Cancer Dietitian

Phytochemicals are Cancer Fighters!

As a reminder, phytochemicals are naturally occurring plant chemicals that provide plants with color, smell and flavor.  Once we eat those phytochemicals, research shows they can influence the chemical processes inside our bodies in many different beneficial ways.

I have talked about phytochemicals many times in previous posts including:

Cranberries
Blueberries
Okra
Sweet Potatoes
Whole Grains
Antioxidants
Acai Berries
Super Foods
Immunity
Soy Foods and Phytoestrogens
Beans and Legumes
Flax
Curry


More Plant Foods - Spices!

Phytochemicals are what makes a plant based diet so healthy. The more phytochemicals you can get in a day, the better! You get these chemicals ONLY from minimally processed plant foods.

Spices are a great way to boost your phytochemical intake. The great thing about spices is that they can also add flavor to your food and help you cut back on the amount of salt, sugar and fat.

I heard on the radio yesterday that the average American eats just over 100 POUNDS of sugar every year. Yikes! That ends up as 22 teaspoons of sugar a day. Anything that helps cut down on that is good!

Super Swaps

Here are some ideas on how you can swap out the unhealthy, cancer promoting flavorings for more healthy, cancer preventing spices.

• sprinkle 1/4 teasopoon of oregano leaves instead of 1/4 teaspoon of salt (this will save you 575mg of sodium and add as many antioxidants as 1.5 cups of spinach).
• use 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon in place of 1 tablespoon brown sugar (this will save 12g of sugar, 45 calories and add antioxidans comparable to 1/4 cup of raspberries).
• beat 1/8 teaspoon of thyme into 2 eggs before scrambling
• add oregano and tomato to a grilled cheese sandwich (broil it open-face to save 100 calories by not pan frying it in butter)
• shake thyme, rosemary and oregano on baked chicken or roased vegetables.
  

This month, I will continue to focus on spices. I think they are very underutilized, they're great sources of flavor and one of the easiest ways to add phytochemicals to your day!

If you want more information on the swaps, check out www.spicesforhealth.com. It's a website by McCormick (maker of spices) with lots of great swap ideas and information on antioxidants in spices.

Check it out!
- Julie

I think for the next 365 days I am going to try to cook all of the recipes in Julia Child's book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and blog about it. I bet you would all like to read about it on my blog!

Oh, wait.... someone already did that... and her name is Julie too! :)

Julie & Julia: The Movie

I watched the movie Julie & Julia last weekend. I thought it was a great movie showing two parallel stories of women (and their husbands) who love to eat and cook! I learned a lot about different types of foods, cooking techniques and french cooking and eating.

In the movie, they talk a lot about butter! And they show a lot of butter! In fact, after watching the movie, it made me want to eat a piece of buttered toast!  

I think they may have exaggerated a little about how much butter is used, but it definitely got me thinking:

Is French Cooking Healthy?

Many people have heard about the Fench paradox, essentially pointing out that the French eat a lot of saturated fat (in meat and dairy foods), and still have lower rates of heart disease than Americans.

As Americans, we want to find the ONE CAUSE of something through a scientific test and then either:

1. avoid that something if it causes a bad outcome; or
2. overdose on that something if it causes a good outcome.

We have a very hard time with the fact that there could be multiple reasons for something and that the "dose" of certain things "makes the poison". Therefore, maybe butter isn't good or bad. It just depends on how much of it you're having!

Here are some things that I observed about french cooking and eating in the movie.

• They were cooking with all fresh ingredients. Almost nothing came from a box, can or frozen.
  
• When they ate - they REALLY enjoyed the food. One... bite... at... a... time! They weren't rushing around shoving all their food in their mouth in 5 minutes while talking on the phone, driving, typing an email or cleaning the house.
  
• Their portions were smaller.
  

So my answer is YES! French cooking (and eating) is definitely healthy.

Tips to Become More French In Your Cooking and Eating!

1. Consume smaller portions. Starting NOW!
2. Savor food to feel more satisfied with smaller amounts.
3. Choose a smaller amount of high quality food rather than larger amounts of low quality food.
4. DO NOT skip meals - eat 3 meals a day.
5. Consume plenty of liquid such as water, herbal tea, and soup.
6. Eat while sitting down.
7. Do not multitask while eating.
   
