Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Worried About the Side Effects of the Pill? You Should Be.

The use of oral contraceptives invites a host of side effects, but perhaps breast cancer was not one of the highlighted risks mentioned by your doctor. Scientists have connected the use of birth control pills to a higher risk for breast cancer for many years. An association between estrogen and increased risk of breast cancer has led to a continuing debate about the role birth control pills play in developing breast cancer. Research suggests that some cancers depend on naturally occurring sex hormones for their development and growth, so logic would say that more hormones are not a good idea. The NCI openly acknowledges the hormonal connection between birth control pills and HRT and cancer. However, the real question is why are they not talking about the fact that both oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy are known to be carcinogenic, and are known to cause cancer in humans?

On Sunday, I had the pleasure of meeting with Kathleen Ruddy, breast cancer surgeon and Founder of the Breast Health & Healing Foundation. Kathleen shared with me her knowledge regarding the connection between BCP’s and cancer.

The following is a summary of our discussion on this topic:

In 2005, after reviewing the world’s literature on oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy, the IARC, a branch of the WHO, declared both to be Group I Carcinogens, known to cause cancer in humans. Specifically, birth control pills cause breast cancer, especially when they are used prior to a woman’s first full-term pregnancy (as they most often are) – in which case, they increase the risk of premenopausal breast cancer by more than 40%. Every day, an estimated 100 million women use the pill, excreting (via urine) into our shared environment 30% that is still biologically active. This is equivalent to just dumping 30 millions pills into the water supply every day. Therefore, the users of the pills are at increased risk from carcinogens, but so are the rest of us.

To read a summary of the IARC report, with reference to the full 200+ page document, please go to this link: http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/02/the_pill_and_breast_cancer.html

Read more:
http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2005/pr167.html

Elyn Jacobs
elyn@elynjacobs.com
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The Breast Health and Healing Foundation is the only non-profit organization whose specific mission is to discover the causes of breast cancer.
Elyn Jacobs is President of Elyn Jacobs Consulting, Inc. and a breast cancer survivor. She helps women diagnosed with cancer to navigate the process of treatment and care, and she educates about how to prevent recurrence and new cancers. She is passionate about helping others get past their cancer and into a cancer-free life.

2 comments:

  1. My wife Robin was on the pill for decades - not for birth control - but to reduce pain from internal scarring after her tubes were tied!!!

    9 years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It is clear that there is such a link between estrogen and cancer.

    I think there were other factors such as a toxic mother - but the research is in too much estrogen is a big risk.

    We have changed our lives to mitigate the risks. Obviously no pills but also no carbs or sugar - again a strong link - cancer cells love the easy ride that sugar gives them and obesity is linked back too and also promotes higher estrogen. Robin weighs less than her marriage weight (37 years ago) and has lost all her tummy fat and cellulite.

    She cannot exercise much as the chemo has wrecked her knees (cartilage) so the paleo diet has been very helpful. As the weight comes off without having to do much. We do walk a lot and garden. The dog helps.

    We get to bed early and rise naturally - sleep helps and we are self employed - we worry about money sometimes but don't have a boss - also helpful.

    She is not sure what she will do if she is re-diagnosed. The treatment nearly killed her and has taken all of the 9 years to recover from.

    So we do the most we can not to get sick again.

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  2. Hi, yes, a toxic mother will only add to the problem. I am very glad you are embracing life and health. My earlier blogs talk about prevention, although it sounds like you are right on top of the subject. Chemo is very destructive to the body. Many find Alternative cancer methods to be quite effective; however, let's just hope it never comes to that...sounds like you have the right prescription for health-- changing the pro-cancer environment to one less friendly. I wish you both good health..and very nice to meet you!

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