Hormones and breast cancer
Breast cancer is a hormone driven cancer. Estrogen is known to feed the cancer cells and allow growth of the abnormal cells or tumor. All women have estrogen, and this hormone is not the only culprit to the development or growth of breast cancer. But understanding how hormones play a role and how your lifestyle and diet may be increasing your risk for developing breast cancer is key.
How the Standard American Diet influences breast cancer
Diet high in fat (especially saturated fat from animal products - meat and dairy) Ingestion of foods high in fat increases the estrogen level in the body
Studies show, the more fat a women ate, the higher their estrone level was
Excess body weight: Diets higher in fat tend to store more fat increasing your waistline. Fat cells are hormone producing factories. Fat cells produce estrogen. So the more fat cells there are, the more estrogen is produced. And if your breast cancer or endometrial cancer is stimulated by estrogen (not all are) then the tumor can grow when there is more estrogen in your system.
Dairy consumption: Dairy products have estrogen. Dairy cows are pregnancy 9 out of 12 months to keep milk production up. The increase in pregnancy hormones is present in milk that is consumed. Cheese is even worse as it concentrates the estrogen so there is more hormone packed into a smaller package.
Low fiber diet: Fiber is key at binding excess estrogen. Excess estrogen is released into the gut through the liver. If there is fiber present it will bind the excess hormone and remove it through elimination. When fiber is not present, excess estrogen is unable to be cleared and re-absorbed and put back into circulation.
So what can I do?
Decrease consumption of animal products
Decrease your intake of dairy products
Minimize use of added oils
Eat a range of colorful foods
Focus on adding soy to your diet
Aim for 40 grams of fiber daily
Exercise
Limit alcohol consumption
Maintain a healthy diet