8. When choosing foods to cook and eat, focus on freshness, variety, balance, and pleasure!

Check out the movie if you haven't seen it. I think you'll like it!

- Julie

Thanks!
Thanks to everyone who filled out our survey. I received many wonderful and encouraging comments and lots of ideas for future posts. Thank You!! The most encouraging part is that 84% of people said they made changes in their lifestyle as a result of reading the articles. Yah!

If you haven't taken the survey, you still have another week to be entered in the drawing for a handmade piece of "Juliery" and a Cancer Services, Inc. t-shirt.

Take the Survey!

Easy to Please Dinner!

I went to share this recipe with my neighbor this week and could not believe that I haven't shared it will all my readers yet!

Today's recipe is a family favorite. It is sure to please people with all kinds of likes and dislikes. You can make it vegetarian, vegan, meatatarian or any other combination. And since the eater gets to make it "their way", you don't have to worry about people picking things out!!

Lucky for you, the recipe is also healthy for you- lots of phytochemicals in the vegetables, whole grains and nuts.

Recipe of the Week: Texas 9

This is one of those that you don't really have to think about.

Ingredients:

• Corn chips
• Brown rice
• Chili (we use vegetarian/vegan chili)
  
• 2% shredded cheddar cheese
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Onion
• Green olives (pre-sliced)
• Peanuts
  

Instructions:

• Dice tomatoes and onions
• Wash and tear lettuce
• Cook rice
• Heat chili
• Chop peanuts

Have people layer their Texas 9 in the following order (omitting any ingredients they don't want):

Chips, Rice, Chili, Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Green Olives, Peanuts.

Enjoy with a spoon or fork! The nice thing is that you can use the leftover chili to have over potatoes another night!

Try it this weekend!

-  Julie

Request from Your Cancer Dietitian!

Thank you so much for reading my posts! I have one simple request of you - will you take this SHORT (less than 2 minutes) survey for me? You will be entered in a drawing for a handmade bracelet by me AND receive a Cancer Services t-shirt!

Most importantly, the information provided by this survey will help us to report back to organizations that fund our education programs. This website could not exist without that support. Thanks in advance for providing your feedback!

- Julie
Click here to take the survey!

Lung Cancer in Non-Smokers:

Exposure to radon is the number one cause of lung cancer deaths among non-smokers in the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon causes more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the country each year.

In fact, radon claims more lives in the U.S. than does AIDS. It's amazing because you may have never heard about radon, except when getting your house inspected before buying it!

What is Radon?

Radon is an invisible, odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas released from rock, soil and water through the natural decay of uranium. No area is free from risk. However, radon does not need to be a serious problem in your home.

How do I Know if I am Being Exposed to Radon?

Radon test kits are available free of charge in January, which is Radon Action Month. North Carolina residents may order free test kits from www.ncradon.org.

Some people may fear that if radon is detected in their home, the home will lose value. However, according to the EPA, if an elevated level of radon is detected in your home, the cost of rectifying the situation is about the same cost as having a new hot water heater installed. That's pretty cheap! 

For more information about radon, go to www.epa.gov/radon.

Words from a Lung Cancer Survivor:

Dusty Donaldson, a lung cancer survivor and SUPERB advocate, sent me this information. She cautions that "few survive a lung cancer diagnosis. I was diagnosed four years ago. For your health and the health of your loved ones, test your home."

We've had our home tested with one of these free kits. It was easy, cheap and good to know. Thankfully, we didn't require any treatment and levels were normal.

Be sure to get yours checked out!
- Julie

You've been there too. Driving home with no plan for dinner and you know there's a Taco Bell (or other fast food) on your way home. It's so easy to just drive up in line and order a few things off the $1 menu.

It seems like a good deal, $5 for dinner. But when you factor in the lack of good, cancer fighting nutrients and the overabundance of unhealthy fat, salt and calories, it's not that great of a deal!

What should I eat when I don't have time to cook?

Today's post is inspired by my brother. He was on his way home last night when I called. He asked me, should he stop for dinner at Taco Bell?

THANK GOODNESS I called at the right time! DON'T DO IT, BRO!! We can talk through this!

