Latest / Morning Medical with Dr. Chow / Breast Cancer Awareness, Hearing Health Advances, and Benefits of Resistance Exercises

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Breast Cancer Awareness, Hearing Health Advances, and Benefits of Resistance Exercises · Morning Medical with Dr. Chow

• 0:00
  Hello and welcome to another episode of Morning Medical with Dr.
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  Chow.
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  I'm your host, Dr.
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  Chi-Ming Chow.
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  Today, we're diving into a topic that's been a subject of debate and evolving guidelines in
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  recent years: breast self-examinations and their role in breast cancer detection and
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  prevention.
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  This conversation stems from a fascinating piece by CBC Radio that explores the current
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  standing of breast self-exams and how women can effectively reduce their risk of breast cancer.
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  For many years, the recommendation for women was to perform monthly self-examinations to
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  check for potentially cancerous lumps in their breasts.
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  However, more recent research suggests that these self-exams do not significantly affect
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  breast cancer survival rates.
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  Organizations like the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care have even recommended
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  against advising women to perform regular self-exams due to the risk of false positives
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  and unnecessary biopsies.
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  Dr.
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  Mojola Omole, a breast surgical oncologist at the Scarborough Health Network, emphasizes that
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  while self-exams haven't shown to reduce mortality, they still hold value.
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  She notes that self-exams can provide women with crucial insights into what's normal for
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  their bodies, making them more aware of any changes.
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  Dr.
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  Omole compares this awareness to checking one's blood pressure to ensure it's within a normal
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  range.
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  This kind of regular monitoring can help women notice any unusual changes over time.
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  Breast cancer remains the second most common cancer in Canada, with approximately one in
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  eight women expected to be diagnosed during their lifetimes.
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  The shift from routine self-exams to a broader concept of breast self-awareness is part of a
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  growing trend in medicine.
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  This involves being mindful of changes in the breast over time or through monthly cycles,
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  rather than focusing solely on finding lumps.
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  A breast self-exam is a physical process where individuals feel their breasts to check for
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  lumps, skin distortions, discoloration, or swelling.
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  Dr.
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  Omole advises performing the exam by standing in front of a mirror with one hand over the
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  head and using the other hand to feel the breast tissue, including under the armpit,
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  since breast cancer can spread to this area.
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  It's important to be aware of any skin changes, such as redness or unusual dimpling, and for
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  those with larger breasts, to lift and check underneath.
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  While self-exams are valuable, Dr.
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  Omole stresses the importance of regular mammograms as a more accurate tool for early
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  detection.
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  Mammograms are especially crucial for certain demographics, including younger women and
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  racialized groups, who may present with more aggressive tumors at a younger age.
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  Screening mammograms can detect cancer even when there are no symptoms, whereas diagnostic
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  mammograms are used if symptoms or a prior screening indicate potential cancer.
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  Dr.
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  Duncan Inglis from the Winnipeg Breast Health Centre suggests focusing on what he calls the
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  "Three B's" to reduce breast cancer risk: Be healthy, Be aware, and Be informed.
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  This involves maintaining a healthy lifestyle, being aware of what's normal for your body, and
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  staying informed about available screening programs.
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  He also highlights advancements in breast cancer treatments, such as improved
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  chemotherapy and hormonal therapies, which have contributed to better outcomes for women
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  diagnosed with this disease.
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  In today's segment, we're exploring an insightful piece by Doctor James Huang on the
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  importance of going beyond hearing aids to ensure equal care access for the deaf and
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  hard-of-hearing communities.
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  Doctor Huang, a family physician fluent in American Sign Language and hard of hearing
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  himself, shares his perspective on recent advancements and the ongoing challenges faced
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  by individuals with hearing loss.
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  Doctor Huang discusses the recent authorization by the Food and Drug Administration of Apple's
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  newest AirPods, which have the potential to be used as hearing aids.
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  This development could significantly enhance situational awareness and conversational
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  engagement for users, particularly in light of the World Health Organization's projection that
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  2.5 billion people will experience some degree of hearing loss by the year 2050.
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  Hearing loss is becoming increasingly prevalent among the younger population, especially those
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  aged 12 to 34, largely due to listening to music at unsafe levels.
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  The integration of hearing aid capabilities into popular devices like AirPods could help
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  reduce the stigma associated with traditional assistive devices, making them more appealing
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  to younger users.
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  While this technological innovation is a promising step forward, Doctor Huang emphasizes
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  that we need to do more to make society truly accessible for those who are deaf or hard of
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  hearing.
