Go nuts to help prevent breast cancer
They are packed with protein and the healthiest nut out there. Now a study has concluded that the risk of breast cancer can be reduced by simply adding walnuts to your diet. It is known that many foods have anti-oxidant and anti-cancerous properties. The research, carried out by Marshall University and led by Elaine Hardman, Ph.D. drew their conclusions be comparing the effects of a typical diet and a diet containing walnuts across the lifespan of mice.
Hardman said that during the study period, the mice whose diet included walnut developed breast cancer at less than half the rate of those on a typical diet. In addition, the number of tumours and their sizes were significantly smaller.
“These reductions are particularly important when you consider that the mice were genetically programmed to develop cancer at a high rate,” Dr Hardman said. “We were able to reduce the risk for cancer even in the presence of a pre-existing genetic mutation.”
Hardman said the findings highlight the vital role diet plays in health: “Food is important medicine in our diet,” she said. “What we put into our bodies makes a big difference – it determines our reaction to illness and health. The results of this study indicate that increased consumption of walnut as part of a healthy diet can help reduce risk for cancer.”