Don't get me wrong - he's a smart guy. In fact, he's a nuclear engineer! It just goes to show that everyone struggles with the same "dinner problem".

While we were on the phone - (and I did manage to convince him to skip Taco Bell!) - we were able to find some things in the pantry that were just as fast. Here's what we came up with:

Chili in a Jiffy!

Ingredients:

• 1 can of chili (Amy's brand is healthy - lower in sodium and fat)
• Diced tomatoes (he already had them diced in the fridge)
• Diced onions (already diced)
• Frozen corn
• Frozen green chilis
• Cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients, except cheese, in a pan.
2. Heat until frozen veggies are cooked
3. Pour into a bowl, add cheese and EAT!

You can alter this recipe with whatever you happen to have in your house. I have some frozen jalapenos that I cut up from the summer. I might also add a can of another type of bean (black or kidney) to add to it, or pour it on top of rice. 

The toppings could also be varied - add some lettuce, fat free sour cream (or plain yogurt), some crunchy chips or torn up corn tortillas, a side of toast or whatever else you might have in the fridge.

While the chili is warming, cut up some fruit for dessert and munch on baby carrots. All of this would probably take a total of 20 minutes.

It might be slightly longer than going through the drive through - but waiting in line and taking a detour on your way home would probably add 15 to 20 minutes anyway. And if you've added some things to the chili, or cooked 2 cans you might even have leftovers you can eat for lunch the next day!

Tips for Last Minute Dinner in a Hurry

There are a few things that are key to make the last minute dinners work for you.

1. Keep healthy, easy to prepare foods at home. Canned, or bottled chili (or better yet - make a big batch of your own that you can or freeze) and frozen veggies are a must!
2. Have ready to eat veggies. Must haves are baby carrots, tomatoes, peppers and onions. When you have a few minutes, chop them up so they are ready to use in an instant. Also, if you don' t have time to chop - spend the extra money to purchase them already diced. I've been able to find pico de gallo in the grocery store which is great in eggs or chili!
3. Keep a list of Last Minute Dinners on the fridge so when you're stressed and can't think - you just read the list and make it. Zonya's cookbook has an entire section for 1 minute meals and 5 minute meals. A great place to start!!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas with family and friends!
- Julie

Foods That Fight Cancer

As I've said before - no one food or food component will prevent or cure cancer by itself. Unfortunately, we do not have any miracle cures at this point. However, nutrition does play a role in cancer prevention, living with cancer and in promoting healthy survivorship.

How Do Plant Foods Prevent or Control Cancer?

Science suggests that the combination of nutrient dense foods in a mostly plant diet is beneficial in fighting cancer at various stages of growth. The vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals in plant foods interact with each other in ways that make them more powerful than if you had them on their own.

This idea is called synergy - where the interaction of different nutrients actually multiply their beneficial effects. So 1 + 1 = 3 in this case!

Also, since vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans are very high in these beneficial nutrients, but lower in calories, they actually protect against gaining weight. We call these foods nutrient dense because they're so high in nutrients without lots of extra calories.

The alternative to nutrient dense is nutrient poor, calorie dense foods. These are the foods that provide you a lot of calories with very few beneficial nutrients. Probably the best example of a calorie dense food is soda. (FYI - diet soda would not be considered calorie dense, but it also does not provide you any beneficial nutrients). 

Which Foods are the Best Cancer Fighters?

Science shows that eating mostly plant foods can help prevent weight gain and protect against cancers whose risk we know are linked to higher body fat, which include:

• Colorectal cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Endometrial cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Breast cancer (in postmenopausal women)

I am often cautious about this information - I don't want anyone blaming themselves or others for getting cancer. We don't know exactly what causes someone's cancer. Right now, all we know are "risk factors", "links" and "contributing factors".

There is no guarantee when it comes to cancer (we all know someone who has done everything right, and still gets cancer) - but you can put the odds in your favor!

Most Researched Cancer Fighting Foods
 
Here is a list of the foods with the most research regarding how they interact with cancer. In future posts, I'll highlight each one and give you recipes on how you can fit them into your eating so that you can have a Cancer Fighting, Plant Based Diet!

