Routine Gynecologic Care

Healthy breast tissue is essential for reducing the risk of cancerous development. While genes play some role in breast cancer risk (as does the frequency of preventive care, such as mammograms), lifestyle choices also have a significant impact.

Exercise, nutrition, and sufficient vitamin intake are all important steps in lowering the risk of breast cancer. However, it can be unclear which foods are beneficial and which may increase risk instead of decreasing it.

While every diet should contain various foods, specific categories or types are especially valuable in reducing cancer risk. Bear in mind, whenever possible, food should be consumed as close to its origin as possible; for example, whole foods such as fruits are preferable over artificially sweetened fruit juices.

It is helpful to get a baseline knowledge of food groups so you can make smart choices about nutrition.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Vegetables, in general, are a good inclusion in any diet, but cruciferous vegetables are incredibly impactful. “Cruciferous” means vegetables in the same family as cabbage; think broccoli, bok choy, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, turnips, and radishes.

These vegetables contain valuable nutrients, such as carotenoids, glucosinolates, indoles, and isothiocyanates. These compounds (especially indoles and isothiocyanates) correlate with a decreased risk of breast cancer because they actively inactivate carcinogenic compounds, protect DNA strands from damage, and reduce inflammation in the body.

Other Vegetables and Fruits

It is hard to go wrong with any vegetable or fruit incorporated into the diet. The substances in fruits, such as antioxidants, decrease cell damage and boost the immune system to combat any problematic cells it encounters.

Studies indicate that various types of cancer are affected by fruit. Fruit (especially dried dates and figs) are correlated with a risk decrease ranging from just a few percentage points to more than 60% relative risk.

“Fatty” Foods

Most people know that fat is not the best inclusion in anyone’s diet. Still, fewer are aware that not all fat has a problematic effect. While saturated and unsaturated fats (and especially trans fats) in excess may be troublesome for heart health and other health indicators, fats called omega-3 fatty acids can actually slow cancerous cell division and decrease inflammation.

Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in salmon, chia seeds, walnuts, and soybeans; generally, any nut or seed will be a good source of omega-3s.

Whole Grains

Carbohydrates serve as quick fuel for the body; in today’s modern world, it is effortless to find them. However, some carbohydrates offer more benefits than others. Whole grains, which include more parts of the grain than refined products, offer fiber, vitamins, and minerals that can be hard to find from other sources.

Fiber, especially, is important as a mitigating agent against breast cancer. It keeps the gut microbiome healthy, impacting metabolism and overall health. It also keeps people feeling full longer, serving as a powerful force in weight control (and thus breast cancer control, as excess weight leads to increased estrogen production). In some studies, consumption of fiber held a significant inverse correlation with breast cancer development.

Hydration

When people think of nutrition, they tend to think of food. However, water is just as important! Good hydration can reduce the risk of breast cancer in a roundabout way: through the colon. Higher water consumption prevents constipation, which allows bodily waste (including free estrogen) to exit the body.

Without sufficient water intake, the gut moves this waste more slowly, allowing the excess estrogen to remain in the body longer. As a result, estrogen levels can become unbalanced, causing breast tissue proliferation that boosts the chances of cancer development.

Alcohol Intake

Alcohol is a regular part of many people’s lives. From an occasional drink at a work happy hour to a regular daily habit, consumption of alcohol can find its way into a person’s life in many ways. However, studies consistently show that alcohol consumption is correlated with a 30% to 50% increase in breast cancer risk.

One of the simplest ways to have a significant positive impact on breast cancer risk is to eliminate alcohol from the diet or significantly decrease consumption.

Unite Nutrition With Preventive Screening

Your daily choices regarding what to consume and how to hydrate can have a lasting impact on your breast health and, by extension, the health of your entire body. Pair smart nutritional choices with other beneficial habits, such as participating in routine mammogram exams to spot cancer in its earliest stages. Contact Raleigh Gynecology and Wellness today to schedule your next mammogram!

Getting a mammogram should be a regular part of most women’s lives. But for many, the process brings with it high levels of stress. Even when problematic tissues are not found, and the results are clear, many women still struggle with feelings of anxiousness, tension, and even high blood pressure during this time.

While this is a normal response, reducing this stress response can help women continue leading fulfilling lives in the interim. The anxiety surrounding a mammogram can occur before, during, or after the appointment, or a mix of all three.

Knowing why this stress occurs and what to do about it can ease the minds of patients and make mammography a more approachable part of life.

Why (and When) the Stress Hits

The human stress response is a built-in reaction to situations that may be perceived to cause harm. As a result, it is expected to feel stress during and after many medical procedures, including mammograms. Many people also feel anxiety before dental visits, general practitioner appointments, or even blood draws.

