Mammography: To Squeeze Or Not To Squeeze (before age 50)
|
 |
Sunday, 23 March 08 - 07:51 AM (GMT -05:00) By Professor Val in Professor Val |
| ||
Breast heath is nothing to fool with. How a woman takes care of her breasts is a very individual decision. Some women follow the doc's orders and give themselves monthly self-breast exams-good for you for being proactive. Some women will follow their doc's recommendations to get a baseline mammogram at age 35 and then have yearly screenings from age 40 on. Others choose other avenues such as Thermography screenings(4).(6)
Mammography on left; Thermography on right
Whatever you choose, thorougly research it using valid and appropriate material. Be very careful when researching on line-there is a lot of BS out there. Aside from checking out what the AMA has to say, you might also want to check out what's going on in the medical associations in Europe and other areas. Here's a statement from the AMA in Australia.(5)
Herein lies the rub... mammograms and thermographies are completely different kinds of screenings and in a perfect world doing a combination screening yearly would be a two-punch knockout. Unfortunately that's not best idea because of the longlasting effects of mammographies. With thermographies you have to make sure that the equipment is the latest available and the technician is trained well. Unfortunately there are no general standards or licensing so you have to be careful. My thermography office always has the newest equipment and an awesome tech. Further, the results are interpreted by a top radiologist. (4)
Thermographies have limitiations in that they are not covered by insurance, doctors dont back them, and they can't really get into dense breast tissue to see what's doin'. On the other hand, thermographies watch changes in your circulatory system and can spot a suspicious branching of the system about 10 years before a tumor even thinks about growing. Now THAT is preventative, wouldn't you say? Also, There is zero radiation, zero invasiveness, and zero breast squeezing. Breast squeezing is not only uncomfortable but also damaging to the delicate tissue-let me know when they start squeezing testicles between plates before they zap them with radiation for screening purposes.
Mammograms have their limitations as well. You are exposed to 0.7 mSv radiation FOR EACH SHOT "which is about the same as the average person receives from background radiation in three months" (1). When I went for my baseline mammogram, not only did they take a bunch of shots but I had to go back because they didn't like the shots they got (or thought they saw something-they are not usually straight with you) and all together I bet I had near 8 to 10... lets add that up for a second... that's 7 mSv not POINT 7 and that is THIRTY MONTHS of background radiation-30 months is 2 1/2 years worth and that's just for ONE mammogram session. False positives for women between the ages of 40 and 49 is approx 15% (1). Imagine all the fun those false positives lead to. There are also a good number of false negatives...
Now lets throw this little diddy in... for women ages 40 to 49, there is no signigican decrease in breast cancer deaths from having yearly screenings and worse, you've now been exposed to 10 years of radiation. "This usually requires at least two mammograms from different angles of each breast." (2). I'm not sure how many different angles are used but lets just say they take 4 shots of each breast-that's 8 shots and 5.6 mSv which is 2 years worth of "background radiation" every year for approximately 20 years worth of additional background radiation including the initial baseline mammogram.
Ready? For women ages 40 to 49 the amount of radiation you have been exposed to INCREASES your chances of getting breast cancer by percentages that vary from article to article AND DO NOT REDUCE DEATHS from breast cancer. At the insistance of my mother I spoke to a doctor about this and when I brought that point up she got very cranky with me and said that may be true but it changes the treatment options available to you. Lets be real here-all treatment options are unpleasant, to put it mildly and no more women will be walking the earth having had mammograms than those who had their tumors discovered via monthly self-screenings or yearly doctor's screening-but they now have 20 years worth of radiation pumped into their breasts...
It's a very different story for women ages 50 to 69. Yearly mammograms lower breast cancer deaths by approximately 25%.
So what's the answer? There is no way in hell I'm exposing my girls to that much unnecessary radiation. I go for yearly thermography screenings which address one side of the coin but are not perfect on their own and I do my monthly self-exams regularly. My conundrum starts here-what other screening tool can I use that will not add to my chances of breast cancer both from radiation AND also the damaging of the delicate breast tissue in the unmerciless squeezing done by the mammogram. Digital ultrasound is one option I've been looking into. Another is MRI. Women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in one breast and go for an MRI follow up have found that they often have cancer in the other breast which was MISSED by the mammogram 90% of the time... 90% failure rate in picking up the cancer in the other breast.(3) MRIs do not expose you to radiation. Problem here is-will my insurance cover it? You can't randomly go in and request an MRI to avoid mammography.
