For decades we blamed a lack of will power on our diet failures. Now some experts say your will has little do with your waistline. By Colette Bouchez
If you’re always blaming that mystical “ lack of will power” for failing off your weight loss wagon, there's something you should know: The very newest weight loss theories say will power has nothing to do with it!
Indeed, while it was long believed that having a “weak will” was the number one reason that folks just couldn’t say “ no” to that plate of cupcakes or bowl of chips, today a growing number of experts believe that the mystical concept of will power is just that - a mystical concept that doesn't really exist. At least not in regard to food temptations.
“People like to think of will power as some magical force over which they have no control – but in reality there is no such thing,“ says Gerard Musante, PhD, founder and director of Structure House, an in-patient weight loss program in Durham, North Carolina.
Moreover, Musante says crediting some mystical “force ” with the ability to control your life only serves to make you less, and not more in control of your appetite. And more likely to fail at your weight loss plan.
Psychologist and weight control expert Dr. Warren Huberman agrees.
“Once you buy into the idea that something else is controlling you, then on some level you also acknowledge that what you eat is not within in your control – and that line of thinking puts you on the fast track to weight loss failure,” says Huberman, who frequently counsels patients at the NYU –Langone Medical Program for Surgical Weight Loss.
So if it’s not a weak will, then what exactly is behind that uncontrollable urge to eat the entire gallon of ice cream - when we really should be satisfied with just a Dixie cup?
Many believe “temptation” can take a somewhat surreptitious route.
Indeed, experts say the first path is paved with learned behaviors, coupled with conscious choices. In short, those of us who are able to resist that plate of Sarah Lee brownies – or harder still, eat just one and walk away – have acquired the skills to do so, and are making the choice to act on those skills.
What about the rest of us, who simply can’t walk away? Well, it seems we’re acting on a learned behavior as well, and some decision-making is also involved. The only difference is, most of us don’t see it quite that way. Instead, we blame our inability to say "no" to food on a lack of will power.
“What’s key here is to recognize that within each of us lies the power to make these correct food choices –it’s not about will power, nothing is controlling us, it is about choice,” says Huberman.
And what about those moments when we just reach for that extra slice of pizza without even thinking? Sometimes, says Huberman, it’s just a plain old bad habit calling the shots.
“It can actually be a conditioned response to reach for that last slice of pizza, even when you really don’t want it – old food habits die hard,” he says.
The Biology of Temptation
Psycho-social dramas aside, there is yet another force tempting and teasing our appetite – and it has nothing what so ever to do with what we think or feel about food.
Quite simply it is our biology at work – and the primitive but never ending evolutionary urge to keep our bellies full.
If the only thing around when it does is a plate of Dove chocolates, then Dove chocolates are goin’ down the hatch. And while that may make you feel weak-willed, the truth is, you’re just plain hungry - and unprepared to deal with it.
The Devil Made Me Eat It !
While not every weight loss expert agrees on what’s driving our food temptations, most say the power to choose what we eat is very much within our control.
1. Try to eat at regular intervals, and eat the same time every day. This will keep your appetite from raging out of control when nothing is sight but a box of donuts.
3. If you’re going to be around decadent, high cal foods – whether it be the local PTA cake sale or your mother’s house for dinner – decide ahead of time how many items you will sample, then stick to it. For example, allow yourself 4 “tastes” or “ 3” full portions – and don’t go over.
4. Eat “mindfully”. If you think about every piece of food you put in your mouth you’ll naturally put in less.
5.In the immortal words of weight loss guru and Our Lady of Weight loss author Janice Taylor, if you have gorged yourself on a forbidden food, don’t beat yourself up for a lack of will power. Instead, forgive yourself and simply “ Move On.”
The Hot Flash Solution: A Breakthrough Program for Controlling Hot Flashes & Night Sweats!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Food Fight: Don't Rely on Will Power To Lose Weight
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
New Anti Wrinkle Ingredient Fights Acne Too!
