Breast cancer:Your self-help treatment programme

Avoid the following, which can cause cancer

* Radiation therapy, such as for cancer (J Natl Cancer Inst, 2001; 93: 618-29)

* Hormones, diethylstilboestrol (DES, the ‘thalidomide drug’), HRT and the Pill all increase risk by up to 70 times (Nurs Pract, 2003; 28: 26-32, 35; Can Med Assoc J, 2002; 166: 1017-22; Lancet, 1989; i: 973-82)

* Statins, if you are under age 55 (J Clin Epidemiol, 2003; 56: 280-5)

* High-blood-pressure drugs, such as calcium-channel blockers, particularly if you are also taking oestrogen drugs (Cancer, 1997; 80: 1438-47)

* Tricyclic antidepressants (Br J Cancer, 2002; 86: 92-7)

* Parabens (methyl-, propyl-, ethyl-, butyl-), commonly used in deodorants, foods, drugs and cosmetics (J Appl Toxicol, 2004; 24: 5-13; J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol, 2002; 80: 49-60)

* Dark or red hair dyes, implicated in studies of hairdressers

* Shift-working, which can moderately increase risk due to suppression of melatonin (J Natl Cancer Inst, 2001; 93: 1563-8)

* Excessive exposure to electromagnetic fields (for example, those working as telephone operators or installers, or computer programmers) (Ann Epidemiol, 2000; 10: 31-44)

* Wearing a bra for more than 12 hours a day, as this blocks the lymphatic system, causing toxins to pool (Townsend Lett Docs, Feb/March, 1996)

* Garden pesticides, such as DDT, dieldrin, polychlorinated biphenols and dioxins, which are all oestrogen mimickers (Int J Occup Med Environ Health, 2003; 16: 113-24).

Do the following, which lowers your risk

* Eat organic unprocessed foods

* Wash off the pesticides from non-organic fruit and vegetables

* Filter your water (reverse osmosis is best)

* Use deodorants, makeup and toiletries without parabens, TEA, DEA and artificial sunscreens

* Drink red wine, which decreases cancer risk (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2000; 9: 151-60)

* If you drink other types of alcohol, take a daily vitamin supplement

* Take regular exercise and keep your weight down

* Sleep in the dark

* If you’re a night-shift worker, take melatonin supplements (Histol Histopathol, 2000; 15: 637-47)

* Drink green tea daily; it halves breast-cancer risk (Int J Cancer; 2003; 106: 574-9)

* Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, particularly broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables.