Keep Your Breasts Healthy For Life

How All Women Can Create Healthy Breasts

by Christiane Northrup, M.D.

Breast Health

As women, we have been conditioned to believe that our breasts are two pre-malignant lesions sitting on our chests about to kill us at any moment. The medical community and the media use words such as “detect”, “screen” and “special populations”. This implies that you will inevitably get cancer, so you need to plan for it.

Buying into fear tactics and supporting corporations who profit from them, also known as Pink Washing, is not something I have ever felt compelled to do. That’s because supporting “The Cure” and placing emphasis on women contracting breast cancer and Western medicine curing them does not teach women what we can all do to prevent it in the first place.

I prefer to plan how I will continue to live my life fully and focus on how I can create breast health. While my approach has been considered “alternative” or controversial—and in some circles still is—statistics actually support it! For example, did you know that the risk of a woman dying from breast cancer if she doesn’t have regular mammograms is less than one percent. It’s true! A previous study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that 995.6 out of 1,000 women age 50 will NOT die of breast cancer within the next ten years. This number rises a mere fraction of a percentage to 996 with regular mammography screening. In fact, getting regular mammograms is more harmful because you are subjecting your healthy breasts to cancer-causing radiation.

Of course, sometimes mammograms can be useful, especially if you have a dream that you have breast cancer! Believe it or not, dreams can warn of many things that you can then do something about, including breast cancer, as my colleague radiologist Dr. Larry Burk has documented.

Why Women Buy Into The Fear Around Breast Cancer

There are many factors that contribute to a woman’s fear regarding her breasts. First, there are all the new screenings and treatments that are continually added into protocol, such as 3D Tomosynthesis Mammography, what I call a better mousetrap. And, once screenings and treatment regimens become “standard” it is hard to remove them from practice, even when the evidence supports discontinuing them. In addition, even “enlightened” doctors simply don’t want to risk NOT prescribing regular breast cancer screenings out of fear of litigation.

The reality is, if you buy into the cultural fears around breast cancer, you may be subjecting your breasts to harmful therapies and end up being diagnosed with, and treated for, something that would never harm you in the first place, such as DCIS – Ductal Carcinoma in Situ, stage zero cancer—or cancer you may die with but not from. In fact, there is a movement afoot to change the name of this condition because the name itself scares so many people.

Another major factor that contributes to women’s fears about breast cancer is family history. We have been led to believe that if someone in your family has had breast or ovarian cancer, you will too. Genetic testing for everything under the sun has become commonplace and women are voluntarily removing their healthy breasts and ovaries in an attempt to “save themselves.” This is the reason why prophylactic removal of healthy breasts has increased by 200% over the past 5 years or so! While there are some gene mutations that, if triggered, could possibly result in those genes expressing toward cancer, the reality is that genetics cause less than 10 percent of all diseases. The science of Epigenetics shows that most health problems stem from misperceptions we have learned or acquired, and anyone can change their genetic “blueprint” with their consciousness.

Who Is Really At Risk For Breast Cancer?

What I have seen over many years is that women who are most at risk for breast cancer are those who have difficulty nurturing themselves and receiving pleasure. Women often feel that taking care of themselves and enjoying themselves means they are selfish. But it’s the most important thing you can do for your health and for everyone else! It’s like when flight attendants on a plane instruct you to put your oxygen mask on first before assisting the person next to you. You can’t continually give from a place of depletion without paying the consequences. So, if you do nothing else to create healthy breasts, I recommend you do what is necessary to nurture and love yourself. This means you learning how to receive.

To learn how to receive, follow these 3 simple steps:

  1. Hold an intention to connect with your higher power and to be open to receiving whatever you are meant to receive. You don’t have to be religious. Don’t be afraid to ask your higher power for guidance.
  2. Release your expectations of what will happen when you do step 1.
  3. Wait for a response. Be open to noticing any changes in patterns in your life that relate to your original intention. Those changes may be something subtle, something physical in your body, or you may receive an overt sign.

How All Women Can Create Healthy Breasts

It’s important to remember that your body’s immune system is set up to recognize and destroy cancer cells in the right environment. Here are some health and lifestyle tips that I recommend for creating healthy breasts:

  1. Get Enough Sleep. Sleep restores the body and it’s during sleep that our bodies metabolize stress hormones. Aim for 8 hours per night. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Sleep in a dark room. Turn off your cell phone and household WiFi.
  2. Exercise regularly. The benefits of regular moderate exercise are innumerable and studies show that physically active women have a decreased risk of cancer. You don’t have to join an expensive gym. Keep it simple with activities that you will stick with such as walking with a friend or dancing to music in your home.
  3. Eat a healthy diet. Aim for a diet that keeps your insulin, estrogen and eicosanoids balanced. Include lean protein at every meal. Reduce or eliminate sugar in all forms, including alcohol and packaged foods. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Include a good source of iodine from food or as a supplement, as well as Omega 3 fatty acids. Note: It is also well-documented that alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer, even in small amounts. But this fact doesn’t stop most women from enjoying a glass of wine regularly and for many this is not a problem. I believe the reason is that enjoying the pleasure and ritual of a nice glass of wine over dinner with friends is greater than the fear of breast cancer!
  4. Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels. The best way to get your vitamin D is from safe exposure to sunlight. But many people need to take a supplement. I suggest taking 5,000 to 10,000 international units of Vitamin D per day. The idea is to maintain a therapeutic level between 50-70 ng/ml.
  5. Get Social.  Get off your cell phone, computer, tablet or whatever, and get out with friends. Volunteer in your community or at your church. Take up a new activity, such as dancing or yoga. Having a fulfilling social life improves your immune system. When your immune system is healthy it naturally kills off pathogens and rogue cells that can lead to disease.
  6. Cultivate a Practice of Self-Care and Self-Love. This is the most important factor in creating health because carving out time to care for and love yourself unconditionally feeds your cells the positive thoughts and emotions they need to reproduce in a healthy way. There are many things you can do to cultivate this type of practice, such as meditate, say positive affirmations in front of the mirror, use Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT, or Tapping), keep a gratitude journal, walk in nature, or simply take time to breathe in and out through your nose fully (this stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system). Do whatever supports you. And, remember, every emotion you have is associated with a biochemical process in your body. So, allow the emotions of pleasure, receiving, and generosity to flow through you regularly.
  7. Lovingly massage your breasts. This is an extension of self-love. Regular, pleasurable breast massage is a perfect way to promote breast health! I suggest 5 minutes per day where you loving touch your breast without looking for any perceived abnormalities. And, go bra less as much as possible. This helps stimulate lymph flow, which releases toxins from breast tissue. It can also feel wonderful!

