There is so much awful news and information out there about breast cancer. These days it seems that every magazine, newspaper, radio show, and piece of mail has a headline declaring that every woman's risk of developing breast cancer is increasing. There is a numbing feeling of inevitability in all this information we hear and read that more and more women tend to think about breast cancer as a 'when' rather than an if.
There is so much frightening information about the disease out there. The stats available are horrible and this bring one major question to mind; 'what can be done to prevent breast cancer?' The bulk of medical advancement in the area of breast and indeed most cancers, involves what should be done after, and not essentially before, getting the disease. There is more to preventing breast cancer than the ritual yearly mammogram. Of course this may help detect the breast cancer at its early stage, but that is about the best it can do. It won't prevent you from getting the disease. To prevent breast cancer, we need to be more proactive, we need to take individual and collective action.
The first step towards proactively preventing breast cancer is to understand the causes and risk factors of breast cancer and what decreases breast cancer risk. However, there are few conclusive answers to these queries, partly because most research focuses on eliminating breast cancer after - not before - it occurs. Medical research has validated so few risk factors for breast cancer that almost 70 percent of the women diagnosed with breast cancer are not associated with any clear cut risk factor.
Individually, we can prevent breast cancer by buying and eating organically grown food, filtering our water, building powerful immunity, living wisely and vigorously, being in touch with our breasts, using natural remedies for menopausal problems.
Try out the following tips:
* Aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week
* Maintaining a positive mental attitude
* Breathwork and deepening body-awareness
* Expressing your feelings to keep your energy flowing
* Eating healthy foods and taking the "right" supplements
* Avoiding toxicity
Try as much as you can to avoid the following and you will be as far from breast cancer as you humanly can:
Any medication containing acetaminophen
Products such as Tylenol, Sudafid, Bromo seltzer, vicodin, and many others which drive down the glutathione levels in the body. Glutathione is an essential antioxidant and detoxifier.
Aspartame (not to be confused with aspertate) has been proven to cause cancer in rats. It is a common ingredient in many no-sugar products such as yogurt, ice cream, desserts and carbonated beverages. Splenda is also harmful.
Toxins. Use toxin-free, organic products. Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly with soapy water to remove chemical residues. Better yet, buy only organic products and non-GMO (non-genetically modified) foods. Read labels (veggies and fruit will have an 9 to indicate organic and an 8 for non-GMO).
Active computer screens should be at least 18 inches away from your body. You need to be at least 36 inches from your active television screens.
It is obvious that several factors that are known to predispose someone to breast cancer are not completely within our control. It makes more sense therefore, to be very keen about your breast. This serves a dual function. Even when it does not completely protect you from cancer, it allows for early detection of the cancer when it does occur. No one knows your body as well as you do. That's why it's essential to examine your breasts at the same time every month - so you can detect any changes that might occur. When you do the self-examination, you are reassuring yourself that your body is still in great condition
Breast Self Exams still remain the number one method for detecting changes in breast health. Although, finding any symptoms does not really mean you have cancer but when you have it, early detection means your survival probability is very high. Very high! It also means you have a broad range of alternative and complementary treatment options.
When we talk about breast cancer, the second worst killer after lung cancer, knowledge is not just power, it is your life!
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Tips For Preventing Breast Cancer
Best and Healthy Foods
There are some foods that are considered to be incredibly nutritious for your body, helping you to reduce your risk for many diseases and conditions. Eating these foods regularly can help you live longer and healthier.
SOY:
Whole soy foods are a great source of protein and contain other nutrients such as fiber, B vitamins, essential omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and iron. Foods containing soy protein are a healthy alternative to meats and other animal products that contain cholesterol and saturated fat, because they provide all the amino acids, a type of nutrient that people need to stay healthy.
Whole soy foods contain iso-flavones that alleviate PMS and menopause symptoms and can lower the risk of breast cancer. Examples of soy foods are: tofu, tempeh, garbanzo beans, soy milk, and miso.
SALMON :
Salmon is low in calories and saturated fat and high in protein and the omega-3 essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are essential for human health but because the body cannot create them, they must be obtained from foods.
In addition to being an excellent source of omega-3s, which reduce “bad” cholesterol, it helps prevent coronary artery disease, lower blood pressure, improve circulation and promote weight loss. Salmon is an excellent source of selenium, protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and magnesium.