Depending on who is being studied, somewhere between 41% and 69% of women undergoing a mammogram report feeling stress at some point during the process. If this describes you, you are not alone.

Before a Mammogram

Patients often feel stress prior to their mammogram appointment due to:

• Difficulties fitting an appointment into their busy schedules
• Unfamiliarity with the mammogram process
• Anticipation of negative outcomes
• Fear of pain or discomfort

During a Mammogram

Within the mammogram procedure itself, women can continue to feel stressed by:

• Perceived pain or discomfort
• Confusion over unclear instructions
• Being in a medical environment (sounds, smells, etc.)
• Working with a practitioner whose personality they do not align with

After a Mammogram

The period following a mammogram is typically associated with the highest levels of stress. There are many reasons for this, including:

• Fear of negative results, such as a cancer diagnosis
• Anticipation of a scheduled callback
• Nervousness while waiting for result reporting

Ways to Cope With Anxiety and Stress Surrounding a Mammogram

Mammograms might be a stressful time, but much of that anxiety often comes from fear of the unknown. Relieving anxiety requires that patients learn more about the process. Many patients report a significant decrease in anxiety when they know why it is essential and what to expect.

• Understand the reality: One of the most important things patients can do to ease their stress about getting a mammogram is to keep themselves grounded in reality. Depending on location and other factors, only around six out of 1,000 patients who undergo mammograms will receive a diagnosis of breast cancer. Patients have a high chance of a favorable outcome.
• Look to the future: For some, the realization that their chance of breast cancer is low does not help ease stress. However, keep in mind that even among those who are diagnosed with breast cancer, mammography can catch it while it is very new and easier to treat. The five-year survival rate for breast cancer is over 90%, and when it is caught early, that rate climbs to 99%. The vast majority of patients will make a full recovery.
• Embrace coping strategies: Some women look at the statistics and find that their stress levels do not change. Try being compassionate to yourself during this time. Keep thoughts balanced and try not to let them spiral out of control; bear in mind, any adverse outcomes causing stress have not happened yet, and the odds are that they will not. Speak to friends, enjoy hobbies, and reschedule any significant projects or other stress sources until the mammography results are ready.
• Choose how to get results: Waiting for results can be one of the most stressful aspects of mammography. However, now that technology allows online portals, the results are uploaded for patient access. Choose whether checking the patient portal or waiting for a doctor callback works better for you. Some people want to know right away and check the portal. Still, this information may be full of medical jargon that patients could misinterpret. Waiting for a doctor’s call could take an extra day or two. However, it might provide information that is easier to understand and a recommendation of what to do next.

Get Compassionate Care From a Friendly Mammography Team

Mammography is meant to find problematic tissues in the breast. It is normal for women to feel stress while anticipating what might happen if the results are concerning. Bear in mind, even if a mass is spotted in the breast, chances are it is harmless.

To help manage your stress, work with a medical team that treats you with sensitivity and compassion. Contact Raleigh Gynecology & Wellness today to schedule your mammogram.

Many women already know that mammograms should become a regular part of their healthcare routine starting at around 40 (or earlier for those with certain risk factors, such as the BRCA gene). However, not everyone who needs a mammogram receives one, and those who do might not realize how much a mammography can positively impact their lives.

The primary purpose of a mammogram is to identify the early signs of breast cancer, such as unusual tissue or small growths. In addition, individuals who undergo mammography see improved health outcomes in other areas that, at first glance, seem entirely unrelated to mammography. Why does this happen? A few studies have revealed some of the potential reasons.

How Are Mammograms Related to Broader Healthcare Outcomes?

Research is increasingly showing that mammograms may be more related to better health outcomes in non-breast cancer areas than doctors initially thought. In fact, studies show that people who got mammograms as scheduled were around 20% less likely to die of any cause—not just breast cancer. There are a few reasons why this might be the case:

Greater Trust in Providers

Whether an individual trusts their medical provider is a significant factor in how often they are willing to visit a doctor’s office. When women undergo regular mammograms, they see their providers more often, establishing a history and rapport with them. This makes it easier and less stressful to visit them later; thus, they are more likely to schedule appointments whenever needed.

As a result, people who get mammograms regularly build a stronger network of supportive physicians they can see whenever an issue arises. This increases the likelihood of identifying a health problem—even if it is not breast cancer—as early as possible.

A More Preventive Mindset

Studies indicate that when people attend their preventive care visits, they are more likely to take a proactive attitude toward their health. For instance, in a study of people’s opinions on health care, 73% said that they would rather have a full-body CT scan to check for health issues than receive $1,000. Less than a third of respondents said that they would stop attending preventive care appointments in the future.

