Genetics plays a role in who gets breast cancer and who escapes it, but research shows we can be proactive and significantly mitigate the risk through diet and exercise.

Nutrition to Help Fight Breast Cancer

• Flaxseed

  Researchers from the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center studied the effects of flaxseed consumption on slowing or stopping the progression of breast cancer cells.

  The scientists looked at flaxseed lignans, specifically the compound secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG). Not only did SDG stop the spread of the cancer cells, but it also seemed to reverse or repair the biomarkers that prompted the disease to begin with.

  How much flaxseed? Less than 50 grams (5 tablespoons) per day, according to Katherine Zeratsky, a registered dietitian with the Mayo Clinic.

  Using Flaxseed

  Ground flaxseed is digested more easily than whole seeds. You might:

  • Add a tablespoon to your breakfast cereal (hot or cold) or yogurt.
  • Put a teaspoonful in your mustard or mayonnaise next time you’re making a sandwich.
  • Bake some into your favorite muffin or cookie recipe to amp up the healthy in your treats!

• Green Tea

  Taking epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a polyphenol found in green tea, is another way to keep cancer at bay.

  A 2017 study determined that EGCG “can prevent and inhibit breasttumorigenesis... and is cytotoxic toward breast cancer cells.”

  In other words, EGCG stops breast cancer cells from forming in the first place and, if it does come across some, it’s going to work to kill them.

• Vitamin D

  Scientists working for the National Institutes of Health took a look at the long-term (five years) effects of maintaining proper levels of vitamin D.

  Vitamin D is found in plenty of fortified grocery items, or naturally in:

  • mushrooms, egg yolks, salmon, tuna, and beef liver, and produced naturally by your body in sunshine) and breast cancer.

  A 2017 report showed that for women with the highest blood serum vitamin D levels, breast cancer hazards were reduced by 21 percent compared to women with the lowest levels.

• Omega 3s

  If that isn’t enough inducement to keep some dairy products close by, another study showed that vitamin D works with omega-3 fatty acids to increase the death rate of breast cancer cells.

  Researchers have found that having low levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can increase cancer risk and progression of the disease.

  The study showed that the polyunsaturated fats in omega 3s from fish oil can elevate DHA levels and hasten the response of certain anticancer therapies, while simultaneously lessening harmful side effects that such treatments can prompt.

About one in eight American women will develop breast cancer at some point during their lifetime.

The good news is that changes to one’s diet and exercise regimen can protect against this form of cancer.

Protective actions include losing excess weight, getting adequate exercise, and following a Mediterranean diet.

Ways to Protect Against Breast Cancer

• Diet & Exercise

  The American Cancer Society recommends a weekly minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic exercise.

  The Mediterranean diet focuses on fish, legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, small amounts of red meat, and extra virgin olive oil. Processed foods and refined sugars are limited in this diet.

• Supplements

  • Melatonin

    Melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain to regulate sleep cycles, also inhibits breast cancer cell growth.

    “Melatonin enhances the effectiveness of your body’s immune cells to fight off foreign invaders, including mutated cells, stimulating the body’s immune response,” says Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS.

    If you’re chronically sleep deprived or work a night shift, you may be at higher risk for developing breast cancer. Supplementing with melatonin to get the sleep you need may support your immune system.

  • Vitamin D3

    Low levels of this vitamin have been shown to increase breast cancer risk. Research indicates a link between low levels and the progression and metastasis
    
    of breast cancer.

    “Women with a higher vitamin D intake may be a quarter less likely to die from breast cancer than women with lower levels,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD.

    In addition to supplements, vitamin D is found in fortified food items and naturally in egg yolks, salmon, tuna, and beef liver. Your body produces it after sun exposure.

    An August 2017 study showed that vitamin D works with omega-3 fatty acids to increase the death rate of breast cancer cells.

  • Omega 3s

    • Fish Oil

      DHA and EPA, two essential fatty acids found in oily fish (albacore tuna, salmon, sardines), fight against chronic inflammation and protect against breast cancer and breast cancer recurrence.

      One study found that women who took fish oil supplements for six years had a 32 percent lower risk of breast cancer than nonusers.

    • Flaxseed

      Flaxseed provides a plant-based omega 3 called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Animal and clinical trials show that consuming several daily tablespoons of flaxseed can protect against breast cancer.