• Beans
• Berries
• Cruciferous Vegetables
• Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
• Flaxseed
• Garlic
• Grapes and Grape Juice
• Green Tea
• Soy
• Tomatoes
• Whole Grains

Thank You!

Thank you so much to those who responded to my request in the last post. I now have $3,190 which is 64% of my goal! If you haven't donated, it's not too late to help CancerDietitian.com be the #1 sponsor for the Polar Bear Ride for Courage in 2010!

I am riding on New Year's Day and have extended the deadline to support me until Dec. 31st. All donations are 100% tax deductible - to Cancer Services, Inc. who is the sole supporter of this website.

Feel free to donate via my fundraising site: http://www.active.com/donate/cancerservices2010/JulieandLinda, or mail a check to Cancer Services, Inc. 3175 Maplewood Ave, W-S, NC, 27103. 

Thank you so much for your support!
- Julie

A special holiday request from Your Cancer Dietitian:

I have a very special friend who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer for the 4th time. Her first diagnosis was over 20 years ago. Since then, she had been providing care for people diagnosed with cancer - over 50,000 survivors to date!

I really want to do something to honor her, and am riding Cancer Services' Polar Bear Ride for Courage on January 1st. YES, in the cold :). I need your support to reach my goal of being the #1 sponsor this years in honor of Linda! My goal is to raise $5,000 for Cancer Services.

In case you don't know, Cancer Services is what makes this website and information possible! I do not receive any revenue from ads or selling things. You have the benefit of great information and yummy recipes all at no charge.

If you would like to help make this website possible and provide HOPE to those living with cancer, like Linda, please consider donating to my ride: http://www.active.com/donate/cancerservices2010/JulieandLinda. ALL funds are used responsibly - 90% of Cancer Services' budget goes for direct client services - which far exceeds the government recommendation that at least 85% of funds be used for services.

I so appreciate your support, any amount will make a difference whether it's $5 or $500! For anyone who donates $100 or more, I will hand make a bracelet or earrings!

Merry Christmas!
- Julie

Cancer Fighting Holiday Meals!

Do you think that it costs more to eat healthy, cancer fighting foods during the Holidays? Not Necessarily! A really cool experiment was done by a food writer in Ohio comparing traditional holiday meals vs. a fresher version and what the cost is.

Guess what she found? It's not necessarily cheaper to eat the canned versions of your favorite holiday recipes! In fact, she found that the total cost for traditional cranberries, green bean casserole, candied yams and stuffing from can or box was $11.46.

The cost for similar recipes from fresh and/or frozen? Only $12.30. And the amazing part is that the fresh recipes fed twice as many people! So the cost per serving for canned was $2.38 (combined for all 4 sides) and the cost per serving from fresh/frozen was $1.20 per serving.

What's the catch? You do have to spend a little more time preparing the food. BUT, is it worth your extra 30 minutes to know that you are providing extra cancer fighting phytochemicals and not loading them up with cancer promoting nutrients this year?

You decide for yourself, but I think the answer is YES for me!

Simple Holiday Recipes

Citrus Ginger Cranberries

Down Home Green Beans:
Ingredients
•    10 oz. frozen green beans
•    Red wine vinegar
•    Cooking Oil
•    One onion, diced
•    Cajun or Creole seasoning

Instructions:
1.    Heat pan with oil in it
2.    Sauté onion for 5 minutes
3.    Add green beans to pot and mix with onions
4.    Add vinegar and a little olive oil to cover bottom of pan
5.    Let the green beans boil in the vinegar for at least 5- 8 minutes or until hot.
6.    Add Cajun or Creole seasoning to taste
7.    Serve and enjoy!

