Diet and breast cancer
 

When I was diagnosed I received literature from the hospital that said there is no evidence that what we eat can affect our cancer outcome. I don't think that's true.

Whether it's true or not, the one thing we do know about eating foods and spices thought to have anti-cancer effects is it can't hurt. People have been eating olive oil, fish, vegetables, fruits, turmeric and ginger, and drinking green tea, for millennia. Another good thing about seeking optimum health through diet is it is pleasurable. The beautiful colors, textures and flavors of a mostly-plant-based diet are delightful. However many days I have left, I want to live them to the fullest.

I found the attached booklet this week. If I were running the hospital's breast cancer education program, I'd have this in the packet. http://www.ucsfbreastcarecenter.org/...r_breastca.pdf

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

Thank you for the informative link. Very interesting !! Very helpful !!!!!!! I am going to keep the link and refer to it often.
I think your cancer center has it wrong. What we put in our bodies does affect our health. Only a small percentage of breast cancers originate from family history, so diet, environment and lifestyle do affect our bodies in various ways, including not so good ways.

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

Thanks for posting this - I have been looking for a single comprehensive document just like this.

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

Amy,
I disagree completely with the information you were first provided at the hospital. While nutrition/diet research faces many challenges we can safely say diet and/or weight is at least one risk factor for breast cancer. There is evidence to support improved outcomes in those diagnosed with breast cancer when certain dietary guidelines are followed. I am glad you were wise to seek out your own answers. If you are not already familiar with the document you may find the AICR/WCRF Expert Report interesting. You can find it at the link below.

http://www.aicr.org/research/research_science_home.html

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

The article listed in the Washington Post link below does not mention breast cancer (for that, be sure to follow the link provided by Tanya: http://www.aicr.org/research/research_science_home.html), but I thought it's an interesting read. [I'm going to eat some ice cream anyway even though my ovaries are gone... :)]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifest...JPK_story.html (Foods that benefit various body parts)

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

Hi Jackie,

Forgive my ignorance, Is there a reason your not supposed to eat ice cream with out your ovaries?

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

I too was told to follow the basic guidelines - everything in moderation etc... that as my diet was ok according to the national guidelines to keep going along. I have decided differently and am following a vegan diet mostly - occasional eggs and I am eating fish 1-2 a week. I firmly believe that food can be medicine too. I don't feel we can rely simply on medication alone to deal with this disease and that by making significant dietary changes I will enhance the outcomes of the treatments I am having.

Amy - the link is awesome - so much information in one place. I was due to go to a seminar today by Ian Gawler - an Australian man who has survived a very aggressive osteosarcoma in the 1970's - he made significant lifestyle changes that include diet and meditation as key principles - when he was given no hope by the medical fraternity. Back then he was considered a bit whacky but medicine is catching up to the concept of healing being more holistic. I can't make it as I've had a temp overnight and need to rest up. I am attending a 12 week program run by the Gawler foundation and hope to receive more information about diet and cancer. It can be overwhelming how conflicting the information is at times but it seems that a common denominator is being plant based.

Tanya - the link you provide is interesting too. Is there any research on diet in people with Stage 4 breast cancer?

Amy - have you changed your diet and if so how?

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

The link below has a lot of web information on diet and cancer. I received it from CancerConnect and haven't checked out the credential of the featured author of the cancer guide listed ...

http://www.bentmileshealth.com/healthy_living.htm

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

Amy,

You might find this recently published study to be of interest:

Low-carbohydrate diets, dietary approaches to stop hypertension-style diets, and the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21832271

"A diet high in fruits and vegetables, such as one represented by the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet score, was associated with a lower risk of ER- breast cancer. In addition, a diet high in plant protein and fat and moderate in carbohydrate content was associated with a lower risk of ER- cancer."

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

Hi Amanda,
I am not aware of any nutrition related research in Stage IV breast cancer specifically. However, based on the research in early stage and breast cancer prevention I would be very supportive of your vegetarian/vegan diet.

I thought you might enjoy this link to Diana Dyer's website. She is an RD and breast cancer survivor. She follows a vegan diet and is a wealth of information on the subject.

http://www.cancerrd.com/

Best wishes,

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

Amy,
Thank you for posting this awesome resource! I've posted it to my desktop for easy reference.
Ironically, now that I've read it...this sounds remarkably like the diet I followed while carrying my sons. I wanted to give them the best start possible.
I'm embarrassed to admit it...but once they were born, my diet went downhill rather quickly. I still fed them a healthy diet...but my stash of M&Ms was never far away!!

Time for me to get back on track! Colorful fruits and veggies, instead of colorful, candy-coated chocolate! :)

Thanks again!
Denise

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I find the site whatbreast cancer patients and survivors taking herceptin treatment very usefull and have been following it with your help in regulating Hems's diet

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Greetings HER2+ Sisters

I am so confused by all the diets and which one I should follow. As of now the only thing that I should ingest that is agreeable so it seems is WATER.....