• Nutrient-Rich Foods

  • Seaweed

    Iodine deficiency has been linked to breast cancer. “High-iodine cultures such as Japan have 70 percent lower rates of breast cancer than low-iodine countries like the US,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. He recommends adding iodine-rich sea veggies such as nori to your diet.

  • Green Tea

    Epigallocatechin gallate is a polyphenol found in green tea. Research has shown it to be protective against the development and growth of breast cancer cells.

A future round of anti-cancer drugs may come from a surprising source: the cannabis plant.

Potential Benefits of Cannabis for Cancer

“There is still a need for additional anti-cancer drugs,” said Burkhard Hinz, PhD, who noted that studies have shown “anti-cancer effects on several levels of cancer progression.” His new review of previous research found positive effects from phytocannabinoids, which occur naturally in cannabis. Potential benefits include:

• Stopping cancer cells from dividing and invading normal tissue.
• Blocking blood supply to tumors.
• Enhancing the body’s immune response against the growth and spread of tumors.

The list of life-threatening cancers seems endless. Skin. Lung. Breast. Prostate. Cervical. Colorectal. Oral. Testicular. But while each disease is different, all of these types of cancers share common ground—they can often be prevented through lifestyle changes or treated following early detection.

While there’s nothing you can do about aging—the biggest risk factor for developing cancer—studies have shown that only 5 to 10 percent of cancers are hereditary. That means you have the power to make healthy choices that can keep some common cancers at bay. Estimates suggest that about 30 to 40 percent of cancers can be avoided through lifestyle changes. Here are ways to help reduce your risk.

Ways to Reduce Your Cancer Risk

• Avoid Tobacco

  “There’s an incredibly strong relationship between cigarette smoking and malignancies,” said Jennifer Ligibel, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Lung cancer is the most deadly, accounting for 27 percent of all cancer deaths among men and women. Secondhand smoke and chewing tobacco also cause cancer, so eliminate tobacco altogether.

• Safety in the Sun

  Although skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, it’s also the most preventable. While short bursts of exposure to sunshine (15 minutes a day) can give you the vitamin D you need, aim to wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 and ideally 30 to protect skin from deadly melanoma, especially during your first 18 years.

• Eat a Healthy Diet

  Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, healthy fats, and fish are cancer-fighting foods that help repair DNA. Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E; selenium; quercetin; and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Fish and nuts have omega-3 fatty acids that reduce chronic inflammation.

• Check in with Your Physican

  Get regular screenings. Early detection is critical to fighting cancer, so schedule regular screenings for cancer of the skin (especially if you have a lot of moles), colon, cervix, breast, and other organs as often as your healthcare practitioner recommends.

• Everything in Moderation

  Limit alcohol. The more you drink, the more you increase your risk of numerous types of cancer, especially if you drink excessively. While resveratrol in red wine has been linked to
  
  heart health, it does not have anticancer properties. So drink in moderation.

• Keep Moving

  Maintain a healthy weight. The majority of the American population—70 percent—is considered overweight, and that’s a significant issue for our nation’s health. “We know that people who are leaner are less likely to develop cancer,” said Dr. Ligibel. “And regular physical activity is linked to a lower risk as well.”

• Supplements for Cancer Prevention

  Consider vitamin D. Although it’s ideal to get as many nutrients as you can from whole foods, you can’t always get everything you need. That’s where supplements can make a difference. Increasing your intake of vitamin D in particular may help reduce your risk of certain cancers.

• Vaccine for What you Need

  Get vaccinated. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical and genital cancers. Kids should be vaccinated at age 11 or 12, as should anyone 26 or younger who didn’t get immunized in their youth. Also, the hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for certain high-risk adults to prevent liver and other cancers. Be sure to ask your healthcare practitioner for guidance.

  Years ago people whispered the word cancer, but today there is a slew of information about it. The important thing to know is that the prevention of many cancers is impacted by the way you live your life, so live it well.

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer will be diagnosed in about 165,000 American men this year, placing it second behind skin cancer.

Like many other forms of cancer, diet plays an important role in preventing it.

Diet for Prostate Health

Here's a healthy eating pattern to help ward off prostate cancer, with help from the editors of Harvard Medical School’s HEALTHbeat newsletter.

