| Unfortunately one in nine women will develop | | | | Some of you reading this will already have |
| Breast Cancer, and it is important that women | | | | developed breast cancer, and there are many |
| screen themselves weekly for changes in their | | | | changes to diet and activity levels which can |
| breasts. Most women will find a lump at some | | | | improve recovery and reduce chances of |
| time, but these are usually lumps of fibrous tissue, | | | | developing cancer again. Recent research has |
| and are generally not harmful. Any unusual | | | | found that women who have previously done |
| changes in your breasts should be mentioned to a | | | | several hours of exercise a week are likely to |
| doctor. For more information on self screening log | | | | recover better from breast cancer, and women |
| on to | | | | with breast cancer who perform gentle exercise |
| Breast Cancer has been linked to 3 factors: | | | | for half an hour three times a week are more |
| 1. Exposure to natural (produced by the body) | | | | likely to recover faster and survive breast cancer. |
| and synthetic (chemicals in the environment) | | | | Eating complex carbohydrates, lots of fruit and |
| Oestrogen (a hormone). | | | | vegetables and soya products will also aid |
| 2. The way your liver breaks down and deals with | | | | recovery, and balanced diets may help with the |
| both of these. | | | | fatigue endured by many women undergoing |
| 3. The speed at which these breakdown products | | | | treatment. Gentle exercise helps to reduce the |
| are removed from the gut. | | | | stress associated with living with cancer and |
| We can reduce or risk of developing Breast | | | | undergoing treatment, and sufferers and |
| cancer in three ways linked to this: | | | | non-sufferers may benefit from releasing stress |
| 1. Minimizing exposure to synthetic oestrogen. | | | | and tension and unburdening the mind though |
| 2. Keeping our liver healthy and in good working | | | | relaxation, yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, or prayer. |
| order. | | | | People with breast cancer and those who wish to |
| 3. Keeping our intestines and colon (gut) healthy | | | | avoid it will benefit from a diet rich in anti-oxidants |
| and working well. | | | | (cancer-busting chemicals) these can be found in |
| How can we do these things? Well, synthetic | | | | colourful fruit and vegetables such as; broccoli, |
| Oestrogen's are found in plastic food wrapping; | | | | red, yellow and orange peppers, apricots, |
| punnets, cling film, plastic trays, and in soft plastic | | | | beetroot, spinach and chard, mango and papaya, |
| containers such as food storage containers, in | | | | cherries and carrots, blueberries and strawberries. |
| un-filtered tap water, household cleaners and | | | | Another super food containing a powerful |
| meat, among other things. Synthetic Oestrogen | | | | anti-oxidant called selenium is Brazil Nuts- eat a |
| can have up to 100 times more effect on breast | | | | few every day. Healthy eating and sensible |
| tissue than natural Oestrogen. We can help | | | | activity levels worked in around cancer |
| ourselves and our family by trying to cut down | | | | treatments will aid recovery and support the |
| on plastic wrapping- buy a basket or a material | | | | body through chemotherapy, and recovery from |
| shopping bag and buy your food from local | | | | surgery. For more information and support on |
| vegetable shops and fishmongers/markets, | | | | nutrition contact the Bristol Cancer Help Center- a |
| requesting that food is put directly into your | | | | world-famous organization devoted to helping |
| basket, or a box or shopping bag. You must | | | | people recover. |
| notice how half the dustbin is full of plastic bottles, | | | | To finish, here are some ways in which you can |
| punnets and wrapping stuff. By cutting down on | | | | help your body, (and the bodies of those that you |
| these plastics you can help the environment at | | | | care for) ward off breast cancer or recover |
| the same time. When making lunch to take to | | | | from it:o Give up smoking.o Self-monitor and |
| work or children's lunch boxes, pack food in | | | | check breasts weekly, reporting any unusual |
| grease-proof paper and paper bags, you can also | | | | changes to doctor.o Cut down on plastic |
| save little glass jars for your work lunch box. | | | | packaging, plastic bags, and cleaning chemicals.o |
| (There are now glass baby bottles available if this | | | | Eat less meat, and choose organic meat. Swap |
| issue worries you). Exposure to synthetic | | | | meat for soya products which is a good protein |
| Oestrogen can also be limited by using a water | | | | source, and rebalances the harmful effects of |
| filter, using more eco-friendly cleaning products | | | | synthetic protein.o Cut down on your alcohol |
| such as Ecover, by eating less red meat and by | | | | intake.o Eat complex carbohydrates, and lots of |
| choosing Organic foods (which also often use less | | | | fresh fruits and vegetables of many different |
| plastic in wrapping)- especially organic meat which | | | | colours.o Take regular exercise- 3x30minutes for |
| will contain less hormones and chemicals. The bad | | | | people recovering from breast cancer, and 3-4 |
