FEBRUARY 23, 2022
FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Our risk of breast cancer can be hugely reduced by making a few simple lifestyle changes, says our doctor.
In westernized countries, approximately one in eight women will contract breast cancer at some point in life.
It’s a terrifying statistic for most women and their families. But given the right information and motivation, most women can actually avoid breast cancer – and other chronic diseases at the same time. Have we found a new gene to target with a wonder drug to cure this modern demon? No, we haven’t. What about a test detecting breast cancer that is less uncomfortable than a mammogram? The answer again is, no.
However, many women don’t realize that they can help themselves when it comes to breast cancer prevention, and it is simple and cheap: lifestyle change.
Did you know that Asian women living a traditional lifestyle have breast cancer rates that are between 1/4 and 1/7 of that in the west? However, when these women migrate to the United States, their breast cancer rates become the same as the general population within two generations. It appears that it is sometimes lifestyle – not necessarily genetics – that is a large contributor to breast cancer.
In fact, genetic factors contribute to as few as 3% of breast cancer cases, and some women are genetically not predestined to contract breast cancer at all. Although several genes have been identified as a high risk of developing breast cancer, these are rare, occuring in just one of 500 women.
So, although a family has history of breast cancer in close relatives does increase a women’s risk, it by no means implies that she is destined to be burdened with the disease. What it really implies is that her lifestyle choices become more critical.
Women can reduce their risk of breast cancer in 1/3 through a combination of lifestyle related changes. Although there is hype around hormone replacement therapy and preventative mastectomy, approximately 40% of breast cancers can be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight, increasing physical activity and reducing alcohol consumption alone.
So, what are the risks of developing breast cancer and what can you do to protect yourself?
Lifestyle changes includes:
Diet changes includes:
Risk factors for breast cancer include early puberty and late menopause (which can be prevented by the diet changes mentioned). Use of the oral contraceptive pill has also been shown to increase risk in some cases, and oestrogen-mimicking toxins such as pesticides and bisphenol A (BPA), which is found in many everyday products, are also known as breast cancer triggers.
These risks sound scary, but they can be offset by some of the changes mentioned already. Early puberty can even be delayed by some of these changes, because they reduce oestrogen exposure.
Of course, these lifestyle changes are no guarantee, but they will make a difference to your overall health, thus helping reduce potential risk. You may need to put down your glass of wine and pick up your pair of running shoes, but it could save you running to your doctor.
A gentle dose of early morning sunshine can do wonders for your Vitamin D intake, and is a lot easier than harsh rays of radiotherapy. Things like broccoli may also be hard to swallow at first for young girls, but you will find it is a less bitter pill than chemotherapy.
If you are not convinced yet, these changes can also help prevent other causes of cancer. Including bowel and lung cancer, and the greatest killer of women – cardiovascular disease. So have fun (exercising in the sun), chase this down with a blueberry soy smoothie, followed by a veggie and tofu stir fry, and sleep well.
Our risk of breast cancer can be hugely reduced by making a few simple lifestyle changes, says our doctor.
In westernized countries, approximately one in eight women will contract breast cancer at some point in life.
It’s a terrifying statistic for most women and their families. But given the right information and motivation, most women can actually avoid breast cancer – and other chronic diseases at the same time. Have we found a new gene to target with a wonder drug to cure this modern demon? No, we haven’t. What about a test detecting breast cancer that is less uncomfortable than a mammogram? The answer again is, no.
However, many women don’t realize that they can help themselves when it comes to breast cancer prevention, and it is simple and cheap: lifestyle change.
Did you know that Asian women living a traditional lifestyle have breast cancer rates that are between 1/4 and 1/7 of that in the west? However, when these women migrate to the United States, their breast cancer rates become the same as the general population within two generations. It appears that it is sometimes lifestyle – not necessarily genetics – that is a large contributor to breast cancer.
In fact, genetic factors contribute to as few as 3% of breast cancer cases, and some women are genetically not predestined to contract breast cancer at all. Although several genes have been identified as a high risk of developing breast cancer, these are rare, occuring in just one of 500 women.
So, although a family has history of breast cancer in close relatives does increase a women’s risk, it by no means implies that she is destined to be burdened with the disease. What it really implies is that her lifestyle choices become more critical.