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  He recalls his own experiences growing up with deaf parents and the significant challenges
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  they faced in accessing healthcare services.
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  Many medical offices still fail to provide effective communication access, despite being
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  responsible for doing so under the Americans With Disabilities Act.
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  Doctor Huang shares his personal journey of realizing his own hearing loss during the
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  COVID-19 pandemic, when mask-wearing made communication even more difficult.
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  The high cost of prescription hearing aids, which can reach thousands of dollars, is a
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  major barrier for many, as most insurance plans, including traditional Medicare, do not
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  cover this expense.
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  This financial burden is especially significant given that families with deaf or
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  hard-of-hearing members often earn significantly less than other families.
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  While more affordable assistive hearing devices like Apple's AirPods are a step in the right
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  direction, they may not be sufficient for those with severe hearing loss.
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  It's crucial to ensure access to the latest technology and the necessary tools to use
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  hearing aids effectively, as well as to address the broader accessibility barriers that persist
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  in the healthcare system.
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  Video technologies, often used as substitutes for in-person interpreters, can be unreliable
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  and difficult to operate, leading to prolonged wait times and communication barriers in
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  healthcare settings.
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  These challenges can result in patients not fully understanding their medical care,
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  exacerbating existing inequities and contributing to social isolation, which can
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  negatively impact long-term health outcomes.
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  Doctor Huang advocates for optimizing the healthcare environment to better serve the deaf
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  and hard-of-hearing communities.
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  This includes timely and appropriate sign language interpretation, captioning options,
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  and quiet environments to facilitate effective communication.
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  Additionally, healthcare providers need better training to understand the unique needs of
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  these patients, not only in medical settings but also in all social contexts.
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  While accessible hearing devices represent significant progress, Doctor Huang reminds us
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  that there are still many challenges to overcome.
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  Normalizing accessibility for the deaf and hard-of-hearing in everyday life is essential
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  to their full integration into society.
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  As we continue to make strides in technology and healthcare, we must not lose sight of the
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  broader goal of equity and inclusion for all.
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  In today's segment, let's explore a fascinating study that suggests how incorporating 100 body
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  squats into your daily routine can significantly impact your health.
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  This study, conducted by researchers from Zhejiang University in China and South-Eastern
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  Finland University of Applied Sciences, highlights the potential benefits of performing
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  100 squats per day, broken into sets of 10 squats every 45 minutes.
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  The research indicates that these frequent, short bursts of exercise can improve the body's
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  ability to control blood sugar levels, which is a critical factor in managing diabetes and
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  overall health.
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  Megan Koehn, a registered dietitian, shared her insights on this study with Newsweek.
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  She explained that movements engaging the lower body muscles are particularly effective at
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  lowering blood sugar and burning calories.
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  The muscles in our legs, glutes, and hips are not only the largest but also among the most
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  powerful in the body.
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  Their size and strength allow for a greater calorie burn and glucose utilization during
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  exercise, making them impactful in changing overall metabolism and energy expenditure.
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  The study involved 18 overweight and obese men who were monitored over an
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  eight-and-a-half-hour period.
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  During this time, the participants followed one of four protocols: continuous sitting, a single
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  30-minute walking session, sitting interrupted with three-minute walking breaks every 45
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  minutes, or sitting interrupted with squatting breaks every 45 minutes.
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  The researchers aimed to understand how different forms of muscle activity affect blood
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  sugar levels after eating.
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  The results were telling.
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  They found that frequent, short breaks involving muscle engagement, such as squats,
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  were even more effective than a single, longer bout of walking in managing post-meal blood
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  sugar spikes.
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  This suggests that incorporating quick, muscle-engaging exercises into our daily
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  routine can be a powerful tool in controlling blood sugar levels.
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  Megan Koehn, who specializes in type 2 diabetes, also emphasized the broader benefits
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  of resistance exercises, including those utilizing lower body muscle groups.
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  She shared that building new muscle increases the body's capacity to absorb and use glucose
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  from the bloodstream, thereby lowering blood sugar levels.
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  Additionally, strength training improves the efficiency of existing muscle cells, enhancing
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  their ability to respond to insulin and use glucose for energy.
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  While the study specifically examined overweight and obese men, Koehn pointed out
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  that the benefits of resistance exercise extend to people of all body types, ages, and genders.
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  She noted that these exercises can help anyone looking to improve their blood sugar control
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  and overall health.
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  This insight highlights the universal potential of incorporating simple exercises like squats
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  into our daily routines.
