh, organic, unrefined, and TASTY
Some specifics in your overall plan for your daughter's
health:
1. breastfeed her 2 years minimum (3 years better)
2. encourage her to vigorously exercise (but she should not
over do it); set her a good example
3. an optimum vegetarian (& TASTY!) diet with super foods and
supplements (at least a potent multi-vitamin)
4. a happy marriage with hubby will encourage her to pursue the
same; mental health is part of the virtuous circle of health
5. educate your daughter about reproductive health ( see
handout) including the importance of an early FIRST birth
6. live in the cleanest environment possible (rural is better)
7. PURE water; reverse osmosis and distillation are proven
purifiers
8. your daughter and you should get some (20-30 minutes) early
morning sun without sun-screen
9. enjoy yourself and relax, OR ELSE!
Are there any questions?
Q: Is there anything a young woman in her early twenties can do
to fight the 'Big BC'?
L: Do not fight British Columbia, fight heart disease and breast
cancer. If you build up your health, you'll reduce your odds
of contracting BC or heart disease. I have already talked
about the 'RED triangle' ( Reproductive/Hormonal factors,
Exercise, optimum Diet). Just 3.8 hours/week of vigorous
exercise reduces your breast cancer risk by roughly 26% (72%
after a FIRST birth). Do NOT take estrogen containing birth
control pills (or estrogen replacement therapy - also called
HRT) any time in your life. If possible, live in a 'pure'
rural environment. Do not put anything toxic in your house or
on/in your body (read labels carefully). At least once every
three years have a hair analysis (non-invasive and affordable)
to evaluate your toxic load. If it reveals very high levels
of toxic metals, consider oral or EDTA chelation therapy. Once
or twice a year undergo (under a doctor's supervision) a
detoxification regime (such as JUICE fasting) to flush toxins
from your system.
Q: According to your theory, one should have a first birth at 16
and a dozen children to reduce BC risk 'to the max'. Does that
not make you a reactionary?
L: Mother Nature is unimpressed by labels; she is only impressed
by health habits that thwart the 'grim reaper'. Every woman
must be concerned with her TOTAL HEALTH (and HAPPINESS), not
just one aspect such as breast cancer. If having a first birth
at, say, age 19 would throw a young woman into emotional and
financial stress, then she should avoid getting pregnant at
that time. Pregnancies after the FIRST birth afford additional
BC protection but a woman should only have them if they are
a NET benefit to her LIFE!; (only full-term pregnancies are BC
protective).
Q: What are the best BC-preventing foods?
L: Have you got your pens and pencils ready? Here goes:
almonds, amaranth, apples, apricots, barley/barley grass,
beans, beet/beet root, Bok Choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts,
burdock root, cabbage, cabbage family, carrots, cauliflower,
celery/celery seeds, cereal grasses, chickpeas, collards,
corn, cucumbers, dandelion, figs, flax seed, garlic, ginger,
grapes/raisins, greens, horseradish, kale, lamb's quarter,
lentils, millet, nuts & seeds, oats/oatstraw; oils: canola
oil, flax seed oil, olive oil, sesame oil; onion, orange peel,
parsley, pineapple, potatoes, purslane, radishes/daikon,
rhubarb, rice, rutabaga/swede, rye, seasoning herbs/kelp,
soybeans, spinach, squash, stinging nettle, strawberries,
sunflower seeds, sweet potatoes, ( green ) tea, tomatoes,
turnips, watercress, wheat/wheat grass, mushrooms (shiitake,
reishii), winter squash, yogurt. But not all at one meal.
Eating all those foods has given me the memory to recall them
all. That list comes from Susan S. Weed's excellent book:
Breast Cancer? Breast Health!
Q: Why did you include soybeans in that list?
L: Not only do soybean products (e.g.s. soy milk & soy yogurt)
reduce breast cancer risk for you, but hubby reduces his
odds of contracting prostate cancer. Japanese are big soybean
product consumers.
Q: What about flax oil?
L: Omega-3 oil in flax oil is BC protective. Twice a day I mix
one tablespoon of flax oil with 4 tb. of either organic yogurt
or Quark and mix until the flax color disappears; this combo
improves assimilation. I use it as a topping. There are also
'balanced' oil products that have flax oil included. Do NOT
heat oils! (Extra virgin olive oil is another healthy oil, but
it has scant omega-3). Udo Erasmus recommends only buying oil
in dark GLASS bottles; read Udo's book - Fats that Heal Fats
that Kill.
Q: How important is iodine?
L: Dr. William Ghent was a very well respected surgeon at Queen's
University in Kingston, Ontario ( Canada ). He conducted a
controlled study of aqueous iodine. Women in the group
consuming aqueous iodine had 50 per cent less BC than
expected. Dr. Ghent's results for humans further validate
earlier animal studies of Dr. Bernard Eskin.
Q: What are natural sources of iodine?
L: Kelp (sprinkle it over your main course), dulse, Swiss chard,
turnip greens, GARLIC, seafood, fish liver oils, watercress,
pineapple, pears, artichokes, citrus fruits and egg yolks
(from free range eggs). Kelp often helps overweight people
lose 'excess baggage'.
Q: Your 'RED Triangle' may cover the 'big' bases but there are
other risks such as excess medical X-rays, smoking, alcohol,
VD, dark hair dyes, silicone breast implants, BGH, electric
blankets, microwave ovens, etc. Does not one need a 'RED
Triangle' and a 'Pink Pentagon'?
L: You're hired as my research assistant. Possibly the best book
(very wide ranging and well documented) on PREVENTING breast
cancer is:
BREAST HEALTH (Charles B. Simone, M.D., 1995, Avery Publ.