NUTS:
Although nuts are high in fat, the fat is mostly unsaturated fat, which has a beneficial effect on health. The healthy fats found in nuts actually reduce the risk of heart attack.
Nuts are also good sources of dietary fiber, magnesium, copper, folic acid, vegetable protein, potassium, and vitamin E, all of which have been shown to be important for heart health.
The magnesium relieves sugar cravings and the vitamin E keeps skin and hair healthy and reduces the risk of cancer.
Enjoy a variety of nuts and seeds each day like walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and flax seeds. Try to eat an ounce each day.
BEANS:
Diets rich in beans can lower cholesterol levels, improve blood glucose control in diabetics, and reduce the risk of many
cancers. They are an excellent source of complex carbohydrate, fiber, and folic acid. Beans are a good source of phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, and potassium.
Beans keep blood-sugar levels balanced because they are digested slowly. They are high in protein, calcium and iron. Use in soups, potato dishes, salads, burritos, dips and spreads.
The best sources are red beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, and black beans. (Dried beans provide the most nutrients.)
CITRUS:
Citrus fruit contain hundreds of nutrients including high levels of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps to support the immune system and prevents free radical damage.
Owing to the multitude of the health benefits of Vitamin C, the consumption of vegetables and fruits high in this nutrient reduces the risk of death from heart disease, stroke and cancer, lowers “bad” cholesterol, and helps fight infection.
Citrus fruits, which are also acid fruits, are the most detoxifying and healthy fruits. Excellent sources of citrus fruits are grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, lemons and limes.
CRUCIFEROUS VEGGIES:
These vegetables are full of phytochemicals that help reduce the risks of many types of cancer. The fiber and antioxidants detoxify the liver and boost the body’s immune system.
There are many examples of cruciferous vegetables such as: broccoli, kale, cabbage, watercress, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, chard, kale, mustard greens, rutabagas and turnips. However, broccoli is king!
Ounce for ounce, broccoli has more vitamin C than an orange and as much calcium as a glass of milk. One broccoli spear has three times more fiber than a slice of whole grain bread. It is the richest source of vitamin A and has the most potent cancer-fighting components.
YOGURT:
Yogurt is an excellent source of protein, calcium, riboflavin and vitamin B12. It helps to boost the immune system, improves the body’s natural defenses and reduces the risk for certain types of cancer.
Yogurt contains lactobacillus and acidophilus cultures that bind to cholesterol in the intestine to reduce total cholesterol in the body and encourage the right kind of bacteria to multiply in the gut. These bacteria help to digest food, prevent stomach infections and provide relief from vaginal infections.
GARLIC:
Garlic is one of the oldest known medicinal plants and its powerful healing properties have been known for thousands of years. It enhances the immune system and liver, improves digestion, reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol.
It slows hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and decreases its symptoms of poor circulation, fatigue and headaches. Garlic also helps to prevent blood clots from forming, reducing the possibility of strokes.
SWEET POTATO:
The sweet potato, a root vegetable, is an excellent source of vitamin A (beta-carotene) and vitamin C, two very powerful antioxidants that eliminate free radicals in the body. Antioxidants also reduce the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.
The sweet potato is the richest low-fat source of vitamin E and can help regulate high blood pressure and anemia. It protects against inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. The sweet potato is a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron.
WHOLE GRAINS:
Whole grains not only contain fiber and traditional nutrients such as B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium and iron, but also numerous disease-fighting phytochemicals and antioxidants. A diet rich in whole grains reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancers.
Whole grains, rich in fiber, are healthy alternatives to refined flour products. Add brown rice, oatmeal, whole grain breads and crackers, and unbuttered popcorn to your diet.
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Anemia
Anemia is the loss of the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood resulting from a deficiency in quantity or quality of red blood cells or the hemoglobin in the blood. Symptoms include pale skin, weakness, fatigue, and dizziness. Severe anemia may cause difficulty in breathing and heath abnormalities.
