Marla Ahlgrimm | Lose Weight and Lower Risk of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer affects women of all ages, races, and lifestyles. It’s a devastating disease that can threaten a woman’s self-esteem, diminish her sense of femininity and be life threatening. Here, Marla Ahlgrimm offers pointers on reducing the risks of breast cancer.

Q: How does obesity contribute to a woman’s risk of breast cancer?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Fat cells produce estrogen from the time a woman is born. However, after menopause, fat cells become the body’s primary source of estrogen. An overweight woman will produce more estrogen than her average-weighted counterpart, increasing her chances of getting breast cancer. Additionally, obese women tend to have higher levels of insulin, which has also been linked to breast and other cancers.

Q: Does a woman’s weight at any certain stage of her life have a more profound effect on her risk for breast cancer?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Studies have found evidence that suggests weight gain later in life, and especially after menopause, contributes to a woman’s risk of breast cancer more so than weight acquired in the pre-teen stages. A woman who has always been obese will have a slightly lower chance of getting breast cancer than a similarly-sized woman who gained the excessive weight in adulthood.

Q & A with Marla Ahlgrimm | PCOS and Progesterone

PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome, is an endocrine disorder which often presents in early adolescence with weight gain, menstrual irregularity, and embarrassing body hair. Here, women’s healthcare and hormone treatment pioneer Marla Ahlgrimm offers answers to four frequently-asked questions from women facing PCOS.

Q: What are the symptoms of PCOS?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Unfortunately, there is no definitive list of symptoms that every woman will experience. However, most common are noticeable facial and abdominal hair, androgenic alopecia, acne, obesity, and polycystic ovaries. Women with the disease may be at an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and endometrial cancer. PCOS is often undiagnosed until a woman’s childbearing years, when infertility issues may arise. Interestingly, polycystic ovary syndrome may be diagnosed with or without the actual presence of cysts.