In Australia and in most western countries, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in women.
Unfortunately, the perpetuation of fear, mis-diagnosis and unnecessary intervention have all played their part, but a major factor is also poor dietary and lifestyle habits.
Here we explore ten whole foods found in nature that can support breast health due to their specific nutritional profiles.
The good news is, there is growing research to indicate that certain foods eaten consistently in the diet can assist in the prevention breast cancer and breast related diseases.
Here are our top ten whole foods for breast health, that are easily accessible year round, versatile, affordable and worthwhile including in your diet regularly.
1. Raw Nuts & Seeds
Nuts contain healthy oils and nutrients that support breast health because of their anti-inflammatory properties.
Omega-3 fatty acids are particularly bioavailable in raw nuts such as walnuts, macadamias, flax and pumpkin and research suggests that women with higher tissue levels of omega-3’s have lower rates of breast cancer.
Get your omegas from raw nuts, not fish oil, as the risk of toxicities in fish supplement products, many of which are farmed, may compound health problems.
Pulse Sacred Meal is an easy, natural and tasty way to get your daily fix of omega 3's due to the variety of raw nuts and seeds inside each wholesome pack.
2. Avocados
There is a reason why avocados make the list of foods for breast health.
They’re a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids including oleic acid, which has recently been shown to offer remarkable protection against breast cancer.
On the phytochemical front, avocados also contain glutathione. Glutathione is known for its ability to strengthen the immune system and remove cancers.
Finally, it's interesting that mother nature in her wisdom appears to have created avocados as a "feminine food". Consider, when sliced open length ways, a ripe avocado visually resembles a womb and cervix with a swollen seed inside, which looks just like a woman who is pregnant. And today, nutritional science proves that the good fats and nutrients in avocados have profound nutrients for protecting women's health!
Enjoy avocados as often as you can - mash and spread onto wholegrain bread, prepare a delicious homemade guacamole dip, chop onto your favourite raw salads, or enjoy them on their own with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of nature-made sea salt!
Learn more about the nutritional powers of avocados in our blog, 7 Good Reasons Avocados Are A Superfood.
3. Beetroot
Beetroot is an incredibly healthy whole food that can also support breast health.
Beets are particularly high in folate, and it is known that a high daily intake of folate actually lowers breast cancer risk.
When it comes to folate, it is a good idea to avoid spirits and distilled alcohol as research suggests it can interfere with the transport and metabolism of folate in the body. Just something to keep in mind.
You can learn more about the powers of beetroot in our blog, 5 Incredible Health Benefits of Beets.
4. Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits have a signature pattern of the mammary structure of the female breast. Meaning, if you slice any citrus fruit across the middle, what you see is a structure that visually resembles the internal profile of the female breast.
Citrus fruits you should include in your diet regularly include:
- Oranges
- Lemons
- Limes
- Tangerines
- Grapefruit
In addition to breast health support, due to the potent vitamin C content, citrus fruits are known to protect the body from a host of inflammatory conditions, such as colds and flu during the winter season.
Also, deep inside the white rind and membranes of these fruits is a group of plant compounds that includes bioflavonoids, citric acids and pectins, which can help draw toxins out of the body - and this is important for the prevention of breast cancer. Therefore, when you juice citrus fruits, remove the skin whilst maintaining a thin outer layer of pectin before you juice to benefit from this potent nutritional content.
5. Lemons (A citrus fruit that deserves special mention)
Of all the citrus fruits, lemons require special mention because they are nature's most potent detoxifier.
Limonene, is the volatile oil responsible for the distinctive lemon aroma, which helps treat some forms of cancer, especially breast cancer.
There are so many ways to enjoy lemons, such as including them in your raw juice recipes, squeezing them into salad dressings and adding to your water first thing in the morning to aid digestion.
