Lower Your Risks of Breast Cancer

While its true that death rates due to breast cancer have been steadily decreasing since 1989, it's also true that about 12% of American women will develop breast cancer during the course of their lifetime. The cause of breast cancer is still somewhat unknown, but there are well-known risk factors associated with this disease. Getting older plays a big role. Genetics that is if you have a first-degree relative diagnosed with breast cancer doubles your risks of getting it. Nonetheless, if you don't have a genetic predisposition you should not breathe easy. About 85% of women with breast cancer had no family history of it. Unhealthy lifestyle choices are a big risk factor, comprising about 40%! Although troubling, this is actually good news because this means that you can get ahead of the disease by making simple lifestyle changes, like these ones:

Adhere to a healthy diet

Aside from providing energy on a daily basis, food also has vitamins and minerals that can help prevent diseases. Foods that are anti-inflammatory are great against breast cancer because chronic inflammation can cause cancer. Eat plenty of foods with anti-inflammatory properties such as wild salmon, walnuts and flax seeds.

To prevent breast cancer, you should also take care of your kidney and liver. These organs should be kept clean by eating foods that can detoxify them. Load up on cruciferous and dark leafy vegetables. Have a glass of vegetable smoothie or juice and a large salad with your meals. It is best to eat organic food because the pesticides can stimulate the growth of hormone-dependent tumor.

Not all foods that have been branded "healthy" are allies in the fight against breast cancer. Unfermented soy products (tofu, soy milk and bean curd) appear to work with human estrogen to accelerate the growth of cancerous cells. Instead, eat foods high in Omega-3 and Vitamin A. Have beef or chicken liver or organic egg yolks to get your Vitamin A.

Detoxify your body

Cleaning your body will increase your chances of combating breast cancer. Avoid eating processed foods and eliminate environmental toxins by going to the sauna to regularly release them through your skin. Cleanse your digestive system by juicing. For other fun ways to detox do stretching exercises so that the acids trapped in your body can be released, and jump up and down a trampoline so as to stimulate movement in your lymphatic system.

Maintain a healthy weight by exercising

Fat produces estrogen and therefore, by keeping your weight down you keep away the fat. Exercise can help reach and maintain a healthy weight. It will also help release the toxins when perspiring and help in the circulation of the lymphatic system, which can help build immunity. A compromised immune system is easy target for cancer.

Get adequate sunlight

The sun is one of the most powerful tools in the fight against breast cancer. Regular exposures in the morning and late afternoon can help kill cancer cells as Vitamin D can actually invade cancer cells. But avoid the midday sun as the harsh light can be damaging to the body.

A few decades ago, being diagnosed with cancer was a death warrant. These days however, due to the advances in medicine (both tradition and integrative), cancer is now curable, and more importantly, preventable. Nobody needs to live in fear of the Big C. The foregoing simple and doable lifestyle changes are a powerful approach to preventing breast cancer. Do them now so that you do not have to worry about it in the future.

Marina de la Torre is a certified health and life coach, author, and VitaminL creator who believes the relationship we have with our body is the way in which we transform spiritually. Our most profound growth comes from changing our daily habits leading us to a deeper sense of joy, connection, and fulfillment in life. Marina is passionate about guiding women through this process. You can find her on her website, Facebook and Twitter.

References

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