Preventing Breast Cancer

This essay is dedicated to my mother, Helen Marie Kihn, who died of breast cancer in 1963.


The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently published updated guidelines regarding mammograms and early detection of breast cancer. The biggest change and the one that is sparking controversy is the recommendation that women in their 40s should not get routine mammograms for early detection of breast cancer. They suggest that before having a mammogram, women ages 40 to 49 should talk to their doctors about the risks and benefits of the test, and then decide if they want to be screened. For women ages 50 to 74, they recommend routine mammography screenings every two years. Risks and benefits for women age 75 and above are unknown, the report said. The group's previous recommendation was for routine screenings every year or two for women age 40 and older. They also currently recommend against teaching breast self-examination. Go to http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspsbrca.htm to read the actual guidelines.

Whether or not breast examinations are safe or effective will not be addressed here. Early detection of cancer is of supreme importance in fighting cancer. That is beyond doubt. However, early detection is not the same as prevention. Breast exams can initiate early treatment and thereby prevent the spread of the malignancy, but exams and treatment do not prevent the formation of cancerous cells in the first place, nor do they eliminate the risky behavior that is the root cause of breast cancer.

Likewise, successful treatment of cancer is not a true cure unless habits are changed so that cancer will be prevented from returning.

Cancer is very much a chronic disease of the genes. The risky behavior that we will examine below can activate genes that produce cancer cells in the breast, as well as give them a safe home in the breast tissue. Single cancer cells are readily killed and eaten by immune factors called macrophages. However, when the immune system (wei qi) is overwhelmed and /or obstructed, microscopic cancer cells can congregate and multiply in the body over a period of years, and even form their own structures that will defend against the body’s militia.

Chinese medicine sees cancer as toxic blood stagnation. The crucial concept here is stagnation. A tumor is a stagnant collection of cells that is not moving with the body’s natural flow. It is a structure that is stuck in one place. Structures and tissues in the human body that do not have great circulation to begin with, such as the prostate gland in men and the breast in women, are likely candidates for the growth of tumors. When a tumor impedes the flow of blood, sharp pain in one place is the result. When it threatens to spread throughout the body and overwhelm organs and tissues, it is termed toxic.


Red flags

Before cancerous cells are ever formed or before they aggregate to the degree that they can be detected, there are some important warning symptoms that indicate the need for preventative medicine as well as regular screening:
[ The thickening of breast material (fibroids): Breast material should feel smooth and uniform. Any irregularity is an invitation for errant cells to set up camp.
[ Benign lumps: These are usually going to be soft, rounded, not painful, and not attached to the bone or muscle underneath. However, their existence is an indication of stagnation and therefore they cannot be ignored. (A growth that has irregular edges, is fixed to the bone or muscle underneath, is painful to the touch, and possibly shows signs of bleeding could very well be a cancerous tumor.)
[ Breast/chest tenderness: When there is felt pain or sensitivity in the breast material, whether associated with the menstrual cycle or not, stagnation is present. Pain upon palpation of the line running from the top of the armpit, along the bottom of the collar bone, and down along lateral sides of the sternum also indicates stagnation that must be eliminated.
[ Sighing: Frequent sighing, or taking deep breaths, is a compensation for shallow breathing, which keeps the chest restricted and closed in.
[ Lymph swellings: Blocked swollen lymph glands in the upper body are an indication that circulation is poor, which means that unwanted cells pile up in the chest area and that immune factors cannot travel around freely.


Risky behavior

The following habits are all known contributors to the creation and development of breast cancer: Overeating, worrying and hurrying, maintaining poor posture, wearing restrictive clothing, and exposure to radiation or toxic substances.

When a woman eats past her comfort level, she is overeating and consequently putting on extra fat. Excess body fat has been shown in countless studies to be a major causal factor for all types of cancer, including breast cancer. Excessive body fat secretes excessive amounts of estrogen, a known cancer agent. Increased body fat also triggers chronic inflammation, which presents the immune system with a huge distraction. For women, a body fat percentage above 15% is cause for concern, and is associated in Chinese Medicine with a damp spleen, which means that the digestive system is overburdened and consequently weakened.

Worrying and hurrying cause anxiety. Like excess body fat, chronic anxiety speeds the aging process, so that age-related disease genes like those for cancer activate too early. In addition, chronic anxiety causes people to tighten various muscles in the body and hold them rigid for long periods. Eventually, muscles in the chest become habitually rigid, blocking the wei qi in its attempt to find cancer cells in the breast and kill them. Chronic anxiety and muscular tightness are associated in Chinese Medicine with liver qi stagnation.

Slumped posture is a strong contributing factor for the rising incidence of breast cancer in industrialized countries. Hunching forward while sitting, standing, and walking will congest the fluids and block the qi in the chest area, thus allowing cancer cells to congregate in the breast tissue and set up their own protective structures.

The constant wearing of constricting clothing will decrease circulation in the chest area, leading to stagnation of qi in the chest and poor immune function. The most common offender is a bra that is too tight.

Radiation or toxic accumulations in the body can trigger cancer genes. This is especially true for women whose immune systems are compromised, specifically for those who are overweight, overstressed, or have poor circulation in the chest area. Known carcinogens are found in processed foods, industrial pollutants, and medications, which include prescription, over-the-counter, and “recreational” such as tobacco.


