Tagged with 'breast-cancer'

Reduce your exposure to BPA, one of the most common xenoestrogens.

Each October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and more and more research indicates a link between diet and cancer. About one in eight American women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime—more than 246,000 women (and about 2,600 men) are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 alone.

Studies have identified cancer-fighting compounds in certain foods, particularly carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables like carrots and tomatoes. However, experts increasingly believe it’s the overall diet pattern that counts the most.  

Here are some promising eating strategies to lower your risk of breast cancer.

GO MEDITERRANEAN

It’s not just good for your heart. Women following a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish and extra-virgin olive oil were 68% less likely to develop breast cancer than women put on a low-fat diet, Spanish researchers found. Previous research has shown the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower cancer rates in general, but this is the first study to show a benefit for breast cancer specifically.

LIMIT SUGAR

Added sugar isn’t so sweet for breast cancer risk, suggests preliminary research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Mice who got upwards of 12.5% of their calories from added sugar were significantly more likely to develop breast cancer compared to mice on a no-added-sugar diet.

Unfortunately, the average American gets 13% of their daily calories from added sugar, putting them at great risk. The researchers found the sweet stuff triggered enzymes leading to inflammation, which is thought to play a role in this disease. While results in people haven’t been quite so dramatic, research suggests sugar appears to have a similar impact on humans. Another bonus: cutting back on added sugar to about 24 grams (or less than 5% of your daily calories) per day can help you stay slim—important since obesity is also associated with breast cancer risk.

CLOSE THE KITCHEN AFTER DINNER

In a study of women already diagnosed with breast cancer, those who put at least 13 hours between dinner and breakfast the next day cut their risk of recurrence by 36% and had better blood sugar control, according to a new University of California, San Diego study. The researchers are optimistic their findings may apply to preventing breast cancer, since high blood sugar may increase your risk for the disease.

Reference:

Eating Well, September/October 2016

About one in eight American women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime—more than 246,000 women (and about 2,600 men) are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 alone. Studies have identified cancer-fighting compounds in certain foods, particularly carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables like carrots and tomatoes. However, experts increasingly believe it’s the overall diet pattern that counts the most.  

Here are some promising eating strategies to lower your risk of breast cancer.

GO MEDITERRANEAN

It’s not just good for your heart. Women following a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish and extra-virgin olive oil were 68% less likely to develop breast cancer than women put on a low-fat diet, Spanish researchers found. Previous research has shown the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower cancer rates in general, but this is the first study to show a benefit for breast cancer specifically.

LIMIT SUGAR

Added sugar isn’t so sweet for breast cancer risk, suggests preliminary research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Mice who got upwards of 12.5% of their calories from added sugar were significantly more likely to develop breast cancer compared to mice on a no-added-sugar diet.

Unfortunately, the average American gets 13% of their daily calories from added sugar, putting them at great risk. The researchers found the sweet stuff triggered enzymes leading to inflammation, which is thought to play a role in this disease. While results in people haven’t been quite so dramatic, research suggests sugar appears to have a similar impact on humans. Another bonus: cutting back on added sugar to about 24 grams (or less than 5% of your daily calories) per day can help you stay slim—important since obesity is also associated with breast cancer risk.

CLOSE THE KITCHEN AFTER DINNER

In a study of women already diagnosed with breast cancer, those who put at least 13 hours between dinner and breakfast the next day cut their risk of recurrence by 36% and had better blood sugar control, according to a new University of California, San Diego study. The researchers are optimistic their findings may apply to preventing breast cancer, since high blood sugar may increase your risk for the disease.

Reference:

Eating Well, September/October 2016

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. More than 25 years ago, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month began to promote awareness of breast cancer issues. A collaboration of national public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies joined together to form National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, or NBCAM, to promote awareness and share information. 

Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer found in American women.

Second only to skin cancer, the rate of women developing breast cancer each year has stayed the same for the last decade. According to the National Cancer Institute, avoiding certain risk factors and increasing protective factors may help prevent cancer. Scientists continue to look at factors that can increase or decrease the risk of developing cancer, and at this point they have determined the following risks and possible protective factors. 

Factors that many increase the risk of breast cancer:

Estrogen

Hormones play a major role in different processes in our body. Estrogen is a hormone that helps the body to develop, and that is responsible for female sex characteristics. Estrogen levels are highest in women during their childbearing (menstruating) years, with levels decreasing with menopause. Women who began menstruating early, or do not begin menopause until later in life, increase the number of years that breast tissue is exposed to estrogen. Women who become pregnant later in life or never become pregnant also should be aware of the risks of prolonged estrogen exposure.

Hormone Therapy

Women who have been given hormone therapy, or hormone replacement therapy, to replace estrogen, progestin, or both (such as postmenopausal women or those whose ovaries have been removed), are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Studies have shown that halting these hormonal therapies decreases cancer risk. 

Radiation Exposure

Radiation therapy has been used to treat Hodgkin's disease, but studies have shown that this therapy can increase a women's risk of breast cancer. Exposure to radiation, such as a chest x-ray, can increase cancer risks, particularly if the radiation therapy or exposure occurred during puberty, or before 20 years of age.