In other words, people who get screenings such as mammograms tend to be healthier because they are consistently willing to undergo preventive care. This can apply to many areas of health beyond breast health.

A Trend Toward Healthy Habits

Similar to some people’s willingness to continue with preventive care, many who receive mammograms benefit in other health areas because they generally tend to make healthier choices. Those who invest time and energy into preventive care often understand that many health factors are within their control, so they proactively schedule screenings.

This attitude goes beyond just breast health and feeds into other positive habits. Everything from eating a diet rich in nutritious foods to getting plenty of exercise and enough sleep all become more common on average in individuals who schedule mammograms.

Patients who are still unsure whether a mammogram is worth the effort should consider that taking that first step can be the gateway to many other beneficial health attitudes and changes!

Increased Likelihood of Repeat Visits

Another reason mammography care translates to better overall preventive health participation is that patients are more likely to visit the doctor repeatedly. When patients learn the benefits of mammography and its role in identifying risks early, they find the power to take control of their health.

This optimism is infectious, and patients often quickly learn to value the peace of mind that comes with regular visits to the doctor. This encourages greater active participation in one’s own health, which can form the foundation of a regular screening schedule—not just for breast cancer but for other things, too.

Patients who visit the doctor regularly are more likely to see positive outcomes, from diseases caught in their earliest stages to greater access to medical information that can change their lifestyle choices.

Invest in a Mammogram for Whole-Body Health

A mammogram is an invaluable tool for ascertaining the health of the breast tissue—but getting a mammogram is also correlated with better health outcomes and greater participation in preventive healthcare in general.

Thus, when you invest in spending some time getting a mammogram, you could be doing more for your health than you realize.

The professional team at Raleigh Gynecology and Wellness is always happy to support your healthcare pursuit so you can be empowered to care for your body. Contact Raleigh Gynecology and Wellness today to schedule your mammogram appointment.

All women should undergo mammograms throughout their lives, ideally starting at age 40 (or earlier for those with a family history or certain genetic traits). However, some women may be concerned that mammography might not work for them because of their breast tissue type.

Dense breast tissue can make interpreting a mammogram more difficult because the image is cloudier and full of white patterning. Still, women with even very dense breasts can benefit from regular mammograms.

It is essential to make the most of these appointments to understand what breast density has to do with mammogram results, how these mammograms can be interpreted, and ways that patients can maximize the accuracy of their mammography reports.

Do You Have Dense Breasts?

Before a woman can approach her mammogram with information about her breast density, she must understand whether or not she has dense breasts in the first place. Breast “density” is the composition of the breast tissue.

In many women, the breasts are made up largely of fatty tissue, which appears grayish on mammography imaging. Within breasts, fibrous tissue (thicker bands or sections of the breast) helps to give these anatomical features their shape, holding the breasts in place.

The fatty and fibrous tissue does not interfere with breast imaging for most people. However, some women have very thick fibrous tissue or may have an abundance of glandular tissues, the milk-producing glands, and ducts that carry the milk.

Together, these features can make the breast dense, obscuring findings more easily visualized in fatty areas. Women can range from almost entirely fatty breasts, which are easy to scan, to dense breasts with minimal fat, which can be much more challenging.

How to Read Mammograms With a Breast Density Report

As of 2024, the FDA now requires that every mammogram include a patient’s breast density report. Patients can read this information for themselves; the report will directly specify that the patient’s breasts are either “dense” or “not dense.”

This determination is made by categorizing the breast on a scale from A to D, which will also be included in the report:

• Category A: The breast is made up almost exclusively of fatty tissues.
• Category B: Some areas of glandular and fibrous tissue exist but are scattered and minor.
• Category C: A large portion of the breast is made of fibrous and glandular tissue (this is called being heterogeneously dense).
• Category D: Breasts are made almost entirely of dense tissues with very little fat.

Do Mammograms Work on Dense Breast Tissue?

Even in Category D women, mammograms are still an essential part of healthcare. While it is true that clearly visualizing all parts of the breast tissue can be more difficult when that tissue is dense, a professional can still spot problematic areas that may lead to cancerous growth.

This rate of success in identifying cancer early is still higher and more effective than waiting for symptoms to develop from cancerous growth and then pursuing treatment.

