Tag Archive: Breast Health

1. The Link Between Breast Cancer and Iodine Deficiency

   October 30, 2024 4:19 pm Leave a Comment

   

   Every cell in your body requires iodine to keep it functioning properly.

   Iodine is one of the most important minerals for healthy cellular and metabolic function.

   This essential mineral is required throughout the body, especially in the thyroid gland, but also in breast, ovary, uterus, and prostate tissue.

   After researchers discovered that iodine deficiency caused goiters, iodine was added to table salt.

   Today, that often isn’t enough.

   Crops are grown in iodine-depleted soil, iodine is no longer used in commercial baked goods, and studies show that dietary iodine levels have fallen by as much as 50%.

   At the same time, our intake of iodine competitors like chlorine, fluoride, and bromide has all increased.

   These toxic compounds lower the activity of iodine in the body by blocking iodine receptor sites, and all three are found commonly in both foods and the environment.

   Chlorine is now widely used for water purification, fluoride is almost universally found in toothpaste and drinking water, and bromide replaced iodine in commercial baked goods and is common in soft drinks.

   As a result, many experts believe that iodine support can be the missing intervention for optimal health.

   Systems especially reliant on optimal levels of iodine are immune, breast, ovaries, prostate, brain, and perhaps the best known, the thyroid.

   Dr. David Brownstein, the iodine guru, clearly lays out what we would expect to find in iodine-deficient individuals.

   When iodine is deficient, nodules form in key organs leading to pre-cancerous conditions and then eventually to full-blown cancer.

   He says, “Iodine’s main job is to maintain the normal architecture of those tissues. With iodine deficiency, the first thing that happens is you get cystic formation in the breasts, the ovaries, uterus, thyroid, prostate, and let’s throw in the pancreas in here as well, which is also increasing at epidemic rates – pancreatic cancer. Cysts start to form when iodine deficiency is there. If it goes on longer, they become nodular and hard. If it goes on longer, they become hyperplastic tissue, which is the precursor to cancer.”

   I say that’s the iodine deficiency continuum.

   Brownstein continues, “The good thing about iodine is, iodine has apoptotic properties, meaning it can stop a cancer cell from just continually dividing, dividing, dividing until it kills somebody. Iodine can stop this continuum wherever it catches it and hopefully reverse it, but at least put the brakes on what is happening.”

    

   The Emerging Role of Iodine in Breast Health | Iodine – The Great Detoxifier

   Iodine is a breast protector, and it promotes detoxification, lymph flow, and offers protection to the receptor sites.

   But when iodine is deficient, estrogen can become imbalanced and dysfunctional.

   A common link between fibrocystic breast and breast cancer is insufficient iodine and halide toxicity.

   We are seeing an increase in uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, infertility, thyroid nodules, pancreatic cancer, and prostate cancer from iodine deficiency.

   The good news is iodine turns on estriol, which is the positive estrogen that protects against estrogenic cancers.

   As Dr. David Brownstein explained, iodine turns on natural cancer cell death, also known as apoptosis. Think of it as a kind of Pac-Man that eats up renegade cancer cells.

   However, there are three forms of iodine that are the best.

   For instance, the thyroid gland absorbs potassium iodide best, while breast tissue can better utilize molecular iodine.

   Additionally, there is evidence that using sodium iodide enhances absorption of other forms of iodine.

   Just remember that potassium iodide and sodium iodide are used for hormone balance and immune health, whereas molecular iodine is used for breast, prostate, colon, and cellular health.

   And in my 13 years of working with breast health, I have seen remarkable changes in women’s breasts that were lumpy, cystic, and painful, and seen a reduction in lumps and cysts when women have used iodine as part of their daily supplementation.

   In addition, Lugol’s Liquid Iodine 2% can also be used topically for lumps, cysts, and tender breasts, but it’s best to mix it with a carrier oil.

   Castor oil also has many positive healing benefits, so you can mix the two, if you’d like.

   At this point, you might be wondering, what are some iodine-rich foods?

   For the vegetarians, dried prunes, white potatoes, navy beans, seaweed, and cranberries are a few that provide good sources of iodine.

   Seafood, like canned tuna and salmon, and shellfish, are also great sources of iodine, along with boiled eggs, yogurt, certain types of cheese, and turkey breast.

   However, you should be mindful of the source of the seafood, due to heavy metals.

   Himalayan salt also contains a small amount of natural iodine, but it usually has less iodine than iodized salt, and most sea salt does not contain enough iodine to meet your daily needs.

