October 2023 Breast Cancer Awareness Month: “No One should Face Breast Cancer Alone”
This year’s theme “No one should face breast cancer alone” promotes how your healthcare providers can help lower your risk of breast cancer or support you during and after diagnosis and treatment. The World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research recommend the following foods and lifestyle behaviors:
Maintain a healthy body weight. To determine a healthy body weight for you, consider your weight history, family history, bone structure, height, and activity level.
Be physically active. Work toward getting at least three hours of physical activity weekly. Choose an exercise you enjoy and include cardiovascular, stretching, and weight training.
Eat a diet high in fiber. Include whole grain breads, starches, and cereals, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Include soy-rich foods in moderation. One to two serving a day of whole soy foods such as soy milk, tofu, or edamame provide isoflavones or phytoestrogens (plant estrogen). It was once thought that foods rich in soy may be associated with increased risk for breast cancer because of their isoflavones content and the fact that high levels of estrogen have been positively associated with increased breast cancer risk. However, it has been shown that whole soy foods contain low levels of isoflavones and can provide a preventive effect on breast cancer. On the contrary, soy or isoflavone supplements can contain higher levels of isoflavones and some studies suggest a link between soy or isoflavone supplements and an increased risk of breast cancer in women who have a family history of breast cancer or thyroid issues.
Limit intake of fats, particularly saturated fats. Limit red meat, lard, ghee, and fried foods. Choose fats rich in mono- and poly- unsaturated fats. Use olive, canola, avocado, or grapeseed oils and eat fish twice a week. Eat low-fat dairy foods rich in vitamin D and calcium. Include at least two servings of low-fat milk, yogurt or cheese daily.
Eat fruits and vegetables of all colors of the rainbow. A variety of fruits and vegetables provide you with antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, D, E, and magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
Enjoy a cup of green tea as it is high in antioxidants such as catechins, specifically, EGCG- Epigallocatechin Gallate.
Avoid or limit alcohol. Alcohol consumption can raise women’s level of estrogen and acetaldehyde, two know breast cancer risk factors. It is recommended that women have no more than one alcoholic drink per day and men no more than two per day.
Don’t face breast cancer alone! Consult your doctor and see your Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for personalized nutritional guidance and support.
Reference:
Buja, Alessandra et al. “Breast Cancer Primary Prevention and Diet: An Umbrella Review.” International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 17,13 4731. 1 Jul. 2020, doi:10.3390/ijerph17134731
De Cicco, Paola et al. “Nutrition and Breast Cancer: A Literature Review on Prevention, Treatment and Recurrence.” Nutrients vol. 11,7 1514. 3 Jul. 2019, doi:10.3390/nu11071514