Breast Cancer: What You NEED To Know
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month and I wanted to devote my attention (and yours) to this terrible disease, which affects one in eight women today.
Breast cancer is a personal topic for me. My grandmother was diagnosed in her forties and had a double mastectomy performed by some butcher in the Soviet Union. I saw her suffer for years as a result and eventually succumb to the disease. Since then I have also watched friends face the grim diagnosis and endure the agony—physical and emotional—of the aftermath.
In fact, it’s not just breast cancer, but all kinds of cancer that run rampant in my family. This is one of the primary reasons that I quit management consulting and decided to pursue a career in nutrition and wellness. My goal is not also to try my best to prevent cancer for myself and my daughter, but to help as many people as I can to do the same.
So let’s dive in and cover a few important topics:
prevent
Are you one of the people who think: “Urgh, everything causes cancer nowadays” or “we’re all going to die anyway”?
The truth is that there ARE things you can do to reduce your risk. Your genetics may be a gun, but your lifestyle provides the bullets! We all have a choice and we can do better for ourselves and especially, our children!
So here are the 10 most important steps you can take today to reduce your risk of breast cancer later:
1. EAT REAL FOOD 🍎
Eating fresh, whole foods – as close to their natural form as possible – will help you avoid estrogen-like compounds found in food packaging plastics, additives, canned foods/drinks and soy products, which have been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.
Avoid processed food
Limit sugar and alcohol
Choose organic produce and grass-fed, hormone-free meat and dairy
2. DETOX YOUR BODY & HOME 🌿
Make a habit of reading ingredient labels and checking products’ safety ratings on EWG’s Skindeep database BEFORE buying
Start by swapping out products that stay on your skin for a long time (e.g., body lotion, sunscreen, foundation, lipstick, skincare). Check out my favorite clean brand, BEAUTYCOUNTER, which not only sells safer skincare, bath & body, cosmetics, and personal care products for men, kids and babies, but lobbies Washington to legislate more stringent laws to oversee the entire beauty industry.
Don’t forget your to swap out your home products too (e.g., cleaning products, laundry, cookware).
3. SUPPLEMENT WISELY 💊
Numerous studies have shown that curcumin, a natural compound, exerts anticancer effects by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and metastasis and by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In particular, curcumin exhibits potent inhibitory effects on breast cancer.
Studies have found that women who consume higher amounts of vitamin C have a lower risk of breast cancer.
Molecular iodine helps protect women from a fibrocystic breast condition (FBC) and attacks breast cancer! It also helps balance hormone levels such as progesterone, estrogen and prolactin, which can cause cell growth in the breast tissue.
Maintain healthy pH balance.
Drink alkaline, antioxidant, hydrogen-rich water (not the kind in plastic bottles with additives to make it alkaline). It will make a huge difference in your health!
4. FAST EVERY FEW MONTHS 🍽️
Research suggests that fasting can help fight cancer by lowering insulin resistance and levels of inflammation. It may also reverse the effects of chronic conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, which are both risk factors for cancer.
In addition, researchers also believe that fasting may make cancer cells more responsive to chemotherapy while protecting other cells. Fasting may also boost the immune system to help fight cancer that is already present.
Don’t like being hungry? Me neither! That’s why I prefer the ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet, which provides many of the benefits of a 5-day water fast while you eat!
* * * Please note that fasting may not be the right option for people with certain illnesses and/or metabolic issues. Always check with your doctor before restricting your calories on any diet or fast.
5. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT 👙
Obesity is associated both with a higher risk of developing breast cancer, particularly in postmenopausal women, and with worse disease outcome for women of all ages.
6. MANAGE STRESS & GET ENOUGH SLEEP 💤
Lack of sleep has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer and higher risk of recurrence (the cancer coming back) in postmenopausal women.
Stress Ranks High Among Risk Factors for breast cancer. A study found that women who reported being under stress had twice the risk of developing breast cancer as women who managed to stay cool, calm, and collected.
7. BALANCE HORMONES 😩
Avoid birth control pills
Maintain optimal progesterone
8. CHECK YOUR BREASTS REGULARLY 🎞️
Self-examination takes just a few minutes and can be a critical step in maintaining breast health. The best time to do it is after your period when swelling and tenderness are at a minimum. In addition:
Carefully examine breasts for changes every month. CLICK HERE to learn what to look for.
Choose sonograms over mammograms whenever possible
9. MOVE YOUR BODY 🏃♀️
This doesn’t meant you have to join a gym. Walk, bike, yoga… do anything you enjoy. Just move!
10. STOP SMOKING 🚬
Smoking has been linked to a variety of chronic health problems. Women who smoke have a 30% higher risk of breast cancer than women who never smoked.
BOTTOM LINE: Whatever you’ve done, however you’ve lived, don’t look back. And don’t delay. START NOW!
💁♀️ My advice? Don’t get overwhelmed. You don’t have to change everything at once. One small change a week (or even a month) adds up!
❓ Don’t know where to start?
With anything that touches your skin for a long time (e.g., body lotion, sunscreen, foundation, lipstick, skincare).
Then move on to your home products (e.g., cleaning products, laundry, cookware)
Follow my Instagram feed for my weekly “IN WITH THE NEW” Clean Swap posts for ideas
Sign up for my newsletter to get them in your inbox every week (plus healthy recipes, weekly wisdom, workout tips, and more!)
Explore my NEW YOU shop for safer, better products in every category
monitor
I always check for bumps and have an annual sonogram, but until recently, I never knew that there were lesser-known breast cancer symptoms. It’s important to keep these in mind when you self-examine every month. Here's what to look for:
LUMPS
A firm, usually fixed area is the most common presentation of breast cancer.
