It’s breast cancer awareness month, and if you haven’t been to the supermarket yet this October, be prepared for the onslaught of PINK. There are pink breast cancer awareness tie-ins with hundreds of products in virtually every aisle of the grocery store, including Cheerios, button mushrooms, Fuze and Odwalla beverages, and Dove dark chocolates, to name a few. Even Bumble Bee tuna is buzzing about a breast cancer cure.
I love all the corporate promotions and tie-ins to a disease that afflicts so many women—more than 40,000 still die annually and it’s the most common cancer among women—and impacts so many people. But what I’d really like to see is the foods that really can help thwart cancer get behind the cause with messages about what we all can do to reduce our risk for developing the deadly disease.
Although research connecting diet and cancer is still in its infancy, there is sufficient evidence to know that weight gain and alcohol significantly increase risk. That said, numerous other studies looking at myriad other dietary factors are far from clear, but could have some risk reduction benefits. For example, just this month, research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that among black women, those who followed a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains (limited sugars and processed meats) were 30% less likely to develop breast cancer compared to women who ate diets rich in unhealthy foods.
Here are the core anticancer diet strategies recommended by most major health organizations.
Lose weight if overweight.
Breast cancer is an estrogen-dependent cancer and fat cells produce estrogen, which may explain why overweight and obese women are at increased risk for breast cancer. Maintain a healthy body mass index throughout your adult years to reduce risk for most chronic diseases.
Limit or avoid alcohol.
Alcohol appears to increase risk, especially for people who have a genetic predisposition to or a family history of breast cancer. In general, the American Cancer Society says one drink per day is OK, but if you can go without, probably even better.
Eat a plant-centric diet.
Fruits and vegetables contain anticancer compounds while contributing essential vitamins, minerals (like selenium), and fiber without many calories so they help to maintain a healthy weight. Make meals and snacks plant-based and use animal products as side dishes rather than main courses.
Get up and move.
Regular physical activity appears to reduce risk. Aim for 45 to 60 minutes a day for the most protection.
Minimize saturated fat.
Limit saturated fats and trans fat in your diet and focus on unsaturated omega-3s by having fish twice a week; eating avocados, nuts, and seeds; and using vegetable oils such as extra virgin olive oil.
Eat more whole grains.
Whole-grain consumption and a high-fiber diet (of which whole grains are a large part) have both been linked to reduced breast cancer risk. Strive for at least three whole-grain servings and 25 grams of fiber per day.
Enjoy soy foods.
It’s unclear how much soy can provide protection against breast cancer, but including soy milk and soy-based alternatives to fatty meats will help cut the unhealthy saturated fat in your diet while providing the plant compounds that seem to offer disease protection.
Next page: My favorite pink purchases
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