Cancer of the Breast
What you need to know:
It’s extremely rare for children or teenagers to get this disease, but if there’s a family history of breast cancer - and boys need to be as aware of it as girls - it makes sense to take some precautions. Diet plays a great part in reducing the risk and although no eating regime can be a guarantee against breast cancer, it’s certainly worth contacting a registered naturopath or the Bristol Cancer Centre for dietary advice.
Dietary changes that may be beneficial:
Some of the principles are:
Follow a mainly vegetarian diet. This can increase the body’s elimination of oestrogen as vegetarians have a far more efficient bowel function. But you need to get specialist advice from a registered naturopath, a state registered dietician or the Vegetarian Society, before changing to a strictly vegetarian diet
Eat large quantities of wholegrain cereals and all fruits and vegetables. They contain Cancer-protective nutrients as well as the fibre which improves bowel function
Eat nuts and seeds - not for small children (because of the risk of allergies) - they’re rich in Vitamin E and minerals which have Cancer-protective properties
Avoid high amounts of saturated fats as there’s a link between animal fats and breast Cancer
Try to keep your children away from a group of chemicals called xanthines. This includes the caffeine in tea, coffee and cola drinks and theobromine in chocolateThere’s a definite link between high consumption of these chemicals and the development of breast cysts, which may become malignant. There’s nothing wrong with the odd can of coke, but if that’s the only thing they drink they could be in trouble when they get older
Watch out for dairy products. They’re important for young children as a cheap and reliable source of calories, calcium and other nutrients - but they’re also likely to contain agricultural chemical residues, which may be carcinogenic. Choosing organic is essential for all children - and vital if there’s a close family history of breast Cancer. It’s worth noting that switching from ordinary to organic milk cost only an extra 20p or so a day
For exactly the same reasons, you should try to buy organic poultry and eggs
All soya-based foods appear to have a protective effect against breast Cancer, so it’s really worth including soya beans, tofu or soy milk in the whole family’s diet
Essential fatty acids also have an essential role and your child’s diet should include oily fish and some flaxseed oil added to cooking or salad dressings
It’s important to keep your home and garden free of chemical pesticides, herbicides and fungicides as direct contact with many of these can increase the risk of breast Cancer.
|
Back