Natural Ways to Prevent Breast Cancer
We constantly get asked about breast cancer and the best ways to either prevent it or work in combination with conventional treatments.
Before I answer this let me give you my philosophy on breast cancer (BC) but the same applies to all hormonal linked cancers. There seem to be a lot of vested interests in some of the causes; as well as it stemming from a multitude of issues.
One thing we know for sure is some women have a genetic susceptibility. However, genes are genes. And only about 5% of women with BC have recognised genetic susceptibility.
We all have our own genetic weaknesses but in the end, they are a weakness, not a certainty; and with the right protective approach, the gene expression can be minimised significantly.
So, the first thing we need to consider is synthetic hormones. Not just prescribed, but mimics and secondary effects.
Studies show a weak correlation between taking synthetic hormones and BC. But it's there. My larger concern is the secondary effects of millions of women taking synthetic hormones, and that getting into the water supply and impacting our food chain. Interestingly the rates of prostate cancer for men have risen at similar rates to BC.
We know that genes are influenced generationally. I believe that the effect of hormones is inter-generational. We see a lot of hereditary issues with hormonal issues; and my suspicion is the issues with hormone metabolism is being passed on to children - boys and girls - and we are seeing a rise in endometriosis, PCOS and PMDD. These are all conditions of poor hormone metabolism - and this is at the heart of BC as well.
Now, the next thing is hormone mimics. Petrochemicals, plastics, herbicides and pesticides all bind to hormone receptors and mimic the action of hormones in the body. This causes confusion in the endocrine system and is one of the causes of oestrogen dominance.
We know that women with benign breast disorders caused by oestrogen dominance have an increased risk of BC. In my opinion, one of the main issues with BC is hormone metabolism. Women produce 16 different oestrogens that we know of.
A healthy body that metabolises hormones well, has the correct ratio of oestrogens. When antioxidant levels drop, certain nutrients are depleted, and synthetic hormones are introduced, then the ratios change and the predominance of unhealthy oestrogens dominate.
The 3 most common are estrone (E1), estradiol (E2) and estriol (E3). Out of these three, estradiol(E2) tends to be the most aggressive estrogen that's been linked to breast cancer multiplication. In fact, estriol is a protective estrogen that is often prescribed for women with estrogen dominance.
Now some women develop poor oestrogen metabolism through poor liver and GUT function; whilst others have a genetic predisposition via gene mutations like MTHFR and pyrrole disorder. Scientists are also discovering many new gene variations linked to chronic hormonal conditions where hormone metabolism is impacted.
Prevention
In summary, it’s my opinion that BC is strongly genetically stimulated by inter-generational synthetic hormone use; a chemical environment we live in; low antioxidant protective status; and poor hormone metabolism. This leaves us with a few mechanisms to reduce the chances of BC.- Follow a good cleansing program regularly. Happy Hormones, in fact, helps to release a lot of the stored oestrogen and hormone mimics from the receptor sites and fat cells. We see this regularly as many women with oestrogen dominance developing an aggravation in the first few weeks of taking HH. The 8-Week Program is a good start to help cleanse the body from these environmental influences.
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Focus on antioxidant-rich foods. We have these listed in the 8-Week Program, but also Turmeric is a great food-based supplement to increase antioxidants. Antioxidants are also anti-angiogenic - the process of blood vessel development to tumours - which is highly valuable in stopping the process that allows tumours to grow.
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Improve hormone metabolism. If you have a genetic history of BC, then it’s so important that your bowels work regularly, and your liver is working well. Again, a good detox helps; but if your bowels are not regular, take psyllium or something similar to ensure your bowels work well. And have lots of fermented foods and drinks to help build healthy bacteria that assist in hormone metabolism. Green leafy and cruciferous foods are also important hormone modulators. Start having a green juice at least every other day is a great idea. Happy DIM is another way to ensure healthy hormones metabolism.
- Elevated inflammation levels are also linked to BC. The most common causes of inflammation come from the diet, and especially from animal fats, fried foods and processed foods. Having more healthy fats in combination with antioxidant foods is the best way to down-regulate inflammation levels.
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An alkaline system also helps with improved hormonal balance and cancer is said to prefer a more acidic environment. We know a plant-based diet is cancer-protective and this is one of the reasons. Happy Greens are a simple way to ensure you get enough healthy greens in your diet.
So I hope this helps. Cancer is always better prevented than cured; so work on the ways to best prepare your body to avoid the triggering factors that we currently understand.
