Breast Cancer: Your best defense secrets by Dr. King

Friday, October 23rd, 2009, 10:56 pm

As all of you know, I am on the offensive when it comes to preventing disease. I came across this great article written by Marisa Weiss, MD, oncologist and president of the nonprofit Breastcancer.org and thought I would pass along some of the information that I thought was very good for reducing your risk and as Dr. Weiss puts it “many of your daily activities can be building blocks for good breast health.”

Cut your chemical exposure. Found in countless items, especially those made with plastic, certain chemicals appear to interfere with your body’s hormonal balance and could harm breast health. “Breast tissue is hypersentitive to hormonal activity; even a little interference can hae an impact over time,” explains Weiss. To reduce your exposure to chemicals such as bisphenol A and phthalates (discussed in many of Dr. King’s previous blog’s on cancer prevention) Weiss recommends using products that are made from glass, ceramic, or stainless steel whenever possible.

Pick your produce carefully. “A plant-based diet is best for breast cancer prevention”, say Weiss. (it is so great to hear my MD Collegues also recommend the plant-based diet that I encourage my patients to utilize during my nutrition sessions, as you can read in many of my “Dr. King” blog’s I highly motivate my patients to increase their vegetable intake throughout the day) Aim for five to nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables (preferably vegetables, stick to 2 max of fruits) and try to stay away from produce that’s heavily sprayed with pesticides and herbicides (chemicals that can disrupt normal cell growth and may increase the risk of breast cancer). Weiss recommends buying organic produce as often as you can, as well as checking the Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides (at foodnews.org) for a list of fruits and veggies with the highest pesticide load.

Be mindful with meat. Eating red meat just once a week (or less) may curb your breast cancer risk, says Weiss. “Beef can contain compounds that are unhealthy for breast tissue, such as hormones given to most cattle to accelerate their growth.” she explains. Most conventionally raised cattle (along with poultry and pigs) are treated with antibiotics and fed crops grown with pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides which end up in their meat and thus increase your chemical exposure when you eat it. So as much as possible choose organic, hormone free meat.

Fine tune your diet. Certain foods and nutrients may help fend off breast cancer, according to recent research. New research suggest eating apples may thwart the development of breast tumors. And in recent studies scientist discovered that Vitamin D3 (best taken in supplement form, at a minimum does of 1000iu) could help slow the growth of breast cancer cells. Loading up on cruciferous vegetables may also help keep breast tissue healthy says Weiss.

Watch your weight. “Staying at a healthy weight is essential for guarding against breast cancer,” says Weiss. Recent research supports the long-established link between postmenopausal breast cancer and obesity. In a study of 5,450 women, those with the highest insulin levels (associated with obesity) were more then twice as likely to develop breast cancer as those with the lowest insulin levels.

A special Note from Dr. King. As many of you recognize, several of these suggestions are items I discuss with my nutrition patients on a regular basis. If you are looking for a lifestyle change, to improve your health and move towards a path of renewed health and overall disease prevention and would like to discuss a plan of action toward that path please don’t hesitate to set up a one-on-one consult with Dr. King. And to my patients who are on that journey, I wish you the best to continued great health.

Tags: BHRT, Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Prevention, Diet & Nutrition, Dr. King, Dr. Stephanie King, Hormones, Natural Health, Pasadena California Alternative Medicine