Lorna Vanderhaeghe

• Have not had children and are under 25 1
• Have not had children and are 25- 35 2
• Have not had any children and don’t intend to 3
• Did not breast feed 2
• Had an abortion of a first pregnancy 1
• Took birth control pills during teens or early twenties. A few months use may increase the risk of breast cancer by 30 percent; ten years use may double the risk 3
• Have taken or are taking HRT (Premarin/Provera, Prempro) 3
• Have had regular mammograms before menopause
• Don’t exercise 3 times per week 2
• Have had depression where tricyclic anti-depressants were prescribed (studies showed increase in mammary tumors in rats) 2
• Have breast implants (cause breast trauma) 1
• Had chest x-rays as a teenager or during twenties 2
• Are exposed to EMFs through excessive computer usage, hair dryer use, live close to electrical power lines 1
• Dye your hair with dark colored dyes (a source of xenoestrogens) 2
• Wear dry cleaned clothing (a source of xenoestrogens) 1
• Use bleached sanitary products ie tampons and pads (a source of xenoestrogens) 2
• Eat pesticide and herbicide-laden food, veggies, meat, eggs, dairy and fish (a source of xenoestrogens) 3
• Use nail polish that is not tolulene or phthalate-free (a source of xenoestrogens) 1
• Periods started before the age of 12 2
• Late onset menopause after the age of 50 2
• Eat a diet high in animal fat, dairy and meat (a source of xenoestrogens) 3
• Smoke, with early or excessive use 3
• Alcohol with early or excessive use 3
• Don’t eat cruciferous vegetables (these vegetables detoxify carcinogenic estrogens) 3
• Take cholesterol lowering drugs which deplete the body of Q10 (Q10 used to treat women with breast cancer) 3
• Using anti-hypertensives for lowering high blood pressure which deplete Q10 3
• Using tranquilizers (animal studies showed an increase in breast tumors) 2
• Using ulcer medications which disrupts estrogen metabolism decreasing good estrogen 2
• You are overweight or obese (fat stores estrogens) 3
• Use or have used Flagyl for yeast infections (studies show an increase in mammary tumors in rats) 2
• Family history in a first degree relative mother, daughter or sister 1

  Total Score
  0-18 lower risk
  19-35 moderate to high risk
  35-65 high risk

We can choose alternatives to many of the risk factors above and we can make dietary and lifestyle changes that will protect us from developing breast cancer or at least reduce our risk.

Nutrients for Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment

• Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) is an anti-cancer phytonutrient found in cruciferous vegetables. Research has shown that I3C helps to breakdown cancer-causing estrogens to non-toxic forms. It has also been shown to inhibit breast cancer tumors.
• Calcium D-glucarate is a powerful detoxifier of excess estrogens from the liver and important for both the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.
• Green Tea Extract contains polyphenols, catechins and flavonoids shown to be protective against estrogen-dominant breast cancers.
• Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric - the chief ingredient in curry. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent and it works to inhibit all steps of cancer formation: initiation, promotion, and progression. Curcumin also protects against inflammatory calcium loss from our bones.
• Milk thistle enhances detoxification from the liver, inhibits breast cancer cells from replicating and reduces the toxic effects of chemotherapy.
• Rosemary extract, a potent antioxidant, inhibits breast cancer development and it helps to detoxify carcinogenic estrogens.
• Lycopene found in tomatoes, pink grapefruit, papaya, guava and watermelon, was recently shown to reduce a women’s risk of breast cancer by 36 percent when those women took 6.5 mg per day.
• Sulfurophane, from broccoli sprout extract, has been shown to stimulate the body’s production of detoxification enzymes that eliminate xenoestrogens. Recent research points to this nutrient as a powerful anti-breast cancer agent. Sulfurophane is also a powerful antioxidant.

What Else Can We Do?

We can avoid pesticides, use nail polish that is tolulene and phthalate-free (pronounced thalate) and choose hair dyes that are safe. Safe hair dye and nail polish are available at the health food store.

We can choose unbleached sanitary products again these can be found at your health food store. We can avoid certain prescription drugs that caused mammary tumors in rats and mice. We can limit the amount of dry cleaned clothing we wear.

We can choose to exercise 30 minutes three times a week and eat healthy foods that don’t disrupt our estrogens and take nutritional supplements that protect against environmental estrogens and support the liver and body to fight cancer before it begins.

We can support new mothers to breast feed for as long as possible. Breast-feeding has been shown to be a powerful protector from breast cancer. We can clean up our environment to reduce our exposure to xenoestrogens.

We can reduce the number of yearly x-rays we have from dental x-rays, chest x-rays and have a baseline mammogram and then only if required thereafter.

These are things that can reduce our risk of breast cancer and prevent this rapidly rising disease.

Lorna Vanderhaeghe is a health journalist who has been researching nutritional medicine for over 20 years. She is the author of several best-selling books. Her latest is No More HRT: Menopause Treat the Cause. Go to www.healthyimmunity.com for more information.