Breast Healthy Eating
by Catie Hayes of WomanLinks.com
How in the world can what you eat aid in prevention of breast cancer? Breast cancer is hormonally based. It thrives in the presence of estrogen. When a great deal of estrogen is present, the likelihood of developing breast cancer multiplies.
Several foods naturally block the effect of estrogen. By encorporating these foods into your diet, you can reduce the presence of estrogen and lower your risk for breast cancer without medication. Will this guarantee you will never develop breast cancer? No, but eating a breast-friendly diet may help tip the odds in your favor
Foods high in soy or flaxseed are highly effective estrogen blockers. The typical American diet doesn't call for much in this department, so to give you some ideas, check out the recipes below:
Cruciferous vegetables help break down estrogen into a "good" form that is not associated with breast cancer. Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower are common examples of cruciferous vegetables. As with soy-base foods, western cultures are not usually very heavy in this department. The following are a great way to add some veggies to your diet:
Strangely enough, not all fats are bad for you. Fats from the Omega-3 group are always a good choice when eating healthy. The Omega-3 group includes fish-based oils and olive oil. There are lots of ways to encorporate this into your diet beyond olive oil salad dressings. Take a look at the following links for some ideas.
Diets high in fiber are great protection from a variety of cancers, breast cancer included. You can start by tossing the white bread out and choosing whole grain wheat or oatmeal instead. Whole grain cereals, like Total and oatmeal, as well as whole grain bagels are always great breakfast choices too. For more ideas, take a look at the following links (you'll notice that many include cruciferous vegetables too making them some of the best breast healthy choices) :
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