Healthy Women
Horizons in Hemophilia, October 2010
By Penny Kumpf, RN, VWD Community Outreach Nurse
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Here are some tips for good breast health:
- Eat good fats and avoid the bad. Good fats include olive oil, flaxseed oil, and fats from nuts, seeds, avocados, and coconuts. The bad include trans-fats like partially hydrogenated oils, hydrogenated oils or vegetable shortening.
- Eat lots of greens including spinach, lettuce (that is dark like romaine), kale, broccoli, and green peppers.
- Exercise at least five times a week for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Talk to your provider about calcium and Vitamin D. Harvard studies show that 1,200mg of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D daily may slash breast cancer risk as much as 69%. Learn more about the benefits of calcium from the National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements and from Medline Plus.
- Eat walnuts. According to a study published by Web MD Heath News, walnuts can also cut your risk of breast cancer.
If you take these steps your body will thank you. Here's to your health!