A nnual mammograms are not as effective at reducing the risk of death from breast cancer as we once thought, according to a just-released 25- year study. Researchers at the University of Toronto concluded that screening did not reduce mortality rates any more than traditional physical exams.
The findings are jarring for women who are considered high-risk. I lost my grandmother to breast cancer when she was just 64, and other women in my family have survived the disease. Reducing my breast cancer risk is important to me. That is one of the reasons why I am vegan.
According to Dr. Jane Plant, a British scientist, cancer survivor and author of “The No-Dairy Breast Cancer Prevention Program,” the best anti-cancer diet is a completely vegan one. Meat and dairy products are full of cholesterol, saturated fat, excess protein, hormones and other harmful substances that increase breast cancer risk.
However, a vegan diet maximizes the intake of foods that help us fight cancer — fiber-packed grains and beans and phytochemical packed fruits and vegetables.
Going vegan is the best decision I have made for my health, and I hope other women will join me.
Michelle Kretzer
The PETA Foundation
Norfolk, Va.