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Cancer can be effectively prevented. It is not a disease that will one day just suddenly strike us by chance. That is a fact that is not widely known.
The basis of prevention is usually a healthy diet, regular physical activity (or better yet, exercise), avoiding stress and also toxins from the environment.
And in the case of breast cancer there is one more thing. More precisely, a substance that is often missing in our European diet.
Iodine is not only important for the thyroid gland
At first hearing it may seem hard to believe, but it is indeed true. If you want to reduce the risk of breast cancer by up to two thirds, increase your iodine intake.
Iodine is usually associated with the thyroid gland. However, that is not the only organ that needs enough of this element for its optimal function.
Other organs dependent on iodine include the breasts in women and the prostate in men.
If it is missing in the diet, most of it is taken up by the thyroid gland and there is then not much left for these organs. And yet the breasts actually act as a kind of iodine reservoir for the rest of the body.
Iodine is also important for brain development, especially in children. Adequate iodine reserves in the body ensure that a child develops properly mentally and intellectually.
In adult women, iodine deficiency can trigger several health problems, including breast cancer.
Iodine deficiency and breast cancer
Low iodine levels in the body increase the sensitivity of breast tissues to estrogen, which creates a perfect breeding ground for the development of breast cancer.
Dr. Bernard Eskin is a pioneer in research on the impact of iodine deficiency on the formation of precancerous lesions in breast tissues.
During his research work across many studies he confirmed that iodine can trigger apoptosis (programmed cell death) in breast cancer cells.
On the other hand, it does not negatively affect normal cells.
Current incidence of breast cancer
As the title of the article already states, Japanese women have up to a 66% lower incidence of breast cancer compared to our women. And as it turned out, the difference is attributed precisely to iodine.
In our tables recommending amounts of vitamins and minerals, iodine is given as 150 micrograms per day. The average intake among Japanese women is up to 25 times higher!
Iodine is simply missing in our Western diet. This fact is not changed by the iodization of table salt, which is often our only source of iodine.
Today another trend is spreading, which is the reduction of salt intake. While this does help prevent high blood pressure or kidney disease, it also sets us up for problems with the thyroid and breasts.
Breast cancer is also greatly influenced by environmental toxins that bind to iodine receptors and thus block its function.
This mainly concerns halogens (chlorine, fluorine and bromine), which have similar chemical properties to iodine and therefore replace it in chemical reactions in the body.
Natural sources of iodine
The human body cannot produce iodine (just like no other essential element), so we must obtain it from our diet.
The following foods are known for their high iodine content:
- cranberries
- beans
- whole potatoes (including the skin)
- eggs
- tuna
- shrimp
- salmon
- lobster
From plant sources these are mainly seaweed species, such as those used in the production of sushi or kelp.
The listed foods can be bought in health food stores. Add kelp powder to soups, salads or any cooked dishes.
