Hello and happy fall, y’all!
We’re looking forward to another delicious Pathfinder Produce market this
Thursday, and we’ll be celebrating our FALL HARVEST in grand style from noon to
5 p.m. We’ll have some special baked goods on sale, healthy smoothies
with Chef Eric, gift certificate drawings, and ten percent of our proceeds sales this week will go to TEAM
NYCM -Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness
Month.
Also this week, on Saturday, October
26 from 3 to 5 p.m., we’ll be hosting our Residential Homes’ annual Community
Trick-or-Treat event at the Village. Members of our Enrichment and Adult
Day Services departments are planning for a scary Haunted Hallway at the
Commons, and all of the homes at the Pathfinder main campus will be ready to
host your little ghouls and goblins in our safe, friendly environment.
It’ll be a howling good time!
****
We
are what we eat, and sometimes if we habitually eat the wrong foods, it can
lead to illnesses and chronic conditions. A diet that is rich in fresh
fruits and veggies, whole grains, and less processed foods, red meats, and
sweets is highly recommended by healthcare professionals to support one’s
optimum health.
I’ve
recently seen stories on Facebook and other social platforms about how eating
better can help with depression. That got me to wondering if diet can help one
avoid breast and other types of cancers.
According to The American Cancer Society, staying physically active and
eating a healthy diet can help one maintain a healthy weight, which decreases
the overall risk for all types of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes,
and some types of cancers, including breast cancer. In that brief article,
they also say that eating traditional soy foods like tofu may be beneficial
because they contain isoflavone compounds, which may inhibit the effects of
naturally occurring estrogens in the body.
The ACS also cautions against:
- Drinking
Alcohol to Excess: 2 to 3 drinks a day can raise a woman’s risk of
developing breast cancer by 20% over non-drinkers.
- Being
Sedentary: Increasing your physical activity can help reduce the
risk of breast cancer; ACS recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity or
75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. “Exactly how physical activity
might reduce breast cancer risk isn’t clear, but it may be due to its
effects on body weight, inflammation, hormones, and energy balance,” they
add.
- Taking certain types of Birth Control and HRT Therapy: Talk to your healthcare providers to learn more about risks that may be associated with certain contraceptives or hormone replacement therapies used to ease menopausal symptoms.
So, while I didn’t see any
foods that either increase or reduce breast cancer risks in my brief research,
it seems clear that risk reduction is tied to managing one’s overall health to
limit exposure to high levels of estrogen, especially as women grow older.
Other factors, like genetics or environment, may also be part of determining
one’s risk. You can learn more about other risk factors and other facts
from the National Cancer Institute’s website. A risk
assessment tool is available at their
site
too.
Until next time, eat well and
take care of your health!
Lori
