My Breasts and Your Health

by Nia Shanks | Follow her on Twitter here

I am only 25 years old.

Why am I doing this?

Isn’t this something that is typically done in your 40s?

Those were just some of the thoughts that were going through my mind at the moment. I was standing there in a small room that was perfumed with the scent of antibacterial hand-sanitizer with my robe wide open. My left breast was in a machine that had a hold on it like a vice grip and was making my breast form a shape I didn’t know was possible. “Hmm . . . that’s looks interesting,” I thought to myself.

“Hold your breath,” the technician told me. A few moments later I heard a few clicks and then the machine released its death-grip. “Okay, now let’s do the other one.”

This delightful process was repeated for a total of four times.

Yes, I got a mammogram at the age of 25. The reason is pretty simple: I have a fairly extensive family history of breast cancer, and I have Jewish heritage which supposedly puts me at a further increase risk of getting breast cancer. Because of these facts, my doctor recommended I get a mammogram. And so I did.

Right now you’re probably thinking, and rightfully so, “why in the world is she sharing this with me?” What do my breasts have to do with your health?

I am sharing this experience with you because of one simple fact: too many people forget about improving their overall health. Instead we focus on losing body fat, building muscle, getting stronger, and just looking good. We fail to acknowledge the bigger, and more important, picture: living a high quality life free from disease and illness.

While I am all for looking great and helping others do the same, we should all strive to improve our overall health, not just our physical appearance and performance in the gym. Most people don’t worry about improving their overall health until they have a major health scare. Don’t be one of those people.

Do what I am doing and what I encourage others to do: be on the offense. Do what you need to do today, tomorrow, and every day to keep yourself healthy. I am doing my best to ensure I don’t endure the fate that many of my relatives have with breast cancer and other diseases. It is quite possible, and I’m going to prove it. And I’ll do my best to help you do the same.

Ok, now that I got all of that out of the way, I’m going to sharing the rest of my information in a list format, simply because some of it is random, but equally important.

• The information I provide on nutrition may not be 100% perfect on every level. That is in part due to all of the conflicting research that has been, and will be, conducted over the years. Plus, there are literally hundreds of views and opinions on nutrition. However, the one fact I feel cannot be disputed is that the primary focus on nutrition should be eating whole, natural, unprocessed foods. I don’t care if you’re a vegan, vegetarian, full fledged carnivore, low-carber, low-fater, or you just eat food and don’t give yourself a label. That one sentence still applies.

• Cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses do not have to be a certainty of old age or “just a part of life”. There are things we can do on a daily basis that will build our bodies and keep them strong and healthy. Namely, eating whole, natural, unprocessed foods and exercising consistently.

• Eat close to the ground. That’s a nutrition tip I have heard numerous times. If you can’t find it in nature, then don’t eat it.

• A truly healthy body will be lean, but a lean body is not necessarily truly healthy. Think about that one for a second. I have seen people starve themselves thin or follow dangerous diets for the sake of being lean. These people may be lean and look good, but they certainly are not healthy.

• This is the part of my job that I love, but usually goes unnoticed: I love helping people live happier, healthier, higher quality lives that can be obtained through eating smart and exercising properly. Helping people lose body fat and look better is very rewarding, but not as much as improving someone’s quality of life.

• If you eat meat and/or eggs, then buy organic. Factory farmed meat is worthless garbage, and not to mention the animals are treated very poorly, live in horrible conditions, and many of them are slaughtered piece by piece while they’re still alive. Don’t support that crap by buying factory farmed meats. Buy organic and/or local meat and eggs.

• Don’t whine and complain to me that organic meat and eggs are more expensive. Suck it up, butter cup. I don’t care. Would you rather fork up the extra few bucks now for high quality food, or would you rather save a few measly dollars today and then spend thousands of dollars on medical procedures, dangerous drugs, and hospitals bills? Oh, and put your life on hold while you go through all of that hoping you recover? I doubt it, so make the investment in your health today.

• Make the small sacrifices today, and live a longer, fuller, healthier, happier life tomorrow.
• Too many people make excuses, and too few people take action. Be an action-taker, not an excuse-maker.

• Yes, it may be tough at first to eat smart and exercise regularly. However, you need to make a commitment to yourself TODAY that you are going to eat better and start exercising regularly.

The next step is up to you.

Note: in no way am I suggesting that you simply eat smart and exercise and not visit your doctor regularly or engage in preventative healthcare measures. Yearly physicals are strongly recommended, along with other preventative methods, such as mammograms for women.