Why Breast Cancer Patients Should Pass on Covid-19 Shots

If you or a loved one has breast cancer (or any cancer for that matter) you may have been told by your doctor to get one of the COVID shots.  I disagree with this approach for many reasons.

Here are some things to research before getting the COVID shots:

  1. Cause immune dysregulation. Whether temporary or permanent, suppressing the immune system of someone whose immune system is already compromised is not a good idea. And there is evidence that the jabs are, in fact, causing at least temporary immune suppression. According to Mayo Clinic-trained, board-certified, clinical dermatopathologist, Ryan Cole, M.D.—an expert in immunology and virology and owner of a diagnostic laboratory—laboratory data shows that people who have had the shot have decreased CD-8 killer T-cells, the cells that keep cancer and many viruses in check. Dr. Cole reports seeing a 20% higher rate of endometrial cancer. He also reports a much higher rate of invasive melanoma, as well as herpes, shingles, HPV and other diseases that indicate a weakened immune system in people post-injection. A panel of German scientists have noted sudden tumor growth following the injections of which vaccine-induced temporary immune suppression could be the cause. A May 2021 study shows that mRNA vaccines “reprogram both adaptive and innate immune responses,” which according to the study authors may “contribute to a diminished innate immune response towards the virus”.
  2. Inactivate tumor-suppressing proteins. In a 2018 study, researchers at the Sloan Kettering Institute found that changes in mRNA can inactivate tumor-suppressing proteins and thereby promote cancer. They concluded that “mRNA events that are silent at the DNA level are widespread contributors to cancer pathogenesis through the inactivation of tumour-suppressor genes.” Other researchers have noted that mRNA changes, are not limited to blood cancer, but have also been linked to acute lymphatic cancer and breast cancer.
  3. It is a leaky shot. Another reason I do not recommend getting the COVID shot if you have breast cancer is because it is “leaky”, which means it does not prevent you from getting SARS-CoV-2 (or spreading it). This means you would be subjecting yourself to potential adverse events and/or long-term health consequences that simply cannot be predicted because it is still experimental while receiving little to no benefit against the current and future variants of SARS-CoV-2.
  4. Few benefits in cancer patients. Cancer patients were not included in any of the early trials. Studies that were recently conducted on cancer patients with blood-related cancers show that nearly 50% of patients were unable to mount an immune-response after getting the mRNA jab. By the way this is also the case regarding flu shots and hepatitis b vaccines.
  5. No long-term safety data. It typically takes many years to develop a vaccine or therapy and to study the benefits and risks in certain populations. There is no way to know the long-term effects the shots will have on healthy people, let alone people living with cancer. Anyone telling you the shots are “safe and effective” simply has no evidence to support this claim.
  6. Safe and effective treatments exist. It has become obvious that early treatment of SARS-CoV-2 is most effective. The medications used in early treatment, including ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine and nebulized budesonide and hydrogen peroxide, combined with natural therapies such as zinc, quercetin, vitamin C, and vitamin D3 are safe and can be used prophylactically to prevent infection.

Breast Health After COVID

The Mainstream narrative goes to great lengths to negate any connection between the COVID shots and the increase in cancers diagnoses being seen worldwide. Yet, for some reason cancer rates are soaring, especially in adults ages 50 and younger. This includes cancers of the breast.

While there are potentially many factors driving the rise in cancer rates, such as exposure to EMFs and toxic chemicals and increased consumption of processed food and sugar, many experts, including Aaron Kheriaty, M.D., are pointing to the Pfizer clinical trial documents that list cancer relapse and new cancer onset as adverse events related to the mRNA shots.

In the period between December 2020 and August 2021, 2,579 cancer-related adverse events were reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). According to one analysis, the rates of new cancer diagnoses after the shot increased by more than 143%! And keep in mind the VAERS data is historically under-reported. So, the rate of related cancers could be much higher.

So what should you do if you’ve had one of the shots? Here’s my advice:

  1. Don’t panic! And don’t go running back into the system where you will likely be told to get a booster then put through a battery of tests and procedures, which will do nothing to support your health and will only cause more anxiety and stress.
  2. Control what is in your power. There are so many things you can do to prevent and heal from breast cancer such as eating whole foods; avoiding sugar, alcohol, and processed foods; getting enough sleep, and stating your needs and getting them met.
  3. Use Divine Love. Using Divine Love to heal is very different from using personal love (personal energy). Divine Love keeps your body fully charged and it is the most powerful healing force we can experience. To learn more go to The World Service Institute. Founder Bob Fritchie has tons of information on how to heal using Divine Love. I suggest doing his training video, which you can sign up for on the website.
  4. Explore scalar energy. The Energy Enhancement System (EESystemTM) created by Dr. Sandra Rose Michael, Ph.D, DNM, DCSJl—sometimes called a Scalar Energy System—generates bio-active energy fields, including scalar waves. Scalar waves penetrate your body’s cells and charge the crystalline structures within them, providing energy for the body to use in the healing process. To learn more about the EESystem and to find one near you, click here.
  5. Take a Nitric Oxide Supplement. Nitric oxide helps regulate the functions of just about every system and cell in your body, including your immune cells and thus is a great way to support your immune system, control inflammation and other processes that can cause disease. However, as we grow older our bodies produce less than the ideal amount of this vital molecule. Taking a high-quality supplement is the best way to ensure you have enough nitric oxide.
  6. Try hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can be used to treat many medical conditions. While you lie in a pressurized chamber, the oxygen penetrates all your cells, including areas where circulation is diminished. This helps to heal damaged tissues, enhance white blood cells activity, reduce swelling, and allow new blood vessels to grow more rapidly into the affected areas.

