Friday, November 2, 2012

Be Pro Active, Take Care of Your Body


Breast Cancer Awareness Month has officially ended- what should you do NOW? Are you the pro-active type or the wait and see if you really need type? I believe prevention is a key component in regards to cancer and overall health and wellness. Now prevention does not mean you will never have to worry about a cancer diagnosis because you're taking all precautions, however I believe it can help, or even delay a diagnosis and can especially assist our body with a stronger immune system if or when you are diagnosed.
Prevention for breast cancer may include all or some of the following. First it's a lifestyle which includes the foods you eat, the products we apply to our skin, the nutritional support of vitamins and minerals which our body is lacking, natural anti-inflammatory, exercise, relaxation techniques and hopefully laughter in your day.

Making better choices in the foods we eat is really important as it builds the base for everything else. Choosing foods lower in fat and organic when possible, less intake of sugar, higher intake of leafy green and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and kale, as well as whole grains and less or no white flour are a great start. Choosing organic products helps by eliminating the added hormones, antibiotics and pesticides animals are fed and found in the soil. Vegetables found to grow in an organic soil have also been shown to have healthier mineral/vitamin content. Even men have estrogen in their bodies and can be estrogen dominant in their breast cancer diagnosis so they also need to be concerned with added hormones especially found in meat,poultry and dairy. These are not just women's hormones! Sugar aids in feeding cancer cells so try choosing a natural sweetener like Stevia which is plant based and contains no chemicals and no calories.

Our bodies can’t possibly consume in the foods we eat all of the nutritional daily requirements which is why we recommend supplementation. Begin with a probiotic for the right environment to absorb vitamins and minerals. Taking a dry broccoli powder capsule, the spice Turmeric (works as an anti inflammatory), and medicinal mushrooms such as Maitake are just a few that may aid in prevention. See our Prevention tab on the HIS Breast Cancer Awareness web site for more nutritional suggestions. A book I also recommend for additional suggestions is called Anti-Cancer, A New Way of Life.

There are many skin care products available now that do not include parabens (Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen, which is known to play a role in the development of breast cancers) and other artificial ingredients. Look for items such as deodorant without aluminum, moisturizers, shampoos, sun tan lotions, oral care and more without parabens, dyes and other preservatives. What we put on our body is absorbed into our body, so choose "clean" products.

Of course we all know how important exercise is! So no matter how little time you have, try to fit some in, even if it means taking the steps instead of the elevator during your work day. Every little bit helps.
And above all, make time for some relaxation (read a book, sit on a bench, meditate, spend time with friends, etc) and most importantly be sure to include laughter in your day. Laughter is the best prevention, a great medicine and it feels good too! 
October may have made you more aware of Breast Cancer, and hopefully you’re doing your own self examinations but don’t wait for a diagnosis. Maybe you have already started, or you have just learned about a few more ways, take the preventive steps to assist your body to stay healthy. Be Pro-active.

Modah Ani- I Am Thankful
Vicki Singer Wolf; Co-Founder, Editor

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