Breast cancer is the leading cause of female deaths due to cancer in the United States. Processed food and lack of exercise make us more prone to breast cancer. Living a healthy lifestyle is still best to ward off cancer. Eating healthy and exercise can significantly reduce your chances of getting cancer. To give you an extra boost here are some breast cancer fighting foods that you need to incorporate in your diet.
Carrot
Beta Carotene found in carrots are known to lower risk of breast cancer.A research showed that women who consumed three of more servings of carrots three times a week is 17 percent less likely to develop breast cancer
Dosage: A cup of raw carrots or half cup of cooked carrots three times a week.
Other foods rich in Beta Carotene are pumpkins, summer squash and sweet potatoes.
Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the most nutritious vegetable, it is easy to cook and great for total health. It is great because of its sulforaphane content, this is a compound that fights off breast cancer cells. Sulforaphane can stop the growth of cancer cells and kills the source of the harmful cells.
Dosage: A cup of broccoli three times a week
Other foods that contain sulforaphane are cruciferous vegetables.
Cabbage
A study was done on young women who consumed four or more servings of cabbage a week and the result showed that these women are 72% less likely to develop breast cancer. Cabbage contain myrosinase enzymes and glucosinolates. This compounds is great for overall health.
Dosage: A cup of raw or a half cup of cabbage, four times per week.
Tomato
Tomatoes is one the easiest foods to incorporate in your diet. Just add some marinara sauce in your cooking can do wonders. Tomatoes are rich in breast cancer fighting antioxidants. The best antioxidants in tomatoes are lycopene. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that stops tumor growth and remove free radicals from the body.
Dosage: Incorporate in the diet at least three times a week.
Tomatoes can be eaten fresh, in ketchup and spaghetti sauce.
Garlic
Garlic is a traditional medicine favorite. Known to cure multiple ailments, it is no surprise it is on this list. Garlic contains ajoene that is known to fight off breast cancer cells.
Dosage: half a teaspoon of fresh garlic twice a week
A great way to consume your garlic is chopping it up an let it simmer in boiling water for ten minutes.
Walnut
Walnuts contain Omega 3 fatty acids and phytosterols that can boost heart health and other health benefits. Walnuts can slow down or stop the growth of breast cancer cells and tumors.
Dosage: Eat an ounce three times a week.
White Button Mushroom
Research has shown that mushrooms can stop breast tumor growth and reduce the weight of breast cancer tumors. Fatty acids found in white button mushroom are known to stop estrogen formation, thus making cancer cells less likely to multiply.
Dosage: A cup of raw mushrooms or half cup of cooked mushrooms twice a week.
Blueberry
Blueberry are tiny, yummy and packed with breast cancer preventing nutrients. Anthocyanins in blueberries boost the immune system and fight off harmful free radicals. Eating blueberries can hinder cancer cell growth and protect you of recurrence of breast cancer.
Dosage: A cup of blueberries three times a week.
Pick wild blueberries than farm grown ones, wild blueberries contain twice the amount of antioxidants.
Peach
This sweet fruit is packed with flavonoids and phytonutrients that can guard the body from breast cancer. The antioxidants found in peach can destroy breast cancer cells but leave healthy good cells untouched.
Dosage: A piece of peach two times a week.
Another fruit like peach that have breast cancer fighting property is the plum.
Salmon
Salmon is one of the leading source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 is linked to reduced breast cancer cells. It is also known to lower inflammation in the body and reduce cell damage.
Dosage: three ounces of salmon twice a week.
When picking salmon opt for wild salmon over farm raised fish. Farm raised fish are more prone to having mercury and PCBs that can increase the risk of breast cancer.
Eating these foods can definitely lower your risk of breast cancer. You do not have to conform to the dosage given. It is just important to incorporate more protein in your diet. Increase your vegetable and fruit intake and exercise regularly.
