Beat Back Breast Cancer - A society for Women's Health Research survey of 1,000 women reveals that breast cancer is the greatest health fear.  Yet the actual top five causes of death among women, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes.

Here are some foods and habits that stop cancer before it starts, and prevent recurrences in women who have been treated before.

GO FOR DARK GREENS  British researchers found that a compound called indole-3-carbinol in mustard, collard greens, and kale seems to open tumor cell receptors to chemotherapy drugs, making meds more effective.

KEEP UP WITH THE CAROTENOIDS  Women who ate the most carrots-and other red-yellow-orange foods, including sweet potatoes, apricots, and bell peppers -- had a 43% lower risk of breast cancer recurrence in  a study of 1,550 women at the U of C, San Diego.

CUT THE FAT  The giant Women's Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial found that women who reduced their fat intake by 10% cut their risk of a type of estrogen-dependent breast cancer by 36%.

HOLD YOUR WEIGHT DOWN  U of N. Carolina researchers found that, among 1,254 women with breast cancer, those who maintained a healthy weight were 52% less likely to die from the disease within 9 years.  Those who avoided gaining belly fat cut their risk of death by 48%.

HARVEST THE POWER OF GINSENG  Studies in test tubes and in animals suggest that ginseng compounds called ginsenosides can make cancer cells more vulnerable to chemotherapy.  Vanderbilt U researchers tracked 1,455 patients in Shanghai for up to 6 years and found that those who had a history of taking ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) were 30% less likely to die from the cancer than nonusers.  Women who began taking it after diagnosis reported more energy and better sleep than patients who didn't use ginseng.  All the women had conventional cancer treatment.  The World Health Org. says ginseng is safe in doses of 1 to 2 gr of dried root or 200 to 600 mg of standardized P. quinquefolius extract daily.  If you have breast cancer and are considering taking ginseng, consult a qualified herbal practitioner; find one at the AM Herbalists Guild (americanherbalistsguild.com), the Am Assn of Naturopathic Physicians (naturopathic.org).  In a test of supplements, ConsumerLab.com gave Puritan's Pride American ginseng its seal of approval.  

BIOPSY IS BEST  One in 10 American women will receive a worrisome mammogram this year.  If you or someone you know is in this group, forget the high-tech wizardry:  ask the doctor to follow up immediately with the gold-standard test, the old-fashioned biopsy.  A review of 81 studies by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that it beat newer, noninvasive tests in confirming breast cancer.  The other methods included PET, MRI, ultrasound, and mammograms enhanced by radioactive tracer; all missed 4 to 9% of the tumors that biopsies identified.   

CANCER-PROOFING VITAMINS  In a perfect world, you'd always eat right (and never forget to floss).  In the real world, many experts insist, a multivitamin is a good insurance policy.  "My advice?  Take a multi-vitamin," says Meir Stampfer, MD, DrPH, a professor of epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health.  "Absolutely, we should be encouraging everyone to take a multivitamin," agrees Jeffrey Blumberg, PHD, who heads up the Antioxidants Research Lab at Tufts U.  An overwhelming majority of Americans fall woefully short on several key vitamins and minerals.  For a behind-the-headlines look at which might protect you from cancer, and what's the best way to get them, read on. 

CALCIUM:  DOES the BODY GOOD  A Dartmouth Med. School study found that volunteers with a history of adenomas, (growths in the colon and rectum that can turn into cancer) had a 29% lower risk of recurrence when they took 1,200 mg of calcium daily.  "That doesn't prove calcium will prevent colon cancer," says Joel B. Mason, MD, who directs vitamin and cancer research at Tufts U.  "But it certainly suggests it will."  If your diet is average, a multi won't provide enough calcium.  A survey showed that 88% of women and 63% of men don't get enough calcium from food.  Milk and other dairy products are the main sources of dietary calcium. 