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  In today's segment, we're delving into a thought-provoking opinion piece from the New
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  York Times titled "No One Told Me This Would Happen to My Body in My 40s." The article
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  explores the often overlooked changes that occur in our muscles as we reach our 40s, a
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  topic that many people find themselves unprepared for.
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  The author begins by sharing a personal experience at a physical therapy session, where
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  they were surprised to learn that many individuals in their 40s frequently visit
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  physical therapists for lower-body ailments.
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  The therapist's comment, "After they turn 40, they all come in here with lower-body
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  problems," resonated with the author, who had been experiencing a series of injuries since
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  their 44th birthday.
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  Despite engaging in high-intensity activities like yoga, running, and rowing, the author
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  found that certain muscles were weakening, leading to overcompensating joints and
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  subsequent injuries.
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  This revelation led the author to realize that they had entered their 40s largely unaware of
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  the physical changes that accompany this decade.
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  While many people anticipate visible signs of aging like wrinkles and gray hair, the decline
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  in muscle strength and increased injury risk is less recognized and often goes undiscussed.
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  The author highlights new research indicating that our bodies may age in waves, with a
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  significant acceleration occurring in our mid-40s and another in our early 60s.
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  The article emphasizes the importance of acknowledging our 40s as a crucial turning
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  point in the aging process.
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  By understanding this period for what it is—a time to counteract some aspects of
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  aging—individuals can better prepare for the more significant health challenges that may
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  arise later.
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  The author points to scientific evidence supporting the benefits of strength training
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  and hormone therapy in mitigating these changes, noting that hormone therapy is more
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  commonly recommended for women.
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  Unfortunately, the article notes that many people in their 40s aren't receiving these
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  important messages.
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  The lack of awareness about the physical transformations occurring during this time can
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  leave individuals feeling bewildered by their body's response to aging.
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  The piece calls for greater dissemination of this information to help people navigate this
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  pivotal decade with more clarity and confidence.
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  In today's segment, we're taking a closer look at an insightful analysis by Kara Alaimo for
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  CNN, which delves into the impact of sexy Halloween costumes on children.
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  As Halloween approaches, the costumes our kids choose can be more than just a fun dress-up
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  opportunity; they can also serve as an important teaching moment for parents.
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  Kara Alaimo, an associate professor of communication at Fairleigh Dickinson
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  University, discusses how Halloween costumes can be used to impart valuable lessons about
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  self-confidence and identity.
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  She points out that popular costumes for girls, such as Red from "Descendants: The Rise of Red"
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  and the Queen of Hearts, often feature revealing designs that do not necessarily
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  encourage girls to explore empowering identities like doctors or scientists.
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  The trend of sexualizing girls' costumes is part of a broader societal issue.
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  Alaimo notes that when girls join social media, they often discover that presenting themselves
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  in a 'hot' manner can attract likes and attention.
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  However, this can be detrimental to their self-perception and development.
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  Elizabeth Baron, a New York City-based psychotherapist, emphasizes that dressing
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  provocatively can lead to objectification, which prioritizes physical appearance over
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  other qualities and can result in disrespect or even abuse.
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  Baron warns that when girls start to identify primarily with their appearance, they risk
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  developing body image issues and mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression.
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  Therefore, it's crucial for parents to help their children find a balance between taking
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  pride in their appearance and valuing other aspects of their identity, such as being a good
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  student, a strong athlete, or a kind friend.
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  Justine Ang Fonte, a sexuality educator, adds that true confidence doesn't depend on attire.
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  She highlights that role models like Beyoncé can exude confidence regardless of what they
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  wear, because their self-esteem is rooted in their purpose, skills, and sense of belonging.
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  This message is vital for kids, who may feel pressured to conform to the norms of their
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  peers.
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  Parents can also encourage children to use their imaginations to explore more empowering
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  identities through their costumes.
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  As Sharon Lamb and Lyn Mikel Brown suggest in their book "Packaging Girlhood," fantasy should
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  be about trying on new roles and imagining the impossible.
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  Encouraging children to envision themselves as Supreme Court justices or presidents can help
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  them expand their horizons and see possibilities beyond traditional gender roles.
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  As we wrap up today's episode, remember that Halloween offers a unique opportunity for
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  children to explore their identities and build confidence.
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  By guiding them towards costumes that reflect their interests and aspirations, we can help
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  them develop a healthy sense of self-worth that isn't reliant on appearance.
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  Thank you for joining me on this journey through today's medical and social insights.
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  I'm Dr.
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  Chi-Ming Chow, and I look forward to our next episode of Morning Medical with Dr.
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  Chow.
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  Until then, take care and stay curious.