A recent study found that older Chinese women who eat a Western-style diet have a much greater risk of developing breast cancer than those who eat a typical Chinese diet (see sources below).

According to Chinese medicine, cancer is caused by a condition called “excessive dampness”. It so happens that many staple foods of the Western diet increase dampness. Over time, a diet that centres around beef, sugar, wheat and dairy products can raise the risk of cancer.

Fortunately, it’s easy to reduce the risk. Most vegetables naturally diminish dampness; have some at every meal. Sour foods also reduce dampness. All spices and pungent foods have a drying effect. Physical exercise and sweating help rid the body of excess dampness. And, of course, it’s a good idea to cut down on foods that increase dampness.

See also:

• Western diet and cancer in Korea.

Article sources:

• Cancer Risk Higher With Western Diet (AP)
• Western diet risk to Asian women (BBC)
• Western diet linked to breast cancer in Asian women (CBC)
• Western diet increases breast cancer risk in Asian women (News Medical)
• Western diet ups breast cancer risk among Chinese (Reuters)