The most common type of anemia is iron deficiency anemia, which most often results from chronic blood loss and also from lack of iron in the diet, impaired absorption of iron from the intestine, or increased need for iron, as in pregnancy. Iron is an essential component of the hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to the tissues in chemical combination with its iron atoms. Pernicious anemia is a chronic inherited disease of middle aged and older people in which stomach fails to produce a factor needed for the absorption of vitamin B12, which is essential for mature red blood cells. The diseases can be treated by lifelong injections of the vitamin. Aplastic anemia is the result of the failure of bone marrow cells to manufacture mature red cells. It is usually caused by toxic chemicals (for example, benzene) or radiation. Treatment includes preventing further exposure to the causative agent, eliminating any remaining toxic substance from the body, stimulating the proliferation of remaining bone marrow cells, and preventing infection, while keeping the patient alive with blood transfusions. Erythropoietin (EPO), a kidney hormone that promotes formation of red blood cells, is now being produced by biotechnology and is proving useful in the treatment of anemia induced by dialysis. It may eventually also be used for treating other anemia related ailments.
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Mineral
Mineral are widely available from the natural foods we eat.
Minerals: What the mineral does & Significant food sources:
Sodium: Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, supports muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmissions. Found in: salt, soy sauce, bread, milk, meats.
Chloride: Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, aids in digestion. Found in: salt, soy sauce, milk, eggs, meats.
Potassium: Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, cell integrity, muscle contractions and nerve impulse transmission. Found in: potatoes, acorn squash, artichoke, spinach, broccoli, carrots, green beans, tomato juice, avocado, grapefruit juice, watermelon, banana, strawberries, cod, milk.
Calcium: Formation of bones and teeth, supports blood clotting. Found in: milk, yogurt, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, tofu, sardines, green beans, spinach, broccoli.
Phosphorus: Formation of cells, bones and teeth, maintains acid-base balance. Found in: all animal foods (meats, fish, poultry, eggs, milk).
Magnesium: Supports bone mineralization, protein building, muscular contraction, nerve impulse transmission, immunity. Found in: spinach, broccoli, artichokes, green beans, tomato juice, navy beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, sunflower seeds, tofu, cashews, halibut.
Iron: Part of the protein hemoglobin (carries oxygen throughout body's cells). Found in: artichoke, parsley, spinach, broccoli, green beans, tomato juice, tofu, clams, shrimp, beef liver.
Zinc: A part of many enzymes, involved in production of genetic material and proteins, transports vitamin A, taste perception, wound healing, sperm production and the normal development of the fetus. Found in: spinach, broccoli, green peas, green beans, tomato juice,lentils, oysters, shrimp, crab, turkey (dark meat), lean ham, lean ground beef, lean sirloin steak, plain yogurt, Swiss cheese, tofu, ricotta cheese.
Selenium: Antioxidant. Works with vitamin E to protect body from oxidation. Found in: seafood, meats and grains.
Iodine: Component of thyroid hormones that help regulate growth, development and metabolic rate. Found in: salt, seafood, bread, milk, cheese.
Copper: Necessary for the absorption and utilization of iron, supports formation of hemoglobin and several enzymes. Found in: meats, water.
Manganese: Facilitates many cell processes. Widespread in foods.
Fluoride: Involved in the formation of bones and teeth, helps to make teeth resistant to decay. Found in: fluoridated drinking water, tea, seafood.
Chromium: Associated with insulin and is required for the release of energy from glucose. Found in: vegetable oils, liver, brewer's yeast, whole grains, cheese, nuts.
Molybdenum: Facilitates many cell processes. Found in: legumes, organ meats.
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Obesity and Breast Cancer
Obesity raises the risk of various types of cancer. And only 3% people know that obesity increases cancer risks. According to a recent research based on one million Americans conducted by the American cancer society, 14% of cancer deaths in men and 20% of cancer deaths in women occur due to Obesity. Scientists say that 90,000 deaths can be avoided in America if they take good care to maintain their body weight. Women are more likely to get cancer in their breasts, gallbladder, ovaries, colon and cervix while men get cancer in colon and rectum.
Breast cancer in women: There are more than 200 different types of cancer, but together breast, lung, bowel and prostate cancer cover half of the cancer cases. Breast cancer is the most common cancer found in females. Overweight and obesity are the major causes of breast cancer.
Obesity and Breast cancer risk in females: Obese women have higher amounts of estrogen in their body. Estrogen is mainly produced from the fatty tissues and more amount of fat in your body means you have higher chances of getting affected by breast cancer. Good nutrition, healthy living conditions and a fine environment may help girls to start puberty earlier in life and attain menopause later. Estrogen develops though out the fertility period. And better levels of estrogen in the body increases the risk of breast cancer in women.
