Breast Cancer Awareness Month is arguably one of the most important months in Malaysia. After all, breast cancer is THE most common disease amongst Malaysian women, so it’s vital for citizens to be well-informed of the various ways to prevent and resolve it. In fact, one of the simplest ways that may help prevent breast cancer is by having a healthier diet!
Let us begin our journey towards healthier breasts, by increasing our intake of the following food options!
1. Switch out your usual carbs to whole grains
It’s well known that whole grains are packed with goodness like minerals, vitamins, fibre and antioxidants. Little did we know that they also contain phytochemicals, which are associated with reducing the chances of contracting breast cancer. Furthermore, these nutrients would fortify one’s cardiovascular system (i.e. heart, blood vessels) to protect against medical treatments that can damage the heart.
Whole grains include – but are not limited to – the following:
- Brown rice
- Oatmeal
- Whole-wheat pasta, bread or crackers
- Barley
- Quinoa
2. Not all fats are bad – time to swim with fatty fishes!
The main reason why fatty fish is superior to other meat? Because of their omega-3 fatty acids, which are basically leaner, healthier protein! These super nutrients have TONS of health benefits that may inadvertently reduce breast cancer risk, such as reducing heart disease risks, balancing inflammation, lowering chances of autoimmune diseases (i.e. diabetes) and more.
So next time, feast on “oily” fishes that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, namely salmon, mackerel (ikan tenggiri), sardine (try to avoid the canned kind!) and tuna.
3. Go nuts for walnuts
Don’t reach for that pack of cashew nuts, and get the walnuts next to it instead! Not only do walnuts contain heart-friendly fats like omega-3 fatty acids (just like fatty fishes), but they may also slow the growth of breast cancer tumours by preventing chronic inflammation. On top of that, ellagic acid found inside walnuts may decrease cancer cell growth by encouraging apoptosis (programmed cell death) and impeding excess cell growth.
4. (Leafy) green is the new black
This is one of those times we should listen to our Mum and eat our green veggies! ? Leafy green vegetables have been associated with having anti-cancer properties, most notably carotenoid antioxidants (to improve immunity) and folate (to promote healthy cell growth), making them a must-have in our diet. Broccoli, in particular, has been suggested to prevent breast cancer stem cells, and even stop tumour growth to prevent cancer spreading (if it comes to that).
Here are some of the leafy greens we should absolutely include in our daily meals:
- Bok choy
- Spinach (bayam)
- Cabbage
- Lettuce
- Spring onion
5. Bean there, done that
Chickpeas
Beans (or legumes) are one of the most underrated staples in our daily diet. They’re packed with enriching vitamins and minerals, but it’s their high fibre content that takes the cake. By encouraging our bodies to eliminate more waste in the restroom, it can decrease reabsorption of excess oestrogen and regulate insulin-like growth, which may keep breast cancer away.
That’s not all! Their abundance of phytochemicals and antioxidants also play a role in slowing down tumour growth, along with reducing in-body substances that would harm bodily cells. Who knew beans would be so geng in breast cancer prevention?
It’s better to opt for dried beans instead canned ones and you choose from various types, such as:
- Kidney beans
- Peas
- Chickpeas
- Peanuts
- Soya beans
“Hold on, didn’t someone say soya bean causes breast cancer?” ?
Oh no, that simply isn’t the case. ? In fact, there are plenty of studies that associate high intake of soya with reduced risk of contracting breast cancer, thanks to the plant-based oestrogen (soya isoflavones) that they contain – the more soya protein there is, the more soya isoflavones there will be too! ?
And since soya milk is a good source of isoflavones, so you could say it’s almost like a super drink for breast cancer! ? There may be a lot of soya milk choices, but the best choice is one that’s jam packed with nutrients, just like HOMESOY’s latest formulation!
HOMESOY 3.0 Soya Milk is a richer, more satisfying soya milk that’s packed with soya nutrition, and even more calcium & protein, with NO sugar added!
Made with 100% Canadian non-GMO soya beans, HOMESOY 3.0 Soya Milk not only contains all NINE essential amino acids, making it one of the very few plant-based proteins that provide complete protein, but it’s also a great source of calcium, dietary fibre and vitamins A and D.
Plus, HOMESOY 3.0 Soya Milk is dairy- and lactose-free, which makes it suitable for Malaysian vegans. To think that it’s filled to the brim with so much good nutrients while staying low in fat, saturated fat and sodium is astounding!
On top of that, according to the Soy Nutrition Institute Global, there is epidemiologic evidence that “early soya intake” reduces breast cancer risk, making HOMESOY 3.0 Soya Milk a healthier choice for soya nutrition!
In conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, you can redeem a FREE pack of HOMESOY 3.0 Soya Milk when you go for breast screenings at participating hospitals in Malaysia!
Here are the participating hospitals that HOMESOY and Cancer Research Malaysia (CRM) are collaborating with for this promo:
a) Columbia Asia
CHERAS BRANCH
? Jalan Suakasih, Tun Hussein Onn, 43200 Cheras, Selangor
☎ +603 9086 9999
⏰ Monday – Friday (8AM– 5PM) / Saturday (8AM – 12PM)
BUKIT RIMAU BRANCH
? 3, Persiaran Anggerik Eria Bukit Rimau, Seksyen 32, 40460 Shah Alam, Selangor
☎ +603 5125 9999
⏰ Monday – Friday (8AM– 5PM) / Saturday (8AM – 12PM)
Click here for the full list of participating Columbia Asia branches.
b) Subang Jaya Medical Centre
? 1, Jalan SS12/1A, Ss 12, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor
☎ +603 5639 1389 / 1212
⏰ Monday – Friday (8AM– 5PM) / Saturday (8AM – 12.30PM)
c) KPJ Selangor Specialist Hospital
? Lot 1, Jalan Singa 20/1, Seksyen 20, 40300 Shah Alam, Selangor
☎ +603 5543 1111
⏰ Monday – Friday (8.30AM– 5PM) / Saturday (8.30AM – 12.30PM)
d) Thomson Medical Kota Damansara
? 11, Jalan Teknologi, Taman Sains Selangor, 1, PJU 5, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
☎ +603 6287 1000
⏰ Monday – Friday (8.30AM– 5.30PM) / Saturday (8.30AM – 12.30PM)
e) Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City
? 5, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
☎ +603 7491 9191 / 5566 9191
⏰ Monday – Friday (8.30AM– 5PM) / Saturday (8.30AM – 1PM)
f) Sunway Medical Centre Velocity
? Pusat Perubatan Sunway Velocity, Lingkaran SV2, Sunway Velocity, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
☎ +603 9772 9191
⏰ Monday – Friday (8.30AM– 5PM) / Saturday (8.30AM – 1PM)
g) Gleneagles Hospital, Kuala Lumpur
? 282, 286 & 288 Block A, B and Medical Office Block, Jln Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
☎ +603 4141 3000
⏰ Monday – Friday (9AM– 5PM) / Saturday (9AM – 1PM)
Ons lah! Now got more incentive to go for breast screening! ?
Make sure to grab this chance to get yourself checked! For more info on HOMESOY 3.0 Soya Milk, the new generation of soya nutrition, you can follow them on Facebook and Instagram, or you can get your favourite HOMESOY products at any AEON, AEON BiG, Giant, Lotus’s or Jaya Grocer outlet!