• Helpful Foods

  • Fruits & Veggies

    Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, particularly those with deep, bright colors.

  • Whole Grains

    Choose whole-grain breads, pastas, and cereals.

• Harmful Foods

  • Red Meat

    Limit your intake of red meat, including beef, pork, and lamb, and processed meats such as bologna and hot dogs.

    • Opt for healthy protein sources, such as:
      • fish
      • skinless poultry
      • beans
      • eggs
    • Choose healthful fats, such as:
      • olive oil
      • nuts
      • avocados

  • Sugar and Salt

    Avoid sugar-sweetened drinks, such as sodas. And cut down on the salt!

• Healthy Choices

  • Eat in Moderation

    Limit your portion sizes, eat slowly, and stop eating when you’re full.

  • Avoid Fatty Foods

    Another study has found that eating a high-fat diet can have a negative effect in men who have prostate cancer, causing it to spread more quickly.

    Prostate tumors often remain in the organ, so treatment success is high. But when the cancer spreads beyond the prostate, it is often lethal.

    The new study showed that fat from the diet can help it spread.

The word cancer frightens many of us, and colorectal cancer has the double-whammy of being both common and deadly.

What is Colorectal Cancer?

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the third leading cause of death from cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Common Questions

• How Common is Colorectal Cancer?

  About 4 percent of the population will develop this form of cancer over the course of their lifetime.

  Unfortunately, the colorectal cancer rates in the US are rising 1 to 2 percent annually in people under 55.

• How Deadly is Colorectal Cancer?

  The five-year survival rate is 65 percent, but if caught in the earliest stages, the survival rate jumps to 90 percent.

  To that end, the FDA recently approved a blood test that can screen for colorectal cancer. It's been approved for use in people with average risk who are ages 45 and older.

• Can Colorectal Cancer Be Prevented?

  Genetics account for only 5 to 10 percent of colorectal cases (and family history up to 25 percent), which means prevention tactics can greatly reduce your risk and improve outcomes.

  Prevention comes in two forms: healthy habits for prevention and screening to catch cancer early while it’s most treatable.

  Ask your doctor if you’re eligible for a blood test or screening as well as the pros and cons of a colonoscopy versus at-home kits. Don’t put that off!

  In the meantime, incorporate healthy habits and useful supplements into your routine.

How to Reduce Your Risk of Colorectal Cancer

There are two primary themes to remember when it comes to reducing colorectal cancer risk:

1. Reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
2. Encouraging healthy gut function, including microbiota.

• Lifestyle

  • Exercise

    One of the best ways to reduce your risk of colon cancer is to exercise regularly, at least 30 minutes on most days. For optimal protection, researchers suggest 3.5 to 4 hours per week of vigorous activity.

    Inactivity has a greater impact on colorectal cancer risk than genetics. While it may not seem connected, exercise improves gut motility, enhances the immune system, decreases inflammatory insulin and insulin-like growth factors, decreases obesity, and improves antioxidant status.

  • Regular Screening

    It’s also crucial to be screened and to remove polyps larger than the size of a pea, which are more likely to turn into cancer. Fortunately, they grow slowly over 10 to 20 years.

  • Other Changes

    Some of the best ways to prevent colorectal cancer are those that prevent and manage many other diseases, including other types of cancer.

    • not smoking
    • avoiding obesity
    • controlling blood sugar
    • limiting alcohol (below 3 drinks a day)

• Colon-Friendly Diet

  One of the primary reasons colorectal cancer is so common in the United States is the standard American diet. Studies link colorectal cancer risk to excessive red meat, fat, protein, and calories.

  A whole-foods diet emphasizing vegetables, fiber, fatty fish like salmon and halibut, plant protein, and good hydration significantly protects you because it:

  • feeds healthy gut flora
  • encourages healthy elimination
  • decreases inflammation
  • decreases oxidation
  • balances blood sugar
  • nourishes the body

  • Embrace Fiber

    One meta-analysis found that people who consumed more than 27 grams of fiber daily had 50 percent less chance of developing colorectal cancer compared to people who consumed less than 11 grams of fiber daily.

    Eat five or more servings daily of vegetables and fruit. Include naturally high-fiber foods such as nuts, seeds, whole grains (especially oatmeal), beans, legumes, apples, and pears.