Breast cancer in men: Breast cancer is generally found in females but it is also seen in males. Recent research shows that breast cancer among males is also on the increase. And obesity is one of its main causes. In males too estrogen is responsible for breast cancer.
Obesity and breast cancer :
* Obesity affects both the development and progression of breast cancer.
* Post menopausal cancer risk is higher among obese women.
* Breast cancer mortality is higher in obese women.
* Body weight measured at different times during life also causes breast cancer.
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Sugar Bad For Healthy
Sugar has become a staple in our modern diet, but why is sugar bad for your health? Many foods we eat on a regular basis are loaded with sugar. Sometimes you can’t even taste the sugar but it’s still in there. As delicious as sugar-laden foods may taste, the truth is sugar is just bad for your health, especially when you start to overindulge in it.
Sugar is a sticky substance and if left in the bloodstream (instead of being burned as energy) the particles will start to stick to the cells. The result is that if you are consuming a lot of sugar each day, you will get more wrinkles, will experience a lack of mobility in the joints, dry brittle nails and hair and a range of other health problems.
Reduce the amount of sugar you eat and you will soon notice a positive change in the way your skin looks. The reason for this is that refined carbohydrates such as white bread and other white flour products, are high in sugar and will cause an inflammation of the skin. This in turn creates high levels of free radicals which attack the collagen that keeps the skin stay firm. Without enough of this collagen, you will start to notice wrinkles.
Not only are free radicals bad news for your skin they are also deadly for the body, which is another reason why sugar is bad for your health. Free radicals can cause a lot of damage in healthy cells and lead to many illnesses of the body.
Sugary foods can also compromise your immune system. Research has shown that white blood cells are less efficient at fighting illness when exposed to sugar. A diet high in sugar will also raise your insulin levels quickly which can lead to many other health problems. You’ll also lack energy as a result of these sugar spikes and the drop in blood sugar that follows.
It’s no secret that obesity and weight-related illnesses are on the rise in many countries and this is directly attributed to our diets and lifestyle. Our bodies simply aren’t able to cope with such high sugar levels and this is why illnesses like diabetes are at an all time high. Cutting the excess sugar out of your diet is one of the best things you can do for your body.
It’s not easy especially the first few weeks when you will still experience some sort of craving for sugar, but you can try to substitute with fresh fruit which has a natural form of sugar and eventually your cravings will pass and you’ll start to feel and look great.
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Binge Eating and Obesity
Due to the rise of obesity in today’s society everyone is trying to achieve quick weight loss. This is dangerous, and can lead to developing binge eating disorder. Eating disorders are psychiatric issues in one’s eating habits. Tabloids display the secret eating disorders of celebrities and music artists. Yet the news never discuss how dangerous these eating disorders really are, and how common they are.
Most quick weigh loss techniques require extreme unrealistic diets. Obviously these diets never keep the weight off. Even if a diet works, often the pounds lost are gained back slowly simply because no one can stay on a diet forever. The problem with quick weight loss attempts is that they often require you to avoid junk foods and fast foods. This often leads to binge eating.
Binge eating is eating very large amounts of food in a small period of time. Binge eating isn’t related to hunger most of the time. Often it’s consuming food beyond the point of satisfying one’s physical hunger. Binge eaters often eat huge amounts of food even when they aren’t really hungry. Binge eating often leads to feelings of guilt or sadness because of the future weight gain it will lead to.
Following the popular advice of diets that recommend avoiding junk foods and fast foods is dangerous. When one avoids such foods, one starts craving them more and more. These carvings get out of control and often lead to binge eating. For example if someone has been avoiding pizza, and then decide to have a slice, they’ll often end up eating a few more slices and lose control.
It’s important to note that binge eating is different from bulimia. Bulimia often involves overeating which is followed by self-induced vomiting, or fasting. Binge eating is one of the leading causes of obesity today. Obesity is very dangerous for one’s health, yet often it’s very tough to treat.
Often obese individuals eat for comfort, and end up developing food addictions. These addictions can also be a form of emotional eating. Emotional eating is basically when one eats not to satisfy physical hunger but rather to deal with tough or negative emotions. Stress eating is a good example where one will consume larger quantities of food on a stressful day.
Binge eating is often kept a secret. A food addict will usually overeat in private to avoid others finding out about their disorderly eating habits. This is why binge eating is very challenging to treat because sufferers keep it a secret. Many will overeat until becoming obese and then will eventually become desperate and seek help.
