Fill up on fiber

Keeping regular isn’t the only perk of a fiber-rich diet; fiber reduces the risk of breast cancer and keeps fibrocystic disease, mastalgia, and cysts at bay, says James Anderson, MD, a nutrition expert from the University of Kentucky. Fiber’s role in breast-cancer risk reduction is still not completely understood, but the leading theory, says Anderson, is that fiber both “increases the excretion of estrogens and lowers estrogen levels in the blood.” Another reason fiber may work: It keeps waistlines trimmer. (Because fat tissue makes estrogen, being overweight ups the risk of breast cancer.)

Women should aim for 28 grams of fiber every day, men 38 grams. The average American gets just 15 grams. The fiber in cereals (think: oatmeal and whole-grain cereals) and fruits (particularly apples, figs, raisins) is particularly healthy for breasts.

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