The Health Diva

Nutrition has a strong role to play in breast protection, with diet and nutrient deficiency being linked to causing symptoms such as breast tenderness and evening increasing breast cancer risks.

A clue about diet and breast cancer is found when you look at the rates of the disease in Japanese and American Women.  Japanese women have a much lower rate of breast cancer than American women.  However, when Japanese women emigrate to live in the U.S.A. their breast cancer risk goes up. The conclusion reached is that the difference in risk was associated with lifestyle or the environment rather than any inherited risk.  The most obvious change is diet and researchers suspect that adopting a western diet may be related to the change in breast cancer risk.

The traditional Japanese diet is rich in raw foods, whole grains, fish oil, essential fats, and phyto-estrogen rich tofu and fermented soya products.

This traditional diet contains a rich amount of the breast protective nutrients, whilst limiting the exposure to harmful xeno-oestrogens.

Having a good healthy diet, low in animal fat, rich in fruits and vegetables and essential fat found in fish, nuts and seeds are vital for healthy breasts.

This is supported by research, which showed significantly lower levels of breast cancer in women with a high-fibre and low-fat diet than in women with usual Western diets. Any reduction in breast cancer risk appears to be significantly dependent on the level of fibre intake.

We also recommended incorporating these antioxidant rich foods into your diet each food group has been found to have powerful anti-cancer properties.

Acai Berry

A recently completed University of Florida study has added to the buzz surrounding the Brazilian Acai Berry. The study is one of the first to research the many claims attributed to the Acai fruit. Acai berries are thought to be one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants, other antioxidant rich fruits have been shown to kill cancer cells in similar studies. Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radical damage is theorized to be one of the main causes of cancer.

Avocados

Avocados are rich in glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that attacks free radicals in the body by blocking intestinal absorption of certain fats. They also supply even more potassium than bananas and are a strong source of beta-carotene.

Brassicas

Broccoli, cabbage, kale, and cauliflower have a chemical component called indole-3-carbinol that can combat breast cancer by converting a cancer-promoting oestrogen into a more protective variety. They are also rich in two protective antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin.

Carrots

Carrots eaten raw either as a juice or a crunchy nibble, contain a lot of beta carotene and plant enzymes, which may help reduce a wide range of cancers including lung, mouth, throat, stomach, intestine, bladder, prostate and breast.

Flax/Linseed

Flax/Linseed contains lignans, which may have an antioxidant effect and block or suppress cancerous changes. Flax is also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to protect against colon cancer and heart disease.

Garlic

Garlic has immune-enhancing allium compounds (dialyl sultides) that appear to increase the activity of immune cells that fight cancer and indirectly help break down cancer causing substances. These substances also help block carcinogens from entering cells and slow tumour development.

Grapes

Grapes, red contain bioflavonoids, powerful antioxidants that work as cancer preventives. Grapes are also a rich source of resveratrol, which inhibits the enzymes that can stimulate cancer cell growth and suppress immune response. They also contain ellagic acid, a compound that blocks enzymes that are necessary for cancer cells – this appears to help slow the growth of tumours.

Mushrooms

There are a number of mushrooms that appear to help the body fight cancer and build the immune system – Shiitake, maitake, and reishi. These mushrooms contain polysaccharides, especially  Lentinan, powerful compounds that help in building immunity. These mushrooms can stimulate the production of interferon in the body. 
 Extracts from mushrooms have been successfully tested in recent years in Japan as an adjunct to chemotherapy, in particular Maitake mushroom extract.

Citrus

Oranges and lemons contain Iimonene which stimulates cancer-killing immune cells (lymphocytes, e.g.) that may also break down cancer-causing substances.

Papaya

Papayas have vitamin C that works as an antioxidant and may also reduce absorption of cancer-causing nitrosamines from the soil or processed foods. Papaya is also a rich source of folic acid.

Rosemary

Rosemary may help increase the activity of detoxification enzymes. An extract of rosemary, termed carnosol, has inhibited the development of both breast and skin tumours in animals. We haven’t found any studies done on humans. Rosemary can be used as a seasoning. It can also be consumed as a tea: Use 1 tsp. dried leaves per cup of hot water; steep for 15 minutes.

Seaweed

Seaweed and other sea vegetables contain beta-carotene, protein, vitamin B12, fibre, and chlorophyll, as well as chlorophylones – important fatty acids that may help in the fight against breast cancer. Many sea vegetables also have high concentrations of the minerals potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and iodine.

Soy

Soy products like tofu contain several types of phytoestrogens — weak, nonsteroidal estrogens that could help prevent both breast and prostate cancer by blocking and suppressing cancerous changes. There are a number of isoflavones in soy products, but research has shown that genistein is the most potent inhibitor of the growth and spread of cancerous cells. It appears to lower breast-cancer risk by inhibiting the growth of epithelial cells and new blood vessels that tumours require to flourish and is being scrutinized as a potential anti-cancer drug.

Teas

Green tea, White tea and Black tea contain certain antioxidants known as polyphenols (catechins) which appear to prevent cancer cells from dividing. Green tea is best, followed by our more common black tea. According to a report in the July 2001 issue of the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, these polyphenols that are abundant in green tea, red wine and olive oil, may protect against various types of cancer.

Alcohol

Use of alcohol is clearly linked to an increased risk of getting breast cancer. Women who have one drink a day have a very small increased risk. Those who have 2 to 5 drinks daily have about 1½ times the risk of women who drink no alcohol. The American Cancer Society suggests limiting the amount you drink to one drink a day.

Alcohol also has a toxic effect on liver function. The liver has an important role breaking down excessive oestrogens, if the liver is sluggish, it fails to break down hormones and toxins leading to a toxic build up.

Alcohol is also full of sugars that will elevate your blood sugars, causing unstable levels of insulin, which in turn can be deposited as fat around your body.

Obesity

Being overweight or obese is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer, especially after menopause and if the weight gain took place during adulthood. Also, the risk seems to be higher if the extra fat is in the waist area. But the link between weight and breast cancer risk is complex, and studies of fat in the diet as it relates to breast cancer risk have often given conflicting results. The American Cancer Society recommends maintaining a healthy weight throughout life. If you need a little help to shift some kilos why not check out some of diet and fitness tips in our weight loss section to help you along.