October is Breast Cancer Awareness. But have you really thought about what this means?
All of these campaigns urging us to donate to, share, participate in or preach about—what are you supporting? As the hype builds around ‘Going Pink,’ the real issues we should be advocating often get lost in the excitement. In this article, I talk about something I strongly advocate—Breast Thermography one of the best and safest early detection tests available.
The breasts are a sensitive area of the body – and they’re prone to many health issues if you aren’t watching what you are putting in and on your body and skin. One of those issues is breast cancer. It’s one of the most common cancers in the world. And about 1/8 of US women develop breast cancer in their lifetimes (1).
Not to mention, it’s responsible for a high death toll. Thus, constant breast screening is necessary. Because the best way to deal with cancer is to avoid it in the first place.
But… Not all screening methods are healthy.
The most common type is the mammogram. And this can do more harm than good to your breasts… because, as you screen for tumors– by the time they are identified, they are usually large, and cancer has advanced.
So through this article, I’ll talk about an alternative form screening – this being thermography.
And I’ll mention 7 benefits that it has over mammography:
1 – No Radiation Involved.
Here’s how thermography works.
- It measures body heat on different areas of your body (and)
- It maps out abnormal changes that signal problems.
It’s a form of infra-screening. With a thermography, you start off by cooling your body for a few minutes. You’re then put behind a camera, which measures body heat in different parts of the body.
Abnormal heat levels can be signs of tumors, inflammation, etc. Additionally, thermography doesn’t use X-rays, like normal screening methods. And X-rays (while useful), increase your risk of getting cancer.
How So?
X rays are a form of ionizing radiation (1). And ionizing radiation has properties that break down molecular structures, causing genetic mutations, deeming them carcinogenic.
Thus, thermography is safer, and as a result…
2 – It is Suitable for Frequent Screening.
The US Department of Health recommends screening every 2 years, for women aged 50-74 (2).
Other sources recommend screening once a year (3). But if you’re serious about avoiding cancer, then you’re screening every 6 months.
This is bad if you’re using X-rays. But with thermography, you can screen frequently, ensuring you keep cancers in check. You can even take it a step further, screening quarterly (assuming cancer runs in your family). With thermography, the more, the better.
3 – Fast and Instant.
That’s a requirement for frequent breast screening. The speed of screening sessions has many advantages. You can use thermography to scan for multiple types of health issues.
For example; Let’s say you have a family history of colon cancer, where mutations are hereditary. Getting frequent checkups for your colon would be advised. And you’d have to do it with your normal breast screening.
You can also get a full body checkup. Those normally last 1 hour, and if you do them every quarter, you’re not wasting much time.
4 – It’s Comfortable.
Thermography procedures are “no-touch.” If you’re sensitive to contact, or if you’re anxious about personal space, you can try thermography.
Most breast scanning procedures involve touch. It is how radiologists assess the existence of possible lumps of problems in a patient’s breasts.
With a thermography, this is unnecessary. Thermography accurately scans breast tissue, detecting changes years before cancer develops.
5 – Quick Results.
After a mammogram screening, you need to wait 2 weeks to get your results (4) With a thermography, you get results within 48 hours. This is how it works: A certified radiologist will interpret the result for you. They’ll provide colored images of your scans, marking any problems they find.
Fast results save you waiting time. And if you find any problems, you can start diagnosis and therapy right away.
6 – Not Just for Diagnosis.
Thermography is a way of monitoring treatment. You can use it to monitor breast cancer (or any other cancers for that matter) therapy such as radiation or Chemotherapy, in relation to the effectiveness of chemotherapy, surgery, etc.
It also works for monitoring other breast problems such as lumps, fatty tissue, and fibrocystic breasts.
7 – Help Beyond Cancer.
Cancer isn’t the only problem that’s breast related. You could’ve had post-surgery problems, and there might be inflammation or glandular issues.
Maybe you have pain after breast surgery. It could’ve been a cosmetic surgery or one for health reasons. Either way, you can diagnose further issues with thermal scans, and best of all- thermography can be used as part of preventive care because of its ability for early detection.
What Should You Do?
Not only this month but all year round, I encourage you to become better educated about breast cancer, detection methods, treatments and even the charities and movements you support. I support raising self-awareness for breast cancer—which means regular self-exams, using organic, chemical-free products without parabens (which have been found in cancerous breast tumors [7] understanding alternative options for early detection, such as Breast Thermography (find a center near you here), and knowing ALL of your choices should the worst-case scenario happen.
