5 Health and Diet Tips for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 9, 2021

5 Health and Diet Tips for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month; follow these 5 tips for breast cancer prevention.

October may be the start of spooky season, but it is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer will affect 1 in 8 women throughout their lifetime. Unfortunately, there is no absolute way to prevent breast cancer, as in many cases, it’s genetic. However, certain risk factors have been linked to breast cancer that are possible to avoid. There are also proactive things you can do that may reduce your risk of being diagnosed with it. We have put together 5 health and diet tips for breast cancer prevention. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is only in October, but we hope these health and diet tips follow you throughout the year.

1.    Nix the Alcohol

Studies show that heavy alcohol consumption (drinking more than one serving 3 or 4 times per week) increases the risk of breast cancer for women under 50 by 3-fold. Alcohol produces a by-product in your body that damages DNA and increases the risk for cell damage that leads to cancer. No amount of alcohol is best for breast cancer prevention, but if you do drink, make sure it’s within the recommended guidelines.

2.    Maintain a Healthy Weight

Obesity has many risk factors that lead to multiple health concerns. Developing breast cancer is one of them. Women who are obese are more likely to develop breast cancer than normal-weight women and 2.26 times more likely to die from it. Reducing your caloric intake and incorporating daily exercise into your routine will help you lose weight while maintaining healthy body composition.

3.    Go Mediterranean

Western diets high in animal fats and processed sugars have been shown to increase the risk of developing all cancers, including breast cancer. Women who consume what is known as a Mediterranean diet have a decreased chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetime. The Mediterranean diet is mostly plant-based and full of healthy fats, like olive oil, and lean proteins, like fish. Adopting a Mediterranean-style diet could help prevent your risk of developing breast cancer.

4.    Don’t Smoke

Smoking is linked to a multitude of health problems, including heart disease, which is the number one killer of women in America. It also increases women’s risk of developing breast cancer by 14% for those who have ever smoked regularly in their lifetime. Research has also shown that women who smoked for 10 years or more increased their risk of breast cancer by 21%.

5.    Eat Your Greens 

Leafy greens, such as spinach, swiss chard, and kale are full of carotenoid antioxidants that are said to help fight free radicals in the body and prevent cancers. In a study of over 7 thousand women, those who had higher levels of carotenoids in their system had a significantly reduced risk of breast cancer than women with lower levels. By adding more leafy greens to your meals this Breast Cancer Awareness Month and every month, you are one step closer to preventing your risk of battling this disease.

 

Written for Tennessee Fitness Spa by Whitney H.

 

References

Alcohol and Cancer. (2019, July 8). Retrieved from CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/alcohol/index.htm

Being Overweight. (2021, April 21). Retrieved from BreastCancer. Org: https://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/weight

Chapter 35 – The Mediterranean diet and breast cancer risk. (2020). Retrieved from Science Direct: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128186497000357

Rosenberg, J. (2017, November 27). Study Links Smoking to Increased Risk of Breast Cancer. Retrieved from AJMC: https://www.ajmc.com/view/study-links-smoking-to-increased-risk-of-breast-cancer

Vieira, R., Tobar, J., Dardes, R., Claudio, L., & Thuler, S. (2018). Alcohol Consumption as a Risk Factor for Breast Cancer Development: A Case-Control Study in Brazil. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention: APJCP, 19(3), 703–707. https://doi.org/10.22034/APJCP.2018.19.3.703

What Foods Help Prevent Breast Cancer Risk? (2020, July 31). Retrieved from Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/breast-cancer-foods#bottom-line

Women and Heart Disease. (2020, January 31). Retrieved from CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/women.htm