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Herbs and Breast Cancer

By Cathy Wong, About.com

Updated: January 24, 2008

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Although there's no direct evidence that the use of herbs can increase or decrease the risk of breast cancer, theoretically, some herbs have estrogen-like actions so they shouldn't be used long-term or by women with a history of breast cancer or those at high risk. Some of these herbs include:
  • black cohosh
  • blue cohosh
  • chasteberry
  • dang gui
  • dong quai
  • ginseng
  • hops
  • licorice
  • motherwort leaf
  • saw palmetto
  • rhodiola rosea
  • red clover
  • soy
  • vitex berry
  • wild yam

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