what’s best for
your breasts?
by: Alejandrina Aragon
www.theGOODSmagonline.com • October 2012 | L#
As breast cancer awareness month fast approaches I would love to share some educational information on a subject that is very close to home. I myself had my first brush with breast health issues at the very young age of 22 years old with a history of breast cancer in the family with my mother having been diagnosed at approx. 32 years of age. Since then the need for monitoring these health concerns have increased and now at the age of 31 I am required to have mammograms and breast ultrasounds every six months. It is extremely important for all us to be educated in the fact that breast cancer does not discriminate against age, sex, race or genetics. Those who have a family history can definitely have higher risk factors and should start early screening if there is a history of breast cancer within their immediate family. Therefor it’s a necessity that we are properly informed and aware of the risk factors and preventative measures. Early screening is a must since it can be a lifesaver. As we all know being proactive can never hurt when it comes to our health and early detection is the best medicine. Preventative measures can expand farther that most think. We can help lower our chances by being aware of the risk factors and using diet as a stepping stone since several foods containing antioxidants and phytochemicals have been proven to decrease the risk of breast cancer, by working to destroy precancerous cells. Each year in the US
approx. 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and out of that about 40,000 loose the battle to cancer. As I said before breast cancer is not bias so unfortunately a disease thought to mostly affect woman has also been known to affect approx. 1,700 men in the US alone a year and out of that about 450 of them will loose the battle cancer as well. Pre-menopausal women who consume a minimum of 20 g of dietary fiber a day are at lower risk of being affected by breast cancer. Combining your oatmeal with blueberries and or any other fruit high in antioxidants and you not only lower your risk further, but your able to enjoy something delicious and healthy with a great benefit. Special nutrients in Green Tea called Catechins can kill harmful breast cancer cells and it has been suggested that women 50 and under who consume 3 cups a day are at a lower risk. There have been claims that lycopene, an antioxidant only found in tomatoes, are a risk reducer as well. Ketchup is known to contain a more readily available source this antioxidant. However lets not let those numbers sway us from becoming educated in prevention and keep us from becoming a part of these statistics. It is important to take into account breast cancer is terminal however it is not a death sentence since early detection and screening is available. To better understand the importance I would like to share some of the most common risk factors to be aware of. Risk factors for