• Kidneys can be diseased by 90 percent before tests ever indicate a problem.
• Liver disease is often detected after the liver is 70 percent diseased.
• Heart disease has often been developing 20 years before traditional tests reveal a problem.
• Breast cancer is usually detected with a mammogram, which is eight to ten years before cancer begins to develop.
• Diabetes tests include the AIC test, which often detects a problem five to ten years after it could have been detected.
• Alzheimer’s cannot be detected, by conventional medicine, until there is a beginning of loss in cognitive function.
• Parkinson’s Disease is only detected when a slight trembling occurs in one finger of one hand. By then about 80 percent of all dopamine receptors in the brain have died or been seriously damaged.

Disease usually happens in five distinct stages:

1. Stressed cells happen when there is poor nutrition,high toxin levels, high stress levels and genetic or biochemical deficiencies.
2. Weakened cells occur when cells have been stressed too long, and cells lose their energy level.
3. Dysfunctional cells are the third stage of deterioration when cells begin to experienced functional challenges. This is when most traditional tests detect a problem, such as high blood pressure, high glucose or chest pain known as angina.
4. Mutated cells occur when the nucleus of the cell becomes damaged and can no longer produce a healthy replacement cell.
5. Diseased cells happen when the cell cannot function and begins to damage other neighboring cells.

The post The Early Detection of Chronic Disease appeared first on Total Health Magazine.

We know the main risk factors that promote abnormal cervical cells include using the birth control pill, increasing age, infection with the Human Papilloma Virus—HPV (the virus that also causes warts), smoking, and nutritional deficiencies of folic acid, vitamin A and vitamin C.

We definitely do not want to ignore abnormal PAP test results. In North America, we grade our PAP tests based on this scale: a CINI, CINII, CINIII, or a CINIV. A CINIV is cancer. Most women are not treated until they have an invasive CINIII. Always ask what grade your test is. Too many women are advised that they have an abnormal test result, told to come back in six months for another test, but not given any suggestions for how to get their cervical cells to return to normal. Yes, sometimes abnormal cells return to normal with no treatment, but what if simply taking a nutritional supplement could ensure a normal PAP?

We know that HPV is implicated in a large majority of cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer cases. New research has shown that a nutrient called 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 200mg of I3C daily for six months. Fifty percent in the treatment group had complete regression of their lesions, while none in the placebo group experienced any change in their lesions.

There are other nutrients that also help balance female hormones, protect us from abnormal cell growth and reduce our risk of breast cancer that I believe we should be taking everyday. These include:

• Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) not only keeps our PAP smears normal but it also helps to break down cancer-causing estrogens to non-toxic forms. I3C is the most heavily researched nutrient shown to inhibit breast cancer tumors. We should call this the “breast cancer prevention nutrient.”
• Calcium D-glucarate is a powerful detoxifier of excess and toxic estrogens from the liver. D-glucarate is very important as it ensures that toxins are excreted and not released elsewhere in the body. If you think about toxins as being wrapped up and packaged for removal from the body then D-glucarate ensures that somewhere along the way the package does not open and the toxic contents spill out. It is most often used in combination with I3C.
• Green Tea Extract contains polyphenols, catechins and flavonoids shown to be protective against estrogen-dominant breast cancers. Research used the standardized extracts. Daily consumption of green tea is also cancer protective.
• Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric. Research using it in capsules found it be a powerful anti-inflammatory agent and to inhibit all steps of cancer formation: initiation, promotion, and progression. Curcumin also protects against inflammatory calcium loss from our bones.
• Milk Thistle enhances detoxification from the liver, inhibits breast cancer cells from replicating and reduces the toxic effects of chemotherapy. Our hormones are processed and packaged in the liver, and a healthy liver is essential to healthy hormones.
• Rosemary Extract, a potent antioxidant, inhibits breast cancer development, and it helps to detoxify carcinogenic estrogens.
• Lycopene was recently shown to reduce a women’s risk of breast cancer by 36 percent when those women took 6.5 mg per day.
• Sulfurophane, from broccoli sprout extract, has been shown to stimulate the body’s production of detoxification enzymes that eliminate xenoestrogens. Recent research points to this nutrient as a powerful anti-breast cancer agent. A modified sulfurophane is slated to be the next hot cancer drug.
• Lignans found in flaxseed have been found to reduce the growth of breast cancer tumors, increase the excretion of toxic estrogens and inhibit hormone dominant cancers. Researchers at the University of Toronto believe that daily consumption of lignans can prevent breast cancer.
• Omega 3s from fish oil, when taken in 3 gram per day doses, were found to improve the fatty acid composition of women’s breast tissue, thereby lowering breast cancer risk.

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 also take their multivitamin with minerals everyday and include Indole-3carbinol and the nutrients mentioned above to reduce their risk of cancer and hormonal problems.

The post This Test Could Save Lives – 30 Percent of Women Have Not Had It. appeared first on Total Health Magazine.

