Breast cancer is the most common cause of death in
women. In a most recent cancer study, researchers announced that cancer
costs the global economy nearly $900 billion a year—more than any other
cause of death. The study also said that breast cancer is among the
costliest forms of the disease, particularly in high-income countries,
such as the United States. There may be many causes of breast cancer,
one of which is a link to having too much estrogen (female hormone
manufactured by the ovaries in women and in small amounts by the
testicles in men) in the body. During menstruation, as well as in the
latter part of each menstrual cycle, women often experience high
estrogen levels. Increased estrogen may over stimulate cell growth in
the breast as much as four times, and any excess of estrogen may
increase the risk of cancer by stimulating cell growth in the breasts,
ovaries and uterus in women. Cells dividing too rapidly may pose a risk
of a genetic accident, resulting in alteration in the genetic structure
of cells in the breast.
Accordingly, reducing estrogen may reduce a
woman's risk of breast cancer. The question is: How to reduce the
estrogen level in a woman's lifespan? The risk of breast cancer is
significantly lower in Japan than that in the United States—about
one-fourth. This discrepancy can be explained by the fact that the
menstrual cycle of women in the United States is approximately 26 to 29
days, compared to the average of 32 days for women in Japan. So, the
length of the menstrual cycles may hold the key to reducing cancer risk
in women, because the shorter the menstrual cycles, the less production
of estrogen, and the lower the cancer risk.
Late onset of menstruation may also reduce the
number of menstrual cycles throughout a woman's lifespan, and thus
reduces the risk of breast cancer.
The number of pregnancy during a woman's life may
play a pivotal role in reducing the cancer risk by reducing the
production of estrogen. By the same token, an early onset of menopause,
may also lower the cancer risk.
If you cannot get yourself pregnant or increase
the number of your pregnancy, you can at least lengthen your menstrual
cycle through diet. Researchers have found that greater intake of soy
protein may increase the menstrual cycles by an average of two and a
half days. Therefore, take more soy products, such as tofu, miso,
tempeh, soy milk and soy nuts. Research studies have also indicated
that a vegetarian diet high in fruits and vegetables may delay the
onset of puberty, that is, menarche in women. Lignins in oats, barley,
whole wheat, nuts and seeds may inhibit estrogen synthesis; therefore,
a diet rich in these foods may reduce the production of estrogen.
Flaxseed, for example, gives you over 100 times more lignins than any
other oil seeds and grains.
In addition, you can also protect yourself against
breast cancer by eating dietary fiber. Excess estrogen in the body is
sent to the liver where it is partially deactivated and excreted into
the bile to be subsequently reabsorbed or eliminated. Therefore, extra
dietary fiber shortens the time the excess estrogen may remain in the
body.
Other than getting yourself pregnant, the only
alternative to decrease the estrogen level is through diet.
Copyright (c) 2010 Stephen Lau
For more information on the wisdom of healthy
living, go to Stephen Lau's website: The Art of Living
Well. Stephen Lau is a writer and researcher with books and
websites on health, Chinese healing, mental depression, eating
disorders, golf, and money matters. For more information on health,
visit his website: Seven
Pillars of Health Wisdom.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Lau
|