D: THE SUNSHINE VITAMIN  Here's a shocker: few adults hit the daily vitamin D mark, even though this vitamin could lower their risk of cancer by as much as 70%.   UC, San Diego researchers analyzed national cancer deaths between 1950 and 1994 - when people began staying out of the sun and wearing more sun-screen.  (Our bodies require sunlight to make vitamin D.)  Their comparison suggests that getting enough D could drive down mortality rates of 16 types of cancer--including breast and ovarian -- by anywhere from 2 to 70%.  And a NW Univ study of 122,000 adults found that those who got 300 to 450 IU of D daily had a 43% lower risk of pancreatic cancer than those who took in less than 150 IU.  Even more surprising: many experts now believe the daily recommended amounts aren't nearly enough.  The current advice--200 IU for under age 51, 400 IU for ages 51 to 70, and 600 IU for ages 71 and older -- need to be updated, experts say.  So many Americans lack D that the researchers think its need accounts for several thousand cancer deaths each year.  The optimal level, concluded the U of C researchers, is at least 1,000 IU and may be as high as 2,000 IU.  "Virtually every tissue in the body has receptors for vitamin D, which means it performs many essential roles," says Michael Holick, MD,PhD, director of the Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Lab at Boston U School of Medicine.  "No other vitamin offers protection against such a wide range of diseases.  But studies show that many Americans don't get close to enough."  Research shows that up to 50% of Americans don't get the sun needed to produce sufficient amounts of vitamin D.  That's almost all of us during the winter: if you live in the northern two-thirds of the US (above the 37th parallel), the sun is too weak from Oct. to March to generate enough D.  This is especially important to people over 50, and African Americans and others with dark skin at any age; older and highly pigmented skin is less efficient at manufacturing the vitamin.  So start today; Drink 2 cups of D-fortified, fat-free milk and swallow one or two 400 IU supplements a day.  You can get some sun, too -- 10 to 15 minutes of exposure without sunscreen twice a week is a beneficial dose.  Just be sure to put on sunscreen if your're out longer.  Other D sources include a breakfast bar (100 IU),  1 cup of low-fat milk (100 IU), and 3 1/2 ounces of fish (400 IU).  

FOLIC ACID: A NATURAL vACCINE  Getting enough folic acid could lower your cancer risk significantly.  In the Nurses' Health Study, women who took extra folic acid in the form of a multivitamin for 15 years cut their risk of colon cancer by a whopping 75%.  Other studies have shown more modest benefits, but still a powerful dose of prevention.  What's more, folic acid may also protect against breast cancer for women who drink alcohol: having a drink a day ups your chance of developing the cancer by about 10%, studies have shown, but getting enough folic acid per serving, or pop a multivitamin that contains this recommended amount. (If you're pregnant, take a prenatal vitamin with at least 600 mcg.)

FOOD TO THE RESCUE  Experts and researchers support taking daily supplements and vitamins, but this doesn't mean you should swallow pills willy-nilly.  Researchers are now concluding that you need to get certain nutrients through food.  It makes total sense: when fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidant vitamins were found to lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, researchers assumed that antioxidant pills would offer even more powerful protection.  But one after another, trials have been turning up unexpected dangers.  

BETA-CAROTENE  In early studies showing a strong link between diet and health, this vitamin A building block popped up as a superstar: the more food containing beta-carotene that people ate, the lower their risk of cancer.  So in the mid-1980s researchers organized an 8-year, $45 million study in which male smokers in Finland were given hefty doses (along with vitamin E) in supplement form.  The Finnish results surprised almost everyone.  Beta-carotene supplements not only failed to lower cancer risk but actually increased the danger of developing lung cancer by 18% in these men.  The reason is unclear, but one theory is that this antioxidant may nourish both healthy cells and cancerous ones.  Few researchers worry about the typically small amounts of beta-carotene in multivitamins, but most experts now agree that it's safer to skip the high doses contained in stand-alone pills and get your beta-carotene from food.  How to get the recommended 3 to 6 mg daily: find it in fruits and vegetables -- especially leafy greens such as spinach and orange or red produce like carrots and bell peppers.  These are chock-full of beta-carotene.

FOLATE  Make room for folate in your diet to help avoid pancreatic cancer.  In a Swedish study of 82,000 women, getting at least 350 mcg of folate per day from food -- not supplements-- cut pancreatic cancer risk by 75%, compared with consuming less than 200 mcg.  Enjoy the following nine foods -- all high in this B vitamin:

Orange juice, 6 ozs, Chinese cabbage (bok choy), I cup cooked, Beets, 1/2 cup cooked, Artichoke, I medium cooked, Half a papaya, (58 mcg), Canned corn, 1/2 cup, Vegetable juice cocktail, 6 ozs., Red raspberries, 1/2 cup frozen, Sauerkraut, 1/2 cup canned.