What are you doing to support your breast health?

Last Updated: October 5, 2022

Christiane Northrup, M.D.

Christiane Northrup, M.D., is a visionary pioneer and a leading authority in the field of women’s health and wellness. Recognizing the unity of body, mind, and spirit, she empowers women to trust their inner wisdom, their connection with Source, and their ability to truly flourish.

Comments

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  1. Kirsten
    1 year ago

    Thanks

  2. Holly Hansen
    1 year ago

    thank you I was not wanting to continue mamograms because my doctors office mentioned inadvertently that dense breasts absorb more radiation in a mammogram I have pockets of dense breast tissue and have very small breasts
    and am concerned about all the radiation and I have had a lot of other body part scans upping my radiation exposure am willing to submit to an ultrasound and some years in the past I did ultrasound only Washington state has a special fluid filled bra for breast ultrasounds so no radiation. But it is 300 miles away and probably not covered by insurance. My breasts are perfectly healthy. Now with virus circulation I like to stay away from sickness clinics anyway.

  3. Chiara
    1 year ago

    Dr. Northrup, what are your thoughts on hormone suppression therapy for breast cancer?

  4. Lynne
    1 year ago

    Im 59. At my last Doctors visit, my Dr got upset because I didn’t want to have a
    mammogram. He then ended the visit and told me he was going to put a note in my chart. I had told him i would consider an U/S but i just don’t want to…I dont want to feed into this fear…im not sure how to tell him without creating a negativity between us any advice??

  5. Krista
    1 year ago

    just wanted to thank you for all you do and all the information you share. I miss seeing you on social media regularly and would love to see you back! I first learned of you on Oprah, then I read your books and now i’m delighted to get your emails! THANK YOU!!!

  6. Kim
    2 years ago

    Can you recommend a good OB/GYN in my area who will not pressure me to have a mammogram?

    It would be great if you had a list of such providers.

    1. Kim
      2 years ago

      Actually I just need a gynecologist, not an obstetrician.

  7. katwmn17
    2 years ago

    Dr. Northrup- my insurance company required me to get a mammogram after 5 years since my previous one. I complied and had one yesterday. The first thing the tech asked me was if I had had any of the C-19 vaccines. I said “No.” She immediately said “We need to ask because they cause swelling in the lymph nodes and other “changes’ that can make it hard to “read & determine” the status of your breast health.” What?! I had determined early on in all of this that I was not going to receive the vaccination and this was yet another confirmation (though I didn’t need it!). Thank you for your work, wisdom & knowledge. I am grateful for you!

  8. DLR
    2 years ago

    Christine!
    Many years ago my mother bought multiple copies of your hardcover book Women’s Bodies Women’s Wisdom and gave a copy to me and to many of her closest friends. I still have a copy of the book on my bookshelf today.
    I send her a copy of this blog post just now.
    My question for you is, have you heard of Sonocine? It’s an automated whole breast ultrasound. It’s available here in California and it’s great! I thought you would want to know about it if you haven’t heard already.

    1. Jennifer Hooper
      2 years ago

      I’m looking forward to Dr Northrup responding to this. I’ve opted for using Dr. Kelly’s invention, SonoCine, for the past 11 years instead of mammograms. Every time I got a mammogram I was told I had dense breasts, screening was inconclusive, and that I needed to get an ultrasound. Dr. Kelly is a radiologist and after years of seeing women get false positives and false negatives he developed Sonocine. He can find a tumor as small as 4mm (he says on his website 9mm but told me in person that he can detect much smaller where the mammogram misses it.) Do you see Dr Kelly?

  9. Theresa
    2 years ago

    Last year I noticed one of my nipples was inverted and was encouraged to do a mammogram so I did for the first time in over 30 years. The doctor said he wanted to do a biopsy because there was one spot he wasn’t sure of on the ultrasound. I said no way I was doing that. He looked at me as if nobody ever disagreed with him and then said well I’m not really worried about it, so come back in six months and have it checked again. I came back one month Shy of one year and they found nothing wrong but could give me no answers of why one nipple would be inverted.? I chose to see a different doctor the second visit because the first did not make sense? If he was not that worried about it why was he going to perform a biopsy? The second doctor said everything looked fine and there were no changes but could gave me no answers as to why this would happen so late in life? I am 64 years old. She said it could be caused by many different things and to go to my primary caregiver and talk about surgery? Not even sure why she was bringing up surgery for my situation? I have done extensive research on the Internet as to why this happens but only found one article saying lower estrogen levels and age changes your breasts? Does anybody have answers for my situation? Thank you and advance for any help you can give me.

  10. Via
    2 years ago

    Thank you for this wonderful and reassuring blog!!! I cannot say how many times I have felt “guilty” for refusing yearly mammograms. I don’t want to do that to myself! And thank you for reframing the “alcohol will give you cancer” assertion. What won’t give you cancer. The best medicine is self-love, joy and living every day as best you can! Thank you thank you thank you!

  11. Deborah
    2 years ago

    Wish I could sleep! Have tried everything.

    1. Esther Thaler
      1 year ago

      Have you tried Dr Joseph Mercola’s 10 mg Melatonin? I sleep like a baby since starting his supplement

  12. Laura Leisle
    2 years ago

    Thank you Dr. Northrup for your wisdom! You have always been an absolute beacon of light & hope! Having followed you for a long time I’m so grateful! We need doctors such as yourself more now than ever! Keep speaking the truth!

  13. ap
    2 years ago

    Thank you for your research and timely information about breast cancer, the ‘silly pink season’ is here once again. I just need to know that if a woman never had a child or children is that a cause for cancer?
    The experts are making me crazy with this type of reasoning to get a mammogram which I find don’t make any sense to me, but I’m not a medical doctor.

