From the time you’re a young women, you are taught the dangers of breast cancer and ways to detect it. You are encouraged to perform monthly self-breast exams, and mammograms are recommended as you age – or earlier if cancer is in your family history. And so, breast cancer becomes almost an unavoidable threat in your life. You may be prepared to recognize the early warning signs, but at the same time feel helpless to prevent what seems like the inevitable. Have no fear. You can take measures to promote good breast health and ward off this deadly cancer.
The Statistics
Over the past five years, there has been increasing attention focused on breast cancer and breast cancer prevention. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women in the U.S, and over 211,000 new diagnoses are made every year. But there are several steps that you can take within your life to promote good breast health including personal lifestyle changes and dietary supplements.
Lifestyle Adjustments
Starting and maintaining a healthy exercise program is crucial to the prevention of cancer. We have all heard that exercise is important, yet so many of us fail to implement exercise programs into our daily schedules. Start small and build your length and intensity of workouts to improve the level of your overall health. Be sure to manage a healthy weight by including vegetables, fruits and calcium in your daily diet. If you are a smoker, quitting smoking can drastically reduce your risks for all cancers, particularly breast cancer. Ensure that you perform regular monthly breast exams to check for irregularities in between your annual clinical visits. When you are visiting with your physician, be sure to inquire about when you should begin receiving mammograms for the early detection of breast cancer.
Nutrition is Key
In addition to these important lifestyle habits, consider adding nutritional supplements that have proven to aid in the prevention of breast cancer and the promotion of your overall health.
One of the most promising Vitamins promoting healthy breast tissue when added into the diet is Vitamin A. It has shown the ability to inhibit cancer cell growth when taken in both natural and synthetic forms. Foods that are rich in Vitamin A include sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, mangos, cantaloupe, milk, and mozzarella cheese.
Another new promising nutrient for the prevention of breast cancer is the flax seed. The flax seed is particularly rich in one phytoestrogen, lignon, which appears to reduce the levels of estrogen production within the body. Reduced estrogen levels have been successful in reducing the prevalence of breast cancer in patients.
Green teas have many nutritional benefits, including aiding in the prevention of breast cancer. Their unique composition includes polyphenols, which are powerful cancer fighting antioxidants. Adding green tea is a simple dietary change with impressive health benefits.
Red Clover is known to be a great breast cancer prevention nutrient. Red Clover is a plant with leafy stems that grows up to 16 inches in height and is part of the pea family. The nutrient that makes this plant unique is the chemical called isoflavins, which is the characteristic that aids in cancer cell formation. Red Clover is available in teas, tinctures, tablets, capsules and extracts making it a simple supplement to add to your daily diet.
Turmeric has also been proven to have breast cancer prevention benefits. It is mostly harvested in India and is a common ingredient found in curries. The benefits of Turmeric have been known for centuries and the nutrient is commonly used throughout oriental medicines. The cancer fighting benefits are created from its powerful antioxidant nutrients. Turmeric can be added to your diet through powders and tinctures.
Breast cancer is a prevalent disease around the world and affects as many as 1 in 10 women in the U.S. But with proper lifestyle management and the addition of nutritional supplements, you can help your body to prevent the formation of breast cancer. Be prepared and conquer!
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