Obesity 

If you are a postmenopausal women who is obese, your risks for breast cancer are elevated, even if you have not undergone hormone replacement therapy. This is one more in a long list of health reasons to maintain a healthy body weight at every age and stage of life. 

Alchohol

According to the National Cancer Institute, a women's risk of developing breast cancer rises as the amount of alcohol consumed rises. 

Genetic Inherited Risks

Changes in certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, passed on to women increase their risk of breast cancer. These women may develop breast cancer at an earlier age than women without changes to these genes. If you have a family history of breast cancer, be sure to talk to your doctor about this risk.

Protective Factors that may decrease the risk of breast cancer:

Exercise

Premenopausal women of normal weight who exercise four or more hours a week have shown the greatest decrease in breast cancer risk. Exercise may decrease hormone levels, making this an important factor in overall and breast health.

Breast Feeding

Estrogen levels become lower during pregnancy, and women who breast feed maintain these lower estrogen levels longer than women who do not. Women who have had their first full-term pregnancy before the age of 20 also appear to have a lower risk of breast cancer later in life. Decreasing the length of time that breast tissue is exposed to estrogen seems to be a factor in helping to prevent breast cancer.

Aromatase Inhibitors

Aromatase inhibitors block the action of an ezyme called aromatase, which is used to make estrogen in the body. Women with an increased risk of breast cancer, such as postmenopausal women with a personal history of breast cancer, may decrease that risk by taking aromatase inhibitors, which decrease the amount of estrogen made in the body.

Prophylactic Mastectomy or Oophorectomy

Some women with very high risks of developiing breast cancer may elect to have a prophylactic mastectomy (the removal of both breasts when there are no signs of cancer), or a prophylactic oophorectomy (the removal of both ovaries when there are no signs of cancer). Although both of these procedures can lower cancer risks, it is very important to discuss these in depthly with both medical professionals and counselors, and  have professional cancer risk assessments done. These procedures can be life altering, and many other long-term effects can accompany them. These are extreme measures of risk management not to be taken lightly.

This year, actress Angelina Jolie brought global media attention to prophylactic mastectomies when she elected to have her breasts removed to decrease her risk of developing breast cancer. 

Fenretinide

Fenretinide is a type of retinoid, or vitamin A. Postmenopausal women with a family history of breast cancer that have been given fenretinide have shown decreased risks of breast cancer. Fenretinide may be effective by causing a wax-like substance known as ceramide to build up in tumor cells and kill them. This retinoid does have some potential harmful side effects; long term use may lead to night blindness and skin disorders. Pregnant women must avoid fenretinide because it can harm a developing fetus. 

Clinical trials continue to take place across the country as researchers attempt to further define the factors that can increase or decrease a women's risk of breast cancer.

Exciting results in natural therapies continue to arise...

One such trial on the anti-tumor effects of reishi mushroom provided evidence that reishi supresses protein synthesis and tumor growth in in vivo and in vitro models, suggesting that this medicinal mushroom has potential natural therapeutic properties for breast and other cancers.

Another trial studied the effect of curcumin (turmeric) and silibinin's (milk thistle extract) effects on telomerase gene expression in cancer cells. Telomeres are required to protect chromosomal ends, preventing DNA from fraying away. Normal cells have active telomerase, but telomerase is implicated in tumor progession and is commonly expressed in human cancer cells. A telomerase gene in humans is known as hTERT. The conclusion of this study was that cell viability along with hTERT gene expression in breast cancer cells could be reduced by these two herbal substances, making turmeric and milk thistle two herbal substances that may have potential and exciting futures as anti-cancer agents. 

October may be designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but breast cancer affects both women and men all year long. There have been an estimated 232,340 new cases of breast cancer in women thus far in 2013 alone. It is important to know your risks, your family history, and to speak to a medical professional about risk factors, screening, and testing. 

Melissa Zimmerman, Healthy Goods

References:

National Beast Cancer Awareness Month; About NBCAM.org; www.nbcam.org; 

National Cancer Institute at the National Institute for Health; What is Prevention?http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/prevention/breast/Patient/page1

PubMed; Anti-tumor effects of Ganoderma lucidum (reishi) in inflammatory breast cancer in in vivo and in vitro models; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23468988

PubMed; Curcumin and silibinin inhibit telomerase expression in T47D human breast cancer cells; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23886126

It's October!  What a great time of year.  The Fall season has definitely arrived; leaves are falling, sweaters are everywhere, and pumpkin-spiced everything is all around. 

October also brings us a season of awareness.  For example, we are very aware that icky cold and flu season is just around the corner!  Washing your hands and avoiding those who have already caught the bug can definitely help, but sometimes you just can't avoid it. 

This October, our Health Buzz will focus on using nutrition to navigate cold and flu season, supporting your respiratory system and sinuses, and maintaining a healthy (and germ-free!) home environment.

October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we won't miss the opportunity to discuss this very important subject as well.