So here you are, looking in the mirror and thinking, “This just isn’t fair …wrinkles and acne?”But truth is as we enter our middle years, and particularly as our reproductive hormones take on a life of their own, it’s entirely possible that in between those fine lines and wrinkles you may also see a brand new bumper crop of acne breaking out as well - even if you didn't have acne as a teen.
“Almost all acne is hormonal. …and adult acne occurs for the same basic reasons as adolescent acne…. cells respond abnormally to androgens,” says dermatologist Dr. Richard G. Fried, author of Healing Adult Acne.
In fact, experts say that middle-aged acne is usually driven by the same type of hormonal activity we see in puberty – except in reverse. And much like those bouncing hormones of your teen years, today’s middle-aged hormonal surges can cause your skin to react in myriad ways, including causing acne breakouts.
For many women problems are compounded by another common mid life skin condition known as acne-rosacea.
“Hormones play a strong role in the development of rosacea and many women notice flares around the time of the menses, and particularly around menopause,” says Palm Beach dermatologist Dr. Ken Beer, author of Palm Beach Perfect Skin.
As Beer explains, this dermatologic condition causes an acne-like appearance (red bumps and lumps, sometimes filled with fluids) plus it has the added component of causing facial flushing –as if we need more of that this time of life!
Acne rosacea can occur on it’s own, or in conjunction with traditional acne and both can easily flare in the middle years.
While there are certainly enough acne treatments on the market, finding one that works in midlife can be a real challenge, particularly if you’re also concerned with reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
The reason: Since most over-the-counter acne formulations are drying to the skin, they pull moisture from cells – and that make lines and wrinkles look much worse.
At the same time, most over-the-counter anti-wrinkle treatments, particularly rich creams and serums, can irritate sensitive acne prone skin and may increase breakouts, or worsen one that’s already started.
So what’s a middle-aged girl with a pimple and a wrinkle to do?
I’m happy to tell you that new hope – and new help – has finally arrived! There are in fact, several brand new products designed to fight wrinkles and acne in a single swoop!
The New Anti-Wrinkle Ingredients
The anti aging skin care ingredient creating a lot of new buzz these days are plant based growth factors known as cytokininsins -and for good reason. First, they are fast proving to be a powerful anti-wrinkle treatment, working to not only protect skin cells that manufacture collagen and elastin, but also increase their activity. Since it is collagen and elastin that helps give skin that plump, youthful lifted look, keeping them working at full tilt is one way to thwart the natural aging process.
Moreover, cytokinins also have the potential to slow down the breakdown of collagen and elastin cells that results from environmental factors such as the sun and pollution – now considered the two leading causes of premature skin aging.
But what makes cytokinins such an especially enticing skin care ingredient is that they possess all these powerful anti-aging effects and yet don't aggrevate acne or rosacea. In some studies cytokinins even had a beneficial effect on these conditions.
Indeed, in one 12 week study conducted by Dr. Jerry McCullough from the University of California on the patented cytokinins growth factor known as Pyratine 6, research revealed an increase in skin moisture by some 41%, and a decrease in fine lines by almost 30%, with early results appearing as little as 2 weeks.
Anti-Wrinkle - Anti-Acne Care Combined!
Perhaps the best part of this new anti- aging/anti-acne treatment approach is that you don't have to wait years or even months to harness the power - some of these ingredients are available right now!
That’s said, I have found it- as well as the Jan Marini products - for sale online, but both purchases come with a word of caution. It’s a good idea to have any skin condition checked at least once by a board certified dermatologist before buying any self- care treatment products.
Not only is it possible that your skin condition might be caused by something else entirely, sometimes dry, irritated and even acne-prone mid life skin can be a symptom of a systemic disease such as thyroid disorder - and may require entirely different medication to bring relief.
