Health
TEN WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR RISK FROM BREAST CANCER
Article by Dr. Derek Berry Thorpe
Although there has been evidence of significant improvements in worldwide mortality from breast cancer, Afro-Caribbean statistics have not followed suit for a variety of reasons. Those reasons are beyond the scope of this article but many core aspects about cancer in general and breast cancer in particular, during this month of awareness, remain applicable.
The pinnacle of the success pyramid is still Prevention and Early Detection. With this as a framework it is vital, we appreciate that cancer can grow no larger than a collection of abnormal cells the size of a pin head, without creation of its own blood supply. This is known medically as Angiogenesis. The good news is there is a surprising number of foods and supplements that block angiogenesis and allow prevention to be possible, thus reducing one’s risk.
Lifestyle
1. In the absence of a family history of breast cancer, a screening mammogram is recommended every two years between the ages of 45 and 75 years. With a strong family history, personal and professional surveillance needs to be more frequent.
2. Maintain a healthy body weight for your height. Obesity is a known risk factor for cancer development.
3. Never smoke, limit alcohol consumption and breast feed your children if you become a mother.
4. Maintain a lifestyle of daily physical activity where you’re in deliberate motion with sweating and deep breathing because of your exercise.
Dietary
5. Frequent use of cruciferous vegetables is essential. These include broccoli, cabbage, kale, and cauliflower. The sulforaphane content is highest in broccoli sprouts and is potent in blocking angiogenesis. I recommend finding this in supplement form also for convenience.
6. Frequent use of brightly pigmented vegetables such as tomatoes, pumpkin, bell peppers, carrots which are high in lycopenes. Another useful weapon in anti-angiogenesis.
7. A high fiber diet (30 grams or more daily) from sources of non-GMO whole grains have been reported to reduce cancer risk by 50%.
8. Resveratrol, found in the skin of the red grape and in all types of berries, is proven to be an effective weapon against cancer growth. One can also find this preparation in supplemental form to achieve an effective concentration.
9. Soy and tofu, it turns out, do NOT contribute to the development of breast cancer in humans. There has been a reversal of scientific thought and use of soy milk is highly recommended to block the hormonal avenue of breast cancer.
10. Frequent use of green teas is known to have a significant anti-oxidant effect on cancer development. A powerful combination in use is alternate days of Matcha green tea and Moringa tea.
Dr. Thorpe is a nuclear medicine and functional medicine physician with post graduate degrees from Cornell School of Medicine and the University of Florida. He mentors clients through the ketogenic diet and treats pain and injury through optimization of blood flow.