Women can reduce their risk of breast cancer in 1/3 through a combination of lifestyle related changes. Although there is hype around hormone replacement therapy and preventative mastectomy, approximately 40% of breast cancers can be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight, increasing physical activity and reducing alcohol consumption alone.
So, what are the risks of developing breast cancer and what can you do to protect yourself?
Lifestyle changes includes:
Diet changes includes:
Risk factors for breast cancer include early puberty and late menopause (which can be prevented by the diet changes mentioned). Use of the oral contraceptive pill has also been shown to increase risk in some cases, and oestrogen-mimicking toxins such as pesticides and bisphenol A (BPA), which is found in many everyday products, are also known as breast cancer triggers.
These risks sound scary, but they can be offset by some of the changes mentioned already. Early puberty can even be delayed by some of these changes, because they reduce oestrogen exposure.
Of course, these lifestyle changes are no guarantee, but they will make a difference to your overall health, thus helping reduce potential risk. You may need to put down your glass of wine and pick up your pair of running shoes, but it could save you running to your doctor.
A gentle dose of early morning sunshine can do wonders for your Vitamin D intake, and is a lot easier than harsh rays of radiotherapy. Things like broccoli may also be hard to swallow at first for young girls, but you will find it is a less bitter pill than chemotherapy.
If you are not convinced yet, these changes can also help prevent other causes of cancer. Including bowel and lung cancer, and the greatest killer of women – cardiovascular disease. So have fun (exercising in the sun), chase this down with a blueberry soy smoothie, followed by a veggie and tofu stir fry, and sleep well.
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Introduction
Resident Physician Dr Elizabeth Heah graduated from the University of Manchester in 2018. She has since been practicing in Singapore, with experience from Singapore restructured hospitals in the departments of General Surgery, Internal Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She is passionate about preventative medicine and adopts a holistic approach to healthcare. Outside of medicine she enjoys practicing yoga, interior design and pottery. |
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Introduction
Consultant Radiologist He was awarded the Singapore Armed Forces Medical Scholarship in 2001 to study Medicine at the National University of Singapore and attained his MBBS in 2006. Dr Low then trained and obtained his post-graduate qualifications in Diagnostic Radiology FRCR (UK) and MMed (Spore) in 2012. In 2016, he was awarded the Health Manpower Development Program (HMDP) fellowship by the Singapore Armed Forces to train in Musculoskeletal and Interventional Radiology at Vancouver General Hospital and the University of British Columbia in Canada. Under the mentorship of Prof Peter Munk, Prof Bruce Forster and Prof Hugue Ouellette, the fellowship centred on advanced musculoskeletal imaging, sports imaging and musculoskeletal interventions. Upon his return to Singapore and during his tenure as Consultant at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, he started several interventional programmes for tumour ablations (for both palliative and benign), vertebroplasties, hydrodilatation clinics for adhesive capsulitis and other musculoskeletal ultrasound-guided procedures. |
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Introduction
Consultant Radiologist Clinical Interest & Subspecialty: Neuroradiology (Brain, Head & Neck, Spine) and Neurointervention Dr Santhosh Raj is a Consultant Radiologist with 20 years of experience in radiology. He graduated from Universiti Sains Malaysia in 2002 and obtained the Fellowship of the Royal College of Radiologists (U.K.) in 2008. Upon completing the Advanced Specialist Training (AST) in Singapore in 2013, he joined the Neuroradiology subspecialty team at Singapore General Hospital. In 2015, he completed his training in Neurointervention at the National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences in Budapest, Hungary, through the SingHealth Health Manpower Development Program (HMDP) fellowship. In addition to his routine work, Dr Santhosh also reports MRI Brain Volumetry scans that are used to assess structural brain degeneration, particularly Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). He also reports Ultra Low-Dose (Submilisievert) CT Lung, which allows lung screening at doses lower than routine lung screening CT scans. Other innovative imaging scans that he developed in the past include Intracranial Vessel Wall Imaging (3T MRI), an optimized CT Arterio-Venography (CTAV) of the brain, and an optimized Multiphasic CT Angiography of the Neck and Brain (acute stroke management). His past appointments include Deputy Director of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (SGH), and Director of Radiology Training (SGH). He was also Clinical Lecturer at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS), and Adjunct Assistant Professor at Duke NUS. Dr Santhosh is particularly interested in imaging informatics and artificial intelligence (AI). He is passionate about teaching and developing innovative imaging scans. He also loves to walk and spend quality time with his family. |