How to Lower Breast Cancer Risk

How diet and exercise affect your chances of getting breast cancer.

Written by Richard Rivlin, M.D.

To what extent can diet and exercise influence your risk of breast cancer? We asked Richard Rivlin, M.D., professor of medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City, and an expert in prevention of cancer and other diseases.

Q: My mother, who is 74, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and I don’t want to follow in her footsteps. What can I do?

A: Research shows that only about 4% to 9% of breast cancers can be attributed to inherited gene?tic factors, and genetics may play a much bigger role in cases where the parent’s cancer occurred early in life. For example, if your mother had breast cancer when she was in her 30s, your genetic risk would probably be greater. By adopting a healthy diet and incorporating physical activity into your life, you can reduce your risk significantly. And it’s never too late. Here are some places to start.

Alcohol: Research clearly shows that alcoholic beverages increase the risk of breast cancer. Some studies suggest that the risk is dose-dependent: If you have one drink a day, your risk goes up by 10%; two drinks increase risk by 20% percent; three drinks increase risk by 30%. Other research suggests that one drink a day doesn’t increase risk significantly, but greater amounts do.

To be on the safe side, I recommend drinking no alcoholic beverages. However, if you have a drink once a month or thereabouts, it won’t really make a difference. On the other hand, having more than one drink on most days, or every day, will likely increase risk.

Weight Gain: Gaining weight after menopause increases the risk of breast cancer. Body fat produces hormones that tend to promote breast cancer. As with risk of diabetes and heart disease, fat around the abdomen appears to confer greater risk than fat in the buttocks and thighs. Processed foods that are high in fat and calories but low in fiber, along with sugary beverages, are key contributors to weight gain. Foods that promote a slimmer body, together with exercise, will reduce breast cancer risk.

Foods: Although an occasional (once a month or so) fast food meal won’t ruin your health, what you eat or don’t eat every day will impact your risk. These are the key things we know:

• A plant-based diet, with plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes and whole grains, with small servings of lean meat or fish, reduces risk of breast and other cancers, and will help you to reduce body fat. A healthy plate is two-thirds plant foods and one-third lean animal protein.

• Saturated fat, which is plentiful in red meat, increases the risk for breast cancer, whereas healthy fat in cold-water fish lowers risk. Aim to eat fish three times a week. As an alternative, you can take 1 to 3 gm of fish oil each day. Or, add flaxseed to your diet, as it has a fat content similar to that of cold-water fish.

• Cruciferous vegetables—broccoli, bok choy, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and brussels sprouts—lower risk for breast cancer. Some forms of estrogen in the body favor cancer development while others do not, and cruciferous vegetables may contribute to estrogen being converted to one of the nonrisky forms.

• Women who eat more garlic have less breast cancer. For maximum anti-cancer benefits from fresh garlic, cut off the pointed tip of each clove and let it sit for 20 minutes, exposed to air, before cooking. Onions have a similar protective effect but are not quite as powerful.

Regular Physical Activity: In addition to helping reduce body fat, exercise regulates hormones, keeping them at healthier levels that are less likely to promote development of breast cancer. And exercise improves immune response, mood, outlook and alertness, which all contribute to good health. For breast cancer preven?tion, the American Institute for Cancer Research recommends getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily and working up to 60 minutes daily.

All types of physical activity qualify, including walking, swimming, gardening and even vigorous housecleaning. To be effective, the activity needs to raise your heart rate.

Sunshine: Women who get less sun exposure are more prone to breast cancer because lack of sun leads to lack of vitamin D formation in the skin, and the vitamin tends to protect against the disease. Vitamin D deficiency is widespread in American women. Exposing the face, arms and neck for 20 minutes daily, without sunscreen, should produce enough vitamin D if the sun is strong enough, which it isn’t during winter months in the Northern United States. Vitamin D in foods, and D3 supplements can cover the shortfall.

Note: For recipes and exercise tips, visit the American Institute for Cancer Research at AICR.org.

Research Says: D May Curb Tumor Growth Previous studies have shown that vitamin D may help prevent several types of cancer, including breast, prostate and colon cancers. Now Canadian researchers have found that breast cancer patients with low blood levels of D were significantly more likely to die of the disease or have it spread than patients getting enough of the vitamin. In lab and animal studies, vitamin D has been shown to stifle cell growth and curb the formation of blood vessels that feed tumors

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