Do Dietary Choices Affect Breast Cancer Risk?

A Well-nourished Diet Safeguards a Person’s Health Status

Fruits & Veggies Satisfy Phytochemical Requirements

Diet and lifestyle choices go a long way towards curbing cancer risk. Research statistics estimate that healthy diet modifications support to prevent almost 9 of every 100 cancer cases (9%) and almost 5 of every 100 (5%) cancers could be avoided by maintaining a healthy body weight.
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While diseases such as obesity, heart attacks and blood pressure mostly occur as a result of our lifestyle choices and the foods we eat, breast cancer does not follow this ideology. No food or diet can prevent the occurrence of breast cancer, but some foods can increase your health quotient, make you as fit as possible, boost your immune system and keep you at a minimal risk for breast cancer. Furthermore, as breast cancer is a hormone-driven disease having control over your weight (especially over the age of 50 as obesity is the most concerning risk factor) is helpful.
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Breast cancer occurrence is lower in countries that follow a plant-based diet and is low in total fat. There is even one study that shows that girls in their puberty period who indulge in high-fat diet but don’t become obese/overweight are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer later in life.

Breast cancer starts in different places, grows in different ways and requires different kinds of treatment. As a society, we are used to taking a pill to cure our illnesses and diseases and promoting a healthy lifestyle to reduce breast cancer risk might seem intriguing to some individuals. But the fact remains that avoiding obesity, smoking and alcohol consumption, eating a well-balanced diet and engaging in physical activity lifelong are the best suggestions for decreased breast cancer risk. The following foods can be part of any healthy diet plan and help to avoid occurrence or progression of the disease:

Eat 5 portions of fruits and veggies daily: Most RDNs agree that a plant-based diet is healthier than an animal-based one as it is lower in fat content and higher in fiber content comparatively. Eating produce satisfies the phytochemical needs of the body as these biologically active compounds have some of the protective qualities that may fend off cancer. Phytochemical is the general term used here to indicate all plant-based compounds such as antioxidants, flavonoids, flavones and isoflavones. It is highly beneficial to include cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts as these are rich in phytochemicals and also equip the body with plentiful fiber. Other interesting ways to spice up your meal with fruits and veggies include:

• Add a handful of spinach to soups and stews
• Add chopped scallions, shredded lettuce or cabbage to salads
• Eat whole fruits instead of consuming fruit juice as whole fruits supply our body with more fiber, reduced calories and provides satiety. Add color capsicums, broccoli, tomatoes or zucchini to scrambled eggs or omelettes.
• Eat tomatoes and more tomatoes. Add them raw to sandwiches, salad, salsa, juice, eat it as a fruit or cooked in sauces. Cooking enhances the nutritional benefits of tomatoes.
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Don’t be Trapped by Fat: Fat is not all that bad, in fact it is essential. What counts is the type of fat that you eat. Ensure that only 10% of your daily calories comes from fat and eat not more than 30 grams of fat per day. Follow a strict ‘no’ policy to trans fat-based foods such as crackers, fried foods, pastries, store-bought cookies and other baked foods.

A study shows that women who consume more fat after menopause were at an increased risk of breast cancer. Keep fat on the lower side by using a low-fat dressing, avoiding processed meats and cold cuts that are rich in fats and salt, choosing lean cuts of meat, fish and poultry, trimming fats from meat, poultry and fish and removing skin from poultry and fish.

Some studies suggest restricting the consumption of red meat as it is associated with increased breast cancer risk. Substitute beef or pork with fish and lamb; eat chicken once a week or use beans or lentils as your main course.

Throw in healthy food choices to your diet: Prepare meals in a healthier way sticking to these principles:

1. Drink non-fat milk and choose non-fat dairy products. You might even consider buying organic milk to avoid extra hormones given to dairy cattle to increase dairy production.
2. Restrict smoked, salt-cured and pickled foods: The increased salt and nitrate content in these foods can elevate blood pressure levels.
3. Bake or broil foods to avoid calorie addition due to deep-frying
4. Fill your plate with low-calorie food options: Cover two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, fruits, whole grains or beans and one-third or less with meat and dairy products.
5. Some people feel their morning meal to remain incomplete without a glass of freshly squeezed fruit juice. In that case, ensure that you add no sugar to the juice and it is 100% fruit. Add fresh or frozen fruit to your cereal.
6. Snacking does not mean hitting upon junk foods. Opt for healthy snack options such as baby carrots with hummus dips, colorful bell pepper strips, frozen berries, fat-free unsweetened yogurt or a handful of almonds.
7. Add fiber-rich foods to your diet as fiber has the potential to lower cholesterol and glucose levels, ease constipation and keep you full for longer time periods. Use whole-wheat flour to make rotis, choose a high-fiber breakfast cereal and add plentiful lentils to your soups and curries.
8. Try buying organic whenever possible. There is a widespread concern that the chemicals used to grow food may cause health problems which includes increased breast cancer risk. Organically grown produce reduces this risk. You can choose to buy organic versions of the top ten dirtiest produce while choosing normal versions for the top ten cleanest produce if your hands are tied due to expenses. Get your reference list of the cleanest and dirtiest produce from the website www.firsteatright.com.
9. Increase consumption of soy foods such as tofu, tempeh, soy milk, soy nuts and edamame as they contain isoflavones.
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Although most of the research results regarding the effects of dietary factors on the risk of breast cancer have been inconclusive and inconsistent, following the dietary suggestions given above can help any individual eat food that is nutritious, healthy and filling. Eating these foods might not evade your risk of cancer nor can they cure the disease after you are diagnosed. But these can go a long way toward boosting your energy, strength and spirits while you deal with the disease and reduce the risk of the disease (if you are disease-free until now).

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