| Yesterday I was reading about a study of eight | | | | of breast cancer. Check with you doctor, of course. |
| seven thousand women over a twenty four year | | | | The research also estimated that women who never |
| period that revealed that the weight you gain or lose | | | | took these hormones and are twenty four per cent |
| may affect your risk to breast cancer if you do not | | | | of the breast cancer cases, are due to gaining more |
| take estrogen pills. It is amazing how as a people we | | | | than four pounds after age eighteen and another |
| in this United States of America are so affected by | | | | eight per cent are due to gaining more weight after |
| the number of pounds we weigh or do not weigh. | | | | menopause. |
| More important for women is the fact that the | | | | This breast cancer has impacted my family and |
| weight gain or loss has little effect on those women | | | | friends. My sister has been dealing with it for twenty |
| have taken postmenopausal hormones. This is | | | | years and my next door neighbor just had a full |
| extremely important for all women facing or in | | | | mastectomy. It is painful to watch, especially when |
| menopause. The risk of breast cancer is fifty seven | | | | you would want to help, that is how I feel. I feel |
| per cent lower in those who had lost twenty two | | | | obligated to share information with the hope it will be |
| pounds or more since they had menopause and had | | | | reviewed and addressed correctly. Once again a visit |
| taken estrogen pills. This per cent exists even when | | | | and consultation with your doctor is paramount. |
| you compare those women that have maintained a | | | | So you ask what can women do? My quick response |
| steady weight for a long period of time. It now | | | | would be to lose excess weight. I know it is never |
| appears the hormones are a must. | | | | too late. It has been said that excess weight just |
| And the incidents of breast cancer rise even higher | | | | may increase the risk of breast cancer by boosting a |
| as the weight gain increased. In fact, the study | | | | woman's estrogen level. Fat cells are the biggest |
| revealed that the per cent of breast cancer | | | | source of estrogen. And more fat means more |
| increased by fifty per cent for those women who | | | | estrogen. Lastly, I have discovered through my |
| had gained at least forty four pounds. Now I don't | | | | readings that women who take estrogen pills have a |
| think women need to be hit over the head here, just | | | | higher level of estrogen, which increases their breast |
| provide them with this information. When I told my | | | | cancer risk. But strangely enough the estrogen |
| wife this information last year she went to her | | | | produced by their fat cells does not seem to raise |
| doctor and is on estrogen pills. She is now post | | | | their risk of breast cancer further. |
| menopausal and has lost twenty pounds. | | | | The big key is to get in control of your weight. Talk |
| This covers women who since they were eighteen | | | | to a nutritionist and determine how to get to a good |
| years old had gained little or no weight. As long as a | | | | weight for you. Excess weight is just plain bad for |
| woman is on these hormones weight gain after | | | | you and all the rest of us. I believe it impacts every |
| menopause it does not significantly increase the risk | | | | facet of our lives, this article is another example. |