PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Barely a week after the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended new guidelines for breast cancer screening, some health experts say they don’t go far enough.
While the task force suggested dropping the starting age for screening from 50 to 40 it also said screenings should be done every other year.
Research has shown that yearly mammography starting at age 40 saves more lives, reducing breast cancer mortality by up to 40% compared to no screening.
Having mammograms yearly, instead of every other year, also helps find cancers when they are smaller and easier to treat, which may reduce the need for aggressive treatments, like mastectomy and chemotherapy.
ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS
According to a recent study, if your diet contains 20% or more ultra-processed foods. You may be increasing your risk of developing cognitive disorders.
While age and genetics are the biggest factors for these types of diseases doctors say our diets are something we can control to reduce our risk, along with other lifestyle factors.
“Exercise, proper sleep, engagement as far as staying mentally active. And I think it’s really that combination that’s going to have the most effect rather than each one separately,” said Dr. Charles Bernick, with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Brain Health.
Research has found that those who followed a Mediterranean diet generally have a lower risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Related story: Study finds processed foods can impact memory
US MARINES AND TCE
And a study found that U.S. Marines who were stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, are 70% more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than other U.S. Marines.
Researchers believe exposure to a chemical called trichloroethylene, or TCE, is the culprit.
For this study, researchers looked at the health records of 340,000 service members who were stationed at Camp Lejeune from 1975 to 1985 when the water at the base was known to be contaminated with TCE.
Related story: Expanding research into Parkinson’s disease