Therapy is the most common treatment for binge eating. There are also recovery clinics that a binge eater can check into. Also there are many books on the topic where the authors share their own recovery efforts, what worked and what didn’t. There are also support groups such as overeaters anonymous and eating disorder support forums online.
Next time you are considering quick weight loss, think again. Trying to lose weight quickly is unnatural and dangerous. Also being obsessed with your body shape can lead to developing eating disorders. It’s best to lose weight naturally through exercise, and gradually implementing healthier eating habits.
This was a guest post by Andrew B is the author of a binge eating blog which contains tips to recovery from compulsive eating.
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NUTRITIONAL THERAPY
What is Nutritional Therapy?
We all know that to be healthy we should eat a balanced diet, in modest quantities and at regular intervals and combine it with regular exercise. Unfortunately life does not, for most people, turn out to be as simple as that. We are all individuals with individual needs. The food that one person thrives on, may give someone else terrible indigestion. Equally the diet that cures one persons arthritis might have no effect on someone else with the same condition. There are always many factors which need to be taken into consideration.
Nutritional Therapy is always personal and closely centred around the lifestyle, environment, needs and habits of the client. Nutritional consultants are trained to examine their client's entire lifestyle and make-up, not just what, when and how they eat, but how they sleep, how they work, what exercise they take and how they feel. Consultants are also skilled in nutritional science, including allergy testing, and through a process of elimination and education, can find out if their client is nutritionally imbalanced and if so, how to redress the balance.
The aim is to build up a complete, individual profile and then find a dietary and lifestyle programme to lead the client towards optimum health. Nutritional Therapy is certainly not a quick fix and a certain amount of motivation will be required on the client's part. Sometimes certain foods have to be given up for a period of time, to detect intolerances/allergies.
Perseverance can however have enormous benefits. Many people find that ineffective nutrition is at the root of serious illness.
Almost all illnesses have been alleviated through Nutritional Therapy. Even emotional/psychological problems can be helped. Often Nutritional Therapy is combined with other therapies including: Counselling, Herbal Medicine, Massage and Kinesiology.
How many Nutritional Therapy sessions will be needed?
A number of sessions over a period of several months are required to reap the benefits of this treatment - probably around 6 sessions. The client will learn how to manage their own nutritional programme and the aim is self-sufficiency with possibly occasional maintenance sessions.
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TIPS DIET FOR DIABETIC
Diet is one of the most important treatments in managing diabetes and kidney disease. if you have been diagnosed with kidney disease as a result a diabetes , you'll need to work with a dietitian to create an eating plant that's right for you.
This plant will help you manage your blood glucose levels and reduce the amount of waste and fluid your kidney process . this will be further broken down into the right amount protein, fat and carbohydrates your body needs, at the same time lowering the amounts of sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and fluid you will eat . this may sound complicated but here are some tips to help you to get the most out of your eating plant.
Your dietitian knows the importance of variety and will give you options on the types of foods you can eat. your diet will include a list of foods from different food groups to help you plant meals.
Below is in example of food choices that are usually recommended on a typical renal diabetic diet
This list is an only example. it is based on sodium, potassium, phosphorus and high sugar content of foods included. your own individualized diet may include additional foods or limit some of these recommended foods. your blood test result, stage of kidney disease, size, nutrition status and dietary goals help determine your exact diet therapy. Remember to always ask your dietitian wheter or not you can have any of these listed foods and make sure you know what teh recommended serving size should be. don't make any changes to your diet without your dietitians approval.
1. Carbohydrate foods
- Milk and nondairy
* skim or fat-free milk, nondairy,plain yogurt, sugar free yogurt, sugar-free pudding, sugar
free ice cream.
- Breads and starches
* White bread, unsweetened, refined dry cereals,cream of wheat, grits, malt o meal, noodles,
pasta, rice, bagel(small), hamburger bun, unsalted crackers, cornbread .
- Fruits and juice
* apples, apple juice, applesauce,apricot halves,berries including : strawberries,raspberries,
cranberries,blackberries and blueberries,low sugar cranberry juice, cherries, fruit cocktail
grapefruit,grape juice, mandarin orange,pears,pineapple, watermelon
- Meats,cheeses, and egg
* eat cuts of meat,poultry,fish and seafood, eggs,low cholesterol egg substitute, cottage cheese
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