Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk with Food

You are what you eat, and you can use food to prevent or reduce your risk of breast cancer. For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we talked with a couple of dietitians about good things to eat to reduce your risk of cancer and things that are good for those going through cancer treatment.

Dr. Jennifer Bolton, a registered dietitian at Project Wellness 365, and a professor at Metropolitan State University in Denver says lots of fruits and vegetables are key.

Dietitian Kimsey Self, MNT, PhD candidate, and founder of Progressive Health and Wellness, agrees and says the phytonutrients found in plant foods may help prevent disease and help keep your body working properly.

Both dietitians shared recipes with us that are good for preventing cancer and may sound appetizing to someone going through cancer treatment.

Dr. Bolton shared a Butternut Squash and Cannellini Bean Soup.  Which is high in protein, antioxidants, and easy to make and easy to swallow.

Takes 40 minutes. Serves 6.

Ingredients

  • 1 small Onion chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups Chicken broth
  • 2 1/2 cups Butternut squash small dice
  • 1 can Cannellini bean with juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Lemon zest

Instructions

  1. Sauté onion in extra virgin olive oil using a medium-size soup pot for 3-4 minutes.
  2. Add chicken broth and butternut squash. Bring it to a simmer.
  3. Puree 1/2 of the cannellini beans and add to soup, along with whole cannellini beans. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. Stir in parsley and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Serve and enjoy.

Kimsey Self shared this “Everything But The Kitchen Sink” Soup. It uses a bone broth base and tons of veggies, providing cancer-fighting phytonutrients and she says is easy to eat when nauseous.

The recipe below makes a large pot to feed a family of 4 or 2 with leftovers.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bone-in chicken thighs, de-boned and cubed
  • 4 cups bone broth
  • 1 sweet potato, cubed
  • 1 white potato, cubed
  • 3 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper (any color), cubed
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped into large chunks
  • 3 whole carrots, chopped
  • 1/2 bunch kale, chard, or spinach chopped
  • 1 inch nub fresh ginger, finely chopped
  • 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (optional)
  • 2 sprigs of fresh or dried rosemary
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prep all ingredients.
  2. Bring broth to a low boil and add in chicken bones.
  3. Next, add hardest veggies and spices first (garlic, ginger, onion, parsley, potatoes, carrots) and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Then add all other veggies and the chicken.
  4. Allow everything to simmer together for approximately 20-30 minutes or until soft.
  5. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are following the cancer journey of Dr. Michelle Tollefson. A physician and professor recently diagnosed with breast cancer who is now being treated and recovering. You can see her story by clicking here.

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