Are there any seasonal awareness topics you are interested in talking about?  Do you have a story to share with us?  Leave me a comment!  

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

The connection between vitamin D deficiency and cancer was first made in 1980 when two doctors learned the incidence of colon cancer was nearly three times higher in New York than in New Mexico.  The doctors determined that lack of sun exposure played a critical role (1).  When the ultraviolet portion of sunlight hits your skin, this stimulates the body to produce vitamin D.  This lack of sun exposure results in a lack of vitamin D in our body.

Consider the relationship between vitamin D and breast cancer.  According to the Vitamin D Council, there is strong evidence vitamin D plays a beneficial role in lowering breast cancer risk.  Whether vitamin D is obtained from sun exposure, food, or supplements, vitamin D must undergo chemical reactions to become calcitriol, which may provide the numerous benefits against cancer (2).  Calcitriol encourages cells to either adapt to their organ or go through normal, programmed cell death (3).  Calcitriol also limits blood supply to the tumor and reduces the spread of cancer (4).  To simplify, vitamin D may play a role in controlling normal breast cell growth and may be able to stop breast cancer cells from growing.    

Vitamin D and You

Sun vs. supplements:

The primary way Mother Nature intended for you to incorporate vitamin D is through sunlight.  Many studies have found vitamin D produced from solar ultraviolet-B (UVB) is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer (5, 6). Isn’t it interesting that Norwegian women diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer had higher survival rates than those diagnosed in winter?  People typically have higher vitamin D levels in summer than winter, which may explain the findings.  Also, African American women diagnosed with breast cancer generally have lower survival rates than white Americans, which may be due to lower levels of vitamin D, attributed to lower production rates of vitamin D from solar UVB because of darker skin (7, 8).

Winter’s coming: 

As we enter the winter months and the strength of the sun’s rays diminish, Vitamin D supplementation is an effective secondary alternative to sun exposure, provided adequate doses are taken.  Vitamin D can also be obtained through your diet, but very few foods naturally contain vitamin D.  Some foods containing vitamin D include vitamin D-fortified milk, yogurt, and orange juice, salmon, tuna fish, cod liver oil, and egg yolks. 

Getting the right dosage? 

Vitamin D₃ is the preferred supplement form because it is the form of vitamin D which most effectively treats vitamin D deficiency.  The only way to know if a certain dosage works for you is to have your vitamin D levels tested, and continue monitoring your levels to determine the correct dose.  Individual response to taking supplemental vitamin D₃ varies from person to person so the amount needed to raise and/or maintain blood serum levels for one person may not be enough for another.  This is due to various factors such as age, weight, absorption, overall health, and amount of sun exposure.  Studies found the risk of breast cancer falls as vitamin D blood levels rise to over 40 ng/mL (9, 10).

The Vitamin D Council recommends the following amounts of supplemental vitamin D₃ per day in the absence of proper sun exposure.

• Healthy children under the age of 1 years – 1,000 IU
• Healthy children over the age of 1 years – 1,000 IU per every 25 lbs. of body weight
• Healthy adults and adolescents – at least 5,000 IU
• Pregnant and lactating mothers - at least 6,000 IU+

For more information about vitamin D and breast cancer, please visit the Vitamin D Council's website at:  http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/health-conditions/cancer/breast-cancer/

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RD

Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

References:

1.  Garland CF, Garland FC.  Do sunlight and vitamin D reduce the likelihood of colon cancer.  Int J Epidemiol. 1980 Sept; 9(3):227-31. 

2.  Yingya Ma, Trump D, Johnson CS.  Vitamin D in combination cancer treatment.  J Cancer 2010; 1:101-107.

3.  James SY, Mackay AG, Colston KW.  Effects of 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 and its analogues on induction of apoptosis in breast cancer cells.  J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 1996;58:395-401.

4.  Colston KW, Berger U, Coombes RC.  Possible role for vitamin D in controlling breast cancer cell proliferation. Lancet. 1989 Jan 28; 1 (8631): 188-91.

5.  Oh EY, Ansell C, Nawaz H, Yang CH, Wood PA, Hrushesky WJ.  Global breast cancer seasonality. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2010 Aug; 123 (1): 233-43.

6.  Grant WB.  Update on Evidence that Support a Role of Solar Ultraviolet-B Irradiance in Reducing Cancer Risk.  Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2012 Oct 12.

7.  Grant WB.  Lower vitamin-D production from solar ultraviolet-B irradiance may explain some differences in cancer survival rates. J Natl Med Assoc. 2006 Mar; 98 (3): 357-64.

8.  Grant WB, Peiris AN.  Differences in vitamin D status may account for unexplained disparities in cancer survival rates between African and white Americans.  Dermatoendocrinol. 2012 Apr 1;4(2):85-94.

9.  Grant WB.  Relation between prediagnostic serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and incidence of breast, colorectal, and other cancers. J Photochem Photobiol B. 2010 May 12.

10. Garland CF, Gorham ED, Mohr SB, Garland FC.  Vitamin D for cancer prevention: global perspective. Ann Epidemiol. 2009 Jul; 19 (7): 468-83.