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Friday, September 12, 2008
Good & Bad News for Hot Flash Herb
For the millions of hot flashing baby boomers the news is both good and bad.The good: The Columbia University School of Nursing in
The bad: The study is released on the heels of a US Pharmacopoeia advisory linking the use of black cohosh to liver toxicity.
An editorial published recently in the journal Menopause is indicative of the confusing status of black cohosh, even among medical professionals.
“We must also be willing to state without shame that there is much we do not know about black cohosh . . . and the treatment of vasomotor symptoms,” wrote the editorialist.
The new research, conducted by Columbia’s Dr. Reame and her colleagues at
And there in might lie its success as a hot flash treatment.
“ Black cohosh increased opioid receptor availability in brain areas where
estrogen effects in the same direction have been previously observed,” says Reame, whose study was published this month in the journal Menopause, a publication of the North American Menopause Society.
Although there have already been dozens of studies on black cohosh showing it can reduce hot flashes in some women, Reame says this is the first time researchers have actually demonstrated it has precise affects within the brain itself.
While no one is completely certain about what causes a hot flash, many believe it is related to snafus in the hypothalamus gland – the area of the brain that helps control core body temperature.
When estrogen levels drop or fluctuate – as they do in the years directly preceding - and following - menopause, the hypothalamus gets an erroneous signal that the body is hot and needs to cool down. It is that “mixed signal” which then causes blood vessels to dilate so the excess heat can escape.
It is that sudden and rapid release of body heat that causes the warm flushed feeling we know as a “hot flash”.
How The Study Was Done
The trial, involved six women all of whom met the clinical definition of “menopause’. They had not used any hormone treatments for at least six months and all reported having hot flashes and night sweats.
At the start of the study each woman underwent both sleep tests and brain-imaging PET scans, documenting various neurological activities related to hot flashes and night sweats. This was followed by 12 weeks of 40mg a day dosing of oral black cohosh supplements, after which the tests were repeated.
The results: “Although these data cannot be extrapolated to other study populations, the results obtained are nevertheless suggestive of neurobiological effects of black cohosh affecting systems relevant to the pathophysiology of hot flashes,” says Reame.
The Black Cohosh Controversy
An essential part of the black cohosh compound is believed to be a substance known as “triterpene,” a natural chemical that some research shows may have estrogen-like effects. For the past 40 years, black cohosh has been a mainstay in the European community for the treatment of hot flashes. The German E- Commission ( their equivalent of the FDA) approves the supplement for this purpose and reports that currently more than 1.5 million women have successfully used it to treat menopause symptoms.
And while studies on thousands of women show it can be effective, other research has shown it may have little or even no effect over and above a placebo.
But Reames' study suggests – and many experts believe – the differences may be due, in large part, to the brand of black cohosh supplement used in some of the trials. Since black cohosh is a food supplement, it is not subject to the same kind of FDA scrutiny as a drug. And that means the level of effective ingredients can change dramatically from brand-to-brand, or even within a brand itself.
To date, nearly all of the black cohosh clinical trials that have yielded positive results – including Reames’ study – used the brand name black cohosh supplement known as Remifemin. This is a German made black cohosh supplement that is not only “standardized” to contain a consistent level of ingredients, those ingredients are reportedly present in levels that studies show are necessary to achieve results.
That said, recent reports of liver toxicity – including 1 death - occurring in about 30 women using a variety of black cohosh supplements has prompted the US Pharmacopoeia (a nongovernmental organization that sets standards for food ingredients and dietary supplements) to publish it’s intent to require all black cohosh products sold in the US to carry a warning label.
In response, the American Botanical Council (ABC) filed comments stating that case reports linking black cohosh to liver toxicity are largely unsubstantiated, and that the standards used by the USP were not adequate to properly access safety.
In 2006 the Australia's Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA), which regulates that country’s dietary supplement market, required all products containing black cohosh to carry a label warning about liver toxicity, a decision they say was based on review of 47 cases of related liver toxicity worldwide.
