-By Nutritionist Prerna Navin Lade
The other day when I was coming up with this blog my mom asked me what does “Pink Be Fighter!” this tagline means? So then I started explaining to her that the tagline is for “Breast Cancer Awareness”; I explained to her that Breast cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the breast. Cancer starts when cells begin to grow out of control. Breast cancer cells usually form a tumor that can often be seen on an x- ray or felt as a lump. Breast cancer occurs almost entirely in women, but men can get breast cancer, too. It’s important to understand that most breast lumps are benign and not cancer (malignant). Non-cancerous breast tumors are abnormal growths, but they do not spread outside of the breast. They are not life-threatening, but some types of benign breast lumps can increase a woman's risk of getting breast cancer.
Any breast lump or change needs to be checked by a health care professional to determine if it is benign or malignant (cancer) and if it might affect your future cancer risk.
WHERE BREAST CANCER STARTS?
Breast cancers can start from different parts of the breast.
Most breast cancers begin in the ducts that carry milk to the nipple (ductal cancers)
Some start in the glands that make breast milk (lobular cancers)
There are also other types of breast cancer that are less common like phyllodes tumor and angiosarcoma.
A small number of cancers start in other tissues in the breast. These cancers are called sarcomas and lymphomas and are not really thought of as breast cancers.
Although many types of breast cancer can cause a lump in the breast, not all do. See Breast Cancer Signs and Symptoms to learn what you should watch for and report to a health care provider. Many breast cancers are also found on screening mammograms, which can detect cancers at an earlier stage, often before they can be felt, and before symptoms develop.
THESE ARE SOME FACTS & FIGURES OF BREAST CANCER IN INDIA:
In India, breast cancer is higher in urban areas with 1 in 22, whereas in rural areas its just 1 in 60. Estimated, 1 in 28 women is prone to have breast cancer in her lifetime in India.
Breast cancer accounts for 25% to 32% of female cancers in all cities across India.
In India, one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 4 minutes.
One woman dies of breast cancer, every 13 minutes in India. An estimated 70,218 women died of breast cancer in India, in the year 2012, the highest in the world for that year. Only 60% of women who are treated for breast cancer, survive for at least five years post-treatment in India as compared to 89% in the US.
The high mortality rate is due to the lack of awareness and delay in screening and diagnosis.
More than 50% of breast cancer patients in India are suffering from stage 3 and 4, where the chances of survival are extremely low.
India sees a spurt in the cases of breast cancer in the age group of 30 to 50, and the same is likely to increase.
Breastfeeding often interrupts periods, which leads to fewer menstrual cycles and less estrogen exposure, leading to about a 4.3 percent reduction in the overall risk of breast cancer for every 12 months of breastfeeding. According to the National Institute of Health, breast cancer survivors are at an increased risk of osteoporosis. Estrogen has a protective effect on bones, and reduced estrogen levels can trigger bone loss.
PREVENTION OF BREAST CANCER:
Maintain A Healthy Weight.
Chest Radiation.
Control Stress.
Keep Your Environment Clean.
Ditch Plastic.
Exercise Regularly.
Quit Smoking.
Limiting Alcohol.
Get Enough Sleep.
Healthy Diet.
DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR BREAST CANCER:
• Fruits, Whole Grains & Vegetables
• Grains - Wheat, rye, oats, rice, corn, bulgur, barley
• Green leafy vegetables - Lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, endives, beet greens, romaine
• Cruciferous vegetables - Broccoli, cabbage, turnip, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collards, kale, mustard greens. • Legumes - Soybeans, peas, chickpeas, lima beans, peanuts, dried beans (kidney, mung, pinto, black-eyed peas), lentils.
• Carotenoids - Dark yellow/orange/green vegetables and fruits
You are strong than you have thought. Just fight for it by taking the correct decision’s.
-By Nutritionist Prerna Navin Lade (Nutrizest Wellness)