Enough with Awareness: 3 Simple Strategies to Prevent Breast Cancer

Enough with Awareness: 3 Simple Strategies to Prevent Breast Cancer // realnutritiousliving.com
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I don’t know a single person whose life has not been touched by cancer. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, I wanted to focus on prevention with simple ways to boost breast health. This is a difficult topic and by no means will this post be able to come close to encompassing all we can do to fight prevent breast cancer. Enough with Awareness: 3 Simple Strategies to Prevent Breast Cancer…

Can I be real with you? This statistic REALLY pisses me off. Enough with awareness and pink ribbons.

Have You Heard of ‘Pinkwashing?” 

Breast Cancer Action, a nonprofit organization known as “the watchdog of the breast cancer industry” coined the term “pinkwashing.” It happens when a company or organization claims to care about breast cancer by promoting pink ribbon products, while at the same time, produces, manufactures, or sells products linked to the disease. Pinkwashing is more about profits than the cause itself.

One of the best examples of pinkwashing was Kentucky Fried Chicken’s “Buckets for the Cure” campaign. For every pink bucket of fried chicken sold, KFC donated 50 cents to Komen. Fast food and fried food are associated with many diseases, including cancer.

Then, there was “Promise Me,” a perfume created by Komen which contained toxic ingredients including galaxolide, an endocrine disruptor, touluene, a possible carcinogen and toxic to the liver, and coumarin, which is toxic to the liver and kidneys and used to kill rodents.

Then, there was the “Save Lids to Save Lives” from Yoplait, which donated 10 cents per lid.  Yoplait is a sugar-laden, chemical concoction laced with hormones all linked to cancer, of course!

Are you seeing a trend here? I’m curious how companies who produce “foods” that have a strong correlation to cancer are actually able to contribute to prevention.

Another scary find is how Komen has exaggerated the benefits of mammograms. The reality is that mammograms only save one life in 2,000 while they harm 8-10 women through false alarms, missed cancers, and unnecessary surgery, radiation, drugs, stress, and anxiety!

The examples above, as well as many others not listed here, show exactly why we need to shift our attention away from awareness and focus on prevention.

Enough with Awareness: 3 Simple Strategies to Prevent Breast Cancer

  1. Diet 

Incorporate cancer-fighting organic vegetables such as broccoli, beets, and artichokes.

Broccoli helps the body rid of excess estrogen, which is important as breast cancer is linked to estrogen dominance and contains anti-cancer compounds carotenoids and sulforaphane.

Beets keep the gallbladder healthy and oxygenate cells due to high iron content. Cancer cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment.

Artichokes are a liver superstar, loaded with antioxidants and inhibit cancer cell replication.

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in wild caught fish, grass-fed meats and supplements (like this.) They fight inflammation, which is said to be the root of all disease.

Incorporate chia seeds daily to remove toxins and excess estrogen from the body.

2. Detox

Exercise is key in removing toxins and moving the lymph.

Move the lymph by dry skin brushing, sipping hot water throughout the day, and consider a lymphatic massage or electromagnetic lymph therapy. (Learn more here)

Infrared sauna use helps to reduce malignant cells in the body.

Castor oil packs applied to the breasts are inexpensive and promote elimination and circulation. They also boost immunity and promote healthy sleep.

3. Lifestyle

Wear a comfortable, non-restrictive bra (like this) and not to bed! Check out Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras

Switch to safe personal care products that do not disrupt hormonal health or include aluminum. Look at your skincare, deodorant and makeup products. Check your products on the EWG website, shop verified brands (like Beautycounter) or make your own.

Drink clean filtered water that is removing hormone disruptors and other chemicals.

Avoid contraceptives, consider natural family planning and work closely with a trusted holistic minded practitioner, especially if you’re having issues balancing your hormones or using medications.

 

This subject is obviously quite complex with many contributing factors. These are just a few ways to support breast health and is not an exhaustive list. It is in no way meant to replace self-exams, screenings, or advice from your medical professional.

The best way to use this advise? Pick one thing you know you can do. When you mastered that, pick another and keep going down the list!

Want to help more people reduce their risk? Here are a couple of suggestions:

1. Consider donating to these two trusted organizations: 

2. Host a Beautycounter social on a mission:

I will come to you or we can have a virtual social where we will discuss reducing breast cancer risk and safe personal care products. Everyone will have fun and leave with new tools to stay healthy. Schedule one HERE!

And this is just cool! 

For every Glow and Go set purchased during the holiday season, we will donate one whole set to patients currently undergoing cancer treatments at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC). Shop One, Share One —featuring the Glow and Go Mini Oils gift set, which includes No. 1 Brightening Facial Oil, No. 2 Plumping Facial Oil, and No. 3 Balancing Facial Oil.

Serving 2,000 patients a day, the JCCC is a major source of discovery of the nature of cancer and of the development of more effective approaches to cancer prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. It also delivers medical advances to patients and their families, educates health-care professionals and the public, and reaches out to under-served populations.

Shop One, Share One is a great way to support cancer patients and their families this holiday season. We hope you will help us make it unforgettable for everyone involved. Check out this post to learn more about these amazing oils and why I use them every day.

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Enough with Awareness: 3 Simple Strategies to Prevent Breast Cancer // realnutritiousliving.comSources:

Melissa Schollaert is a Holistic Health & Nutrition Counselor and founder of Real Nutritious Living. Helping others achieve their health goals to attain their healthiest, happiest life is her greatest ambition.

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. However, I only recommend products or services I have personally used myself and trust.
 MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: This content is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult with your advising physician before starting any treatment for a medical condition. Real Nutritious Living, LLC shall not be held liable or responsible for any misunderstanding or misuse of the information contained on this site or for any loss, damage, or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by any treatment, action, or application of any food or food source discussed in this site.

Author: Melissa Schollaert

I'm Melissa—Holistic Health Coach & loving mama. My passion is to help others thrive through strategic eating (not dieting), living a toxic free life & creating healthier families.

27 thoughts on “Enough with Awareness: 3 Simple Strategies to Prevent Breast Cancer”

  1. My cranio-sacral therapist was just talking to me about how I should be lymph moving around my breasts more – thank you for the great reminders! I will be following these!

    1. You’re welcome! I know, it is so sad. Hopefully focusing on prevention will bring positive change.

  2. This is such great info! I agree that it’s crazy that all these big companies go pink or have the ribbon for breast cancer awareness and they are unhealthy products. I didn’t know that about mammograms, so thank you!

  3. Thanks for the info Melissa, always good to read these articles to confirm just how important nutrition and exercise are in helping prevent disease and not just to a maintain healthy weight.

  4. I love this article so much! Also, I hear it’s great to “fluff the ladies” at night after you take off your bra to increase the circulation with a light massage.

  5. Add vitamin D to the list. There’s a strong inverse correlation between vitamin D level and breast cancer, and D has been shown to reduce risk of all cancers.

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