(NaturalHealth365)  Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women in the United States, coming just behind skin cancer.  It also falls just behind lung cancer as the second leading cause of death in women.  An estimated 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

And, while – conventionally speaking – doctors promote mammograms as a “helpful” diagnostic tools to detect the presence of tumors, they do nothing to decrease the risk of developing breast cancer.  Thankfully, nature provided various plants that contain compounds with cancer-fighting properties.  One such example is flaxseed, which according to studies may reduce the mortality rate by as much as 70%.

High concentrations of lignans make flaxseed a cancer-fighting superfood

Flaxseed is chock full of phytoestrogens called lignans.  These plant estrogens act as antioxidants in the body.  You can find lignans in many common foods:

• Beans
• Pumpkin seeds
• Broccoli
• Sesame seeds
• Grains like oats, wheat, barley, and rye
• Sunflower seeds

While these are all great sources, flaxseed tops them all with amounts that are much, much higher.  And it seems that a high concentration of lignans is precisely what is needed when fighting breast cancer.

Impressive research shows flaxseed reduces tumor growth

A review of research on flaxseed and breast cancer from the University of Toronto highlights some exciting discoveries that could mean very good news for cancer patients.

• Observational studies showed a reduced breast cancer risk (primarily among postmenopausal women) in connection with the intake of flaxseed, urinary excretion, or serum levels.
• A 33% to 70% reduction in breast cancer mortality was attributed to lignans.
• Most animal studies maintaining a diet that is 2.5% to 10% flaxseed, flaxseed oil, or the equivalent amount of lignans reduces the growth of tumors.
• Clinical trials found that tumor growth in breast cancer patients was reduced after patients were given 25 grams of flaxseed a day for 32 days.

That’s not all!  Flaxseed boosts brain health as well which helps with mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

Flaxseed protects women from breast cancer in MULTIPLE ways

Science has identified several ways that flaxseed can help protect women from breast cancer:

• It decreases the proliferation of tumor cells
• Lignans block the blood supply to the tumor
• It lowers the risk of metastasis
• Lignans block estrogen receptors and lower excess estrogen production

Study after study shows that flaxseed is not only a powerful cancer fighter, but it can also reduce your risk of cancer.  Best of all, it is something you can start adding to your diet today.

Here is how to incorporate flaxseeds into your diet

Most of the studies found that 2.5 tablespoons of flaxseed, just 25 grams, is effective in fighting cancer.  Postmenopausal women can safely have up to 40 grams a day.  But how do you do it?

Flaxseed isn’t that tasty on its own, but you can still get the benefits by adding it to foods you are already eating such as:

• Oatmeal
• Mashed sweet potato
• Smoothies
• Salad
• Yogurt
• Cereal
• Soups
• Muffins
• Bread

Naturally, you should look for organic brown or golden flaxseeds to ensure purity and avoid varieties that may be polluted with agrochemicals.

Grinding your flaxseed will make it easier to incorporate into your foods, but when it is ground it does go rancid fairly quickly.  You want to grind about a week’s worth of flaxseed at a time and store it in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.

It is also recommended that you work up to at least 2 tablespoons but give your body time to get used to all the fiber by incremental increases.

Making this small change to your diet could save your life.

Sources for this article include:

Cancer.org
GreenMedInfo.com
AICR.org