Ovarian Cancer – the silent killer!
By the time most women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, it’s too late. It’s been stated that there are no symptoms of ovarian cancer and regular gynecological visits do not even screen for them. Regular pap smears screen for cervical cancer, not ovarian cancer. There are, however, symptoms that you should not ignore such as bloating and cramping on your side and heavier periods than before. Most women brush it off as having a urinary tract infection or bloating due to other causes and do not get checked. If symptoms persist for more than a week, seek medical help. It may not be something to brush off!
Ask your doctor to perform a transvaginal ultrasound on you to further diagnose your condition and to see what may be sitting inside your ovaries. The older you get, the greater your risk of ovarian cancer. You can get ovarian cancer younger, but your risks greatly increase as you get older. Unfortunately, genetics play a role as well and that is something we cannot control. We can control our diet however, and this can play a major role in preventing ovarian cancer. There are different types of foods we can choose from that will help reduce our risk.
Some of these foods are raw endives, sea bass, and onions. It is recommended to eat approximately 1/2 a cup of raw endives two times a week. Sea bass has omega 3 fatty acids that reduce the risks of ovarian cancer by 30%. Eat two to three servings per week (about 6 ounces). Last but not least, onions can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 73%. Red onions are the best. Never boil them. That reduces the cancer fighting properties by about 30%. Fry them with a little bit of olive oil. That’s best. Half a cup every day is what is recommended.
Remember, if you have symptoms of bloating and cramping that seem abnormal and last longer than usual, seek medical help before it’s too late!
