AVOID ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS WHERE POSSIBLE TO PREVENT BREAST CANCER

This is really a case of do the best you can, because you cannot control everything. Use filtered water to reduce your intake of chlorine and lead by using either an under-the-sink filter or a simple jug filter.

Buy organic vegetables and grains where possible to eliminate your intake of pesticides. Also try to avoid using pesticides yourself in the garden and see if you can find other more environmentally friendly ways to control pests, such as putting certain plants together.

Take a look at the cosmetic, toiletries and deodorants you use and try to buy those which contain the most natural ingredients. Even though products may include only small amounts of chemicals, it is the cumulative and cocktail effect which may cause problems. Many deodorants contain aluminum, a heavy toxic metal, so buy an aluminum-free one from a health food shop. Ask for white fillings instead of mercury amalgams at the dentist.

Use products with the least amount of chemicals in to clean your house and your clothes so that you are not filling your home environment with unwanted toxins.

Try to buy fruit and vegetables loose so that they are not wrapped tightly in plastic. At home avoid using cling film and storing food for long periods in plastic containers. In the fridge you can just use glass dishes with lids to store food. You are not going to be able to avoid all your food coming into contact with plastic because that is the nature of our society. Just do the best you can where it is in your control.

Women often feel helpless in the face of what appears to be a rising tide of breast cancer. As we get older more of our friends and relatives seem to become victims. But I hope I have shown that there is a great deal that you can do in terms of prevention, both for yourself and your daughters. The major research studies on the subject reveal that diet is absolutely crucial, that what we eat is as important as what we avoid. It lies within the power of all of us to use what is already known in our own daily lives. We can do something positive and we should.

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