    Ground flax, psyllium, chia, hemp seeds, bran, and other fiber supplements can be helpful, but food sources are best.

    The Role of Fiber

    • Keeps stool soft and moving through
    • Improves blood sugar stability
    • Feeds and support healthy (and anti-cancer) gut flora
    • Improves the body’s ability to detoxify

    Fiber and Your Gut Flora

    Microbiota (gut flora) love chewing on fiber. If you don’t consume enough fiber, they turn to an alternate food source – your protective mucin gut lining!

    Fiber and Flatulence

    Incorporating more fiber into the diet can make you uncomfortably gassy.

    Try a slow introduction to give your gut flora a chance to adjust. If you haven’t adapted after a few months, ask your doctor to test you for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).

  • Reduced Fat Intake

    Reducing fat in the diet encourages more favorable gut flora and compounds like butyrate that discourage cancer formation.

  • Additional Nutrients

    While fiber in the diet is the most important, additional support may be found from:

    • prebiotic inulin
    • other complex polysaccharides
    • mucilaginous herbs (like marshmallow and aloe inner gel)
    • probiotics such as Bifidobacterium longum

• Probiotics & Prebiotics

  Gut flora have a tremendous impact on colorectal health and cancer risk.

  Probiotics are healthy bacterial flora, including Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium, found in supplements and lactic acid-forming fermented foods.

  Probiotics are food for the good bacteria, including fiber, mucilage, FOS, and inulin.

  Preliminary studies suggest that probiotics and prebiotics can:

  • improve gut health and motility
  • make the colon less hospitable to cancer cells
  • fight and prevent cancer cells and tumor formation
  • reduce the damage from carcinogenic foods like:
    • grilled red meat
    • cured meats
    • bacon

• Medicinal Mushrooms

  Mushrooms have long been used in Asia for cancer treatment and prevention.

  They contain complex polysaccharide starches, including glucans and beta glucan (and other beneficial compounds) that improve immune system health to better fight and prevent various types of cancer.

  In modern Asia, mushroom polysaccharide extracts are often prescribed as adjunct cancer treatments to improve outcomes.

  To make the polysaccharides bioavailable, medicinal mushrooms should be cooked, heated, or simmered in water, even better if powdered first, or try extract capsules.

  • Turkey Tail

    The most human studies have been performed on turkey tail mushrooms, usually as an adjunct in cancer treatment to improve outcome and remission rates.

    In these studies, turkey tail extract:

    • kept colorectal cancer progression in check
    • decreased the voracity of cancer’s progression (how deep it went, how far it spread)
    • increased survival rate in patients also receiving conventional care

  • Reishi and Shiitake

    A handful of studies show that reishi and shiitake extracts also inhibit colorectal cancer.

• Nutritional Supplements

  While fiber in the diet is the most important, additional support may be found from prebiotic inulin, other complex polysaccharides, mucilaginous herbs like marshmallow and aloe inner gel, and probiotics such as Bifidobacterium longum.

  • Calcium and Vitamin D

    In population studies, the better the intake of these nutrients, the lower the risk. Although not all studies agree, some note a reduced risk on par with exercise: 10 to 15 percent.

    In a four-year, well-designed study, the combination of 1,400-1,500 milligrams (mg) calcium citrate or carbonate and 1,000 IU vitamin D3 together reduced cancer risk for healthy postmenopausal women.

    Other studies have found that vitamin D supplementation reduces risk by 50 percent.

  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids

    People who consume more omega-3 fatty acids from wild, coldwater fatty fish have a reduced risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancers.

    Taking 2.5 grams of fish oil daily reduces cancer’s growth rate.

    Higher doses of fish oil (4.1 grams EPA, 3.6 grams DHA daily) for 12 weeks rapidly reduced cancer markers in colon polyps in a small group of high-risk cancer patients.

  • Turmeric

    Turmeric powder in the diet or supplements may help prevent or fight various types of cancer including colon cancer through immune system support, deceased inflammation, and increased antioxidants.

    This potent anti-inflammatory spice and its constituents slow the promotion and progression of colon cancer and encourage cancer cell cycle arrest.

