50 Years of Breast Cancer Prevention
I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I learned about breast cancer. One of my grandmothers was diagnosed, but I believe it wasn’t until she was older. As a young girl, I don’t recall hearing much about my mom getting annual mammograms, though I remember her whispering with fear about lumps in breasts. By the time I reached my late 20s, though, the topic became more prevalent. Stories emerged of women close to me: the rabbi’s wife in her 40s with three young daughters, a college friend with two little ones. These women lost their lives to breast cancer, leaving behind children without mothers and husbands without wives.
Discovering Breast Health Awareness
As I teenager, I was introduced to breast self-exams (BSE) and the importance of performing them each month after our periods. Over time, I learned that I had fibrocystic breasts. As more women in my circle faced breast cancer diagnoses, I supported friends and family through their journeys. I went wig shopping with a friend and brought meals to friends during treatment. I learned about the BRCA gene and the influence of hormones like estrogen on breast cancer. My younger cousin, like Angelina Jolie, chose to undergo a prophylactic mastectomy.
Taking Action as a School Nurse
Earlier in my School Nurse role, I invited local Hadassah chapter volunteers to educate girls during PE classes about BSE. At a School Nurse conference that I first learned about the Get In Touch Foundation, which inspired me to further emphasize breast health education with their Daisy Wheel tool. Personally, I had my first baseline mammogram at age 35 and have been diligent about regular preventive screening. Breast cancer became even more real when my mother was diagnosed and treated in her 70s, and my younger sister-in-law faced her diagnosis in her early 50s. More friends and colleagues at work continued to share their diagnoses. Today, most people I know undergo successful treatment and move on with their lives.
Realizing the Role of Lifestyle and Diet
What struck me most was that none of these women seemed particularly unhealthy. In fact, many of them led healthy lifestyles—though many of them were Jewish.
In 2018, at the age of 57, I transitioned to a plant-based diet. However, it wasn’t until I heard Dr. Kristi Funk, a breast cancer surgeon in Los Angeles, speak on The Exam Room podcast that I realized the significant role food could play in reducing breast cancer risk. Dr. Funk, well-known for treating celebrities like Sheryl Crow, emphasizes how dietary choices could impact cancer risk.
Creating a Breast Cancer Prevention Resource
Inspired by her book BREASTS: The Owner’s Manual, I created a resource to help others make informed food choices to fight breast cancer. You can download Eat to Beat Breast Cancer with the form below. While comprehensive lists of cancer-fighting foods are great, they can be overwhelming. So, this guide includes a 7-day meal plan with linked recipes and two shopping lists. One list includes key ingredients from the recipes, and the other is a blank list for you to personalize. I encourage you to choose two items from each category on the initial food list—foods you know you like or are willing to try.
This isn’t a 7-Day Eat to Beat Breast Cancer Challenge; it’s an opportunity to recognize that every bite matters. As Dr. Funk says, each bite moves you closer to or further away from cancer. That’s a powerful visual, and it begins with the choices you make at the market.
How to Get Started
When you review the resource, take it with you to the grocery store. Select more vegetables and fruits than you usually do. Once you’re home, clean and prep them right away so they’re ready to eat or cook with. Don’t stress over specific recipes. Many vegetables can be easily pan-roasted, steamed, tossed into a salad, or dipped in hummus. Just start with one meal—one meal that moves you further from cancer.
I Want to Hear From You
I’d love to hear about your experiences. Did you download and use the guide? What new foods did you buy and try? Let me know how it goes for you!
I created a youtube post on Breast Cancer Awareness and Prevention, specifically addressing Ethnic and Racial Disparities. You can see it on my youtube channel: youtube.com/@slant2plants