Healthy Eating for Women

Cancers of the uterus and ovary are similar to breast cancer in that sex hormones, and the foods that elevate them, play a role in their development, and both are rarer among those who follow a low-fat, plant-based diet. Women who avoid overweight also are at lower risk. Estrogen supplements used in hormone replacement therapy can increase uterine cancer unless progesterone is added to the regime.

Foods play an important role in cancer of the ovary, too. Not only does it help to avoid fatty foods; adding vegetables and fruits provides a measure of protection. Yale University researchers found that two small vegetable servings per day can lower risk by 20 percent.

Every 10 grams of saturated fat in a woman’s daily diet increases her risk of ovarian cancer by 20 percent. That is the amount in 2 glasses of whole milk or just 2 ounces of cheddar cheese.

Dairy products may play a special role in ovarian cancer. In addition to whatever fat they contain, they also have lactose sugar. As lactose breaks down in the body, it releases galactose, which is believed to be toxic to a woman’s ovaries. Harvard researchers have found not only that the diets of women with ovarian cancer tend to be higher in dairy products, but also that the same appears to be true for women with infertility.

Oftentimes, scientists are wary to declare causes of cancer until evidence is too strong to be ignored. This was true of lung cancer and smoking, and the same trend has occurred with female reproductive cancers. Even now we can’t assert that every smoker who gets lung cancer got it from smoking. But when it comes to disease prevention, its associations to diet, alcohol use, and other factors are extremely valuable pieces of the puzzle.

Extensive population studies have shown us that lifestyle factors drive breast cancer. We have a clear enough idea of what they are, and there is no need to wait for researchers to announce it on the evening news. Our daily habits, from eating and drinking to exercise and prescription drug use, play a role in the health of your cells—breast cells, ovarian cells, every cell. Each habit can work for you or against you, giving you more power for health than you may have ever imagined.

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