Stay away from "minefields" and "milk" to stay healthy

Breasts are the most important female sexual characteristics and an important part of female physical beauty, but they are also a "troublesome place". There are many types of breast diseases, including breast cancer, breast hyperplasia, mastitis, breast fibroids, etc. Among them, breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in women. According to the Global Cancer Data Report released by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer, breast cancer has become the "world's number one cancer" and the number one new cancer case in Chinese women; the National Cancer Center has also released data that on average, one person in my country is diagnosed with breast cancer every 76 seconds.

The Outline of the “Healthy China 2030” Plan proposes that by 2030, chronic disease health management will be achieved for the entire population and throughout the life cycle. This article aims to implement the “full cycle” of health management, popularize breast cancer prevention and treatment from a daily perspective, achieve early prevention, contribute to the public welfare development of breast health in China, help improve women’s awareness of self-care and prevention and treatment of breast diseases, and help women establish a healthy lifestyle concept.

1. Stay away from breast "minefields"

It is generally believed that more than half of malignant tumors are related to the "minefields" in life - bad eating habits and lifestyles, and breast cancer is no exception. Now, let's explore it together.

Minefield 1: Long-term radiation

(1) Ionizing radiation, including X-rays and gamma rays, can kill normal cells and increase the risk of cancer. The breast is very sensitive to ionizing radiation. Patients who have undergone chest radiotherapy have a six-fold increased chance of developing breast cancer. Such patients need regular follow-up according to the doctor's instructions. However, it should be pointed out that the radiation dose of a breast X-ray or chest X-ray examination once a year is very low and will not significantly increase the risk of breast cancer.

(2) Non-ionizing radiation/electromagnetic radiation Electromagnetic radiation in daily life generally refers to non-ionizing radiation with low energy. For example, household appliances such as televisions (20-40MHz), computers (300MHz), mobile phones (radiation frequency is 700-1900MHz), microwave ovens (2500MHz) can generate electromagnetic radiation, which is harmful to the human body. Long-term excessive exposure can cause various diseases. Because the human body itself has a weak electromagnetic field, electromagnetic radiation can destroy the human electromagnetic field and endanger human health; electromagnetic radiation can also cause abnormal cell division in the human body, causing normal cells to become cancerous.

Minefield II Overweight

The "Report on the Nutrition and Chronic Disease Status of Chinese Residents (2020)" shows that more than half of adults in my country are overweight or obese. What is the relationship between obesity and breast cancer? The human breast is particularly sensitive to estrogen. Driven by estrogen, breast cells grow wildly like fertilized seedlings until they become cancerous, invade, and metastasize. Adipose tissue can produce estrogen (it converts other hormones in the body into estrogen). Overweight and obese people have more adipose tissue and can produce more estrogen. The higher the estrogen level, the higher the incidence of breast cancer.

Minefield 3: Improper diet

(1) Drinking: Studies have shown that breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer in women due to drinking (57%). Alcohol increases the body's estrogen levels and increases the sensitivity of breast tissue to estrogen. Secondly, the breast is more susceptible to the carcinogenic effects of alcohol, especially from menarche to the first pregnancy, when the breast is not fully differentiated and is very fragile.

(2) Excessive intake of red meat and processed meat. These high-fat diets can cause weight gain and increase the risk of breast cancer. Pickled and smoked foods produce many harmful substances during the pickling and smoking process, such as nitrites and benzopyrene. Long-term and excessive intake may cause cancer.

(3) Sugary drinks/high-calorie diets promote the occurrence of breast cancer mainly by increasing body weight.

Minefield 4 : Staying up late frequently

The International Agency for Research on Cancer defines night shift work as a Class 2A carcinogen based on animal experiments (sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity to animals). Frequently staying up late or working night shifts may lead to the occurrence of tumors, such as breast cancer, because night shift work and night light (artificial light) lead to circadian rhythm disorders, reduced melatonin production and sleep disorders, affecting various metabolic and physiological processes in the human body, including hormone synthesis and cell cycle progression. The secretion of melatonin in these women is inhibited by light, and melatonin has significant anti-estrogen activity, which leads to an increase in estrogen.

2. Approaching Breast Health

1. Ways to avoid radiation in daily life

(1) Appropriate imaging examinations: Doctors will use X-ray examinations as needed. Repeated and unnecessary examinations should be avoided as much as possible. In addition, examinations such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging do not involve radiation.

(2) Select qualified electrical appliances. The country has established electromagnetic radiation protection standards for various household appliances to ensure that they operate within a safe range.

(3) Keep a certain distance TVs, computers, etc. mainly emit electromagnetic waves behind the screen, and the radiation intensity in front of the screen is not high. Remember to keep a certain distance from the breast and other body parts, at least 40 cm.

2. Methods to control obesity

(1) Regularly assess obesity status and calculate body mass index (BMI) = weight in kg/height in m2. Normal BMI is 18.5-23.9 kg/m2, overweight BMI is ≥24.0 kg/m2, obese BMI is ≥28.0 kg/m2, and central obesity waist circumference is ≥85 cm.

