We had a great time reading the responses we received from some of our readers regarding our last newsletter.  Thank you for sharing your “scores” on our Pop Quiz and for sending in your comments.  We do try our best to educate our clients about the benefits of DITI as well as the limitations of this technology.

The question that received the most comments and seemed to trip up most of our readers was about family history versus estrogen dominance and which played the most significant role as a risk factor for developing breast cancer.

Many believed that family history is more significant as a risk factor for developing disease.  However, the truth is that the greatest risk factor women face today with respects to developing breast cancer is hormonal status; specifically estrogen levels.  A future newsletter will go into more depth with respects to this aspect of illness and disease.  

This month’s newsletter we will dedicate to sharing some exciting changes Proactive Health Solutions is going through including the introduction of two new team members!

Many of you know that Juanita Garcia has been working towards receiving her Level 1 thermographer certification and I am happy to announce she has been successful in her endeavor!!
Juanita has been working for more than one year to learn all she could to prepare for her testing.  She had to learn health history intake, brush up on her anatomy and physiology (she is a licensed massage therapist, so some of this information was just a review), and learn the proper patient protocols, clinic protocols, images and labels and correct and factual information about thermography. . . .all while having to deal with Lynda!!!!

All joking aside, Juanita worked diligently and professionally watching all videos, reading all literature she could get her hands on and going online to find more.  She continues to grow and learn more about thermography, breast and overall health and strives to “practice what she preaches” while reaching out to women and men to help them, too.

Juanita is bilingual and is a HUGE benefit to Lynda as she looks to expand into the market south of Tucson as well as to reach those in Tucson who are mono-lingual Spanish speakers.  Proactive Health Solutions has already benefited from Juanita’s linguistic skills as she works with several women using DITI who speak limited English. 

Welcome Juanita and THANK YOU for your dedication, commitment and service!

Our other new member is our sister, Jacki.  Jacki lives in Peoria, AZ with her husband and two children. . . .our beloved niece and nephew, Kate and Matthew!  Jacki has her BS in physical therapy and a penchant for health and wellness.  She is a seeker of knowledge and digs deep to find out as much information as possible before making health decisions for her and her family.

Jacki is the office manager for Brenda in California and will assume responsibility as the main appointment scheduler for all returning clients in California.  Jacki will be contacting the California clients in the coming months to schedule their annual appointment(s). Jacki is going to be a great asset to Brenda and is sure to be kept busy with the many growing back office responsibilities.

Take a trip in time with me…
You’re in your early forties and looking at taking some responsible measures for your future. So, you contact an insurance company and request that you be evaluated for a life insurance policy.  Of course, they are happy to accommodate this request and you meet with the clinical evaluator to determine your level of health. 
 You are informed that depending on where you score in this evaluation determines the rate for which you qualify.  Of course, the better your health, the greater rate of return you receive on your policy.  “Rarely does anyone receive an outstanding score,” is what you’re told.  “A good health score is more common and this is what you should expect in this evaluation.”

But your health score is OUTSTANDING.  You hear the excitement in the voice of the sales rep as he tells you this type of health score rarely is seen.  (In your mind you are thinking that you are likely his first client with this score).  You sense his excitement as he begins to write the policy for you.

Nine months later, age 43, you are admitted into the hospital in diabetic ketoacidosis.  You are told that you are a type 1 (juvenile) diabetic.  Due to the suddenness of the onset of symptoms, your doctor also tells you that pancreatic cancer is suspected and they want to rule this out with an immediate CT scan.

What happened?  How can outstanding health turn to a significant diagnosis in such a short time?  

The answer?  The explanation?  Stress.  Overwhelming stress that was not managed in a healthy, positive, empowering fashion.

This is Brenda’s story.  

I was working over 60 hours per week as I was trying to balance one demanding career (perfusion) while growing my thermal imaging business.  To “fill-in” the monetary gaps, on occasion, I was also driving to UCLA on weekends and holidays to pick-up extra 12-hour shifts. 

