The fact of the matter is breast cancer sucks big time. But another fact is, there are things you can do to help prevent and aid in the fight of this disease that claims so many lives. According to Women’s Health magazine, more than 220,000 people will be affected by breast cancer just this year alone. So it’s definitely time to take some action and become proactive with your health as it concerns breast cancer and take preventive measures. What can you do?
Besides performing regular breast self-exams and opening up a dialogue with your doctor about your concerns, one major thing you can do is pay close attention to what you are putting into your body. When it comes to breast cancer, food can either be your enemy or your friend. And by adjusting your diet by reducing your fat intake, adding more whole grains, and maintaining healthy levels of hormones, the fight to prevent breast cancer is just a meal away.
So whether you’re fighting to prevent an onset of breast cancer, or you’re in the midst of a struggling battle, consider allowing a healthy diet to be a part of your plan of attack. Load your body with these five breast cancer fighting foods to help prevent and fight this dreaded illness.
Please consult a health care professional before heeding any of the following advice.
Garlic
Other than adding bold flavor to your meals, incorporating a clove of garlic into your daily diet can help your fight against breast cancer. Not only does garlic help reduce inflammation, but according to the National Cancer Institute, there are protective effects from garlic that may arise from its ability to deflect the formation and stop the onset of cancer causing agents. It also has the ability to reduce cell growth and increase cell death.
Salmon
Whether grilled or baked, salmon contains essential omega-3 oils and is a great source of vitamin D. It is said that adding a fatty fish like salmon to your diet can enhance your immune system and reduce the risk of breast cancer in half.
Brussels Sprouts
While you may have hated brussels sprouts as a kid, research shows that incorporating this cruciferous vegetable and others like broccoli–which contains sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol (antioxidants)–once a day can prohibit the growth of tumors as well as stop the spread of cancer by converting unhealthy estrogen cells into healthy ones.
Berries
Pick your berry of choice–raspberry, strawberry, blueberries, or blackberries– they’re all great sources of vitamins, antioxidants, and cancer battling phytonutrients. Oh, and they taste great!
Walnuts
Although we love them in our brownies, what we should love most about walnuts is their ability to block estrogen receptors in breast cancer cells, which decreases cell growth.
