October was National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But just because leaves are largely fallen and pumpkins are patching up doesn’t mean that breast cancer awareness should wait another year. The Center for Disease Control shares that breast cancer is the most common kind of cancer in all women and the most common cause of cancer death among Hispanic women. It is the second most common form of cancer among white, black, Asian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native women.
So what can we do about it? We can start by fighting breast cancer with our grocery lists. Recently, I spoke with nutritionist Mary Vance to get the 411 on top foods to fight cancer. As Mary told me, “eat a plant-based diet of whole foods and organic meats. And eat out of the box. Stay away from refined and processed foods that contain chemicals.” Done and deliciously done.
Further, Mary suggests antioxidant-rich foods that fight free radicals, the source of cellular and DNA damage. And organic foods are a must, as the chemicals used in herbicides and pesticides are stored in our body’s fat cells where they can cause hormonal imbalance and DNA damage.
But what to eat specifically?
Broccoli Yes, the green stuff your mother pushed onto your plate really might be the ultimate super food. Broccoli contains the highest levels of indole-3 carbinol, which experts report can slow cell proliferation. Researchers in Berkeley have found that broccoli can stop the growth of cancer cells – though they caution it is still in clinical trials with humans. In the meantime? Eat more broccoli.