How to Get the Clearest Results

Dense breast tissue can make mammograms a little more challenging, but this is something that skilled professionals see all the time; in fact, around half of women have dense breasts. While a woman cannot change the tissue composition of her own body, there are some things she can do to facilitate clearer, more accurate results during a mammogram:

• Work with a skilled team: Some providers have more experience with dense breast tissue than others. Select a mammography team that works with imaging on dense breasts frequently, as they will be more knowledgeable about what to look for.
• Get mammograms regularly: For women with dense breast tissue, frequent mammograms are essential. Having a history of breast tissue images will allow the doctor to see gradual changes over time, clarifying which parts of the breast are normal and which are not. This additional resource increases the likelihood of finding problematic growths in dense breast tissue.
• All women should be careful to follow their doctor’s instructions before mammograms, but this can be especially important for those with dense breast tissue. Avoid wearing lotion or other cosmetics that could interfere with the mammogram to make sure doctors take a clear picture.

Trust Your Mammograms to Professionals

Dense breast tissue can make mammograms more difficult, but it should not discourage patients from getting scanned. In fact, it is more important than ever for women with dense breasts to get regular mammograms because having a history of images can lead mammograms to be more accurate.

Trust a team that regularly scans dense breasts for the best results. Contact Raleigh Gynecology & Wellness today to schedule your mammogram.

Many factors contribute to breast cancer risk, from family history to genetic predisposition. However, few people realize that the foods they eat and dietary habits they consider routine may also play a role in their mammography outcomes.

While no superfood prevents breast cancer—nor is there a single food that causes it—a person’s overarching dietary choices influence how the body’s cells grow and divide. A few small changes to your diet can go a long way toward decreasing your risk of breast cancer and enjoying better overall health.

Learn how certain foods and dietary habits can influence breast health and mammogram outcomes so you can make informed decisions about diet, health, and wellness.

Why Fat Is Tied to Cancer

A high-fat diet also tends to be higher in calories, as fat is a calorically dense substance. However, this does not necessarily mean that eating fat is a poor choice; some types of fat, such as mono- and polyunsaturated fats, are good for health and can be found in nutritious items such as avocados and salmon.

The problem with fat arises when a person consumes too many calories, building up excess fat cells in the body. A person who is overweight or obese is typically also at a higher risk of breast cancer due to how fat cells impact hormones. Fat produces estrogen, which is a foundational hormonal component of breast tissue growth.

When the cells in the breasts grow faster and more abundantly, they also replicate faster, which increases the odds that a cell will become abnormal and transition into cancer.

Switching to healthy fats in the diet and avoiding the consumption of excess calories can keep the breast tissue healthy.

The Role of Red Meat

For many years, the adage has spread that red meat is the inferior choice to white meat because red meat causes inflammation. Extensive cohort studies into breast cancer risk have found that while no difference in breast cancer risk was found between groups who ate a high amount of red meat versus a low amount, postmenopausal women did see a higher rate of breast cancer than premenopausal women when both cohorts consumed red meat.

The cause behind this difference is unclear and could range from the cooking method to the type of animal the meat came from.

While the connection between red meat and breast cancer may not be entirely clear, there are still benefits to limiting its consumption. On average, white meat is lower in fat, decreasing caloric consumption.

Other essential nutrients, such as zinc and B vitamins, can be found in white meat, so there is an incentive to add more of it to the diet.

Fiber in the Diet

A diet high in fiber is good for the body for many reasons, but reducing the incidence of breast cancer is one reason people may not be aware of. There are many mechanisms behind why fiber is associated with significantly lower breast cancer rates:

• Stable blood sugar – Cancer cells need energy to grow, and excess glucose (sugar) in the blood encourages cancer proliferation. Fiber stabilizes blood sugar.
• Lower free estrogen – Fiber can help to reduce excess estrogen, which slows the proliferation of breast cells that can become cancerous.
• Decreased appetite – Fiber helps people to feel full for longer after eating, which helps to avoid calorie overconsumption. Thus, those who incorporate fiber (especially fruits and vegetables) are less likely to face increased cancer risk from obesity.

Alcohol and the Cancer Connection

Many assume that a small drink here and there does not impact their health. Still, studies show that breast cancer risk increases by 7% to 10% for each alcoholic drink an individual consumes per day.

Researchers believe that ethanol, the alcohol found in drinks, is responsible for this increase in breast cancer risk (through its function of raising estrogen in the body); thus, it is likely that the type of alcohol does not matter as much as how often and how much an individual consumes.

Get Regular Breast Cancer Screenings

A person’s dietary choices have a role to play in their breast cancer risk, just as their genetics, family history, and other lifestyle factors do. By making minor adjustments to nutritional habits over time, an individual can boost their health in many ways and decrease their lifetime risk of breast cancer.

The professionals at Raleigh Gynecology and Wellness encourage all women to participate regularly in breast cancer screening through both mammography and self-exams at home.

Contact Raleigh Gynecology and Wellness to schedule your mammogram or learn more about how to keep your breasts healthy over the long term.