Balance Your Life

Body balancing act

Given the non-stop pace and continual strains of career, relationships, kids, etc., it can be challenging to maintain a healthy balance in your life. Planning and preparing healthy meals is often the first thing to be neglected when other aspects of life overwhelm a busy schedule. It’s all too tempting and convenient to grab a burger and fries when you are starving and on the go. And occasionally, that’s okay. But in general, it’s important to maintain a healthy, balanced diet not only for your overall health, but also for maintaining good breast health.

A recent study published in Cancer Research has found that high amounts of dietary sugar in the typical western diet may increase the lifetime risk of breast cancer and metastasis to the lungs, with high fructose corn syrup and table sugar being the main culprits. In addition to avoiding sugar, also consider making changes to your diet in the following ways:

Plenty of fruits and vegetables – and mix it up! Variety will allow you to gain the most nutritional benefit
Limit fat intake (try to keep it below 20% of your total caloric intake)
Eat more legumes such as beans and lentils
Choose lean meats, trim off fat and remove skin
Eat more fibre – it helps lower glucose levels
Buy locally, seasonally, and organic whenever possible to boost nutritional value and avoid harmful chemicals

Balancing your diet, weight, breast and overall health all go hand in hand. Eating right, combined with regular exercise, can help you maintain a healthy body weight lower your lifetime risk of breast cancer.