Preventative measures

Prevention requires a change of habit. The breaking of old habits and the establishment of new ones takes time and perseverance. This is why it is best to hire the services of a professional who will help you maintain discipline, and will use techniques that will push in the same direction. Well-suited for this purpose are Licensed Acupuncturists.

The starting point is to get a Chinese diagnosis from a Licensed Acupuncturist and together work on changing bad habits into good ones while relieving symptoms of spleen damp, liver qi stagnation, stagnation of qi and fluids in the chest, and toxic accumulations. A Licensed Acupuncturist will make use of safe techniques such as acupuncture, acupressure, Chinese herbology, and preventative counseling to accomplish these goals.


Excess body fat

Excess body fat is first and foremost a mental health problem. Obesity is an eating disorder. There are many schemes for decreasing fat and getting lean, but if they do not include a deliberate program for improving mental health, they are doomed to fail in the end. The reason is that people in rich countries commonly use food as a sedative for uncomfortable feelings. They also unknowingly use the estrogen secreted by enlarged fat cells as a continuous, 24-hour calming agent. When this agent is suddenly removed and the sedative is taken away, people who have lost a significant amount of weight without improving their mental health soon find themselves climbing the walls, dying for a calorie fix. Becoming a calmer person is the only guarantee for getting and staying lean.

For women, a body fat percentage of 15% is sufficient to prevent problems associated with excess weight while still supplying all of the lipid needs of the average woman.

One program that allows you to lose fat while increasing your self-trust and self-esteem I call Hunger Awareness Training. You will probably need to work with a Hunger Awareness Training counselor for a while until the new habits become automatic and weight control becomes an instinctive process. Contact me if you are interested in Hunger Awareness Training.

Another approach that is very effective for some is simple calorie counting. Writing down the calorie content in the foods you eat and making sure that you are eating less calories than you burn every day will mathematically assure the loss of weight. When combined with something like cognitive-behavioral therapy by a licensed MFCC, new and healthy habits can be firmly established. A good reference on calorie counting is The Longevity Diet by Delaney and Wolford.


Chronic anxiety

Learn to stop worrying, whatever it takes. Cognitive-behavioral therapy with a licensed professional will require you to face your demons and make friends with them so that you won’t have to worry about them anymore. A study of philosophies such as Taoism or Zen Buddhism will help you see the big picture, which will always diffuse the irrationally based fears that constitute worry.

Learn to stop hurrying. Those in a constant rush live in a constant state of anxiety. Hurrying everywhere increases internal friction, which creates an unnatural degree of heat and inflammation. A person who is always hurrying maintains a posture that is necessarily hunched forward. Rushing around while operating heavy machinery – motor vehicles – can endanger your life as well as the lives of others.

Practice yin types of exercises such as yoga or taiqi, especially postures that open up and stretch the chest area. Slow movements that emphasize breathing and body awareness will have a profound and positive effect on tightness in the mind and body. Deep rhythmic breathing is a calming technique that can be used anytime in any stressful situation to quiet the mind and body.


Poor posture

Learn to stand tall, walk tall, and sit tall all the time. Don’t be afraid to let people see you. Don’t hide your chest. At first when you practice tall posture, you might feel arrogant. I assure you that tall posture plus a smile is the essence of charisma, not arrogance. If poor eyesight is encouraging you to hunch forward for writing or reading, sit closer to your work. Until the small muscles that balance your frame with gravity are stronger, you will need to take many short breaks to rest them. Sitting back in an easy chair or couch and supporting your spine for a minute will give your body and mind the rest it needs to continue practicing tall posture. However, no matter how strong your core muscles are, we are not genetically designed for long periods of standing or sitting.

Strengthen your core muscles, which include abdominals, transverse obliques, and the intervertebral musculature that keeps you upright. Strengthen the back muscles – latissimus dorsi - that help to keep your chest open. They are best strengthened by performing rows and pull downs in front of the chin. Stretch the opposing tight muscles like chest, upper trapezius, low back, hamstrings, and calves.

You may need the assistance of a personal trainer for a while. You can also benefit from a series of chiropractic adjustments if your vertebrae have been pushed out of column by years of poor posture.


Constricting clothing

Beware of tight bras. If your bra leaves marks on your body after you take it off, consider wearing something looser. Also, avoid carrying heavy bags on one shoulder, as the strap has a tendency to cut off circulation to the upper body.


Radiation and toxic accumulations

Consider carefully before you expose yourself to tests that require radiation. Gravitate toward unprocessed foods that aren’t loaded with industrial additives. But keep in mind that the body’s own defenses are capable of a tremendous amount of self-cleansing if the body/mind is kept in a state of leanness and relaxation.

As your mental and physical health improves, you will be able to wean yourself off of the regular use of medications. This is especially important in the area of self-medication. I am referring to such substances as alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other “recreational” drugs.


Breast cancer is entirely preventable for most women. For a fascinating account of how people in various parts of the world avoid diseases like breast cancer simply by living simply and healthily, I urge you to read Healthy at 100 by John Robbins.