This article explores the link between food and breast cancer. It provides valuable information on the type of diet that can help breast cancer victims.
Someone I know is battling breast cancer and if it were up to me, I would not let anyone go through the same ordeal. She is a client, and a dear friend.
Every two minutes, a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer. The incidence has climbed from one in 20 in 1960 to one in seven women today. It's a terrifying disease that turns everything upside down. In the United Kingdom, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer and affects more than 300,000 women each year. In fact, England and Wales together have one of the highest mortality rates from breast cancer in the world. Until recently, the role of diet in breast cancer was not fully understood. Today, it's much clearer than ever that certain foods play a role in cancer formation or make a preexisting cancer worse. In fact, some scientists believe that one third of all cancers occur as a result of diet.
There is a direct link between obesity (especially if the fat is round the waist) and the risk of developing breast cancer. Some authorities suggest that being overweight only increases the risk of cancer for women who have been through menopause. Also, the amount of fat in the diet influences levels of the hormone oestrogen a trigger for breast cancer. Red and fried meat may contribute to a rise in the incidence of breast cancer. Cut down your intake of pork, lamb, beef, sausages, hamburgers, meat pies, bacon, ham and processed canned meats. There is also consistent evidence that alcohol even one drink a day does lead to a small increase in risk although it's not known why.
If you would like to protect against breast cancer, consider soya, cereals, legumes and vegetables. These contain phytoestrogens, metabolically active compounds found in plants. These have a 'balancing' effect on oestrogens produced naturally in the body.
Fruit and vegetables, especially those with deep colors such as red grapes and dark green leafs, are a major source of antioxidants, which help fight all cancers.
Additional ways to fight cancer include maintaining a healthy body weight, eating more fibre (e.g. wholegrain cereals, pulses and wholegrain breakfast cereals such as muesli and bran flakes), restricting alcohol to less than 2-3 units a day (one unit is equivalent to one glass of wine, ½ pint of beer or one pub measure of spirits.)
By Chhoda Nitin
