Breast Cancer Information

Fourteen Simple Things You Can Do To Reduce Your Risk for Breast Cancer


1. Increase your consumption of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables.

2. Avoid using any pesticides or chemical sprays in your home. Try to avoid new carpet.

3. Avoid drinking tap water.

4. Decrease alcohol consumption.

5. Start an exercise program.

6. Increase consumption of organic whole grains and fiber.

7. Decrease meat, poultry and fish consumption.

8. Stop smoking.

9. Increase consumption of phytoestrogens from organic sources.

10. Decrease or stop consumption of processed foods.

11. Avoid trans-fatty acids found in margarine and some vegetable shortenings.

12. Take two capsules of organic flaxseed oil daily or just add a teaspoon of flaxseed oil to your daily organic salad.

13. If you are pregnant definitely breast feed.

14. Gets lots of sunshine as breast cancer is less prevalent in areas where there is ample sunlight unobscured by fog or smog.

Discussion:

As a retired diagnostic radiologist who read way too many mammograms I am excited because I finally have a path to try to connect to so many women who are having and have had mammograms.I was always chagrined since we would really torture and radiate many breasts but it was as if these breasts were not connected to a human type person. It bothered me that so many mammography programs make no effort at all to educate their clientele about what "they can do" to reduce their risks of breast cancer. I would suggest to the directors of these programs that we try to educate the patients and their response was 100% predictable. They would always first deny the relationship between diet and breast cancer and then add that their patients would not listen anyway.

Increasing your consumption of fresh organic fruits and vegetables has been shown to reduce the risk for breast cancer.

"There is strong evidence from epidemiologic studies that eating more fruits and vegetables decreases a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. This conclusion is strengthened by the similar results obtained from animal studies and experiments using isolated breast cells." Quoted from the Cornell University Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors. They go on to recommend uncooked fruits and vegetables. The reason for this is the heating damages some of the beneficial nutrients in the fruits and vegetables. Carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli and spinach top the list for being most protective. The Cornell study however does not stress the fact that these need to be "organic." Non-organic commercial fruits and vegetables besides being largely nutritionally bereft are also heavily sprayed with a wide variety of toxins.

The relationship between pesticides and other toxic chemicals such as benzene and toluene and cancer has long been established. There are better ways to rid your house of undesired guests than using chemical sprays. It sounds difficult but even if you can't get rid of all your pests you will live a longer and healthier life if you refrain from spraying. New carpet is another source of extremely toxic chemicals that "off gas" for at least a year or so after it is installed. Try to avoid new carpet especially in children's rooms.

Avoid tap water unless you live either in Lake Tahoe or Ithaca, New York. The tap water here in Tucson is CAP water that travels in an open trough from the Colorado River. It is loaded with fungicides / herbicides not to mention all the chlorine added once it gets here. While bottled or filtered water may not be perfect,you will considerably reduce your risk for any cancer by avoiding most tap water.

There is a little debate about the link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. However, the consumption of any simple sugars such as occur in most alcoholic beverages is associated with decreased T-cell mobility and thus some immune compromise. I still have an occasional beer but that is the only sugar I ingest. The general consensus however, is that it is best to reduce alcoholic beverage consumption as much as possible.

Exercise has been proven in multiple studies to enhance the immune system. In order to be beneficial I would recommend thirty minutes at least three times a week. This should be exercise that elevates the heart rate and keeps it there for the thirty minutes. Running is good if you are not biomechanically impaired. Cycling and swimming are also good alternative and or exercise machines.

Increased consumption of organic grains and fiber has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Decrease your meat, fish, poultry and dairy consumption. Animal protein has been linked to all the big three killers in this country as well as osteoporosis. For more on this see the "China Study" by T. Colin Campbell and "Diet for a New America" by John Robbins. Stop smoking is really a "no brainer" here. Smoking is associatedwith a variety of cancers and there is now strong evidence that cancer of the breast is one of them.

Consume more phytoestrogens from soy products like tofu. "Women with diets rich in phytoestrogens also excrete more estrogens into their urine, and have lower blood estrogen levels. Some studies have shown that women with a diet rich in phytoestrogens have longer, and hence fewer, menstrual cycles. All of these factors may contribute to reduced breast cancer risk. " This quote from the Cornell University Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors. Please be sure that any soy products you consume are organic.

In conclusion there are many ways to reduce your chances of breast cancer. I have presented the above from a more subtle point of view. When my wife (now ex-wife) developed a lesion in her left breast back in 1995 we put her on an organic vegan diet. Soon we cut out all sugar and increased her running mileage. She still has her left breast although there is still some skin retraction. My good friend and world class flamenco dancer Carmen Heredia died in her early forties from breast cancer and its treatment. Best not to get breast cancer at all.

For more information on the relationship between diet, health and exercise please go to: http://www.drmericle.com

For more information on cooking and food preparation without animal products please go to: http://www.drmericle.com/fscook3c.php

Copyright J. Mericle M.D. 2004 All Rights Reserved

http://www.DrMericle.com is devoted to achieving optimal health and peak performance through diet and lifestyle change. Dr. Mericle brings together a unique blend of formal medical education, 29 marathons, 3 Hawaii Ironman competitions and a lot of practical real life experience.


MORE RESOURCES:

MedIndia

Project Pink - Boston Breakers Battle Breast Cancer
Bostonist
The Boston Breakers have teamed up with Puma's Project Pink to help fight breast cancer by holding the first of 5 scheduled matches at Harvard Stadium on ...
Common Household Chemicals Linked to Breast CancerLive in the Now
Valenti Family Hosts Breast Cancer Awareness FundraiserPatch
African Ancestry Linked to Triple-Negative Breast CancerMedscape
Daily News & Analysis -HealthJockey.com -Big Apple Soccer
all 66 news articles »


NewsNet5.com

Cleveland: Breast Cancer 3-Day
WKYC-TV
CLEVELAND -- Walkers by the hundreds will be traveling across the west side suburbs this weekend to raise money for breast cancer research. ...
Breast cancer 3 day underwayWTAM.com
Breast cancer survivor luncheon todayShreveport Times
Walkers begin three day, 60 mile trek to fight breast cancerNewsNet5.com
KPTH -Iowa City Press Citizen -ShorelinePlus.com
all 78 news articles »


Pinnacle News

Pink News Flash: Making Strides Against Breast Cancer kicks off Aug. 17!
TCPalm
STUART — Team leaders, breast cancer survivors and local business leaders will unite to share their stories at an inspirational kickoff and social for the ...
American Cancer Society raising money with 5K walk in VenturaVentura County Star
Cancer patients get assistanceContra Costa Times
Relay For Life gets on track this weekendSonoma Index-Tribune
Cleveland Leader -Food Consumer -NewsNet5.com
all 90 news articles »




Tulsa Shock To Go Pink For Breast Cancer Awareness
News On 6
Friday night the Shock and WNBA are pulling out all the stops to raise awareness of breast cancer, wearing pink shoes, pink uniforms and offering special ...
Shock's Rashanda McCants excited about special gameistockAnalyst.com (press release)

all 2 news articles »


Eckert: Tournament to help fight breast cancer
Port Huron Times Herald
That will help you visualize the grim statistics of breast cancer. One in eight American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetimes. ...

and more »




Homerun Derby For Breast Cancer Awareness
WFMZ Allentown
Some people in Berks County are stepping up to the plate to fight breast cancer. Quite literally, they've got bats in hand. FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading ...


Google News

home | site map
© 2006