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:

1. 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.
   
2. Eat lots of greens including spinach, lettuce (that is dark like romaine), kale, broccoli, and green peppers.
   
3. Exercise at least five times a week for 30 to 45 minutes.
   
4. 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. 
   
5. 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!