    1. Liza
      2 years ago

      That is an interesting question about not having had children being a “cause” for breast cancer. I am “surviving” the treatment for breast cancer (the cancer never did anything to me, but the treatment has been a longterm issue) I pressed my doctors about some sort of reasonable “cause” that an otherwise healthy 49yo vegan, who was fit and active should get triple negative breast cancer..which was also weird as triple neg is said to be much more common in younger women of particular ethnicities that did not describe me. I was told some things that “could contribute” are…having used oral birth control for more than a decade, not having birthed any children nor breastfed, early menses and late menopause and also the diet I was fed as a child. I found all that to be pretty shocking! Ultimately I can say that having accepted conventional breast cancer treatment of chemo and double mastectomy with implant reconstruction, it is the biggest regret of my life. This is my personal experience and feeling and not a suggestion to anyone of how to manage a breast cancer diagnosis.

  14. Pamela
    3 years ago

    I was recently diagnosed with atypical ductal hyperplasia and am being pressured into having a lumpectomy. I have not family history of breast cancer and feel they pulled out enough tissue already from my core needle vacuum assisted biopsy. Any suggestions, am I being foolish in just wanting to take a wait and see approach. If I do, the surgeon is saying I at least have to go on an Estrogen blocker.

    Thank you,

    Pamela Carpenter

    1. rhonda rosa
      2 years ago

      Hi Pamela,
      I got the same diagnosis – did you get an answer to the estrogen blocker??

      Rhonda

      1. Lanora Heiset
        2 years ago

        Armidex is worst than death.

    2. Carolyn
      2 years ago

      You can say no to the estrogen blockers and radiation if advised. I went through a similar situation, I finally found a doctor who told me the truth. Estrogen blockers have no proven effect. And radiation is harmful. I can’t advise you, but I haven’t had either. Blessings to you and prayers for good health.

  15. DJ
    7 years ago

    Thank you for the wisdom on these pages, I loved reading the posts! I’m a 60 yr old breast cancer survivor, almost 12 months from surgery and treatments. My cancer was ER/PR+ and now my oncologist has me on the AI, Letrozole. I’m experiencing SE’s and have now developed hypothyroid from chemo. My family doctor has me on Armor for the thyroid condition. It’s hard to know if some of my joint pain is direct result of Letrozole or thyroid. I’ve read about taking progesterone and DIM to balance out my hormones. Quite honestly, I get confused at all the hormone challenges facing me since beginning an AI. Anything I can read, try, to get help and eliminate these joint side effects and keep my hormones in a balanced place? Thank you!

  16. Karen Kamps
    8 years ago

    Hello Dr.
    I left my Ob-Gyn Dr. this morning. I have been on Bio-identical hormones for 4 years.
    He told me I should stay on the bio’s even though my Estrone is High 23.47 from saliva test. When I take the Bio’s my breast hurts and I get cramping so bad without menstruating. He said that was normal, mind you I have not had a hysterectomy, I also have Thyroid disease, and adrenal fatigue syndrome. My thyroid is treated with Armour 90 mg and I take Natrol DHEA 50 mg for my adrenals plus I work out 3 days a week. Why do I need to keep taking the troche’s if my Estrone levels are high and I feel better off of them? Thank you, look forward to hearing from you. Karen K

  17. Rita K. Wood - Hunley
    8 years ago

    Nearly 4 months now … a lifetime ago … April 20, 2016 ~ I awakened and began my day as usual … heading for the bathroom, avoiding the mirror … the way I “looked” … my tired aging body … 25 years of “taking care of” both parents, my Beloved PaPa had passed 18 months before … years of neglecting myself … sleep deprived, and sedentary … all of the weight I had gained … feeling vacant and lost, The VOICE went off inside from somewhere deep in my Soul, and filled the space all around me … “LOOK AT YOURSELF !!!” There it was … my nipple twisted and inverted, and next to it, a deep indentation … my right breast had literally caved in. I called the doctor, and explained to his nurse … I heard it in her voice. The next day a mammogram … 67 years old, I had never had one before. I used to beat myself up for not having them … I know better now. I will never have one again. I also had biopsies a week later, confirming what I already knew, the moment I saw my breast in the mirror a week before. I didn’t need to have a BIG Needle plunged into the tumor, or the lymph gland under my arm … opening and spreading cancer even further into my system. I met the oncologist 22 days after that morning in the mirror … a very nice man, born the same year as me, we had our “consultation” in a “chemo” room … I choose to sit in the “care-giver” chair, offering him the *Big Chair* … he seemed reluctant. I told him then I probably wouldn’t be his easiest and most cooperative patient … asked him if biopsies spread cancer … he was uncomfortable with the question … “some say yes, some say no ” … of course it does … I know that now … he knew it then. I had no idea what I was going to do that evening in May, but I was already clear what I wasn’t going to do. I went on to have a Pet/CT scan which turned out to be “Good & Clear” … no further metastasis, beyond the lymph gland (s) ?! under my right arm pit. The very nice oncologist actually telephoned me one evening from the Denver Airport, stuck in a storm, waiting to fly back to Portland … 9:00 pm Oregon time, it was 10:00 pm in Denver … I was impressed and moved by his compassion and empathy … wanted to alleviate some of my fears. His recommendation was of course The Big 3 … the only protocol medicare pays for … the only ones he is allowed to recommend … possibly / probably the only things he knows … chemo therapy, radiation, and mastectomy … invasive, barbaric, cancer causing so called “treatments” will NEVER be my remedy or pathway to wellness … *Alternative* Healing is my Journey, and the more I discover, the calmer and more grounded I become … finding my equilibrium again, I’m coming out of shock and releasing fear. I now realize this dis – ease has turned out to be a BLESSING and the Greatest WAKE UP CALL of my LIFE !!! I’ve learned that “Remission” means FORGIVENESS … I’ve released and let go of so many toxic emotions and things, including 28 pounds so far … eating beautiful Organic Veggies & Fruits … I have discovered a community of Kindred Spirits who are Healing Their Lives, outside of mainstream allopathic treatments for cancer. I’ve become encouraged and feel more grounded everyday … *The Truth About Cancer* opened my eyes, gave me Hope, and Restored My FAITH … there is a LOT to learn … so many things to DO … so many things we’re not being told. I appreciate your site, and the work you do … the Wonderful information you provide, but I wish there was more about these alternative protocols from around the World … the ones we are not “allowed” to know. GOD Bless You Dr Northrup ~ You are in My Heart and Prayers ~ Namaste’

    1. Lynn Fraley
      7 years ago

      What a touching story, Rita, and one I have heard before. I hope you share this story far and wide, particularly your commitment to making lifestyle changes. ( I love that you had your doctor sit in the “big chair”!) Yes, bless Dr. Northrup, and all the other courageous souls working to turn the ship and bring more consciousness to healing.

