A Health Newsletter Serving the North Coast Schools Medical Insurance Group
Vol. 27, No. 10 | October 2019
In this Issue: JPA Notes | Breast Cancer Awareness Month | Recipe: Instant Pot Mini Frittatas
JPA Notes
From the JPA Office
Since we live in and around areas that are prone to wildfires, we must always be aware of the dangers and take precaution of breathing in wildfire smoke.
When wildfires burn near you, smoke can reach your community. Wildfire smoke is a mix of gases and fine particles from burning trees and plants, buildings, and other material. Wildfire smoke can make anyone sick, but people with asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), heart disease, children, pregnant women, and emergency responders are especially at risk.
Breathing in smoke can affect you right away, causing:
- Coughing
- Trouble breathing
- Wheezing
- Asthma attacks
- Stinging eyes
- Scratchy throat
- Runny nose
- Irritated sinuses
- Headaches
- Tiredness
- Chest pain
- Fast heartbeat
Be ready to protect yourself against smoke and ash before, during, and after a wildfire.
If you or your child has asthma:
- Look out for any asthma symptoms. Contact your healthcare provider if you have trouble breathing, shortness of breath, cough that won’t stop, or other symptoms that do not go away. Call 9-1-1 or go right away to an emergency department for medical emergencies
If you have heart disease:
- Look out for any symptoms. Contact your healthcare provider if you have trouble breathing, shortness of breath, a cough that won’t stop, or other symptoms that do not go away. Call 9-1-1 or go right away to an emergency department for medical emergencies like severe trouble breathing, chest pain, or if you think you are having a heart attack or stroke.
If you are pregnant:
- Talk to your healthcare provider. Plan how you will protect yourself against wildfire smoke. Make sure you know the signs of labor and pre-term labor, and where you will get prenatal care or deliver your baby if your doctor’s office or hospital is closed.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Myths and Truths
Myth
Drinking milk (or dairy) causes breast cancer.
The Truth
Several myths persist about the correlation between dairy intake and the increased risk of breast cancer. Over many decades, studies have shown that dairy consumption does not increase the risk of breast cancer. For more information about these studies, please visit:
- American Cancer Society
- International Journal of Epidemiology
- Journal of American College of Nutrition
Myth
Finding a lump in your breast means you have breast cancer.
The Truth
Only a small percentage of breast lumps turn out to be cancer. But if you discover a persistent lump in your breast or notice any changes in breast tissue, it should never be ignored. It is very important that you see a physician for a clinical breast exam. He or she may possibly order breast-imaging studies to determine if this lump is of concern or not.
Take charge of your health by performing routine breast self-exams, establishing ongoing communication with your doctor, getting an annual clinical breast exam, and scheduling your routine screening mammograms.
Myth
Men do not get breast cancer; it affects women only.
The Truth
Quite the contrary, each year it is estimated that approximately 2,190 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 410 will die. While this percentage is still small, men should also check themselves periodically by doing a breast self-exam while in the shower and reporting any changes to their physicians. Breast cancer in men is usually detected as a hard lump underneath the nipple and areola. Men carry a higher mortality than women do, primarily because awareness among men is less and they are less likely to assume a lump is breast cancer, which can cause a delay in seeking treatment.
Myth
A mammogram can cause breast cancer to spread.
The Truth
A mammogram, or x-ray of the breast, currently remains the gold standard for the early detection of breast cancer. Breast compression while getting a mammogram cannot cause cancer to spread. According to the National Cancer Institute, “The benefits of mammography, however, nearly always outweigh the potential harm from the radiation exposure. Mammograms require very small doses of radiation. The risk of harm from this radiation exposure is extremely low.” The standard recommendation is an annual mammographic screening for women beginning at age 40. Base your decision on your physician’s recommendation and be sure to discuss any remaining questions or concerns you may have with your physician.
Myth
If you have a family history of breast cancer, you are likely to develop breast cancer, too.
