Bridge To Wellness

Building a Bridge of Knowledge for Health, Healing & Wellness

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Dr. Fuhrman’s Food Pyramid
What is Homeopathy
Recipes and Food shoppping list made easy
Tools to help you loose weight get health and get fit
Dr. Fuhrman’s Food Pyramid Dr. Fuhrman’s food pyramid is based on the principles of high nutrient eating as illustrated by his Health Equation: Health = Nutrients / Calories (H = N / C). Low-calorie, nutrient dense foods are at the base of the pyramid, and high-calorie, nutrient poor foods are at the top. As nutrient density decreases, the quantity [...] Read the Full Story
What is Homeopathy What are Homeopathic Remedies? Any plant, mineral or natural substance can be used as a remedy. The original substance is diluted in liquid repeatedly, and vigorously shaken with each dilution. Unusual as it sounds, these very small amounts of remedies can act very strongly when used properly. Also, because the remedies are very diluted, they are extremely safe. Read the Full Story
Recipes and Food shoppping list made easy I currently was working on upgrading my blog to add recipe plugin when I stumbled on this great site that integrates with my recipe plugin… Ok ok enough techie stuff … Here is the GOOD stuff  http://www.ziplist.com   What I love about it is that it:  You see a recipe you like on line ( [...] Read the Full Story
Tools to help you loose weight get health and get fit We live a very busy lifestyle that doesn’t allow for much time to really sit down and track things that we eat. However if you had a tool that would make it fast and easy would you then do it? I found a site after looking and downloading tons of apps and joining many sites [...] Read the Full Story

Archive for December, 2007

The Breast Self-Exam Pad

Breast cancer statistics are staggering. Don’t become one of these numbers.
Use The BSE Pad as your means for EARLY DETECTION and PREVENTION.

Because Every Body Matters BSE Pad™
Composed of soft, ultra-thin, latex-free polyurethane with a special lubricant sealed inside, this medical device helps women perform their monthly breast self-examination.*

Science

19200

BSE Pad™ 10 Pack

$169.00


19360

BSE Pad Single

$ 17.00

 



Click Here to Purchase

The Breast Self-Exam Pad
The BSE Pad is intended to be used as an aid for performing breast self-examination. The BSE Pad reduces friction and may provide for an easier and more comfortable exam. Your breast self-exam should be performed first with your bare hands and then with The BSE Pad.

Description of The BSE Pad

The BSE Pad is a medical device, which consists of two plastic sheets with liquid sealed in between. The BSE Pad reduces friction between your fingers and breast. The BSE Pad clings lightly to your skin. When you place your fingers on The BSE Pad and press firmly against it, your fingers will glide smoothly across your breast.

 

Why is Breast Self-Examination So Important?

By examining your breasts regularly, you will become familiar with what is normal for your body. By becoming familiar with what is normal, you will also be able to recognize changes promptly. Any change should be brought to the attention of your doctor.

Doing breast self-exams will help to give you peace of mind each month. But remember, breast self-exam is only one part of good breast health care. It is very important that you have regular clinical breast exams and mammograms as advised by your doctor.

 

When Is the Best Time to Examine Your Breasts?

You should examine your breasts once every month within a week after the end of your menstrual period. This is the time when your breasts are least likely to be tender or swollen. If you have stopped having periods, or if your periods are not regular, examine your breasts every month, preferably on the same day of the month. Choose a day that is easy to remember ­ perhaps the first day of the month.

 

Important

It is very important that you understand three necessary components of a comprehensive breast-screening program.

  • Breast self-examination (with or without The BSE Pad)
  • Regular clinical breast exams by your doctor
  • Mammograms

Breast self-examination with or without The BSE Pad is not a replacement for a mammogram or clinical breast exam by your doctor. It is very important that you have regular clinical exams and mammograms as advised by your doctor. Report any changes found either with your bare hand or The BSE Pad exam to your doctor for proper evaluation.

