In this video, Dr. Richa Mittal discusses the link between excess weight gain and breast cancer risk. Optimizing weight can help reduce risk.
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Did you know there is a link between obesity and overweight and developing estrogen-positive breast cancer in post-menopausal women?
In addition to avoiding excess weight gain or working to lose excess weight, optimizing nutrition has been found to help reduce risk too.
Eating the rainbow has many benefits!
Excess weight gain and breast cancer risk are helped by including more fiber in the diet. Fiber helps reduce hunger, increase fullness and has positive impacts on the blood sugar and cholesterol levels, which start to become abnormal in mid-life for women. Reducing insulin resistance helps lowers insulin levels and levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor. This can help reduce growth of tumors, including estrogen positive breast cancer.
Including more vegetables and fruits leads allow for more phytonutrients that work as anti-oxidants. These help reduce inflammation. Soy based foods from minimal processed sources like edamame and tofu include isoflavones that help reduce risk of breast cancer, especially in women of Asian ethnic backgrounds. Flavonoids in tea and lycopene in cooked tomatoes can also help reduce risk.
Minimize ultra-processed foods to reduce weight gain and reduce breast cancer risk
Eating minimal amounts of processed foods like cookies, baked goods and chips is a good start. These foods are often eaten in excess, leading to calorie overload and excess weight gain. They also typically lack protein, fiber and other nutrients. Last, they can be high calorie due to high amounts of fat in them. Reducing these can help you lose excess fat and make room for more nutritious foods.
Choose your fats wisely
Diets high in saturated fat have been found to increase risk for breast cancer. Choosing unsaturated fats from plant sources by including foods like nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and reducing butter/cheese and cream is recommended.
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