   For more information on iodine and breast health protocols, please contact me, or send an email to info@patricialuccardi.com.

   And if you want to learn more about the importance of iodine, you should check out Dr. Brownstein’s book, Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It.

   Here’s to happy and healthy breasts!
   Patricia

    

   Offering Breast, Upper Body, and Full Body Exams

   Contact me to book your thermography appointment today.

2. Exploring How to Have Healthy Breasts with Valeria T. Koopman

   March 7, 2024 12:20 pm Leave a Comment

   

   A few weeks ago, I sat down with author and host of the A Quest for Well-Being podcast, Valeria T. Koopman, to talk about what you can do to ensure you have healthy breasts.

   We had an amazing conversation, which covered many aspects of breast health, including:

   • Your relationship with your breasts
   • The benefits of breast thermography
   • The harmful effects of environmental estrogens
   • How your oral health can affect your breast health
   • Nutrition and supplementation for healthy breasts

   So, if you’re looking to learn more about what you can do to have healthy breasts, including how radiation-free thermography can help you detect potential breast health issues as early as possible, then this is a video you cannot afford to miss.

   
   

   
   
    

   And if you’re interested in learning more about thermography, and how to have healthy breasts, you should read my book, Thermography and the Fibrocystic and Dense Breast.

   Yours in radiant health!
   Patricia

3. Can Vitamin D Prevent Breast Cancer?

   February 20, 2024 5:44 am Leave a Comment

   

   With summer not too far away, you may think your vitamin D will soon be back to optimal levels.

   But if that’s what you think, you can think again.

   Functional medicine guru Dr. Mark Hyman says, “Unless you live 20 minutes south of Atlanta, and you are outside totally naked for 15 minutes a day in the sun, you need vitamin D.”

   African Americans and other dark-skinned people, along with those living in northern latitudes, make significantly less vitamin D than other groups. The darker your skin is, the less likely it is you will produce adequate vitamin D levels from sun exposure alone.

   That being said, it is important to get vitamin D3 through diet, sunlight, or supplements every day.

   This is because when vitamin D is sent directly to the body’s tissues it is only active for 24 hours. So, to boost our immune system and ward off cancer we need new input every day.

   Vitamin D impacts our bones, regulates calcium and strengthens our immune system. What’s more, researchers have found that vitamin D directly affects the cells in the breast.

   Vitamin D influences virtually every cell in your body and is one of nature’s most potent cancer fighters.

   Inside almost every cell in the body is a vitamin D receptor (VDR). A VDR is a protein that controls the expression of genes. The vitamin D in our blood enters breast cells, binds to the VDRs, and triggers positive change. Vitamin D is also able to enter cancer cells and trigger natural cell death, preventing, slowing, or even stopping cancer growth.

   There have been many studies on vitamin D and breast cancer that demonstrate a 50-80% lower risk of breast cancer diagnosis for women with serum levels of >40 ng/ml versus levels of 25 ng/ml or lower.

   According to Dr. Cedric F. Garland, a professor of family and preventive medicine, “As long as vitamin D receptors are present, tumor growth is prevented and kept from expanding its blood supply. Vitamin D receptors are not lost until a tumor is very advanced. This is the reason for better survival in patients whose vitamin D blood levels are high.”

   Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington D.C. discovered a connection between high vitamin D intake and a reduced risk of breast cancer.

   These findings, which were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research, revealed that increased dosage of the sunshine vitamin was linked to a 75% reduction in overall cancer growth and a 50% reduction in tumor cases among those already having the disease.

   Vitamin D supplementation helped control the development and growth of breast cancer, especially with estrogen-sensitive breast cancer.

   Rochester Medical Center examined vitamin D levels in 155 breast cancer patients in the months before and after surgery. They found suboptimal levels to be highly predictive of the biological markers associated with more aggressive tumors.

   The average level in patients with breast cancer in the United States is 17 ng/ml.

   At any rate, having an optimal vitamin D serum level helps to prevent a wide variety of diseases and other health issues. Vitamin D levels need to be between 50 and 70 ng/ml year round. According to recent findings from the D*action study, adults need about 8,000 IUs of D3 per day to get serum levels above 40 ng/ml.

   If you take high doses of oral vitamin D3 supplements, you may also need to increase your vitamin K2 intake, as vitamin D increases the need for K2 so your body can absorb calcium.

   There is new evidence that vitamin K2 directs the calcium to your skeleton, while preventing it from being deposited where you don’t want it.