    2. Isabelle
      6 years ago

      Thank you for your post. Exactly how I feel. I just cant seem to find others feeling the same here.

      Many thanks and grateful for your post.

      Isnt it fascinating how like minded people find posts like this.

    3. Lanora Heiset
      2 years ago

      Oasis of Hope hospital

    4. Laura
      2 years ago

      Thank you for your story, Rita! Your courage to stand up for what is best for your body is inspiring!
      God Bless you!

  18. Andrea
    8 years ago

    Dear Dr. Northrup,

    First of all I would like to say that you are an inspiring person with an enlightened spirit to me. My first contact with your empowering words and ideas on health was when I found your book “Women’s Health, Women’s Wisdom” in my mother’s book shelf and read it in one day – loved it.

    I am a person who tries to be healthy, specially in an emotional/spiritual way, but sometimes it is hard because I had severe anxiety since I was in my late teen’s, and at that time I didn’t sleep for about 3,5 years; the anxiety feeling was so strong I started taking drugs to sleep with no medical prescription – I slept 3-4 hours the most. I had a severe depression because of that and felt lifeless, and finally decided to do psychotherapy which helped me a lot. I got better and managed to leave the drugs slowly and started to sleep normal (sometimes with ocasional insomnia, but I didn’t fear it). I actually managed to overcome this negative stress episode in my life and had very happy and plesuarable moments from then onwards. I was very proud and confident about myself.

    Since I heard, a few years ago, that the lack of sleep increases your risk of breast desease, everytime I get a bad night sleep or don’t sleep at all, I think immediately “I have to sleep or I can get cancer!”. I know this sounds stupid, I should be calm and relaxed but that information actually stressed me quite a bit and I started getting obssessive about sleep, like some kind of fobia. I should be feeling the opposite!

    In your opinion, how can I deal with this fear in a positive way, could I have caused any cell damage in my body, can it be corrected, can we always start over no matter how much we’ve harmed our body? I want to have a healthy relation with my breasts again, this fear makes me feel hopeless sometimes.

    I feel I need some guidance about this “obsessive thinking pattern”.
    Thank you so much,
    Andrea

  19. donna
    8 years ago

    I am experiencing sore nipples and am having very little luck finding info. I am in perimenopause (52). When I research causes/cures I am always re-routed to breast-feeding articles! I do not believe it is yeast…Help!

  20. Mary
    8 years ago

    Too much pink! This month I’ve seen several ads featuring predominately pink in the text, background, and photos, etc., with no mention of a portion of the proceeds to be donated to Breast Cancer Research. Some of the ads were selling dog food, windows, and real estate, … products that I would not expect to include a lot of pink to promote. In addition, my recent breast MRI featured a pink table to lie on, and a health care worker selected pink tape for me in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month…….. these are just a few examples in my pink world. More positively, a local grocery store is selling all sorts of pink items, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit Breast Cancer Research, which I support. Having been diagnosed and treated several years ago, the pink washing is a painful reminder of very challenging times. Thank you, Dr. Northrup, for your positive perspective…… let’s focus on breast health!

  21. Angie
    8 years ago

    Congratulations on your granddaughters birth, what a joy. Thank you for comments here. When I say I won’t buy in to the ‘pink’ I am frowned on by so many yet I know it is not a cure we need but a different way of thinking. A few years ago my man had a PSA test, he was not asked if he wanted one it was just done when he had a cholesterol test, he was 74 at the time and made to feel he wouldn’t make 75. After some time with one consultant who said he was more likely to die with cancer than of it as most men over 70 will he still made arrangements for biopsy. I did some research, before I had ‘discovered’ you or Louise Hay and convinced him this was a bad idea, instead we suffered abuse from hospital staff and then went for a day out. Last year he was bullied into going to a hospital clinic as again his blood had been tested without permission and again he said no to tests. Your writing has given me extra strength to fight back should this happen again, he eats well, better than ever since he met me 7 years ago, drinks a few beers a week walks the dog and is a healthy weight, now almost 77 I think he is in good nick and full working order. At 52 I get my share of tests but I knew my breasts are healthy and so is my cervix and the tests said so too. Thank you for being such a source of information and strength Christiane

    1. Christiane
      8 years ago

      HI Angie!! WAHOO!! I am on a mission to help MEN avoid all the prostate cancer over-diagnosis too!! So– it really really is heartening to see that this advice has helped your man!!

  22. Lynn Godin
    8 years ago

    Good article, I am an IBCLC and give prenatal classes so the benefits of breastfeeding are mentionned and one is the longer you breastfeeding you decrease your chances of having breast cancer….you don’t mention this in your article. Thank you

    1. Christiane
      8 years ago

      You are so right!! And I completely agree with you!! I breast fed both of my daughters for 2 years each. And I’m a huge advocate of this wonderful womanly art!!

  23. Robin
    8 years ago

    I would like to know Dr. Northrup’s views on the efficacy of Theraml Mammograms ?
    I just had my first because I keep reading about the dangers of continued radiation exposure to Mammograms.

    1. Christiane
      8 years ago

      I’m a big fan of thermography. It is a functional test and measures heat. Therefore, with an abnormal thermogram, you can do lifestyle changes and get the test repeated. So it actually help monitor breast health quite nicely.

  24. Alice Grange
    8 years ago

    Thank you for all of your great advice. Most of the women in my family had their first bouts with breast cancer in their late 30’s/early 40’s. I haven’t worn a bra since I was a teenager and I turn 60 this year, so far so good! Today I had a women in my EFT practice who addressed her issues with lack of desire. After discussing some of the possible emotional causes (guilt and shame…), for us to work on together, I went to my bookshelf and lent her your fabulous book on Menopause. Thank you for all that you have done for all of us.