Lemon essential oil is also particularly useful and versatile as a replacement for fresh lemon juice on days when you don't have whole lemons handy. Simply add 2-3 drops to your morning water or to a mug of warm water for digestive cleansing support after a main meal.
6. In Season Yellow and Orange Fruits & Vegetables
Eating foods high in beta-carotene has been linked in many studies to lower rates of breast cancer.
Yellow and orange vegetables are among the best sources of beta-carotene, so fill up on:
- Sweet Potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Carrots
- Squash
And like avocados, one-seeded yellow and orange fruits particularly target women's health:
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Apricots
- Mangoes
7. Cruciferous Vegetables
These crunchy vegetables aren’t just a welcome boost of fibre, they're among the most potent cancer-preventative foods available in nature.
Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, radish, rutabaga, turnips and turnip greens all contain indole-3-carbinol, which lowers women’s levels of a type of estrogen that promotes breast cancer. If you’re looking for foods to eat to support breast health, be sure to cook with these cancer-preventative foods.
8. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a great source of a compound called lycopene, which has been linked to lower rates of breast and prostate cancer.
Eat plenty of tomatoes in every form, including raw, cooked, dried, in soups, juices, sauces to get your fill in a variety of delicious ways.
9. Whole Grains
Avoid refined grains as much as possible and replace with whole grains the way nature intended. Studies indicate that women who have a diet heavy in refined grains have more incidences of breast cancer.
Another study showed women who ate one serving a day of a cereal high in wheat bran lowered their level of breast cancer-promoting estrogen.
These days it is easy to replace your favourite foods with whole grain versions if you are very conscious of what you eat and choose to avoid products prepared from heavily processed grains such as packaged cereals, snack bars, cookies, muffins and cakes.
More Lifestyle Tips To Support Breast Health:
1. Eat a high-fibre diet: fibre is essential for a healthy digestive system because it transports waste and residue from the body so that it doesn't become toxic - which is a primary causes of all disease, including cancer.
Also, substances in plants, known as phytoestrogens, are able to prevent hormone receptors like estrogen from growing in the body, which are known to contribute to breast cancer.
Good sources of phytoestrogens in sprouts, cabbage, spinach, garlic, apples, grapes, berries and organic soy products.
2. Only Pasture-Raised Animal Products: If you're not vegan or vegetarian, be sure to only eat pasture raised, free-range, organic eggs, meats and dairy. Avoid processed animal products because they are generally raised with hormones and laced with chemical additives and preservatives, which when consumed over time can raise cancer risk;
3. Water Intake: Drink at least 2 litres of pure water per day, more if you're active or suffer from fatigue or health challenges. Water not only keeps the body's cells hydrated, but also helps to flush toxins from the body and maintain healthy digestion which is crucial for reducing cancer risk. Also, dehydration in women can cause stress, which leads to the body raising the levels of a compound called, prolactin, which is known to stimulate breast cancer.
4. Get Some Sunshine: Despite decades of fear campaigns driven to sell chemical-based sunscreen, there is compelling evidence to indicate that regular sun exposure actually helps the body to make vitamin D, which helps lower the risk of many cancers, including breast and prostate cancer.
Unfortunately, women who completely avoid exposure to natural sunlight will have lower vitamin D levels, and will thereby increase their risk of breast cancer.
Whilst it is wise to avoid intense sun exposure during the middle of the day, particularly during summer, short frequent allotments of sun exposure will ensure adequate Vitamin D to help lower cancer risk.
Learn more in our blog, Why Sunshine Helps Strengthens The Immune System.
The Main Take Away
The foods you eat can have a big impact on your ability to reduce breast cancer risk.
Choose a handful of the foods recommended here and make them part of your weekly diet when in season to give your body the widest scope of nutrients and antioxidants.
Together with a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise, when you avoid processed foods, drink plenty of water and enjoy sensible, regular exposure to natural sunshine, you will go a long way to avoiding breast cancer and other common cancers and diseases.
Tolman Self Care.
