This month is Breast Cancer Awareness month and some of us know first hand just how deadly this disease can be–so I thought it would be appropriate to explore some foods that can help decrease your chances of acquiring this awful disease!
Breast Cancer Prevention: People who consume adequate cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, bok choy, and collard greens show a reduced risk of breast cancer. When plenty of these veggies are consumed, the estrogen metabolism in the body is shifted, prohibiting the growth of cancerous cells.
Also, increasing your consumption of cold water fish, flaxseed and walnuts will help increase your omega 3 fatty acids which, according to several studies, possess possible anti-cancer effects. Another breast cancer fighter is Soybeans, which contain phytoestrogens. It was discovered in studies done on both animals and humans that plant estrogen intake, such as from soy products, in early adolescence may protect against breast cancer later in life. But, plant estrogen intake later in life is not likely to influence breast cancer incidence either positively or negatively.
Misconceptions: There have been some beliefs that increased consumption of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee and tea consumption can increase your chances of breast cancer–well, recent studies show that there’s no significant relation between the two, so you don’t have to give up your morning coffee. Another myth is that Alcohol consumption can reduce the risk of breast cancer in women–this isn’t necessarily true either, in fact, women in their fifties showed increase risk for breast cancer when they consumed one alcoholic drink per day!
Besides these sensible, quick tips, generally speaking, ALL women should get regular breast cancer exams. Getting examined early (and often) is the key to finding and preventing this deadly disease from getting out of hand in the first place! Stay protected, and maintain your healthy wellness by keeping close friends with this anti-cancer checklist.
Cheers!
