Recommendations for Breast Cancer Prevention

1. Eat lots of vegetables of all varieties and colors both raw and cooked. (4-5 cups per day)
2. Eat cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts and kale regularly.
3. Exercise regularly: For most people 30 minutes per day or 1 hour every other day of moderate exercise such as brisk walking is a reasonable goal.
4. Minimize alcohol intake; No more than one or two drinks per week is optimal.
5. Avoid trans fats, food additives, high sugar intake, junk food, and environmental toxins as much as possible.
6. High vitamin D levels reduce your risk of breast and colon cancer. Make sure your vitamin D level is in the high normal range with a simple blood test. Even people who are outdoors daily can have low vitamin D levels.
7. If you are overweight reduce your weight to more optimal levels.
8. If you have high inflammation in the body work with a health care practitioner to lower inflammation.
9. Have a yearly breast exam by a skilled practitioner and do your own breast exam monthly.
10. Have a breast thermogram (heat test) and a mammogram annually to help predict if you are high risk for the development of breast cancer.
11. If you are post menopausal have your hormone levels checked and work with a practitioner to normalize your hormone levels. If you are taking hormones make sure they are bio-identical (not horse derived or synthetic) and that your levels are balanced.
12. If you have a family history of breast cancer, a history of abnormal mammograms, severe breast tenderness, increased breast density, or fibrocystic breast condition you may be at increased risk of breast cancer and special testing is recommended. A “2/16 estrogen metabolism” test and genetic estrogen metabolism screening can be helpful. These tests can help predict which nutrients or nutritional supplements could reduce your risk of breast cancer.