11 Ways to Prevent Breast Cancer Naturally

Our risk of breast cancer has been slowly dropping for more than a decade. Yet, a new survey shows that the disease is still the one we fear most. The great news: A few simple tweaks to your daily routine can cut your breast cancer risk 50 percent or more!

Pure vanilla extract isn’t just a flavor enhancer for puddings, cakes and other favorite desserts — it’s also an herbal extract with potent cell-protecting powers, according to researchers at the University of Bridgeport. Recent laboratory studies reveal that vanilla’s active ingredient (vanillin) stops healthy breast cells from turning cancerous by shielding their DNA from carcinogens. Simply add a few drops of the extract each day to your coffee, tea, milk, yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies — as well as to sauces, marinades, and vinaigrette salad dressing.

Extra-virgin olive oil contains a whopping 75 percent oleic acid — a healthy fat that destroys cancer cells on contact, plus helps switch off the HER2 gene linked to a heightened risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers, according to Spanish researchers. In fact, simply using two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in place of other fats in your daily diet could cut your breast cancer risk as much as 25 percent, their studies show.

Garlic’s pungent aroma comes from sulfur compounds, aromatic nutrients that hinder the growth of pre-cancerous breast cells. These nutrients are so powerful, eating one small clove daily can cut your breast cancer risk as much as 32 percent, say researchers at Bastyr University. Worried about bad breath? Eat a small apple after your garlicky meal. Apple enzymes break down garlic compounds faster and more effectively than any other food, including parsley and mint, research shows.

.Red, orange, yellow, or gold lentils are packed with protease inhibitors. These anti-cancer compounds are so beneficial, just eating two cups of these chewy, nutty-tasting legumes each week can cut your breast cancer risk 24 percent, a large Harvard University study suggests. Tip: Dried lentils don’t need to be soaked overnight. Simply simmer them in unsalted water or broth for about 30 minutes until tender. They’re a natural in soups, delicious sautéed with potatoes, onions and spices, and also make a great cold salad.

Consider wearing a sleep mask if your bedroom isn’t pitch black. Sleeping in darkness doubles your brain’s production of melatonin, a hormone that not only improves sleep quality, but is also toxic to cancer cells, says Meir Kryger, M.D. No wonder two Japanese studies found that avoiding all light exposure while you’re sleeping can cut your breast cancer risk 31 percent.

Avocados are packed with a beneficial plant-based fat (beta-sitosterol) that doubles the ability of your immune cells to find and destroy precancerous and cancerous breast cells, say University of Buffalo researchers. And you only need to eat 1/3 cup daily to benefit! Don’t like avocados? Snacking on nuts also does the trick.

Avoiding chemical air fresheners and scented candles by opting for potpourri or opening windows cuts breast cancer risk 12 percent, Scottish research reveals. Chemically scented products release compounds (phthalates) into the air that mimic estrogen in your body, speeding abnormal cell growth.

Exercising for at least 30 minutes five times weekly cuts your breast cancer risk by as much as half by switching on cancer-fighting genes inside your breast cells, according to Harvard researchers. But there’s a catch: “Exercise works best if it’s vigorous, so make sure, whatever activity you choose, you break a sweat!” says Kristi Funk, M.D., medical director of the Pink Lotus Breast Center in California.

Japanese studies show that supplementing with an extract of medicinal mushrooms (such as Source Naturals’ Mushroom Immune Defense ($10.93, Amazon) can slash the growth of pre-cancers in half in as little as 24 hours.

Including two eggs in your daily diet cuts your breast cancer risk 18 percent or more, Harvard research suggests. Eggs are a great source of choline, a B vitamin that helps breast cells divide properly, so they don’t develop genetic glitches that could allow them to become cancerous, the study authors say. Two eggs have 300 mg. of choline. You can also get this breast-protecting B from shrimp (230 mg. per 6 oz.), poultry (142 mg. per 6 oz.), cod (135 mg. per 6 oz.), beef (110 mg. per 6 oz.), and broccoli and Brussels sprouts (62 mg. per cup).

Black, green, oolong, white — just sipping three mugs daily of any of these brews lowers your odds of breast cancer 24 percent, say UCLA researchers. Tea is rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that dampen your production of estradiol, the most powerful, breast-irritating form of estrogen. Polyphenols also block the ability of abnormal breast cells to divide, grow and spread, say doctors at New York’s Strang Cancer Prevention Institute. Prefer an herbal brew? Rose hip tea is rich in compounds that help stop the spread of triple negative breast cancers, the toughest type to treat.

This article originally appeared in our print magazine, Reverse Aging.