Those three words devastate lives.
“My sister-in-law was robbed of her life at age 32 by Hodgkin’s lymphoma,” shares Kristine Blanche, founder and director of Integrative Health Solutions (IHS). “Then just two months later, my dad was diagnosed with colon cancer. I had to act.”
Over the last six years, IHS has become an integrative health facility with a reputation for integrity, quality and excellence specializing in holistic and preventive health care. “Our mission lies in empowering the patient with knowledge and power to make educated choices in health care,” explains Blanche. “Our unique integrative care philosophy provides the tools, information and support to help heal the patient; and something remarkable happens—the patients heal themselves.
As a part of Blanche’s M.D./Ph.D. degree at the USAT School of Medicine, she aims to publish research data that will help fortify the movement of preventative medicine throughout the country. This thesis is titled “Digital Infrared Imaging and Genetic Testing as a Tool to Stratify Risk for Breast Cancer, Implement and Monitor Impact of Breast Cancer Prevention Protocol, and Monitor Decrease in Fibrocystic Breast Disease as Well as Minimizing Neo-vascularity.”
This research seeks to fortify the evidence that breast thermography can stratify women into high-, moderate- and low-risk groups for breast cancer.
Thermography detects the heat pattern within a body part. “We believe that inflammation plays a significant role in all disease, specifically cancer,” says Blanche. “It is also known that angiogenesis is a major component to tumor development. With the thermogram, we can identify areas of ‘neo-vascularity’ (indicating new blood vessels leading to a given area) which will alert us to the fact an aggressive prevention protocol is needed.”
Additionally, it is documented that the mutation of a gene known as MTHFR affects the methylation and thus detoxification pathways in the human body. Published literature has established a firm connection between toxins and breast cancer.
“Thus, our goal is to identify a connection between the MTHFR gene mutation and a higher risk for breast cancer,” adds Blanche. “From there, we hope to illustrate how the diagnostic exam can be utilized as a tool primarily for the detection and augmentation of risk factors, and to implement a nutritional protocol to reduce modifiable risks for having this gene mutation and potentially reduce the risks for breast cancer.”
The hypothesis is that they will be able to demonstrate how reversing basic nutritional deficiencies and simple lifestyle changes in these high-risk women can reduce risk.
The outcome of this research could spark a preventative revolution in medicine.
Source: Kristine Blanche is the founder and director of Integrative Health Solutions and is seeking support for this study. To be a part of this study, visit indiegogo.com/projects/fund-cutting-edge-research-natural-approach-to-preventing-breast-cancer?utm_campaign=UA-50872637-1&utm_medium=email. See ad on page 29.