LIGNANS   Flaxseed is famous for its omega-3 fats, but it's also an outstanding source of lignans, fiber that acts like a weak form of estrogen in our bodies and may help fight some types of breast cancer.  Researchers at the U of Toronto and Mass Gen Hosp Cancer Ctr in Boston, who analyzed tumor tissue, found that tumor growth slowed significantly and cancer cell death increased by as much as 30% in recently diagnosed postmenopausal breast cancer patients who ate a muffin containing about 3 tbsp of flaxseed daily for about a month before surgery.  Its nutty flavor makes flaxseed a natural addition to baked goods and breakfast foods.  You must grind the hull from the seed to release all of flax's nutrients.  Add 1/4 cup of ground seeds to pancakes, muffins, cookies, and quick breads (watch baking times -- flaxseed can cause food to brown more quickly).  Add 1 or 2 tbsp. to cereal, ;yogurt, soups, or fresh-fruit smoothies.  Flax is best stored in the refrigerator, and ground flaxseed must be used promptly because it spoils more quickly than the whole seed. 

MAGNESIUM  Almonds, peanut butter, and other high-magnesium foods can cut your risk of colon cancer  considerably.  Magnesium--more than 350 mg a day--reduced colon cancer risk by 25%, found a U of Minnesota study of 35,000 women.  Another study, which was performed in Sweden and involved 61,000 women, reported similar results.  Munch on a mix of foods to get the magnesium you need--320 mg per day for women and 420 mg for men.  Good bets include almonds (24 nuts), peanut butter (2 tblsp.), black-eyed peas ( 1 cup), and wheat bran cereal (1 cup).  Peanut butter isn't married to jelly.  Spread 2 tblsp. of your favorite full-fat (the good stuff is in the fat) brand on whole wheat bread and add sliced apples, pears, or bananas.  Mix 1/4 cup of peanut butter with 1 tblsp. each of reduced-sodium chicken broth and soy sauce to create a rich, exotic sauce for grilled chicken, noodle dishes, or salad.  Crush almonds or peanuts and sprinkle a few tblsp. over coleslaw salad, or a tropical fruit salad.

POLYPHENOLS  Olives and their oil contain phytochemicals like polyphenols.  "These protective compounds may prevent both cardiovascular disease and cancer and reduce inflammation that can lead to chronic illness," says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of 10 Habits That Mess Up a Womans Diet.  A Spanish study found that among 755 women in the Canary Islands, where the breast cancer rate is higher than in the rest of Spain, those who consumed the most olive oil--more than 8.8 g, or approximately 1/3 oz a day -- were least likely to get the disease.  To get more olive oil, skewer pitted olives among grilled shrimp, peppers, and onions.  Swap mayo for flavorful store-bought olive paste (called tapenade, and a teaspoon will do) on sandwiches or salads.  Olive oil is an excellent butter substitute on steamed or grilled veggies: drizzle 1 or 2 teaspoons over grilled asparagus or steamed broccoli and lightly dust the veggies with grated cheese and a grind of black pepper.  Choose extra virgin olive oil--it contains the highest level of healthy phenolic compounds.

SELENIUM  This is an important player in the body's natural antioxidant system, protecting cells from the damage wreaked by unstable oxygen molecules.  Evidence suggests that getting enough could prevent cancer.  In one of the largest studies--it tracked more than 1,300 men and women with a history of skin cancer for 10 years--people taking a 200-mcg supplement daily had a 46% lower risk of lung cancer, 63% lower risk of prostate cancer, and 58% lower risk of colorectal cancer than those taking a placebo.  Soil in the U.S. is rich in selenium, so most of us already get the recommended 55 mcg a day (60 mcg for women who are pregnant, 70 mcg for lactating women).  To get a little more, help yourself to whole grains, nuts and fish.  You should go easy on the very best source of this mineral, however.  Brazil nuts contain so much selenium (nearly 10 times the RDA in a single ounce) that the Natl. Institutes of Health cautions people to eat them only occasionally.    