  25. Sara
    8 years ago

    Thank you so much for this encouraging informations! I’m refusing to consider my breasts as a potential danger and I’m also refusing mammograms. I’v read that ultrasound is a much safer and better alternative , specially for women with dense breast tissue. Is this true?

  26. sally rowberry
    8 years ago

    They tried ‘burning us at the stake’ and that didn’t work, so now they’re trying mammograms!

    1. Christiane
      8 years ago

      LOL!!!

  27. Donna
    8 years ago

    Thanks you so much for this uplifting approach to breat health. I have quit examining my breast, have started going braless quite often since reading Goddesses…it is liberating and exciting to appreciate and enjoy this feminine part of myself. In seeking to care for my breast, my entire body feels happier…I guess that makes sense. I haven’t really changed physically. But I have changed perceptually. Thank you. I loved Goddesses and I love being in the inner circle

    1. Christiane
      8 years ago

      Thank you for being in this inner circle. As we heal, we heal the world!!

  28. Susan
    8 years ago

    Thank You for your no nonsense information regarding breast cancer. I have been a big fan of yours for many years. I was a former patient on Western Ave. & Women to Women.
    I was diagnosed 4 years ago w/ stage 2 b Her 2 + . I did decide to go for the protocol treatment, however, now I have changed my diet ( mostly macrobiotic approach) & my lifestyle for the better. Reading your newsletter on this topic truly helps affirm that, at least for me, what I am choosing to do now moving forward is personal & feels good. I also enjoy your weekly radio program.
    Congratulations on your grand baby .
    Gratefully, Susan

    1. Christiane
      8 years ago

      Hi Susan– so glad to hear that you are negotiating all of this with so much connection to your inner wisdom!! We have sure come a long way since Western Ave!! Wow!! Thanks for your comment!

  29. Jan
    8 years ago

    Thank you for your wisdom, it is so helpful to have this information. My doctor is pressuring me to have annual mammograms but I keep resisting, now I can put together a sensible and informed reply to him. My friend has just been diagnosed with breast cancer, from what she has told me I believe it to be DCIS, she has had a biopsy, a lumpectomy and now has been told she ‘needs’ radiotherapy. Throughout the process she has been stressed, worried and upset and so has her husband, they have also had to cancel a trip of a lifetime to the US and UK so she can start the radiotherapy. It all seems so unnecessary to put women through this out of fear of what might happen if we don’t follow the conventional ‘treatments’ and I feel helpless as she is very keen to follow doctors orders and I don’t think it’s my place to interfere. I truly believe that we place far too much emphasis on the cure (for any cancer or disease for that matter) rather than the prevention, could this be that there is more money in curing rather than prevention?

  30. Jenna
    8 years ago

    I have been subjected to TEN CT scans with contrast in the last 8 years due to diverticulitis, pulmonary embolisms (Caused by surgery), pancreatitis and the like. At this point I figure I have had so much radiation, I need to do whatever I can control to stay healthy. I am down 14# and should not be and I am still recovering from colon surgery (cannot eat full fiber yet). Any advice?

    My mom is 88 and has IDC — Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. What are your feelings on that one? She has pain under her armpit and has had a bioposy – BTW, you know her. Last name Peterson. 🙂

    1. Christiane
      8 years ago

      It’s time to call in Divine Love for healing. REad the testimonials over at http://www.worldserviceinstitute.org And then do the free healing program. And listen to my radio interview with Bob Fritchie. Bob recently had two people with very advanced pancreatic and lung cancers become completely free of cancer. All with Divine Love. Check it out!!! Also Kelly Turner’s book Radical Remission– tells how the thousands of people who survive terminal illness have done it. Doesn’t matter WHAT you have. It matters what you DO with your mind/body/spirit!

  31. Jean S.
    8 years ago

    Hello Dr. Northrup! Congratulations on your new baby grand daughter! I loved your picture with her! I love ALL of your advice. I have been following you for many years now and quit having mammograms years ago. My sister at the age of 51 had breast cancer and they removed her breast. She has lived a life filled with lies and deception. Her “cancer” brought her to a place where she has made amends to all those she offended and she is working very hard on being connected with God and others.
    In fact she has changed many things in her life for the better. I am now proud of her and believe this happened to her to “wake her up”. It was the loud knock on the door that she no longer ignored and bravely “opened the door” to a whole new life. Thank you, thank you, thank you for educating us on being able to experience pleasure, receive love and nurturing from ourselves and others, and the wonderful health tips!!! You are greatly appreciated by so many in our world. We love you!!!

    1. Christiane
      8 years ago

      What a wonderful message!! thank you so much!! It is so true that our souls come to us through our bodies. And it’s our earthly job to heed the call. ( Or keep repeating the problem). Free will!! Thank you!

  32. Shelley
    8 years ago

    I’m just wondering why you recommend lean protein when our brains need healthy fats. Do you have an article on why lean protein is better? Thank you!

  33. Beverly
    8 years ago

    Thank you for sharing … I’m learning that now I’m getting older why my body feel the we get does… You help me realize this is my temple and I have to take care of it… Need to move and Excersie and eat right … This is my new beginning … Thank you

  34. Glenda M. Livelesz
    8 years ago

    First, CONGRATULATIONS on the birth of your grandchild! It is truly a blessing to hold your babies baby in your arms & be The Village that is needed around them!❤️
    Secondly, thank you so much for substantiating my feelings about many of these so-called Pink organizations. I have been wary of all but one & that is The American Cancer Society.
    Thirdly, a huge thank you for substantiating my beliefs on “the power of positive thinking” with your expert scientific knowledge about breast & prostate health in general. This information is invaluable to most Americans & I do intend on sharing it! THANK YOU, once again!

  35. Maureen
    8 years ago

    Starting to wonder if having a lumpectomy and radiation was the right thing to do. I could have done without the radiation. Terrified of injuring the rib cage and sternum and searing the lung. Had Stage 2.