Educate and empower yourself with preventative health practices and think outside the box when it comes to cancer awareness. Invest your time—not your money—learning about prevention and healthy living. Here’s a good article where you can start.
I recommend scheduling a Thermography while following a healthy lifestyle and adopting more preventive measures such as avoiding certain foods to prevent cancer. In fact, you will be preventing many other diseases. Surround yourself with benevolent friends and family which enhances your quality of life and mood.
Make “me time” mandatory, and pamper yourself with activities that you love which in turn will reduce stress. Practice meditation, get a medicinal massage, get some Sauna time at least twice a week. Sauna (include the steam room and infrared sauna) which helps get rid of toxins plus several other benefits.
I recommend you keep track of the medical field for updates. Be sure to follow the research, and stay committed to scanning routines!
How To Prevent Breast Cancer?
There’s no cookie cutter recipe, magic pill, and this article cover the bare minimum. That being said, I highly encourage you to watch The Truth about Cancer docu-series. That is my absolutely recommended place to start.
I’d tell you to trust me that you are going to absolutely love it, but I am going to let you decide for yourself. You need to register to watch for free this week only (October 9-16) After that, you’ll have to purchase the docu-series. I own the previous series and it is the best money I’d ever invested in my entire life. Knowledge is power, right? Well, I want that power vs big pharma- Gracias!
Next, I strongly suggest that you check for nutritional deficiencies— mainly Vitamin D and Iodine levels. If your doctors can’t do it you can get them from Walk-in-Labs from the comfort of your home. You can also have a Get a Cancer Screening Test for as low as $35.
Once you find where you are at with vitamins and mineral levels. You may want to supplement the following:
1) Vitamin D Supplementation. (I love Seeking Health Liquid D3)
2) Natural Progesterone
3) Iodine Supplementation. (This is what I supplement with)
4) Avoid ALCOHOL period! Don’t believe the lies about wine a few times a week. Read this revealing article and see for yourself.
5) Avoid carcinogenic chemicals, xenoestrogens, pesticides, etc.
6) Aim for organic unprocessed foods.
7) Practice stress-reducing techniques, and allocate “me time”self-care is crucial for overall well-being.
8) Make sure your estrogen levels are balanced, as well as other hormones.
9) Use chemical free beauty products. Use plant-based cleaning and safe cooking products. (See my Amazon page for all my recommendations and what I use)
Final Note
Thermography scans are still a work in progress. The Gerson Institute states that thermograms do not offer a definitive diagnosis; only a biopsy will tell if there are malignant cancer cells present. However, thermography can be used as an adjacent tool to alert women and their doctors of irregularities without health risks. That way women can minimize the need for invasive testing.
If the results are suspicious, a woman can start applying therapies to turn this around while it is still at an early stage. Yet mammograms are the tests that women are pushed to undergo most frequently.
Currently, the medical field is strongly debating whether thermograms should be the “go-to” breast scanning method. But results show that thermography is superior to traditional scans.
For example, Switzerland’s medical board has a negative view of mammograms (5). But also, there’s research that suggests otherwise (6).
On to you…
Have you ever had a Thermography before? Would you have one yes, no and why? Let me know in the comments below.
Additional resources and peer-reviewed studies you may find helpful:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1743919114009248
http://nzhta.chmeds.ac.nz/publications/thermocancer.pdf
http://ijmp.mums.ac.ir/article_470.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1763315/
sources:
- https://www.cancerwa.asn.au/resources/cancermyths/medical-imaging-myth/
- https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/screening.htm
- https://www.cancer.org/healthy/find-cancer-early/cancer-screening-guidelines/american-cancer-society-guidelines-for-the-early-detection-of-cancer.html
- https://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/diagnosing/how-cancers-are-diagnosed/breast-screening/getting-your-mammogram-results.html
- https://www.medical-board.ch/index.php?id=803
- https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmp1401875
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14745841
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1743919114009248
Joanna
It is so great that other non-painful methods have been developed for scanning your breasts. Mammography is such a painful test and many women do postpone it because of this.
Jessica Taylor
This is a great post! I honestly thought that mammograms were the only form of detection!
