5 Foods to Eat for Breast Health

5 Foods to Eat for Breast Health

Breast health is a complicated field including understanding how environmental contaminants and persistent organic pollutants affect our health, understanding how liver detoxification and estrogen metabolism works, understanding the health of our lymphatic systems and the impact of our emotions and stress on our health.

The number one thing that we can do to improve our breast health is to choose what we eat with care and being mindful of how our choices affect breast health.

 

1.        Brassica Family Foods

This includes cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, bok choy, kale, kohlrabi, turnips, garden sorrel, radish, watercress and collards.  The Brassica family of foods contain a phytochemical called indole-3-carbinol that helps to inactivate potentially harmful estrogens and prevent breast cancer.

 

2.        Plant Based Foods

Increasing plant based foods in our diet including vegetables, fruit and whole grains increases the minerals, vitamins, fiber and phytochemicals overall that we consume and can offer significant breast protection.  In addition to increasing our level of nutrition, plant based foods, especially if eaten organically where possible, will also decrease the amount of pesticides we are exposed to and decrease the amount of overall fat we consume.  Plant based foods will naturally increase the amount of anti-oxidants that we consume and will protect our bodies from oxidative stress, thereby preventing cancer promotion and protecting us from cellular damage  Try experimenting with a Meatless Monday dinner to be creative about alternative food choices or taking it further in your meal planning try decreasing the amount of beef, pork and poultry you eat to two times a week.

 

3.        Raw Flax seed Oil

Flax seed oil is a terrific source of Omega 3 fatty acids and is also a tumour buster.  Populations that consume higher amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids have lower breast cancer rates.  Flax seed oil can reduce the growth of tumours and decrease the possiblitlity of metastisis.  Flax seed oil should never be heated as heating changes its molecular structure, instead flax oil should be used raw and can be used in salad dressings, on bread with balsamic vinegar or as an addition to your morning super smoothie.

 

4.        Fiber

Fiber is present in fruits and vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds.  Fiber is reduces the amount of circulating estrogen in the blood.  Diets high in fiber and complex carbohydrates stabilize blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity which is associated with a drop in circulating estrogen.  Together soluble and insoluble fiber decreases the enzyme beta glucuronidase which causes the reabsorption of estrogen.  Try consuming oatmeal, cabbage, potatoes, beans, apples and pears, beets and whole grain breads.

 

5.        Sprouts

Sprouts are easy to grow and use at home.  Mung bean sprouts and clover sprouts can be used in salads and stir frys.  Three day old broccoli sprouts hav eth hightes amount of sulforphane in broccolis growth cycle.  Sprouts are best consumed at the beginning fo the meal because their high amounts of enzymes will assist in digesting food.

 

Directions for Sprouting Broccoli Seeds

1)       Seeds should be untreated with pesticides and organic.

2)      Place 3 tsp of seends in a glass jar with a wide mouth.  Cover the seeds with once up of filtered water and soak for 8-12 hours.

3)      Then cover the mouth to the jar with a piece of cheesecloth, screen or nylons secured with a rubber band.  Drain out the water and rinse the seeds again.  Place the jar in a dish drainer upside down.

4)      Rinse them three times daily adding 1 tsp of food grade hydrogen peroxide to the rinse water each time to prevent fungal growth, and then place the jar upside down in the drainer after each rinse.  Keep them near a light source to accelerate growth and increase chlorophyll.

5)      Eat after three days, or keep them refrigerated.  Sulforaphane content diminished each consecutive day after the third day of growth.

6)      Prevent the growing sprounts from becoming mouldy by using a wide mouth jar to increase air circulation and by rinsing several times daily, being sure that they drain well.

 

Reference:  Adapted from:  The Compete Natural Medicine Guide to Breast Cancer by Sat Dharam Kaur  pages 203-237