Day 3 - 2nd Annual Ovarian Cancer Awareness Yoga Challenge

Day 3 of the Ovarian Cancer Awareness Yoga Challenge (09-12-2017)

Day 3 – Presented by Nicole @nicole_rn - #BaddhaKonasana or #ButterflyPose 

Sitting in #EasyPose bring your feet together with the soles touching. Hold your feet with your hands and gently move your knees up and down; like a butterfly fluttering. If you are able, do this movement 20 times. Continue holding your feet and let your body fold forward from the waist, or you may remain upright. You can use a blanket, block, or bolster to keep you comfortable, either in front of you or under both knees.

This pose helps to soothe the area where the ovaries are located, whether they are present or not.  It also helps to stretch the abdomen. 

My outfit is from @pawpawyogawear (Grey Tank Top & Grey Pigeon Pants); my #bootyshawl is from @bootyshawl and my gorgeous and wonderful yoga mat is from @gurugrid  

Please make sure to honor your body and only do what is comfortable for you. The info provided is not intended to be used as medical advice. If you are under a doctor’s care please check with them first before doing any pose.

See @farrahbrown for Day 4’s (Wednesday, 9/13) pose and refer to my page for information about the poses, ovarian cancer awareness, and if you don’t know who is posting for the day, come look at my page.

#AWARENESS – Risk

From the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) there are certain factors that could  #LowerYourRisk for ovarian cancer.

Although there is no known way to completely prevent ovarian cancer, research has shown that there are some things that can reduce a woman's risk of developing the disease. They include:

• Oral Contraception: Birth control pills reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, especially among women who use them for several years. In studies, compared with women who never used oral contraceptives, those who used oral contraceptives for three years or more had a 30 to 50 percent lower risk of developing ovarian cancer.
• Breastfeeding and Pregnancy: Giving birth to one or more children, particularly delivering the first before age 25, and breastfeeding, may decrease a woman's risk of developing ovarian cancer.
• Tubal Ligation: This is a surgical procedure in which the fallopian tubes are tied to prevent pregnancy. This procedure reduces the risk of developing ovarian cancer.
• Hysterectomy: A hysterectomy has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. A woman should not have a hysterectomy exclusively to avoid the risk of ovarian cancer, but if one is being performed for valid medical reasons, she should talk to her doctor about having her ovaries removed at the same time.
• Prophylactic Oophorectomy: Oophorectomy is the surgical removal of one or both ovaries. A woman should discuss this procedure with her doctor to determine her individual risk for the disease and the benefits of prophylactic surgery.
• Healthy diet and exercise: According to the American Cancer Society, eating right, being active, and maintaining a healthy weight are important ways to reduce the risk of cancer, and other diseases. (NOCC, n.d.)

You may visit for link below for more information regarding ovarian cancer:
 
 http://www.ovarian.org/about-ovarian-cancer/am-i-at-risk/can-i-lower-my-risk

To learn about what your “personal risk” for ovarian cancer is, please read the information provided from Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance (OCRFA), the link is provided at the end.

What is my Personal Risk of Ovarian Cancer?

All women are at risk for ovarian cancer, with 1 in 75 women developing this disease in her lifetime. Some women, however, have personal or familial factors which further increase this risk. Using information about whether these other factors are present allows you and your doctor to determine the ovarian cancer risk-reduction approach best suited for your level of risk. Make sure to read all four risk levels to determine your personal risk.

• Average Risk
• Slightly Increased Risk
• Moderately Increased Risk
• Very Increased Risk

Average Risk

[Lifetime risk of approximately 1 in 75]

• You don’t have any family history of breast or ovarian cancer.
• You have never had difficulty getting pregnant.
• You have never taken hormone replacement.

Ovarian cancer screening recommendations for women at average risk:

• Have a gynecologic exam once a year.
• Be aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer and contact your doctor if these are new, occur almost daily and are present for more than 2 – 3 weeks.

Ovarian cancer prevention options for women at average risk:

• Consider using birth control pills if you are in the reproductive age group.

Slightly Increased Risk

[Lifetime risk of up to 1 in 20]

• Do you have a history of infertility (difficulty getting pregnant)?
• Have you used medicines to help you get pregnant?
• Do you have a history of endometriosis?
• Have you taken hormone replacement therapy to help manage menopausal symptoms?
• Have you had breast cancer after age 40?

Ovarian cancer screening recommendations for women at slightly increased risk:

• Have a gynecologic exam once a year.
• Be aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer and contact your doctor if these are new, occur almost daily and are present for more than 2–3 weeks.

Ovarian cancer prevention options for women at slightly increased risk:

• Consider using birth control pills if you are in the reproductive age group and have not had breast cancer.

Moderately Increased Risk

[Lifetime risk of up to 1 in 10]

• Has your mother, sister or daughter had ovarian cancer?
• Have you had breast cancer before age 40?
• Have you had breast cancer before age 50, and have one or more close blood relatives had breast or ovarian cancer at any age?
• Have two or more close blood relatives had breast cancer before the age of 50 or ovarian cancer at any age?
• Are you of Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish heritage? If yes, then:
• Have you or a close blood relative had breast cancer before age 50?
• Has a close blood relative had ovarian cancer at any age?
• Have you or a close blood relative had uterine cancer prior to age 50?
• Have you or a close blood relative had colon cancer prior to age 50?

Recommendations for women at moderately increased risk:

• Genetic counseling is highly recommended to better clarify your risk, and to help determine the best screening and prevention options for you.

Very Increased Risk

[Lifetime risk of up to 1 in 2]

• Has genetic testing shown that you have a change in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes which is associated with a very increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer?
• Has genetic testing shown that you have a change in the MLH1, MSH2 or MSH6 genes (Lynch Syndrome) which is associated with a very increased risk of colon, uterine, ovarian and kidney cancer?

Screening and prevention recommendations for women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations:

• Have a gynecologic exam 1–2 times per year.
• Be aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer and contact your doctor if these are new, occur almost daily and are present for more than 2–3 weeks.
• Have both a transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) and the CA-125 blood test two times per year starting at age 30–35 until the ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed preventively.
• Have breast cancer screening with annual mammogram and breast MRI starting at age 25–30.
• Undergo preventive removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes after childbearing is done.

Screening and prevention recommendations for women with MLH1, MSH2 or MSH6 mutations (Lynch Syndrome):

• Have a gynecologic exam 1–2 times per year.
• Be aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer and contact your doctor if these are new, occur almost daily and are present for more than 2–3 weeks.
• Report any abnormal vaginal bleeding to your doctor.
• Have both a transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) and the CA-125 blood test 1 to 2 times per year starting at age 30–35 until the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed preventively.
• Have a biopsy of the uterine lining once a year to detect uterine cancer or pre-cancer.
• Have a colon cancer screening with colonoscopy every 1–2 years, starting at age 20–25.
• Undergo preventive removal of the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes after childbearing is done.

Download a convenient ovarian cancer risk chart to review with your doctor.

Reproduced with permission from Project Hope for Ovarian Cancer Research and Education.

© 2009 Gynecologic Cancer Foundation and Project Hope for Ovarian Cancer and Education. All rights reserved.

https://ocrfa.org/patients/about-ovarian-cancer/risk-factors/what-is-my-personal-risk-of-ovarian-cancer/