Breast cancer. Just the thought can make us shudder. As more women are becoming diagnosed with breast cancer it is imperative that we take matters into our own hands and seek out prevention as a means to avoid this disease.
When it comes to your health, eating a nutritious diet and avoiding foods that promote illness is your first defense. When I treat breast cancer patients or those who wish to prevent a reoccurrence, I always start by educating on the cancer-fighting diet guidelines listed below.
- The best diet to follow is one our grandparents ate many years ago: whole foods in their most natural state without the additives, preservatives, dyes and sweeteners that are commonly found in processed foods today.
- 50% of your meal should be made up of vegetables. The other half can be a combination of lean protein (fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, beans, peas) and whole grain starches (brown rice, quinoa, millet, etc.)
- Green leafy vegetables and colourful fruits and veggies should be eaten on a daily basis. Cruciferous veg (kale, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower) have important cancer-fighting phytonutrients and should be rotated throughout the week.
- Ensure you’re getting a healthy fat in your diet on a daily basis. This is often overlooked yet vital for every cell in our body. Especially important are omega 3’s (found in cold water fish like salmon and in flax seeds and walnuts) as they moderate inflammation in our body (cancer is an inflammatory process).
- Raw onions, garlic, and leeks have powerful constituents that help upregulate the immune system to stay vigilant for cancerous cells.
- Grinding raw flax seeds on a daily basis is a good idea for several reasons: the fiber ensures waste products don’t build up in the colon, they increase a protein in the blood which binds and removes extra hormones, and they are a healthy source of fatty acids, essential for brain function, skin and cell signalling.
- Avoid sugar at all costs – it can wreak havoc on your blood sugar and subdues the fighting-potential of your immune cells. Also important to avoid are caffeine, alcohol, processed foods, and white flour products.
Visit your naturopathic doctor or book an appointment with me today to ensure you live a long, cancer-free life. Sign up for my free E-Newsletter for tips to feel better, look younger, and live longer!