Although I was devastated to learn that I was a Type 1 diabetic, I was suddenly grateful that I was ONLY a diabetic.  The CT for pancreatic cancer was negative.

The stress I was under and the way I chose to handle the stress certainly played a role in my diagnosis.  Of this I am convinced.  I can only move forward and live with this diagnosis as best I can, staying active, eating healthy and managing stress in a healthy and empowering way.  I feel compelled to share my story with others with the hopes of helping them look for better solutions for dealing with life’s stressors and more importantly, avoiding a diagnosis. 

On Saturday, August 15^th Mo-mentum Fitness will be hosting an interactive clinic where you can learn some practical ways to manage the stressors life throws at us.  Alicia Murphy, owner of Stress Monkee has developed a fun and interactive program that helps you turn stress into a “super power!”  

At this event you will hear Alicia share her story of why she feels compelled to help people manage stress productively.  You will be an active participant in learning positive ways and techniques to manage stress such as:

• How to change your views about stress
• Understand how stress affects your life
• How to physically train your body to handle stress positively

The name of the game is fun, fun, fun (and lots of laughing!!!)
This workshop is fun for all people including teens and adults.  Casual dress or workout attire is appropriate.

Details

As some of you may know, I am working to raise money to purchase a Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD).  I have had some “lows” that I don’t always recognize.  My dog will also alert me if my blood sugar spikes, thereby, allowing me to treat it appropriately and quickly.  To read more about my efforts and reasons for getting a service dog, click here.

The event at Mo-mentum Fitness is in part, a fundraiser to benefit my efforts in purchasing my service dog. 

Here is how you can participate if you live in CA

Attend the event!  (Of course, this one is obvious!!!)

 Here is how to benefit if you do not live in the area

Go to:  stressmonkee.com and register for the free video series

 Donate

Credit card donations

Personal checks made payable to Brenda Witt and mailed to her at:
Brenda Witt
1901 Newport Blvd., STE 350
Costa Mesa, CA  92627

Cash donations can be handed directly to Brenda. 

 Before you donate, understand that this is NOT a tax deductible donation and donations cannot be returned (refunded)
 
I hope you will join us on Saturday, August 15^th in Huntington Beach.  If you cannot attend, consider registering for the free video series.  Learn to turn stress into your super power.  My hope by sharing my story, it inspires you to take positive steps now.  It may save you from a diagnosis in the future.  Trust me.  I know.

With sincere gratitude and appreciation for all of our readers, clients and friends,

Brenda Witt

As more women are looking for methods of preventing breast disease, questions arise regarding Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI).

 DITI has been around since it was FDA registered in 1982 and it remains a steadfast technology in alerting women to a shift away from stable physiology; a sure sign for the potential that some type of breast disease is developing.

Q: How is DITI used for monitoring breast health and the prevention of breast diseases?

A: DITI offers women the opportunity to address breast health before they are potentially forced to address a breast illness. DITI offers the possibility of monitoring breast health starting around age 28. By this age, breast physiology has matured and cellular changes are stable. Breast cancer begins as a cellular signal that demands growth and nutrition and a lump in the breast is a later (6-8 years on average) manifestation in the process. In active breast cancer, a vascular system develops that can supply this “need” and emits intense heat (hyperthermia). The thermal camera detects these patterns as the additional blood flow brings increased heat to the breast. These thermal patterns and temperature differentials between both breasts all tell a ‘story’ of what may be happening years prior to the formation of a tumor/lump. Of the thermologist sees evidence of neovascularity, further investigation is needed. This early alert allows for preventative measures to be taken in an attempt to reverse this trend. By having annual comparative studies to ensure no changes have occurred, women can use this technology to monitor breast health. 

Q: How is a thermogram different from a mammogram?

