Women’s breast health… Finding our balance (Article published in Green Living Monthly - September 2012)
There is a delicate balance women must
make when it comes to breast health. It really is quite simple. As women
grow older their bodies begin to lose their ability to produce the very
hormones needed for a happy and successful life. As women enter the menopausal
years, they face a difficult decision. Their bodies’ production of estrogen,
progesterone, and other hormones needed to maintain youthful vitality rapidly
declines. These symptoms are well known: Depression, irritability, and
short-term memory lapses are very real menopausal complaints; along with hot
flashes, night sweats, insomnia, and weight gain. These problems can be quite
profound with these adverse affects, which can alter a woman’s health for the rest
of her life. This is why so many women are turning to what are called
bio-identical hormones which the body recognizes as being the same as those
which are produced naturally. The key is to make sure hormone levels are
closely monitored to ensure a patient is getting just the right amount.
In fact, new studies have shown balancing hormones with bioidentical hormones may even reduce the risk of breast cancer.
To strike that critical balance between
estrogen and progesterone levels goes beyond using bio-identical hormones, but
in also balancing your nervous system including our neurotransmitters. Hormone
levels are monitored with new advances in blood serum and saliva testing. For
women who are taking bio-identical hormone replacements, these tests may be far
less accurate than measuring levels in the blood. When it comes to measuring
estrogen, Thermography may be one of our best tools. Thermography uses an
infrared camera and is currently the only tool available for identifying Breast
Specific Estrogen Dominance. One can clearly see vascular changes in the breast
on the infrared gray scale images. A thermogram of the breasts is the
only non-invasive procedure that can detect
estrogen imbalance in the breast. Breast tissue can have up to 50 times the
estrogen concentration as blood serum levels.
If estrogen levels are imbalanced, it is imperative that the hormone
levels be corrected. This is critical because studies have shown how elevated
estrogen levels in the breast tissue lead to a greater risk of breast
cancer. The only natural elevations of estrogen in the breasts should be
present when women are pregnant or lactating. When we see elevated levels,
thermography can also be a tremendous tool for monitoring the effectiveness of
our intervention efforts.
Simply put, this is a tool that we can
use to identify problems, and monitor our efforts towards prevention.
Thermography is a state-of-the-art technology that uses advanced digital infrared
computerized camera systems to detect heat patterns in the breast which are
then analyzed by a doctor who is Board Certified in Medical Thermography. The
results are powerful. Studies show that breast thermography has the ability to
warn a woman that a cancer is forming up to 10 years before any other test can
detect it.
Among the most difficult of medical
statistics is this one: One out of every eight women will develop breast cancer
during their lifetime. Traditional methods of detection are no longer enough.
When mammograms are combined with thermography and clinical breast exams
statistics reveal a cancer detection rate of 98%! Perhaps more
importantly, thermography provides predictive information allowing us to use it
as a method to determine risk. Numerous studies have documented the presence of
physiological changes consistent with cancer prior to anatomical detection with
mammography. This is extremely important in working to prevent breast cancer.
Thermography can be used to identify these physiological signs which precede
cancer, and can monitor the ability of therapeutic intervention to effectively
lower risk. The American Cancer Society
estimates that this year, over 192,000 women will be diagnosed with breast
cancer in the USA alone. Even more tragic is the large number of cancer cases
that will be missed until the cancer is very late stage and severe. Early
detection is the key to surviving this deadly disease.
It’s more than just taking a hormone to feel
better. When a woman can balance the hormone levels in her system, she can
reduce her risk of disease. That’s medicine that not only makes you feel better
today, but provides peace of mind for the future.
by Dr. Michael Oglesbay, D.O. and Karla Porter, R.T.(R)(CT),CTT
Karla Porter has a 25 year
history of working as a radiological technologist currently certified in both
radiology and computed tomography (CT). Certified as a thermography technician
and a certified MammaCare clinical breast examiner. Currently owns and operates
Insight Thermal Imaging, LLC in Spokane, Washington
Karla Porter,
R.T.(R)(CT),CTT
Insight Thermal
Imaging
Multiple Locations
Spokane Area
509-315-4154
Dr. Michael
Oglesbay holds a BS in Nutrition and he is a board certified Family Medicine
physician.
As a physician, he
looks at a patient as a whole and, therefore, values the concept of mind-body
balance. He believes in wellness and health promotion, the self healing
capability of the body, and the benefits of the Integrative approach to health.
Since the mid-90's,
Dr. Oglesbay has specialized in hormone replacment therapy and bioidentical
hormones as part of his integrative approach. He is certified in Age
Management Medicine and is a member of the American College for Advancement in
Medicine (ACAM). He received the Patient's Choice award in 2011.
Dr. Oglesbay has
been practicing at Family Health Care of Post Falls since November 2011.
Dr. Michael
Oglesbay, D.O.
Family
Health Care of Post Falls
1110
E. Polston Ave, Suite
1
Post
Falls, ID 83854
208-773-1311
