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FREE OR LOW -COST
M A M M O G R A M S
Each October, as part of
Breast Cancer Awareness
Month, facilities around the
country provide low-cost or
free mammograms to help
women prevent and detect
the disease. Here are some
places to start:
■ Call the Am erican Cancer
Society at 800/227-2345 to
find where you can get one
free of charge.
■ Contact the Susan G.
Kom en for the Cure's
Breast Care Helpline at
800/462-9273.
■ Phone your local Y W C A .
■ Call your county’s public
health department, which
is usually listed in the
telephone book’s blue
government pages.
T h e F o r t ie s
WHAT’S GOING ON W ith pregnancy and breastfeeding
mostly a memory, breasts may be on a downward
trajectory. That’s normal, if umvelcome. Although your
likelihood of developing breast cancer is still relatively
low', your risk starts to rise significantly after age 40.
That’s w'hy 40 is the age to start annual mammograms.
WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR If your quality of life is suffering
due to menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, discuss
solutions w ith your doctor. Only consider hormone
replacement therapy if other methods don’t work,
because the therapy increases breast cancer risk by five
to six percent for each year of use.
HEALTHY TIPS
■ Go digital. According to the National Cancer Institute,
digital mammograms pick up more cases of cancer in
women w'ho arc premenopausal, pcrimcnopausal, have
dense breasts, or are younger than 50.
■ Not insured for annual mammograms? Sec “Free or
Low -Cost Mammograms,”
a b o ve
, for advice. Never skip a
mammogram because you’re uninsured. “Cancers grow' at
varying rates; some w'ill grow' very rapidly even in the
course of six months,” says Dr. Constance Lehm an, a
professor and vice chair of radiology at Th e University
of Washington in Seattle.
■ Take calcium and vitam in D. Consum ing more of both
reduces risks of premenopausal breast cancer. Strive for
800 IU of vitamin D and 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily.
■ Exercise can’t change the size of your breasts but it can
change their appearance. ‘W h e n you strengthen the
musculature beneath your breasts you’ll notice a nice lift
and firmness,” says fitness trainer Archer. Chest exercises
like pushups and bench presses work best on these muscles.
T h e F if t ie s
WHAT’S GOING ON It’s normal to lose some tone
and firmness in your 50s (which actually makes
mammograms easier to read). Let your doctor know'
if you’re still taking H R T or birth control pills, w'hich
can cause your breasts to become denser.
WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR Close to 80 percent of women
diagnosed with breast cancer are 50 or older, so this
begins an era of extra vigilance. Any change, even a
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OCTOBER 2008 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