The US Pharmacopoeia's’s decision about supplements sold in the US is expected before the end of the year.
In the meantime, if you have any liver related problems, including hepatitis C, or a possibility of having undiagnosed hepatitis C, talk to your doctor before taking any black cohosh supplements.
The Hot Flash Solution: Safe, natural ways to take control of hot flashes and night sweats.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Study: A Woman's Walk Reveals Her Sex Life
A new study reveals women who have orgasms walk differently from women who don’t – and you won't believe what gives it all away! – By Colette Bouchez
As Fashion Week opens in New York City, those fabulous super models may be showing off more than just another set of designer duds. They could be giving us a bird’s eye view of their sex life …without even knowing it.
In fact, if new research out of Belgium is correct, the way a woman walks is a dead-giveaway of her degree of sexual satisfaction –including whether or not she’s regularly having orgasms.
The new study just published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine suggests that women who regularly have vaginal orgasms walk differently from women who don’t – and it’s not all that hard to figure out which is which!
“In the sample of healthy young Belgian women (half of whom were vaginally orgasmic), a history of vaginal orgasm …was diagnosable at far better than chance level,” says lead study author Aurelie Nicholas, MA, of the Université Catholique de Louvain, in Belgium where the research was conducted.
So what was it the women who were orgasmic did that was different?
Well if you’re thinking they “walked sexy” – as in the old Marilyn Monroe hip swinging, or the obviously provocative Madonna-esque stances, guess again.
The orgasmic give-away say the researchers was closer to what you’re likely to see Heidi Klum or Giselle Bundchen doing on the Victoria Secret runway – walking with high energy and a kind of freedom of movement that signifies both sensuality and confidence.
“The discerning observer may infer a women's experience [with] vaginal orgasm from a gait that comprises fluidity, energy, sensuality, freedom, and absence of both flaccid and locked muscles” say the researchers.
In other words, a woman that walks freely may be more open to her sexuality – and feel freer to express herself between the sheets. A woman whose gait is stiff, or whose muscles seem limp and out of condition, may be giving away the fact that she’s also not giving in to wild abandon in the bedroom.
Walk This Way
This is certainly not the first study to connect body movement to sexual activity. Indeed many researchers have suggested that we consciously – or unconsciously- convey our sexual desires by the way we walk, sit, stand and move, particularly in the presence of the opposite sex.
But in this study researchers say they go far deeper to analyze not just body language, but also attitude, sexual confidence and self-esteem.
In fact, the researchers contend that when compared to women who have had orgasm those who haven’t display more immature psychological defense mechanisms, express less satisfaction with their relationships, and less satisfaction with life in general. These women were also more likely to convert psychological problems into physical complaints – a phenomenon known as “somatization.”
Women who are able to achieve orgasm, however, not only walked with a freer, more open gait, they also displayed a more open attitude towards life in general.
The study involved Belgium college aged women who filled out a questionnaire on personal sexual behavior, including questions on orgasm. Ten women who had vaginal orgasms were selected along with 10 who reported they had not.
The 20 women were then videotaped walking normally, and their tapes were shown to 2 male professors of sexology and two female research assistants.
The reviewers assessed the way the women walked and moved, and based on that made a determination as to whether or not they believed they were experiencing orgasms.
Their assessments were then compared to the questionnaires filled out by the women.
The end result: The reviewers were able to determine which women were orgasmic over 81% of the time – which was a far greater percentage, say researchers, then brought about by mere chance.
So, what's the moral of the story here: It’s not the height of your stilettos that matters – it’s how you walk in them that really counts!
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Or visit www.RedDressDiary.com - The Destination For Fabulous Women Over 40!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Study: For Weight Loss, Timing Is Everything!
New research reveals it’s the protein you eat for breakfast – not lunch or dinner- that could be the key to weight loss and appetite control. And now Starbucks says they can help! - by Colette Bouchez
There is an entire school of diet-speak that hails protein-rich foods as the key to weight loss.Now comes a new study that says it may not be protein itself that impacts weight – but the time of day you eat it that matters most.