Directions for Use

Perform a complete breast self-exam using your bare hand. Then, drape The BSE Pad over your bare breast and repeat the breast self-exam. The top layer of The BSE Pad will move easily over the bottom layer because of the reduced friction. Illustrated guidelines for the breast self-exam with and without The BSE Pad follow:

Examination Including Use of The BSE Pad

Breast self-examination should be performed both standing up and lying down. It is very important that your breast self-exam be performed with both the bare hand and with The BSE Pad. Be sure to take enough time to examine both breasts thoroughly.

A. The first step of the breast self-exam should be performed while standing. Begin with a bare handed examination of your right breast with your right arm raised as illustrated. Raising your arm will ensure even distribution of breast tissue for a more thorough exam. Pressing firmly with your fingers flat, slide over every part of your breast and armpit, feeling for a lump or hardness. Once you have completed the bare handed exam, repeat the entire procedure using The BSE Pad. Holding The BSE Pad over your breast with your fingers flat, press firmly on The BSE Pad and slide over every part of your breast and armpit. Remember, you are feeling for a lump or hardness. Perform both the bare hand and BSE Pad exam on your left breast.

B. The second step of the breast self-exam should be performed while lying on your back. Place a pillow under your right shoulder as illustrated. Placing the pillow under your shoulder will help to spread the breast tissue over your chest wall. Raise your right arm and examine your right breast. Remember to examine every part of your breast and armpit, feeling for a lump or hardness. This exam should be performed both with and without The BSE Pad on both the right and left breasts.

C. The third and final step of the breast self-exam should be performed while standing in front of a well-lighted mirror. With your hands at your side, look for any skin changes such as dimpling or puckering. Then place your palms on your hips and press down firmly, flexing your chest muscles. Check again for any changes. Gently squeeze the nipple between the thumb and index finger to see if there is any discharge. Any discharge should be discussed with your doctor.

 

This is a newsletter that I received from Lorna that compelled me to send to all my friend and family that have daughters.  I hope this helps others to have the facts in front of them before making this decision regarding the HPV vaccine.

I have had thousands of questions regarding my opinion of the new HPV vaccine. Here is the reason why I do not support the use of this vaccine on our daughters.

HPV Vaccine deaths total 11& Over 3500 Adverse events reported

Once you read the following you will be horrified we are using our daughters as guinea pigs in the HPV experiment. There have been 11 deaths from the vaccine so far and counting. Over 3500 adverse events have been reported and over 400 have been reported serious (including complications like Bells Palsy, seizures, paralysis, and Guillian-Barre Syndrome). Of the 42 women vaccinated with HPV while pregnant 18 have experienced complications from fetal abnormalities to miscarriages.

Most importantly, the lead researcher who spent 20 years developing the vaccine for HPV Diane M. Harper states that, “The HPV vaccine is not for younger women and that it is “silly” for anyone to be mandating it for them”. She says, “The vaccine has not been tested for effectiveness in girls as young as 9 and it may not even protect them. And, in the worst-case scenario, instead of serving to reduce the numbers of cervical cancers within 25 years, such a vaccination crusade may actually cause the numbers to increase.” Diane Harper, a scientist and professor states “Giving the vaccine to 11 year olds is a great big public health experiment& .

…So what are we doing to our little girls?

What is HPV?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the name of a group of more than 100 different types of viruses. More than 40 types of HPV are sexually transmitted. These types can infect the genital areas of both men and women, including the skin of the penis, vulva, anus, and the lining of the vagina, cervix and rectum. The most important risk factor for developing cervical cancer is HPV infection of the cervix. Almost all cases of cervical cancer are linked to HPV infection. There are 15 of the more than 40 sexually transmitted HPV that can lead to the development of cervical cancer. HPV 16 and HPV 18 are thought to be responsible for about 70 percent of cervical cancers. HPV is transmitted through genital skin-to-skin contact and can appear years after exposure.

The Guardasil vaccine approved by Health Canada and the FDA in 2006 is thought to protect against HPV 16 and 18. The vaccine also protects against HPV 6 and 11, the most common lower risk types of HPV. HPV 6 and 11 cause 90% of genital warts. Infection with HPV low-risk 6 and 11 are not associated with an increased risk of cancer.

