Lifestyle Choices and Breast Cancer
By Dr. Nancy Gahles
October is breast cancer awareness month. Every month should be breast cancer awareness month. In fact, every day should be breast cancer awareness day. That is, if you are a woman, know one, love one or shop for one.
Lifestyle choices abound for the prevention of breast cancer. Essentially, we are not hapless victims of circumstance where breast cancer is involved, even if we have a family history. ESPECIALLY if we have a family history, it is incumbent upon us to be aware of how we are living our life in order to prevent breast cancer. Not just in October, but every day as you plan your meals, your exercise, direct your actions and monitor your reactions to life.
Conscious awareness directs deliberate intent and right action follows. We do know that diet, exercise and decreased levels of stress reduce the risk of breast cancer in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women both with and without family history of breast cancer. Survival rates are also directly linked to these factors. So, awareness is not simply about early detection of the fact that you have the disease. Awareness is early detection of the fact that you can control getting the disease.
What do women love more than having control?? OK, shoes. True enough. So, put on those spunky, sexy shoes and go shopping! Straight to the food markets that feature organic, non- GMO produce; free range, grass fed meats and hormone free dairy products. Oh, and no need to put on any make-up until you read the following facts about the chemicals in your cosmetics that mimic the estrogenic activity that stimulates growth of breast tumors. Remember, beauty radiates from the inside out….and the shoes will detract attention from the crow’s feet. Besides, it is mostly women doing the food shopping and the female bonding should be a motivating factor to be your naturally beautiful self.
Foods to put into your shopping cart should be organic and pesticide free. If not possible, they must be thoroughly washed in baking soda and warm water and peeled before eating. According to the American Journal of Epidemiology, April 1, 2002, PCB’s ( polychlorinated biphenals) and dioxins increase the risk of breast cancer by 60-80% in premenopausal women. These chemicals are found in pesticides sprayed directly on our produce as well as in the ground soil and our water supplies. They are most prevalent in our food chain in fatty foods. Those premenopausal women, they are our daughters. They may be you. Take a look at your budget and re- jigger it so that you can afford to select the organic fruits and vegetables. Even if it means wearing last year’s shoes. Believe me, no one will care and in the long run, wouldn’t you rather take the risk of looking less than fashionable and saving your daughter or yourself from breast cancer?
That said, swing by the produce department and choose from the cruciferous vegetables. Those are ones in the Brassica family known as Indol-3 carbino (13c). That is, broccoli, (especially broccoli sprouts which are hundreds of times more potent), brussel sprouts, bok choy, kale, turnips, chard. Most dark green leafy vegetables and their greens, like beet greens contain the vitamins and minerals that nourish you and decrease your risk factors. Asparagus, parsley, fennel, onions, tomatoes, spinach, zucchini and cabbage are all excellent choices. Dandelion greens are especially helpful in supporting your liver to detoxify as is the herb milk thistle. Transporting estrogen effectively out of the system is one way to decrease the buildup associated with some forms of breast tumors. Fiber is another way to do this and so flax seed should be another purchase to make. Throw 2 tablespoons onto your high fiber oatmeal or cereal in the morning and you are good to go! According to one study, eggs decreased the risk of breast cancer in adolescents suggesting that the high levels of amino acids, vitamins and minerals were the protective factor.
Anti Cancer Research, 2002, March-April, reported that Omega- 3 fats had an effect on lowering the risk of breast cancer. The ratio between Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats is important here. Omega 3 fats are found in fish oils, high quality virgin olive oils, avocados, coconut oils, organic butter and grass fed and free range meats. (I love the word omega which means “the beginning”. It is so life affirming!)
Sugar, that ubiquitous ingredient that some people crave is, of course, a predictor of both recurrence and mortality in breast cancer. The likelihood was 8 times greater in women with high insulin levels according to a report by the American Meeting of the Society of Clinical Oncologists. This means that cakes, cookies, candies that are prepackaged and filled with sugar are not a good choice. We also know that obesity plays a decisive role in increasing risk factors for breast cancer. Move along or go back to produce and buy some wonderful organic sweet fruits.
The role of vitamins in the prevention of breast cancer is a well researched area. Vitamin D3, vitamin E and C and the mineral selenium have been noted as having significant protective effects. The least synthetic are the best, of course. Do your homework on the Internet and find the best product for you. Remember that the best way to get vitamin D3 is exposure to sunshine. This is not always possible in the winter months especially in the northern hemisphere, so you must supplement that vitamin. It is best to do so after a 25(OH) blood test to determine your levels. They should be greater than 30ng/ml. Consult with your doctor before supplementing over 10,000 IU’s per day.
As you are scurrying up and down the aisles, be aware that exercise reduces the risk of breast cancer also. Cancer, Sept. 15, 2001, reports that older women who exercise 1 hour a day, walking or biking, had a 19% reduction in their odds of developing breast cancer.
Before you leave the store, one thought is that cleaning products are a source of harsh and dangerous chemicals. Ordinary baking soda and vinegar does the job in 99% of cases. Save the money from expensive cleaners and use it for your organic foods.
