Health

TEN WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR RISK FROM BREAST CANCER

Article by Dr. Derek Berry Thorpe

Although there has been evidence of significant improvements in worldwide mortality from breast cancer, Afro-Caribbean statistics have not followed suit for a variety of reasons. Those reasons are beyond the scope of this article but many core aspects about cancer in general and breast cancer in particular, during this month of awareness, remain applicable.

The pinnacle of the success pyramid is still Prevention and Early Detection. With this as a framework it is vital, we appreciate that cancer can grow no larger than a collection of abnormal cells the size of a pin head, without creation of its own blood supply. This is known medically as Angiogenesis. The good news is there is a surprising number of foods and supplements that block angiogenesis and allow prevention to be possible, thus reducing one’s risk.

Lifestyle

1. In the absence of a family history of breast cancer, a screening mammogram is recommended every two years between the ages of 45 and 75 years. With a strong family history, personal and professional surveillance needs to be more frequent.

2. Maintain a healthy body weight for your height. Obesity is a known risk factor for cancer development.

3. Never smoke, limit alcohol consumption and breast feed your children if you become a mother.

4. Maintain a lifestyle of daily physical activity where you’re in deliberate motion with sweating and deep breathing because of your exercise.

Dietary

5. Frequent use of cruciferous vegetables is essential. These include broccoli, cabbage, kale, and cauliflower. The sulforaphane content is highest in broccoli sprouts and is potent in blocking angiogenesis. I recommend finding this in supplement form also for convenience.

6. Frequent use of brightly pigmented vegetables such as tomatoes, pumpkin, bell peppers, carrots which are high in lycopenes. Another useful weapon in anti-angiogenesis.

7. A high fiber diet (30 grams or more daily) from sources of non-GMO whole grains have been reported to reduce cancer risk by 50%.

8. Resveratrol, found in the skin of the red grape and in all types of berries, is proven to be an effective weapon against cancer growth. One can also find this preparation in supplemental form to achieve an effective concentration.

9. Soy and tofu, it turns out, do NOT contribute to the development of breast cancer in humans. There has been a reversal of scientific thought and use of soy milk is highly recommended to block the hormonal avenue of breast cancer.

10. Frequent use of green teas is known to have a significant anti-oxidant effect on cancer development. A powerful combination in use is alternate days of Matcha green tea and Moringa tea.

Dr. Thorpe is a nuclear medicine and functional medicine physician with post graduate degrees from Cornell School of Medicine and the University of Florida. He mentors clients through the ketogenic diet and treats pain and injury through optimization of blood flow.

momgo505@hotmail.com

Health

More Nurses Arrive From Ghana

Barbados’ nursing complement has been boosted with the arrival of 155 nurses from Ghana at the Grantley Adams International Airport, yesterday.

The nurses, who were accompanied by Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Health, Adelaide Ntim, were greeted by Minister of Health and Wellness, Senator Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott, and other officials.

This is the third cohort of Ghanaian nurses to be dispatched to Barbados since 2020, to address the local nursing shortage. Ninety-five nurses came in the first group during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, while 120 more arrived in 2022, some of whom are still employed here and have made Barbados their home.

Minister Walcott explained that the nurses would be assigned to various specialty areas of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ primary care facilities. These areas include cardiology, accident and emergency theatre, midwifery, psychiatric medicine, and geriatrics.

“So, we’re looking for these nurses to help improve the overall delivery of our healthcare,” stated Dr. Walcott.

Ms. Ntim said Ghana had a surplus of nurses, some of whom were not even employed. She said she welcomed the partnership with Barbados.

The Deputy Minister of Health added that nurses from the previous cohorts proved that they were more than capable of doing their jobs, and expressed confidence that the most recent cohort would also “deliver”. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Minister of Health and Wellness, Senator Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott, in discussion with Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Health, Adelaide Ntim, at the Grantley Adams International Airport yesterday. Senator Walcott was on hand to welcome 155 Ghanaian nurses to Barbados

Health

CHANGES TO HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

The Ministry of Health will soon roll out a number of changes to the island’s primary healthcare system, in order to drastically address the high numbers of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) seen among the Barbadian population.
This announcement was made by Senior Minister of Health and Wellness, the Most Honourable Dr. Jerome Walcott, as he presented a token of appreciation to Dr. Trevor Hassell in recognition of his outstanding efforts in educating Barbadians on the importance of addressing non-communicable diseases NCDs.
Walcott said, “I have a personal mandate that we should try to reduce the premature adult mortality from NCDs by a third. It is not impossible, it can be done, and in the course of the next few weeks, you will gradually see a roll out of parts of this process.”