    1. Maureen
      8 years ago

      I forgot to say THANK YOU. I love your presentations on PBS and your book. It is nice to have a wonderful female doctor that gives such inspiring advice!

      1. Christiane
        8 years ago

        Thank you so much Maureen, Remember– the body is self-healing. So just send Divine Love to that chest area. For completely instructions, visit http://www.worldserviceinstitute.org

  36. Laura
    8 years ago

    Thanks for reinforcing this concept. I am choosing to not get any more mammograms. I also don’t contribute anymore to these organizations. I watched my mom die of breast cancer. What are they really doing with all that money…probably producing more harmful medications that so Big Pharma can get richer. People like you give me HOPE! I will continue to spread your message. Sending you a hug!!!

  37. michele serchuk
    8 years ago

    I think that it takes great courage to be what is often a lone voice in sensible healthcare. You are a bridge between several different worlds. It is good to pluck what is good and helpful and truthful from all healing modalities. Thank you for speaking what you know to be true in spite of what is typically true. Bless you.

    1. Christiane
      8 years ago

      Thank you for noticing the courage that this takes and has taken for years. It’s easier now than it was back in the 80’s and 90’s. People are waking up. And I’m not so alone anymore!!

  38. F
    8 years ago

    Thank you for the great article. I recently had a breast cancer dream, and reading this has prompted (and worried) me to investigate further. I am very healthy and have avoided mammograms since Dr. Mercola has spoken out against them. I just made an appointment for thermography and would love to know what you think of it for detecting any problems. Thank you so much if you can get to this question.

    1. Christiane
      8 years ago

      I’m a big fan of thermography. And there is still a place for mammography depending upon what the thermogram shows. The best thermographers also work with mammographers!!

  39. kate teschner
    8 years ago

    Thank you so much for this article. Have to get an ultrasound on right breast next week. They saw a crease, whatever that means. Love your practicle approach to woman’s health!

  40. E
    8 years ago

    Thank YOU for this courageous and beautiful blog! These are words to live by. No more living in fear. Living with love and loving intentions. It’s the way to stay healthy, for sure! Blessings, Goddess – XO

  41. Moira
    8 years ago

    Hearty congratulations on becoming a grandmother! It’s been such a pleasure in my life to watch beautiful smart wonderful women reach a whole new level of loveliness on the birth of a grandchild and I wish you and your family all the very best.

    Thanks for your post and sharing. As a natural health practitioner it warms my heart to read sensible common approaches to caring for our bodies, minds and spirits and I love to share your writings with my clients. I’m 60 now (can hardly believe it but it’s a fact and I feel better than ever in every way!) and have seen many changes in the world – the biggest of which has been the wholesale discounting of all forms of intelligence that’s within or bodies, minds and spirits. Thank you for your writing which is clear accurate and joyful.

  42. Sigal Ben-Simhon
    8 years ago

    Hi.i read your book about woman healrh.and i want to ask u if it ok to take sintetic estrogen in pill like enjuvia. (From flower not from horse
    Just want to know if it can hurt the liver..
    I did try bio identical hormones but it didn’t work after a while. And I just tried the vaginal for of bioidentical but it didn’t address the problem of the hot flashes. Only work locly.
    I felt the best with the enjuvia. Although it made my breast dense. And hard to screan but finally I could sleep through the night. Just worry about the liver
    I had to tell u when I read the chapter about insomnia that when I decided to go to HTC
    bc before that I was on sleeping pills every night .and I listen to u . thanks

  43. SM
    8 years ago

    Just curious, are you a Christian?

    1. Christiane
      8 years ago

      I was brought up Episcopalian and played the organ in church. I resonate very strongly with Jesus and the Christian faith. But I love God in every conceivable form — whether that is the gods and goddesses of Hinduism or the mysticism of Rumi and Hafiz.

      1. Carol Korthof
        8 years ago

        I was brought up in an Assembly of God church…..Oh Baby!!!You should have been in some of those services….They were doozeys….But, we had some of the best music on earth and we learned the Bible… And to this day, those verses come to me as confirmations of what I call revelation….I’m very thankful for all that Biblical memorization….It sure has served me well….

        1. Christiane
          8 years ago

          I agree with you about learning the Bible verses. There is such truth there! And also truth in the Koran, the Torah, and all other sacred texts. Truth is truth!! ( And there is NOTHING like soaring good church music to lift the soul in PRAISE!!)

  44. Linda
    8 years ago

    Thank you so much for this article. I have always struggled with the big corporate push for the pink ribbon and the message behind it as you expressed.
    I appreciate your breast care ideas and suggestions. There is one thing I have always wondered about and hoped you could comment on. I see all the underwire bras as a huge problem and wonder if it could contribute to breast cancer. I love your suggestion for going braless because it allows the lymph to flow freely. When I think about all the underwire bras out there, it makes me cringe because I see them as huge blocks to the healthy flow of our lymph system- so important to breast health. Any comments?

  45. Gwenn
    8 years ago

    Thank you, Dr. Northrup, for posting such a common-sense article. For years I have resisted getting mammograms because of the exposure to xrays much to the concern of my husband. Now I have information from a medical professional I can point him to!
    PS I found a lump in my breast 20+ years ago during a self-exam and it turn out to be benign. Every day I do massage my breasts using energy medicine to keep the energy flowing and the lymph system clear.

    1. Christiane
      8 years ago

      Breast massage is a most wonderful practice!! I highly recommend it. Thank you for this reminder!! And so glad I could help make your position stronger!!

  46. Marsha
    8 years ago

    Thank you so much for this! For sharing your wisdom and knowledge with us! I gained so much insight and affirmation in your words about healthy breasts. I am like minded on holistic approach. I totally agree with you on the subject! I just wanted to let you know that you made a difference in my life. I have and love your book The Wisdom of Menopause! Namaste, Marsha Peckham

    1. Christiane
      8 years ago

      Thank you so much!! It’s thrilling to know this!!