I'm not even going to address the politics here but feel free to further research that aspect of the mammogram world.
So, how will YOU care for your girls?
Professor Val
(1) http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=mammo&bhcp=1
(2) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mammogram/WO00023
(3) http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/MRIContralateralRelease
(4) http://www.arcadianaturalmedicine.com/thermography.php
(5) http://www.ama.com.au/web.nsf/doc/SHED-5FK23T
The 4 Domains Are Found EVERYWHERE...even in your pants, so to speak
|
|
|
Sunday, 09 March 08 - 09:15 AM (GMT -05:00) By Professor Val in Professor Val |
| ||
Because I teach Human Sexuality I always scan the news for interesting articles about sexuality. I came across this article (click on SEX: The 4 Domains... to read the whole article) that discusses research conducted at the University of Texas at Austin. They found 237 reasons Sapes have sex. These reasons ranged from the logical to the ridiculous.
What I found most interesting about the article is that they took these 237 reasons and put them into 4 categories... and I quote:
"Physical: “The person had beautiful eyes” or “a desirable body,” or “was good kisser” or “too physically attractive to resist.” Or “I wanted to achieve an orgasm.”
Goal Attainment: “I wanted to even the score with a cheating partner” or “break up a rival’s relationship” or “make money” or “be popular.” Or “because of a bet.”
Emotional: “I wanted to communicate at a deeper level” or “lift my partner’s spirits” or “say ‘Thank you.’ ” Or just because “the person was intelligent.”
Insecurity: “I felt like it was my duty” or “I wanted to boost my self-esteem” or “It was the only way my partner would spend time with me.”"
Now lets see how the 4 Domains fit in here...
Insecurity: PHYLO...why? Because PHYLOs are the bonders and are often worried about taking care of everyone else's needs otherwise those other Sapes may not continue to like them.
Goal Attainment: ONTO...why? Because ONTOs are extremely goal oriented. There is often an ulterior motive for them to have sex. Some examples might be (now ONTOs don't get pissed at me...you know these ideas have crossed your mind) to get someone to do your bidding, to get even with someone or piss someone else off.
Emotional: ECO...why? When we discussed this in class, many students thought "emotional" would be a PHYLO reason but it's not. ECOs are very empathic and they want to connect with other Sapes on a deep and intimate level. Sex is one avenue to connect spirit to spirit, if you will.
Physical: EXO...why? Because EXO is an external domain and it's a What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) situation. EXOs connect easier physically than they do emotionally.
What are your thoughts? Those of you who know your primary domain please give us some insight into your experience and let us know if you agree or disagree with the above.
As an ECO I will tell you that it's dead on for me...
Shining Up My ECO Connector,
Professor Val
(Visit my online/phone life coaching site: Soma Space Coaching)
Chubby Cheerleaders...hm
|
|
|
Sunday, 02 March 08 - 08:40 AM (GMT -05:00) By Professor Val in Professor Val |
| ||
There are many discussions about how the media keeps telling us (and showing us) what they consider the perfect body female. Models are a size zero (although that is changing-slowly), skin must look like porcelain, breasts start at the neckline and jut out about a foot, diet pills are flying off the shelves, diet companies are making $ hand over fist delivering food to your house in boxes that do not even need refrigeration...
And then there is how the media portrays men. There have been a plethora of sitcoms on TV where the main female character is the usual cute, tiny, sexy thing and the husband is a big guy. The only popular sitcom where the woman was larger sized was Roseanne and her husband was pretty equal in size... Where is the heavy woman with the buff dude couple out there?
So now this...The Florida Marlins are looking for a few heavy men to be chubby cheerleaders called Manatees... Where is the outrage? Am I the only one pissed off? On the one side you think-"hey, this could be funny-these guys have balls doing that". On the other hand you think "What kind of esteem do these guys have to go out on the field like a bunch of fat clowns to be laughed at while their manteets jiggle?" (click here for the full story).
The Chicago Bulls already have a similar cheerleading squad called the Matadors...