More specifically, new research published in the British Journal of Nutrition offers evidence that eating protein-rich foods for breakfast - like lean ham , low fat cheese or eggs - does more to control your appetite all day long then if you were wolfing down these same foods for lunch or dinner.
According to study author Wayne W. Campbell, PhD, while there is a growing body of research which supports eating high-quality protein foods when dieting to maintain a sense of fullness, " This study is particularly unique in that it looked at the timing of protein intake and reveals that when you consume more protein may be a critical piece of the equation."
And the tenet holds true he says, even when the calorie count of each meal is roughly the same.
Each of the meals,including the protein plate, have under 350 calories, and most have under 10 grams of fat. But the trick is ... you have to eat only one. :)
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
New Study: Weight Gain Shocker!
New research shows that a common food additive may be causing you to gain weight. Here's what you need to know - by Colette Bouchez
The food additive monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been blamed for a lot of health concerns - but if new studies are right you can also add weight gain to the list.
Indeed, this sub-category of the compound glutamate has been linked to everything from hot flashes and diarrhea to hives, headaches, joint pain, dizziness, heart abnormalities and more in those who are sensitive to it.
This week, research published in the journal Obesity, found the risk of being overweight was increased by a whopping 175 percent in people who consumed a lot of foods containing MSG - independent of the calories the consumed.
“Animal studies have indicated for years that MSG might be associated with weight gain,” said lead researcher Ka He, MD, from the University of North Carolina School of Public Health. He says his team is the first to back up the claims with human research that he believes proves it's true.
Not surprisingly, the food additive industry challenges the findings, which were dismissed by the Glutamate Association as “having “no practical significance”. They cite World Health Organization data indicating those who consume MSG aren’t at any greater risk for weight gain.
How MSG Could Pack On The Pounds
Monosodium glutamate is one form of the basic compound known as “free glutamate”. While other additives – including certain flavorings or colorings, as well as other taste enhancers -can also contain glutamate (such as malted barley, caramel flavoring, even some milk powders), MSG contains about 78% free glutamate – the highest found in any compound.
According to past research, animals fed MSG developed lesions in the hypothalamus, and area of the brain linked to appetite. He and his group also noted in the study that the animals exhibited signs of leptin resistance, a hormone that has been shown to also influence hunger and satiation – how full we feel after we eat.
In the new study researchers reviewed the eating/cooking habits of 752 healthy Chinese men and women aged 40 to 59. All study participants indicated they cooked meals from “scratch” and did not consume commercially prepared foods – indicating they knew exactly what ingredients were in their meals.
Of the group, 82% regularly used MSG in food preparation – mostly in the form of soy sauce, at a level equal to about .33 g per day (or 0.07 teaspoon).
The researchers then measured the BMI - body mass index – of all those in the study, comparing the numbers among those who used the most MSG daily to those who used the least.
The result: Study participants who had the highest consumption of MSG had a 175 percent increased risk of having a BMI of 25 – which meets the international standard for obesity.
The researchers say they also found a significant prevalence of excess weight in those who used MSG, compared to those who didn’t use this flavor enhancer.
“We saw this risk even when we controlled for physical activity, total calorie intake, and other possible explanations for the difference in body mass,’ says He.
The Glutamate Association points out that the FDA along with many other government organizations around the world have deemed MSG to be a safe food additive.
This however, could change if the new findings are confirmed in other studies.
Currently food manufacturers are required to list MSG on the ingredient label. However, many food purists argue this ingredient is often “hidden” by listing it under alternate names such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), autolyzed or hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP or APP), autolyzed yeast. Sodium caseinate, Calcium caseinate, and numerous other terms.
Click here to learn more about MSG labeling - and discover the hidden sources.