(2) Movement is beneficial. At least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every day can prevent cancer and protect women's health, such as jogging, swimming, cycling, or even walking, strolling, and doing housework. During exercise, breathing fresh air and relaxing emotions can improve the body's resistance to various diseases.

(3) Exercise in a proper way and formulate a scientific exercise "prescription" that includes exercise items, exercise volume, exercise time, and precautions, so as to achieve safe and efficient weight loss. Wear a bra when exercising, preferably a supportive bra to protect the fragile breasts. At the same time, increasing chest exercise can prevent the ligaments supporting the breasts from loosening.

3. Scientific diet method

(1) The “optimal amount of alcohol” to prevent breast cancer is not drinking.

(2) Eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and high-quality protein on a daily basis. Use steaming, boiling, and stewing more often when cooking, and eat less fried food.

(3) Drink tea appropriately, especially green tea. Studies have shown that tea polyphenols in tea have antioxidant and anti-cell carcinogenic effects, which are beneficial for preventing breast cancer.

(4) Reduce hormone intake and avoid eating health foods containing estrogen, such as royal jelly. Eat more soybeans and soy products. Soy isoflavones have estrogen-like effects, which can reduce the level of steroid hormones in the body and act as estrogen antagonists, thereby reducing the incidence of breast cancer.

3. Breast health care in traditional Chinese medicine

Caring for breasts, maintaining breast health, and applying the TCM concept of "prevention before disease occurs", we use traditional TCM health care methods to reduce the occurrence of breast diseases in women.

1. Diet and health care, medicine and food have the same origin

(1) Appropriate diet: It is recommended to eat more soybeans, mainly fresh beans (edamame, broad beans, sword beans, peas). Tofu, soy milk and other soy products have no significant clinical efficacy. It is encouraged to eat foods high in protein, vitamins and trace elements. Garlic, mushrooms, nuts and fish have anti-cancer effects and can be eaten more appropriately. Adhering to the "vegetables-fruits-beans-dairy-poultry-fish" dietary pattern can reduce the risk of breast cancer; while the refined grains-meat-pickled vegetable dietary pattern will increase the risk of breast cancer in women.

(2) Foods that relieve liver qi and depression are beneficial for the prevention of breast diseases. Foods that relieve liver qi and depression can be roughly divided into two categories:

Category 1: The flowers of various vegetables and fruits have the function of soothing the liver and relieving depression.

For example, broccoli, daylily, cauliflower, plum blossom, rose, chrysanthemum, rose, lotus, locust flower, pear flower, peach flower, apricot flower, lily, perilla, osmanthus, jasmine, etc. After certain processing, they can be made into a variety of dishes, such as jasmine chicken breast, osmanthus meatballs, chrysanthemum sea bass, rose and orange seed drink.

The second category: Foods with aromatic smells, such as celery, mint, onion, coriander, nepeta, patchouli, tangerine peel, etc., can be eaten as side dishes, and can also help remove moisture and strengthen the spleen. Fennel, cinnamon, etc. can be used as spices, and have the effects of dispelling cold, removing dampness, and sweating, and can be added appropriately when cooking.

2. Exercise and health care

In traditional Chinese medicine, the breast is considered the "place of meridians". Based on the functions of dredging meridians, promoting qi and blood circulation, unblocking joints, balancing internal organs, and harmonizing yin and yang, some appropriate health care exercises are recommended.

Breast exercises: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing forward. When you inhale, tighten your abdomen and anus, raise your hands horizontally to the side and over your head, making sure your arms are straight and as far back as possible, preferably over your ears. When you exhale, release your hands and swing them down to the sides of your body, focusing on your dantian. Do this 60 times in a row.

Chest patting exercise: Stretch out both arms, raise one arm to the side, and pat the chest (upper breast) with the right hand while the left hand is raised, then raise the right hand and pat the chest with the left hand, alternately perform the two movements, pat 50 times a day. When patting, the movements should be gentle and the strength should be moderate, so that it does not hurt.

Acupoint massage: Acupoints to be selected: Tanzhong (midpoint of the line connecting the two nipples), Qimen (the second intercostal space directly below the nipple). Usage: Press each acupoint with your thumb for 5 minutes each time, until local soreness and swelling occur.

Acupoint tapping: Use the interphalangeal joint of the thumb to vertically tap the "Tianquan Point", "Elbow 2 Inch", "Yinbao Point", "Sidu Point", and "Xiaolu Point" respectively, with a torque of no more than 3 cm, and continue tapping 5-10 times. Tap 3 times and rub 3 times at the painful area, 3 times a day, 2-3 minutes each time.

In addition, "happiness" is a good medicine for breast diseases. To prevent breast diseases, we must maintain a healthy mentality and achieve the "five happinesses": tolerance and enjoyment, contentment, self-satisfaction, helping others, and finding happiness in hardship. Breasts need our lifelong care, we should treat them with care, prevent them early, and care for breast health together!