The truth is, we are miles away from any guaranteed protection against
breast cancer. But, at this point, we can look at improving our odds by including (and avoiding) certain foods and nutrients in our diet. The groundbreaking report from the
American Institute of Cancer Research (Food, Nutrition, and the Prevention of Cancer: a global perspective, 1997) noted which foods, based on research results thus far, probably or possibly decreased breast cancer risk and which foods/components probably or possibly increased risk. You'll find many of their conclusions in the 10 Steps below.
Steps:
1. Enjoy more
fruits. They contribute powerful
antioxidants, phytochemicals, and fiber.
2. Enjoy more
vegetables. They contribute other powerful
antioxidants, phytochemicals and they also contribute
fiber.
3. Work a
Carotenoid-rich food into your day (
cantaloupe, mango, beet greens, butternut squash, chili peppers, dandelion greens, dock/sorrel greens, hubbard squash, kale, mustard greens, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato, swiis chard, turnip greens, winter squash, and yams).
4. Eat
more fiber, especially from whole grains.
Phytochemicals found in whole grains have been found to reduce risk of breast and colon cancers in animal studies.
5. Keep
fat, saturated fat, and animal fat moderate. Researchers are still trying to figure out if and how the amount of fat (as well as the types of fat) in our food changes our risk for
breast cancer. Results from animal studies have suggested the possibility that the amount and type of fat we eat could encourage or discourage certain breast tumors.
6. Switch to
monounsaturated fats. Research has been showing that monounsaturated oils, such as
olive and canola oil, do not have many cancer-promoting effects (Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 97:16, 1997).
7. Drink
little or no alcohol. At least 50 studies show that alcohol may play a role in
breast cancer risk.
8. Emphasize variety in food choices. Eating
various foods will give many different nutrients and helpful phytochemicals.
9. Try to keep
extra weight off as you age. A Harvard University study showed that women who gained
44 to 55 pounds after age 18 had almost double the risk of developing breast cancer following menopause, compared with women who had gained only a few pounds.
10. Get bitten by the fitness bug! (or)
11. Try to
exercise at least 4 hours a week--even if it is just walking. Some studies have found a reduced risk of breast cancer among women who exercise regularly or who were athletic as adolescents.
Tips:
*Some researchers feel we don't have scientific proof that eating or avoiding certain foods can help prevent breast cancer but when you follow the steps above, you will also be helping to prevent other chronic
diseases such as
heart disease, osteoporosis, type-II diabetes, and obesity.
*Remember to also maintain your
with your OB/GYN, keep to your
mammogram schedule, and perform monthly self-exams.
*Only about
5% of women with
breast cancer have a hereditary form of this disease. These women usually develop
breast cancer before menopause and have several family members with the disease as well.
*Choose from the two
monounsaturated cooking oils;
olive oil and canola oil. Use olive oil for pasta salads, salad dressing, and Italian and Mediterranean recipes and use canola oil for oven frying, stir-frying, baking and sauteing.
*Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, after pooling the results of six international studies, estimated that drinking 2 to 5 alcoholic drinks a day raises a woman's risk of getting breast cancer by more than 40% compared to nondrinkers.
Breast cancer Information
