A joint study by the University of Vermont, the University of Wisconsin, UC Davis, and others found that a shocking 43% of all women aged 40-74 years have a dense breast diagnosis. This should sound the alarm because one-third of all breast cancers are found in women with increased breast density in over 50% of their breast tissue. The Mayo Clinic broke these numbers down by stating about 1 in 10 women will have “D” Classification breasts (extremely dense) while 4 in 10 women will have “mostly dense tissue.” Another 4 in 10 will have scattered areas of dense tissue in their breasts.

This is a heavy issue for people with dense breasts as mammograms do not work as well since the density may hide a tumor. Even in normal breasts, by the time cancer is detected via a mammogram, breast cancer could have been in the body for an average of 6-8 years. This is why I use safe and effective options for dense breasts, such as thermography and The SonoCiné Ultra and Sound AWBUS.

BUT it does not mean breast cancer is inevitable. You can decrease dense breasts. I highly recommend that you are PROACTIVE with PREVENTION and REVERSAL. Keep on reading to learn the truth about why women get dense breasts and how to reverse it. If you want personalized and actionable support and direction, please look into working with a Breast Cancer Conqueror Coach today.

What does the term “dense breasts” mean?

Breast tissue is fatty, glandular, and fibrous tissue, and the amount of each can vary depending on the woman. When the amount of fatty tissue in a woman’s breasts is significantly lower than fibrous and/or glandular tissue, a physician may give a diagnosis of “Dense Breasts” or “Dense Breasts Syndrome (DBS).”

There are several “classifications” of breast density that you may already be aware of from your doctor visits. In case you are not aware of the classifications breakdown or need a refresher on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) system put out by the American College of Radiology—here it is:

“A” Classification indicates that a woman’s breasts are “almost entirely fatty tissue.”

“B” Classifications mean there are “scattered areas” of dense breast tissue. 

“C” Classification indicates “heterogeneously dense breast tissue,” i.e. many areas contain glandular and fibrous tissue.

“D” Classification means that a woman has “extremely dense breast tissue.”

The causes of dense breasts—and how to reverse it.

Conventional medicine states that dense breasts are an “inherited trait.” It also acknowledges, however, that certain epigenetic factors absolutely play a part in the expression of this trait. A quick recap on epigenetics: Epigenetics is the study of how your lifestyle and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes express themselves. (CDC).

Breast tissue develops primarily during puberty and is altered during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause.  Additionally, how you take care of yourself (especially during the stages mentioned above), along with dietary and environmental factors, play a major role in the density of your breast tissue. That is epigenetics at work. Below are several actions you can take today to reduce breast density and increase your general health. 

Alcohol

Since March 2020 (mostly due to the pandemic), heavy drinking among American women has increased by 41%. Alcohol is a toxin, plain and simple. The ethanol breaks down to acetaldehyde which is a known carcinogen and is a leading cause of a range of cancers and serious illnesses. For example, women who consume more than 7 drinks a week are 5 times likelier to have dense breasts. Even more damaging, drinking more than 1 glass a day leads to a drastic 82% greater risk of breast cancer. 

Decrease Strategy:

Save your money, save your life—opt for lavish mocktails like this sparkling lemon fizz! If you do want to enjoy an occasional glass of wine, only drink wine that is organic, has been tested for chemicals, and has no added sugars and sulfites. I discovered a company called Dry Farm Wines. They only work with small family vineyards that use no additives and chemicals in their wine-making. Most wines sold today are mass-produced products. They can include high levels of added sugar, alcohol, and 76 FDA-approved additives.  

If you would like to try a few bottles, you can get an additional bottle for 1 penny on your first order. 

Sugar and The Standard American Diet (S.A.D).

Putting refined sugars into your body increases insulin production and, eventually, inflammation. Insulin resistance increases cellular proliferation in breast tissue and thus increases breast density and risk for cancer. Women who eat commercialized grain-fed red meat every single day starting in their adolescence have a 22% higher risk of dense breasts and breast cancer. 

Decrease Strategy:

Drastically reduce your sugar consumption! Get all the details here. Depending on your body’s needs, eating meat can be an important way to get essential vitamins and proteins in your body. It just must be organic, high-quality meat that is free of chemicals and toxins. I buy my meat from ButcherBox because they are raising the bar for exceptionally high-quality meats. 

Eating a well-rounded and balanced diet based on your genes, nerve system, or blood type is essential for decreasing the dense breast tissue. These tests can take the guesswork out and give you body-specific answers for optimal functionality: Nutrition Genome and The Gonzalez Metabolic Type Diet.  Working with a Breast Cancer Conqueror Coach can also help you tailor a diet to match your exact needs and goals.

Hormones and Synthetic Hormone Replacement Therapy 

We all know that when your hormones are out of balance, things can feel pretty miserable. Balancing hormones is also critical for preventing serious health concerns. Some of these include polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), Endometriosis, premature aging, and potentially breast cancer. However, synthetic/pharmaceutical hormones are NOT the answer. Additionally, the use of the birth control pill and an increase in weight gain in adulthood (which causes a change in your hormones) lead to denser breast tissue.  Learn more about healthy breast-safe hormones to use via this blog.

Decrease Strategy:

Use Plant-Based Bioidentical Hormones (BHRT). To learn about your specific hormones and properly balance them, a ZRT Laboratory saliva test is your best option. You can also learn more about safely and effectively managing your hormones via this blog post.

Plastics, BPA, and Phthalates

All of them are known endocrine-disrupting compounds linked to breast cancer, dense breasts, and many hormonally driven conditions. One massively helpful change you can do right now is to stop using throw-away plastic water bottles. Over 38 pollutants were found in 10 of the best-selling bottled water brands. Also, you don’t know how long your case of plastic water bottles has been sitting in the hot sun before winding up in your shopping cart. I go into great detail about how to clear out environmental toxins in my book, Heal Breast Cancer Naturally.

Decrease Strategy:

Buy a home water filter system and take a reusable water bottle everywhere you go. Check out the ones I recommend via this blog post.

My last piece of advice for decreasing density: Get lost in learning and find answers! Start with listening to this brilliantly insightful podcast about mammography and dense breasts, and check out www.areyoudense.org’s policy, news, and education around breast density.

Lastly, be your own breast detective—never stop researching and looking for clues! 

 

Author: Dr. Veronique Desaulniers, better known as  Dr. V, is a Doctor of Chiropractic & has 44 years of experience in the wellness industry. For personalized support, please partner with a trained Breast Cancer Conqueror Coach.