Breast cancer rejuvenation: Environmental hormones are the most overlooked factor

In Asia, breast cancer is trending younger. However, few people know that in addition to the common familiar factors, there are other easily overlooked cancer-causing factors, one of which is environmental hormones.

Breast cancer rejuvenation: Environmental hormones are the most overlooked cancer-causing factor

According to World Health Organization figures, by 2020, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, with a total of 2.26 million new cases worldwide.

Dr. Liao Zhiying, director of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Taichung Hospital (Taiwan), said that the rate of breast cancer in European and American countries is high, but patients are often older. The most common time of onset is after menopause and after age 50. Major risk factors are related to early menarche, late menopause, contraceptive use, never having had children, obesity, and environmental hormones.

However, in East Asia, the age of breast cancer patients is mainly between 40 and 50 years old, and the proportion of patients aged 30 to 40 years is increasing.

Dr. Lieu Zhiying said that the number of young breast cancer patients has actually increased, ranging from the age of 20 to 30. Some young patients only discover lumps in the breast during pregnancy and breast-feeding, due to being detected too late, when going to the doctor, it has developed into stage 2 or 3.

The medical community has yet to find out whether genetics or environmental factors lead to breast cancer rejuvenation. However, at least some factors may already be known, which should help people take the right precautions. Factors that can cause this cancer are as follows:

Heredity: Not a high percentage of cancer patients and can only be speculated as one of the possible factors.

Stress: High pressure is a cancer-causing factor, which can cause inflammation in the body, cell gene mutations, and cancer. Compared with Western women, Asian women tend to be under more pressure, for example, having to shoulder work and family at the same time. Most women in their 30s to 40s are torn between work, family and parenting, so the pressure is naturally high. 

Living and resting: Staying up late, working the night shift, and changing day and night activities can also lead to cancer. Doctor Lieu Chi Dinh said that flight attendants are one of the high-risk groups.

Frequent staying up late, working the night shift plus the upside-down day and night activities can easily lead to cancer, flight attendants are one of the groups with a high risk of cancer.

Diet: Processed red meat, foods high in fat and sugar can increase the risk of breast cancer.

Air pollution: Air pollution also increases the risk of breast cancer.

Obesity and body fat: People with a heavy weight and high amounts of body fat have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Doctor Liao Zhiying reminds that women with more than 30% to 40% body fat are prone to an increased risk of breast cancer.

Environmental hormones: There are also the most overlooked and very important carcinogens, which are environmental hormones. Environmental hormones are chemicals that enter the body and mimic hormones, thereby disrupting the function of hormones naturally secreted by the body. Environmental hormones cause hormonal imbalance, one of the causes of breast cancer in women.

In fact, daily life is filled with environmental hormones, such as pesticides, detergents, skin care products, plastic products, perfumes, etc.

Plastic packaging can introduce chemicals into your food.

Use plastic tableware that contains plasticizers or store hot foods in a plastic bag, which can easily ingest environmental hormones. For everyday essentials such as shampoos, shower gels, and skin care products that are loved by everyone and have long-lasting fragrances, they are the most unavoidable carcinogens for women.

Xie Jieyang, PhD in chemical engineering from National Taiwan University, writes in his book that the stronger and longer the fragrance of such products, the higher the plasticizer content. . This is because the phthalates in these products used to fix the fragrance are plasticizers.

Phthalate can be absorbed through the skin, although the body can metabolize it, it is still harmful in the long run due to its high exposure in daily life.

First line of defense against breast cancer: Avoid environmental hormones and eat these 4 foods

So how can we avoid and reduce our exposure to environmental hormones?

First of all, you should try to avoid using plastic products such as plastic tableware, plastic bags, skin care products, shower gel and shampoo, etc. Should choose products with natural, simple ingredients. Simple, the scent is not too strong or too long.

Should consider choosing shampoo with natural ingredients, simple, fragrance not too strong or too long.

Regular weekly exercise not only helps to reduce fat, keep body mass index (BMI) within the normal value, but also reduces the level of environmental hormones in the body.

We also need to relieve stress in our lives in a reasonable way and maintain a quality sleep. This helps reduce inflammation in the body and avoid unwanted gene entry. Make sure to sleep from 11pm to 3am so that the liver can detoxify and recover, and remember to drink plenty of water.

 Mr. Chen Jianren, former Vice President of Taiwan and a senior epidemiologist studying environmental hormones, emphasized that drinking more water helps detox quickly. However, drinking plenty of water does not include sports drinks or refreshments. Filtered water is the best choice.

Ms. Jian Ziyun (Jian Ziyun), a nutritionist specializing in functional medicine, reminds you to pay attention to menstrual irregularities, irregular monthly cycles, excessive or too little menstrual bleeding. Hormonal imbalances can also increase the risk of breast cancer.

Women should eat more colorful vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, berries, foods rich in fiber, etc.

In addition, a reasonable diet can also prevent breast cancer such as eating colorful vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, berries, foods rich in fiber and foods with water-soluble fiber.

Common cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, broccoli, beets, cabbage, bok choy, kohlrabi, rapeseed, mustard greens, kale, etc. We can also add a little amount. onions, ginger and garlic are suitable for dishes. In addition to flavor, these spices also contain sulfides that help prevent cancer.

Experts do not recommend eating fruit that is too sweet, but emphasize that you can eat more berries with high antioxidant content, including blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, mulberries, and mulberries. , etc. However, be careful to buy fresh or frozen berries instead of dried berries that contain too much sugar.

According to a Harvard study, women who ate a high-fiber diet had an 8% lower risk of breast cancer. Researchers think that eating more foods with fiber can lower blood sugar, reduce the excess of female hormones, which in turn may reduce the incidence of breast cancer. Dr. Liao Zhiying said that water-soluble fiber has a better effect on preventing breast cancer.

Soluble fiber foods include oats, beans, sweet potatoes, potatoes, pumpkin, okra, mushrooms, seaweed, cauliflower, carrots, apples, bananas, etc.

In summary, women should avoid alcoholic beverages, processed products (such as processed red meat such as ham, hot dogs), high-sugar foods (such as sugary drinks, cakes), foods high in sugar and sugar. fats and fried foods.

Avoid foods such as processed red meat such as ham, sausages, etc.

In addition, nutritionist Gian Tu Quan said that people should not drink too much milk and dairy products, especially those who have a family history of disease. In her cancer clinic, doctors often advise patients to try to avoid dairy products, because consuming too much of these foods increases the risk of breast cancer.