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Writer's pictureJuliana C Stryker

Health Couture by Dr Bobby Stryker

Guest Post


Say hello to a healthy 2013 with Honeyz’ new health and wellness segment – Health Couture! To glow from within, you gotta eat right and live right.


So on top of helping you with your fashion, beauty and travel related decisions, Honeyz would also like to partake in your health decisions with our brand new segment – Health Couture by Dr Bobby Stryker*!


* Dr Stryker is a registered Family Physician in Singapore and a specialist in General Practice (MRCGP) in the UK.


In each instalment of Health Couture, Dr Stryker will shed light on women’s health issues and address medical misconceptions that we commonly fall prey to. In this first edition of Health Couture…


Even though Breast Cancer Awareness Month October is long over, we should never stop caring for the health of our bosom buddies and educating ourselves, family and friends about breast cancer.

So in this first edition, Dr Stryker will share some of the mistaken notions, common symptoms, techniques for screening and diagnosis of breast cancer.


Please welcome Dr Bobby Stryker.


 

Hello Honeyz Belles, my name is Bobby Stryker and it is my privilege today to be able to write for the readers of ilovebunny.net. I’ve been a fan of the site and a fan of Juliana’s for quite some time, we’ve even collaborated together on a number of occasions on my movie site maximumextreme.net where Jules has shared her surprising insight into movies. Today, however, I’m not here to talk about movies but something much more relevant to women everywhere. When not reviewing movies I work full time as a doctor specializing in general practice and family medicine. When Juliana asked me to do an article on breast cancer and breast awareness I agreed it was definitely something worth doing. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Singaporean women with an incidence of approximately 59 per 100,000 women per year. All women are at risk and the risk increases with age. There are some common misconceptions about breast cancer that women should be aware of. Although breast cancer has a hereditary component often there is actually no family history. Also, having large breasts, using deodorant sprays, wearing bras or having a breast injury does not increase breast cancer risk. Breast cancer does not always present as a breast lump but may present with bleeding and discharge from the nipple, retraction / inversion of the nipple, abnormal skin thickening and persistent rashes around the nipple. In fact nine out of ten breast lumps actually turn out to be non-cancerous as are most breast lumps in women under the age of 30. Remember, cancerous breast lumps tend to be painless and slow growing, so this is one instance where pain is a more positive sign. Early detection increases survival so this is where you must do your part by performing regular monthly self-breast examination (best done one week after your menses) and also by going for regular mammograms annually if you are aged 40 to 49 and every 2 years if you are over 50. If you are under 40 please do not request your doctor send you for a mammogram as breast tissue in younger women is denser meaning mammograms are not accurate.

If you do find a lump or any concerning breast changes, then please see your family doctor promptly for a medical examination and referral to see a breast specialist. The breast specialist may perform special scans or take a biopsy to confirm your diagnosis. Having breast cancer is not a terminal diagnosis and does not guarantee that you will need to have a mastectomy (breast removal). Certain breast cancers, if detected early, can be treated with non-surgical measures such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormonal treatments. Survival from breast cancer in Singapore is improving thanks to the increased awareness of Singaporean women, early detection of cancer and in turn early treatment. For more information visit the Singapore Breast Cancer Foundation – http://www.bcf.org.sg or visit your family doctor. Be healthy, exercise, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, limit your alcohol intake and finally be breast aware to give yourself the best chance you can. I hope this article has been informative and look forward to returning to Honeyz again. Until next time, I bid you adieu ladies. To your good health,

Bobby Stryker MBBS MRCGP


 

Very insightful. Thanks Dr Stryker. 🙂

If you have any further comments or questions regarding breast cancer or if there are any health issues that you would like Dr Stryker to address in the next Health Couture instalment, please feel free to let us know by commenting below.


Once again, thanks for reading and cheers to great health!


Your friend, Juliana

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