Breast Cancer Awareness Week: 4 Ways Your Diet Can Affect Your Risk

In an effort to increase awareness about breast cancer and lend support to all those who are suffering from it, many countries around the world have declared October as the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The aim is to reduce the stigma around breast cancer and educate people about the risk factors, symptoms and treatment. Talking about the risk factors of breast cancer, a lot of scientific studies claim that you're daily diet can play a part in deciding your risk for breast cancer. Let's have a look at four ways in which your diet can affect your breast cancer risk according to science. 

1. Alcohol: According to a report by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), drinking just one glass of wine or other alcoholic drinks a day can increase the risk of breast cancer in women. 

2. Sugary drinks and diet rich in sugar:  A study published in the journal Cancer Research warns that dietary sugar intake may have an impact on breast cancer development by triggering inflammation in the body. Through their research, researchers found that excess intake of dietary sugar may increase the expression of an enzyme and related fatty acid which could partly explain why a Western diet may be bad for breast cancer.

3. High fat diet: Lot of studies show that a high fat diet can be bad for you but a study published Journal of the National Cancer Institute particularly indicates that women who eat a lot of fat, mostly saturated fat, may be at higher risk of certain types of breast cancer. Saturated fats mainly come from animal products like cheese, fatty meats, and dairy. 

4. Pesticide laden food: Chemical pesticides that are often used to preserve fruits and vegetables can have a negative impact on your health. Some studies have shown that they may cause unhealthy cell changes that can increase the risk of cancer and inflammation in the body. 

Although more research is required to ascertain the effect of your diet on breast cancer risk but it is clear that a healthy and balanced diet with all the essential nutrients and nothing in excess can go a long way in maintaining good health and well-being.