8 BREAST CANCER AWARENESS - OCTOBER 12, 2016 - COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS | LOWERING YOUR RISK
Healthier
Fats
S
imply put, your body needs fat.
It is crucial to supplying energy,
helps process vitamins and delivers
essential fatty acids that your body
needs but cannot make itself.
While much debated in the healthcare and dietary sectors,
the fact that fat is a helpful part of your diet is starting to gain
major traction.
Where the dietary recommendations get muddled is in just
how much fat you need, as well as what kinds are suggested
as regular additions to your intake. When it comes to breast
cancer, researchers have not been able to pinpoint a certain
behavior that causes the disease. However, many have deter-
mined that a diet containing healthy fats can have great ben-
efits in reducing your risk.
WHY FAT IS IMPORTANT
In the past, many studies concluded that it’s best to avoid
fats when it comes to your diet. Did you know that there are
certain fats that can promote your well-being?
Your body counts on vitamins A, D, E and K to operate
properly. The only way these vitamins are able to be absorbed
is with the help of fats. Eating foods that boast “unsaturated
fats” will allow your body to process the vitamins without the
harmful risks of a diet high in “saturated fats.”
INCORPORATING HEALTHY FATS
© FOTOLIA
While diet alone will likely not cause or cure cancer, it is a
factor that needs to be on your healthcare radar.
The Harvard School of Public Health has compiled the fol-
lowing tips on how to use fats to your advantage;
• Avoid packaged food that is labeled “0g of Trans Fat.”
• At least one meal a day should be packed with Omega-3,
which can be found in salmon, walnuts and tuna.
• Lower your intake of saturated fat by eating chicken and
fish instead of red meat and cheese.
• Read labels. Even if a food claims to be low fat, it may still
include bad fats such as saturated and trans fats.