Here at Loren’s World we take our health pretty seriously and I am always on the lookout for new recipes and tips for how to be sure I am eating right. For anyone who has faced medical challenges or disease, you know that eating right can certainly help set the tone for your path to recovery – and sometimes it makes all the difference when it comes to how you feel.
Recently, CureDiva, a site dedicated to women living with breast cancer, reached out with some awesome tips about superfoods that fight breast cancer – and I had to share. Whether you’re simply optimizing your health with a good diet and exercise or you’re a breast cancer survivor or patient working on staying nourished during or post-treatment, we all can learn a lot from the tips below.
Here’s what CureDiva had to say, “The food we decide to take out of our fridge and put in our bodies can have a major impact on our health. For people fighting a disease like breast cancer, propter nutrients can mean the difference between a successful battle and a more difficult one. There are several super foods that can help you stay nourished during treatment and may even help prevent cancer.”
5 Top Superfoods That Fight Breast Cancer
Here are a few tips for filling your fridge with the best cancer-fighting ingredients around:
#1. Salmon, Haddock and Cod
Eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acid has been linked to an improved breast cancer prognosis. Fish high in omega-3’s include salmon, haddock, cod, halibut and sardines.
#2. Beans and Whole Grains
Eating a diet high in fiber is a great way to control your appetite and potentially decrease the number of calories consumed in a day and that means achieving a healthy weight – one contributor to overall good health.
#3. Cruciferous Vegetables
Vegetables in this category are loaded with phytonutrients that halt cancer cells from forming and stop the spread of cancer. They also shift estrogen metabolism so that your body is producing a form of estrogen that doesn’t drive breast cancer. Include broccoli, broccoli rabe, brussel sprouts and cabbage in your diet to get these awesome benefits.
#4. Dark Leafy Greens
For a diet that helps strengthen your DNA, including a B vitamin known as folate is essential as low levels of folate in the body have been linked to increased cancer risk. Spinach and kale fit the bill perfectly – the darker the leaves, the better.
#5. Tomatoes
Turns out this delicious summer fruit is packed with lycopene, an antioxidant so powerful it protects the body against cancer by stopping cancer cell growth.
Skip these foods:
Red Meat
If you love red meat, no worries – you can still include about 6 ounces a month – a perfectly healthy limit, but remember it contains amino acids that stimulate insulin and increase oxidation in the body which can increase cancer risk.
Grapefruit
This yummy citrus is known for elevating estrogen levels, which has been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Easy solution – just switch to another citrus fruit!
Vegetable Oil & Mayonnaise
These items are loaded with polyunsaturated fats, which increase cancer-promoting oxidation. Switch out for coconut oil or olive oil and you’re good to go.
Has breast cancer affected you or your family? Do you think you can work on incorporating these healthy foods into your daily diet?