I've been researching Diets for BC, Diets for HER2+ BC, and Diets for ER+ BC. Completely conflicting as to what is great for overall BC is not great for ER+ as the food contains too much estrogen then, a good food choice for ER+ is not good for HER2+......

I've come to terms with my BC and I'm prepared to let go of my 26" of long thick black hair, my eyebrows and eyelashes. I want to take all my treatments and kick cancer's @ss to the curb but.....how can I be diligent and prepare to fight this Cancer for the 2nd time (diagnosed 1st time IDC stage 2, right breast....lumpectomy and radiation followed by Tamoxafin....Tamox did absolutely NOTHING for me as my new cancer Left side is stage 1 triple positive) with NO FOOD???

Ladies, I want to thank you all for your courage, strength, openness, intelligence and humor. You all are amazing!!

Lisa

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

Lisa,

Like Tanya and another Lisa on this board, my Sister-in-law is also a registered dietician. She's been teaching nutrition/food science for almost 30 years. She had told me one time to eat whatever that I felt like to eat (and can digest) during chemotherapy.

I remember reading something on Reader's Digest many years ago that young children are capable of picking the right food for themselves. If they are in need of protein, they would go for meat/egg/milk.

Since chemo destroys lots of our sensation/appetite, we can't go by our 'natural instinct' (because we don't have appetite :) I would try to cook some plain rice soup and gradually add extra meat/egg/vegies.

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

Jackie,

Thank You for your response. You are always so good about replying to posts. I hear from my onc that rather then losing appitite I may just have the opposite effect due to the steroids. I'm so confused by the diet i should follow after chemo. As I mentioned I am ER+ as well as HER2+ and it seems from what I've been reading the reccomended food list for these two are conflicting. I may just have to quit stressing over this and enjoy everything in moderation....that was my grandmother's favorite saying "everything is good for you in moderation"

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

When I was on chemo I was trying to get more protein, so I ate grass fed beef, chicken, and a bit more fish than I used to. Now I'm eating about the same as before I got cancer, but trying to have more vegetables (especially cruciferous ones). I go out of my way to get turmeric, ginger and fresh herbs fairly often. I also eat a lot of yogurt. I make it myself with half organic grass-fed whole milk and half skim milk.

I wasn't eating many sweets (except dark chocolate), and it's been years since I had any artificial transfats or high fructose corn syrup. My diet is primarily plant-based. I avoid white flour, white sugar and white rice as much as possible, which means I prepare almost all my food from scratch. I don't find that as hard to do as it might sound. I make big batches--of red beans and brown rice, lentil soup, split pea soup, etc.--and freeze portions for later.

Information on soy foods is all over the place. As far as I can tell, soy is neither great for breast cancer nor bad for it. Tofu is such a good, cheap source of protein, I eat it several times a week with stir fry vegetables and brown rice. I also eat edamame. I make my own bread with whole grain flour (wheat and rye) and sourdough.

Basically I try to go for "protein and produce," limiting things that have a high glycemic index and trying to get a lot of fiber.

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Sounds wondrful Amy, Thank You!! Like the idea of making the big batches of soup.

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Amy,
You are my new diet role model! You've summed up what I'm shooting for...except for making my own yogurt. I think that may be beyond my current skill set. I don't think I've ever even known anyone who made their own yogurt. That's really cool!

I have 2 teenage sons, so we still have some processed foods around...and pizza from time to time...but luckily, my boys love soup. Any soup! They'd eat it 5 days a week if I made it...so I do!!

And I've eaten a low fat diet for my entire married life because my husband's family has a very strong history of heart and cholesterol issues.

The hardest thing for me to give up is sugar. I admit it. I'm an addict. Once my surgery is behind me, I have to just suck it up, and stop. Cold turkey. No excuses. Because, as someone pointed out in another thread (Pray, I think...please forgive me if I'm mistaken)...I don't know whether all that sugar helps my cancer grow...but I'm not willing to chance it!

Protein and produce is my new mantra! Thanks, Amy!
All the best to you!
Denise

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

Bumping this up so some of the new members can see it.

Re: Diet and breast cancer
 

Thanks for the additional links. I will make good use of them. I can always learn more about healthy eating.
I cook mostly from scratch too. As you mentioned it is not as hard as many people think it is. The time consuming part is washing and cutting all the produce, but once that is done the rest is pretty easy.
If you have a block of time one or two days a week you can cut and wash some produce and other ingredients and make pots of healthy stews, chili and soup. You can freeze some in small containers for use in the future.
Also if you are feeling a little under the weather some day all you have to do is take a container of something healthy you made from the freezer and heat it up.
I use fresh herbs. I eat alot of different fresh veggies and fruit. I keep a couple bags of frozen veggies and fruit in the freezer for when I run out of the fresh variety. I am vegetarian, but I do eat about 3 eggs a week, and dairy(mostly yoghurt). The only thing with a face I eat is wild salmon. I eat various kinds of beans including edamane and an occassional serving of tofu with stir frys. I eat natto once in awhile.
I buy whole grain breads, English muffins, bagels,crackers and waffles from the health food store.