For all da ladies, and men with ladies they love, October is breast cancer awareness month! I think everyone has been touched by breast cancer in SOME way, so this post is relevant to ANYONE who knows someone with boobs!1  😉

One of the reasons I love the world of holistic nutrition is that it focuses on prevention!

A quick disclaimer before we get started: this post has a TON of great information, as I have linked to a lot of other posts I’ve written or studies I’ve come across.

There are a few main causes of breast cancer: exposure to carcinogens, immune weakness, and hormonal imbalance.  Genetics can increase the likelihood as well, however having breast cancer in the family doesn’t mean it is a given, as environmental factors are now considered to account for 2/3 of cases.  Also, let’s face it: you can’t change your genes, but you CAN change the environment your genes live in.

Balance Estrogen Levels

Estrogen, the female sex hormone, is believed to be the most likely culprit of breast cancer as estrogen promotes cellular growth in the tissues of the breasts and reproductive organs, and cancer is a disorder of unrestrained cellular growth

Here are some factors leading to estrogen dominance:

• BPA in canned foods – more on this here.
• High fat diets (of the wrong fats) as fat cells produce estrogen. It’s also considered important to get enough of the RIGHT fats though.
• Pesticide & xenoestrogen exposure.  Use this guide to what to buy organic to avoid pesticide exposure, and avoid plastics as much as possible to reduce your xenoestrogen exposure.
• Too much sugar and improper carbohydrate consumption.  Studies have shown that women who eat 62% or more of their calories from carbohydrates are twice as likely to get breast cancer).

Eat Your Cruciferous Veggies

Cruciferous vegetables are proven to be anti-cancerous, as they contain something called Indole 3 Carbinol, a compound that is very detoxifying. They are an incredible source of fiber, which is critical for removing excess estrogen, like we talked about above!

Cruciferous veggies include broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, bok choy & cabbage.  Some leafy greens like kale, watercress, and collard greens are also in the same family! Here are 3 different recipes to try!

• Creamy Broccoli Salad Recipe
• Garlic Roasted Cauliflower
• Detox Salad with Avocado Dressing

Support Your Immune System

For us Canadians, and many Americans, we’re about to enter the 6 months of the year where we see less and less sunlight, which is how we get our Vitamin D.  Countless studies show that inadequate Vitamin D can affect the immune system, and supplementing with Vitamin D can boost proper immune system function, particularly with autoimmune diseases.  For more on Vitamin D, click here.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble Vitamin, so you want to take it with a fat.  I take NutraSea fish oil with Vitamin D already in it, and also supplement with additional pure Vitamin D. You can get 25% off with the coupon code MANDYK on their website!

Lastly, make sure your immune system is boosted through FOOD!  I’ve written lots about immune boosting foods like garlic & onion, leafy greens, and nuts & seeds, but to remind you, studies have shown garlic to be incredibly effective at fighting cold & flu like symptoms via its ability to boost white blood cell (immune system) production.

Do you know someone with boobs who would find this information useful? Please share it to get the word out!