Breast Cancer Symposium Tidbits

I recently attended 2 breast cancer symposiums. Here is some information I culled that I think helpful for all women.

Some Stats from USA 2011 data:

231,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer

58,000 new cases of in situ breast cancer

40,000 women died

#1 cause of death in women ages 40-59

Women with metastatic breast cancer are now living 15-25 years after diagnosis

Who Gets breast cancer:

Women age 40 and older, increases to 1 in 24 by age 60

By race, white women have highest incidence

Only 15% of ALL women diagnosed have family history or known inherited genetic traits

Prevention:

Early detection-mammogram starting yearly at age 40

Breast cancer mortality reduced by 25% in women ages 40-49 with screening mammography

3D breast imaging is more accurate, the wave of the future

Exercise

Fiber in the diet, foods that you chew

Vitamin D

Fish oil/Omega 3

Lots of cruciferous veggies like broccoli, and cabbage

Eating organically or local, wild caught fish not farmed raised

Meat or chicken that is grass-finished, your local rancher or market should know

No-No’s:

Limit whites in diet like sugar, bread and pasta

Foods contaminated with pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and rodenticides

Use of plastics in microwaves

Parabens and phthalates in cosmetics and fragrances

Alcohol

Smoking

Excess weight

According to Environmental working group, www.ewg, if you don’t always buy organic, here is a shopper’s guide to pesticide in produce, the dirty 12 and the clean 15.

Dirty 12:

Apples                        Celery

Strawberries                Peaches

Spinach                       Nectarines

Grapes, imported        Sweet Bell Peppers

Potatoes                      Blueberries, domestic

Lettuce                        Kale/Collard greens

The Clean 15, Lowest in Pesticide:

Onions                         Sweet Corn                Pineapple

Avocado                      Asparagus                  Sweet Peas

Mangoes                      Eggplant                    Cantaloupe, domestic

Kiwi                            Cabbage                     Watermelon  

Sweet Potatoes            Grapefruit                   Mushrooms

Take-away:

10 years ago when I was diagnosed with breast cancer my oncologist told me to buy organic, grow as much in my garden organically as possible and get rid of plastics for storage and for use in the microwave.  He told me to exercise, get lots of sleep and take Vitamin D. I faithfully followed his recommendations that are now all substantiated with many supporting studies.

Is this information helpful to you?