| effects of Oestrogen are also thought to be | | | | hours per week for everyone else. This exercise |
| counteracted by eating plenty of soya products, | | | | does not need to be strenuous or structured, and |
| so supplement your diet with soya milk, soya | | | | can be broken into small manageable chunks; 20 |
| yoghurts and puddings, Tofu and tofu sausages, | | | | minute walk to the park, 10 minutes gardening, |
| and soya beans. | | | | vacuuming enthusiastically to loud music for |
| The second way to reduce our chances of | | | | fifteen minutes!o Maintain a healthy weight.o |
| developing breast cancer is to support our liver, | | | | Reduce the stress in your life where possible. Try |
| so that it can efficiently break down the | | | | and be organised as this can help. Find time to |
| Oestrogen in our body. To do this we should cut | | | | look after yourself and to relax. Try yoga, |
| right down on alcohol. The government guideline | | | | meditation and Tai chi- there are many classes, |
| for safe alcohol limits is 14 units for a woman per | | | | books and videos on offer. Release stress |
| week and 21 units for men, but the Breast | | | | through gentle exercise, having a candle-lit bath or |
| Cancer awareness organization recommend that | | | | watching a weepy or funny film- whatever works |
| we drop our consumption to several units per | | | | for you. Remember that you are important and |
| week. Lowering your alcohol intake will keep you | | | | you deserve time to relax your body and mind.o |
| healthier for longer. Some drugs used to help | | | | Breastfeeding your babies for as long as possible |
| support the livers of Breast Cancer patients are | | | | reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. |
| made from an extract of broccoli, and it is well | | | | If you can live this way as much as possible you |
| known that cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, | | | | will reduce your chances of developing many |
| cabbages, cauliflower, and sprouts) can guard | | | | other cancers, and other chronic conditions such |
| against cancer. So boost for liver health by eating | | | | as heart disease. Setting a good example of |
| plenty of fresh steamed broccoli. We can also | | | | healthy living to children and grandchildren will |
| promote liver health by drinking plenty of water, | | | | reduce their chances of suffering from chronic |
| cutting down our salt intake, avoiding smoked and | | | | disease in later life. |
| cured meats and foods, and also by exercising | | | | See if you can take one new step this week to |
| frequently and avoiding recreational drugs, and | | | | reduce your chances of developing breast cancer, |
| unnecessary medication. The liver can also be put | | | | or to boost your recovery. Pass on this |
| under stress by environmental toxins such as | | | | newsletter to your friends and colleagues, and |
| paint fumes, aerosols and household chemicals, so | | | | help to spread awareness of Breast Cancer this |
| use masks when decorating, and protect children | | | | October. For more information log on to: |
| from fumes. When cleaning, limit use of chemicals | | | | Take care folks, |
| and choose gentler products such as Ecover. Try | | | | Vikki. |
| traditional methods such as using bicarbonate of | | | | Do you have any friends and family who could |
| soda to clean the fridge, and vinegar to clean | | | | benefit from getting fitter and feeling better? If |
| glass- ask your mum and grandma for hot tips! | | | | you do, then treat them to free copy of this |
| The third way that you can limit your risk factors | | | | newsletter, forward it to them, and get them to |
| is to promote bowel or gut health, and move | | | | e-mail me with a request. E-mail |
| unhealthy substances quickly from the body (stay | | | | getfitter@yahoo.co.uk subject: newsletter request. |
| regular). There are several ways that we can do | | | | Would you like to bring health into the workplace? |
| this; eating fiber rich foods- lots of complex | | | | Get fitter now offers a corporate package, |
| carbohydrates, lots of fruit and vegetables | | | | including yoga classes/courses, Nutrition seminars, |
| including the skin where possible, drinking plenty of | | | | conference breaks, Company Wellness days and |
| water, and exercising. All of these things will keep | | | | Healthy Friday a monthly wellness event. Please |
| the waste products in the gut moving through the | | | | visit |
| body and quickly out again, reducing the chances | | | | The information contained in the Get fitter |
| of the Oestrogen breakdown products from the | | | | Newsletter is provided for informational purposes |
| liver causing damage to the body. Keeping our gut | | | | only and is not intended as a substitute for the |
| healthy also involves keeping the gut flora healthy | | | | advice of or treatment that may be prescribed |
| (friendly bacteria). This can largely be done by | | | | by your physician. Before adhering to any |
| eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, drinking | | | | recommendations or undertaking any exercise |
| water, eating natural yoghurt and avoiding | | | | program or diet regimen, you should consult your |
| excessive alcohol. | | | | physician. |