Johnson County Area Women Gather for ‘Ladies Wine Night’ in Observance of Breast Cancer Awareness

A good time was had by all at the Tecumseh Fire Hall on Tuesday, October 20 as an estimated 85 women gathered for Ladies Wine Night sponsored by the Johnson County Hospital’s Radiology Department.
Dr. Josiah McAllister was the guest speaker and his topic was Women’s Health in observance of October being National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. One in eight women will get breast cancer in their life. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths.
Why do we Screen For Breast Cancer? According to Dr. McAllister, if breast cancer is detected in its early stages, the treatment is easier as many women will only need surgery and may not need chemotherapy or radiation.
Screening recommendations include mammograms beginning at the age of 40 and continuing every one to two years. Women who’ve had family members with breast cancer (mom or sisters especially) are recommended to start mammogram screenings earlier than age 40.
Dr. McAllister encouraged women in the area to let the staff at the Tecumseh Family Health or Johnson County Hospital know if you have concerns or if you feel something in your breast that is not normal during self-examination, so they can determine if additional screenings or MRIs must be conducted. McAllister added that some screenings may start as soon as the age 30, if a woman is at high risk for breast cancer.
When it comes to breast cancer screening expectations, Dr. McAllister indicated that one in 10 women will get called in to have additional testing. One in 10 of those women will need a biopsy and over half of them will not have cancer. Dr. McAllister emphasized that women should not stress about an abnormal mammogram because it happens often, and the vast majority of those women don’t have cancer.
Dr. McAllister also discussed cervical cancer screenings. It is recommended that women have pap smears every five years from age 30-65. If previous screens were normal pap smears can stop at age 65. It is not necessary to have a pap smear after having a hysterectomy. Women with cervical cancer may have additional tests similar to breast cancer.
Dr. McAllister also shared information about bone density screening. It is recommended that every female over the age of 65 have a bone density screening. Bone density screenings may be recommended earlier for some women who have previously suffered with a broken bone, have a family history of osteoporosis, tobacco or alcohol use, or are taking certain medications such as steroids. Up to half of women after menopause will have a fracture. Low bone density often isn’t detected until there is a fracture. Hip fractures can be especially tough to recover from. Dr. McAllister said that there are great treatments for women with bone density issues. “We can help prevent the fracture before it happens,” he said.
Menopause and Hormones was another topic. The average age for menopause is 51. Cycles can be very irregular for up to 10 years prior to menopause. Symptoms come from quick changes in hormones. According to Dr. McAllister, a women’s diet and medicines can help. Helpful diet changes include limiting sugars and fats. A women may try a Mediterranean diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish and olive oil.
Medication recommendations consist of natural estrogen and progesterone to keep levels stable.
Hormone changes make it especially hard to maintain or lose weight. Therefore a woman should focus on the exercise and not the number on the scale.
Dr. McAllister recommended two key exercises for women to utilize as a way to keep their independence as they get older: 1) Stand up from a chair without using your arms. 2) Raise your arms above your head.