Tag: book

About Breast Cancer

A June 2025 update discusses research linking obesity to increased breast cancer severity due to changes in breast fat tissue. There’s no evidence of dietary soy increasing breast cancer risk. A Mediterranean diet may lower incidence rates, while smoking raises the risk. Dr. Eliza Port’s guidebook offers valuable insights for patients.

This information is current as of the date of original publication or update. It may have changed by the time you read this. I invite you to fact-check what you read here.

Please do not use this information for diagnosis or treatment purposes. Before making health decisions, discuss with your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.

Update June 12, 2025

I suggest you review this updated post about breast cancer.

Observing Breast Cancer Awareness

In October, awareness of breast cancer is highlighted. This common cancer affects both women and men, with various types identified. Risk factors include age, genetics, and lifestyle. Early detection and preventive measures can significantly improve outcomes, emphasizing the need for education and support during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Keep reading
Aletha Cress Oglesby, M.D.'s avatar by Aletha Cress Oglesby, M.D.
From the original post-November 2015

Researchers at Cornell University see a potential link between obesity and breast cancer. Obesity may change the adipose (fat) tissue in the breast making it more susceptible to malignant (cancerous) changes. This may explain why breast cancer is sometimes more severe in patients who are also obese.

Body mass index chart
A BMI OF 30 or more represents obesity. BMI Chart created by Vertex42.com. Used with permission.

Because soy has similar effects to estrogen, there was concern that it might predispose women to breast cancer. but in a review of 7 medical studies, there was no association between dietary soy and breast cancer. Women who had previously had breast cancer has less risk of recurrence and lower mortality.

A 6 year study of 4000 women found a lower incidence of breast cancer in women who ate a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts, as compared to a group following a “low fat” diet. (However, only 35 cancers occurred during this time, so the numbers are not significant enough to draw definite conclusions.)

bottle of olive oil
The Mediterranean diet provides many health benefits.

The Canadian National Breast Screening Study of almost 90,000 women found that smoking, especially long term smoking prior to a first pregnancy, increased the risk for breast cancer. 

no smoking sign
Smoking adversely affects health in many ways.
The New Generation Breast Cancer Book
This is an affiliate link.

Dr. Eliza Port, a breast surgeon at The Mount Sinai Hospital has written this guidebook on breast cancer which shows patients

“How to Navigate Your Diagnosis and Treatment Options-and Remain Optimistic-in an Age of Information Overload “

In The New Generation Breast Cancer Book , Dr. Port “describes every possible test and every type of doctor visit, providing a comprehensive, empathetic guide that every newly diagnosed woman (and her family) will want to have at her side.”

Exploring the HEART of Health

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Dr. Aletha

Having a baby A to Z for mom and dad- some books to consider

In a previous post I shared  books about pregnancy and childbirth aimed at women. Now I offer one that addresses the challenges of fatherhood,

 

In a previous post I shared  books about pregnancy and childbirth aimed at women. Now I offer one that addresses the challenges of fatherhood, appropriately called The Expectant Father. If that’s you, congratulations; maybe this book will answer questions or confirm what you already know.

 

If you know someone else who is expecting, consider this as a gift.  I’m including the links to the previous books. Happy reading.

 

The links are affiliates from which this blog can earn a commission; thank you for using.

     The Expectant Father                                                   The Expectant Father 

By Armin Brott and Jennifer Ash 

 

“This information-packed, month-by-month guide incorporates the expertise of top practitioners in their fields, from obstetricians and birth-class instructors to psychologists and sociologists. It also draws from Brott’s own experience as a father of three and from the real-world experiences of the thousands of dads he’s interviewed.

With the humor of New Yorker cartoons and Brott’s gentle approach, The Expectant Father serves as a friendly and readable companion for dads-to-be seeking confidence, guidance, and joy!”

 

 

Taking Charge of your Fertility

The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health

by Toni Weschler

Taking Charge of your Fertility
 

This new edition for the twentieth anniversary of the groundbreaking national bestseller provides all the information you need to monitor your menstrual cycle–along with updated information on the latest reproductive technologies.

Are you unhappy with your current method of birth control? Or demoralized by your quest to have a baby? Do you experience confusing signs and symptoms at various times in your cycle?

This invaluable resource provides the answers to your questions while giving you amazing insights into your body. Taking Charge of Your Fertility has helped literally hundreds of thousands of women avoid pregnancy naturally, maximize their chances of getting pregnant, or simply gain better control of their gynecological and sexual health.

Toni Weschler thoroughly explains the empowering Fertility Awareness Method (FAM), which in only a couple of minutes a day allows you to:

Enjoy highly effective and scientifically proven birth control without chemicals or devices

Maximize your chances of conception before you see a doctor or resort to invasive high-tech options

Expedite your fertility treatment by quickly identifying impediments to pregnancy achievement

Gain control and a true understanding of your gynecological and sexual health

 

Common Sense Pregnancy

Navigating A Healthy Pregnancy & Birth for Mother & Baby

by Jeanne Faulkner

 
Common Sense Pregnancy
 

“JEANNE FAULKNER has worked in women’s health for 30 years, first in doctor’s offices, free clinics, and classrooms and then as a registered nurse, specializing in obstetrics, labor and delivery, and neonatal care. She began her career as a journalist in 2002 and currently writes the weekly column Ask the Labor Nurse for FitPregnancy.com.

She contributes articles about health, medicine, food, parenting, travel, and lifestyle issues to such publications as Fit Pregnancy, Pregnancy, Shape, Better Homes & Gardens, and the Huffington Post and Oregonian newspapers. She’s also the senior writer/editor for Every Mother Counts, a global maternal health advocacy organization founded by Christy Turlington Burns”–

 

Free Babsy Board Books!

Dr. Aletha