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Lobular Breast Cancer. Check your breasts.

This week we met with an incredible brace lady Susan who is stage 4 Lobular Breast Cancer.

This cancer can go undetected when having a mammogram. Susan had a mammogram which came back clear, but she had a small spot at the side of her breast, so returned to her GP when this spot changed, unfortunately for Susan it was too late. A second mammogram 6 months later also came back clear but she insisted they check this spot, which confirmed her worst fears.

Lobular Breast Cancer (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma)

Lobular breast cancer (also called invasive lobular carcinoma) is breast cancer that starts in the milk-producing gland, or lobules, of your breast and has spread into surrounding breast tissue. It can be cured if caught early. Left untreated, lobular breast cancer spreads to nearby lymph nodes, and then to other areas of your body.

What is lobular breast cancer?

Lobular breast cancer (also called invasive lobular carcinoma, or ILC) is breast cancer that starts in the milk-producing gland, or lobules, of your breast and has spread into surrounding breast tissue. It accounts for about 10% to 15% of all breast cancers and is the second most common type of breast cancer. Left untreated, lobular breast cancer spreads to nearby lymph nodes, and then to other areas of your body.

What’s the difference between invasive lobular breast cancer and invasive ductal carcinoma?

Invasive lobular breast cancer tends to grow in a single-file pattern of cells. Invasive ductal carcinoma typically forms a mass or lump.

Who’s affected by lobular breast cancer?

Women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) who are age 55 and older are most likely to develop invasive lobular carcinoma.

What are lobular breast carcinoma symptoms?

Unlike other breast cancer types, lobular breast cancer doesn’t form lumps in your breast tissue or under your arm. Instead, it may cause the following symptoms:

• Hard or thickened area inside of your breast or underarm.

• Your nipple is inverted

• Dimpling, dent or puckering skin on a part of your breast.

• Changes in breast size or shape.

• A feeling of warmth or redness.

• Nipple discharge

• An area of swelling or fullness in your breast.

• A lump near your armpit.

  Talk to a healthcare provider any time you notice a change in your breasts.

What causes lobular breast cancer?

Experts know that ILC occurs when cells in your breast develop mutations in their DNA. But they aren’t exactly sure what causes those mutations to occur. There are factors that could increase your risk for invasive lobular carcinoma, including:

• Age. Most people who are diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma are over the age of 55.

• Sex. Women and people AFAB are more likely to develop ILC.

• Hormone therapy. Women and people AFAB who use hormone therapy after menopause may have an increased risk of invasive lobular carcinoma.

• Genetic factors. Certain inherited genes could play a role in whether or not you get breast cancer. A rare condition called hereditary diffuse gastric cancer syndrome can increase your risk for both invasive lobular carcinoma and stomach cancer.

How does invasive lobular carcinoma spread?

The term “invasive” means the cancer started in the lobules or ducts of your breast, but spread to surrounding breast tissue. Eventually, the cancer can also spread to lymph nodes, organs and other areas throughout your body.

How do healthcare providers diagnose lobular breast cancer?

Healthcare providers may do the following tests to diagnose this condition:

• Mammogram. This test is a low-dose X-ray that detects abnormalities in your breast tissue.

• Ultrasound. This imaging test uses sound waves to capture pictures of your breast tissue. Ultrasound may be used as a standalone test or in combination with mammography.

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Your healthcare provider may request an MRI, which uses radio waves and magnets to take detailed pictures inside of your body.

• Biopsy. In order to confirm the cancer is present, your healthcare provider may take a small sample of breast tissue and send it to a pathology lab for analysis.

What are the stages of invasive lobular carcinoma?

Healthcare providers use cancer staging systems to plan treatment. Invasive lobular carcinoma is divided into four stages. Staging is based on several factors, including the size of the tumor, where it’s located and how far it has spread:

• Stage 1: The tumor is up to 2 centimeters (cm) across and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes.

• Stage 2: At this stage, the tumor may be about 2 cm across and the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. Or the tumor has grown up to 5 cm across and the cancer hasn’t spread to nearby lymph nodes.

• Stage 3: The cancer may have spread to lymph nodes, but hasn’t spread to distant sites like other organs in your body. In some cases, the cancer may have spread into your chest wall.

• Stage 4: The cancer may or may not have spread to nearby lymph nodes. The cancer has spread to distant lymph nodes or organs, which may include your liver, lungs, bone or brain. Stage 4 is also referred to as metastatic breast cancer.

• When should I see my healthcare provider?

  You should schedule a consultation with your healthcare provider any time you notice sudden or unusual changes in your breasts. Your healthcare provider can perform tests to determine if you have breast cancer.

  If you’re already undergoing treatment for ILC, call your healthcare provider if you develop any worrisome symptoms, such as chest pain, confusion, chills, high fever, shortness of breath (dyspnea)bone pain or abdominal pain.

