Food Tips to Prevent Breast Cancer

 "Check your bumps for lumps"

"Yes my boobs are fake, my real ones tried to kill me."

"Whoever said winning isn't everything, obviously wasn't fighting breast cancer"

You might have seen these slogans on pink t-shirts mostly worn by women during October. They may even sound funny, but the campaign behind that has the seriousness of life and death.

Breast cancer is indeed a humorless issue. It is basically a malignant tumor which begins in breast cells. And is mostly found in women, however, men can be targets too.

Fighting cancer can be done with the most basic things, including your diet. Nature has provided the organic ways in avoiding the disease.

Below are common examples...

Food Tips to Prevent Breast Cancer:

• Carrots - this vegetable contains retinoic acid, which studies have shown to maintain youthful glow and reverses the early inner cell changes that leads to breast cancer. This helps stop the progression of the disease in the early stages. It is said that high amount of alpha carotene in the blood has lower risks with cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

• Walnuts - scientific studies have found that walnuts have nutrients that may prevent cancer. Some of these are: Gallic acid, phytosterols, melatonin and omega-3 fatty acids.

• Whole Grains - they can help protect against various types of cancers including prostate and breast. Whole grains contain plant estrogens and antioxidants which balance the glucose response and lower the body acidity. This is a plus sign since cancer needs acidity to spread.

• Garlic - not just a part of cooking, but also useful to prevent breast cancer. Garlic contains compounds and antibacterial properties that may prevent the disease such as: flavonoids, allicin, and selenium. You may use the herb in its various forms, be it essential oil, extract, powder or supplements.

• Oranges - daily consumption of oranges helps in preventing the disease. Oranges are rich in vitamin C and limonoids which are phytochemicals that bears anti-cancer properties. You can use real orange and lemon oils in health drinks and cooking.

• Broccoli - this vegetable contain indole-3-carbinol which minimizes the levels of estrogen in women that may cause breast cancer. Broccoli helps block tumor growth and prevents the spread of cancer if it occurs.

• Tomatoes - these are rich in compounds called lycopene which lower the rates of breast and prostate cancer. You may consume tomatoes in forms like: juice, cooked, sauce and dried.

Potential Risks of Breast Reduction Surgery

Breast reduction is a surgery that is performed to permanently reduce the size of a woman's breast. It is also called reduction mammoplasty. This procedure excises the fat, skin, and glandular tissue of the breast with the intention to reduce breast size.

Why would a woman want breast reduction? Overly large breasts can have many adverse effects on a woman, including but not limited to: chronic neck and back pain, emotional trauma, and physical limitations from participating in certain activities such as sports. However, the surgery does not come without some form of risk. This article will discuss a few of them.

Fat necrosis is more common in larger breast reduction procedures, but the risk is always present. It is described as the death of fat cells and can cause a lump or visible bump within the skin.

Permanent numbness is also a real risk when a woman undergoes breast reduction surgery.

Although it is a rare problem, it can occur in a small area of a single breast due to nerves being severed during the procedure.

Loss of blood supply to a nipple can cause its cells to die and the nipple will have to be removed. Although a rare problem, it is something that must be considered before a woman undergoes breast reduction surgery. Because of the risk of losing a nipple, most doctors highly recommend you undergo breast reduction only after you are done having children.

If a patient tries to return to work too early or perhaps engages in activity that wasn't recommended, such as exercise or heavy lifting, there is a chance of wound separation. If the incisions do pull apart, surgery is not required to repair them, although healing time is greatly increased.

Another rare possibility is a negative reaction to the anesthesia.

You can be tested prior to surgery to find out if you will have a negative reaction to the anesthesia. Speak with your doctor to learn more.

Some degree of permanent scarring is unavoidable. To minimize the risk of scarring, it is best to follow the surgeon's recommendations post surgery. Optimal healing conditions will minimize scarring. This will include plenty of water consumption and abstaining from smoking for at least several months after surgery.

The intention of this article is not to provide medical advice. Should you have questions regarding your health or questions about a potential plastic surgery procedure, you need to contact a board certified, licensed surgeon and schedule a consultation.