***Healthy Eating for Breast Health – Part 2

Caffeine! Assess is there a connection? Studies have not proven a direct link between caffeine and FBD (fibrocystic breast diseases) yet, however, some doctors recommend that women with this condition should avoid coffee as far as possible. The reason based on the report given by women that they experience significant relief from FBD when they eliminated caffeine from their diets. If you believe or suspect caffeine might play a role in your FBD symptoms, eliminate all the possible sources of caffeine – chocolate, coffee, tea, and soft drinks- from your diet for three months to see if your symptoms improve. Alcohol Use – good or bad? The evidence shows that alcohol use, even in moderation, has been linked to an increase in the risk for breast cancer. Folate from green leafy vegetables may help the body to repair the genetic damage caused by the alcohol, which can lead to cancer. Alcohol is broken down into the body into a chemical called acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde has been shown to cause cancer. Without adequate folate, the body may not be able to reverse the harm done by alcohol. What you can do! TESTING YOUR GENES The research has been done on gene mapping. You can make genetics screening as part of your prevention program, especially if you have a family history of breast cancer. There are certain characteristics for genes called “low-penetrance mutations,” that show which diseases you run a greater risk of developing and are influenced greatly by what you eat, your lifestyle and your environment. Changing these factors, you can minimize the effects of these genes along with risk of developing the conditions they might otherwise promote. THE LIVER - YOUR FRIEND The liver is the workhorse organ in the body. It performs so many important functions in the body, including as a detoxifying and filtering system for body waste. It binds and eliminates extra hormones, including estrogen. Therefore, if the liver is not working properly as it should, estrogen levels go up. You can help out your friend the liver, by eating more fiber. The more fiber in your diet, the better it is for your body to function efficiently in getting rid of toxins absorbed from almost everywhere around you and from many different sources. Here are some things you can do to support your liver and to help prevent breast disease. In European countries, there is prevalence where natural plant-compounds are commonly used for their restorative properties. Among them is flavonoids found in artichokes. This flavonoid found in a certain type of artichoke is called silymarin used to treat alcohol elated liver disorders. The researchers gave high doses of silymarin to alcoholic people with cirrhosis of the liver. This elixir reduced mortality rates by about half. Large studies failed to establish cancer protective link. However, it appears that some flavonoids, like silymarin, found in tangeretin, which is found beneath the rind of oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits may play a role in preventing cancer. In other laboratory studies showed that tangeretin helped to prevent the growth of human breast cancer cells. More research is needed to determine how effective they are when we get them in food. In Part 3 look out for the Protocols for improving your lifestyle.