What is your opinion? Is this as f'ed up as I think it is or am I just being sensitive because I've had weight issues since my mid 20s...up and down.. up and down.. presently on the down swing 
Off to sweat with Yo Adrienne (trainer),
Professor Val
(Visit my online/phone/in-person life coaching site: Soma Space Coaching)
Real Live Ghost Busters? Yes indeedie!
|
|
|
Saturday, 23 February 08 - 12:06 PM (GMT -05:00) By Professor Val in Professor Val |
| ||
Smalley's Inn in Carmel NY is well known for it's spiritual guests-not the woo spiritual we usually talk about... real live ghosts! (live ghosts?) Click here to read the whole article.
Ghost hunting is not a new phenomenon but recently has been in the media more often. We have invited two experts on our Naked Soma Raw Consciousness Radio Show this Wed night (9pm EST). Meet Amy and Kristie and hear all about their experience with the paranormal. Bring your questions and your stories to share on the show. Click here to save the link to our show so you are ready to hear the interview on Wed night!
Take a look at Amy's photo... can you tell us her domain?
Here is Kristie.. any idea what her domain is?
Tune in to Naked Soma Wed at 9pm EST to find out if you were right!
Wondering if ghosts have domains,
Professor Val
Slice of lemon in your drink at the restaurant?
|
|
|
Saturday, 16 February 08 - 06:46 PM (GMT -05:00) By Professor Val in Professor Val |
| ||
Here is a report about what is on those lovely slices of lemon you get in the restaurant... can you say FECES and 25 microorganisms? Filthy freaking sapes... damn it be more careful!!
I'm going to bring my own damn lemon from now on...
That's all I've got to say on that
Professor Val signing off singing Zeppelin lyrics... Squeeze me baby, till the juice runs down my leg, The way you squeeze my lemon, I..I'm gonna fall right out of bed... (and maybe into your drink 
)
(Visit my online/phone life coaching site: Soma Space Coaching)
Allopathic Advertising...Is It Ethical?
|
|
|
Sunday, 10 February 08 - 10:30 AM (GMT -05:00) By Professor Val in Professor Val |
| ||
While I'm watching all of my dopey TV shows I'm nauseated by the medical commercials from medication to plastic surgery to Lasik eye surgery (which is now linked to suicide in some cases)...
Now Dr. Jarvik, the dude who invented the first artificial heart is catching crap for his commercials for Lipitor. (click here to read the article) Apparently he's not a licensed MD although he is a medical doctor. They used body doubles in his commercials (he doesn't row etc)... now they are wondering if he is even taking Lipitor...
I really wish the holistic/homeopathic folks out there would start advertising on TV. We are conditioning Sapes to just follow the allopathic route to health. It's not the only way and it's not necessarily the best way to handle many conditions.
Did you know that some experts believe that it is possible for biopsies to spread cancer cells? Have you ever heard that before? No? I'm not surprised... the allopaths are not advertising that little tidbit. The only information I have found on line about this issue comes from alternative health sites. If anyone finds any research studies on the topic, please let us know.
The bottom line is that we need to educate the Sapes that there are other effective ways to treat illnesses and disorders. Please people, be open minded and be logical... if something seems to good to be true it probably is. Be an educated healthcare consumer!!
Prevention Sapes... PREVENTION!!,
Professor Val
(Visit my online/phone (and in person) life coaching site: Soma Space Coaching) AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS! It's time to make those changes you've been putting off
Dirt Cookies and Domains
|
|
|
Sunday, 03 February 08 - 09:15 AM (GMT -05:00) By Professor Val in Professor Val |
| ||
As I was looking at the headlines this week I came across an article about the expense of food in Haiti and how the poor do not have enough money to buy even the cheapest of staple foods we take for granted here so they are forced to eat dirt cookies. CLICK HERE to read the whole article.
Read the article and listen to your body's response to it. What was your reaction? What words went through your mind? What feelings came over your body? What thoughts ran through you...
Does your primary domain affect the way you respond to an article such as this? My husband and I were both appalled when we read the article but we had different responses. I being ECO and he being EXO (and above that being human) were sickened on many levels but the outward expression was quite different.
Show this article to some other sapes and compare the reactions... do you see any correlation to the domains and the type of reaction?
Food for thought,
Professor Val
(Visit my online/phone life coaching site: Soma Space Coaching)
Losing Your Cool? When Is It Time To Get Help?
|
|
|
Saturday, 26 January 08 - 10:50 PM (GMT -05:00) By Professor Val in Professor Val |
| ||
Have you ever lost it like this woman in the video? (click here to see the video) She's not making much sense-she's completely illogical and although I can't see her eyes, you can bet your bippy she's ONTO.
