Breast health is an important part of women’s health, and overall awareness is the first step to supporting breast health. Regular breast self-exams are a great way to begin. There are natural approaches and lifestyle changes that may improve breast health and allow a preventative approach. Simple changes to diet and activity levels, stress levels and nutritional supplementation can go a long way.
Get active
Exercise helps support weight management. Obesity has been linked to increased risk of breast cancer. Exercise also increases lymph flow and circulation – this, in turn, can help with the elimination of toxins in the body. Hormone balance is another benefit of exercise, especially with excess estrogen. Insulin is another hormone that can fuel breast cancer growth. Exercise on a regular basis can help women maintain a healthy weight, regulate hormones and provide immune support. Studies show that physical activity before or after menopause can reduce breast cancer risk. The study included women ages 20 to 98 years old. 1,504 of the women had breast cancer and 1,555 women were without breast cancer. (1,6,7)
Eat foods that support breast health
A diet consisting of fresh whole foods is a great way to support breast health along with the following:
- Avoid eating foods that are processed, especially grains, sugars, and vegetable oils.
- Stay hydrated, with filtered water preferably – this can remove chemicals that affect hormone balance.
- Vitamin D or iodine deficient? You may benefit from supplementation. Vitamin D can also be made in your body with sunlight exposure and iodized table salt can help you increase your intake when you eat your everyday meals.
- Omega-3 essential fatty acids can be found in oily fish. Omega-3 fatty acids may decrease the risk of breast cancer and they are also high in vitamin D. In addition, the omega 3 found in fish have anti-angiogenic effects. Anchovies, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies are all good low mercury choices.
- Cruciferous vegetables - broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, and collard greens are all rich in phytochemicals, indoles, and sulforaphane, antioxidants that can reduce the risk of breast cancer.
- Switch from meat-based protein to more plant-based protein. Legumes, lentils, black beans, all contain lots of antioxidants, along with protein, fiber, folic acid, and iron.
- Flax seeds are a great source of plant-based omega 3, which support heart and brain health. Flax also contains lignans, and research shows the antioxidant phytoestrogen found in lignan shows "promising results" in reducing risk of breast cancer.(3)
- Turmeric. Lately, we keep hearing so much about this yellow spice, used in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda medicine for centuries. It has been found that the compound in turmeric, curcumin, can "kill a wide variety of tumor cell types through diverse mechanisms", this includes breast cancer cells. (4) Turmeric can also help to reduce the amount of damage caused by chemotherapy side effects. (5) Turmeric is available as a whole root, powder, capsule, and tincture.
- Dark chocolate contains a compound that research has shown may fight certain cancers. "The compound interacts with an enzyme, which causes cancerous cells to die but leaves normal cells alone," explains Richard Pestell, M.D., director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University.
- Folic acid - try to get at least 400 mcg per day - it has been shown to help repair DNA which links to cancer. Spinach, black-eyed peas and grains contain folate or you could take a folic acid supplement.
- Dark grapes contain resveratrol which is an antioxidant that may have anticancer properties.
Lifestyle changes that can help
- Is your bra comfortable? It should be. One study showed wearing a tight bra all day is linked to increased risk of breast cancer. (2)
- Check your oral contraceptives and medications for chemicals that can affect hormone levels.
- Get a good night’s sleep – this can naturally balance hormones, especially melatonin levels. Melatonin helps regulate estrogen.
- Reduce Stress - breathe deep and slowly, adopt a mantra, laugh (watch something funny or hang out with an old friend), try yoga.
Breast examination
Once a month, check your breasts to see if there are changes that you can feel or see. The National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. provides instructions and video on how to self-exam. Click here to learn more about how to perform one.
Clinical breast exams are also recommended by the American Cancer Society. It is recommended that you get one every 3 years in your 20s and 30s and yearly in your 40s and 50s. Once you reach 45, your ob/gyn will also recommend regular mammograms.
Herbal Breast Health Support
Supplements that can support breast health include:
- Cat’s Claw – supports normal immune function
- Fennel – helps build healthy breast tissue
- Evening primrose – can relieve breast pain and reduce inflammation in the breast. Naturally firms breasts.
- Marigold – rich in the antioxidant, lutein – supporting normal breast cell function.
- Milk thistle – helps increase lactation, supports immune function and helps with liver detoxification
Factors that may reduce the risk of breast cancer include:
- Breastfeeding each child for a year (up to 6 months exclusively)
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Regular exercise
- Omega-3 rich diet
- Antioxidant-rich diet
- Vitamin D via sunlight or supplementation
Factors that increase the risk of breast cancer include:
- Being overweight
- Not breastfeeding after multiple pregnancies
- Smoking
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Excessive alcohol consumption
A healthy active lifestyle while eating a diet rich in whole foods and nutrients, along with self-exams, are great steps to maintaining breast health. Being proactive is also crucial, anytime you think something is different or concerning with your breasts; contact your healthcare professional to follow up.
References 1 La Guardia M. and Giammanco M. “Breast Cancer and Obesity.” Panminerva Medica 01 Jun 2001, 43(2):123-133 2 Rios SDS, Chen ACR, Chen JR, Filho CMC, Amorim NTS, et al. (2016) Wearing a Tight Bra for Many Hours a Day is Associated with Increased Risk of Breast Cancer. Adv Oncol Res Treat 1: 105. 3 Ana Calado,1,* Pedro Miguel Neves,2 Teresa Santos,3,4,5 and Paula Ravasco2. The Effect of Flaxseed in Breast Cancer: A Literature Review. Front Nutr. 2018; 5: 4. Published online 2018 Feb 7. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2018.00004 4 Jayaraj Ravindran, Sahdeo Prasad, and Bharat B. Aggarwal. Curcumin and Cancer Cells: How Many Ways Can Curry Kill Tumor Cells Selectively? AAPS J. 2009 Sep; 11(3): 495–510.Published online 2009 Jul 10. doi: 10.1208/s12248-009-9128-x 5 Zhijun Liu,1 Pengyun Huang,2,3 Siukan Law,2,3 Haiyan Tian,4 Wingnang Leung,5 and Chuanshan Xu1,2,3,* Preventive Effect of Curcumin Against Chemotherapy-Induced Side-Effects Front Pharmacol. 2018; 9: 1374.Published online 2018 Nov 27. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2018.01374 6 Maurer Foundation. Exercise, Even Mild Physical Activity, May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk. 2 July 2012. 7 Lauren E. McCullough MSPH Sybil M. Eng PhD, MPH Patrick T. Bradshaw PhD Rebecca J. Cleveland PhD Susan L. Teitelbaum PhD Alfred I. Neugut MD, PhD Marilie D. Gammon PhD. Fat or fit: The joint effects of physical activity, weight gain, and body size on breast cancer risk. First published: 25 June 2012 https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.27433
