Medical Minute with Dr. Mel: Breast Cancer Risks & Is It Time To Give Up On Coffee?

Source: Provided By Dr. Mel Clarke / Dr. Mel Clarke
You’ve heard Dr. Melissa Clarke on the Russ Parr before and now you will hear her more often in the new segment “Medical Minute with Dr. Mel” where we will get tips and advice for a healthier you.
In the first installment, Dr. Clarke talks about Breast Cancer risks. Are there certain types of Breasts that are more susceptible? How can the BRCA gene test help detect symptoms and a diagnosis sooner? Also, is coffee really healthy for you? Russ and Dr. Clarke discuss this.

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Russ: You sent me a note and you were talking about how women with dense breasts are at a higher risk for breast cancer. You explain that.
Dr. Clarke: That is absolutely right. They’re actually at a higher risk for breast cancer than if they have a family history. It’s actually a four times higher risk of cancer, and a dense breast means there’s less fatty tissue, and those of individuals with dense breasts, their mammograms. Harder to read and also the glands that make up that dense breast. Are more prone to cancer, so make sure that your healthcare provider shares with you if your mammogram shows. Breast tissues, it’s about one in ten women, and generally, it’s important to lower your breast cancer risk as it’s for everyone by regular exercise plant. Eating so not cutting out meat, but increasing your intake and lowering your alcohol intake.
Russ: I want to ask you about this test that a lot of ladies are getting through the blood work called the BRCA. Are you familiar with the BRCA tests?
Dr. Clarke: Yes, absolutely. So that indicates that that’s a test. That’s a genetic test to see if you have a family history of breast cancer or a certain mutation or variation in your genes that makes you more prone to breast cancer. And so that’s the purpose of the BRCA test, and oftentimes if it’s positive, that’s a reason where we remember Angelina Jolie a few years ago made a decision as to whether to have preventive surgery before actually even developing breast cancer.
Russ: Should we be quitting coffee for your New Year’s resolution?
Dr. Clarke: Depends if you’re quitting because of heartburn, anxiety, sleep issues, or pregnancy, then yeah, it’s a great idea. However, there are multiple recent studies that are showing that coffee drinking might be good for your health and may protect against some protection against Parkinson’s. Disease type 2 diabetes liver disease, including liver cancer, heart attack, and stroke. So coffee had a bad rap in earlier studies because they didn’t eliminate those people who both smoked cigarettes and drank coffee. But newer studies have corrected that, and suggest that there may be some health result benefits from your coffee.
Russ: What does that do? Did this coffee just basically restrict your blood flow, or I mean what? What is the purpose? What is the reason why coffee is beneficial?
Dr. Clarke: So the chemicals in the coffee bean are actually antioxidants, and so that’s why it offers some protection.

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