October is breath health month. The media focus is often on breast exams, mammograms, and there are fearful ads projecting the outcomes. Here is something you might not have heard about: research has demonstrated that many women diagnosed with breast cancer have a low normal or below normal Vitamin D blood levels. While there are many reasons why Vitamin D levels can be low, it happens mainly because we are strongly advised to stay out of the sun. I recommend everything in moderation, like sun exposure, unless you have a history of skin cancer or pre-cancerous lesions. The truth of the matter is that everyone – men, women, and children – should be taking Vitamin D regularly. The quality and source of Vitamin D is important for proper absorption and utilization in the tissues.

Along with Vitamin D, researchers are now finding that another vitamin is also vital to maintain breast health. Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin, and it can easily be washed out under stress. It is not recommended that you take Vitamin B6 individually, without its other B Vitamin companions. Here is a summary of the new research from the University of Hawaii:

Topic: Vitamin B6 May Prevent Breast Cancer After Menopause
Reference: "Prediagnostic plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (vitamin B6) levels and invasive breastcarcinoma risk: the Multiethnic Cohort," Lurie G, Wilkens LR, et al, Cancer EpidemiolBiomarkers Prev, 2012 Aug 9.

Summary: A case-control study involving 1412 women found that prediagnostic plasma concentrations of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP), an active form of vitamin B6, may prevent breast cancer. Cases (n=706) and controls (n=706) were matched for birth date, ethnicity, study site, date of blood draw, time of blood draw, hours of fasting prior to blood draw, and use of menopausal hormones. Results revealed that subjects with plasma PLP with highest concentrations had a reduced risk of invasive breast cancer compared to the women in the lowest PLP quartile. The association was limited to cases with hormone receptor-positive tumors and remained unchanged in the analysis restricted to women with blood samples collected more than one year prior to cancer diagnosis. Data suggests that higher circulating levels of vitamin B6 might be associated with a reduced risk of invasive postmenopausal breast cancer.

It is very important to remember, however, that nutrition is not about one vitamin for health prevention of one disease. Nutrition is about the combination of essential nutrients for your overall health, and consistently making good choices in your healthful eating habits. Make an appointment with me today to discuss your nutritional needs.

Breast health is about maintaining healthy breast tissue. This is done in much the same way as maintain our overall health. Breast health includes eating live, whole foods, exercising, drinking plenty of water, consuming 5-9 servings of fruits & vegetables daily, thinking positively, and practicing positive beliefs that support a healthy lifestyle. In addition to these healthy habits, you can specifically promote breast health by using self lymphatic breast massage, and you can take a homeopathic liquid for lymphatic drainage. Together, these keep the lymph flowing and toxins circulating out of your system.

Lymphatic breast massage assists the lymph fluid of the breast to flow into the normal lymph circulation, which in turn moves accumulated toxins out of the tissue and into the kidneys, the body’s filtration system. Accumulated toxins contribute to abnormal cell growth (please refer to the blog entries in November 2010 and others under the category of Environmental Medicine), so it is important to aid in the circulation of the toxins out of the body.

Lymphatic Breast Massage:

• This can be done daily in the shower or bath.
• Massage your breasts in a specific way to support movement of the lymph fluid to keep it moving through the breasts, up into the armpit and chest lymph system.

When massaging your breast tissue... (see illustrations below courtesy of the Breast Health Project)

• Create Motion
• Use a pumping action to assist the flow of lymph:
• Move the breast in the initial direction, use some pressure.
• Then release and let the breast return to its normal position.
• On the move up, use pressure and then release to allow the breast to return.
• Finally, massage the underarms in a circular motion to move the lymph away from the breast (ex: under the left arm, the hand moves outward to the left; under the right arm, the hand moves outward to the right). This enhances the natural movement of the lymph system.