BIOHACKING
The Truth About Breast Cancer: Prevention Is Just as Important as the Cure
October 19, 2015
While we search for the cure for breast cancer, we must not forget about prevention. The hard truth is that 90-95% of breast cancer is preventable , and only 5-10% has been attributed to genetics.
But how do we prevent cancer?
By understanding that breast cancer, like diabetes , metabolic syndrome, and even Alzheimer’s disease, is for most people a lifestyle-driven disease.
Here are the most important things you can do to prevent breast cancer:
- Maintain a BMI, or body mass index, of <25. Obesity is associated with higher rates of breast cancer. Adipose tissue, which is fat tissue, is metabolically and hormonally active and produces estrogens, which increases cancer risk.
- Exercise regularly. Activity lowers inflammatory chemicals in the body that promote cancer, like IGF-1.
- Eat cancer preventing foods like:
- Carotenoids like lycopene, found in red fruits like tomatoes
- Resveratrol, found in grapes and berries
- Quercetin , an anti-oxidant, found in citrus fruits, broccoli, and leafy greens
- Sulforanes, an essential nutrient for breaking down estrogens, found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts.
- Support detoxification. Poop every day, sweat at least 4-5x per week, and make sure you are methylating well by taking MTHF, a type of pre-methylated folate, which is an essential nutrient for those who genetically do not methylate well.
- Avoid toxins in your personal care and cleaning products, many of which are hormone-disruptors. Turn to the Environmental Working Group’s app, Skin Deep, to find researched clean products.
- Lower stress. Stress is inflammatory. The health risks of divorce, for instance, are as grave as those of smoking tobacco. Learn to meditate—which is one of our most powerful stress-reduction tools.
- Avoid excess alcohol and quit smoking. These substances are each directly linked to breast cancer risk.
Cancer prevention starts with lifestyle.
Overall, while early detection, and better research on drugs and procedures to cure breast cancer are all important, the number one thing you can do for your breast cancer risk today is to live an anti-cancer lifestyle.
Ready to take control of your health? Join now or schedule a free call to learn more about Parsley, how to use insurance , and how we can personalize your health journey.
Dr. Robin Berzin is the Founder and CEO of Parsley Health, America's leading holistic medical practice designed to help women overcome chronic conditions. She founded Parsley to address the rising tide of chronic disease in America through personalized holistic medicine that puts food, lifestyle, and proactive diagnostic testing on the prescription pad next to medications. Since founding Parsley in 2016, Dr. Berzin has seen 80% of patients improve or resolve their chronic conditions within their first year of care, demonstrating the life-changing value of making modern holistic medicine accessible to everyone, anywhere. Parsley is available online nationwide.
Dr. Berzin attended medical school at Columbia University and trained in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Her book, Prescription for Happiness: How to Eat, Move, and Supplement for Peak Mental Health, was published by Simon Element in January 2022.
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