Nutrition to help lower Breast Cancer Risk
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October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, a time dedicated to spreading awareness and raising funds that can be used for research to aid in prevention, treatment, and more. Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, with 1 in 8 women being diagnosed in their lifetime. Because of this, women should know what they can do to protect themselves. Practicing good nutrition habits is one of the most influential components of lowering breast cancer risk and is something that all women can begin to implement. In this blog, lets learn nutrition to help lower Breast Cancer Risk.
How Can I Lower My Risk of Breast Cancer?
It’s important to focus on positive lifestyle adjustments that can decrease breast cancer risk, they highlight the things that we can control to keep our bodies healthy and protected against chronic diseases and other illnesses. Along with regular screenings and genetic testing, there are many health and wellness habits that women can incorporate into their everyday routine to lower their risk of breast cancer. These include:
- Incorporating a balanced diet
- Staying active
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Limiting alcohol consumption
- Avoiding smoking
Making these a priority not only helps with breast cancer prevention, but also contributes to overall good health which decreases the risk for many chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease.
A Balanced Diet to lower the risk of Breast Cancer
One of the most important aspects of maintaining good health is a balanced diet. Knowing what foods to incorporate and what foods to limit is important for a nutritious diet A balanced diet includes factors such as:
- Incorporating fruits and vegetables
- Choosing whole grains
- Opting for lean protein
- Focusing on healthy fats
- Limiting added sugars
- Limiting salt intake
- Staying hydrated!
Fruits and vegetables are a key part of maintaing good nutrition. They provide vitamins and minerals that keep our body feeling good. Women would benefit from including 5 servings of fruits and vegetables into their diet throughout the day. Try adding fruits and vegetables to snacks in between meals to increase intake.
Whole grains are another important part of a balanced diet. Half of the grains that we eat should be whole grains, opposed to refined grains. Refined grains include white bread, white rice, and pasta, while whole grains include whole wheat bread, brown rice, and quinoa. Whole grain products should have a stamp from the Whole Grains Council that indicates the percentage of whole grains that the food contains.
Protein is important for keeping our muscles strong, along with other bodily functions. When incorporating protein, try choosing low fat options. Protein choices that are low fat, or lean, include fish, especially white fish, chicken and turkey breast, legumes, nuts, tofu, tempeh, and low fat dairy products, such as yogurt and cottage cheese. High fat protein options include red meat, especially certain cuts like ribeye and T-bone, processed meats, and full fat dairy products, such as whole milk and cream cheese. While these can still offer certain nutrients and be part of a balanced diet, it’s important to enjoy them in moderation. Choosing lean protein and incorporating healthy fats can help to lower breast cancer risk and also improve heart health. Healthy fats are a great source of nutrients and energy, they also help us to feel fuller for longer periods of time. Healthy fats can be found in foods such as nuts and seeds, nut butters, eggs, and fatty fish such as salmon and sardines.
Limiting added sugar and salt intake is also part of a balanced diet. When limiting added sugars, aim for less than 10% of your calories for the day coming from added sugar or less than 25 grams of added sugar per day. Without any underlying conditions, aim to have less than 2,300 mg of salt per day. Consult a registered dietitian about salt intake if you have any underlying conditions such as hypertension or chronic kidney disease.
Stay hydrated! While fluid recommendations are different for everyone, try aiming for 8 cups of water per day. And try sticking to water when staying hydrated, avoiding sugary drinks, such as soda.
Physical Activity and Weight Management
Move your body in a way that is fun for you! Whether it’s running, walking, lifting, playing a sport, doing yoga or dancing, exercise should make you feel good. If you don’t like doing certain forms of exercise or they are hard for you, try incorporating fun ways to stay active. If you enjoy it, you’re more likely to be consistent with it. Physical activity guidelines vary among individuals depending on personal abilities and the level of intensity. Weight recommendations vary from person to person and are dependent on many factors, such as height and muscle mass. Incorporating these positive health and wellness habits can help to promote a weight that is healthy for you and your body. Consult your doctor or a registered dietitian to discuss what works best for you in terms of staying active and ideal weight recommendations if you have goals of weight loss or weight gain.
Limiting Alcohol Consumption and Avoiding Smoking
It is recommended to limit alcohol intake to one beverage per day. Limiting alcohol intake and avoiding smoking can help to maintain good health and can decrease the risk of other cancers, along with breast cancer.
Want to Learn More about preventative measures for Breast Cancer?
On top of these lifestyle habits, try to see the doctor for routine breast cancer screenings and, if you are able to, learn about your family history of breast cancer and other cancers for better risk assessment and screening methods. And while a healthy lifestyle can help decrease breast cancer risk, it can also have many other positive benefits, such as chronic disease prevention and improved mood. Although these recommendations may seem like a lot to keep track of, incorporating a balanced diet can be simple with small steps to work towards overall goals, especially with the help of a registered dietitian. Registered dietitians help to personalize each aspect of a balanced diet to your lifestyle and preferences so that it feels manageable and sustainable.
For guidance on nutrition and balanced diet/ cancer nutrition, contact to set up a consultation!
Jalpa Sheth Nutrition & Wellness, LLC is a nutrition based private practice serving NY, NJ and coming soon FL. Our board certified registered dietitians can be instrumental in helping you attain optimized nutrition to help achieve your goals around health, fitness, sports, and/or mere weight management.
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