*This article was updated on 10/17/23

Cancer. This single word can stop you in your tracks. So, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and all the brave souls out there fighting for their health, I wanted to give you some tips to help fight back against cancer.

So let’s dive into some simple yet powerful tips for breast cancer prevention!

Can You Really Prevent Breast Cancer?

The answer to this question is – it’s complicated. It’s impossible to say with 100% certainty that anything can be prevented – cancer included. That’s because there are often many, many factors that can all come together to cause your cells to mutate and become cancerous.

But the good news is, there are some proactive steps you can take to stack the deck in your favor and go a long, long way in bolstering your defenses against the development of cancer. You see, it’s the lifestyle choices you make over time that have a monumental impact on preventing breast cancer.¹

So here are 11 of the most impactful lifestyle tips when it comes to breast cancer prevention.

#1: Exercise To Prevent Breast Cancer

Engaging in regular physical activity packs a powerful punch when it comes to preventing breast cancer. Regular exercise can:

• Boost your immune system
• Decrease inflammation
• Alleviate stress
• Reduce the levels of circulating hormones (like estrogen and dangerous estrogen metabolites which are linked to an increased risk of breast cancer)
• Enhance your overall well-being

These combined effects help to create an environment within the body that is less conducive to the development and progression of breast cancer cells. In fact, women who do aerobic exercise 3-5 times per week have a 12-21% less risk of breast cancer.² And the best part is, you don’t necessarily have to hit the gym or lace up your running shoes to reap the benefits of exercise. 

A simple walk, some power yoga in the comfort of your home, or signing up for that invigorating kickboxing class can all help get your body moving without having to engage in traditional workout sessions. Or if you really want to maximize your time and energy, you can try The Power Plate MOVE – a cutting edge whole-body vibration plate that can give you all the benefits of exercise with a fraction of the effort. Click here to learn more about Power Plate and exactly how this amazing technology works.

#2: Reduce Stress To Prevent Breast Cancer

Chronic stress is a huge risk factor not only for heart disease, high blood pressure, ulcers, and depression but also – you guessed it – cancer. Breast cancer frequently follows a period of severe, constant stress…a bad marriage, the death of a child, abusive work conditions, bankruptcy, etc. This is, in part, because when stress levels rise, so does your stress hormone – cortisol.³ 

And elevated cortisol can increase estrogen dominance, which can in turn, up the likelihood of cells becoming cancerous. So reducing and managing stress are key when it comes to preventing breast cancer. Some ways to keep stress in check might include:

• Getting rid of stressors when possible
• Walking and spending time in nature
• Talking with a trusted loved one
• Laughing and engaging in things that bring you joy
• Meditating 
• Deep breathing
• Finding things that get you into a flow state
• Strengthening your resilience
• Releasing anger and focus on forgiveness
• Practicing regulating your nervous system (I love using the Apollo device to help soothe my nervous system and more quickly return to a relaxed, calm state)

People who “go with the flow” and “let it go” rarely get cancer. And while not all of us are naturally wired to be this way, you have an immense amount of power when it comes to shifting the way you show up in the world. So practice becoming a more “go with the flow” kind of person – it can go a long way in protecting your health!

#3: Follow A Low Carbohydrate Diet To Prevent Breast Cancer

Your body relies on the hormone insulin to shuttle sugar into your cells. So naturally, a diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, leads to elevated insulin levels. This is problematic for a few reasons:⁴

• Chronically elevated insulin levels can increase the amount of free estrogen floating around in your body
• Insulin can also directly stimulate your estrogen receptors
• Cancerous tumor cells over express insulin receptors – thus allowing more glucose in to feed the tumor
• Too-high insulin levels can also spike inflammation

Because of this combination of effects, breast, and other cancers are stimulated by sugar and other refined carbohydrates. In fact, it’s been found that women diagnosed with breast cancer, who also have high insulin levels, have an increased risk of breast cancer coming back and are more likely to die from breast cancer.

So focus on minimizing processed sugar and refined carbohydrates. While you don’t have to avoid sweets and indulgences entirely, it can be helpful to be sure you’re pairing insulin-spiking foods with things like protein, fat, and fiber to prevent those intense blood sugar spikes. It can also be immensely helpful to incorporate a supplement like Metabolic Synergy to support healthy insulin utilization and balanced glucose metabolism.

