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Huron Expositor, 2005-10-19, Page 2Page 2 October 19, 2005 • The Huron Expositor 12 Southwestern Ontario Hospital Foundations Join us October 22^d 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. at the Seaforth Legion �,,, 4'CKNX Heath Cave Heroes Rogiothan Be a Seaforth Heath Care Hero in our community . October 22, 9 a.m. • 6 p.m. Call 519.357.1310 or .1.877.227.3486 or join us at the Seaforth Legion Help celebnatte our Radiothon with Lucy Peacock (9 -11 a.m.) together with a variety of local talent and wheaten* threnghout- the - FOUNDATIONS: Chesley Clinton Durham Godetich Hanover Kinaudine listowd Mount Forest Pabnerston Seaforth . Waterton Walgham Be a Health Care Hero October 22" Please "Aire front the Heart" for the heart of our community News Women can promote breast health Well -fitting bra, healthy diet can help prevent breast cancer, says naturopath Cheryl Heath UMMENEMOD How about a bowl of raw broccoli and a flaxseed muffin? Sound tasty? Perhaps not, but the above combo ." makes the top five list of keys to breast health according to Andrea Gingerich, a Seaforth-based naturo- pathic doctor, who came out to the White Carnation hall in Holmesville last week as the guest speaker for the Huron Women In • Networking's fall event. • Considering October is breast cancer awareness month, Gingerich says it makes sense that area women do what they can to ensure optimum breast health. And, says Gingerich, there are five easy steps to follow. The first step, she says, is for women to find a brassiere that fits and to only wear it when necessary. She notes that, contrary to popu- lar belief; most women are a size D cup or larger and the majority of them do not wear bras that proper- ly fit, resulting in blocked circula- tion. "Go out with your girlfriend and get measured," encourages Gingerich. "It's a hoot." Gingerich also cites statistics that suggest a woman's chance of con- tracting breast cancer is increased 21 times if she wears a bra 12 hours a day. That number increases to 113 times for a woman who wears one 24 hours a day. "The girls really deserve to, bounce a bit," says Gingerich, adding that dry skin brushing with anything from a loofa sponge to a• skin brush is also an important part of this step. Daily skin brushing improves cir- culation and helps the body to detoxify. Another suggestion is to take reg- ular contrast showers wherein bathers crank up the heat as far as they can stand it to get blood flow- ing and then bring it down as cold as is tolerable before getting out of the shower. "It really gets the blood flowing iin the morning," says Gingerich, adding that afterwards, a coffee is not necessary. Next on the list is regular saunas in order to detoxify. She notes the women of Finland — the most sauna friendly place in the world — have markedly lower breast cancer cases than the women Dr. Andrea G(ngerich in neighbouring countries with sim- ilar diets and cultures. _ Increasing melatonin is No. 3 on the list for optimum breast health, says Gingerich. Melatonin, which regulates sleep/wake cycles, is known to be a notably cancer unfriendly chemical. In order to encourage melatonin production, Gingerich urges women to sleep in rooms that are as dark as possible, with at least three feet of distance from electrical appliances. She says regular breathing exer- cises also help with its production. No. 2 on the list is to consume raw broccoli,kale, turnip greens and other members of the cabbage fami- ly on a regular basis. Though many women dislike the taste, the benefits make it worth- while, says Gingerich. For example, says Gingerich, so;,.. called winter vegetables help change the one form of powerful estrogen into another form that is healthier. Gingerich says studies back up the potency of the vegetables. And, the No. 1 thing women can do for breast health? Eat brown flaxseeds. "They are so good for so many dif- ferent things," she says, noting they are high in fibre but are also known to bind toxins and flush them out. Plus, she says, brown flaxseeds carry Omega 3 fats, help control blood pressure and decrease choles- terol levels. Brown flaxseed, which can be purchased at many area grocery -stores, must be ground up before being consumed to be properly absorbed.