Millions of Christians all over the world will be marking the start of an important period of time on 22 February 2023 - the festival of Lent.

That is because it is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent in Western Christian churches.

DBC Health Retreats

Maybe a little abstinence will do me some good.

By mid-February, our New Year's resolutions are ancient history. Along comes Ash Wednesday and, well, it's like a reprieve. We get a second chance to discipline some weakness or form a new habit. Another opportunity to improve our flagging self-respect!

During Lent, many people decide to give something up that they love - perhaps chocolate, sweets or even using social media.

Others might decide to take up something, like helping out more with chores at home or making an effort to do nice things for their family and friends.

So let’s be kind and better people.

1. Smile and be positive

2. Acknowledge other people

3. Be a good listener

4. Be courteous, polite and helpful

5. Smile

6. Practice empathy

7. Never speak ill of others when they aren't around.

8. Be humble

9. Be sincere

10. Offer forgiveness

#lent

#benice #selfdiscipline #bekind

Improve your health from inside, out!

Avoid ultra processed foods.

The microbiome consists of TRILLIONS of living microbes inside your gut. These little mood elevators work around the clock producing happy-chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine. Making sure that you have a diverse and thriving microbiome can help not only with your mental health, but can prevent things like the urge to over-eat, and can help regulate your digestive system.

1. Make sure to eat your vegetables!

2. Cut out sugar and avoid processed foods

3. Probiotics are great for your gut

4. Avoid Antibiotics

5. Stock up on dietary sources of prebiotics

6. Fermented Foods are gut-friendly

7. Try to cut back on the red meat

8. Get enough sleep

9. Exercise

10. Make time for you!

#microbiomes #guthealth #dbchealthretreat #sandydonnelly #improveyourhealth

Give the Gift of Health this Valentines.

Canary Isle Health Retreat

Pilates & Hiking coupled with a delicious plant based diet and plenty of rest in the sun.

Only £780 Single room

£580 Shared twin room

Or bring a friend £1000 for 2!

Flights excluded but cheap £60

Deposit £250 secure your place.

Suitable for all levels, do as much or as little as you wish.

Afternoons free to chill.

#valentinesgift #valentinesday #giftofhealth #canaryislandsretreat #dbchealthretreat #sandydonnelly #boutiqueretreats #pilatesretreat #hikingretreat #girlsweekend #retreatyourself

Aubergine Steak

Pre fry/roast steaks

Mix

Peanut butter

Soy sauce

Chilli

Lime

Coat steaks and roast until crisp

Only 80kcals

Serve with sweet potato fries

#auberginesteak #healthyrecipes #healthretreat #lowcalorie #boutiqueretreat

Day 2 DBC Health Retreat Canary Isles

Woke up to hot water & lemon 🍋 and a ginger shot!

Pilates stretch and core strength

Breakfast Cranberry, apple and ginger fresh juice

Ladies prepped for 2 hour coastal walk along Costa Teguise promenade, cloudy weather today but a lovely long walk and chats along the coast, after 2 hours and 10,000 steps we returned to our villa, ready for lunch.

Quinoa Mediterranean salad followed by my energy balls.

Afternoon the ladies chilled around the pool while I rustled up some healthy granola.

Hiit session at 5.30pm and Ab blast.

Dinner tonight was my favourite, minestrone soup followed by soy, ginger Aubergine steaks and sweet potato fries yummy

Herbal teas and meditation before bed.

#thisishowweretreat #dbchealthretreat #boutiqueretreat #sandydonnelly #mentalhealthsupport #detoxretreat #canaryislandretreat #sunnyretreat #costatequise #lanzaroteretreats

Reset and Recharge Your Mind, Body & Spirit with a Health Retreat

• Disconnect from the inertias of daily life

• Deep relaxation

• A shift in perception with a healthier perspective

• Aid to recovery from illness

Retreats Have Long-Term Benefits

In addition to offering you an escape from a tiresome routine, retreats set themselves apart from mere vacations due to the specific intent behind them.

Provide Peace Away from Your Daily Routine

Nature Let's You Unwind

One of the biggest advantages of going on a retreat is that it offers you proximity to nature and its healing touch, which can’t be matched by a simple vacation. Being close to nature has shown to reduce the production of cortisol—our primary stress hormone. Moreover, clean air, calm surroundings, and plants allow you to unwind and be thoroughly rejuvenated so that you can have a fresh start to your life upon return.

Nutrition & Mental Health

Eating a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, wholegrains, legumes, and oily fish is linked to improved mental health.

A healthy diet can feed our gut bacteria, improve gut health and help lower inflammation.

These are linked to better mental health.

Natural Safe Therapies provided by DBC Health Retreats

1.     Pilates/Yoga – The practice of physical activity is essential to keep mental health up to date, especially when this activity requires concentration and focus on the present moment, such as Pilates.