Group)
Not as wide ranging as Simone's book, but still a marvelous
book is:
Breast Cancer? Breast Health! (Susan S. Weed)
A superb book on maintaining general good health is:
Return to the Joy of Health (Zoltan P. Rona, M.D., J.M. Martin,
alive books, 1995)
Dr. Rona's breadth of health knowledge is remarkable and
co-author Martin provides excellent recipes and health tips.
Rona writes a health column in ALIVE magazine but he 'always'
makes the point to letter writers, after providing information
about potential remedies, that their individual malady is best
diagnosed and treated by medical professionals (usually ones
emphasizing 'holistic' or preventative medicine); (I prefer
the term classical medicine since it is more accurate). He's
right. Books, magazines, lectures can provide useful health
information, but the old cliche that we're all individuals
holds true and thus, you must check with your doctor first
before making any change that might affect your health.
Thank you all for coming, please pick up the handouts. (The
handouts contained the following information:)
Key to HEALTHY BREASTS: RED Triangle (Reproductive/Hormonal
Factors, Exercise, Diet):
REPRODUCTIVE/HORMONAL Factors
______________________________________ ______________________________________
REPRODUCTIVE-HORMONAL BREASTFEEDING (BF)
Delay puberty (via exercise, diet) If under age 25 at FIRST birth,
ALL pregnancies FULL-TERM!! breastfeed that baby for an abso-
Early FIRST birth (before age 24 lute minimum of one year
good, before age 20 better) Take prenatal vits. min. 6 months
No birth control bills with ESTROGEN BF each baby 2 years minimum
As many children as consistent with Contact La Leche League BEFORE birth
your health & happiness; more for BF info. & after if BF problems
births = less BC risk Brewer's yeast and herbs blessed
thistle, nettle, fennel, rasp-
No HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy berry leaf & fenugreek enhance
with Estrogen); alternative: milk 'flow'
NATURAL Progesterone (CREAM only) Eat GARLIC & your milk is tastier
Avoid promiscuity A tight bra will reduce your milk
NO DRUGS except for emergencies output & may reduce lymphatic flow
NO med. X-rays bef. age 16, rare after As much rest/relaxation as poss.
Books: Menopause without Medicine Books: Nursing Your Baby (Karen
(Linda Ojeda, Ph.D.) Pryor and Gale Pryor)
Pregnancy & Childbirth Tips (Gail Dahl)
____________________________________ ______________________________________
DIET EXERCISE
High fiber, low fat (15% of cals.) Start vigorous exercise before age 9
Vegetarian Average at least 33 minutes/day
(ORGANIC, fresh, unrefined) Also: stretching & some weight lftg.
vegetables, (grains, beans, nuts, Best aerobic sports:
seeds, lentils), fruits: rebounding on a mini-trampoline
GARLIC, onions, kelp, (use a jogging motion)
(flax oil, extra virgin olive X-country skiing (& Nordic-Track)
oil) unheated, apples, ginger, water-jogging
soy products, green tea, spelt, 'Stairmaster'
broccoli, Brussels sprouts, stationary bike
cabbage, cauliflower, apricots, soccer on GRASS
cantaloupe, carrots, millet, walking
pink grapefruit, yogurt, etc.
Allergy foods: milk, eggs, wheat,
corn, pork, beef, citrus, peanuts
, chocolate, etc. Books: Jumping for Health
50-75% of food eaten raw; steam Dr. Morton Walker) - book
cooking next best about rebounding
6-10 glasses of pure water daily Stretching (Bob Anderson,
Books: Total Breast Health (Keuneke) 1980)
Return to the Joy of health (Rona)
The Airola Diet and Cookbook (Airola)
Optimum Sports Nutrition (Colgan)
______________________________________ ______________________________________
Act 3, Scene 1 (Mark and Leontyn are mountain climbing in the year 2025)
Mark: Did you think you could make it to the top?
Leontyn: Is the Pope Catholic? The real challenge WAS defeating breast
cancer. It peaked in 2004 at one woman in 7. Women are now
making smart CHOICES: early FIRST birth, all pregnancies full-
term; pre-teens are exercising and are on optimum diets (later
puberty as a result).
Virtually all new moms are breastfeeding newborns at least 18
months. Breast cancer rates in women under age 40 have been
slashed dramatically which portends well for the future.
Mark: Who made the biggest difference in turning the 'BC tide'?
Leontyn: Some keys come to mind:
Breast Health (book by Dr. Charles B. Simone) - a superb
tome true to its title
How to Prevent Breast Cancer (Dr. Vinton C. Vint, et al.)
ALIVE magazine - the first major health magazine to
fully address the importance of reproductive health and BC
Mark: But what about the older generation who made dumb CHOICES?
Leontyn: That's a question mark (pun intended). Certainly, most of
these women should exercise at least 3.8 hours/week, strictly
reduce their toxin exposure, use a NATURAL progesterone cream,
etc. My mom, who made smart choices, for a little extra insur-
ance takes melatonin and DHEA; she always double checks my
suggestions with her prevention oriented doctor first before
making any changes. There is a doctor in Eastern Canada who
even puts breast cancer patients into remission via a vegan
diet and all natural supplements. But PREVENTION is still
the main key. On to the next mountain!
End of Play
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The preceding play was for entertainment value only. No person should
make any change affecting her health without receiving advice from a
medical professional; references that support the ideas presented in
this play can be found in the REFERENCE chapter (R) at the very end.
______________________________________________________________________________
copyright Brent Rooney ( [email protected] )