According to the World Health Organisation1, breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women globally with survival rates ranging between 80% to 40%, which is considered to be mainly due to differences in access to early detection programmes, diagnostic- and treatment- facilities.
Most of us know at least one survivor or sufferer and some have lost loved ones to this scourge. Faced with these scary statistics and being mindful of those in our midst who have been personally affected, it is no wonder that anxiety is commonly triggered by the discovery of lumps in one’s breast.
That said, many women suffer from painful, lumpy breasts around the menses and as long as the annual well-woman exam is concluded, thankfully for the majority of us, everything turns out fine.
Up until my early 40’s I too suffered from painful, swollen, lumpy, heavy breast with each cycle and at the time discovering the link between breast lumps/cysts and iodine status was merely coincidence.
Feeling a bit fatigued and putting on weight, I decided to have a full thyroid screen including serum selenium and urinary iodine status (adjusted). As I was low in iodine, I added a few drops of Lugol’s iodine to my supplement regime which banished painful, swollen and lumpy breasts for a number of years, even after I switched to pulsing 1 drop of iodine every few months for a few days in favour of adding dulse flakes to food and salad regularly.
When I researched this phenomena based on my own experience, I was already aware that iodine is one of the most prevalent deficiencies of our time and subsequently discovered that Iodine’s role in maintaining the health of breast tissue is widely recognised whilst it’s potential for reducing certain breast tumours, as well as its anti-estrogenic is being studied2.
Knowing this allowed me to remain calm in the face of a recent return of tenderness, swelling and a palpable lump in my left breast during a surprisingly short cycle. Considering that I have been undertaking some heavy detoxification protocols recently, my first line of attack was to book in with a qualified physiotherapist for a professional lymphatic drainage session.
The lump and pain immediately subsided, but considering my peri-menopausal status, I figured I ought be sensible and have my gynaecologist double-check. Thankfully I have a very savvy gynaecologist who felt the lump and agreed that testing iodine levels was valid, but did urge me to have ultrasound on my breasts seeing that I was not keen to have a mammogram.
The ultrasound specialist was astonished that by my age I had not had yet had a mammogram, as annual or at least bi-annual screening starts at 40 in Singapore. I am not the most diligent person with conducting my own breast exam, but until recently there has never been cause for concern and in the absence of a family history of breast cancer, my attention was more focused on avoiding unnecessary radiation to very sensitive tissues when I was originally offered a mammogram after I turned 40.
I am fully aware that screening saves lives and realise that the earlier breast cancer is picked up, the greater the chances of preventing it from spreading and getting the cancer into remission with minimal intervention.
However, I have since researched and explored alternative, less ‘invasive’ methods to determine breast health and overall risk of developing cancer and in the event there was cause for concern, I would likely opt for a combination of ultrasound, thermography, testing for common cancer markers on a blood test or even have my blood tested for circulating tumour cells.
Happily in this instance, the ultrasound did not present cause for concern and my iodine status was indeed low, so I have started to supplement with Lugol’s iodine and the lump has subsided completely after my last menses ended. I am confident this will also resolve the small cyst my gynaecologist detected in my reproductive organs and I also plan to go for another lymphatic drainage treatment prior to my next period to ensure that lymph flow is not restricted.
In my case, my gynaecologist and I both concur that environmental factors such as the absorption of xenoestrogens from the environment is probably one of the biggest risk factors. Hence continuing to detoxify my body in general and reducing my cumulative exposures to Endocrine (hormone) Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) is the best long-term strategy not only to address breast lumps (in combination with iodine supplementation), but also to relieve my other hormone-related issues such as heavy menstrual flow (covered in a future post).
Below is my sequence of action steps:
1) Lymphatic drainage – this will probably benefit most women
2) Followed by daily rebounding or 10 minutes on my Bellicon (mini-trampoline https://www.bellicon.com/de_en) for a week to keep my lymphatic system moving – may need to be discussed with a health professional first, as it may not be beneficial for those with pelvic floor issues (to be covered in a separate post) or other relevant conditions
3) Comprehensive physical gynaecological exam – recommended as part of an annual well-woman screening
4) Testing for iodine status in either urine or serum (creatinine levels should be obtained from the same sample to ensure that the adjusted value can be calculated) – a medical doctor or other health professional may run this if appropriate
5) Supplementation with Lugol’s iodine – working with an appropriately qualified and experienced health professional is advised, as over-supplementing with iodine can have adverse effects and may be contraindicated in some thyroid conditions
6) Continue to reduce exposure to EDC’s – I have my own extensive list and alternatives that I am gradually working through, but the main ones highlighted by the Environmental Working Group are a good place to start https://www.ewg.org/research/dirty-dozen-list-endocrine-disruptors
7) A combination of daily detox practices and a more focused/intensive protocol – to be covered on this blog in bite-sized chunks
References:
1. https://www.who.int/cancer/detection/breastcancer/en/index1.html [accessed 09/07/19]
2. https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2014-06/iodine-and-cancer [accessed 09/07/19]