Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases of humanity. Probably as old as life itself, the disease has been around humanity for ages, but only in the second half of the 20th century did the number of cases begin to explode. The sudden surge of this devastating disease was probably due to the drastic changes in lifestyle, the abundant presence of chemicals in the environment, the extensive use and abuse of pharmaceutical drugs, as well as the inferior quality of food and the easy availability of junk food.
According to a most recent cancer study, 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 State, and that breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women.
Contrary to popular belief, cancer is not a mysterious disease against which you are powerless. Understanding its causes and taking positive actions can help you win your battle against cancer—if your body has enough time to make the necessary adjustments.
There may be many causes of breast cancer, one of which is a link to having too much estrogen (female hormone produced by the ovaries in women and in small amounts by the testicles in men) in the body. There is a close connection between estrogen and breast cancer. During menstruation, as well as in the latter part of each menstrual cycle, women often experience high estrogen levels. The sudden increase in estrogen levels may over-stimulate cell growth in the breast by as much as four times, and thus significantly increasing the risk of breast cancer by over-stimulating cell growth in the breasts, ovaries and uterus in women. Cells dividing too rapidly may increase the risk of a genetic accident, that is, changing the genetic structure of cells in the breast. That explains the connection between estrogen and breast cancer.
Therefore, reducing estrogen levels throughout a woman’s lifespan may reduce breast cancer risk. Research has indicated that breast cancer risk in women is significantly lower in Japan than that in the United States—by as much as 25 percent. The explanation is 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. These research findings show that the length of the menstrual cycles may hold the key to reducing breast cancer risk in women, because the shorter the menstrual cycles, the less production of estrogen over lifetime, and hence the lower breast cancer risk.
Late onset of menstruation may also reduce the number of menstrual cycles throughout a woman's lifespan, and thus reducing breast cancer risk.
The number of pregnancy during a woman's life may play a pivotal role in reducing breast cancer risk by decreasing the production of estrogen. In the same way, an early onset of menopause may also contribute to reducing breast cancer risk.
Given the close connection between estrogen and breast cancer, increasing the number of pregnancy may reduce the production of estrogen, and hence reducing breast cancer risk. A diet rich in soy protein may increase the menstrual cycles by an average of two and a half days. Japanese women eat a great deal of soy products, and that explains why they have longer menstrual cycles. Therefore, take more soy products, such as tofu, miso, tempeh, soymilk and soy nuts. In addition, research studies have indicated that a vegetarian diet high in fruits and vegetables may delay the onset of puberty, that is, menarche in women. That is because lignins in oats, barley, whole wheat, nuts and seeds may inhibit estrogen synthesis. Flaxseed, for example, has over 100 times more lignins than any other oil seeds and grains. Furthermore, eating dietary fiber may facilitate the elimination of estrogen. 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 during which any excess estrogen may remain in the body.
In many ways you may help yourself reducing breast cancer risk. Getting a handle on the causes of breast cancer is important to reducing breast cancer risk. Remember, everything happens with a reason, though it may not be too apparent to you. Once you understand the causes of breast cancer, you may be able to have better control of the disease.
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