October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I want to focus on women health in this article. What we put in our bodies is even more important than what we put on it. There is constant talk about healthy foods vs unhealthy food, should we eat meat, or should we be vegetarians. How your body responds to certain foods is determined by your genetics and hormones. Ladies as you might already suspect there isn’t any single food that will for sure protect you from cancer. But loading up on the right foods more often just might lower your odds, because there’s a close relationship between diet and cancer.
Let’s discuss some foods that would be beneficial to your health and why. First, plant foods, especially those that are high in fiber or brightly colored because they have lots of antioxidants. Flaxseeds They’re a top source of alpha-linoleic omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to lower your breast cancer risk. Green Tea is tied to a lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer, says the NCI, and it is loaded with polyphenols like epigallocatechin gallate and epicatechin gallate, which help protect cells from cancer-causing damage by neutralizing free radicals. Eating apples can lower risk for certain types of breast cancer, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research . The flavonoid quercitin has been associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers, and the highest concentration is found in the skin. Blueberries have Antioxidants that function to inhibit the formation of free radicals, rapidly changing molecules that are damaging to DNA. Studies show that higher garlic consumption lowers cancer rates. Garlic contains sulfur compounds that exert antimicrobial activity as well as inhibit cell-damaging carcinogens. Carrots are loaded with antioxidants, namely beta-carotene—which might have something to do with their cancer-fighting abilities and high carrot intake is tied to a 21% lower chance for breast cancer.
Cancer cells use up a lot of glucose (sugar) which gives them the fuel they need to multiply, causing the cells to become more aggressive. So with that being said you have breast cancer or want to do what it takes to prevent it, it’s advised that you avoid foods like caffeine and alcohol due to their high sugar content. Also stay away from raw or undercooked meat, fish or poultry including soft cooked eggs. Stay away from unpasteurized dairy prior juice, unwashed fruits and vegetables since parasites live and thrive in those environments, which could worsen your cancer or change your internal environment leaving you open for cancer.
Ladies your health should be important to you, not just for yourself but for all of the people who depend on you. Most importantly for your purpose. You need to be the best version of yourself so that you can positively impact others. So take care of yourself, starting with what you eat.
Kay Chantel
