How to Lower Your Breast Cancer Risk By Changing What You Drink

There's been a lot of publicity lately about reducing your breast cancer risk by eating a diet low in fat and high in fruits and vegetables. Less attention has been focused on another factor that may reduce your
breast cancer risk, changing what you drink each day. Yes, more evidence is showing that what you drink on a daily basis can play a role in the development of certain types of cancer including breast cancer. Here are some tips for breast cancer risk reduction by changing what you drink:

Reduce or eliminate your alcohol intake.

Although some studies have shown that an alcoholic drink or two a day may reduce your risk of heart disease, evidence is accumulating that alcohol has a negative impact on your risk of breast cancer. A study carried out by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle showed that as little as two alcoholic drinks per increased the risk of breast cancer by 80%. Another study performed by the American Cancer society showed that only one drink a day increased breast cancer risk by 30% compared to women who didn't drink at all. If you're serious about reducing your breast cancer risk, eliminate alcohol from your diet entirely.

Drink green tea on a daily basis.

Studies have shown that the polyphenols found in green tea may be potent inhibitors of breast tumors. In studies where rats had their water replaced with green tea, researchers found that the rats that drank green tea on a daily basis were slower to develop breast tumors and the ones they did develop were smaller in size. To get the breast cancer protective effects of green tea, you would need to drink at least four glasses per day. Since this may be a problem if you can't tolerate caffeine, consider investing in a green tea supplement available in pill form. It seems to have similar properties to the actual green tea drink.

Filter your water.

Unfortunately, many households have tap water that's full of impurities and potential carcinogens. Of particular concern is the chlorine in tap water that's used to kill bacteria. When you ingest chlorine through your water supply or through other means, the chlorine reacts with certain chemicals in the body to form trihalomethanes which are thought to be carcinogenic. When a group of women with breast cancer were examined and compared to normal women, they were found to have higher levels of chlorine by products in their breast tissue, suggesting a possible association between chlorine and breast cancer. The best way to reduce impurities in your water is to get a good home water filter that removes chlorine and other impurities. Even better, get a whole house water filter for better protection. There's evidence that these impurities are readily absorbed through the skin when bathing or showering.

Reduce your intake of nonorganic dairy milk.

Unfortunately, many of the milk cattle in the dairy industry have been treated with growth hormone and antibiotics which can enter the milk supply. Growth hormone in dairy milk can increase levels of a chemical in the body called IGF-1 which plays a key role in the development and growth of breast and prostate cancers. Recent studies have also shown that antibiotic intake may increase a woman's breast cancer risk. If you're going to consume milk, buy organic milk products. There are also excellent nondairy milk substitutes such as almond milk, rice milk, and soy milk.

Replace soft drinks with fruit and vegetable juices.

There is some evidence that a diet high in fruit and vegetables may reduce breast cancer risk, although this is not proven. Fruit and vegetable juices are a great way to make sure you're getting your five to seven servings per day.

As you can see, it's not just what you eat that may affect your risk for breast cancer, it's also what you drink. Why not eliminate those soft drinks and alcoholic beverages and replace them with a tasty beverage that may reduce your risk for breast cancer?