      1. Giuliana Torelli
        8 years ago

        You and Dr. Andrew Weil are my health mentors! I read your book Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom in a Spiritual retreat (of silence and solitude after a devastating divorce) I did by myself in the middle of nowhere in Costa Rica and I remember one day I read for 9 hours, only taking bathroom breaks! I love your no non sense approach to health and self care! Thanks for everything you have done for women!

  47. Norma Jean Arteman
    8 years ago

    I have your books and enjoy my quiet time reading in one each day.
    Also enjoy the news on e-mails that you share with us all.
    Thank you for being there for all we women.
    N.J.A

    1. Christiane
      8 years ago

      Many many thanks!!

  48. Alicia Kent
    8 years ago

    Wow, I am SO Grateful to see this confirmation. Thank You!!

    I worked as a Lab Scientist for 30 years, and have left to practice 5 Elements Bodymind Acupressure and to “teach” clients about epigenetics….in particular around breast health. I so often see blockages in the meridians that have to do with self nourishment in women, and so am writing on that as well.
    I am also a mandala artist and recently created a mandala using my photo images of flowers that have self care energy to celebrate Breast Health Awareness rather than Breast Cancer Awareness…and I have put the mandala on t-shirts to promote this thought and this energy.
    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153191256577496&set=a.10150965296817496.416595.583527495&type=3&theater

  49. MM Cliggett Reynolds
    8 years ago

    Is there any definitive research on underwire or synthetic bras and an association with breast cancer?

  50. Laura H
    8 years ago

    Dr. Northrup,
    Thank you so much for writing this article! I’ve been agonizing over whether or not to get a mammogram this month after my doctor strongly suggested it at my physical and I sat there feeling crazy for trying to space them out. I’m 53 years old and my mom died of breast cancer at 51. The doctors keep insisting I need yearly mammograms, but I’ve been on a healthier, holistic path and feel that my breasts are the last place I want to be putting radiation. I’m already doing most of the suggestions you listed, so I’m comforted by that. In the last couple of years I’ve changed my mindset from being scared because of my mothers history, to being empowered by the fact that I’m taking much better care of myself. I’ve read everyone of your books and trust your judgment more than my own doctors. This article is exactly what I needed to read today. Thank you,
    Laura H

  51. Marybeth
    8 years ago

    Thank you!!! I work at a hospital and we are already being overwhelmed with “pink”! I am all about holistic approaches. I receive acupuncture, participate in weekly yoga classes and walk, walk, walk. I trust myself entire self, body, mind and spirit to my Divine Physician. It has taken me decades to trust, but what a joy! Dr. Northrop, I wish you were my doctor,

  52. Susan Pallinger
    8 years ago

    Thank you so much for this article,I am a bc victor,
    I have always felt you have sound advice,you have done your research,as I have found out by following you,
    Keep it up you are saving lives!

  53. Kim
    8 years ago

    Excellent comments! In my heart place I know all of that is so true, Especially the nurturing ourselves. I do get sucked into the medical fear place and then I have to go back to what my heart and body are telling me. My mother died of breast cancer at 47 and the medical profession seems to think this is a death sentence for me. I however, know in my heart place that I will not die of cancer, breast or otherwise. Whom should I believe. ME!

    And take care of myself.

  54. Maryann Woodman
    8 years ago

    Dear Christiane Thank you for your informative blog on breast health.I am of the same opinion and have not had a screen done for some time now.I needed your reminder to be more consistent with my breathwork.Maryann

  55. Jill
    8 years ago

    All I can say is AMEN to your article on breast and prostate health!! I am so tired of everything being fear based!! It’s amazing!! I have no intention of ever getting breast cancer or any kind of cancer!!

    I just don’t understand why more people and doctor’s especially are not on your same page!!

    Thank you for your brilliance, I can’t get enough of it!!!

    Jill

  56. Margie
    8 years ago

    This article came at the right time!! I have been contacted 3 times by the Imaging Centre and twice by mail telling me it was time for a check – I have always felt that every 2 years is too frequent to be subjected to radiation. So I only go about every 5. As I will be 60 this month, I was concerned that maybe I was making the wrong decision about ‘not’ going…I was looking for a sign – and thank you – I believe this was it!!!! On the lighter side, as I have joked with my doctor…if there was a lump, I would know, as it would be the only one on my chest!! He turned red and tried not to laugh and the nurse had to apologize for her laughter outburst!! 🙂 Have a “sunshine” day!!

  57. Yolanda Perez
    8 years ago

    Thank you for your articles and wealth of knowledge. They provide such clarity and I believe the more information you have the inner peace you gain. Congratulations on your granddaughter. My nephew is expecting his first baby in a month and we are thrilled. I can’t stop buying baby clothes. Check out uniqueness austin.com they have incredible baby things. Thanks again for always sharing your wisdom.

  58. Roberta
    8 years ago

    Thank you so much for the article on mammograms!!! I am one who is going against the grain. I have made an educated and researched decision to not have any more mammograms. It is my right, my choice!
    I have read several studies, consulted with a non-traditionalist doctor friend, and made this decision based on research such as you describe in your article. Science is not always right. I believe I keep my body, mind, and spirit healthy with the food I eat, daily meditation & yoga, staying active, getting plenty of sleep etc.
    My other reason for reaching this decision is the fact that I had a ductal situ lump removed from my breast years ago. It was detected by ME with a self-exam. At the time I was a diagnostician for a public school. I was carrying protocols, and evaluation cases with me constantly. One day as the mass of books pressed against my brea breast I felt some discomfort. Later, in the women’s bathroom at the office, I felt my breast discovering a small lump. I was sent for the typical mammogram. When I had my appointment at the surgeon’s office he politely asked why I was there. Nothing showed up on the mammogram!
    I feel blessed, grateful, and relieved that I am educated enough to make this decision. Your article CONFIRMED to me that I am doing the right thing!!!
    Thank you! I have been following you for over a year now and I truly treasure your messages.
    Congratulations on the new grand baby! Many years of building wonderful memories with her.

  59. robyn
    8 years ago

    Great information re self care but i have a question re screening. Mammogram or thermography? How often for each?

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