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The Breast Cancer Diet

Katie May 1, 2011 Health, Nutrition 2 Comments

Has it ever occurred to you that there could be a connection between breast cancer and your diet?  Some researchers say that there are two key things in preventing cancer- estrogen regulation and immunity boosting.  Dr. Kristi Funk, MD, founder of The Pink Lotus Breast Center in Beverly Hills, CA says that while a genetic change is the root of all breast cancer,  breast cancer is fed and fueled for the most part by estrogen. Dr Funk believes that if we can decrease estrogen in our bodies, we can remove some of that fuel that makes cancer cells multiply and divide.  How do you do that? Here are 7 things, directly from a blog that Dr. Funk wrote, that help suppress estrogen. Dr. Funk also discussed this on a Dr. Oz show that aired in 2010.

  1. Three cups of green tea a day can prevent breast cancer by as much as 50% because of its high EGCG antioxidant content. Squeeze a little lemon into your cup and increase the antioxidant power of your tea.
  2. Garlic is a good immunity booster that also has anti-inflammatory properties.
  3. Olive oil, borage oils and flaxseed oil contain monounsaturated fat, which can help suppress breast cancer.
  4. Turmeric helps decrease estrogen. As little as one teaspoon a day has been shown to reduce tumor growth. Get your daily dose by mixing it into salad dressings, rice or vegetable dishes.
  5. Cruciferous vegetables, such as kale, bok choy and Swiss chard bind estrogen in your GI tract and reduce tumor stimulation. They also detoxify the liver, which helps reduce the toxins flowing through your body that can irritate cells and turn them into early cancers.
  6. Seaweed/Kelp are high in iodine, this is another estrogen reducer.
  7. A daily supplement of Vitamin D (2000 IU) can prevent tumor metastasis, reduce cancer cells and aid estrogen inhibitors. Calcium-rich foods, such as sardines, salmon, milk and cheese are also highly recommended. Or, 15-20 minutes of sunshine every day can help you in getting your daily dose of Vitamin D. All of these combined can decrease your breast cancer risk by up to 50%.

In addition to and somewhat related to diet is, Bisphenol A (BPA). BPA has been shown to add to the risk of breast cancer.  BPA is found in almost everything from metal food cans to some plastic containers.  Since BPA is an unstable polymer and seeks fat, it grabs onto products when they are heated. This is why it’s recommended to remove frozen entrees from the plastic container and put onto a glass plate before heating in the microwave.  Studies using human breast cancer cell cultures show that BPA acts the same as the natural  estrogen estradiol and can weakly interact with the estrogen receptor.  This study also showed that BPA can alter breast cell responsiveness and cause direct damage to the DNA of the cells that were cultured.

With or without cancer, clearly it’s best to eat a diet that’s as healthy as possible loaded with lots of vegetables. Upon diagnosis, did you change your eating habits immediately? Did you receive any nutrition counseling prior to surgery or treatment? Let’s discuss!

References: http://www.pinklotusbreastcenter.com, http://www.breastcancerfund.org

Image courtesy of allrevitolcream.com

Full disclosure:  The author of this blog has blogged in the past for Pink Lotus Breast Center.