   The tricky thing about vitamin D deficiency is that there aren’t any symptoms until you are really depleted. Only a blood test can check vitamin D levels.

   Insurance pays for D testing. But if you’re without insurance, there are independent labs online that will do the test.

   Conventional health experts tell us that a level of 20 ng/ml to 50 ng/ml is considered adequate for healthy people and anything below 12 ng/ml is a deficiency.

   But the truth is those are reckless, risky numbers. Optimal ranges are 50-70 ng/ml. Again, it is best to monitor your Vitamin D levels through a blood test.

   When in doubt, always choose optimal over normal or adequate.

   In any case, whenever you can, try to get out and enjoy the sun, and if you use sunscreen, make sure it’s natural.

   You should also make a point of doing regular breast cancer screening via thermography and/or ultrasound and don’t forget to take your vitamin D!

   Offering Breast, Upper Body and Full Body Exams

   Contact me to book your thermography appointment today.

4. The Bra Breast Cancer Link

   December 11, 2023 5:01 pm Leave a Comment

   

   As a thermographer, I have imaged thousands of women, and one of the most common things I find is lymphatic backup, which can be caused by wearing a bra.

   Every time I see this, it provides a poignant reminder of the fact that wearing a bra can put your breasts at risk of breast disease and even breast cancer.

   It’s these kinds of findings that make me even more grateful for the research of experts like Sydney Ross Singer.

   Singer is a medical anthropologist who has studied the negative impact bras have had on our breasts, and he’s also co-author of Dressed To Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras.

   His findings are crucial for women who want to take control of their breast health, and he was nice enough to let me publish another one of his articles, which you can read below:

    

   Have you or someone you know been harmed by wearing bras?

   If so, then you could become a co-plaintiff in a future class action lawsuit against the bra and cancer industries.

   Product liability applies to garments, as well as other consumer products, and bras are known to cause health problems, including everything from headaches and back pain to nerve compression and tingling in the hands.

   Bras have been shown to affect digestion, breathing, and even menstruation since they also interfere with the sympathetic nervous system.

   Bras can also constrict the lymphatic system, which is the circulatory pathway of the immune system.

   This causes reduced lymph and blood circulation, toxin accumulation, and reduced immune function, which can lead to breast pain, cysts, and even cancer.

   The degree of damage that a bra can cause depends on the bra’s material, its toxic chemical content, how tightly it’s worn, the length of time it’s worn daily, and the number of years it has been worn.

   According to the 1991-93 US Bra and Breast Cancer Study, documented in Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras, bra-free women have about the same risk of breast cancer as men, and the tighter and longer a bra is worn the higher the risk rises, to over 100 times higher for a 24/7 bra user compared to a bra-free woman.

   Since that groundbreaking study, numerous other studies worldwide have confirmed a bra-cancer link.

    

   The Lymph Connection

   

   The lymphatic system consists of microscopic vessels that originate in the tissue space and lead to larger, but still tiny vessels that ultimately enter a lymph node. These nodes are bean-sized filters lined by white blood cells. This is the front line of the immune system.

   Most of a breast’s lymph nodes are in the armpit. If the nodes detect a virus, cancer cell, or other foreign or hazardous substance in the tissue fluid, they begin an immune response by producing white blood cells to combat the problem.

   Once through the lymph node, the fluid works its way through larger lymphatic vessels back to the heart and the bloodstream.

   One important fact about the lymphatic system is that it is a passive drainage system. While the bloodstream delivers fluid under the pumping pressure of the heart, the lymphatic system has no pressure. Its flow is influenced by gravity, breathing, exercise, movement, and massage, and it is kept moving toward the lymph nodes by one-way valves.

   The slightest constriction or compression of the tissue can close down the tiny lymphatic vessels, inhibiting lymph flow and leading to fluid accumulation, cysts, pain, and tenderness.

   This fluid congestion within the tissue is called lymphedema.

    

   Bras + Toxins = Cancer

   

   The toxins that are within the breast tissue include some biochemical products of tissue edema, such as free radicals, which are known to cause cancer.

   In addition, there are toxins in our air, food, and water, including pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, plastics, and other products of our petrochemically polluted world. Many of these are known to cause cancer, and we deliver these toxins to all our tissues each day through the bloodstream.

   It is the job of the lymphatic system to remove these toxins, but bras can inhibit this process by compressing and constricting the breasts.

   This is how bras cause breast cancer.

   Cancer-causing toxins are delivered to the breast tissue by the bloodstream and are kept there by the bra. The toxins are the bullets, and the bra holds them in place, pointed directly at the breasts.

