If you're eating healthier to stave off breast cancer, also consider such factors as your consumption of fish and alcohol, and your exposure to sunlight.

The January issue of Cancer reports on a computer analysis by researcher William Grant of breast cancer mortality rates, diet (fat intake, total calories, fish and alcohol consumption), and exposure to sunlight rays in 35 countries.

Soak Up More Sun and Eat Less Protein!

According to the study, practices that may reduce breast cancer risk include:

• Consuming fewer daily calories from animal products and more from vegetables.
• Drinking alcohol only in moderation, eating fish and getting good exposure to sunlight. The common link between these factors is their effect on estrogen and insulin growth factor (IGF-1), both possible risk factors for breast cancer. Alcohol appears to increase estrogen production, while eating fish reduces inflammation for better tumor detection. Also, some fish and some exposure to ultraviolet-B light both provide vitamin D, which can reduce breast cancer risk.
• Consuming less protein. In the study, protein consumption was more important than fat because it stimulates the production of IGF-1. In America, our diet gets about 32 percent of its calories from animal products, but in Japan the percentage is only 17.

Don't Forget Exercise and Healthy Foods

How can you use this information? Take a broader approach to planning your diet, exercise and exposure to sunlight. And of course, increase your daily percentage of lower fat, nutritious foods such yogurt, fruits and vegetables.

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