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Friday, August 29, 2008
Stress Getting Under Your Skin? Here's What Can Help!
Research shows that stress can age your skin almost as rapidly as sun exposure. A new cache of skin care ingredients promise relief – but do they work? Here’s what you need to know.
In the not so distant past, experts believed that the simple act of frowning was largely responsible for those wrinkles and furrows in your brow.Today doctors know that it’s not just the act of frowning that makes you look older – it’s also the reason behind the frown that can make a difference in how you look.
I’m talking about links between stress and skin aging – a relatively new idea but one that both doctors and skin care companies are continuing to embrace. .
While experts aren’t exactly sure how or why stress ages skin, many believe that hormones produced when stress is chronic - such as cortisol – cause a disruption in immune function that impacts the cells that normally protect skin from harm – activity that mimics the aging process in terms of damage.
“Stress hormones can cause irritation and loss of immune function in skin, which is very similar to what happens during the aging process,” says Dr. Tom Mammone, executive director of research and development for Clinique.
When skin becomes irritated in this way, Mammone says it causes a break in the natural protective barrier that keeps moisture in and external aggressors, such as pollutants, out.
“When the barrier is damaged, moisture evaporates more rapidly, irritants get in more easily, and both can cause more [aging] damage to the skin,” says Mammone.
Now if you’re thinking it’s purely psychological stress that can take its toll on your skin cells, guess again. In one now classic study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology doctors from Weill Medical College in New York City found that even a physiological stress as common as sleep deprivation can disrupt the skin barrier, causing alterations in the immune function that normally protects skin.
Certainly, a few sleepless nights or an occasional bout of worrying isn’t going to do you much harm. But when stress is chronic, or sleep deprivation ongoing, when your diet is deficient and you don’t get the nutrients you need to run at full speed, you not only endanger your health, but science now says you can end up looking far older than your years.
So what’s the solution? One option is a new breed of skin care ingredients designed to fight the signs of aging by helping to boost the immune function of skin cells. Among those creating the loudest buzz right now: Sea algae - one of the hottest new trends in anti-aging stressed-skin care.
Calming Your Stressed Skin: What To Do
While any good moisturizer can replenish some of the fluids lost when skin is stressed, the latest science shows that various forms of sea algae may also hold restorative properties - powers that go above and beyond simply increasing moisture levels.
Indeed these ingredients harnessed from under the sea are believed to specifically combat skin stress, and in doing so repair the barrier that helps protect cells from the outside in.
According to Mammone, among the most effective is a form of algae grown off the coast of Israel, in the Mediterranean Sea. Known as Red Microalgae Extract, it is harvested, cultured in a lab and then the protective elements are isolated and used as a skin care ingredient.
”This works to help counteract the negative visible effects of stress,” he says.
Blue green algae is a similar compound known for its high antioxidant properties and skin relief activity. Often it is combined with other skin-healthy ingredients such as grape seed oil to enhance its protective powers even more.
Padina Povonica is still another marine botanical good for stressed skin. It works to help cells absorb calcium, which in turn contributes to a stronger protective barrier – one that is better able to resist external skin stressors like pollution.
Among the products featuring some or all of these ingredients include Kiehl’s Cryste Marine Firming Cream, GM Collin H50 Therapy Cream, H20+ Moisture Defense Protector, and Aubrey Organics Blue Green Algae with Grape Seed Extract line of products.
Fortunately, there are also less costly ways to counter the effects of stress on your skin. Here are four things research shows are proven to help.
1. Reduce stress on your skin by reducing stress in your life. Sounds easier than it is, I know. But if you can manage even a short bout of relaxing activity during the day – 10 minutes of yoga, 20 minutes of gardening, 15 minutes soaking in a hot tub – studies show it can calm your frazzled nerves and reduce production of stress hormones. You’ll not only feel better, you’ll look better – and younger!
