Your health is too important to leave only in the hands of your doctors

 

       I was visiting with a friend this week and he told me that he had

been diagnosed with prostate cancer.  His history was that his routine

 visits to his doctor usually included a prostate exam and he had been

 told things were fine.  His PSA (prostate specific antigen) test had

 been slowly increasing over the past few years (he is 65), but it was

 still “normal.”  The advice from his doctor was consistently, “Let's

check this test again in 6 months.”  Sure enough, the PSA continued

to rise until it reached the point, usually above 4, when the doctor

recommended a biopsy.  Following the biopsy, the diagnosis was cancer.

        An entire book should be written about this pattern of behavior

in both doctors and patients.  The first chapter would be about the

meaning of “ normal.”  The second chapter would be about how almost

meaningless it is to be told your result is “in the normal range.”  The

third chapter would cover the faulty thinking to says you should wait

until the test is abnormal.  Another chapter could cover the panic that

sets in when you are told you have cancer.  Several chapters could be

devoted to thinking there is nothing to do for cancer except radiation,

chemo or surgery.

        Back to the rising PSA and several years ago.  First of all a “good,” 

 maybe not “normal” but “good”, PSA is less than 1.  When the PSA is

more than 1 you need to take better care of your prostate.  Many people

report, “My doctor told me I don't need vitamins or minerals or herbs

and that I should just eat a well balanced diet.“  I think that is the topic of

another chapter.

       There is a wide variety of safe, inexpensive, over-the-counter

supplements that can improve you PSA reading.   Vitamin D, Progesterone,

Saw Palmento, are a few.  A more complete list is available at my office.  We

are gradually getting more of our info online.  Weight loss is another good

way to lower your PSA.  Do not wait for your doctor to suggest these things,

do you own research.  Then when you see the doctor you can “discuss” the

rising PSA rather than attending a “lecture” about the rising PSA.

        These same principles apply to the woman who is told to come back

every 6 months for another mammogram.

Consider Infrared Thermography if you have been told to come back in 6 months because  your mammogram or ultrasound has been "Questionable". If you have a very abnormal TH5 infrared scan you will be referred for further testing right away and not be left frightened for another 6 months wondering what you should be "Doing".

Research has shown that thermography is the best risk detection tool available to modern medicine. It is a metabolic physiological imaging test that shows changes in heat or thermal activity in the tissues. Infrared is 100% safe, no radiation, pain free/ and no compression.  Infrared  is useful for dense fibrocystic breasts, implants, for pregnant or nursing women or young girls. Our cutting edge camera  has a 97% sensitivity and has an FDA approval number. There are only two cutting edge cameras in Oregon. Check our website to review research articles on this subject.

The Proactive Breast Wellness ^TM program will help you to start making changes to decrease your risk and will be available as a 5 CD set nationally soon. Visit our website at www.InfraredBreastHealth.com and go to the Proactive Breast Wellness section to view a Powerpoint that also shows what herbicides and pesticides do to breast tissue and what "Normal" healthy breast tissue looks like. The PBW program will provide you information so you can start to "DO Something".

Any question? Call the staff for Ingrid Edstrom FNP, M.Ed. at Infrared Breast Health at 541-302-2977 Mon through Friday 9 AM-5 PM
            &nb sp;                  "Early Detection is Prevention....and Prevention is the Cure" ! ! !