The media is buzzing with the announcement that a beautiful, full breasted woman like Angelina Jolie took the “courageous” step to have a double mastectomy.

The response to this announcement has been very mixed. Some have labeled her a hero and a role model, while others have called her a puppet and a quack. I am not judging Angelina for her decision. Do I agree with it? No. But I have not walked in her shoes.

Angelina saw her mother die a horrible death from ovarian cancer when she was only 56. That was very traumatic for Angelina. Fear can be a very strong motivating factor, especially if you have not developed trust in methods that are outside the box of allopathic medicine.

Angelina made the best decision possible with the limited information she had.

So the question is: How does the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 affect a woman’s chances for developing cancer.

BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 stands for Breast Cancer 1 and 2. These genes are actually good genes – they are tumor suppressor genes that produce a specific protein that helps to repair DNA damage caused by “natural and medical radiation or other environmental exposures”. (another good reason to question the repeated mammograms) If there is a so-called mutation in the gene, then the DNA damage is not repaired and cancer may develop.

Unfortunately, the media has given the impression that if you have the BRCA mutation, you are doomed to develop cancer. In reality, only 2 % of US women who have a strong family history of Breast Cancer might test positive for the gene mutation. But even if the mutation is found, the genes, in of themselves, do NOT create Breast Cancer.

There are literally 1000’s of gene mutations of the BRAC 1 and 2, which complicates the whole picture of modern medicine’s statistical calculations that drive the fear. It will come to many as a surprise to learn that some of these so-called “mutations” actually REDUCE the risk of breast cancer. BRCA1 variation K1 183R is related inversely to cancer risk, according to a study discussed in Surgery 2011: “The case against BRCA1 and 2 testing.” Their conclusion: “It seems that some polymorphisms may actually have a protective effect.”

Given these facts, Jolie’s decision conceals a dark side that she, like millions of other American women, are completely unaware of. For example, look at the soaring stock response of Myriad Genetics, the patent-holders of the human genes BRCA1/BRCA2, soon after Jolie’s announcement in this Yahoo Finance article published today: Myriad Genetics Shares Climb After Angelina Jolie Has Mastectomy.

Rather than give into the fear and all the media hype, the relatively new sciences of Epigenetics and Nutrigenomics give us solid evidence that gene expressions can be changed. Genes can be turned off and on with the use of nutrition and specific anti-oxidants. For example, NRF2 is a gene that increases the cells’ anti-oxidant levels of glutathione. That gene can be activated and turned back on with nutrients like broccoli sprouts and Curcumin. Even your psychological-emotional states can have an effect on your genes and DNA.

The lesson learned from all of this is to calmly make informed decisions and educate ourselves adopt healthier lifestyles. Practicing the principles of The 7 Essentials empowers you with vibrant health and gives you an edge with prevention.

There are many other tests that are available that can help detect Breast Cancer (and other cancers) at the cellular level, sometimes years before they are detected with the traditional cancer markers. The Ivy Gene test measures free circulating Cancer DNA in the blood. Checking inflammatory markers can also be a great way to monitor the development of breast cancer.

Thermography also holds promise for very early detection. Thermography can detect physiological changes in the breast at a cellular level, years, before tumors are detected on a mammogram.

How many other women will make the decision to needlessly cut off their body parts? Hopefully, with more education about evidence based natural medicine, the numbers will decline instead of increase.

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