The subject of having mammograms is a topic frequently discussed in our office and after the most recent conversation on this subject I feel it necessary to share this information with you. Now before you put me in the quack-medical-heretic category, please know that I am not anti-screening. I am a huge proponent of screening for breast cancer. After all, early detection in this instance saves lives.
My issue with mammograms is that they emit radiation, and radiation causes DNA damage, which causes cancer. Mammograms emit unfiltered radiation, which creates a higher quality image, but exposes the patient to more radiation.
Many people believe the myth that mammograms prevent cancer. Mammograms do not prevent cancer, but instead they can help diagnose the presence of cancer. But what if there was a way to screen for breast cancer while not increasing the risk for developing cancer…?
Great news, there is a way to screen for, and diagnose breast cancer without radiation! Breast ultrasounds are an excellent tool for diagnosing breast cancer without emitting radiation.
Below is an excerpt about the diagnostic details of a mammogram versus an ultrasound from the book The Iron Curse.
Ultrasounds are better than mammograms at diagnosing breast cancer, especially in woman with dense breasts.585-587 Ultrasounds don’t radiate the breasts. Mammograms radiate the breast, increasing the risk for DNA damage and cancer.
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is one type of breast cancer that mammograms can pick up around six months earlier than ultrasounds. However, if breast ultrasounds are performed at six-month intervals, then ductal carcinoma is caught at the same rate. Ductal carcinoma in situ, while still serious, is not the type of breast cancer that tends to kill women because it tends to be noninvasive and has a low risk of becoming invasive. This means that the window of time for catching and treating ductal carcinoma in situ is longer than more invasive cancers.
Women are forced to get mammograms prior to insurance paying for a breast ultrasound. Requiring all women to get a mammogram before insurance pays for an ultrasound is a decision that is best for the medical industrial complex but not for stopping breast cancer.
Mammograms don’t prevent cancer. Mammograms catch cancer, but the radiation they emit to the breast can cause cancer. Ultrasounds catch cancer and don’t emit cancer causing radiation. Talk to your doctor about getting a breast ultrasound. My OB-GYN and breast specialist agree that paying for ultrasounds out of pocket, and skipping the mammograms, is the best choice for me.
Many doctors are not aware that ultrasounds are a better and less harmful diagnostic tool than mammogram; therefore, they may find my approach misguided or even dangerous. However, that might have more to do with them not being up to date on the research, and their wanting to continue to follow antiquated guidelines.
If you get a mammogram, ensure your antioxidant levels are as high as possible. High levels of antioxidants help to neutralize some of the cancer-causing free radicals that mammograms create.
Some of my favorite antioxidants I suggest to our patients to load up daily, but especially prior to and after a mammogram include:
Glutathione
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Coq10
Alpha lipoic acid
P.S. Did you know that only 5-10 percent of breast cancer is genetic?
The increase in breast cancer is not from genes, but from environmental factors, particularly the increase in estrogen-like chemicals that are in our food, air, and water. I teach that 97% of all diseases are environmentally induced and I know that this will sound strange but that’s great news because you can do something about it! When the problem is discovered, the environment can be changed and controlled. And when that happens the healing will begin.
All the actions you undertake to maintain your health, including using safe testing options that won’t cause additional damage, will go far in your goal to achieve “the best performance of your life!”
God bless,
DrB