   In addition, cancer cells that spontaneously develop in germ cells of the breast tissue cannot be properly removed from the breasts when the lymphatics are impaired. This means the body cannot effectively kill these seeds of cancer, allowing cancers to develop.

   The breasts are the most clothing-constricted of any organ, and this explains why women have more cancer in the breast than anywhere else in their bodies.

   It also explains why women have more breast cancer than men, and why breast cancer is only a problem in cultures in which bras are worn.

   Where there are no bras, there is virtually no breast cancer.

    

   If you feel you have been harmed by wearing a bra, please reach out to Sydney Ross Singer at sydsinger@gmail.com.

    

5. If Your Breasts Could Talk

   October 25, 2023 3:43 pm Leave a Comment

   

   When you get home, after you take off your shoes, what’s the next thing you take off? Probably your bra.

   But if society didn’t dictate wearing a bra, would you? Are you at a loss to find a comfortable bra? And if your breasts could talk, what do you think they would say?

   I had the good fortune to be in dialog with Sydney Ross Singer, medical anthropologist, and co-author of Dressed To Kill: The Link between Breast Cancer and Bras.

   He has studied the health impact of wearing bras around the world. Please enjoy this article, which he has given me permission to share:

   Of all the body parts, the breasts would probably have the most to say, if they only could. But even if breasts could talk, would women listen?

   In modern Western culture, breasts have taken on more than their biological role as mammary glands to feed babies. Breasts are cultural icons, sexualized and fetishized through the use of a special garment constructed to alter the shape and position of the breasts on the chest wall, to limit breast movement, and to hide the nipples. The garment, of course, is the brassiere, or bra.

    

   How Do the Breasts Feel in a Bra?

   Are they comfortable being compressed, constricted, and reshaped? When a bra leaves marks on the skin, it is from compression. This interferes with circulation in the breasts of blood and lymph. The result is pain, cysts, and ultimately, breast cancer.

   

   This woman has not been wearing a bra for 15 minutes prior to her thermography exam. The red in her upper torso is lymphatic backup.

   Of course, most women are introduced to bra usage when they reach puberty, as a rite of passage into womanhood and a future of needing to manage their breast appearance.

   The “training bra” breaks the girls in, as they get used to the discomfort of having a tight band around the chest. After that, girls don’t think about the discomfort so much, or at least they learn to subordinate their breast discomfort to the mandates of fashion and society.

   In other words, girls become desensitized to the feeling of their breasts through the use of bras. The chronic constriction of daily bra usage, however, does take a toll on breast health, leading to lymphatic stagnation, or lymph-stasis, with associated tissue toxification and eventual deterioration.

   You can’t have healthy breasts if you have poor circulation from wearing tight bras daily. Circulate or deteriorate. The choice is each woman’s, although the fashion industry would like to make that choice for all women, turning breasts into fashion accessories.

   Meanwhile, the breasts are crying for help, but are told to just shut up and put up with it.

    

   Culture Has Usurped the Breasts for Fashion

   Women are culturally compelled to wear bras to be socially accepted.

   A fetish garment for the breasts that serves no biological purpose, and can also cause harm, is the standard of dress for women, even for professional women whose work has no relevance to a breast fetish.

   The cultural programming needed to achieve this remarkable commitment to breast obsession has resulted in a cultural blind spot to the hazards of wearing tight bras.

   As a result, the bra has become the leading cause of breast disease. Circulation of blood and lymph is essential for health, and any tight garment interferes with circulation. Women wear bras daily, often for 12 or more hours and sometimes 24/7. Over time, the constriction takes its toll.

   And since bra use is universal throughout the culture, it’s hard to find bra-free women with whom to compare breast health with those who use bras. In order to see the problems caused by wearing bras, you need to have a comparison with bra-free breasts.

    

   How Can You Tell if a Bra Is Causing Harm?

   Bras are known to cause health problems, from headaches and back pain to nerve compression and tingling in the hands.

   Bras have been shown to affect digestion, breathing, and even menstruation since bras also interfere with the sympathetic nervous system.

   Bras constrict the lymphatic system, which is the circulatory pathway of the immune system. This causes reduced lymph and blood circulation, toxin accumulation, and reduced immune function, which leads to breast pain, cysts, and cancer.

   The degree of damage from bras depends on the bra material and its toxic chemical content, its tightness, the length of time it is worn daily, and the number of years it has been worn.

   Stop wearing a bra and see how it makes you feel. If bras have been harming you in some way, you will feel better when you stop wearing them.

