6 Science-backed Measures To Prevent Breast Cancer

You cannot be totally safe from disease, but you can reduce your risk. One in eight women contracts breast cancer in Spain, but the probabilities are not distributed equally among all. Genetics and, to a greater extent, environmental and lifestyle factors can push for the disease or prevent it.

It is not just genetics. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), genetics is only decisive in 20% of cancers. Only one in ten breast tumors is considered to have a genetic cause.

In an important article, published in 2011 in the journal Cell , Drs. Douglas Hanahan and Robert Weinberg of the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research established that diet, physical activity, environmental toxins, social support, and stress Chronic factors influence biological variables necessary for cancers to form, grow, and survive. Therefore, through lifestyle we can act in favor of disease prevention.

1. Make your diet more preventive

Any preventive strategy must begin with diet. The goals are to prevent inflammation, damage caused by free radicals, and environmental toxins. The practical guide prepared under the direction of Dr. Cristina Pellicer for the Integrative Oncology Association lists the foods that we should only consume in moderation or avoid:

• Sugars, including flours, white breads and pasta, syrups, syrups, and artificial sweeteners. High sugar intake causes inflammation, increases insulin resistance and promotes carcinogenesis. Just by reducing them to a minimum, the risk decreases up to 10 times, according to the study led by Dr. Maxwell Parkin for the International Agency for Research on Cancer, under the WHO.
• Dairy products because their protein, casein, stimulates “insulin-like growth factor 1” which promotes cell growth and increases the risk of cancer. In addition, whole dairy products can contain xenoestrogens, which are associated with breast cancer.
• Processed meat and red meat, declared carcinogenic by the WHO. A recent study, led by Dr. Dale P. Sandler of the US National Institute for Environmental Health and published in the International Journal of Cancer, concluded that there is a relationship between red meat and breast cancer risk.
• Ways of cooking. The way you prepare the food is important. Cooking that burns food should be avoided because benzopyrenes, heterocyclic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and acrylamides are produced. Therefore, barbecues, roasts or frying are not recommended. On the other hand, if they are steaming or cooking in water and, of course, eating raw foods, especially those rich in anti-inflammatory polyphenols and antioxidants.

2. Includes more antioxidant ingredients

• Polyphenols are isoflavones, lignans, flavonoids, anthocyanins, catechins and tannins. Some foods that contain them in abundance are forest fruits, olive oil, green tea, pure cocoa, vegetables, aromatic herbs, spices such as turmeric, pomegranate, garlic and whole grains.
• Soy, yes. This legume has a controversial history in relation to breast cancer. Some experts pointed out that its isoflavones were dangerous in women genetically sensitive to estrogens. However, the latest studies indicate that it exerts a protective role and is capable of increasing the survival of affected women, as indicated by Dr. Jorge Pérez-Calvo.
• Let there be no lack of cabbages. Crucifers, a family to which cabbages belong, are probably the most studied foods for their beneficial effect in relation to cancer. They are rich in glucosinolates, which reduce inflammation and deactivate carcinogens. They also contain carotenoids, anthocyanins and folic acid.
• Make sure of omega-3s. Omega-3 fatty acids are also anti-inflammatory. Numerous studies show that high intake protects against tumorigenesis. In the vegetable diet, to obtain enough omega-3s, it is necessary to consume crushed flax seeds, walnuts or chia on a daily basis.

3. Be aware of these specific nutrients

In the book Integrative Oncology (Editorial Médica Panamericana), Dr. Natalia Eres and biologist Juan Serrano list the nutrients whose action on the development of cancer is better known:

• Folic acid (found in green leafy vegetables and legumes)
• Vitamin B12 (vegetarians should take a supplement)
• Vitamin B6 (chickpeas, potatoes, pistachios and whole grains)
• Vitamin B2 (almonds, bananas, cabbages, legumes, mushrooms and whole grains)
• Methionine (spinach, asparagus, dried beans, mushrooms)
• Choline (soy lecithin, shiitakes, broccoli, lentils)
• Retinoic acid (the body synthesizes it from beta-carotene in carrots, sweet potatoes, and other yellow or orange vegetables).

4. Reduce your exposure to toxins

According to the Spanish Society of Toxicology, daily we are in contact with more than 3,500 artificial substances with effects on the body, many carcinogenic, such as pesticides, plastics, dioxins, PCBs, heavy metals, detergents, etc. For this reason, it is recommended to stimulate detoxification with the help of plants, probiotics and fiber.

Pesticides used in agriculture are powerful poisons, and many are endocrine disruptors, substances that interfere with the normal functioning of steroid hormones and affect gene expression. To avoid them, the most effective measure is to consume organic food.

Phthalates and bisphenols in plastics, parabens and triclosan in cosmetics, or flame retardants in clothing are also endocrine disruptors. To avoid them, it is advisable to choose detergents, garments and cosmetic products with natural or ecological certification.

5. Get physical exercise

The report of the Health & Work group of the European Union mentioned in 2013 that physical exercise was preventive against cancer. Activity is a necessity for the body and influences several factors related to cancer: the proportion of body fat, the blood lipid profile, the state of the digestive system, liver detoxification, immunity, hormonal regulation, stress , the level of inflammation, etc.

A study led by Dr. Steeven C. Moore and published in the J AMA Internal Medicine found that physical activity is associated with a lower risk of up to 13 different types of cancer. In the case of breast cancer, the risk reduction is between 20 and 30 percent. The type of exercise that seems most beneficial is the moderate intensity exercise that is carried out daily for 30-60 minutes.

6. Manage stress

The relationship between stress or emotions and cancer has been much discussed, but the experience has convinced researchers of the stature of Pere Gascón, author of more than 200 articles, director of the CELLEX Molecular and Translational Oncology Laboratory in Barcelona, ​​to who “chronic emotional stress can start the process of cancer.”

Stress increases the hormones produced by the adrenal glands, which inhibit white blood cells and accelerate the involution of the thymus, which suppresses immune function, making the person more susceptible to infections and cancer.

Since stress that lasts too long is not good for anything, Gascón himself recommends promoting the functioning of the immune system through relaxation, sleep, meditation and visualization.

Scientific references:

• Robert A. Weinberg et al. Hallmarks of Cancer: The Next Generation. Cell .
• Dale P. Sandler et al. Association between meat consumption and risk of breast cancer: Findings from the Sister Study. International Journal of Cancer.
• SESMI. Integrative Oncology. Editorial Panamericana.
• Steven C. Moore, et al. Association of Leisure-Time Physical Activity With Risk of 26 Types of Cancer in 1.44 Million Adults. JAMA Internal Medicine