Candied Yams
Ingredients:
 
•    4 cups sliced sweet potatoes or yams - precooked in the microwave until soft
•    2 apples, sliced
•    1/3 c. pecans
•    1/4 C brown sugar, packed
•    1 tsp flour, sifted
•    1/4 tsp salt
•    1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
•    1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
•    1/4 tsp orange peel
•    1/2 C orange juice 

Directions:
1.    Preheat oven to 350
2.    Toss apples and nuts with combined sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and grated orange peel.
3.    Place half of sliced yams in medium-size casserole dish. Sprinkle with spiced apple mixture.
4.    Add second layer of yams, using the rest of the ingredients in the same order as above. Add orange juice.
5.    Bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes

Dad's Stuffing:
Ingredients:
 
•    Stuffing mix (whole wheat bread mix if possible)
•    egg (beaten in a cup)
•    chicken broth or bullion
•    celery
•    onion
•    sliced black olives (can use the juice with the broth if desired)
•    Cooking oil
 
Instructions:
1.    Preheat oven to 350
2.    Sauté the onion and celery in a pan with olive oil
3.    Add stuffing mix, egg, black olives and any other additions to the onion and celery
4.    Continuously add broth until desired consistency is achieved
5.    Place in a covered dish
6.    Cook stuffing for 30-45 minutes

Possible additions: cooked brown rice, fresh apples, dried cranberries or mushrooms - just mix in before baking!

Happy Holidays!
- Julie
 

Why is BPA in Canned Foods?

According to the Environmental Working Group, companies began using BPA in metal cans in the 1950s and 1960s. BPA is used in the resin lining of all food and beverage cans, including canned vegetables, soups and sodas.  Companies steadily increased their reliance on BPA until it reached an annual U.S. production exceeding one billion pounds around 1990.

Are There Safe Levels of BPA?

According to a government statement in 2008, a large body of available evidence indicates that currently-marketed food contact materials containing BPA are safe, and that exposure to BPA from food contact materials, including exposures for infants and children, are below the levels that may cause health effects. (Read the Statement).

Many suggest that the government had biased information by relying too much on industry research, as opposed to independent, third party research. A more recent report on BPA by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences can be found here.

However, the Consumer Reports: Concern Over Canned Foods determined that several animal studies show adverse effects, such as abnormal reproductive development, at exposures of 2.4 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight per day. Their food-safety scientists recommend limiting daily exposure to one-thousandth of that level, or 0.0024 micrograms per kilogram of body weight

How Much BPA is in Canned Foods?

The Consumer Reports study showed that those eating just one serving of the canned vegetable soup we tested would get about double what the FDA now considers typical average dietary daily exposure.

They also found that the average amounts of BPA in tested products varied widely; most items showed levels from trace amounts to about 32 parts per billion. Products in that range included canned corn, chili, tomato sauce, and corned beef.

For example, a 165-pound adult eating one serving of canned green beans from their sample, which averaged 123.5 ppb, could ingest about 0.2 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight per day, about 80 times higher than our experts' recommended daily upper limit.

More importantly, children eating multiple servings per day of canned foods with BPA levels comparable to the ones we found in some tested products could get a dose of BPA approaching levels that have caused adverse effects in several animal studies.  

What Should You Do?

• Choose fresh food whenever possible.
• Consider alternatives to canned food, beverages, juices, and infant formula, like frozen or packaged in glass, cardboard or BPA free plastic.
  
• Use glass containers when heating food in microwave ovens (see my post on plastics for more on using microwave safe, freezer safe and dishwasher safe containers).
  

I think the hardest thing for me with this recommendation is canned beans! I'm always telling you to eat more of them, but it's really not convenient unless it comes from a can. A couple of options that you have for those is to:

1. Buy dried beans, soak them or put them in the crockpot all day until they are cooked. You can then freeze some of them for later.
2. Buy frozen. I've used frozen lima beans and frozen black eyed peas, and they've worked out very well.
   

What is the US Government Doing?

According to their statement,

"we are actively reviewing the data on BPA and will continue to consider the relevance of new data and studies as they appear. FDA's work in assessing the safety of these products is never truly final, and if our continuing review of all available data leads us to a determination that the current levels of exposure to BPA are not safe, we will take appropriate action to protect the public health".

Since the FDA estimates that 17% of the U.S. diet comprises canned food, I hope they take appropriate action soon!

- Julie

Gratefully Well

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone! I have so much to be thankful for, and I'm sure you do too. Did you know that research has shown that being grateful can improve your health?

Check out this information from a physician who is located in the Triad, NC. If you enjoy the information, stay tuned because he is going to do a seminar for us in the near future! Great Fully Well

Cranberry Recipe

I just finished making these last night and stirred in the ginger this morning. They are very tasty!! I hope you enjoy them!

