With more than 192,000 new cases this year, breast cancer is the 2nd highest diagnosed cancer among women, after melanoma. Most women feel secure about their breast health…annual mammograms and monthly self-examinations have been very effective in detecting the cancer early, before it’s had the chance to spread to other organs.
On November 16th, The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force announced that mammograms should be completed every other year, after the age of 50. (The American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram annually for anyone over the age of 40.) This announcement caused a lot of controversy and the U.S. government has since said that it will not be incorporating those ideas in the new health plan. Though what if they decide to do so in the next few years? If insurance will no longer cover annual mammograms, many women will have to go without them. Hundreds of cases of breast cancer will go undetected until it’s too late. What can we do about it? Besides writing government officials and expressing opinions on the issue, every woman in America can take small steps towards preventing breast cancer.
Dr. Ann Kulze, MD has outlined 10 steps towards preventing breast cancer:
1. Maintain a healthy body weight throughout your life.
2. Minimize or avoid alcohol. (“The Harvard Nurses’ Health study, along with several others, has shown consuming more than one alcoholic beverage a day can increase breast cancer risk by as much as 20-25 percent.”)
3. Consume as many fruits and vegetables as possible. (7+ servings a day, especially lightly cooked cruciferous vegetables, dark leafy greens, carrots, and tomatoes. Citrus fruits, berries and cherries are great health-promoting fruits.)
4. Exercise regularly the rest of your life. (Try to exercise 5 or more days a week for at least 30 minutes. Don’t just try it out, but make it a habit!)
5. Do your fats right. (Minimize omega-6, saturated, and trans fat in your diet, and replace them with omega-3 and monounsaturated fats, such as canola oil, fish oil, avacado, and nuts.)
6. Do your carbs right. (Minimize the amount of bleached carbs you consume, and instead replace them with whole grains, beans, and legumes.)
7. Consume whole food soy products regularly, such as tofu, tempeh, edamame, roasted soy nuts, soy milk, and miso. (Organic soy is very healthy and has been shown to help reduce breast cancer risk.)
8. Minimize exposure to pharmacologic estrogens and xeno-estrogens. (Avoid taking estrogen pills, and being around pesticides and chemicals that could be made of compounds similar to estrogen. Wash all produce that could have come in contact with those kinds of pesticides.)
9. Take your supplements daily. (Talk to your doctor about taking supplements to help improve your diet. Vitamin C, Vitamin E, multivitamins, selenium, and fish oil will help you be healthy as all your nutritious needs are met.)
10. Maintain a positive mental outlook. (Maintain happy relationships with others that won’t cause you additional stress. Develop regular sleep patterns and be optimistic.)
Also, talk to your doctor and learn how to do self breast examinations and complete them monthly.
Even if you don’t have access to a mammogram machine, you can take steps to avoiding breast cancer. Remember, almost 100% of breast cancer victims that talk to their doctor about their signs and symptoms have lived to see the 5-yr. mark after finishing treatment.
