BREAST CANCER: symptoms, treatments and more!

This pink ribbon seems to pop-up everywhere these days, from Instagram to snapchat, newspapers to metro, billboards to TV ads and almost everywhere! October is Breast Cancer awareness month, it is a campaign held annually by major Breast Cancer charities! Around 2 million people are diagnosed with it each year! Yes, you have heard right! People, not women! Men can get breast cancer too! Approximately 45,000 deaths are due to breast cancer in a year out of which 5000 are men.

             it starts when cells in the breast start to grow out of control and form a tumor which can be seen in an X-Ray or felt as a lump.

HOW TO DIAGNOSE BREAST CANCER?

The first way to diagnose Breast Cancer is as simple as TLC which is Touch, Look and Check.

TOUCH YOUR BREASTS:

  Gently press your breasts. If you find out lumps there are chances!

LOOK OUT FOR CHANGES:

• Size:  if there are changes in size or the shape of the breasts (One look different than the other).
• Texture: If the skin on the breasts is dimpling or puckering.
• Color:  There are chances that your breasts look inflamed or red.
• Nipples: Your nipples might look turned inside, while they should look pointed out.
• Discharge: There might be unusual discharge from your nipples.
• Rash: There might be rashes or crusting in the nipples area.

CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR:

If you notice any above-mentioned change, there is a possibility that you might be suffering from Breast Cancer. You should instantly get it diagnosed with your doctor, diagnosis includes X-Ray, mammography, and biopsy.( Pic courtesy by google)

WHAT CAUSES BREAST CANCER?

It is caused due to a family history of breast cancer or aging, exposure to radiation, an unhealthy lifestyle such as consuming alcohol, smoking, junk food, obesity etc. Though there is no method of prevention but there are ways that you can lower the chances of having it. Right nutrition can cure almost any problem in the human body.

LOW CARB DIET: A low-carb diet helps in maintaining the blood-sugar level, which has shown success in reducing the growth of a cancer tumor.

INSULIN: High insulin levels cause problems such as thyroid, pcod, obesity, diabetes which promotes the development of breast cancer tumor. Keep your insulin level low by keeping a low- carb diet, avoiding sugar and training regularly.

RELATED: TOP 5 MYTHS ABOUT SUGAR

GI AND: Consuming food high in Glycemic Index increases the hormones like insulin, which increase the blood sugar level. This overtime leads to many deadly diseases including the growth of cancer cells.

OBESITY: women with a BMI more than 24kg/m2 had 58% increased the risk of breast cancer. People who are obese should keep a count of their calories and restrict eating processed food. Consuming foods rich in vitamin-C may lower the risk of breast cancer

MELATONIN: people with low level of Sleep hormone (melatonin) are at a greater risk of breast cancer. People who work at night shifts and are exposed to light at night are more prone to breast cancer.

FOOD THAT LOWERS THE RISK OF BREAST CANCER:

1. OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS: good fats lower the growth of breast cancer cells and improve the immune system. People who consumed omega-3 fatty acid for 12 months reduced the risk by 26%
2. POMEGRANATE:  pomegranate may reduce the effect of breast cancer cells; it blocks the oxygen supply to cancer cell which slows cell growth. Pomegranate is rich in anti-oxidants which reduces the risk of tumor.
3. CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES: Vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, sprouts, mustard contain indole-3-carbinol (I3C) which has anti-cancer properties. They also inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
4. SELENIUM: Food such as Brazilian nuts, seafood, yeasts, and grains have antioxidants which reduce the risk of developing it by 26%. It alters the estrogen receptors decreasing the tumor incidences.
5. RESVERATROL: Food such as grapes, peanuts, soy, and cranberries have resveratrol has anti-cancer properties. It reduces the tumor growth and apoptosis in breast cancer cells.
6. GREEN TEA: Green tea contains polyphenols which have anti-cancer properties. They may block the formation of cancer-causing tumors. EGCG found in green tea lowers the risk.
7. FLAX SEEDS: Flax seeds work to block the tumor growth and prevent the formation of new tumors. Flax seeds contain lignans which helps maintain a healthy level of estrogen.
8. GARLIC: Garlic is an allium vegetable which reduces the chances of developing breast cancer tumors.
9. TURMERIC: Turmeric (Haldi) is an antioxidant and has anti-cancer properties.

The earlier it can be diagnosed, the better are the chances of a successful treatment. Therefore it is important to check your breasts regularly. To reduce the risk of breast cancer, limit the consumption of alcohol and smoking. Maintain a healthy weight and start training 5-6 hours a week. Also limit consumption of red meat, fried-foods and follow a meal plan. The only person who can save you is you!  ParaFit promotes healthy and balanced eating. We value your health and tailor our services according to your needs. Do try out our meal and training plan combo plan and we will change your lifestyle to a healthy and strong one!

We can and we will fight it, TOGETHER.