10 Foods Scientifically Studied to Help With Breast Cancer
10 Foods Scientifically Studied to Help With Breast Cancer
Breast cancer can be caused by a number of different factors. Genetic mutations, family history, pre-existing conditions, and DNA damage are a few uncontrollable factors that can contribute to this disease.
However, factors like body weight, lifestyle choices, and diet also play an important role in the development and progression of breast cancer. The difference is that we have a significant sphere of control over these aspects of our lives.
With the right choices, we can prevent the onset of breast cancer or reduce the duration and extent to which it affects us.
Of all these controllable factors, ensuring the right diet can be confusing. However, it’s also the most effective way to fight breast cancer.
So here are 10 foods that, if added to your diet, may help prevent and help with this disease.
1. Organic Avocados
Avocados are known as ‘nutrient boosters’ and help your body effectively absorb nutrients from all the food you eat.
They are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, essential for improving blood circulation and carrying necessary nutrients throughout the body, replenishing the cells and keeping them healthy.
Source: foodrevolution.org
Omega-3 also helps to boost skin-cell renewal, giving your body the chance to rebuild cells that are damaged during breast cancer or chemotherapy.
2. Organic Soy
The myths surrounding soy and breast cancer are numerous, but recent studies show that consumption of soy has been linked with lower incidences of breast cancer.
Soy contains isoflavones, a compound that behaves like estrogen and which has led to the belief that soy causes breast cancer. However, isoflavones only mimic estrogen and bind weakly to estrogen receptors in the body. This helps to limit the amount of estrogen absorbed by the body, and excess estrogen in the body is exactly what leads to breast cancer.
Source: womenshealthmag.com
Soy is also rich in potassium, which helps to flush out toxins (including excess estrogen) and keeps you in a state of health.
Of course, the benefits of soy only come from whole organic soy foods, like tofu, tempeh, and edamame.
3. Organic Broccoli
Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, like cauliflower and cabbage, are rich in a compound called glucosinolate. This compound has been found to mitigate the risk of cancer by helping the body eliminate potential carcinogens (cancer-causing substances).
Source: livescience.com
This nutrient is also known to trigger the production of tumor suppressing proteins, and can help localize and limit the spread of the disease. In this way, broccoli can help ease the debilitating effects of breast cancer.
4. Organic Guava
While most citrus fruits are packed with vitamin-C, guavas are said to contain the most (twice the amount as an equal serving of oranges!).
Vitamin-C helps to keep your immune system healthy, which is essential during breast cancer treatment as your body is prone to contract diseases easily in this weakened state.
Source: healthline.com
More importantly, Vitamin-C is used by the body to build a protein called collagen. This protein aids in the growth of new cells and blood vessels across the body, helping to reverse the damage caused by breast cancer. So consuming guava on a regular basis can put your body on the road to a speedy recovery.
5. Organic Beans and Lentils
Beans and lentils are known for the proteins, vitamins, and minerals they provide the body. But most importantly, beans are rich in fiber, which is essential for the fight against breast cancer.
Fiber supports a healthy digestive system and helps to eliminate toxins from the body, limiting the damage they can cause. A high fiber diet effectively removes excess estrogen from the body, the buildup of which can lead to (or further aggravate) breast cancer.
Source: eatthis.com
Eating a high-fiber diet also helps your body effectively absorb nutrients from other foods, giving cells the necessary fuel they need to repair and renew themselves.
6. Organic Blueberries
Blueberries are known to show high levels of antioxidant activity compared to most foods and are one of the richest sources of antioxidants on the planet.
Antioxidants are essential in the fight against breast cancer as they protect the body from harmful compounds called free radicals.
Source: healthline.com
These compounds are actually unpaired electrons that try to pair themselves and end up wreaking havoc in the body. In their search, free radicals damage cells affecting their growth, development, and very survival. Healthy cells are essential to have a chance against breast cancer, and the presence of free radicals make it difficult for the body to fight back.
The antioxidants in blueberries neutralize these free radicals and prevent them from damaging healthy cells, giving your body a fighting chance.
7. Organic Allium Vegetables
Garlic, onions, and leek are allium vegetables and contain a host of nutrients to support the body in its fight against breast cancer.
They are rich in flavonoids, an antioxidant which modulates the activity within cancer cells, preventing them from spreading to healthy cells. This drastically reduces the damage done by the cancer cells and minimizes the threat.
Source: guardian.ng
Allium vegetables also contain organosulfur compounds which inhibit the activity of carcinogens in the body, stopping their spread and limiting the damage caused to DNA.
8. Organic Probiotics
Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha have been found to be highly effective in the fight against breast cancer. They bolster the immune system, protecting your body from other diseases and helping to identify infected cells and destroying them before the cancer spreads.
Source: medicalnewstoday.com
Probiotics also keep the gut bacteria healthy, improving digestion and preventing the accumulation of harmful toxins that can further damage the body.
Recently, probiotics have also been found to help reduce inflammation in cancer patients post operation.
9. Organic Peaches
While peaches contain a host of antioxidants and vitamins that help in the fight against breast cancer, they are most noted for the presence of polyphenols.
Source: webur.org
Polyphenols are antioxidants known to reduce the growth of tumors and limit the spread of cancer cells. These antioxidants act like detergents, causing the aggressive cancer cells to die out, leaving your body in a more wholesome, healthy state.
10. Organic Quinoa
This grainy superfood is rich in a compound called saponins which have an tumor effect and inhibit the growth of tumors even in cells already afflicted by cancer. Saponins help to arrest the rapid cell growth that takes place during breast cancer, making the disease easier to deal with by limiting the rate at which it spreads.
Source: kyleecooks.com
Quinoa is also rich in proteins and contains all the necessary amino acids required by the body. Amino acids are known as the building blocks of life, and quinoa gives your body the necessary raw material required to repair, replenish, and build new cells.
Stay Relaxed
Of course, quinoa is only one source of protein, and if you’re looking to add a wholesome source of protein to your diet, you may want to try a bag of our Chocolate Magic Protein Powder. Each serving contains 24 grams of clean, organic protein that will give your body the necessary amino acids to protect your body.
While breast cancer can be a terrifying disease to deal with, it may be preventable and curable with the right diet and lifestyle choices.
Stress is another factor that can aggravate or enhance severity of breast cancer, and it’s important to try and stay relaxed and calm during the recovery period. With the right diet, a positive mindset, and lots of self care, you’re sure to come out of this process a healthier, stronger individual.