    Clinical Studies

    Cancer patients who consumed turmeric powder (as well as garlic, onion, tomato, shiitake, rice bran, kale, blueberry, and pineapple) in addition to their regular diet improved antioxidant status and other clinical measures of improved treatment outcomes versus those who did not.

    One study suggested a dose of 3.6 grams of curcumin for colon care.

  • Green Tea

    Drinking five or more cups of green tea (or taking 250 to 500 mg of the standardized extract) daily may be helpful.

    Green tea provides antioxidants and can improve the immune system’s response to cancer, particularly in nonsmokers.

    Thanks to the EGCG antioxidant in green tea, it can:

    • inhibit cancer growth
    • induce cancer cell death
    • inhibit the inflammation that fuels cancer

    Clinical Studies

    In one study, green tea supplementation reduced colorectal tumor incidence in post-surgery cancer patients by 50 percent.

    In another large study of nonsmoking men, each daily 2 gram intake of dry green tea leaves (about the amount in one tea bag) was associated with a 12 percent reduction in colorectal cancer risk.

In addition to all of the other problems they face, the majority of people receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy for their cancer suffer from severe fatigue. This fatigue is most often ignored.

But it is not enough simply to prolong life. It is important that life also be enjoyable. The good news? You don’t have to choose. Those things that improve quality of life may also improve survival.

If you have cancer fatigue, here are four steps to optimize energy that I recommend to the people I treat.

1. Optimized nutritional support.

Choose a multivitamin/mineral supplement that supplies the vitamins, minerals, and energy cofactors that the diet should be supplying (except the calories) at optimal levels, with the exception of iron and essential oils.

Some doctors advise people with cancer not to take nutritional supplements. The rationalization? That antioxidants might decrease the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation (which are oxidative). Although this concern is not unreasonable, research suggests that nutritional support improves outcomes while decreasing chemotherapy toxicity. In addition, nausea caused by chemo and increased metabolic needs from the cancer can leave people dramatically malnourished.

To be on the safe side, do not consume multivitamin supplements for two days before and three to seven days after radiation or chemotherapy.

If using chemotherapy that can cause nerve damage, I recommend 1,000 milligrams (mg) of acetyl l-carnitine twice a day until three months after the chemo is done to help protect the nerves, except for people taking the chemo drug vinorelbine.

Other nutrients can support the health of people being treated for certain types of cancer. Glutathione has been shown to decrease the toxicity of the chemo drug cisplatin, and coenzyme Q10 helps keep the heart healthy while taking doxorubicin.

Meanwhile, don’t forget to go for walks in the sunshine. Walking has been shown to help cancer-related fatigue. Sun-shine—and its ability to produce vitamin D in our bodies—strengthens the immune system.

2. Get pain relief.

Chronic pain drains energy, and virtually all pain can be effectively treated. The problem is that most physicians are not trained in pain management. Ask your oncologist to refer you to a physician who specializes in pain management (a physiatrist). Herbals can also help support health. Highly absorbable curcumin such as BCM-95 is being tested in numerous cancer studies, and is showing dramatic benefits in protecting health. Meanwhile, it can augment the effectiveness of pain medications.

A technique called Frequency-Specific Microcurrent can also be helpful for pain, with no side effects.

3. Sleep.

I can’t overemphasize the importance of getting eight to nine hours of sleep a night. Sleep is critical not only for energy but also for decreasing pain and optimizing immune function. Look for products containing valerian, passionflower, L-theanine, hops, and lemon balm.

4. Hope.

Feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness are draining. But I routinely find studies showing that low-cost natural therapies can be effective for specific cancers. It is unlikely that the cancer specialist will hear about this research, however. Your holistic health practitioner can look into these and guide you. By combining the best of natural and standard medical care, the “average” statistics become meaningless, with your odds for improvement and recovery being much higher.

One in eight women develop breast cancer. The good news is that death rates have been decreasing.

Read our collection of articles about proactive steps to take, to help safeguard your health.

Physical activity and avoiding weight gain are the most important lifestyle choices for breast cancer patients, according to a new review of studies.

Researchers looked at several lifestyle factors—including exercise, weight, diet, and smoking—to determine the changes women can make to improve their chances of survival and reduce the risk of recurrence.

The key findings include avoiding weight gain, moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, taking vitamin C and vitamin D supplements, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol intake.