| Highlighted Ingredients for Breast Health |
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Oprah calls them “the girls.” Dolly Parton calls them “shock” and “awe.” And for sure you, your mom, your wife or your sister all have their own euphemisms for breasts. Being related to sex and reproduction gives them a taboo place in our society—hence the euphemisms—but it also gives them a high rank when it comes to our lives. Meant to feed children so our population can survive, breasts and their health are quite vital no matter what you call them.
The heath of a woman’s breasts is paramount to her overall well-being; unhealthy breasts are actually a big lady killer. Aside from non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).1 It is also one of the leading causes of cancer death among women of all races. In 2007 (the most recent year for which numbers are available), 202,964 women in the United States were diagnosed with breast cancer and 40,598 U.S. women died from breast cancer. Also in 2007, Cancer Research UK reported 44,335 women living in the U.K. are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.
Cancer can develop in almost any organ or tissue, but women are most likely to get breast cancer out of any of the numerous types. Breast cancers are usually sensitive to estrogen, a key hormone for the development and growth of breasts, because estrogen can cause breast cancer tumors to grow. This type of breast cancer is made of cells that have estrogen receptors, called estrogen receptor (ER)-positive cancer.
The two main types of breast cancer are ductal carcinoma, which starts in the tubes (ducts) that move milk from the breast to the nipple (most breast cancers are of this type); and lobular carcinoma, which starts in the parts of the breast, called lobules, that produce milk. Breast cancer can be invasive or noninvasive. Invasive means it has spread from the milk duct or lobule to other tissues in the breast. Noninvasive means it has not yet invaded other breast tissue.
Risk factors for breast cancer include gender (although men can get breast cancer, too), age (older than 50 years), family history, genes (the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes normally produce proteins that protect against cancer, but a defect in one of them can lead to an increased risk) and menstrual cycle (women who got their periods before age 12 or go through menopause after age 55).
While a woman cannot change her genes or her grandmother’s cancer history, she can limit her alcohol intake to one glass a day or fewer, eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise. She can also try to keep herself from getting obese, although this is a controversial theory, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The theory goes that fat promotes estrogen production, and too much fat produces too much estrogen, which can lead to an increased risk of breast cancer.
A 2004 review of studies on breast cancer risk and certain environmental factors noted evidence shows the herbicides dieldrin and lindane; the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) benzene, found in gasoline, lubricants, dyes, detergents, drugs and pesticides; smoking cigarettes; ovarian cancer; and heterocyclic amines, found in well-done meat, have all been linked to increased risk of breast cancer.2 Women who have also used hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with estrogen for several years can be at higher risk.
The American Cancer Society's dietary guidelines for cancer prevention of all kinds include choosing foods and portion sizes that promote a healthy weight, choosing whole grains instead of refined-grain products, eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day, limiting processed and red meat in the diet, and limiting alcohol consumption to one drink per day.
A 2004 review of epidemiological evidence on diet and cancer reported breast cancer risk goes up when a person is overweight/obese, uses alcohol and does not exercise.3 The Oxford, England, researchers recommended keeping body weight in the body mass index (BMI) range of 18.5 to 25, avoiding weight gain in adulthood, keeping alcohol consumption to less than two drinks per day, and getting regular physical activity to avoid breast and other cancers.
Increasing dietary fiber can also help keep breast cancer risk low. A 2011 Chinese meta-analysis reviewed 10 prospective cohort studies of dietary fiber intake and risk of breast cancer involving 16,848 cases and 712,195 participants.4 Dose-response analysis showed every 10-g/d increment in dietary fiber intake was associated with a significant 7-percent reduction in breast cancer risk.
Regular breast exams, either self-administered or from a health practitioner in the form of mammograms, MRIs or ultrasounds, can help catch breast cancer early, which reduces the risk of invasive cancer and death. If a woman develops breast cancer, treatments can include chemotherapy, radiation, HRT or surgery.
Specific nutrients isolated from natural sources and incorporated into foods, beverages and supplements have shown to be effective in keeping breasts healthy. Most research in this area is focused on reducing occurrence of breast cancer.
