Chemicals linked to breast cancer

How can we, as women, not think about breast cancer and we have breasts? The evidence for prevention is still evolving and controversial in some instances. You can be affected from young adulthood to old age and risk factors are genetic or environmental. The popular screening method of mammography has come into question as to its effectiveness in reducing breast-cancer deaths. Breast self-examination still remains a trusted way to keep a handle on things but we have to do it properly.

Last year, I wrote about the recommendations for cancer prevention contained in the report published by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund on Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer.

The nine recommendations are: be as lean as possible, limit consumption of energy-dense foods, eat mostly foods of plant origin, limit the intake of red meats and avoid processed meats, limit alcoholic drinks, limit consumption of salts, avoid mouldy cereals and legumes, aim to meet nutritional needs through diet alone, breastfeed infants exclusively up to six months and be physically active as part of everyday life.

Environmental factors

There are environmental factors of concern included in the Breast Cancer Fund sixth edition. The research is linking popular environmental chemicals to breast cancer. Some chemicals most likely find their way into our bodies through food.

The use of synthetic chemicals has increased dramatically in recent decades. Of the almost 85,000 synthetic chemicals registered for use in the USA, one of our main trading partners, complete toxicological screening is said to be only available for about seven per cent and more than 90 per cent have never been tested for their effect on human health. Some of these chemicals have been experimentally implicated in breast cancer causation.

Studies by the US Centre for Disease Control show that many Americans carry a large number of chemicals in their bodies, with women carrying the largest amount. Some of these chemicals are linked to mammary tumours in animals. The chemicals implicated are in our air, water, soil, food and many household products.

The message for us as consumers, both women and men, is to be informed and join powerful lobby groups to influence policy makers for our health's sake and for generations to come.

Rosalee M. Brown is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who operates Integrated Nutrition and Health Services; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.

Rosalee M. Brown is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who operates Integrated Nutrition and Health Services; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.

Tips from this latest evidence are:

• Reduce smoked and grilled foods
• Reduce use of pesticides
• Use simple cleaning agents such as baking soda and vinegar around the house
• Microwave in glass
• Avoid styrofoam food containers
• Buy hormone-free meats
• Avoid milk and dairy products which use recombinant bovine somatotrophin (rBST)
• Buy preserved foods in glass instead of cans