While there are risks for developing breast cancer that you cannot control, such as age and genetic predisposition, healthy eating and regular exercise can help significantly reduce your risk of developing this disease, according to MayoClinic.com. While there is no guarantee that eating certain foods will cure nor completely eliminate your risk of developing breast cancer in your lifetime, adding them to your diet can only be beneficial and may give you a head start toward prevention.
Flaxseeds
Lignans are compounds found in certain plant foods such as whole grains, cereal grains and seeds, especially flaxseeds. Lignans are converted by healthy bacteria in the gastrointestinal system into two hormone-like substances: enterodiol and enterolactone. These substances appear to lessen a woman's risk of developing breast cancer and may be one reason a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of developing this disease. A research study published in February 2004 in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" examined the effect of supplementing the diet of postmenopausal women with soy protein or ground flaxseed on estrogen metabolism. The women ate a muffin every day for 16 weeks containing either 25 grams or slightly less than 1-oz. of either soy protein, ground flaxseed or a placebo muffin. The estrogen metabolism of those consuming the flaxseed muffin, but neither of the others, was altered, offering potential protection against the development of estrogen-positive breast cancer. As such, eating approximately 1 oz. of ground flaxseed daily affects the way estrogen is metabolized and may offer breast cancer protection.
Milk and Yogurt
Calcium and vitamin D-rich foods such as fortified non-fat milk and yogurt, some fish such as canned sardines, and fortified cereals, appear to offer protection against the development of breast cancer in post-menopausal women. A prospective research study published in the "Archives of Internal Medicine" in May 2007 evaluated total calcium and vitamin D intake in relation to breast cancer incidence in over 10,500 premenopausal and nearly 21,000 postmenopausal women aged 45 years or older. During a 10 year follow-up, roughly 276 premenopausal and 743 postmenopausal women developed invasive breast cancer. Higher intakes of total vitamin D and calcium were moderately associated with a lower risk of premenopausal breast cancer, but not for postmenopausal women.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli and broccoli sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower. This family of vegetables contains a chemical component or phytochemical, known as indole-3-carbinol, which fights cancer by converting a type of cancer-promoting estrogen into a more protective type of hormone. Broccoli and broccoli sprouts also contain another phytochemical in the same family known as sulforaphane. Sulforaphane encourages the production of certain enzymes that can deactivate carcinogens and inhibit tumor growth in laboratory animals. According to various research studies, including one published in "Molecular Cancer Therapeutics" in March 2007, sulforaphane inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells by decreasing the activity and expression of proteins involved in their proliferation. At the same time, it causes breast cancer cell death while leaving normal cells unharmed.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Women's Health--Breast cancer prevention: Lifestyle factors that can reduce risk
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Supplementation with flaxseed alters estrogen metabolism in postmenopausal women to a greater extent than does supplementation with an equal amount of soy; JD Brooks et al.; Feb 2004
- "Archives of Internal Medicine"; Intakes of calcium and vitamin D and breast cancer risk in women; J Lin et al.;
- "Molecular Cancer Therapeutics"; Sulforaphane induces cell type-specific apoptosis in human breast cancer cell lines; A Pledgie-Tracy et al.; Mar 2007