CHANGE IN SIZE
We’re not talking PMS, but a sudden change (e.g., suddenly the left side is an entire cup size bigger than the right).
SKIN DIMPLING
Puckering that resembles an orange peel.
WELTS
Skin thickening and/or discoloration that resembles a welt—as if you got hit—could be a sign of inflammatory breast cancer.
INVERTED NIPPLE
If it's sudden (i.e., you weren't born with it), check it out!
SKIN RASH
If persistent & doesn't go away with hydrocortisone or steroid cream, it could be a sign.
ARMPIT BUMPS
May signal an enlarged lymph node (vs. a simple ingrown hair) that needs to be biopsied.
NIPPLE DISCHARGE
Discharge is normal, but if it's sudden and only from one of your breasts (especially if it’s clear or bloody), see a doctor!
SORE SPOT
A persistent new twinge on just one side should be looked at.
STRETCHED SKIN
Pay close attention to the appearance of your chest. Cancer may pull the skin to one side or expand in certain areas.
HEAD, BACK, BONE ACHES
Don’t get scared. These could literally be anything, but the rule of thumb is that if the pain is persistent or frequent, go see a doctor!
CHANGES IN WEIGHT
Unexplained weight gain or a sudden decrease in appetite could be a sign of some systemic process.
SHORTNESS OF BREATH
Cancer can spread to other parts of the body, such as the the bones, the liver, the lungs, and the brain. Persistent bone pain or shortness of breath could be a sign that cancer is present in another area.
BOTTOM LINE: Be aware, be mindful, and be consistent in monitoring your breasts for changes!
FACT OR FICTION
The more you know, the more power you have to control your outcomes. As a result many people consult the Internet, which is, unfortunately, rife with breast cancer myths. So let’s tackle the most common eight:
1. A LUMP MEANS CANCER
This is a popular myth arising from fear and lack of information. Many breast lumps are perfectly normal and are simply related to natural hormone cycle changes, with some women simply more susceptible to breast lumps than others. Sometimes lumps come and go during cycles, and others are even more temporary due to injury, infection or medication. Benign breast lumps usually have smooth edges and will move around slightly when pushed against. They are often found in both breasts.
About 20% of breast lumps turn out to be cancerous. If you find one, get it checked out by your doctor right away, but don’t forget that there are many lesser known symptoms that you need to be aware of.
2. BREAST CANCER IS HIGHLY HEREDITARY
A family history of certain types of cancer can increase your risk of breast cancer. However, about 87% of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a genetic link to the disease. Most people with breast cancer are at “average risk,” which shows that most incidences of breast cancer are environmental (i.e., what you are exposed to in your life), not genetic.
3. MAMMOGRAMS ARE HARMLESS
A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that women with large breasts who undergo repeated screening mammography may be at higher risk for radiation-induced breast cancer and breast cancer death. Low-dose radiation from annual mammography screening may also increase breast cancer risk in women with a genetic or familial predisposition to breast cancer, because they tend to start screenings earlier in their life.
4. BRAS INCREASE BREAST CANCER RISK
The theory is that bras (especially underwire bras) compress the breast, constricting the lymphatic system and accumulating toxins as a result. However, the truth is that it doesn’t matter what type of bra you wear or how tight your clothing is. There simply is no proven correlation between bras and breast cancer.
5. BREAST IMPLANTS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE CANCER RISK
The FDA identified a “possible association” between textured implants and anapaestic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), which it describes as a “very rare cancer of the immune system”. How rare? The clinic notes that only 3 in 1-million women a year are diagnosed with ALCL of the breast each year.
6. LARGER BREASTS ARE RELATED TO HIGHER RISK OF BREAST CANCER
Although it may be more difficult to detect breast cancer in larger breasts with clinical breast exams by doctors and even with advanced imaging, there is no concrete connection between breast size and breast cancer risk. Regardless of your cup size, however, make sure that you get screened regularly for breast irregularities.
7. ONLY WOMEN CAN GET BREAST CANCER
While breast cancer in men is rare (about 2,000 men a year are diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S.), it is more deadly than that in women. Men don’t think of breast cancer if they find a lump in their chest and therefore, delay diagnosis, which leads to higher mortality rates.
8. BUYING PRODUCTS THAT DISPLAY A PINK RIBBON HELPS FIND A CURE 🎀
Pink ribbons are pure marketing. Many companies that slap a pink ribbon on their products in October donate a laughable amount of proceeds to breast cancer research or nothing at all (e.g., American Express once ran a Komen-partnered campaign that claimed "every dollar counts," even though no matter how much customers spent they donated exactly one penny per transaction).
If that’s not bad enough, sometimes pink ribbons appear on products that contain known carcinogens (i.e., chemicals that actually contribute to breast and other cancers) and many stores that are covered in pink during October, Breast Cancer Awareness month (e.g., Ulta and Sephora), sell and promote products that contain harmful chemicals that actually increase the risk of breast cancer. READ MORE
BOTTOM LINE: Make sure you know the facts and don’t fall for the hype.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Victoria Gregory is an Integrative Nutritionist and founder of NEWTRITION NEWYOU. Her focus—whether with private clients, readers of her blog, or her followers on social media— is whole body wellness, incorporating whole-food nutrition, supplementation, exercise, toxin-free living, and mindset coaching. Victoria’s personal mission is to help make the world a healthier place, one person at a time, and she has helped thousands of people find joy and self-love through better eating habits and mindfulness. Learn more about Victoria.