The Truth
While women who have a family history of breast cancer are in a higher risk group, most women who have breast cancer have no family history. Statistically only about 10% of individuals diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history of this disease.
If you have a first degree relative with breast cancer: If you have a mother, daughter, or sister who developed breast cancer below the age of 50, you should consider some form of regular diagnostic breast imaging starting 10 years before the age of your relative’s diagnosis.
If you have a second degree relative with breast cancer: If you have had a grandmother or aunt who was diagnosed with breast cancer, your risk increases slightly, but it is not in the same risk category as those who have a first degree relative with breast cancer.
If you have multiple generations diagnosed with breast cancer on the same side of the family, or if there are several individuals who are first-degree relatives to one another, or several family members diagnosed under age 50, the probability increases that there is a breast cancer gene contributing to the cause of this familial history.
Myth
Breast cancer is contagious.
The Truth
You cannot catch breast cancer or transfer it to someone else’s body. Breast cancer is the result of uncontrolled cell growth of mutated cells that begin to spread into other tissues within the breast. However, you can reduce your risk by practicing a healthy lifestyle, being aware of the risk factors, and following an early detection plan so that you will be diagnosed early if breast cancer were to occur.
Myth
If the gene mutation BRCA1 or BRCA2 is detected in your DNA, you will definitely develop breast cancer.
The Truth
According to the National Cancer Institute, regarding families who are known to carry BRCA1 or BRCA2, “not every woman in such families carries a harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, and not every cancer in such families is linked to a harmful mutation in one of these genes. Furthermore, not every woman who has a harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation will develop breast and/or ovarian cancer. But, a woman who has inherited a harmful mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 is about five times more likely to develop breast cancer than a woman who does not have such a mutation.” For people who discover they have the harmful mutation, various proactive measures can be done to reduce risk. These include taking a hormonal therapy called Tamoxifen or deciding to take a surgical prevention approach, which is to have bilateral prophylactic mastectomies, usually done with reconstruction. Most women will also have ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as well since there is no reliable screening test for the early stages of developing ovarian cancer.
Myth
Antiperspirants and deodorants cause breast cancer.
The Truth
Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) are not aware of any conclusive evidence linking the use of underarm antiperspirants or deodorants and the subsequent development of breast cancer.
Recipe of the Month: Instant Pot Mini Frittatas
Easy Level · 1 hr 15 min
Yield 7 mini frittatas
Ingredients
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2 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
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1 cup 1/4-inch-thick sliced button mushrooms (halved if mushrooms are very large)
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1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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1/3 cup lightly packed chopped baby spinach
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1/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar
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5 large eggs
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1/3 cup heavy cream
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Pinch freshly grated nutmeg1/4 teaspoon
Special Equipment
- a 6- to 8- quart Instant Pot® multi-cooker;
- a silicone egg bites mold
Instructions
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Add the bacon to the Instant Pot® and turn the pot on the high sauté setting. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside on a paper towel.Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Remove from heat.
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Add the mushrooms to the pot along with the thyme leaves and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have reduced to half their size and are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pot and divide the mushrooms among the cups of a silicone egg bites mold. Divide the spinach among the cups, along with the bacon and cheese.
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Gently whisk the eggs together with the cream, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl until well combined (gently to avoid creating foam). Pour the custard over the fillings in each of the cups.
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Wipe out excess bacon grease in the bottom of the pot. Add 1 cup water to the bottom of the pot. Place the eggcups on the rack and cover tightly with the silicone lid or foil. Lower into the pot using the rack handles and follow the manufacturer’s guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on low for 6 minutes.
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After the pressure cycle is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, and then follow the manufacturer’s guide for quick release of the remaining pressure. Be careful of any remaining steam, unlock, and remove the lid. Carefully remove the tray and let stand 5 minutes before popping the mini frittatas out of the pan. The frittatas can be eaten right away or stored in the trays in the refrigerator or freezer; reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/instant-pot-mini-frittatas-5451507