Daughters born to junk food-eating men more likely to get breast cancer, research shows

Wednesday, August 03, 2016 by: Isabelle Z.
Tags: father''s diet, offspring, breast cancer risk

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(NaturalNews) Expectant mothers are inundated with an ever-increasing list of foods to avoid while pregnant, but it turns out that men who are hoping to become fathers also need to watch their diet.

Research shows that men's diets have a surprisingly big effect on their children, with men who eat fatty junk food actually giving their future daughters a higher risk of breast cancer.

The Brazilian scientists divided female rats into three different groups according to the diets of their fathers. One group of fathers had eaten a diet made up of 60 percent lard, one ate food that was rich in vegetable fat, and the third group ate a normal diet. Their offspring were given a treatment of chemicals that made them vulnerable to breast cancer.

More tumors, higher breast cancer risk

Although all of the young female rats were raised the same way, breast cancer developed more often in the rats whose fathers were fed the animal fat diet. They also developed more tumors and developed them more quickly than those whose fathers ate the vegetable oil diet.

The males who ate the lard-rich diet actually had small genetic changes in the DNA of their sperm, indicating that a male's diet prior to conception could have a long-lasting impact on the development of future offspring.

Diet plays a huge role in cancer risk

While this effect has yet to be confirmed in human studies, it shows the importance of eating a healthy diet overall.

University of Sao Paulo Researcher Thomas Ong points out that his group only studied the father-daughter relationship in terms of breast cancer, and it's possible that a fatty diet could also put male offspring at risk of different cancers.

He also mentioned that the damage to sperm that fatty food causes could be reversed through healthy eating and exercise. He said that a woman's risk of chronic diseases like breast cancer accumulates throughout her life according to various lifestyle factors, with diet being a big one.

Whether you're a man hoping to become a father and trying to do everything possible to set your child up for a healthy life or a woman who wants to reduce her odds of getting breast cancer, a healthy diet is absolutely vital. Eliminating junk food and processed meats from your diet is a great first step. This is easier said than done, of course, because junk food actually rewires the brain to make people addicted to it. However, the prospect of reducing your cancer risk can be a great motivator. Making other healthy lifestyle changes at the same time, such as exercising more, can help you stay on track.

In fact, exercising can reap significant benefits. A recent study found that people who sit at a desk more than eight hours a day without exercising were 60 percent more likely to die prematurely than those who were less sedentary, but this risk was entirely eliminated by an hour of moderate activity a day, such as a brisk walk.

Men and women who are seeking to support their overall health can also start eating organic goji berries. These nutrient-rich berries can be added to smoothies, teas and trail mix, and they are believed to be one of the best sources of antioxidants in the world. They are also an excellent source of carotenoids, which have been shown to play a role in supporting our immune system.

While you can't really control the food your parents ate before you were conceived, you can certainly control the food you eat now, so be sure to make healthy choices – your body will thank you!

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

Independent.co.uk

NaturalNews.com

Science.NaturalNews.com