The DASH Diet Might Lower Breast Cancer Risk

The DASH diet's name stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.” As the name implies, the diet's objective is to lower high blood pressure. And, in general, the diet is considered to be a healthy pattern of eating that can lower blood pressure. The DASH diet, or eating pattern, may also lower the risk of breast cancer, according to one study.

The DASH diet puts a special focus on eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The diet also emphasizes getting protein from fish, poultry and nuts. These foods are high in calcium, potassium and fiber. The nutrients are known to help lower blood pressure. And the DASH diet puts limitations on saturated fats and salt. After looking at the top diets in use in 2021, the U.S.News rated the DASH diet as the second best overall diet, and the publication noted that individuals who follow the DASH diet will eventually lower their salt consumption to about 1500 mg per day.

For the DASH-breast-cancer study mentioned above, researchers established two groups: one group consisted of 477 participants with breast cancer and the other group consisted of 507 healthy participants. The healthy participants were the control group. The study was done at the Cancer Institute of Iran between 2014 and 2016. The researchers indicated that the DASH diet reduced the risk of breast cancer.

Specifically, the researchers concluded that “adherence to the DASH dietary pattern could be associated with an approximately 30% reduction in risk of breast cancer.”

More studies are necessary to determine if the DASH diet is as effective as the study indicates with respect to breast cancer risk. However, the DASH diet has been shown to promote health. Therefore, healthcare providers should include the diet as an option for diet-counseling sessions for appropriate patients. Indeed, the possibility of lowering breast cancer risk, as well as blood pressure, is a strong incentive for considering the DASH diet.

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