   If you feel you have been harmed by wearing a bra, please reach out to Sydney Ross Singer at sydsinger@gmail.com.

    

   According to the 1991-93 US Bra and Breast Cancer Study, documented in Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras, bra-free women have about the same risk of breast cancer as men, while the tighter and longer the bra is worn the higher the risk rises, to over 100 times higher for a 24/7 bra user compared to a bra-free woman. Since that groundbreaking study, numerous other studies worldwide have confirmed a bra-cancer link.

   Bras are also used as medical devices, worn tightly to stop lactation. And while a tight bra can cause breast lymphedema, bras are also used as a compression garment to manage lymphedema. Clearly, bras have an impact on breast function and circulation.

   Despite the fact that bras affect the health of the breasts, bras are sold without any wearing instructions or warning labels. While manufacturers provide sizing charts, these do not mention the problems with wearing ill-fitting bras. In addition, many styles of bras are constrictive and tight by design, such as push-up and strapless bras, even if worn at the recommended size. There is also no mention of the maximum recommended wearing time for these garments.

   Some bra manufacturers have responded to the consumer demand for more comfortable and healthy clothing, developing less toxic materials and more comfortable, less constrictive designs.

   However, the lingerie industry may still be found liable for the harm caused by its products, and bras may eventually be required to have instructions about tightness and limiting the time that they’re worn.

6. Breast Massage: Taking Matters into Your Own Hands

   March 7, 2023 3:38 pm Leave a Comment

   

   The complicated issues women often face with their breasts, from oversexualized belief systems and femininity to the range of emotions they face following breast surgeries like biopsies, lumpectomies, and mastectomies, remind us of the need to address this vital organ in a healthy and comfortable way.

   Luckily, breast massage can help you to do this, and by instituting breast massage as a regular health practice, you can prioritize preventative breast care and encourage a healthy and open connection to your breasts – free of shame, innuendo, or societal taboos.

   At any rate, breast massage is an incredibly useful tool for maintaining the health of your breasts.

   According to the Texas Institute of Functional Medicine, breast massage is the act of slowly kneading and stroking the breasts, using varying amounts of mild to moderate pressure through gentle lifting and compressive movements.

   With that said, you can perform a breast massage on yourself or with the help of your partner.

   Its primary purpose is to rid your body of the harmful toxins that interfere with your health; however, there are many cosmetic and therapeutic breast massage benefits, as well.

   For example, breast massage can help you to maintain the shape of your breasts and make your breasts firmer and less likely to sag, with the result being a more attractive bust line.

   According to Ayurvedic wisdom, the practice of breast massage aligns with centuries-old healing practices, which teach that in order to maintain a state of balance, the whole person must be addressed, and that includes the breasts.

   Unfortunately, in many healing practices, the breast area is often overlooked. Breast massage addresses this gap in treatment to meet the needs of all women – healthy women, women who have been diagnosed with or are survivors of breast cancer, women who have fibrocystic breasts, and women who are recovering from breast augmentation, reduction, or cardiac abnormalities.

    

   Preventative Benefits of Breast Massage

   As nice as it is to have a healthy, attractive bust line, there are much more serious issues to consider, aside from how your breasts look and feel.

   That being said, it’s important that you familiarize yourself with the shape and feel of your breasts in order to detect any abnormalities. Early detection could be the key to saving your life.

   With breast cancer still being one of the most common cancers among women in the United States, it is crucial that you do not neglect this important aspect of your health.

   Fortunately, regular breast massage, coupled with monthly self-examinations, is a good way to check your breasts for changes or irregularities.

   Couple this with yearly thermography, an ultrasound, and a healthy lifestyle, and you will be promoting healthy breasts.

    

   Health Benefits of Breast Massage

   As you can see, there are many health benefits associated with massaging your breasts.

   Breast massage is a way to nourish and maintain healthy breast tissue and musculature before potential issues arise, and to heal physically, emotionally, and spiritually after a life-changing disease, such as breast cancer.

   Most breasts are confined to a bra all day, but releasing its constrictive nature around the lymph nodes on the outer quadrants of the breasts can give your breasts a chance to breathe and let the lymph flow.

   Massaging your breasts also stimulates circulation, which is necessary for keeping your breast tissue healthy.

   Moreover, massage helps break up benign cysts in breast tissue (cysts are rampant in breasts these days and are one of the leading reasons for biopsies), relieves tension in the muscle tissue of the chest, and builds resilience in the ligaments.

