Breast Cancer Prevention

Incidence

Breast cancer awareness month has come and gone. The thought of breast cancer sends many women into a panic. The statistic that 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime can be overwhelming.  The statistic means that 1 in 8 women living to be 85 years old will be        diagnosed with breast cancer. The true probability for a woman at a given time depends upon her age.  For example a 25 year old woman has a 1 in 19,608 chance of getting cancer. However, this risk increases  exponentially so that by age 40 the risk becomes 1 in 217.

 In 2003 about 250,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer.  In 2005 the number is estimated to be about 280,000. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women.  However, it is not the  number one killer of women.  More women die from lung cancer than any other cancer, and heart disease is the overall number one killer of women.   Still, over 40,000 women will die from breast cancer this year. 

Prevention is a key component to a long and healthy life. The following is a list of suggestions to decrease your risk of cancer and heart disease and to increase your overall health. For the full version article on Breast Cancer, visit my website at www.thehealingway.net and look under “Articles.”

 Diet

• Decrease sugar, refined carbohydrates, and highly processed foods. Eliminate if possible.
• Decrease coffee.
• Decrease red meat and trans-fatty acids- especially charred and well-done meats.
• Increase fiber- vegetables, whole grains.
• Eat cruciferous vegetables once per day- broccoli, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, watercress, radishes, rutabaga, turnip, bok choy, cabbage, Brussels sprouts.  
• Eat dark green leafy vegetables daily.
• Increase cold water fish, buffalo meats, and grass-fed beef not corn or grain fed beef, because they are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids beneficially affect estrogen metabolism.
• Decrease alcohol intake or limit to 1 drink per day.

 Exercise

• Daily or 3/week- 30 min. walking, hiking, biking, swimming, etc.
• Obesity increases risk.  If you are obese consider working with a                            physician/nutritionist to healthfully bring your body back into balance.

Lifestyle

Stress- increases the number of toxins, increases the ratio of “bad” estrogen in the body, decreases immunity, and decreases the ability to properly digest and absorb nutrients.

• Coping skills- Yoga, meditation, exercise, reframing.

Stress management is extremely important for prevention and cure.

Toxin reduction– Pesticides have been directly  linked with breast cancer.

• Eat organically grown fruits and vegetable.
• Hormone free meats, poultry, and dairy.
• Eat whole foods without added preservatives and chemicals.

Sleep- crucial for hormone regulation, immune system maintenance, and the process of healing.

• Go to bed before midnight.
• Try to get on a regular schedule.
• Get 8-9 hours of sleep.
• If unable to sleep seek guidance using natural therapies for sleep. Sleep medication does not promote the deep sleep necessary for repair and restoration.

 Mental/ Emotional

• Address underlying issues and seek support for new traumas.