He stressed “You will see the plans for primary healthcare; everybody is focused on QEH and tertiary healthcare, but the fundamentals of healthcare have to do with primary healthcare. The ability of early prevention, detection to get better health outcomes. We are looking at that in a project to be discussed soon.”
The Health Minister also revealed that additional screening for a variety of NCDs and cancers will also be made available.
“Within the ministry we are looking at a number of screening processes. We are looking to roll out before the end of this month a colonic screening process initially in two polyclinics, and thereafter we expand. We are looking at a cervical cancer screening process; we are looking at providing mammography services within the QEH again as was previously done up until 2008 where persons can have access to mammograms again for early detection and treatment for cancers.

Health

BMCLA Hosts Inaugural Bajan Cannabis Conference

Barbados is forging ahead in the medicinal cannabis industry with innovative solutions, despite the challenges being faced.

Acting Minister of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security, Wilfred Abrahams, stated this last Friday, while addressing the inaugural Bajan Cannabis Conference, at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Two Mile Hill, St. Michael.

Noting that this country is charting an exciting future for the sector, with a focus on transforming healthcare, empowering local entrepreneurs, and embracing digital innovation, he said this will allow Barbados to position itself as one of the leaders in the Caribbean in this lucrative and fast-evolving global industry.

Mr. Abrahams disclosed that “11 applicants, representing 33 licences”, had been approved to date. He added: “And we are committed to moving this industry forward. This announcement marks a major step in Barbados’ drive to develop a thriving medicinal cannabis industry that will contribute to both healthcare and wellness tourism.”

The Minister praised the Barbados Medicinal Cannabis Licensing Authority (BMCLA) for its efforts in assisting local entrepreneurs to join the growing industry by introducing a flexible payment plan. “This plan allows licensees to pay 60 per cent of their licence fee upfront, with the remaining 40 per cent paid in instalments over the first three years, … either monthly, quarterly, or annually,” he stated.

Meanwhile, acting Chief Executive Officer of the BMCLA, Shanika Roberts-Odle, pointed out that the industry continues to face significant challenges, particularly with the banking sector’s reluctance to support cannabis-related businesses.

To deal with this and other issues, she said three Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) were signed, which sought to overcome key hurdles and advance the development of the medicinal cannabis industry in Barbados.

The CEO noted that one of the most pressing challenges has been the lack of banking solutions for businesses in the medicinal cannabis sector, not only in Barbados but globally. To address this, she said the BMCLA partnered with M Money, a digital banking platform, to develop solutions that will facilitate local transactions for cannabis businesses.

Ms. Roberts-Odle pointed out that traditional financial institutions have been hesitant to support the industry due to regulatory concerns, and this had slowed investment and growth.

“While we haven’t completely solved the banking issue, this brings us closer and allows us to move money locally. Banking has been one of the biggest stumbling blocks, particularly in terms of facilitating investment in the industry,” she said.

The CEO disclosed that the BMCLA had also entered into a collaboration with Export Barbados, which is designed to support the marketing, testing, and manufacturing of medicinal cannabis products, ensuring that products are developed to the highest standards and marketed internationally. “It’s not just about growing the plant; it’s about marketing these products internationally and manufacturing them to the highest standards,” Ms. Roberts-Odle explained.

Also recognising the need for regional collaboration, she said the BMCLA signed an MOU with the Caribbean Cannabis Forum, which reinforces the need for a united Caribbean approach to cannabis policy, particularly when dealing with international regulatory bodies such as the World Trade Organization and the United Nations.

“Barbados has always recognised the importance of moving together as a Caribbean region. It has been crucial in protecting our interests on the international stage,” said Ms. Roberts-Odle.

She noted that the partnership also ensures that Barbados and its Caribbean neighbours continue to advocate for policies that reflect their unique relationship with cannabis, while also promoting responsible usage and industry standards.

She added: “We recognise the frustrations that people have expressed, but the transition from growing cannabis informally to producing medical-grade cannabis for immunocompromised patients is a vast leap. The BMCLA is committed to ensuring that our industry meets these high standards.” (PR/GIS)