In honor breast cancer awareness month, let’s talk about the benefits of good nutrition and an active lifestyle on cancer prevention, as well as with cancer survivors!
Estradiol and estrone are two kinds of estrogens that are reduced by low fat diets, lots of fruits and vegetables and daily exercise. So, how does this relate to breast cancer awareness? Well, overexposure of estrogen can lead to breast cancer. –and not to mention, physical inactivity and an unhealthy diet may also lead to other cancers such as colon, endometrial, and kidney cancersl!
In the event that you are diagnosed with breast cancer, you can surely benefit from daily physical activity and a healthy diet as shown in a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The study reported that exercise reduced mortality from all causes in breast cancer survivors by 50%, when combined with a healthy diet.
Furthermore, a study done by the University of Texas/MD Anderson Cancer Center with ovarian cancer survivors found that many were not meeting the recommended guidelines for dietary intake. And a cancer survivor (breast cancer in particular in a study done for the Womens Healthy Eating and Living Study Group) may benefit from increased levels of carotenoids. We can attain higher levels of carotenoids through an increase in fruits and vegetables! (It was shown how this may be attained with the study done at the University of Texas/MD Anderson Cancer Center).
In regards to physical activity, even something as little as walking, may reduce your risk of breast cancer, as well as keep you cancer free after treatment. (This has been found in many studies and one such study is the Nurses Health Study, where a large focus is on cancer prevention!)
Considering the readers of Multiples and More, are parents, or parents to be…you should also know that even during the prenatal stages, it is important to maintain the healthiest diet in order to keep the DNA healthy! Research done at Georgetown University had shown that breast cancers may arise from what mothers eat while pregnant!
So why not begin with our unborn babies? We may greatly reduce the incidence of ALL cancers just by making the best nutritional choices while carrying our unborn children! And let’s not stop there! Continue on that healthy, cancer free life by teaching your children to get at least one hour of physical activity on most days of the week, and choosing fresh fruits and vegetables over high-fat, overly processed foods!
As Dr. William Sears says, “Your endothelium functions as your body’s internal pharmacy” And in order to keep our endothelium healthy, we need physical activity and lots of fruits and veggies! Dr. Sears goes on to add that natural medicines are found in our endothelium. Check out the video below:
So what do I mean by adding this? Well, if you eat mostly fruits and vegetables, and make physical activity a staple in your everyday life…you CAN ward off illnesses and disease! We individually may have the way to fight off many health ailments…IF we take better care of ourselves, our unborn children, and educate our little ones to do the same!