POWER COOKING  Stocked up on leafy greens, fresh produce, and supplies for the next barbecue?  Super.  Buying healthy food is the first step toward a better diet, now think about how you're going to cook with these items, because correct preparation can make or break your nutrient bank.  For example, did you know that mixing rosemary into your hamburger meat can cut your cancer risk?  Research has found that rosemary can slash the production of some carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCSs) by as much as 72%. 

SAVOR GARLIC RAW  High temperatures destroy allinase, garlic's most important cancer-fighting and immunity boosting enzyme.  Studys suggest that garlic lovers who chow down more than six cloves a week have a 30% lower rate of colorectal cancer and a 50% lower rate of stomach cancer.  Rub it raw on toasted bread and top it with chopped tomato and onion, with a dash of olive oil, for a simple bruschetta.  When prepping to cook, let crushed or chopped garlic stand for about 10 to 15 minutes before adding it to a sizzling pan.  This allows the pungent herb to generate compounds that blunt the damaging effects of heat, report scientists at PA St. University and the Natl Cancer Inst.

GRILL WITHOUT WORRY  The high heat needed to grill meats can create carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs), but marinating can help.  When researchers at Lawrence Livermore Natl. Lab in Livermore CA, soaked chicken breasts in a mixture of brown sugar, olive oil, cider vinegar, garlic, mustard, lemon juice and salt for 4 hours, the meat developed up to 99% fewer HCAs after 20 mins. of grilling, compared with chicken that wasn't marinated.  Add another antioxidant kick herb-packed soak: 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tblsp. fresh rosemary; 1 tblsp each of olive oil, honey, and minced garlic: and 1/2 tsp. of black pepper.

EAT THE PEEL  Save yourself some time--and some key ingredients-- by leaving the peel on eggplant, apples, potatoes, and other produce.  "The peel itself is a natural barrier against nutrient loss, and many vitamins and minerals are found in the outer skin or just below it." says Roberta Larson Duyff, RD, author of the American Dietetic Assn. Complete Food and Nutrition Guide.  

PUCKER UP  For an anticancer booster, add citrus zest to your favorite recipes.  A  U of AZ study linked eating limonene--a compound in lemon, lime, and orange peel-- to a 34% reduction in skin cancer.  (Remove grit and pathogens with cold running water and a vegetable brush.)

DOUBLE YOUR ANTIOXIDANTS  According to an Italian study, dressing your salad with herbs can more than double its cancer fighting punch.  When compared with garden salads made without  added herbs, those featuring lemon balm and marjoram had up to 200% more antioxidants per serving.  Spices such as ginger and cumin also upped the antioxidant quotient. 

GET FRUITY  The bright flavors of oranges and grapefruit in a fruit salad help block mouth cancer, the seventh most common kind.  Eating at least one citrus fruit a day slashes the risk by 62% compared with averaging fewer than one a day, say the Italian scientists who analyzed 16 studies.               

TEA: THE HEALING DRINK  Research shows that imbibing daily will cut the odds that you'll end up with ovarian cancer.  Proven to defeat cancer cells in test tubes, tea's antioxidants known as flavonoids were shown to fight cancer in a 15-year study in humans.  Not a tea drinker?  Eat 1 cup of broccoli or kale, which are also high in the protective nutrients.  Apples, grapefruit and brussels sprouts are other good choices. 

HOME-BREWED TEA  Brewed tea has antioxidant levels 10 to 100 times higher than those in bottled products, according to studies at OREGON ST U.  Promising research from the Natl. Cancer Inst. shows that tea antioxidants may inhibit cancer cell growth, although benefits in humans haven't been proven.  So use these tips to brew tea with maximum antioxidants:  Start with loose tea which is less processed than bagged tea and retains the most antioxidants.  Use boiling water to extract the most antioxidants from black tea.  Let the water cool for 2 mins. after it's boiled before pouring over more fragile green or white tea.  Allow all varieties of teas to brew for at least 5 minutes before drinking them.  To get up to five times more antioxidants from your tea bags, bob them up and down while you brew.