#4: Eat Whole Foods To Prevent Breast Cancer

As Hippocrates said – “Let food be your medicine”. Much of what you need to prevent cancer is a gift from the earth. You see, foods “from the earth” like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds contain a plethora of nutrients like phytonutrients, minerals, vitamins, and fibers – all of which naturally balance your hormones, combat inflammation, and support a healthy body.⁵

On the flip side, the more refined the food, the less nutrition, and the more chemicals. You see, many processed foods contain food dyes, preservatives, and flavor enhancers, which have been linked to potential carcinogenic effects. Furthermore, processed foods are typically high in unhealthy fats and insulin-spiking sugars which can lead to obesity and chronic inflammation – two factors that significantly increase the risk of cancer development. 

So focus on building the majority of your meals around real, whole foods. If you need some help mixing it up in the kitchen and incorporating more whole foods, be sure to head over and check out my Recipe Library.

#5: Avoid Partially Hydrogenated Oils and Trans Fats To Prevent Breast Cancer

Not all fats are created equally. Natural fats found in whole food sources are not a problem – in fact, some fats can be quite healing. However, trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils are highly processed fats that have undergone a process known as hydrogenation. Partial hydrogenation is a manufacturing process in which hydrogen is added to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid at room temperature – altering their chemical structure.

This alteration in chemical structure is what makes these specific types of fat so troublesome by not only increasing dangerous estrogen metabolites but also by stimulating breast cancer cell growth directly. These harmful fats are found in almost all processed foods and in margarine or shortening.

So again, focus on eating mostly whole foods and incorporating natural fats like coconut oil or olive oil.

#6: Prioritize Omega 3 Fatty Acids To Prevent Breast Cancer

Remember when I said some fats are quite healing? Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids can be extremely helpful in preventing breast cancer by:⁶

• Pumping the brakes on inflammation
• Inhibiting breast cancer cell proliferation
• Increases the good estrogen metabolites
• Binding to the estrogen receptor directly and thereby preventing the strong and chemical estrogens from stimulating the cell 

You can find these healing fats naturally in certain foods like chia seeds, flax seeds, or fresh-caught salmon. But it can be helpful to take a concentrated dose via a supplement like:

• OmegaPro PRM: A concentrated dose of essential fatty acids pared with pro-resolving mediators (PRMs) that help downregulate the inflammatory process and balance your immune system
• Omega Essentials: High-concentration fish oil sourced from the cleanest, most sustainable source of fish in the world
• Omega Curcumin: Highly absorbable fatty acids fused with curcumin – a potent antioxidant that has been found to have profound effect on preventing and combating cancer

You can find these essential fatty acids and more through my online store.

#7: Get Lots of Fiber To Prevent Breast Cancer

Dietary fiber, often simply referred to as fiber, is a type of carbohydrate found in plant-based foods that your body can’t digest or absorb. Rather, this fibrous material passes through your digestive tract relatively intact. And this fiber exerts some pretty impressive health benefits when it comes to preventing breast cancer: Fiber can:⁷

• Lower the amount of estrogen and estrogen metabolites which are available to stimulate the breast tissue
• Slow the absorption of sugar and carbs to create a more gradual rise in blood sugars
• Lower insulin and glucose levels which feed tumor cells
• Support a balanced microbiome which can have a monumental impact on your likelihood of developing cancer

While it’s essential to ensure you’re getting plenty of fiber through your diet by eating plenty of fresh fruits, veggies, and legumes, it can also be helpful to add in some extra fiber (like that found in my Essential Fiber supplement).

#8: Ditch the Chemicals To Prevent Breast Cancer

Many chemicals act as what’s referred to as endocrine disruptors – molecules that can block, mimic, or interfere with your natural hormones.⁸ And many of the chemicals found in our everyday environments mimic estrogen – thus stimulating the breast tissue and acting as very strong estrogen. Some ways you can reduce your exposure to these cancer-promoting chemicals include:

• Filtering your air with a science-backed filtration system (I recommend Austin Air or Air Doctor)
• Purifying your water (click here to learn how to choose the best water filters)
• Opting for non-toxic skincare
• Switching to low-tox home and cleaning products
• Using essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances

Click here to learn more about all of my favorite low-tox swaps.

