Occasionally a book comes across my desk that profoundly changes my thinking about a topic, and even changes my life entirely. Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk With Foods You Love is such a book.
You could say that I am a bit of a health nut. I eat an exclusively raw diet. My upbringing included the use of herbal remedies and homeopathy (secretly I want to become a homeopathic physician, even if only to treat my immediate family members). And I practice yoga as often as time permits. However, getting my husband and children to follow suit has not been easy.
Now, though, after reading this groundbreaking book, I have very specific and scientifically proven reasons for changing the diet and lifestyle of my family.
The book starts off with an explanation of what reducing risk of cancer actually means in terms of statistics. I found this enormously helpful, and not the usual regurgitated CDC garbage that I was expecting. Then it goes into general guidelines for preventing breast cancer, such as painting a colorful diet, moderate exercise, and minimizing environmental toxins.
Next there is a whole section devoted to the top 10 foods for breast health. I can't say that I was surprised to see the foods listed. We all pretty much know by now to increase our intake of foods high in antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids. However, I still gained a lot of information about not only why we should be eating more broccoli, but also how to prepare and enjoy foods like soy.
Foods to avoid were also covered in detail, with recommendations about how to substitute repeat offenders with healthier alternatives. I found this to be extremely helpful, since a lot of the foods Dr. Pendergrast mentioned can frequently be found in my own cupboards. In addition, some modern toxic inventions were mentioned, as well as how to reduce contamination from them.
A book on the topic of preventing breast cancer would be incomplete without information about what to eat during treatment and preventing recurrence. Dr. Pendergrast treats this portion very delicately, yet firmly, with a brief note for breast cancers survivors.
Finally, the book ends with a study of integrative medicine, which the author wisely predicts to be future of health care. Eight domains of health for prevention and wellness are discussed, giving the reader a complete picture of how to obtain an optimal quality of life.
Overall, I found the book to be extremely informative and well-researched. It is very enjoyable to read as well, with personal anecdotes and third-person narratives of real people who have been affected by this devastating disease. This book is a must read for every woman of any age. I especially recommend it to mothers of daughters, since the eating habits we pass on to our children lay the foundation of health for the rest of their lives.
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