3. Get more sleep. This is particularly important if you’re over 45. Why? As we age, our entire body, including our skin, needs a little extra sack time to undergo the natural repair processes that counteract cell damage we experience during the day. If, no matter how you try, you can’t log in more than 6 hours a night, try napping in the evening. You could wake up looking younger!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Study: Attitude May Impact Breast Cancer Risks
New research shows that happiness and optimism may reduce breast cancer risks while adverse life events may increase risks. Here’s what you need to know.
by Colette Bouchez
Smile and the world smiles with you; frown and you could end up with breast cancer.
Well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But, if a new study from researchers at Ben -Gurion University in Israel are correct, smiling more, as well as maintaining a positive attitude, may help reduce your risk of breast cancer. Adverse events, they say, may increase your risk.
"The results showed a clear link between outlook and risk of breast cancer, with optimists 25 percent less likely to have developed the disease. Conversely, women who suffered two or more traumatic events had a 62 percent greater risk," said Professor Ronit Peled, of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel.
His research was recently detailed in a study titled Breast Cancer, Psychological Distress and Life Events among Young Women, and was just published in the British journal BMC Cancer.
While the researchers say they aren’t at all sure what attitude has to do with disease, many believe that our immune system may take some of it’s cues from brain chemistry that is influenced by emotional events. While joy elicits one type of brain chemistry response, fear, anger and anxiety may produce something altogether different.
And both, say doctors, may stimulate your immune system in different ways.
But while no one may be certain how the connection works, Peled is certain it exists.
“We can carefully say that experiencing more than one severe and/or mild to moderate life event is a risk factor for breast cancer among young women. On the other hand, a general feeling of happiness and optimism can play a protective role,” he says.
But for cancer prevention experts like NYU’s Dr. Julia Smith, the lines in the sand are less clear. From her perspective it’s more important for women to keep in mind that no one factor alone – including emotional experiences - can dominate your risk profile.
Rather, Smith believes it’s the cumulative effects of many factors combined about which we should be most concerned.
“What worries those of us involved with cancer prevention is that we don't know the cumulative effects or the synergistic effects of, for example, how one chemical interacts with another, or what role any one exposure plays when viewed in the broader scope of the overall risk factors we have from all facets of our life, including our family and person health history,” says Smith, the director of the Lynne Cohen Breast and Ovarian Cancer Prevention Program at the NYU Cancer Institute, New York City.
Likewise, she says, there is no one factor that confers protection against breast cancer.
”It’s always the total picture, the sum of all the parts that tells us if a woman is at risk for breast cancer, and how great that risk is,” says Smith, who’s program at NYU’s Cancer Center helps dissect that puzzle and put the pieces together in a way that makes sense for each individual woman.
Analyzing Health & Happiness
The new risk factor study involved a total of 622 women – aged 25 to 45 – who answered a series of questions designed to detail their life experiences prior to being diagnosed with breast cancer. Of this group, 255 were already breast cancer patient and 367 were healthy women who never had cancer.
The questions were designed to evaluate each woman’s level of happiness and optimism, as well as root out any indications of depression or anxiety – all before being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Researchers then compared and contrasted the answers each woman gave and used a variety of psychological scoring methods to evaluate levels of happiness, optimism, anxiety and depression in both groups.
The result: The women who were shown to be optimists were 25 percent less likely to have developed breast cancer. Conversely, women who suffered two or more traumatic life events had a 62 percent greater risk of developing this disease.
Although critics of the study point out that since the women were interviewed after their diagnosis of breast cancer, recall of their pre-breast cancer state of mind may not have been accurate. Indeed, a number of studies have shown that women who are depressed frequently view their past experiences in a more negative light.
That said, Peled still believes the findings hold up – and is convinced that two or more negative life events should serve as a risk factor for breast cancer, particularly in young women.
Smith says it’s still most important to view your individual risk factors in the context of your entire breast cancer profile.
To learn more about how to determine your risk of breast cancer visit RedDressDiary.com
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