For years, October has been designated Breast Cancer Awareness Month helping to educate on the prevention and treatment of this disease. We all know of someone having had the devastating diagnosis of breast cancer whether a family member, friend or acquaintance. Like all cancers, certain risk factors increase its likelihood. Some risk factors are not under our control – age, family history, dense breasts – but other risk factors we can control reducing our chance of becoming one of the 231,840 newly diagnosed cases of invasive breast cancer estimated for 2015.
“The National Cancer Institute is predicting breast cancer cases to rise 50% by the year 2030,” stated Dr. David Samadi, chairman of urology and chief of robotic surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “Breast cancer, similar to prostate cancer, is the most common cancer in women. Its important women take preventative matters into their own hands and this doesn’t just mean having a mastectomy. The smaller lifestyle habits are much easier to begin to implement and can make a world of difference when it comes to your cancer risk.”
Four lifestyle risk factors have consistently shown to decrease the risk of breast cancer. By taking steps today to modify these daily lifestyle habits, you can make a difference in protecting your breast health.
Limit alcohol
There has been a consistent association between breast cancer and alcohol intake – the more alcohol a woman consumes the greater her risk of developing breast cancer. There is now evidence from a 2015 review that alcohol intake during adolescence and the early adult years, appears to also increase the risk of breast cancer. This suggests teenage girls and young women should be educated on alcohol consumption and its association with the lifelong risk of breast cancer development. If a woman chooses to drink alcohol – beer, wine or liquor – to limit it to no more than one drink a day.
How to do this:
• Drink in moderation if at all
• Moderation is defined as no more than one drink a day for a woman
• A drink is defined as one 12 oz. beer, 5 oz. wine, 10 oz. wine cooler or 1 ½ oz. of hard liquor
• Don’t binge drink
Maintain a healthy weight
Obesity has a strong association with increasing the risk of breast cancer, particularly in postmenopausal women. A 2015 study showed body mass index (BMI) is an independent risk factor contributing to its incidence. Women who are obese or have a BMI > 30 are diagnosed more frequently with breast cancer than underweight women with a BMI < 18.5. Obese women 60 years of age or older and past menopause were especially at risk. After menopause, women’s estrogen comes from fat tissue and the more fat tissue a woman has the more estrogen produced leading to an increased risk of breast cancer. Obese women also have higher circulating levels of the hormone insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGF’s) both of which have been linked to tumor cell growth.
How to do this:
• Avoid large portion sizes
• Shop when not hungry
• Don’t buy problem foods
• Plan and eat regular meals – don’t skip meals
• Slow down when eating
• Weigh yourself daily (only once a day) to keep track of weight
Be physically active
The association between physical activity and breast cancer has a lot to do with helping to reduce obesity. Obesity is a known risk factor due to the proximity of fat tissue having a direct effect on a breast cancer tumor. However recent research now says that physical activity also prevents breast cancer by reducing estrogen levels in women. Estrogen increases the risk of breast cancer. Women who keep physically active and maintain a healthy body weight, will have less fat tissue leading to less estrogen being produced.
How to do this:
• Find an activities you enjoy and look forward to doing
• Be active at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous activity, plus strength training at least twice a week
• Walk as often as you can throughout the day or form a walking club with friends
• Find ways throughout the day to be as physically active as possible
Follow the Mediterranean Diet and use more olive oil
The type of dietary fat used is important in helping to lower breast cancer. An excellent style of eating to follow is the Mediterranean Diet.
“Adopt the Mediterranean diet or at least incorporate more healthy fats and fruits and vegetables into your eating,” advised Dr. Samadi.
It includes foods from the Mediterranean region such as fruits, nuts, vegetables, legumes, whole-wheat bread, fish, and olive oil. A recent review focused on the impact of monounsaturated fats, in particular olive oil and its relationship to breast cancer reduction. Two major components in olive oil were studied – oleic acid and polyphenols. Research shows olive oil protects against the more aggressive breast cancer tumors like the HER2-positive breast tumor. The polyphenols found in olive oil help to protect against DNA damage helping to reduce breast cancer. Thus, olive oil appears to decrease both the rate of breast cancer and the aggressiveness of this disease.
How to do this:
• Have a fruit and/or vegetable at each meal
• Eat fish at least twice a week
• Use olive oil in cooking, sautéing, or when roasting vegetables
• Use olive oil instead of butter for spreading on bread
• Combine 2 parts olive oil and 1 part balsamic vinegar to make a salad dressing for salads or cooked vegetables
• Rub olive oil on fish and meat before grilling or baking
“Not to be a broken record, but lifestyle choices especially around diet matter when it comes to an increased risk for cancer,” reiterated Dr. Samadi. “While the most important risk factor for cancer is family history, lifestyle choices come in a close second. Making small changes every day and limiting refined foods will dramatically decrease your risk.”