These include smoking, alcohol use and others. The surprising fact is how your oral health has a connection to breast cancer. You may be 11 times more likely to develop breast cancer if you have poor oral health or gum disease. Journal of Breast Cancer Research and Treatment conducted a survey of 3,273 people and found that individuals with chronic periodontal disease (gum disease) had a higher occurrence of breast cancer.

Another study was reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and was conducted between 1985 to 2001. This study also concluded that gum disease increases the risk of breast cancer.

Gum disease has been linked to several general health chronic illnesses, including pneumonia, prostate cancer, stroke, heart disease, problem pregnancy, diabetes and breast cancer.

• Pneumonia: Bacteria in the oral cavity can be aspirated into the lungs and cause respiratory diseases including pneumonia.
• Prostate cancer: In 1986, over 48,000 men were involved in a study conducted by Dr. Dominique Michaud, Imperial College of London. The study concluded gum disease increases the risk of prostate cancer by 14 percent.
• Diabetes: According to the American Academy of Periodontology, diabetic patients are more likely to develop gum disease, which in turn can increase the risk of infection.
• Heart disease: Researchers have found that people with gum disease are almost twice as likely to suffer with coronary artery disease as those without it. As oral bacteria enters the blood stream, it attaches to fatty plaques in the heart blood vessels and contributes to clot formation. These blood clots can then obstruct normal blood flow, which can lead to heart attack.
• Pregnancy problems: Pregnant women who have gum disease may be more likely to have babies that are born too early and too small.

Connecting the Dots
In general, gum disease causes inflammation. Inflammation has been found to be the precursor of heart disease, stroke, pregnancy problems and over all fatigue. In other words, it is a marker for generalized ill-health. This has been confirmed through blood work and C-reactive protein. C-reactive protein is a inflammation marker which decreases when gum infection is brought under control, and increase with advanced gum disease.

Inflammation: The Warning Sign Not to be Ignored
The first sign of gum disease is inflammation. You’ll know when this is present as your gums appear slightly red, tender, and may even bleed when you brush or floss. The main cause of inflammation is bacteria that form a film called plaque, and stick to the gum and teeth surfaces. If this plaque is not removed at least once per day, the problem can advance to severe gum disease. As inflammation advances, the disease effects destruction of the gums and eventually bone. The teeth develop tooth decay, become loose and may have to be extracted. This is why dental visits are very important at least every three months to monitor the health and condition of your teeth and gums, especially with the presence of cancer.

The bacteria that causes gum disease forms a thin biofilm called plaque and accumulates on the gums and teeth. This same bacteria is found in hardened plaque in arteries that lead to arteriosclerosis. A study by the Karolinska Institute reported the bacteria in gum disease can result in the Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegatocirus. These viruses may result in the suppression of the body’s immune system, which can contribute to the incidence of breast cancer.

There are other connections between breast cancer and oral health. Chemotherapy and radiation may be used to kill or slow breast cancer cells by interfering with growth and multiplication of cells. If chemotherapy or radiation is prescribed as part of treatment for breast cancer, side effects can be severe and include:

• Mucositis, a severe form of inflammation of the mouth.
• Increase risk of infection in the mouth. If the drug suppresses white cells, which normally protect against infection, deep cleanings and other invasive procedures such as tooth extraction can result in infection.
• Difficulty in swallowing.
• Taste alterations ranging from unpleasant to tasteless.
• Due to dry mouth, difficulty with speech and eating.
• Oral yeast infection from the fungus candida.
• Poor nutrition due to difficulties in eating, dry mouth or loss of taste.
• Deep aching and burning pain that mimics toothache.

Most patients are treated with chemotherapy or radiation. However, some patients may be treated with bisphosphonates, such as Fosamax, Boniva, and others. Recent studies from University of Southern California suggest long-term use of such bisphosphonates may develop into destruction of the jaw bone. The risk is low but increases with chemotherapy.

How to Minimize Side Effects
Most people are aware of hair loss with chemotherapy. But most don’t realize that more than one-third of people being treated for breast cancer can develop complications that affect the mouth. These complications can affect your quality of life. Preexisting or untreated oral disease can even complicate cancer treatment. This is one reason to make sure you visit your dentist at least one month before beginning cancer treatment.

The mouth is made of cells that renew themselves daily. Since chemotherapy and radiation target certain types of cells that regenerate quickly even under normal circumstances, your mouth will be susceptible to damage. If you minimize bacterial plaque buildup by practicing good hygiene, you can decrease the side effects of treatment for breast cancer. The following recommendations are important to follow:

1. Brush with a soft toothbrush or sponge brush to clean your teeth and gums.
2. Floss gently.
3. Only use alcohol-free mouthwash, preferably one free of saccharin, but one containing xylitol.
4. When white blood cells counts are reported by your physician to be low, avoid dental treatment.
5. Avoid dental treatment for about a week after chemotherapy.
6. Inflammation starts with red gums that may bleed. Even slight bleeding should not be ignored.
7. Use toothpaste and chewing gum with xylitol.
8. Regular dental visits to identify problems before they develop.
9. If you wear dentures, make sure you keep them clean and that they fit well. Make sure to take them out at night.

The post Breast Cancer and Oral Health appeared first on Total Health Magazine.