Kale is a member of the brassica family of vegetables. They are not only packed with health-boosting vitamins and minerals but are full of anti-carcinogenic phytonutrients, mostly in the form of the organo-sulphur compounds that give them their slightly bitter taste.

Kale’s sulphurophane, for example, interferes directly with tumour growth, as well as stimulating the body’s own defences against disease to create an antioxidant effect that lasts long after the kale has been eaten. Recent research has found that sulphurophane can disrupt the growth of breast cancer cells, even at the later stages, while an epidemiological study from China found that women who eat more brassicas, such as kale, have significantly reduced risks of breast cancer.

 

Kale has the highest levels of the carotenoids lutein and beta-carotene. Along with vitamin A and its beta-carotene precursor (which the body converts to vitamin A), good dietary intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin are vital for eye health. They are thought to act as filters in the eye, protecting against damaging ultraviolet light, and also as antioxidants that quench similarly damaging free radicals.

 

Epidemiological studies suggest that an increased consumption of the latter two nutrients is associated with a reduced risk for age-related macular degeneration, while another important study found that people who had the highest dietary intake of lutein-zeaxanthin had half the risk of cataracts as those with the lowest. Diets rich in carotenoids are also linked to lower rates of heart disease, while lutein protects against colon cancer.

 

Just 100g of kale provides 769mcg of vitamin A – that’s 110% of a man’s and 128% of a woman’s RDA – and very high levels of beta-carotene, which in the diet are linked to a reduced risk for heart disease. Kale can protect your heart in other ways, too: there are 120mcg of vitamin C per 100g of kale, providing an incredible 300% of your RDA. Apart from playing an important role in immunity and a healthy nervous system, this antioxidant vitamin is known to protect ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol from the oxidative damage by free radicals that can lead to cardiovascular disease. Kale is also high in fibre (2g/100g – 11% of RDA), and fibre-rich diets have been shown to lower the risks of heart disease by up to 12% and potassium (447mg/100g – 13% of RDA), which can help to lower blood pressure, thus reducing the risk of strokes.

 

Epidemiological studies suggest that diets rich in vitamin-C foods such as kale may protect against inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis. These greens also supply you with lots of omega-3 essential fatty acids, which can also protect against arthritis and rheumatism, as well as reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

 

 

According to research from the National Cancer Institute in Maryland and published in Breast Cancer Research journal, women who regularly carry out vigorous exercise in their 60s are up to 30 per cent less likely to develop breast cancer, than those who exercise gently. The findings add to the weight of evidence about the power of exercise to reduce the risk of breast cancer, which kills more than 1,000 women in the UK every month.

The American researchers made the connection after tracking the health of more than 32,000 women, average age 61, for eleven years. At the start of the study the women were asked how much gentle and strenuous exercise they did. Gentle exercise included light housework as well as walking, golf and cycling. Examples of vigorous exercise included heavy housework, such as cleaning floors, digging the garden and chopping wood as well as running, tennis and dancing. Eleven years later 1,506 of the women had developed cancer. Analysis showed that vigorous but not gentle exercise was more likely to cut the risk in women who were not overweight.

 

Although the Maryland study suggested that vigorous exercise is more beneficial for reducing risk, other studies have shown that gentler exercise is better than no exercise at all and can help ward off breast cancer. A six year study of more than 20,000 European women recently concluded that hovering, dusting and other light domestic chores cut the risk by up to 30 per cent.

 

There is still much debate about the best form of exercise and how much women over 60 should do to reduce their breast cancer risk but we do know that regular exercise is highly recommended because it can help prevent weight gain and obesity which are known to increase breast cancer risk.

Breast swelling and pain, especially in the week or so before your period are normal reactions to fluctuating hormone levels. As women reach their 40s, however this discomfort can sometimes develop into severe pain called mastalgia where the breasts become hard and extremely painful. A mastalgia attack can last for up to ten days. The causes are not completely understood but mastalgia may be caused by unusual sensitivity of breast tissue to fluctuating hormones leading up to the menopause.

