Let's talk breasts. Much of the UK media are covering the release of data that indicates breast cancer rates in the under-50s are now at a record high with one in five diagnosed breast cancer cases now being in women under this age. Breast Cancer UK states that 'possible explanations for the increases are speculated to be due to known hormonal risk factors for cancer – such as having children later in life. Increased alcohol intake, could also be involved'. 

Other speculated factors are a processed diet of meat, high intake of sugar, smoking, lack of exercise, generally a comprised lifetsyle etc.

There could be many explanations to this increase or in the same breath, none. Hop on over to blog titled 'Why me?' to hear my personal opinions on why I think cancer is more prevalent in younger women now.

Breast cancer can present itself in a variety of ways. Ultimately it's up to us to know our bodies well enough to be able to identify any changes that may cause us to get them checked out. 

Most of us, when we are faced with an illness, injury or a suspected something symptoms that we have googled, our first port of call is our GP. When I found a lump in my breast I went straight to the doctor’s surgery. I didn’t call my homeopath. She would have also told me to go to see my doctor.

We are neatly packaged into the western medical system, from GP to referral clinic, radiologist to mammographer, consultant, surgeon, oncologist and back to your doctor. In this unknown and potentially unsettling time, this structure can provide comfort that we are being taken care of. There is nothing wrong with this and it is deemed socially safe. I am an advocate for responsibility and choice. The western conventional part of the wheel can be integral to our survival but I feel often that the Eastern philosophy of integration can be ignored and pushed aside as ‘quackery’. There are often many other options that are available to us if we wish to explore them.

What is integrative health?

Integrative Health is an approach to care that seeks to integrate the best of Western scientific medicine with a broader understanding of the nature of illness, healing and wellness.

Integrative medicine puts the patient at the centre of the care and addresses the full range of physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences that affect a person’s health. Treating the whole person addresses both the patient’s immediate needs as well as the effects of the long-term and complex interplay between other aspects of wellness. This process enhances the ability of individuals to not only get well, but most importantly, to stay well. www.dukeintegrativemedicine.org