#9: Limit or Avoid Alcohol To Prevent Breast Cancer

The ethanol in alcohol can be metabolized into acetaldehyde – a carcinogen that damages DNA and proteins – potentially leading to the development of cancerous cells. In addition, alcohol can increase the amount of estrogen made in your fatty tissue.⁹ 

So it’s a good idea to avoid or limit alcoholic beverages to bolster your defenses against the development of cancer.

#10: Avoid Obesity To Prevent Breast Cancer

Being obese increases the risk of breast cancer for several interconnected reasons:¹⁰

• Hormone production and balance: Fat tissue produces estrogen – and higher levels of estrogen can stimulate the growth of some types of breast cancer cells. Obesity can also disrupt the balance of various other hormones and growth factors in the body which can contribute to cell proliferation and the promotion of cancer.
• Inflammation and immune dysfunction: Obesity is associated with chronic inflammation in the body which can foster cancer development and progression. Obesity can also impair the function of the immune system, making it less effective at detecting and eliminating cancer cells.
• Insulin resistance: Obesity often leads to insulin resistance (where the body's cells don't respond effectively to insulin) and chronically elevated insulin levels which may stimulate the growth of certain cancer cells.

For these reasons, maintaining a healthy body weight can be an essential step in breast cancer prevention.

#11: Log Plenty of Quality Sleep To Prevent Breast Cancer

Sleep deprivation is like poison to your body – negatively impacting just about every facet of your health. Lack of sleep can disrupt your immune system, drive up inflammation, throw your hormones out of whack, spike your stress levels, and much more. And all of these factors can add up in a big way when it comes to cancer development.

In fact, sleep is so intertwined with cancer, that a low melatonin level has been directly associated with an increased risk of breast and other cancers.¹⁰ If regularly getting a good night's rest sounds like a far off dream, some all natural sleep aids like the following might help:

• Dream Powder
• Sleep Essentials
• Melatonin One

It can also be helpful to incorporate some other slumber-supporting strategies that you can learn more about in my article Hack Your Sleep: 6 Tips to Help You Sleep Better Naturally.

An Ounce Of Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Cure

Whether you’ve recently been diagnosed with cancer, are lucky enough to be in remission, or simply want to tilt the odds in your favor when it comes to preventing breast cancer, these tips can help. It’s these small, day-to-day choices that all add up to create the bigger picture of your health. And while there are no guarantees in life, being proactive and investing in your health is the best thing you can do to create the vibrant health and longevity we all deserve.

If you’re looking for more ways to prioritize and protect your health, I’ve got you covered. I’ve got hundreds of free, science-backed, and easy-to-understand resources available for you on my blog and YouTube channel (and be sure to get on my email list so you don’t miss the new content I drop each week). And while the practical, action-based steps are undoubtedly crucial for a healthy life, they aren’t the only thing that’s important.

Because true vitality and well-being requires a mind-body-soul approach. And that’s why I wrote my newly released book Unexpected: Finding Resilience Through Functional Medicine, Science, and Faith. I wrote this book with the hopes of helping you tap into not only physical health, but to find peace, love, resilience, and purpose in your heart and mind as well. Click here to learn more about my book and to grab a copy for yourself. 

Resources:

1. Preventable Cancers | The University of Kansas Cancer Center (kucancercenter.org)
2. Physical Activity and Cancer Fact Sheet – NCI
3. Study Suggests Link Between Stress, Cancer Returning – NCI
4. Does insulin resistance cause cancer? | MD Anderson Cancer Center
5. What are phytochemicals? (And why should you eat more of them?) | UCLA Health
6. Cancer Diet: Omega-3 Fatty Acids | Stanford Health Care
7. How Your Diet Can Affect Estrogen Levels (healthline.com)
8. Endocrine Disruptors (nih.gov)
9. Ways alcohol causes cancer – Cancer Council Victoria (cancervic.org.au)
10. Melatonin and Breast Cancer: What to Know (healthcentral.com)