Nutrition is the corner stone of a strong healthy body, it is important to keep the body healthy in healthy people and in sick people it is important to build up their strength and build up their bodies as well. A healthy diet and a good exercise plan are important for everyone including a breast cancer patient. If you have breast cancer and are going through breast cancer treatments then proper nutrition becomes even more important to keep up your body strength and stamina and keep you relatively healthy throughout your breast cancer treatment program and beyond.

If you are do not have breast cancer but you are in a high-risk group, eating well is important to protect you from possible complications down the road. It may reduce your risk for actually getting breast cancer in the future.

Healthy eating

Healthy eating means to eat the right food designed to provide good nutrition for your body, which will then use that energy to nourish the cells and provide energy. Make sure that you get a healthy supply of water, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals Eating well will boast your immune system and affect other aspects such as your moods, and your energy level.

You will need to utilize all the foods groups to make good selections of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, meats and beans, milk and dairy, fats and oils.

Fruits and Vegetables

The United States Department of Agriculture recommends 9 servings for fresh fruits and vegetables which amounts to 2 cups of fruit and 2 and a half cups of vegetables per day.

Whole grains

A note about whole grains, these are the grains that still have the bran or core attached. These whole grains are filled with fiber and vitamins. The same does not hold true for refined grains. In this case the bran and the germ has been removed and so most of the nutrition has been lost through the refining process. Examples of whole grains include: brown rice, bulgur, oatmeal, and barley. The American Cancer Society strongly recommends including cereals which have 6 or more grams of fiber.

Meat and beans

Meat is a good source of fatty acids and proteins; however, women with breast cancer or at risk for having breast cancer should avoid red meat as much as possible. Though red meat is a good source of iron, it is also linked with breast cancer. Poultry fish, eggs, and beans are also a great source of protein and should be chosen over red meat as much as possible. The recommended daily allotment for meat is 5 and 1/2 ounces of meat per day. If you are not a meat eater you will need to supplement your diet with nuts and seeds to be able to get the right amount of iron and protein your body needs.

The recommended daily allotment of milk and dairy is: three cups of low fat yogurt or milk, or about 4 and a half ounces of low fat cheese such as cheddar (4 slices) or about 6 ounces of processed cheese such as American. You can mix the combinations as well. The reason you need to eat more processed cheese is because it has less calcium.

Fats and Oils

You do need some fats and oils but not a lot of it. You should not have more than 35% fat. Certain types of fats are good and others are not. Saturated fat is the fat from animal products such as milk, fatty meats, cheese, ice cream, and certain oils. This is the type of fats that will raise your cholesterol level. You should limit this type of fat in your diet. On the other hand, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats are the good healthy choices. These fats are found in canola, corn and soybean oil as well as vegetables, nuts, grains, and fish.

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