By age 50, fifty percent of women will have acquired sexually transmitted HPV infection. Most women will never know they have been infected because there are usually no symptoms. In most people, the body’s immune system eliminates the infection. In 90 percent of cases those who acquire a cervical HPV infection the virus will not be detected after 2 years. When HPV is gone the cervical cells return to normal. Men and women can get HPV and pass it along without ever knowing it. Sometimes HPV is not destroyed by the immune system and the high risk types increase the risk of cancer.

The HPV vaccine is being recommended for girls and women from age 9 to 26 even though few girls were involved in the studies. 11,000 women took part in the vaccine trials. No minors were included in the Merck,Guardasil trials. The manufacturer states it is unclear how long the vaccine will provide protection. The vaccine only protects against 4 strains of HPV and women will still be at risk of cervical cancer from other HPV strains. GlaxoSmithKline will also be launching an HPV vaccine called Cervarix for HPV 16 and 18.

Although men carry the virus and can infect women no research was done on our boys and men being vaccinated. Studies are now being done to see if it prevents HPV infection in them. By vaccinating boys indirectly women will be protected from those HPV strains by preventing the spread. Again another experiment.. only this time with our boys.

Abby Lippman, a professor of epidemiology at McGill University, and colleagues, conducted a review of the current literature on the HPV the vaccine and summarize their conclusions in an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

These researchers found that while it appears that the vaccine is highly effective in preventing infection with HPV types 16 and 18 it’s still not clear whether reducing such infections will translate into fewer cervical cancer deaths in the long run. They note that rates of deaths from cervical cancer had been dropping in Canada for years anyway, because of the widespread availability of publicly-funded programs for Pap smear testing.

They also note that there are many gaps in knowledge about the vaccine:

  • It’s not clear for how long the vaccine will be effective;
  • or whether a booster shot will be needed in later years;
  • and there is also a lack of data, they say, on the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine when given at the same time as other immunizations.

And they note that relatively few girls aged 9 to 15 years were enrolled in the clinical trials and the youngest of whom were followed for only 18 months. Yet girls in this age group represent the priority target population for mass vaccination.

There is a bias as all of the reported HPV vaccine trials, whether of Gardasil or its potential competitor Cervarix, were funded in whole or in part by the vaccine’s manufacturer.
B Noting that Gardasil is the most expensive childhood vaccine proposed for mass use (it currently costs many hundreds of dollars per the 3 required doses), the authors point out that there haven’t been any cost-effectiveness analyses to determine whether the proposed vaccination programs will result in fewer cancer deaths.

PAP Tests Reduce Cancer Rates

A simple PAP test can detect changes to the cervix. Read below for nutrients that can reverse an abnormal PAP or more importantly prevent abnormal PAPS and treat HPV in the first place.

HPV blood testing

An HPV test detects certain types of human papillomavirus (HPVs), depending on the test. A method for detecting the DNA of high-risk HPVs has recently been added to the range of clinical options for cervical cancer screening. In March 2003, the US FDA approved a “hybrid-capture” test, as a primary screening tool for detecting high-risk HPV infections that may lead to cervical cancer. This test was also approved for use as an adjunct to Pap testing, and may be ordered in response to abnormal Pap smear results. Adding the HPV test for all women over thirty improves the sensitivity of the cytology test alone to nearly 100%. According to the CDC there is currently no test commercially available to determine infection in men. Genital warts are the only visible sign of HPV in men, and can be identified with a visual check of the genital area.

What’s more no one is telling you that we can protect women from the negative effects of HPV with Indole-3-carbinol and other nutrients.

16-hydroxyestrone and Cervical Cancer

Women with cervical dysplasia (noted by abnormal Pap tests) have higher levels of the estrogen metabolite 16-hydroxyestrone. A study in the International Journal of Cancer found a connection between the human papillomavirus (HPV) and high levels of 16-hydroxyestrone or a greater affinity for conversion of estrogens into this carcinogenic metabolite and the development of cervical cancer. Researchers suggested that the combined action of 16-hydroxyestrone and HPV promotes abnormal cell proliferation. Now scientists think the HPV virus actually uses the 16-hydroxyestrone to promote cancer cell development.