   Breast massage is also a good healing technique for aching breasts, and because it employs a soft, gentle touch, breast massage can be quite therapeutic. Simply rubbing an area can have a demonstrable analgesic effect.

   Among other things, breast massage eases soreness in the tissues, reduces pain and swelling in the breasts, relaxes tightness or tension in the ligaments, and it’s particularly useful in soothing the pain associated with breast scarring.

   According to the Texas Institute of Functional Medicine, breast massage is a reliable means of flushing out toxins from the body through the lymphatic system.

   Because toxins impede healthy circulation in the breasts, toxic buildup could account for an increased chance of developing cancer. But breast massage stimulates drainage of the breasts and the lymphatic system, which helps to eliminate harmful waste products and encourages nutrient-rich blood to travel to the breast tissue.

    

   How to Massage Your Breasts

   

   Sit in front of a mirror and cup your breast from underneath while you massage with the other hand, working in gentle but firm strokes from the outer breast to the nipple.

   Make your thumb and middle fingers into a “V” shape and press from the outside edges to the center, systematically massaging the entire breast.

   Lift your arm up toward the ceiling and take the opposite hand to the outer chest where it connects to the arm. Massage the lymphatic area of the upper chest and inner armpit with gentle strokes. Then massage under the neck and on the sides of the throat up to the base of the ear.

   Try spending five to ten minutes just gently stroking.

   There are also many essential oils and creams that support lymphatic flow and are beneficial for lumpy and dense breasts.

   The citrus family of essential oils is notable for its lymphatic effects. These essential oils include sweet orange, lemon, tangerine, and grapefruit, and are popularly thought of as cleansing.

   By stimulating the lymphatic system, these oils can help to relieve stagnancy and help the lymph to move.

   Additionally, citrus oils are known to have diuretic properties, which can further assist the body in ridding itself of lymphatic waste via the urinary tract.

   But if you’re going to use these essential oils, make sure to always mix them with a carrier oil. Start by mixing one ounce of carrier oil with 10-15 drops of a single oil, or five of each for a combination oil.

   When it comes to carrier oils, I recommend using organic almond, coconut, jojoba, or olive oil.

   One of my favorites comes from Barbara Rogers of Simply Divine Botanicals. She has the most delightful and fragrant breast massage cream infused with 15 botanicals that also encourages lymphatic drainage.

7. The Suppressed Health Risks of Root Canals

   June 27, 2022 7:43 pm Leave a Comment

   

   Did you know that root canals can have untold negative effects on your health?

   There is recognition among integrative dentists and physicians that dental health has a tremendous impact on the overall health of the body.

   People are slowly discovering the hidden dangers of things like root canals and mercury amalgams as more medical professionals speak out about their dangers.

   From what I’ve witnessed as a thermographic technician, and from a medical thermographic perspective, it is becoming more common to see oral inflammation that drains from the oral cavity, down the anterior neck, and into the lymphatic system. In some cases, this can create lymphatic pathways into the breast tissue, as you can see from the image below.

   

   It is important to know that there is a relationship between specific teeth and illness.

   In the 1950s, Reinhold Voll, M.D., of Germany discovered that each tooth in the mouth correlates to a specific acupuncture meridian.

   Using his electroacupuncture biofeedback technique, he found that if a tooth became infected or diseased, the organ on the same meridian became infected or diseased, as well. The opposite also held true, that dysfunction in an organ could lead to dysfunction in the corresponding tooth.

   One of the founding members of the American Association of Endodontists, Dr. George Meinig, D.D.S, F.A.C.D., in his 1993 book, Root Canal Cover-Up, highlights the root canal research of Dr. Weston Price.

   In Root Canal Cover-Up, Dr. Meinig said, “The word about the serious side effects of root canal is getting out. The late Dr. Weston Price, D.D.S., M.S., F.A.C.D., former director of Research for the American Dental Association, discovered that root canals had within them bacteria capable of producing many diseases. He made the claim that if teeth that have had root canals are removed from people suffering heart or kidney disease, these diseases will resolve.”

   He found that even after rigorous sterilization, implanting these teeth under the skin of over 5000 rabbits resulted in the animal developing the same disease as the person and resulted in the animal dying of that disease within weeks. He observed this over a period of time and coined the term “focal infection.”

   Dr. Price’s research was suppressed and buried by a minority of self-interested dentists and physicians who refused to accept his focal infection theory. Most dentists today have never even heard of these 25-year studies.

   Most of the time, the bacteria he found were part of the streptococcus family, but he also found staphylococcus, spirochetes, and fungi.

