Mammograms- Who Needs Them?
© Susun S. Weed
Perhaps no aspect of breast cancer is more widely
publicized than screening mammography. Ads on television, in magazines,
and in the daily paper urge women to deal with fear about breast cancer
by having a yearly mammogram. We’re even told that doing this
is a way to “really care for yourself.”
But screening mammograms don’t prevent breast cancer. A mammogram
is an x-ray and x-rays cause cancer. The ads promoting regular screening
mammography are paid for by those who stand to profit from their widespread
acceptance and use - the manufacturers of the equipment and x-ray
film. Whose health does this technology really benefit? Women’s
health? Or corporate health?
Should women have screening mammograms? At what age? How frequently?
Science hasn’t agreed on answers to these questions. Susun Weed
believes that her anti-cancer lifestyle (see page xv in Breast
Cancer? Breast Health! The Wise Woman Way) will decrease
the risk of dying from breast cancer in a way that regular mammograms
won’t.
She cares for her breasts with infused herbal oils,
regular loving touch, organic foods, and healthy exercise - and forgoes
regular screening mammograms. If you decide to have a mammogram, Weed
offers advice on how to protect yourself and get the most out of it.
If You Decide to Have a Mammogram
- Get the best, even if it means a long journey.
- Go where they specialize, preferably where they do at least 20
mammograms a day.
- Be sure the facility is accredited by the American College of
Radiology.
- Insist on personnel who specialize in mammograms. (Taking and
reading mammograms are skills that require intensive training and
a lot of practice.)
- Ask how old the equipment is. Newer equipment exposes the breasts
to less radiation. A dedicated unit (one specifically for mammograms)
is best.
- Ask how they ensure quality control. When was their unit calibrated?
- Load your blood with carotenes by eating a cup of cooked sweet
potato, winter squash, or carrots every day for a week before the
mammogram to prevent radiation damage to your DNA.
- Expect to be cold and uncomfortable during the mammogram, but
do say something if you’re being hurt.
- The more compressed the breast tissue, the clearer the mammogram.
(But pressure may spread cancer cells if they are present.)
- If your breasts are tender, reschedule. During your fertile years,
schedule mammograms for 7–10 days after your menstrual flow
begins.
- Don’t wear antiperspirant containing aluminum; it can interfere
with the imaging process. (Those clear stones do contain aluminum,
as do most commercial antiperspirants.)
- If you want another opinion, you’ll need the original mammographic
films, not copies. (X?ray facilities only keep films for 7 years.)
- Get your doctor to agree, in writing, before the procedure, to
give you a copy of your mammogram. The U.S. Public Health Service
advises women to ask for written results from a mammogram.
- Given the high percentage of “false normal” mammograms,
if you think you have cancer, trust your intuition.
- Remove radioactive isotopes from your body with burdock root,
seaweed or miso.
Remember: Mammograms don’t promote breast health.
Breast self-massage, breast self-exam, and lifestyle changes do.
Breast Meditation
Sit comfortably in front of a large mirror in a warm,
private space. Bare your breasts.
Look in the mirror. Tell your breasts something like:
“I love you. You are just the way you are supposed to be. I
see your perfection. I know your beauty. I honor your power.”
Use your own words. Repeat as many times as you like.
When you are done, close your eyes. Slowly bring your
hands up and cup them under your breasts. Say: “My breasts are
healthy. My breasts are powerful.”
Open your eyes and look at yourself in the mirror,
saying, “My breasts are my strength. My strength nourishes me
and others.”
Close your eyes and let your hands return to your
lap. Sit quietly and breathe as you visualize glowing pink clouds
within your breasts spiraling in toward your nipples for a minute.
Continuing to breathe; let this sparkling pink energy spiral out for
a minute.
As you breathe, imagine the energy doing figure-eights
from breast to breast for a minute. Finally, imagine that you are
plunging your hands into vibrant pink energy. Feel it flowing up your
arms, through your armpits and out of your nipples.
Open your eyes, smile at yourself in the mirror, and
come out of the meditation.
About the Author
Susun Weed is an extraordinary teacher with a joyous spirit, a powerful
presence, and an encyclopedic knowledge of herbs and health. She is
the voice of the Wise Woman Way, where common weeds, simple ceremony,
and compassionate listening support and nourish health/wholeness/holiness.
She has opened hearts to the magic and medicine of the green nations
for three decades. Ms. Weed's four herbal medicine books focus on
women's health topics including menopause, childbearing, and breast
health. Visit her site www.susunweed.com for information on her workshops,
apprenticeships, correspondence courses and more! Browse the publishing
site www.ashtreepublishing.com to learn more about her alternative
health books. Venture into the NEW Menopause site www.menopause-metamorphosis.com
to learn all about the Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way.