Avoidance of hormone mimicking chemicals in our foods has been discussed but what about those same chemicals that are absorbed into our bodies through our skin. They are also present in our cosmetics, soaps, body lotions, shampoos, bath products, sun screens and deodorants. And don’t forget the lipstick that we EAT. Here is where you need to be ultra conscious and proactive. READ the labels! Do not purchase ANY product that has these ingredients: Parabens, (polyparaben, methlyparaben) anything ending in –paraben is an estrogen mimicking preservative and closely associated with increased risk of breast cancer. One research study found traces of parabens in every tissue sample taken from 20 different breast tumors. This is the cosmetic industry, ladies! They are not looking out for you. They are banking on the fact that you want to look better on the outside than on the inside. There is a process that beauty product manufactures use in order to lessen the effects of harsh ingredients called ethoxylation. This causes a carcinogenic and groundwater contaminant, 1,4-Dioxane. Products that have been exposed to this process will have these ingredients that you must avoid: myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth, ( most words ending in “eth” for ethoxylate), PEG, polyethylene, polyoxyethalene, oxynol and the word “fragrance” which is a non regulated catch all terms for “other” toxic ingredients. This may well be the hardest piece of the selection process as most cosmetic products contain one or some of these ingredients. Even if they are labeled as “natural” it doesn’t make it so. You must read the label and choose alternatives. Dr. Bonner soaps, Avalon organics and Dr. Hauscka make-up are some safe bets. Use the Internet for other options. Proactive is the key!
Last but certainly not the least is the effect that stress has on lowering immunity and increasing risk factors for breast cancer. Stress is any thought, action, word, feeling or gesture that makes you feel bad. Feelings are your monitor of health. If it feels good, it is good. If it feels bad, it is bad. Listen to your intuition. Feelings are healing.
Accumulation of stress creates chemical reactions in the body that signal alarm, danger or threat and pose an increased risk of fatigue to the adrenal gland, our fight or flight reaction mechanism. When the adrenal glands are depleted so is the hormone they produce called cortisol. According to the Journal of the American Cancer Institute, June 21, 2000, cortisol levels that remained “flat” were predictive of a decrease in survival rates among patients with metastatic breast cancer. We must take a proactive stance in recognizing what our stressors are, who they are and where they are. Conscious awareness of how we react to these stressors is the first step to creating a strategy on how to react differently. We can control our thoughts. We can control our responses. We can control our lives. We can control our risk factors for breast cancer.
The highly acclaimed author Frans Vermeulen , in his book, Prisma, discusses the topic of suppressed emotions. “One characteristic of lung cancer patients, noted by many clinicians, is that they suppress their emotions. Cancer patients also seem to ignore their negative feelings, such as hostility, depression and guilt…Long term survivors [of breast cancer] express much higher levels of anxiety, hostility, alienation and other negative moods than short-term survivors. They have more negative moods and expressed more negative attitudes toward their illness…In an early study S. Greer and T. Morris found that women who were later diagnosed as having breast cancer differed from women with benign breast disease in how they expressed anger. Those women who had breast cancer exhibited a greater amount of anger suppression and then extreme anger expression during their interviews. People who habitually suppress their anger have significantly higher levels of salivary IgA which seems to correlate positively with the spread of breast cancer.”
Suppression of anger and other negative feelings can cause depression. The American Journal of Epidemiology, May 15, 2000, said that anti-depressant (SSRI’s) such as Paxil, had a seven fold increased risk of breast cancer associated with its use. The 35th Annual Meeting of the Society for Epidemiologic Research, Seattle, June 2000, reported that women taking tricyclic anti-depressants (TCA’s), had 2 times the risk factor.
My best advice is to be your own best advocate. You don’t simply “catch” cancer. You can actively create a lifestyle that prevents cancer. So, ladies, kick off your shoes, wash the makeup off your face, dance and howl at the moon and then sit down to a wonderful naturally healthy meal ( oh, yes, only 1-2 glasses of wine..alcohol is a risk factor too) with loved ones and good friends, have meaningful and heartfelt communication and laugh, my dears, laugh out loud!
“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be-
The last of life
For which the first was made.
Our times are in His hand
Who saith,“ A whole I planned.
Youth shows but half:
Trust God, see all,
Nor be afraid!”
– Robert Browning
May The Blessings Be!
About Dr. Nancy Gahles, DC
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Dr. Nancy Gahles is a Doctor of Chiropractic in family practice for over 24 years. Her practice is a holistic one combining herbs, nutrition, yoga and meditation along with structural correction for a variety of health issues.
Dr. Gahles became a Certified Classical Homeopath when, twelve years ago, her son developed allergic asthma. Searching for alternative treatments to daily nebulizers and steroids, she discovered the "constitutional" curative powers of homeopathy. While homeschooling her daughter, a learning disability was discovered and this likewise was cured with homeopathy, cranial sacral therapy and nutrition and she has been an ardent patient advocate of Complementary and Alternative Medicine since that time.
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