Since October is breast cancer awareness month, and I have first-hand experience on the subject, I felt it only fitting that my article this month focus on nutrition and breast cancer.

I have to admit, I never really thought of myself as a “survivor.” I never felt sick and I didn’t need chemotherapy, I was very lucky. However, even with my early caught, non-invasive breast cancer experience which resulted in a lumpectomy, 3 weeks of radiation, and 5 years of tamoxifen (I finally took my last dose in July, yay!), I still experienced enough to know that I never want to go through that again. I also knew if there was anything I could do as a nutritionist to help others touched by breast cancer, I would make it my mission to do so.

One in 8 women in the United States receives a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. Those are some scary stats! Several risk factors including hormones, genetic predisposition and yes, diet and lifestyle factors top of the list of possible causes, but since nutrition is my jam, I’ll keep my focus to food. Studies suggest a healthy diet and lifestyle can have a positive impact on reducing breast cancer risk. Additionally, even if we are genetically predisposed to cancer (and a host of other chronic diseases for that matter) we do have a say in how our genes express themselves through our diet and lifestyle choices. In other words, what we eat and how we live can have a powerful impact on our health! This is very good news!

While I’m a strong believer in personalized nutrition, there is consensus on some basic guidelines we can all follow to help reduce our risk and in general help us be our healthiest and happiest selves. At the top of that list is to eat a predominantly plant based, whole foods diet with a focus on organic, low glycemic (foods less likely to spike our blood sugars) fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds and limited sustainable lean protein sources. (In case anyone is about to throw this magazine across the room, I am not saying you have to be a vegan or even a vegetarian, I promise)! I am simply reiterating what grandma said all those years ago…eat your veggies! Why is a whole food plant-based diet so important to minimize cancer risk and improve overall health? Let’s take a look…

A whole food-plant based diet:

  • Minimizes chronic inflammation (inflammation increases cancer risk)
  • Helps us maintain a healthy weight (studies show a direct correlation between being overweight and an increased breast cancer risk)
  • Helps us balance our blood sugars (cancer cells love sugar!)
  • Removes/reduces ultra-processed foods which are proinflammatory and contain many cancer-promoting chemicals.
  • Is high in vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients (healthy plant stuff) which encourage our body’s natural detoxification process, helps to strengthen our immune function, and contains many cancer preventing properties.

So, what can you do to help reduce your risk? Here’s a great place to start:

  • Eat the rainbow! Eat a wide variety of colorful low glycemic fruits and vegetables.
  • Eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and kale which contain indole-3-carbinol, a powerful cancer fighting phytonutrient.
  • Minimize processed foods and refined carbohydrates. I suggest my clients follow the 80/20 rule, since we all need a treat now and then!
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Minimize exposure to carcinogens in your food and environment by choosing organic produce whenever possible, reading labels and assessing your drinking water. The Environmental Working Group EWG.org is a great resource to help you navigate what’s safe in your environment and what’s not.
  • Exercise regularly! Studies show that physically active women have a reduced risk of breast cancer and improved outcomes when compared to inactive women.
  • Limit alcohol intake to less than 1 drink a day. (I know, I know)
  • Don’t smoke.
  • Reduce stress through exercise, yoga, meditation, breath work, creative outlets, spending time with friends and family.

Now, do you have to do all of these things all of the time? Absolutely not! Start small. Choose one or two items that seem “doable” and go from there. Small changes can yield big results, so focus on being a Little Healthier every day.

I hope you enjoy this Green Tea Latte! Numerous studies show that drinking 2 or more cups of green tea a day may be protective against breast cancer, and has many other health benefits. Happy sipping!

Green Tea Latte

Ingredients:

  • 2 green tea tea-bags
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1 cup almond or other dairy free milk of choice
  • 1 teaspoons honey for a touch of sweetness
  • Pinch of ground cinnamon, ground ginger or warming spice of choice

Instructions:

  1. Place teabag into a mug and fill with ½ cup boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes, afterward squeezing ans discarding teabag.
  2. Pour the concentrated tea, almond milk, honey and spices into a blender or and blend on high for 30 seconds or until frothy.
  3. Reheat in a saucepan to desired temperature.
  4. Pour into a mug, find somewhere nice and cozy to sit, relax and enjoy!

Photo by Jason Leung