An A-Z Woman's Guide to Vibrant Health
Cervical Dysplasia
The American College of Pathology states that four out of five women who die of cervical cancer had not had a PAP smear in the previous five years. According to Health Canada, the highest incidence of cervical cancer and the highest death rates occur in women over the age of 65, a group that often stops having annual PAP tests. PAP smears save lives by discovering abnormal cells, called cervical dysplasia, early enough to prevent loss of life
from cervical cancer. Every adult woman from the age of 18 should have an annual PAP test to ensure her cervix is healthy—but what can be done when the test comes back abnormal? (See Appendix C for more information on PAP tests)
Symptoms
There are no symptoms until invasive cervical cancer makes itself apparent. This is why an annual PAP test is necessary.
Causes
We know the main risk factors that promote abnormal cervical cells include: greater number of sexual partners, increasing age, infection with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) (the virus that also causes warts), smoking, oral contraceptive use and nutritional deficiencies of folic acid, vitamin A and vitamin C.
We definitely do not want to ignore abnormal PAP tests. Too many women are advised they have an abnormal test result, told to come back in six months for another test and are not given any suggestions for how to get their cervical cells to return to normal. Yes, some abnormal cells return to normal with no treatment, but what if simply taking a nutritional supplement containing vitamin A and C and folic acid could ensure a normal PAP? Every woman I know would take a multivitamin with minerals to help those cells revert to healthy cells.
We know that HPV is implicated in the majority of cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer cases. New research has shown that a nutrient called Indole-3-carbinol can reverse abnormal cervical lesions before they have a chance to develop into cancer. In one study 30 women with CINII and CINIII cervical lesions took 200 mg or 400 mg of I3C daily. Fifty percent in the treatment group had complete regression of their lesions. None of the placebo group had complete regression of their lesions. Indole-3-carbinol is available in a nutritional supplement called EstroSense in the dosages used in the study to reverse abnormal cells. EstroSense also contains other nutrients, including calcium D-glucarate, rosemary containing carnosic acid, Milk thistle, lycopene, sulforaphane, tumeric and green tea—all researched to help prevent female cancers and keep our estrogens from converting to cancer-causing estrogens. So you get the benefit of returning abnormal PAP tests to normal while helping to prevent female cancers.
PRESCRIPTION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH
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Multivitamins with minerals; (contains no iron)
FemmEssentials or MultiEssentials for women |
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As directed. For complete formula recommendations see Appendix A |
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Ensures adequate nutrient status |
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4 capsules per day with food for 6 months, then reduce to 2 capsules per day for maintenance
contains:
Milk Thistle 100 mg |
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Supports liver health, which is important for metabolism of hormones |
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Important for healthy metabolism of estrogen; detoxifies breast cancer-promoting agents |
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Turmeric )100 mg
(95% curcumin
100 mg inositol daily |
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Prevents breast cancer, detoxifies cancercausing form of estrogen, excellent to reduce chemotherapy side effects |
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Indole-3-carbinol 300 mg
(found in cruciferous vegetables) |
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Reduces risk of breast cancer, can be used in conjunction with tamoxifen; prevents healthy estrogen from converting into the cancer-causing form |
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| Green tea extract 200 mg daily |
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| Protects against breast cancer |
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| | Rosemary extract 50 mg daily |
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| Reduces tumor formation and breast lumps; antioxidant |
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| Antioxidant, reduces risk of breast cancer |
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| | Sulforaphane 400 mcg daily |
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| Reduces risk of breast cancer |
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Evening Primrose Oil or Borage Oil containing GLA |
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3000 mg Evening Primrose
or
2000 mg Borage oil per day |
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| Anti-inflammatory; controls negative prostaglandins involved in pain and inflammation |
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| Balances estrogen-to-progesterone ratio |
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HEALTH TIPS TO ENHANCE HEALING
See Health tips for Endometriosis
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