I'm sure that even perfectly rational Sapes can lose it once in a while. When is "too much" or "too intense". Remember, you don't get angry-angry gets YOU!
There are ways to handle things when feelings get physical. You could come and talk to us at Soma Space or buy our "Help Yourself" audio product. You could go for anger management classes. You could learn meditation, tai chi, or you could learn how to redirect your anger into areas that are not destructive.
But how do you know when you are getting angry? Click here for the early warning signs (might stop you before you lose it if you know what to look for). When is it time to seek help? If you are even questioning it you might want to get some feedback from a professional. One thing that usually stands out is that the anger is affecting your relationships/job/etc.
How do you handle your anger? Are you doing the best you can to keep yourself together? If not, are you brave enough/smart enough to actually seek help? Don't let anger F your life up...
What's it going to be, Sape?
Takin' Mine To The Gym,
Professor Val
(Visit my online/phone/in-person life coaching site: Soma Space Coaching)
DRUGS: Your Brain On Chocolate...it does WHAT to neurotransmitters?
|
|
|
Saturday, 19 January 08 - 09:20 PM (GMT -05:00) By Professor Val in Professor Val |
| ||
Is it possible to actually be addicted to chocolate? According to the BBC article (click here to read the article) chocolate actually affects our neurotransmitters and can change our mood. Learn about terms like "Chocolate Amphetamine" in this really interesting article.
WTF's a neurotransmitter you ask? Ever hear of Prozac? Prozac is an SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) which in simplest terms means it mimics the shape of the neurotransmitter Serotonin and fools the brain into thinking that there is more Serotonin in the brain. Serotonin, Norepinephrine, Dopamine etc are all neurotransmitters. These natural chemicals help the neurons in the brain communicate. When they are out of balance, anything goes. We could have anxiety, depression, psychosis, etc...
Now that you've had a review about neurotransmitters, the article will be more meaningful. Read and comment.... If chocolate is deemed as an addictive substance, would you give up your Twix? Is it possible to drop the Paxil and grab a peanut butter cup instead? If it were that simple, would you do it? Are you doing it now?
I haven't had chocolate in years.... boy would I love a hunk about now!
Jonseing for a Snickers Bar,
Professor Val
(Visit my online/phone life coaching site: Soma Space Coaching)
Domains vs Personality
|
|
|
Sunday, 13 January 08 - 09:19 AM (GMT -05:00) By Professor Val in Professor Val |
| ||
Here are the answers from last week profiling question...
Britney is a flippin PHYLO. Will Smith is also PHYLO but you don't see him getting the bad press Britney gets. That's a coherent PHYLO with his head out of his ass.
Bill is an ECO (how many times does he have to get in trouble before he stops his shenanigans? LOL)
Robert is an EXO-it's part of the reason he's such an awesome actor. Jeffrey Dahmer was EXO too... do you see any similarities in behavior? No, neither do I.
Drew is an ECO too... Remember that Domains are NOT personality... they are formed well before personality is. Think about Bill and Drew. Do they act alike? Do they have similar personalities...I think not. They do, however, have similarities in their ECOness :) Dr. Mark and I are both ECOs too. We have different personalities and habits. One example is that Dr. Mark is almost always late. ECOs don't really spend much time worrying about time...they get distracted by life and lose track of time. I am just about NEVER late-as a matter of fact I'm usually early. Why the difference? Because our personalities are built on top of the domains and even though it's likely that ECOs will lose track of time and be late, my personality is a bit more anal retentive than Mark's and it makes me anxious to be late.
Domains are in place by year 4 of your life. They are developmental and a result of you and your environment/surroundings/social interactions. Personality on the other hand develops over a long period of time. If a child shows signs of a personality disorder (such as Borderline Personality Disorder or Sociopathic Personalty) they can NOT be diagnosed until they are at least 18 years of age-why? Because personality takes a long time to form. Do personalities change? No, not really... I'm not convinced that 18 is old enough to determine one's permanent personality. The adult brain kicks in after that time and there is still time for change-but that's another blog entry!
Bottom line... You are IN your primary Domain... you are not your domain. Your personality is in you.
ECO sista out,
Professor Val
(Visit my online/phone (and in person) life coaching site: Soma Space Coaching) AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS! It's time to make those changes you've been putting off
... More items are available in our News Archive