Indole-3-carbinol Reverses Abnormal PAPS

New research shows that indole-3-carbinol (I3C) can reverse abnormal cervical lesions before they have a chance to develop into cancer. In one of many studies, 30 women with CINII and CINIII cervical lesions took 200 mg of 13C daily for six months. 50 percent in the treatment group had complete regression of their lesions. None of the placebo group (those getting fake pills) had any change in their lesions.

Cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer can be prevented. Have your annual Pap smear, and make sure your mom has hers as well-too many women after menopause are not having annual tests. Pap tests save lives! Smart women take their multivitamin with minerals every day and include indole-3-carbinol which is found in EstroSense. I believe if every woman from the age of menstruation to death took EstroSense not only would we see a reduction in HPV induced abnormal PAPS but also reduction in breast cancer rates. Let’s ensure all women have normal PAP smears with EstroSense.

Vitamin A

In a clinic-based case-control study to assess serum micronutrients as risk factors for cervical dysplasia, subjects in the lowest serum retinol quartile were at increased risk of CIN I abnormal cervical cells compared with women with high levels of retinol from vitamin A. Another reason to take FemmEssentials everyday.

Vitamin C

Risk of type-specific, persistent HPV infection was lower among women reporting high intakes of vitamin C (500mg per day or more) than those with low vitamin C intakes. Another reason to take FemmEssentialsThe time it takes for HPV to be eliminated in the body was significantly shorter among women with the highest compared with the lowest serum levels of vitamin E. Another reason to take FemmEssentials everyday.

Folic acid

Women with high folic acid levels were less likely to become HPV test-positive. Women with higher folate status were significantly less likely to be repeatedly HPV test-positive and more likely to become test-negative. Studies have shown that lower levels of antioxidants coexisting with low levels of folic acid increases the risk of CIN development. Improving folate status in subjects at risk of getting infected or already infected with high-risk HPV may have a beneficial impact in the prevention of cervical cancer. Another reason to take FemmEssentials everyday.

Carotenoids (beta carotene, lycopene etc.)

Higher circulating levels of carotenoids were associated with a significant decrease in the clearance time of type-specific HPV infection, particularly during the early stages of infection. The likelihood of clearing a potential cancer-causing HPV infection is significantly higher with increasing levels of lycopene (found in EstroSense). A 56% reduction in HPV persistence was found in women with the highest plasma lycopene concentrations compared with women with the lowest plasma lycopene concentrations. This research suggests that consumption of lycopene may be protective against HPV persistence. Another reason to take FemmEssentials everyday.

CoQ10

Women who had either CIN or cervical cancer had markedly lower levels of coenzyme Q10 in their blood and in their cervical cells than the women who were healthy. Another reason to use Lorna’s Coenzyme Q10.

Fruits and vegetables

Higher levels of vegetable consumption were associated with a 54% decrease risk of HPV persistence. Consumption of papaya at least once a week was found to reverse persistent HPV infection.

Fish oil or DHA Algae (DHA)

In a 1999 study, DHA Docosahexaenoic acid inhibited growth of HPV16 cells. A strong immune system will also kill and destroy HPV before it has a chance to cause cancer. Read about ImmunoSense for a strong immune system.

Not only is the research clear that the new HPV vaccine is not safe, has not been thoroughly studied for its long term effects—but it is fundamentally wrong to use our daughters as guinea pigs for the pharmaceutical giants.

Click here to read the references.

