Reduce Risk for Breast Cancer - Part 1
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death due to cancer worldwide. (Lung is first, primarily due to smoking). The American Cancer Society (ACS) recently released a report declaring that at least half of all cancer-related deaths could be prevented through lifestyle changes and earlier detection.
Dairy and Legumes
Consuming 2 to 3 servings of low-fat dairy each day is linked to lower breast cancer risk, according to ACS research that studied a group of postmenopausal women. Similar reduction was not observed among those who took calcium supplements.
Eating a couple of servings per week of beans and lentils appears to significantly lower breast cancer risk, according to research conducted at the Harvard School of Public Health. This is believed to be due to their high content of antioxidant flavonols. Legumes are also rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Vitamin E
The natural form of vitamin E includes four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. The tocotrienols have been found to be more powerful antioxidants than the tocopherols and are able to kill cancer cells on contact. They are able to work synergistically with tamoxifen, a commonly used breast cancer drug, in killing malignant cells.
Women who regularly consume tocotrienols have a dramatically lower risk of contracting breast cancer. Studies show 50% less incidence without family history of breast cancer and as much as 90% less for premenopausal women with family history. Good food sources for tocotrienols are brown rice, wheat germ, red palm oil, and barley.
Reduce Excess Estrogen
Unwanted sources of estrogen include animal fat consumption, excess body weight, and alcohol. Studies showed significant reductions in breast cancer incidence among those whose diets were low in animal fat, including that from red meat, dairy and butter.
Being overweight significantly increases risk for breast cancer, especially in postmenopausal women. Fat cells produce estrogen, thereby the more overweight a woman is, the more breast tissue is exposed to these cell-proliferating hormones.
Do you drink more than two alcoholic beverages a day? Moderate alcohol consumption can cause a modest increase in risk. Heavy drinking, (four or more drinks a day) nearly doubles risk. It doesn’t appear that the type of alcohol consumed makes a difference - beer, wine, and liquor all produce the same rise in incidence.