   He found that if a patient had more than one root canal-treated tooth, he could actually have different organisms infecting each one of the infected teeth.

   That is the reason some people have different ailments from their teeth all at the same time. Infected root canals have a detrimental effect on the immune system, causing a number of different illnesses.

   Your dentist may think that the disinfecting treatment he uses during a root canal would cause the death of these bacteria.

   This treatment does kill most of the bacteria in the root canal, but Dr. Price found not one of over 100 disinfectants he studied was capable of penetrating the tubules. The same holds true for antibiotics today.

   The bacteria do not die off because the root canal filling blocks off their source of nutrients, as the bacteria are capable of mutating and changing their form.

   Dr. Price found that the challenge of a changed environment actually caused the organisms to become much stronger and their toxins became much more toxic.

   What happens is bacteria escape to other parts of the body through what’s called a focal infection, which is an infection in one part of the body that travels to another part and sets up a new site of infection.

   Still, 25-30% of people seem to get along fine with root-canaled teeth for many years without any detrimental effects.

   Typically, these are people who had no history of degenerative diseases, and usually had a strong immune system, which was capable of engulfing any bacteria present, preventing them from being sick.

   Ask yourself, how good is your immune system and how long will it be able to protect you?

   What Dr. Carey O’Rielly, an integrative dentist based in Encinitas, CA, has to say about the immune system is invaluable to know if you have any of the health issues he mentions.

   “Price usually recommended avoiding root canal treatment and extracting the tooth if the individual’s immune system is battling one or more degenerative illnesses or chronic diseases. If you have an immune condition like an autoimmune disease, Lyme disease, a heart condition, arthritis, and possibly even cancer you need to be more careful in doing root canals. Basically, any condition that weakens your immune system makes root canals riskier and less likely to succeed. If your body is already dealing with an immune challenge, infected teeth just add more stress to an already taxed immune system, and vice versa. Just because a tooth doesn’t hurt or there is no swelling doesn’t mean it’s OK.

   “New technologies have come onto the scene that will change the results possible and improve the health of not only teeth but the patient as well,” he said.

   Dr. O’Rielly feels the most ingenious new technology to come onto the market is ozone.

   “Ozone effectively and efficiently deals with the problem of residual bacteria in the accessory canals and the dentinal tubules that both Price and Meinig were talking about,” he said.

   Biological dentistry stresses the use of non-toxic restoration materials for dental work and focuses on the unrecognized impact that dental toxins and hidden dental infections can have on overall health.

   This form of dentistry treats the teeth, jaw, and related structures with specific regard to how the treatment will affect the entire body.

   Most biological dentists use advanced technologies, and one visit can reveal much about the current state of your mouth and teeth.

   For instance, using medical thermographic imaging, areas of suspected inflammation and infection can be identified because they present as heat. Then, once an area of concern is identified, it needs further investigation and resolution.

   Some cases of inflammation have been caused by a low-grade chronic infection, and upon dental correlation, have been attributed to periodontal disease, TMJ dysfunction, dental restorations like amalgams, or treatments such as root canals.

   What this shows is that your mouth is a mirror of your health.

   If you want to achieve better oral health, you should eat an alkalizing, antioxidant-rich, and anti-inflammatory diet, replace toothpaste and antibacterial/alcohol-based mouthwashes with an oral rinse, and/or toothpaste that nourishes your oral microbiome. And make sure to choose toothpaste without fluoride.

   To recap, Dr. Price and Dr. Meinig both spoke about the fact that those who can tolerate root canals tend to have a strong immune system. This is no surprise, as a strong immune system is the key to fighting any illness or disease.

   Yours in radiant health!
   Patricia

   P.S. Please watch this documentary on the truth on root canals – it was censored off Netflix.

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFTZ2Cz1ueQ&t=15s

8. Physiology is Key in Thermography

   April 24, 2022 5:00 am Leave a Comment

   

   by Anthony Piana, DC, FPACT

   To understand the process of using thermography for detecting breast cancer, we must first understand physiology. We are not looking for breast cancer itself per say, but physiological changes that may be involved with its formation and growth. Breast cancer can cause inflammation due to tissue disruption, or through the development of new blood vessels that feed the tumor — a process known as angiogenesis.

   However, some physiological changes can also make it more difficult to detect breast cancer, such as a symphatic response that causes hypothermia in the tissue around a tumor. This is why following up is so important, as thermography and other anatomical tests can evaluate the body over time and under different physiological states. Physiology is key, and we should be mindful of the signs and obstacles when trying to detect breast cancer as early as possible.