A: Mammograms look for calcifications and/or tumors that are a later manifestation of breast cancer. Some still believe cancer to be a tiny lump that grows as it progresses and having a mammogram to find the lump at its smallest stage is their goal. Unfortunately, breast tissue density limits that ability and not all breast cancers will spread and become lethal. The many signs given off by cancerous cells prior to the “tiny lump” are what DITI is looking for.

Many women are not aware of the numerous steps preceding the growth of an abnormally large enough to be seen on an X-raty or felt during a breast exam. Thermograms are not limited by breast density as we are not penetrating the body with radiation; we are examining blood flow/skin surface temperatures, so the density of breast tissue/implants is not a factor. the benefit is that women can begin this non-invasive screening starting in their lat 20’s with no health risks in their attempt to prevent breast disease.

Not all breast cancers are relentlessly progressing and/or continuing to grow and spread. If a woman has the misfortune of a breast cancer diagnosis, the “fortunate” type to have would be one that is not progressing or is non-aggressive. These types of breast cancer may not be seen thermographically because the needed blood supply (heat source) to “feed” the cancerous cells that enable it to spread may not be active, or one’s immune system many have encapsulated this growth to wall it off from the rest of the body in an attempt to stop the development of the disease. Using all screening modalities appropriate to age and risk factors is the best use of any medical technology.

Q: Do I need a doctor’s referral to have an appointment?

A: No, a referral is not needed for any type of thermal imaging.

Q: Is thermal imaging covered by insurance?

A: Not typically, but each person should check with their carrier. Plus, this procedure is surprisingly affordable for most.

Q: Are thermal cameras used to image other parts of the body?

A: Yes, upper/lower body and full-body imaging are used for a more comprehensive overview of health and wellness, as well as for people experiencing pain or discomfort in the body.  Carpel tunnel, neck pain, myofascial dysfunction, deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and many other pain conditions are detected or confirmed using upper or full-body DITI. Thermal imaging can then be used to monitor healing and show reduction of inflammation often associated with these and many other conditions.

For more in-depth information about using DITI to monitor your breast health or to schedule an appointment at our Tucson, Arizona or multiple California screening locations, please visit our website at www.phsnew.prohsol.wpengine.com.

Occasionally, the topics for my newsletters — and now my PHS blog posts — come from repeated questions that come from clients during the month. Other times, they are sparked from my personal desire to educate or remind clients of the benefits of thermal imaging in monitoring health.

This month’s newsletter and blog are somewhat pre-emptive in that “Pink-tober” is right around the corner and we are about to be inundated with messages about the benefits of early detection and marketing campaigns that promise to donate a portion of the proceeds to support Breast Cancer Research. Pinktober is of course, the month of October and you not only begin to see the pink washing of items in the grocery stores, but you will hear (ad nauseum) about the benefits of mammography.
 
However, there are risks associated with mammography that you may NOT be aware of.  Unfortunately, thermography (a functional test) cannot replace the use of mammography (a structural test). My goal in sharing this information is to possibly inform you about the risks that you may not know about.  My hope is this will empower you to decide at what interval of time it’s best for YOU to use mammography with annual thermography.

Compare & Contrast Thermography vs. Mammography

Breast thermal imaging:

• Can compare previous thermograms against an established baseline. If there are worrisome findings, you have a chance to make changes to address lymph congestion, hormonal imbalances, fibrocystic changes, and/or new vascular patterns that may relate to breast disease developing in the future.  

• Looks for physiologic changes that precede disease thus allowing you time for intervention and lifestyle examination.

Mammography: 

• Is not a preventative method for staving off breast cancer and is used to look for calcifications and/or lesion/tumors that have yet to be found by self or clinical exam. 

• Offers no opportunity for prevention once a tumor is found. On average, a tumor takes 6-8 years to develop into a size large enough to be seen on an X-ray and once discovered, there could be as many as 4 billion cancer cells for your immune system to battle.

In summary, thermography cannot replace mammography and there are no claims to suggest this.