Fight Against Cancer

  • American Cancer Society
  • Dr. Christiane Northrup
  • Heal Breast Cancer
  • Healthy Immunity
  • National Cancer Institute
  • National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
  • The Breast Cancer Site
  • Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization
  • How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural MedicineHow to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine
    by Michael Murray, N.D.
    Riverhead Books
    ISBN: 1573223433;
    September 26, 2002
    256 Pages / Paperback

    order now

    A New Tool in the Battle against Cancer

    Cancer is a dreaded disease for good reason. The biggest, perhaps, is that most of us have watched helplessly as this disease has robbed the body, mind, and spirit of someone close to us. Despite dedicating significant resources in the battle against cancer, conventional medicine alone has failed. Granted, there have been some tremendous advances, but for the most part we are losing the war on cancer. One of the key reasons is that conventional medicine has long ignored the greatest healer of all – nature.

    How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine is a valuable resource that provides not only the latest information on dietary and supplementation strategies to prevent cancer, but also the critical guidance that the cancer patient desperately needs in winning their battle. Whether you want to prevent, treat, or deal with the side effects of conventional cancer care, Dr. Murray and his coauthors offer a comprehensive program of dietary measures and the proper use of vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other natural measures.

    You need this book because if you don’t follow the guidelines we present your cancer risk will be at least three times greater than if you do follow our recommendations. And if you have a family history of cancer it is even that much more important to follow the guidance we present because your cancer risk is higher. Simply stated, we provide a clear path to changing the environment within your body so that it will not support the growth of cancer. We provide a simple test to find out your relative risk for cancer and if you have cancer we can help you provide the support you need to help you fight the disease or deal with the side effects as well as enhance the effectiveness of conventional cancer treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

    How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine provides a practical, focused program will carefully detail how natural medicines can:

    • Significantly reduce your risk for cancer.
    • Effectively change the internal environment to prevent cancer formation.
    • Improve the detoxification of harmful cancer causing chemicals before they have the chance to do their damage.
    • Protect against chemotherapy or radiation therapy causing cancer in the future.
    • Bolster the cancer patient’s immune system.
    • Eliminate or dramatically reduce the common side effects of chemotherapy.
    • Slow down cancer growth with natural compounds that are selectively toxic to tumor cells.
    • Lower the risk for recurrent tumors.
    • Significantly increase the chances for partial or complete remission–a cure.

    The program given is not based upon theory. It is based upon our real-life experience working with cancer patients. The authors have treated thousands of cancer patients successfully with the program detailed in How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine. This experience has helped us learn firsthand what works and what does not. The book contains a massive amount of useful, practical information organized in an extremely “reader friendly” format. If you want to prevent cancer or if you have cancer, then you have got to get this book!!

    Other Books by Dr. Michael Murray

    This post below is my friend Nancy’s Breast Cancer Journal. Her Journal has helped and continues to help so many people. While she is going through her own treatments for breast cancer she has helped save other womens lives by getting this important message out to get a regular mammogram, to do self exams regularly, to take time for themselves. She is truly an inspiration to me and thousands of other women who’s lives she has touched.

    Many people have asked me how I discovered I had breast cancer. I found out from having a mammogram, but I would have found it sooner if I had taken the time to do monthly breast self-exams. I was also 10 months late for my mammogram. My mission now is to educate and convince women to do their monthly self-exams, to schedule all of their necessary tests on a regular basis especially their mammograms, and to not get too busy with life that they forget to take care of themselves. Because I feel so passionate about spreading this important message, I decided to share my own journal…from the moment I had my mammogram, to everything that followed. Hopefully, my experience will convince more people to schedule their tests. Hopefully, my experience will help to save some lives.

    GOOD NEWS TODAY! I went to see my surgeon, Dr. C. today for the results of the mammogram I had last Friday. By the way, a mammogram after surgery is a scary thing before you get there, but not so bad if you have a wonderful technician who is gentle and takes her time. It actually hurt worse on the right side when it pressed down on my port. OUCH! But Dr. C said everything looked great. I asked him about the Pet Scan and what his opinion was because Dr. Mac didn’t believe in them due to many false positives. Dr. C agrees, so I will not be having one. I trust Dr. C with my life, and if he is OK with it, so am I. So we’re just going to assume that I am cancer-free and move on from here.

    To continue to read Nancy’s Journal click here

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