Citrus Ginger Cranberries

Ingredients:

1. 2 12-ounce bags cranberries
2. 1 1/2 cups sugar
3. 1 cup orange juice
4. 1 cup water
5. 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
6. 1 teaspoon ground ginger
7. 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) minced crystallized ginger
   

Preparation:

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan.
2. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
3. Boil until cranberries pop, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
4. Cool (I let it cool overnight).
5. Mix in crystallized ginger. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate).
   

Nutrition Benefits of Cranberries!

Cranberries, as well as blueberries have many cancer fighting properties. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research not only are cranberries a good source of fiber and vitamin C, they have many different cancer fighting phytochemicals!

Phytochemicals in Cranberries

For those of you who need a reminder, phytochemicals are the "cancer fighting" chemicals in plants that help our bodies fight disease and keep our immune systems strong. There are more than 900 different types and each plant food has a unique combination of phytochemicals along with vitamins and minerals.

Cranberries contains many different phytochemicals including:

• Catechins
• Triterpenoids
• Quinic Acid
• Hippuric Acid
• Anthocyanins

Results from a 2007 study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that extracts from cranberries slow the growth of breast, colon, prostate, lung, and other tumors, as do other components identified in the fruit (flavonols, proanthocyanidin oligomers, and triterpenoids).

Keep in mind that this study was done in a lab, not in humans so further research is needed to know for sure how this interacts with an active tumor. However, there is certainly no risk in adding more cranberries to your diet!

This study also reported that the unique combination of phytochemicals found in cranberry fruit may produce synergistic health benefits. Possible cancer fighting mechanisms of action by cranberry phytochemicals include:

• death of tumor cells
• reduced spreading of prostate tumor
• anti inflammatory activities

So eat up!!
- Julie

Thoughts from Readers

I thought that readers might be interested in what other readers thought about the mammogram recommendations that came out this week. Remember, you can always feel free to comment (either by name, or anonymously) at the end of each of my posts. It's often great to hear -or more accurately, read -  what others are thinking!

Below I have pasted many of the comments that I have received so far this week. For your protection, they remain anonymous :).

"nice article. thanks!"

"I appreciated your mamogram post on facebook. I turn 40 this year and we have been talking about this some. It's nice to hear from someone we know/trust."

"Excellent recap. I listened to the report on this on NPR this morning as well.  I still remain unconvinced by the arguments to delay the initiation and reduce the frequency.  In the report it sounded like there are a number of people in the medical community who have concerns about this recommendation as well.  If you take this philosophy to the limit you would say people would have less mental stress if they never did a mammogram - the ignorance is bliss argument."

"Thanks for the info. All of this makes me angry.  We must emphasize that one size does NOT fit all. My first cancer [ at age 41] was found by self-examination and it did NOT show on the mammogram.  My second cancer [at age 59] did show on the mammogram but could not be felt on self-examination. So I will continue to advocate for self-exams and mammograms for all women starting at age 30."

"In the interest of objective blogging, you may want to seriously consider presenting the other side of this issue - those in the cancer treatment community who disagree with the recommendations of this panel and the reasons for it.  I think it is a volatile issue and these recommendations do not represent the collective view of breast cancer experts."

"Julie, This is great!  I really like the way you presented the information."

"Julie, can we trust the government to make good decisions?  Are they after reducing medical expenses or saving lives?  It is never easy.  I just hope my doctors will give me good advice."

"Thank you for such a good summary and perspective - I sent on to all my sisters."

"Awesome review, Julie!  I love how you convey a professional message, with a personal touch!" 

More Expert Opinions

Here are some other links to more opinions on the topic. I had a breast cancer support group this week and it was interesting to hear from the women who made it. Almost all of them had been diagnosed as a result of mammogram, and many had concerns that the recommendations were made primarily for saving money.

Feel free to share your thoughts!
- Julie

Annual Screening Mammography Continues to be Recommended in Updated NCCN Guidelines for Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis

Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation (See her blog for comments).

American Cancer Society Responds to Changes to USPSTF Mammography Guidelines

American College of Surgeons Voices Strong Support for American Cancer Society Screening Mammography Guidelines