Posted in Breast Cancer

With the days getting longer and the sun finally peeping through the clouds, we start to remember one of the most important vitamins that our body needs to stay healthy, especially during winter.  Yes, we're talking about Vitamin D - the sunshine vitamin. Vitamin D plays an essential role in the function and maintenance of the human body.  It helps our body absorb calcium, which is important for the maintenance of healthy bones and it ensures that our immune, muscle and nervou...

Diet is often one of the first things breast cancer patients look to improve to support their recovery and help protect them from recurrence.  In this blog piece we take a closer look at 'A Mediterranean or Ketogenic approach to Breast Cancer: Which diet is best?' Whilst there has been much research into the field there is limited evidence to support one definitive dietary therapy for breast cancer patients. Does diet really have an impact? Yes it does! Influence of diet ...

Knowing how to do a Breast Self Exam is an important skill, and a habit you should really be getting into once a month. It only takes a few minutes, and it can literally save your life. If breast cancer is detected early, and confined to just the breast, the 5 year survival rate is 96%. If however it has started to spread to the lymph nodes that drops down to 80% - that's a risk you don't want to take! "The risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer by the age of 85 is 1 in 8...

Hello, my name is Kate Caine. I've been a patient at MIOG as part of my treatment for breast cancer. In my regular world, I am an Osteopath with my own practice here in Melbourne. I have also been a Medical Scientist and Lecturer to student Osteopaths and Massage Therapists. I've been used to making a diagnosis for my patients and guiding their recoveries but recently, I've had to sit on the other side of the desk and receive a diagnosis myself. And then listen to others...

If you have ever come in for a consultation here at MIOG, you will have heard our Naturopaths and Nutritionists talk about Brassicas. This humble family of vegetables is of particular interest in the Integrative Oncology world, as they contain valuable little plant compounds that have an incredible benefit for health. "Brassicas are also known as Cruciferous Vegetables, as they grow in the shape of a cross. Turn over a cauliflower or brussel sprout and have a look at the leaf formati...

Lymphoedema is a chronic condition where there is an excessive build-up of protein rich fluid in a part of the lymphatic system, which causes localised swelling. Lymphoedema can occur as a result of cancer treatment where lymph nodes that are normally responsible for filtering the lymph fluid are either removed by surgery or affected by the use of radiation therapy. Approximately 20% of patients treated for breast, melanoma, gynaecological or prostate cancer will develop secondary lymphoe...