The Radiobiological Risks of Mammography

Sayer Ji, founder and editor of GreenMedInfo.com and author of How X-Ray Mammography is Accelerating the Epidemic of Breast Cancer, writes a concise and powerful report about this topic so rarely discussed in our medical arena.  I encourage you to read the full report.  Below are some salient points about his findings.

• British Journal of Radiobiology 2006 – article revealed that the type of radiation used in X-ray based breast screening is much more carcinogenic than previously believed as compelling evidence demonstrated that the low-energy X-rays used in mammography are about 4 times – but could be as much as 6 times- more effective in causing mutational damage than the higher energy X-rays.

• The above finding notes that since the current radiation risk of mammograms is based on high-energy gamma radiation it thus implies that the risks of radiation-induced breast cancer for mammography X-rays are also underestimated by the same factor.

While this seems counter-intuitive, the truth is that low-energy (often called “low-dose”) X-ray used in mammograms is more dangerous than high-energy X-ray like those used in a chest X-ray.

During my training, I learned that high-energy radiation (ie: chest X-ray) has smaller fast moving photons causing less cellular DNA damage due to size and speed. On the other hand, low-energy (low-dose) radiation (ie: mammography) has larger, slower moving photons which can and do cause double strand breaks within the DNA of susceptible cells; damage that cannot be repaired by the cell.

A recent report discusses the impact of radiation on young women with genetic mutations:  Radiation May Increase Breast Cancer Risk. Young women who have a genetic predisposition to breast cancer may benefit from MRI or other non-radiation type screening.

How Much Radiation?

According to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2011), a mammogram uses 4 mSv of radiation versus the 0.02 mSv from the average chest X-ray. Thus, a mammogram delivers 200 times more radiation than a typical chest X-ray. Obviously,the effects of the x-ray are different and perhaps should not be compared.
 

The current risk model used today to tell women the amount of radiation they are exposed to in a mammogram has two fundamental flaws:

• It is based on the higher-energy radiation emission (radiation from the atomic bomb or a chest X-ray).

• This risk model is crude in that it was developed before the discovery of DNA and before a comprehensive understanding of radiotoxicity and genotoxicity.

Unfortunately, Sayer Ji goes on to state, “With the advent of non-ionizing radiation based diagnostic technologies, such as thermography, it has become vitally important that patients educate themselves about the alternatives to X-ray mammography that already exist.” 

Anytime I read the words “thermography” and “alternative” in the same sentence, my stomach turns. 

I do not want to mislead you about thermography and what it offers and so, no comparison of the two technologies should be made. They are completely different in their utility and proper role.

Recognize that my reason for sharing this information with you is to alert you to the biological affects of low-energy (low-dose) radiation from mammography and that what you may be told about how much radiation your breasts are exposed to during this procedure may not be the truth.

I encourage you to read Sayer Ji’s essay and even print it out for your practitioner who may tell you that the amount of radiation in a mammogram is the same as a flight to Denver or spending a week at a high altitude. You might consider printing Sayer’s article for them to read and consider.

Please pass this along to other women regardless of their age. Educate them on how thermography can offer them the chance to assess their current breast health status and that there are numerous ways to improve upon it if needed and monitor it yearly for early warning signs. Be sure to let them know that breast DITI is not a replacement for mammography, but that it empowers you to take charge of your health and play a more active role in maintaining or regaining optimal wellness.

Lastly, although the information in this post is important, please be sure to read about the equally important topic of GMO food labeling in my next post entitled “Frankenfoods: We Have the Right to Know.” The impact of GMO foods on our health as well as on the environment will be the major focus of my October newsletter and blog. It is imperative that we alert as many people as we can to the importance of CA Proposition 37 before the November 6th election!

Sincerely, 
Brenda Witt

  
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For more in-depth information about using DITI to monitor your breast health or to schedule an appointment at our Tucson, Arizona or multiple California screening locations, please visit our website at www.phsnew.prohsol.wpengine.com