Breast Cancer and Stress, Younger Women Take Note

In women ages 25 to 45, a clear link has been established between stress and breast cancer risk¹. Women with two or more traumatic events had a 62 percent greater risk, whereas women who were able to maintain a positive and optimistic outlook had 25 percent less risk.

The take-home message is that no matter what may have happened to you, stay as positive as possible. Nutrition can certainly be used to boost your mood and reduce your risk.

Acute trauma primes your nerves to be more prone to subsequent stress. When this is happening you will feel more anxious, irritable, or wound up, and have less tolerance for stress. A wear and tear feeling along with an unstable mood will be obvious to you. Such a situation reflects that gene signals within nerve cells have ramped up the production of NF-kappaB Protein complex that controls DNA transcription and is involved with cellular responses to stress, cytokines, free radicals, UV radiation, oxidized LDL, and infections. , the key gene signal in all cells of your body that manages stress and immunity. When NF-kappaB Protein complex that controls DNA transcription and is involved with cellular responses to stress, cytokines, free radicals, UV radiation, oxidized LDL, and infections. gets stuck in the “on position” it creates an environment that speeds the onset of any disease of aging, including cancer. This new study provides information that confirms this link for young women and breast cancer risk.

Balance is the key. You must get enough sleep, eat well, have good stress management skills, exercise in a consistent and refreshing way, and have relaxing and rejuvenating activities – and enough of these to balance the demands that are inherent in your life. 

Nutrient supplements for energy, stress, and immunity can all be used to help you; using enough to stay above a feeling of wear and tear and maintain a positive emotional outlook is a good way to define a minimal daily requirement.