Sarah Bailey
It is absolutely wonderful they are coming up with new and better ways to screen for breast cancer. This seems like a real step of from what is normally used.
Betzy Cuellar
This is an article I will need to share with my mother.
Sundeep
Astrid, I am sharing this blog on my social media channels. Breast cancer awareness is must. We are totally hooked on to your blog. No wonder we are coming back again and again for more info.
Hannah Marie
This technology wowed me. How I wish that Thermography is affordable. And that people around the globe can have an easy access to healthcare assistance.
Astrid
Isn’t it amazing?I know it is unfortunate that we don’t get to choose our treatment options. Actually, thermography is now cheaper than before. I remember inquiring about it several years ago here in NY, and it was around $600-700. These days you can get one for around $300, and they may have payment plans. I think it’s worth it, but I totally hear you. I wish the same for everyone around the world.
Anne Yedlin
What a great article and wonderful information. My aunt is a breast cancer survivor, 5 years now cancer free. I’m thankful every day that technology has come so far and that she was able to benefit from it.
Astrid
Thank you! I am happy to hear that you found the information helpful. Excellent! I am very happy to hear that your aunt is cancer free. Yes, technology has came far but while she may have benefited from some of that, others die on a daily basis- including Mammography and other procedures such as the use of morcellators to perform a hysterectomy. It’s a tough topic, but there is a lot of organizations and money making involved in this. There is usually not much to earn with alternative treatments.
blair villanueva
Thanks for sharing this awareness. I think I need to do this as well. It is better to prevent it than be sorry.
Jessica Taylor
Great post! It is so important to continue getting checked! Very informative post!
Tara Pittman
I like that there is no radiation involved. One has to be careful with these tests.
Natalia
Breast Cancer Awareness is really important,as women should know everything about this problen, but also how to avoid it. I think I’ll try breast thermography myself, as I was thinking about that but finally gave up the idea some time ago. 🙂
K.A. Wypych
I am a healthcare worker and take care of cancer patients. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is so important as breast bancer can be cured with early detection. I’ve not heard of this particular screening method.
Dalene Ekirapa
Sure sounds like a great procedure especially when radiation is not involved for such delicate parts of the body as the breast. I’m also glad it can be used for monitoring.
TessaG
Wow, thanks for sharing this information! I had never heard of this before! I have friends and relatives who have died of breast cancer young – I feel like there should be earlier screening in Canada for those who have relatives with a history of breast cancer and early cancers.
Heather
I actually spoke to my doctor about mammograms recently and he told me that he doesn’t recommend them at all and that they could do more harm than good.
Astrid
Oh wow, hold on to that doctor dearly Heather! Most of them have to push Mammography — that’s very surprising. Wonder if he’d help you get a Thermography somehow?
Casey
This is a serious matter we all need to pay attention to. There is always someone you know have breast cancer and my sister, unfortunately, went through this horrible ordeal and thank God that she came out on top of it. We definitely need to spread this info to all women to prevent this disgusting disease. Thx
Vaibhav Mehta
Hey Astrid!
Read the entire article and liked that you provide actual and factual information with evidence regarding the hoopla around breast cancer detection. Thermography seems a safe and more sound technique with less or almost no side effects like disturbing the molecular arrangement or causing genetic mutation. Will definitely recommend thermography to all the females around me. Is it applicable to males as well? Since I have read about cases where men too have been struck by the breast cancer menace. Learned a lot through your article.
Astrid
Hi Vaibhav,
Thanks so much for the kind words. Comments like these make me extremely happy because that is what I aim to do- share reliable and helpful information! Yes, Thermography is by all means, safer than Mammographies especially because of what I mentioned in the article and what you also mentioned — that’s important. Absolutely, this applies to men as well, especially if they have used Anabolics or have any symptoms. That being said, when someone has symptoms of cancer, and a mammogram is ordered– it’s usually too late. We all want to test just for the preventive measure as a rule of thumb. Gene expression, exposure to toxins, is there a history of cancer in the family, and lastly symptoms.
Glad you learned something new today <3
To your best health,
Astrid
Echo
This is so interesting! I had no idea this was even an option!
Astrid
Thank you! Yes, it is and there are other options such as other tests that conventional medicine doesn’t test for.
Kiwi
Breast cancer is attacking so many women. This is something that needs to be checked annually not just thought about in Oct.