Breast Cancer Awareness Month: When should a woman go for mammograms?

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death for women around the world. But there are some preventive measures that can extend their life, and regular screening is one of them.

A mammogram is a standard approach for screening breast cancer. According to a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist,  the right age for women to go for mammograms varies. According to some research, it is recommended to do it in your 30s and some others suggest it is ideal to get it done before the age of 45.

“Screening mammograms can detect breast cancer early, and it should begin at the age of 40. The findings of randomized trials involving women in their 40s and 50s show that screening mammograms reduce the risk of breast cancer deaths,” says the doctor, adding that mammogram screening is not without defects. “Another study found that even though mammogram screening has resulted in more early breast cancer diagnoses, the number of advanced breast cancers has not decreased.”

Dr.  explains that doctors are unable to predict which breast cancers will spread beyond the breast and which will remain contained. As a result, annual mammograms are considered best for detecting cancer early, increasing the chances of curing and lowering the risk of death.

“The main issue with mammograms for breast cancer screening is the possibility of a false-positive result. This means that something unusual has been detected, but further testing reveals it is not cancer. False positives are more common in 40s and 50s,” she adds.

Are women under the age of 40 at risk of breast cancer?

“Younger women, in general, do not believe they are at risk of breast cancer. Breast cancer, on the other hand, can strike at any age. Women under the age of 40 account for 5 per cent of all breast cancer cases. All women should be aware of their personal breast cancer risk factors.”

 

If breast cancer does develop, early detection and treatment can significantly improve chances of survival. 

Measures that all women can take to reduce their risk of breast cancer:

– Obtaining and maintaining a healthy body weight.
– Consuming alcohol in moderate amounts.
– Regular physical activity.
– Breastfeeding.

“If breast cancer does develop, early detection and treatment can significantly improve chances of survival. More than 90 per cent with early-stage breast cancer survive,” says the doctor.

Young women should be counseled and encouraged to report any breast changes to their healthcare provider, such as:

. Lumps
. Nipple discharge
. Pain in a specific location
. Changes in skin

And, should women under 40 have mammograms?

“In general, screening mammograms are not advised for women under the age of 40. Screening can begin at 25 for women with genetic mutations, and screening is often initiated 10 years before the first affected relative in the family with a history of breast cancer. Breast MRI is frequently recommended in addition to mammography for high-risk women,” Dr. concludes.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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How to Keep Your Bones Strong

The base on which our whole body is built is the skeleton. It gives us our stability, as well as our ability to move and function. Our bones are also a factory for manufacturing red and white blood cells. It's extremely important to keep bones strong and healthy, especially in more advanced ages, when calcium seems to drain away.

A little about bone depletion: 

Bone depletion, or osteoporosis, is a disease that occurs as a result of dwindling bone mass and a decrease in the levels of calcium. Throughout our whole life, our bones are in a continuous process of construction and deconstruction. However, at a young age, there is more construction than destruction. 

 

Things even out as we grow older. In our fourth decade, destruction finally overtakes construction. As a result, our bone density drops and our bones become more prone to fractures. When this process happens in an extreme way, it is known as bone depletion. It's important to note that losing calcium also makes the bones more sensitive, even if it happens slowly. At an older age, when our balance is not what it used to be, the danger only gets worse. 

 

Because women start with a bone density that is already about 30% less than men's, and because they produce less estrogen as they grow older, they face a bigger risk when it comes to bone depletion. 

 

What is the recommended calcium amount? 

The process of bone depletion in the body is a natural one and cannot be prevented. But it can be minimized in volume and influenced by maintaining our bones and building bone mass through correct nutrition. 

 

The daily calcium amount recommended for the general population is 1000 mg a day. For adults it is 1,200-1,500 mg a day. Vitamin D is also important, as it helps the calcium absorb in the body. So if you want to keep your bones strong, you should also consume vitamin D rich foods. You can get it from the sun or from certain food items.

10 Tips to Keep Our Bones Strong 

 

1. Consume milk products - 

Every child knows that milk is rich in calcium and is essential for strengthening bones. This goes for all milk products, including cheese and yogurt. If you don't like cow's milk, try soy milk enriched with calcium.

2. Add nuts to your diet - 

Although milk has the highest ratio of calcium to volume, it is not the only source. Some nuts and seeds have handsome amounts of calcium. A 30-gram course of almonds contains 75mg of calcium, 30 grams of sesame seeds contains 37mg of calcium and sunflower seeds have 33mg of calcium. 

 

3. Eat dark green vegetables - 

Broccoli, Chinese cabbage, arugula, parsley, lettuce and others are excellent sources of calcium, and contain many additional health advantages. This will help you to diversify your sources of calcium, which is important to maintain your health.

4. Take the right Vitamin A -  

Vitamin A appears in two forms. The first is retinol, which appears in animal products, such as the liver. The second is beta carotene and it is the way the vitamin comes from plants, especially orange vegetables like carrot, squash or sweet potato. Studies have found that consuming too much of retinol vitamin A raises the risk of bone fraction, while vitamin A in its plant form, Beta Carotene, does not damage the bones. 

 

5. Strengthen your bones with Vitamin K - 

This vitamin helps activate 3 essential proteins that are crucial for bone health. As in the case of calcium that comes from green vegetables, vitamin K also comes from the same sources. Two daily helpings of green vegetables a day give the body as much as it needs. 

 

6. Physical activity strengthens the bones - 

This might sound like no big news, but when we carry out a physical activity, we create pressure on our skeleton. While it is bad to overdo it, a moderate pressure is actually very health, as it sends the body signals to create more bone cells, increase the density and make it stronger. Operate the body with moderation, and don't go too far with it. 

 

7. Eat fish - 

100 grams of sardines contain an amazing amount of over 400 mg of calcium! It's recommended to consume fresh fish, of course, and not the canned variety. The little bones are also edible and contain a lot of calcium. Sardines, like salmon, are also a great source of vitamin D.

8. Reduce your consumption of carbonated drinks and treats - 

The acid that exists in some of the popular carbonated drinks raises the amount of acid in the blood. To compensate, the body uses the body's minerals, including calcium. If calcium is not readily available in the blood, the body will take it from the bones and this will harden the density and strength of the bone. There is no problem drinking them once in a while, but if it is a daily habit, you could be doing a lot of damage to your bones over time. 

 

9. Avoidance measures - 

Like a lot of other health problems, we return to smoking. Studies have shown that smoking harms bone density, and so does over-consumption of alcohol and caffeine. 

 

10. Resource allocation - We must carry out our calcium consumption in a smart way. Our body absorbs calcium best when it takes no more than 500 mg at a time. So, if you are planning on consuming a large amount of calcium-rich foods or drinks, try to divide the meal or eat again later, to make sure the body is able to absorb all you are giving it.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement