Total Health Breakthroughs: Free Natural Health Newsletter and Alternative Health Articles

If you have read any breast cancer prevention articles over the last month, you probably saw several articles on making sure your diet includes plenty of omega-3 fats as well as high antioxidant-containing foods like berries, colorful vegetables, beans/legumes, and green tea — all to help your body keep damage from free radicals to a minimum. This is all good advice, but it does not adequately address the other side of the equation — avoiding foods that promote inflammation in the body.

Prevent Insulin Resistance

Not controlling your intake of refined sugars, white breads, pastas, soft drinks and fast foods can lead to insulin resistance, which is a known contributor of inflammation and oxidative stress in the body¹. Inflammation caused by poor dietary habits not only greatly increases risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, but also increases risk of cancer, including breast cancer.²

Several large human studies have found that diet plays a large role in increasing inflammation and the risk of type 2 diabetes — and that leads to an increased risk of cancer. The worst diets appear to be those high in fructose-sweetened soft drinks, refined grains, diet soft drinks, and processed meat and low in red wine, coffee, cruciferous vegetables, and colored vegetables.

One study found that insulin resistance even without the women being diabetic significantly increased breast cancer risk — and this effect was even independent of body weight or body fat distribution.³ Another study of 60,000 women followed over 20 years found that being insulin resistant not only increased breast cancer risk, but increased the risk of being diagnosed with more advanced stages of cancer.⁴

So clearly, controlling insulin resistance is one of the most powerful ways we can reduce our breast cancer risk. For most people, this will mean eating diets that limit high glycemic index and high glycemic load foods.

Increase Levels of Protective Estrogen

As my husband Jim wrote, cabbage family vegetables which are high in sulfur compounds improve methylation in the body that helps prevent the buildup of unhealthy estrogen metabolites called 16OH. In addition to that, broccoli in particular, contains two substances, diindolyl methane (DIM) and indole-3-carbinol (I3C) that help the liver make enzymes that neutralize 16OH production.^5-6

However, to achieve levels that significantly impact 16OH production, it’s necessary to take it in a concentrated supplement form. Several clinical trials have demonstrated the ability of a DIM supplement to significantly increase the ratio of good to bad estrogen metabolites in as little as four weeks.^7-8

Decrease Levels of Harmful Estrogen

Phytoestrogens are substances in plants that in effect, block bad estrogen metabolites from being able to exert their harmful effects. Phytoestrogens are found in many plant foods; soybeans, peas, beans, and pomegranates are foods that are particularly high in beneficial phytoestrogens. (Soybeans are a two-edged sword however, because with excessive intake they can inhibit thyroid hormone synthesis.)

Plant lignans are a type of dietary fiber found in high amounts in flaxseeds. Lignans increase something called sex hormone binding globulin, which can bind to estrogens and carry them out of the body. They also reduce levels of beta-glucuronidase, the pathogenic intestinal bacteria that prevents harmful estrogen metabolites from being eliminated. Regular inclusion of lignan-containing ground flaxseeds or flaxseed oils may help prevent breast cancer by aiding the body’s elimination of excessive estrogen.

And finally, reducing your exposure to environmental estrogens (xenoestrogens) is important because they may trigger tissue proliferation much like excessive natural estrogens.⁹ Many pesticides are xenoestrogens, and this is the reason we recommend eating organically raised foods as much as possible. Phthalates in plastics are also xenoestrogenic, so avoid eating or drinking out of plastic containers or microwaving with plastic wraps.

References

1. Sies H, Stahl W, Sevanian A. J Nutr. 2005;135(5):969-72.
2. Schulze MB, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;82(3):675-84; quiz 714-5.
3. Bruning P et al. International J of Cancer 52 (4): 511-16.
4. Cust A, et al. J Breast Cancer Res and Treatment, July 2008.
5. Bradlow HL et al. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1996;768:180-200.
6. Bell MC, et al. Gynecol Oncol. 2000;78(2):123-129.
7. Dalessandri KM, et al. Journal of Nutrition and Cancer. 2004;50(2):161-7.
8. Wang Z, et al. Mol Cancer Ther. 2008 Feb;7(2):341-9.
9. Watson C, et al. Steroids. Feb. 2007; 72(2):124-134.

[Ed. Note: Laura B. LaValle, RD, LD is presently the director of dietetics nutrition at LaValle Metabolic Institute (formerly part of Living Longer Institute). She offers personal nutritional counseling at LMI for clients who need help with their diet in relation to illness or disease. Laura also provides educational services in the areas of health promotion, wellness, and disease prevention. To learn more, click here]