Thursday, January 19, 2012

Breast Cancer: Best Foods to Prevent It

(image credit to Getty Images)
What are best foods to prevent breast cancer? We all agree that a healthy living is the best choice to keep healthy and fit. But there are a lot of temptations that can make us far away from healthy-lifestyles in this modern living. One of serious diseases that can attack anyone (especially for women) is breast cancer.

You may also like to know some simple prevention tips for breast cancer, before continuing!

Many experts believe that there are some foods and essential nutrients that may be effective enough to reduce your risk of having breast cancer. And the following are some of them!

Walnuts

Walnuts contain phytosterols, antioxidants, and omega-3, which are associated to help your body to inhibit the growth of the cancer cells -- according to some studies from West Virginia Marshall University School of Medicine!

Pomegranates

We can find powerful antioxidant which called ellagic-acid in pomegranates (especially in their crunchy seeds). Based on some studies from City of Hope Beckman Research Institute -- Ellagic-acid can be a powerful option to obstruct the development of enzymes that can lead to breast cancer.  

Furthermore, since pomegranates are a rich antioxidant food then they are also recommended to promote good health for your heart.

Lentils

Lentils are also good alternative choice that believed and associated with lower risk of breast cancer. A research published on (2009) The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the risk of breast cancer was lower in 3,000 or more of Asian-American women who have high intake of lentils, legumes or other nuts.

Broccoli sprouts

According to some researches from the University of Michigan, broccoli sprouts have good antioxidants (sulforaphane), which is a helpful antioxidant to against and destroy the tumor cells.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms (like cremini, shiitake and oyster) have many antioxidants, particularly such as L-ergothioneine that will be helpful to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.

Therefore, it is reasonable that pre-menopausal women who eat mushrooms regularly will get a lower risk of breast cancer -- according to a research published on Nutrition and Cancer (2010).

What else you should eat to prevent breast cancer?
  1. Rye-bread! A synergy-positive-effect among phytonutrients, vitamins, lignans, minerals and fiber in the rey-bread is one of the major reasons why rye-bread is also so recommended for breast-cancer-fighting.
  2. Eggs! A study that involved around 3,000 participants in US found that individuals who eat eggs are associated to lower breast cancer risk, because eggs contain choline, which is so essential to reduce the risk of this disease. Even for better result, women should get adequate intake of choline (at least 425 mg /day) -- the recommendation from U.S. Institute of Medicine. Other foods that can be used for good source of choline are wheat, beef, fish, broccoli, poultry, etc.
  3. Salmon! The risk of breast cancer can be reduced up to 24 % by having adequate intake of vitamin D from sunlight -- said some researchers of Toronto Mount Sinai Hospital. And salmon is good source of vitamin D. So, if you want to get more vitamin D intake then you can eat salmon for another alternative!
  4. Spinach! Spinach have high amount of folate! And according to a research (in 2011) of the American Journal of Epidemiology, premenopausal women who have high intake of folate got 40% lower breast cancer risk.
  5. Blueberries! This fruit has phytonutrients, and there are some researches that found pterostilbene (phytonutrients in blueberries) can stop and obstruct the growth of the tumor of breast cancer by apoptosis process (a process causes the cancer calls to self-destruct).
*** Ask a dietitian and doctor for in-depth information!