The Pilates method works body, mind and spirit through 6 principles: concentration, breathing, control, centering, precision and fluidity. It is precisely because it’s a technique that requires concentration to perform the movements that the practitioner can relax and calm the anxious mind, achieving a series of other benefits for mental health.Pilates may assist in the treatment of depression and anxiety by offering an opportunity to socialise, changing the levels of chemicals in the brain (serotonin, cortisol and endorphins), providing a distraction from negative thoughts, releasing stress, enhancing mindfulness and helping to create a self-care routine. DBC Health deliver Pilates and Yoga sessions to aid with Mental Health issues and improve health.

2.     CBT - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – Delivered either online or through workshops.

Using 3 basic principles

(a)   Core Beliefs – Our core beliefs are formed by our childhood experiences. They are deeply rooted in how we view ourselves, our environment, and the future, along with our beliefs about these factors.

(b)  Dysfunctional assumptions. Humans tend to hold onto the negative more easily than the positive.

(c)   Automatic negative thoughts - involuntary negative perceptions of reality that occur out of habit. They can be difficult to recognize since they are brief and cause negative emotions.

Help patients learn new ways of responding to uncomfortable emotions and situations, to reduce symptoms across a patients range of problems, supporting mental health issues. Nutritional support, exercise mindfulness and relaxation exercises are included.

3.     Relaxation Therapy - Relaxation is a way to counteract our natural fight or flight response (also called the stress response). This stress response is the body’s normal reaction to stressful situations - do you stay and fight or do you run away?

Relaxation techniques help lessen stress and your reaction to it. They help you feel calm, even in stressful situations. They play a role in slowing brain activity, and lowering blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. And, they help support mental health.Some relaxation techniques include diaphragmatic breathing, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), and guided imagery meditation. Qigong, gratitude writing, mindfulness meditation, and music therapy are also great ways to help you relax. Relaxation practices are often a component of CBT.

4. Breathwork - Practicing breathing exercises and mindfulness can lead to better mental health and positive emotions, and alleviate stress and depression. Breathing exercises also allow you to think more clearly and reduce feelings of anxiety.

Diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing is one of the most basic relaxation skills. It involves slow, deep breathing; inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. The idea is to engage the diaphragm, feeling the abdomen move in and out with each breath which can help relieve stress.

With breathwork, you can practice breathing techniques that help you connect with your inner self — your thoughts and feelings

5. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is another relaxation technique. It teaches you to release physical tension more effectively. Step by step, you tense and then relax muscle groups throughout your body.

This can help you focus on the difference between muscle tension and relaxation. You can become more aware of physical sensations..

Progressive relaxation yields a variety of benefits, including the development of a feeling of well-being, lowered blood pressure, decreased muscle tension, thereby reducing the body's need for oxygen and reducing fatigue and anxiety.

6. Mindfulness/Meditation - Based on being mindful, or having an increased awareness and acceptance of living in the present moment. In mindfulness meditation, you broaden your conscious awareness. You focus on what you experience during meditation, such as the flow of your breath. Research has suggested that mindfulness meditation can measurably alter brain function and structure.

Mindfulness practice positively impacts the areas of the brain associated with learning, memory, emotional regulation, empathy, compassion, perspective taking, and stress response.

It can strengthen areas of your brain responsible for memory, learning, attention and self-awareness. The practice can also help calm down your sympathetic nervous system. Over time, mindfulness meditation can increase cognition, memory and attention.

7. Guided imagery is a type of focused relaxation or meditation. Focused relaxation involves concentrating on a specific object, sound, or experience in order to calm your mind.

In guided imagery, you intentionally think of a peaceful place or scenario. The goal is to promote a calm state through relaxation and mindfulness. The idea is that your body reacts to your own thoughts.

By calming your mind and body, you may be better able to cope with mental, emotional, and physical stress.

8. Music Medicine - Music-based therapy is based on two fundamental methods – the 'receptive' listening based method, and the 'active' method based on playing musical instruments

Benefits:

• Stress and anxiety relief. Fatigue, stress, anxiety, etc., are certain factors that can affect your productivity or willingness to study. ...

• Improves sleep. ...

• Improves physical health. ...

• Helps boost concentration. ...

• Enhances positive energy.

At every stage of our lives, we face different mental health challenges — from depression and anxiety to burnout and stress

50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24.

Let’s not forget the over 50s

Depression and anxiety affect nearly eight million people over 55, but can often go unnoticed and untreated.

People in stressful jobs, change of career or struggling to find work in their 50s

Menopause

Relationship breakdown

Can contribute to depression, anxiety, stress or burnout.

Health Retreats can help get you back on track

The purpose of a mental health retreat is to detoxify the mind and body of stress and tension, and each element of our retreats has a significant effect on your mental health.

#Healthretreat #mentalhealthatwork #mentalhealth #over50s #stressatwork #csrinitiative #humanresources