Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, being physically active, and avoiding alcoholic beverages are some of the factors that contribute to longevity and may protect the body from a number of diseases, including breast cancer.

Foods such as fruits and vegetables help prevent disease – Credit: Disclosure/RIC Mais SC

According to the Inca (National Cancer Institute), breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women in Brazil. For 2022, according to the authority, about 66,280 new cases were registered, with 16.5% of patients dying from the disease.

On the path to preventing breast cancer and other diseases, it is also worth eating a balanced diet rich in foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains.

Faculdade Anhanguera’s Nutrition course coordinator Mariwone Rosa warns that synthetic chemicals added to food can promote cancer.

“When the body is well nourished, our immune system is able to detect defective cells and eliminate them before they multiply and form a tumor, especially when the process is at an early stage,” he explains.

Products to help prevent

• Red fruits: they are rich in flavonoids, natural antioxidants that slow down the aging process and also help maintain healthy cells;
• Citrus fruits such as oranges, acerola, pineapple: these are foods rich in vitamin C, an important antioxidant that helps protect the body;
• Tomatoes, tomato sauce, guava and watermelon: foods rich in lycopene, responsible for the reddish color, an antioxidant substance that repairs damage done to cells by free radicals;
• Carrot and pumpkin: they are rich in beta-carotene, a natural pigment that gives food its orange color, and a rich source of vitamin A, which is responsible for stimulating the immune system and maintaining good levels of antibodies in the body;
• Spinach and Kale: these products contain the substances lutein (combats muscle degeneration) and zeaxanthin (prevents eye diseases and vision loss);
• Sea fish: Species such as salmon and sardines contain omega-3s, a type of healthy fat that regulates cholesterol levels and has anti-inflammatory effects.
• Soy and beans: foods rich in isoflavone, a natural compound that helps lower cholesterol levels
• Pepper: Red peppers stand out because they are rich in capsaicin, an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving substance that protects the immune system.