Breast Cancer and the Environment

As Featured in SCNM Spotlight by: Chris Spooner N.D.

After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Rates of breast cancer have nearly tripled in the United States in the past 50 years. Since 1980, the incidence of breast cancer among North American women has increased by 32 percent. As many as 2 million women in North America were diagnosed with breast cancer during the 1990’s.

Bone Health

Two of the conditions routinely screened for in peri-menopause are osteopenia and osteoporosis. Osteopenia is most easily defined as the beginning stages of bone loss and osteoporosis as more severe bone loss with an increased fracture risk. Both are measured using hip and spine bone density measurements. There are many factors that contribute to bone health including decreasing hormone levels, the quality of the food we eat, exercise, age, familial history and body type.

The Implications of an Abnormal Pap Test

The pap screening test was implemented into the medical system in 1960, after studies done in the 1950’s by George Papanicolaou who suggested that cervical cancer rates could be reduced by half with cervical samples taken during a woman’s annual exam and ultimately promote the health of women for years to come. The PAP test is used to screen for abnormal cells on the cervix as well as cervical cancer.