If you do experience breast pain your immediate fear would be that the pain was due to breast cancer but in most cases mastalgia is a benign condition but you should still see your doctor to have a check up to make sure.  Then try the recommendations below:

 

• If you suffer from breast tenderness make sure you wear a comfortable supportive bra – one that does not irritate the nipple area as you move. 
• Make sure you get plenty of hormone balancing phytoestrogens, found in foods such as soya, chickpeas and lentils and eat them in their traditional form e.g. tofu, hummus etc not textured vegetable protein.  
• Cut down on foods and drinks containing caffeine. They have been shown to increase problems with tender breasts. 
• Up your fibre intake. Research has shown that there may be a link between constipation and a painful breast condition called fibrocystic breast disease. So make sure you drink enough water and have a good intake of fibre to ensure regularity. You may also like to sprinkle some flaxseeds (linseeds) on your cereal in the morning. Don’t, however, include bran in your diet. Bran can make things worse because it contains substances called phytates, which can interfere with the absorption of important nutrients, like magnesium and calcium.
• Vitamin E has been shown to reduce breast pain and tenderness in some studies. Eat foods rich in vitamin E, such as oats, sunflower oil, whole grains, soya oil and leafy green vegetables. You may also like to take a supplement for a couple of months to give you a kick start. (see the Resources Page to get a good vitamin E at 600ius per day)
• Eat some live yogurt every day. Breast tenderness may be related to an excess of oestrogen and the beneficial bacteria in live yogurt can help to reabsorb old hormones and also to increase the efficiency of your bowel movements.  (If you prefer to take beneficial bacteria in supplement form then the one I use in the clinic is BioKult – see the Resources Page).
• Increase your intake of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids, found in fish oil, have been found to relieve breast tenderness and fluid retention. Take Omega 3 Plus (see the Resources Page) and eat more fish or sprinkle linseeds and hemp seeds on to your salads and soups.
• The B vitamins are of particular value if you suffer from breast tenderness because they help your liver break down excess oestrogen. Improve your intake of B vitamin foods and think about taking a B complex supplement for a couple of months. (see Resources Page X).
• Older studies showed that supplementing your diet with evening primrose oil that contains GLA (gamma linoleic acid) could reduce breast discomfort, although more recent studies have not backed this up. The suggested dosage is between 240 and 320mg a day. Do bear in mind though that evening primrose oil needs to be taken for about three months to be effective so you need to be patient.
• A number of essential aromatherapy oils, such as lavender, fennel and juniper can encourage lymphatic drainage and help relieve breast pain by helping to regulate hormones. Massage them on your breasts putting one drop of your chosen oil on a teaspoon of carrier oil such as sweet almond or sunflower oil or use a few drops in your bath. 
• The herb ginkgo biloba has proved to be effective according to a French study where women with PMS breast tenderness taking gingko biloba reported less pain that those taking a placebo. Other helpful herbs include agnus castus to balance hormones and milk thistle to help your liver process oestrogen efficiently, allowing excess to be excreted.  (Agnus Castus Plus on the Resources Page contains both agnus castus and milk thistle).

 

Breast self examination

One of the best ways to protect the health of your breasts is to examine yourself for lumps at least once a month by following the steps below:

 

– Lay down and place a pillow under your right shoulder. Next, place your right arm under your head.

– Using your three middle fingers of your left hand, massage your right breast with the pads of your fingers. Check for any lumps or abnormalities. You can move in a circular motion, or up and down. Make sure you use the same motion every month.

– Continue the motion, extending to the outside of the breast to your underarm.

– Repeat on left side.

– Next, repeat exam standing up, with one arm behind your shoulder as you examine each breast. Standing or sitting up allows you to feel the outside of the breast more accurately.

– For added precaution, stand in front of a mirror and squeeze each nipple. Look for any discharge.

– Take note of any dimpling, redness or swelling.

 

If you find anything that concerns you, schedule a visit with your doctor.  The important thing is to learn what is normal for you and to report any changes to your doctor. These changes may include:

 

• Any new lump. It may or may not be painful to touch.
• Unusual thick areas.
• Sticky or bloody discharge from your nipples.
• Any changes in the skin of your breasts or nipples, such as puckering or dimpling.
• An unusual increase in the size of one breast.
• One breast unusually lower than the other.

 

In addition to examining your breasts while lying down, you may also check them while in the shower. Soapy fingers slide easily across the breast and may increase your chances of detecting a change. While standing in a shower, place one arm over your head and lightly soap your breast on that side. Then, using the flat surface of your fingers—not the fingertips—gently move your hand over your breast feeling carefully for any lumps or thickened areas.