Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and we want to make sure you have the tools and knowledge you need to live a long healthy life.
While cancer is not something anyone wants to talk or think about, it is important to have an understanding of breast health. As you may know, early detection is key when it comes to breast cancer. We urge you to visit breastcancer.org to find answers to all of your questions about breast health and breast cancer. Remember, the more you know now, the better.
Breast Self-Exam
During your annual physical your doctor may ask you if you’ve been doing breast self-exams regularly. If you’re like most of us, you likely haven’t been doing this. Well, we want you to get into making this a daily habit. Body self-awareness is key in detecting breast cancer.
Your breast self-exam doesn’t need to be complicated, many doctors recommend that during your shower you simply feel your breasts, under arms and up to your collar bone. Be aware of how your breasts and body feel:
- Is there a change in size or shape?
- Any redness or a rash on your nipples or skin around your nipples?
- Is there any swelling in your armpits or around your collarbone?
- Do you feel any lumps or thickening that feels different?
- Is there a change in your skin texture – such as dimpling or puckering?
- Has one or both of your nipples become inverted?
- Are you experiencing any pain in your breast or armpit?
Your Immune System
Your immune system is your body’s defense system, equipping you with the tools you need to fight disease and illness. A healthy immune system is essential when it comes to breast cancer.
To help aid your immune system health, we recommend that you take a recognized and thoroughly tested supplement such as AHCC. Data from the treatment of over 100,000 individuals with various types of cancer have shown AHCC treatment to be of benefit in 60% of such cases.
In addition to strengthening your immune system to help prevent you from getting sick, AHCC has been proven to be effective for people undergoing chemotherapy. In human clinical research, AHCC has shown that it could help in alleviating some side effects of chemotherapy.
We want you to have all the information you need to keep yourself and your family healthy, learn more about AHCC and how it works to boost your immune system
Eating for Breast Healt
While there is no food or diet that can prevent you or a loved one from getting breast cancer, it is believed that diet is partly responsible for 30 to 40% of all cancers.
According to breastcancer.org: “More research is needed to better understand the effect of diet on breast cancer risk. But it is clear that calories do count — and fat is a major source of calories. High-fat diets can lead to being overweight or obese, which is a breast cancer risk factor. Overweight women are thought to be at higher risk for breast cancer because the extra fat cells make estrogen, which can cause extra breast cell growth. This extra growth increases the risk of breast cancer.” (Eating Unhealthy Food)
What we eat is key to strengthening our immune system and keeping us as healthy as possible – all helping to keep your breast cancer risk low. Here are some ways you can easily enjoy a healthy and powerful diet:
- Eat lots of fruits and vegetables: fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients and have a high fiber content. Most professionals agree that a diet packed with plant foods may be healthier for you than a diet that is comprised primarily of animal products.
- Lower your fat intake: aim for less than 30 grams of fat daily and no more than 10% of your calories from saturated fat. When grocery shopping, read the nutrition labels thoroughly, looking at the percentage of calories from fat and avoid any foods that contain trans fats.
- Eat a variety of protein types: there is some research that shows that there is a connection between eating red meat and breast cancer. Most importantly, be aware of the kind of red meat you’re eating and try to avoid processed meat and beef that has been injected with hormones and antibiotics. Incorporate other protein sources such as fish, lamb, eggs, beans, lentils, chicken, and tempeh.
- Incorporate healthy choices daily : take small measures such as cutting down on your portion sizes, baking or broiling your food, eating fruits and vegetables as snacks, adding in more fiber, and choosing 100% juice and whole-grain breads.
Reach Out and Ask Questions
Don’t be shy about asking your doctor or health professional about breast cancer. Remember knowledge is power – learn all you can so that you have the knowledge to live your healthiest life possible.
Please visit the excellent online breast cancer awareness resources available to you. The entire team at AHCC Research Association wants you to live a long healthy life and to take the steps you can to make this possible.