    

   More on ANGIOGENESIS…

   by Kimberly Lavoie, ACNP-BC, CCRN, SCRN

   As Dr. Piana stated, angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels from previously existing blood vessel plexus. This process involves the growth of endothelial cells, which line the inside walls of blood vessels. It is supportive in the healing of wounds and granulation of tissues. Physiological angiogenesis is a normal and vital process in growth and development specifically, during fetal development, female reproductive cycle, and tissue repair. The fine balance between pro-angiogenic growth factor (GF), anti-angiogenic GF, and cytokines tightly regulate angiogenesis.

   Whereas, an uncontrolled or inadequate balance of angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in pathological angiogenesis and promotes the formation of neoplasms, retinopathies, coronary artery disease, and other various disease processes. Tumors are dependent on angiogenesis and need vascular growth to transition from a benign to a malignant state. In the absence of vascular growth, tumors are not sustainable. With increased vascular activity generating heat, thermography can aid in early detection.

   

    

   Excessive/uncontrolled balance

   • Cancer
   • Rheumatoid arthritis
   • Psoriasis
   • Blindness

   Insufficient balance

   • Neurovascular infarcts/strokes
   • Cardiovascular Disease
   • Scleroderma

    

9. How Medical Thermography Can Be Used to Improve Breast Health

   December 22, 2021 5:00 am Leave a Comment

   

   Back in June, I was delighted to have the opportunity to be interviewed on The Root of Our Health podcast, hosted by Elizabeth DiCristofano, a functional medicine health coach who focuses on empowering women over 40 to get to the root cause of their health issues.

   We had an amazing chat, and we went over several topics, including:

   • Preventative measures to thwart breast cancer
   • Why mammogram radiation should be avoided
   • Thermography: What it is and how it can benefit breast health
   • How breast cancer is linked to hypothyroidism and oral hygiene
   • Why thermography is increasingly being used to detect breast cancer

   If you want to know more about techniques you can use to prevent breast cancer, factors linked to breast cancer, and how thermography can be used for better prevention of breast-related health issues, you’ve got to check out this podcast!

   Interested in learning more about breast health and thermography, including the healthcare decisions you can make to improve your chances of keeping your breasts healthy? You should read my new book, Thermography and the Fibrocystic and Dense Breast.

   Yours in radiant health!
   Patricia

10. How to Discuss Thermography with Your Doctor

    August 17, 2021 1:41 pm Leave a Comment

    

    Tips on Working with Your Doctor for Total Breast Health Care

    Patients are always asking me if their doctor will understand their thermography report.

    There’s a large spectrum of responses I’ve heard from my patients’ doctors.

    Some doctors support thermography so much so, they highly suggest all their patients to have an annual full-body scan. The full-body scan will assess an individual’s current health status by listing any abnormal hot or cold spots throughout the entire body.

    Medical thermography is infrared imaging.  Ideally, you would use thermography for cancer prevention, but it can also be early cancer detection which could save your life (70% of those who have diagnosed cancers from anatomical testing, could have been found up to 10 years earlier on a thermography scan).

    Other doctors have never heard of thermography. Most are somewhere in between.

    Here are some tips on working with your doctor:

    • Let them know we are not looking to replace the traditional tests, only add to them.
    • Email your report to them and ask for a consult appointment to review your results. A thermologist will compose your thermography report much like how a radiologist will write a report on an X-ray or ultrasound.These reports are meant for your primary care physician to offer you further recommendations based on your results if any are needed.

    If you’d like a sample report to review with a Breast Thermography International (BTI), I am happy to discuss it with you or your doctor. Contact me to set up a review.

    There is a wide range of suggestions your doctor could give you to improve your next thermography report.

    Here are some examples they may recommend:

    • Change parts of your diet or balance your hormones.
    • Relieve muscle and joint tension with yoga or other forms of exercise.
    • Have a chiropractic adjustment.
    • Meditate with calming music or breath practices, since most diseases can be caused by stress.
    • Sometimes, although we try our best to live a healthy life, we still may need to reduce toxins with a detox program.
    • Also your doctor may want to order diagnostics testing from the findings in your report.

    These are just some of the many recommendations you and your physician can discuss to work toward a healthier life.

    And go ahead and share your thermography report with your family and friends. This might encourage them to include thermography into their own annual health regimen.

    Remember, early detection saves lives and prevention is ideal.

    Yours in radiant health!
    Patricia