Routine Mammograms Carry Their Own Dangers

This crossed my desk today (gosh, is that a dated saying!) and I felt compelled to share: finally an official allopathic body of doctors is releasing the info that routine diagnostic mammograms are not quite as safe as they have been leading us to believe:

The Institute of Medicine is finally acknowledging the toxic effects of mammogram radiation as a significant factor in the development of breast cancer; just one mammogram can expose you to the radiation equivalent of 1,000 chest x-rays

• Mammograms also carry an unacceptably high rate of false positives—up to six percent—which can lead to repeat screenings that expose you to even more radiation, as well as unnecessary medical procedures, including biopsies, surgery, and chemotherapy
• A new study in the British Medical Journal highlights losses in quality of life related to the high rates of false positives and unnecessary treatment associated with breast cancer screening
• Mammograms have been scientifically proven not to save women’s lives, and do not improve breast cancer survival rates over annual physical examination alone
• Your immune system is your greatest weapon against breast cancer; research now shows that 30 percent of breast tumors go away on their own, because a healthy immune system is so adept at eradicating cancer

You can read this entire article HERE.

This is not to say that a mammogram has never helped a woman in her dealing with cancer; just a caveat that yearly routine mammograms with no physical evidence (like a felt lump) may not be so much “early detection” but a problem in itself of “unintended consequences.”

Mercury: A Common Heavy Metal That Is Not Your Friend

Heavy metal exposure and toxicity is a complicated political and health care hot potato. After doing a bit of research, and bringing to bear my experience, I am putting forth the idea that even if relatively few people present with outright mercury (or other heavy metal) poisoning, most folks carry a burden of mercury and other heavy metals in their body, and reducing that amount is good common sense and active preventative medicine. Also, not everyone is equally sensitive, or equally able to excrete toxicity.

Radiation is a source of heavy metal exposure, and with the melt-through in Japan, and leakages from numerous nuclear facilities, we are adding to our exposure daily, even if in tiny amounts. Industrial accidents are also a source, and since some heavy metals are retained more  (and for longer periods) than others in the body, even exposures from years ago may still be having an effect

For a comprehensive list of symptoms, and the experience of a woman who experienced mercury poisoning go  HERE .

Where do we find mercury?

Mercury is used in the agricultural, paper, coal burning, petrochemical production, fishery and dental industries.

Common items that contain mercury:

1. Dental mercury amalgams

2. Contaminated fish, especially tuna and swordfish

3. Preparation H

4. Vegetables (especially carrots & lettuce) contaminated with pesticide and fungicide sprays

5. Hair dyes

6. Contact lens solutions

7. Laxatives

8. Calamine lotion

9. Vaginal gels, especially contraceptives

10. Mascara

11. Afrin nasal spray

12. Certain perfumes

13. Fungicides for lawns, shrubs and trees

14. Latex paint solvents

15. Fabric softeners

16. Oil paints

17. Pottery glazes

The last two items are the source of heavy metal toxicity which I and several artist friends in the Taos area have experienced first hand, and it was not a pretty picture. All of us found relief using HMD (Heavy Metal Detox) which I’ll talk about more next week.

Tune in next week for detoxification strategies.

Radiation: a special info alert

Please check HERE for an excellent article (very specific info on iodine and anti-oxidant supplements) on how you can help protect yourself from radiation’s effects on our bodies. This is not just about the awful disaster in Japan.  We modern folks are using radiation technology increasingly to detect tumors, etc. Many people are over-radiated in the name of health. 

 Herbs that assist with dealing with ionizing radiation include Burdock root,  Dandelion root, American Ginseng root, and Milk Thistle seed.  Foods that are particularly helpful include all berries, especially blueberries and strawberries.

May all sentient beings be peaceful, happy, and healthy.