Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 37, Number 10, 1 October 2020 — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

v MĀLAMAI v > KOU KINO r

By Jodi Leslie Matsuo, DrPH Breast cancer is the most eommon type of cancer among women, with an estimated one out of every eight women diagnosed yearly. Compared to other ethnic groups in Hawai'i, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander women are at highest risk of dying from breast cancer. It ean happen to young and older women alike. While some think getting breast cancer cannot be prevented, this is not necessarily the case. There are risk factors for breast cancer that cannot be changed, such as family history. However, there are lifestyle choices you ean make that ean lower the risk. Research shows that drinking aleohol and being overweight increases risk of breast cancer, while being physically active and breastfeeding your children decreases risk. Eating vegetables, particularly those eontaining carotenoids, may also decrease risk. Aleohol increases the levels of estrogen in your body, causing certain cancer cells to grow. Aleohol also damages DNA in cells, the first step in cancer development. The type of aleoholie drink - beer, wine, spirits - doesn't matter, as they all contain ethanol, whieh transforms into toxic chemicals in the body. There is no safe amount of aleohol, as all amounts increase risk. Being overweight increases estrogen, as well as other hormones that promote cancer growth. Being overweight also promotes inflammation in the body, making it more vulnerable to the development of cancer and other diseases. Eating more vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains, limiting sugar and processed foods, and being more

physically active help in achieving and managing a healthier body weight. Being physically active and getting regular exercise ean help you to manage your weight better. That, in turn, helps to reduce the breast cancer risk related to excess body weight. Choosing a variety of exercise that you enjoy increases the chances you'll stay active regularly. Aim to get at least 150 minutes of heart-pumping activity weekly. The main way breastfeeding decreases breast cancer risk is by reducing exposure to estrogen, as levels are lower during breastfeeding. The recommendation is to breastfeed your baby exclusively for the first six months of life and to continue to breastfeed, along with providing appropriate healthy foods, for up to two years of their life. Vegetables contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, and a number of other nutrients that have been shown to lower risk of breast and other types of cancers in general. It is believed that the combination of these nutrients eaten together - not one particular type of nutrient - decreases risk. While all vegetables are beneficial, make sure to get carotenoidcontaining fruits and vegetables, such as pumpkin, orange sweet potato, carrot, lū'au leaves, spinach, papaya, bell pepper, and oranges. If you are a breast cancer survivor, it is recommended you follow the same lifestyle guidelines as those for cancer prevention to lessen chances of recurrence. Please mālama yourselves or the wāhine in your 'ohana. Ua ola loko i ke aloha - Love gives life within. ■ Born anā raised in Kona, Hawai'i, Dr. Jodi Leslie Matsuo is a Native Hawaiian Registered Dietitian and certified diabetes educator, with training in Integrative and Functional Nutrition. Follow lier on Facebook ( @DrJodiLeslieMatsuo ), Instagram ( @drlesliematsuo) and on Twitter( @DrLeslieMatsuo).