Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of death in women. At some point in a woman’s lifetime, she has a risk of 1 in 8 for developing breast cancer, which can also occur in men.
Usually, there are no symptoms or signs for early breast cancer, but there were cases wherein you might notice a mass or lump in your breast. Some other possible symptoms may include swelling of part of the breast, nipple redness or discharge, and changes in the skin such as puckering or dimpling. In men, breast cancer usually occurs over 60 years of age with the most common symptom being a lump or change in the skin of the breast tissue or nipple discharge.
Some of the common risk factors of breast cancer are:
- Personal history( Having a breast cancer diagnosis in one breast)
- Women diagnosed with a certain benign (non-cancerous) breast condition
- Age
- Family history
- Inherited genes
- Alcohol
- Lack of exercise
- Menstruation
- Breast tissue
- Race
- Being overweight or obese
- Use of oral contraceptives in the last 10 years
- Exposure to previous chest radiation or use of diethylstilbestrol
Lifestyle changes can make a huge difference when it comes to fighting and preventing breast cancer. One of the steps you can make is to eat healthy foods.
According to research published in the International Journal of Cancer, there are certain fruits and vegetables that may help lower your risk for breast cancer.
For the study, researchers followed 182,145 women for an average of 24 years. They analyze their dietary information and health data and found the lowest rates of breast cancer for those who consumed the most fruits and vegetables. As compared to those who ate less than two and a half serving, results revealed that women who ate five and a half servings of fruits and veggies a day had an 11 percent lowered risk for breast cancer.
However, researchers found that not all vegetables have equal cancer-fighting properties. Some veggies have higher micronutrient, fiber, and antioxidant content that provides beneficial effects. They found that cruciferous vegetables like kale, cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli as well as orange and yellow ones like carrots and squash, works great at reducing the risk and inhibiting tumor initiation and growth.
It would take eight years of regular consumption of vegetables to see a significant reduction in breast cancer risk, according to the researchers. It would be better if you start eating the recommended amount of fruits and veggies which is least 1½ to 2 cups per day of fruit and 2 to 3 cups per day of vegetables for adults.
