Body Weight & Breast Cancer Risk

90 Day Challenge Update

Feeling like I have so much more energy and the inches are dropping!
In the words of the immortal James Brown, 'I feel good'!
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This article from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation reaffirms that I am doing what's right for me.


LOVE YOUR BODY


The connection between a healthier diet and healthier weight has been clear for some time. And maintaining a healthier weight can go a long way to decreasing your risk for chronic health issues and diseases including breast cancer.
Body weight and breast cancer risk
Research has shown that women with a higher body weight may have a higher risk of breast cancer. Excess weight gained during adulthood increases the risk of breast cancer later in life, even more so after menopause. This increased risk is caused by exposure to higher levels of estrogen. After menopause, most of our estrogen is produced in fatty tissue. Women who carry more weight are exposed to higher levels of estrogen, a known factor in the development of breast cancer.

Being a healthier weight may be one of the most important ways to reduce your risk of breast cancer. Achieving this may mean making some key lifestyle changes. These include a more balanced diet, limited alcohol intake, and increased physical activity. They may be tough to stick to at first but research shows that steady, consistent efforts to maintain a healthier body weight have significant health benefits. In fact if you think you need to lose weight losing 5 to 10 per cent of your total weight can make a big difference.
If you are trying to lose weight, be patient. Set realistic goals for yourself and prepare for a long-term commitment to yourself and your life. If you are looking for support, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation encourages you to speak to a health care provider, a dietician, nutritionist or naturopath about the best approach for you.
What’s a healthy weight? Start with your BMI
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is one way you can assess your weight. It is a measure of weight that is calculated using your height. Experts consider a healthy BMI to lie in the range of 18.5-25 if you are 65 years of age. If you are 65 years of age and over, a healthy BMI ranges from 20 to 27.

Eat well for breast health
What you put into your body influences how you reach and maintain a healthier body weight. Aim for variety and balance in your diet, with smaller portions and meals high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains while also low in fat and sugar. The World Cancer Research Fund estimates that up to a third of cancers - including breast cancer - could be prevented in adults if we increased our daily vegetable and fruit intake, were more physically active and maintained a healthier body weight. Antioxidant nutrients in fruits and vegetables protect our body’s tissues from damage, or oxidation. Tissue damage is linked to increased cancer risk – so eat your fruit and vegetables!

Can food reduce your risk of breast cancer?
You may have heard or read media stories about different types of foods that reduce the risk of breast cancer – or others that may increase the risk. While there are many studies about how different types of food play a role in reducing the risk of breast cancer, the findings have not been conclusive. It is difficult to research the health effects of individual foods, as most people eat a variety of foods every day.
Research on nutrition, cancer risk, and risk reduction is complex, but what it tells us is that we can reduce our risk of cancer now by eating a more balanced diet and working to gain—or maintain—a healthier body weight.

10 Tips for healthier eating
Eat mostly plant-based foods
Veggies and fruit at every meal – the experts recommend at least 7 servings per day
Choose whole-grain rice, bread, pasta and cereals
Try to get 25 grams of fibre per day from foods like fruits, veggies, legumes, and whole grains
If you eat meat, choose leaner cuts in smaller portions and limit processed and red meats
Make sure the label says 100% juice on vegetable/fruit juices
Limit fried, processed and salty foods
Eat smaller, healthier portion sizes
Limit portion size of calorie-dense foods (high fat, high sugar, low fibre)
Learn how to read and understand food labels

Giving your vitamin D a boost
Eating a balanced diet is the best way to get the vitamins and nutrients your body needs but some vitamin supplements can be a good way to boost your well-being or immunity. For example, according to Health Canada, most Canadians should take vitamin D, due to our lower levels of exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D is known for its role in promoting strong bones and teeth.
Currently Health Canada recommends the following Vitamin D supplements, in addition to the vitamin D you take into your body through exposure to sunlight and the foods you eat:
600 IU per day for all adults (up to age 70).
600 IU per day for women who are pregnant or lactating.
800 IU per day for adults over 70 years.
Vitamin D and breast cancer risk reduction
Research suggests that Vitamin D may play a role in reducing breast cancer risk. It may also improve health outcomes after a breast cancer diagnosis. Research is continuing in this area. In the meantime, many health care providers are recommending to women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer to get at least 800 IU of Vitamin D3 per day.

Sources
American Cancer Society. (2006). Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention.Accessed July 31, 2011.
Dieticians of Canada. Assess your BMI. Accessed July 31, 2011.
Dietitians of Canada. Fibre. Accessed July 31, 2011.
Health Canada. (2007). Canada’s Food Guide. Accessed July 31, 2011.
Health Canada. Canadian Guidelines for Body Weight Classification in Adults. Accessed July 31, 2011.
Health Canada. 2008. Nutrient Value of Some Common Foods.
Health Canada. Vitamin D and Calcium: Updated Dietary Reference Intakes.Accessed July 31, 2011.
Heart & Stroke Foundation. Healthy Habits Healthy Weight: A Practical Guide to Weight Management. Accessed July 31, 2011.
International Agency for Research on Cancer. (2008). Vitamin D and Cancer. Lyon, France: IARC. Accessed July 31, 2011.
National Cancer Institute. Obesity and Cancer: Questions and Answers. Accessed July 31, 2011.
World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research. Expert Recommendations. Accessed July 31, 2011.
World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research. Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective. In Washington DC: AICR, 2007. Accessed July 31, 2011.