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October 2009: Breast Cancer Awareness
October is not only a month for tricks, treats and fabulous fall foliage; it is also a time for awareness - breast cancer awareness that is. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a perfect time to hone in on healthy lifestyle habits to decrease your breast cancer risk. Leading health experts estimate that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. And although cancer risk varies among individuals for many reasons, the choices we make every day about food, physical activity and our weight can reduce our chances for developing breast cancer.
In 2007 the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) published a landmark report based on over 7,000 studies that studied the relationship of diet, physical activity and body weight to cancer risk. Their goal was to develop evidence based cancer prevention guidelines for the public at large. From their exhaustive research they developed the following guidelines
- Choose mostly plant foods, limit red meat and avoid processed meat.
- Be physically every day in ANY way for at least 30 minutes or more.
- Aim to be a healthy weight throughout life.
AICR health experts surmised that following any one of these guidelines will likely lower your cancer risk, and that following all three guidelines will offer the greatest cancer prevention. And because all of these guidelines are so closely intertwined, the key to maintaining a healthy weight lies in balancing the amount of energy you take in (calories in the foods we eat) with the amount of energy we expend (through daily physical activity).
And just last month the AICR’s continuous effort to keep the public informed on the most up to date breast cancer prevention research yielded the following information:
- Low body fat, being physically active, limiting alcohol and breastfeeding are all factors that lower risk of breast cancer.
- Nearly 40% of all cases – over 70,000 every year – of breast cancer in the U.S. could be prevented if women followed these lifestyle recommendations.
So when it comes to the foods we eat, it is important to focus on plant based foods (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and legumes) that are rich in vitamins, mineral, fiber, and phytochemicals. These are the foods that offer a “protective effect” in our bodies. The phytochemicals contained in plant foods act as a natural defense system for the plant. When we in turn consume these plant foods, they offer a similar benefit in our own bodies by promoting healthy tissue and enhancing immune function. Choosing to eat a wide variety of plant foods each day is a wonderful way to promote good health while controlling caloric intake as well.
So next time you are filling your plate with food aim for two thirds of your plate to be filled with plant based foods and the other one third of your plate (or less) with animal foods - most meat portions should be about the size of your fist. You don’t have to become a vegetarian, but cutting back on animal foods is a great way to decrease cancer risk! It may help to think of meat as more of a condiment than a main course too.
It is your overall pattern of eating (what you eat most of the time) that counts the most!! An occasional trip to the deli counter or a slice of ham won’t undo the healthy changes you make – especially when the healthy changes are part of your everyday routine!! And combining this healthy way of eating with daily physical exercise and keeping your weight within your ideal bodyweight range will go a long way in helping you become your best!
For more information on breast cancer prevention please visit www.aicr.org