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Boomer Women And
Breast Cancer Prevention
By
Kathi Casey |
 The
American Cancer Society expects the diagnosis of 230,480 new
cases of invasive breast cancer and 57,650 new cases of the
non-invasive form of breast cancer called CIS this year.
Additionally, about 39,520 women will die from breast
cancer. That is too many!
What should Baby Boomer women know about prevention?
Vitamin D
There has been much publicity about Vitamin D of late.
Now studies have shown that the mighty vitamin D can also
help protect this generation of women against breast cancer.
Every woman should check her vitamin D level regularly and
keep it in the optimal range. Requirements for this
important vitamin have recently been increased. It’s time to
get the vitamin D level checked against the newer optimal
standards.
Most doctors today now recommend supplementing with 2,000
IUs of vitamin D3 per day, as well as getting as much from
the diet as possible. It is difficult to get all necessary
vitamin D from food. Fatty fish such as salmon, herring,
catfish and halibut are good sources, but it can be
difficult to find high levels of this important vitamin in
other foods. There is another easy way to optimize getting
vitamin D: through plenty of regular, safe sun exposure.
Believe it or not, the sun is actually the best source of
vitamin D. The sun’s UVB rays help bodies manufacture
vitamin D in the fat layer under the skin. The body can make
all the vitamin D needed from regular sun exposure. Spend
about 15 minutes showing some skin before putting on
sunscreen. Exposing the skin is good as long as the skin is
not burned.
There is also evidence that vitamin K not only helps
activate proteins that are involved in the structuring of
bone mass, which is good news for Baby Boomer women, but
recent studies show it also has an anti-cancer effect.
Vitamin K has been used in the treatment of several
different cancers, including breast cancer. Vitamin K can be
found in Swiss chard, kale, parsley, spinach, broccoli,
cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, liver, soybean oil and wheat
bran. There are any more choices here than with vitamin D.
Supplements are also available, if preferred.
Diet and Exercise
Diet and exercise are hugely important in preventing
breast cancer. A study published in the “Journal of Clinical
Oncology” reinforces previous findings that women with
breast cancer greatly reduce their risk of recurrence by
eating a healthy, plant-based diet rich in fruits and
vegetables, and exercising regularly. This study, conducted
by researchers at the University of California, San Diego,
tracked dietary patterns and exercise habits of nearly 1,500
women who were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.
Researchers found that the death rate for women who consumed
a high-fiber diet rich in fruits and vegetables and
practiced good exercise habits was 44 percent lower than the
rate for women who exercised little and ate few plant-based
foods – almost half the risk.
So, as my dear ol’ gram used to say, “Take your vities, eat
all your veggies and get plenty of fresh air!” |
About The Author
Kathy Casey, RYT, CPI, is located in Otis. She provides
health-related information on her web site,
www.KathiCaseyPilates.com. Her book “Get Off The Couch,
Potato!” is available at Amazon.com.
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