Breast Cancer: Nutrition and Lifestyle Tips to Note

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Do you agree that breast cancer is quite common lately?

World Cancer Day was marked on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.

So, I caught up with a friend of mine – Jane Chinyelu Eleodi, one of Nigeria’s finest registered dietitian and public health nutritionist. Founder of JSPRINGS Nutrition and Dietary Health Services and we got talking about the terrible situation of nutritional awareness in the country, worse still how much people are not aware of the preventive measures against a silent yet notorious killer of most Africans in recent times – Cancer especially breast cancer.

Collins and Jane met up to discuss breast cancer

Now, let’s talk breast cancer…

Nigeria has the highest cancer death rates in Africa.
Over 10,000 Nigerians die yearly from cancer (WHO, Feb.13, 2013).
Symptoms: vary from lumps to swellings to skin changes and most times, it shows no symptoms at all.
Screenings: Simple regular screenings (non-invasive tests) can help to detect cancer danger signs, MRI, CT Scan, Mammograms, Ultrasound etc.

Proven causes of breast cancers include:

1) Radiation exposure.

2) Certain drugs that women take during pregnancy can expose even the unborn fetus to cancers in later life.

2) Certain drugs that women take during pregnancy can expose even the unborn fetus to cancers in later life.

3) It can be stress induced – excess adrenaline and cortisol.

4) Exposure to chemicals in cosmetics.

5) Smoking and excess alcohol consumption.

6) Poor nutrition and diet.

Other risk factors for breast cancers include:

Overweight/Obesity: accumulated body fat more than the normal range

Overweight/Obesity: accumulated body fat more than the normal range

Sedentary lifestyle: Lack of exercise

The role of nutrition and diet in the prevention and treatment of cancers can never be over-emphasized. Diet is found to be responsible for about 50% of all cancers!

Poor diet is responsible for about 50% of all cancers! Low vitamin D levels increase the risk of breast cancer.

Low vitamin D levels increase the risk of breast cancer.

Pesticides, Antibiotics and hormones used in crops and livestock may Increase cancer risk in people.Food additives (chemicals in foods) can also increase the risk of having cancers.

Food additives (chemicals in foods) can also increase the risk of having cancers. Chemicals in plastics contain Bisphenol A (BPA), a carcinogenic substance – For your food, use chinaware, glassware, iron, aluminium and even clay pots.

Chemicals in plastics contain Bisphenol A (BPA), a carcinogenic substance – For your food, use chinaware, glassware, iron, aluminium and even clay pots.Reduce grilled, barbequed, smoked or fried foods.

Jane wrote a whole lot as we brainstormed and researched…

Reduce grilled, barbequed, smoked or fried foods.Inculcate Adequate Diet, Good Nutrition;

Inculcate Adequate Diet, Good Nutrition; Certain foods can help keep your body healthy, boost your immunity and lower the risk of cancers as much as possible.

Certain foods can help keep your body healthy, boost your immunity and lower the risk of cancers as much as possible.

Eating lots of fruits and vegetables with your meals can help reduce the effects of carcinogens in them.

The addition of spices also helps to reduce the malignant effects of mutagen.

Reduce intake of alcohol, caffeine etc.

Avoid foods and drugs that antagonise or deplete the good substances working in your body.

Exclusive breastfeeding can also help to reduce the risk of breast cancer in later life.

High levels of prolactin can reduce raised levels of oestrogen.

Maintain a healthy weight by Good Diet, Exercise and Lifestyle (These have been proven to be the safest, surest method of weight management as long as you work with the professionals).

In summary, this is a clarion call to imbibe good nutrition and dietary lifestyle habits. Call the experts.

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