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What’s on Your Breast Cancer Awareness Dinner Plate

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By Joyce Elgin | SITNET Staff | November 19, 2018

Women in the United State face a greater lifetime risk of breast cancer than any previous generation, with rates having tripled during the past 40 years. Contrary to popular belief, only about 5% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a link to the “breast cancer gene”. We know there are contributing factors that increase breast cancer risk including having children late in life and early onset of puberty. Exposure to radiation from chest x-rays during childhood and taking hormone replacement therapy are also known risk factors along with alcohol abuse, tobacco and second-hand smoke. Breast cancer rates are higher in women who are obese, and women who gain excess weight during adulthood. Yet, many women will never know the cause of their disease. Is it possible to find “a cure” in today’s world without addressing the environmental triggers? Today’s column will offer prevention knowledge!

Aiming for a Solution: Let’s Begin with Prevention

Support your body’s natural ability to detoxify by exercising and sweating on a regular basis. Use a sauna or steam bath.  In today’s world, we strongly recommend supporting your body with the essential tools it needs to function optimally particularly when it is challenged daily by so many synthetic substances. Get regular sleep (you detoxify at night) at least 8 hours of sleep is optimal and drink plenty of filtered water.

Choose your food wisely. Eat as organically as possible, and limit animal fats. Choose seasonal and local foods. Fish consumption: Large deep water “fatty” fish like tuna and swordfish may contain high levels of synthetic chemicals and heavy metals, so eat them infrequently. Wild caught salmon and cod are better choices.

Avoid Pesticides. If you can’t buy all organic food, try to pick and choose. Certain crops are more heavily sprayed than others.  Produce containing the highest pesticide levels include: peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, grapes, pears, spinach, and potatoes. Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consuming or peel them if they are not organically grown

Consume plenty of fiber found in your whole grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, seeds (flax) and nuts.  Drink antioxidant beverages like green tea containing antioxidants that can assist the body to rid itself of toxins. Other researched protective antioxidants include pomegranate, blueberry and raspberry juices.

Avoid using plastics. If you do, the safest plastics are marked with the recycling codes 2, 4, and 5. Never let infants chew on soft plastic toys and never microwave food in a plastic bowl or covered in plastic wrap. A good rule of thumb is that the softer the plastic, the more chemicals. Bring a reusable mug to your local coffee stop. Buy a refillable glass or earthenware water jug. Invest in glass food storage containers that can be washed and reused for a lifetime. Use reusable cloth totes for groceries.

Exercise your rights as a consumer. Never doubt the power of consumer demand. Ask for green products when you don’t see them in your neighborhood stores.  It took a while to legislate no-smoking areas; hopefully “chemical-free” will not be far away. Support local and federal clean air and water initiatives. Write to your local and state representatives and encourage them to vote for a healthy future. Support elected officials who make a clean environment their priority.  

The good news? Cancer can be reduced by avoiding or lowering exposures to environmental toxicants as well as by optimizing our immune surveillance systems and cellular energy metabolism with nutritional intervention strategies can reduce Cancer. 

The bottom line?  “Eat a healthily-based diet, maintain moderate weight throughout life, avoid environmental toxins and get some exercise.”                      

Important: Speak to your medical health provider and/or wellness team before making changes to your current regiment.

To become a volunteer, attend one of our events, or if you have a health related story to share, give us a call at 

917-531-4288.

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