"According to the survey, Mexican women with breast cancer self-reported a significantly higher intake of total calories, proteins, carbohydrates, sucrose and fructose ... The women with the highest carbohydrate intake [57 percent or more of calories] had more than twice the risk of breast cancer than women with the lowest carbohydrate intake ... But women who ate a great deal of insoluble fiber, found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables had less risk of developing breast cancer."
"Carbohydrates and the Risk of Breast Cancer Among Mexican Women." Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, August 2004, vol. 13, pp 1283-1289.
Iodine protects breasts, according to David Derry, MD. After reading a report in a 1993 issue of Canadian Journal of Surgery, he suggested to over 200 female patients with cystic breasts that they take extra iodine. Within two months to two years, their cysts completely disappeared.
Instead of taking supplements, I keep my breasts healthy by using lots of high-iodine kelp (seaweed) in my diet. I cook beans with kombu, add wakame to soups, and eat Nereocystis fronds like potato chips. Look for seaweed recipes in my book Healing Wise.
"Iodine Combats Breast Cysts," Victoria Times Colonist, Sept. 9, 1997
Find a history of bras and their influence on breast disease via Dr. Ralph Reed's research (http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/de... ).
Some highlights from his collection of scientific articles: In 2000, researchers in Japan found that wearing a girdle and a bra lowered melatonin levels by 60 percent. (Melatonin plays an important part in preventing breast cancer.) Also in 2000, researchers looking at the connection between hot breasts and breast cancer found that wearing a bra causes localized heating of breast tissues. In 1995, women who stopped wearing bras reported their fibrocystic breast disease and pain was relieved or eliminated. In 1991 researchers at Harvard noticed that women who did not wear bras had a 60% lower rate of breast cancer than women who wore them.
"Breast cancer risk was increased 40-60% among those who frequently did not sleep during the period of the night when melatonin levels are typically at their highest: between 1:00 am and 2:00 am. This includes insomniacs as well as night shift workers." There even appeared to be an indication of increasing risk for increasing amounts of ambient light in the bedroom.
"Exposure to Light at Night Increases the Risk of Breast Cancer," HealthFacts, Nov, 2001, reporting on an October 2001 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
