5 Diet Tips for Breast Cancer

Being diagnosed with breast cancer is a harrowing experience and is filled with uncertainty and fear of the future. As someone who has journeyed that path, I genuinely understand how difficult it is to navigate a way forward, but I intuitively knew that there was a lot I could do to help support my future and take back the control.

Most doctors and oncologists help to treat your immediate situation and reduce your chances of not getting cancer again, but once your initial treatment is over one can feel very powerless about what to do next. I read something not too long ago where the oncologist said to his patient ‘I’m treating your tumour, I’m not treating you.’ I don’t blame anybody for having that attitude as this is how they are trained and have saved many lives, but there is much you can do to beyond the tumour and this starts with what you put in your body.

Here are my most recommended tips as you start your journey. Please know no single food can prevent or cause cancer, but one’s dietary choices can make a difference to the risk of developing breast cancer. Here are 5 diet related tips I see as important to your recovery. If you work with a clinical nutritionist, like myself, you can be further guided, and I mention this in more detail below. 

1.   ELIMINATE ALCOHOL

Many doctors will suggest reducing your intake to maybe 1 glass per week. As a breast cancer thriver, my suggestion is to eliminate it altogether. Alcohol is a poison for breast cancer, and this is proven in countless medical research papers. 

Studies from Breastcancer.org identified a link between regular alcohol consumption and the increased risk of getting breast cancer stating that alcohol may increase estrogen levels and cause damage to DNA. They also note that women who have 3 alcoholic drinks a week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer and goes up 10% for each additional drink women regularly have each day (1).

Now I understand that for most of us, drinking is social and for some a form of relaxation or stress release for the nervous system. But cutting back, or cutting off alcohol, doesn’t mean cutting back on seeing your family or friends. Remember that your health and well-being always come first. 

Some healthy alternatives to alcohol and ways you can make your beverages festive can include:

-       Mocktails- drinks that use all the ingredients of cocktails, excluding the alcohol (they’re pretty much available anywhere or you can make them yourself)
-       Putting fresh organic fruits like raspberries or cherries in the bottom of a champagne glass and top with sparkling water or ginger ale.
-       Drinking Kombucha: if you crave the fizziness of beer or a vodka mixer, you’ll feel satisfied with sipping on kombucha. It’s a fermented drink made from black tea and is an awesome probiotic drink that contains B vitamins and other nutrients that support you immune and liver health. 
-       Drinking Mead: this fermented honey drink has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and goes down like a cider. 
-       Berries in ice water: This summery drink will keep you refreshed and revitalised.

Alternatives to Drinking Alcohol to relax or for stress relief is doing physical activity such as: jogging/running, swimming, gardening, cycling or any sports. Equally, you can part take in more peaceful and calming activities such as meditation, deep breathing exercises and body scanning which involves progressive muscle relaxation. These exercises combine focused breathing with the gradual release of tension in the muscles throughout the body. I offer Mindfulness Meditation courses and workshops that helps lower levels of stress and anxiety, improves the immune system and brings deep healing and spiritual awakening.

2.   EAT CRUFICEROUS VEGETABLES 

Now I know what you’re thinking, what in the world are cruciferous vegetables? Don’t worry, they’re not as foreign as you think they are, in fact, you may have heard or eaten these vegetables before. Cruciferous vegetables are part of the Brassica genus of plants that are a part of the cabbage family. These family members include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, bok choy, arugula, Brussels sprouts, collards, watercress and radishes.

Researchers have investigated possible associations between intake of cruciferous vegetables and the risk of breast cancer. One case-control study found that women who ate greater amounts of cruciferous vegetables had a lower risk of breast cancer stating that the indole-3-carbinol found in Cruciferous (brassica) vegetables was recently shown to arrest the growth of human breast cancer cells (2).

Another study by the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Centre and Shanghai Centre for Disease Control and Prevention found that consuming cruciferous vegetables during the first 36 months after breast cancer diagnosis was associated with a reduced risk for total mortality, breast cancer-specific mortality and disease recurrence. Women who were in the highest quartiles of intake of vegetables per day had a 62% reduced risk of breast cancer mortality and a 35% reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence, compared to women with lower intakes (3).

The phytochemicals, isothiocyanates and indoles, that are found within Cruciferous vegetables appear to have a protective effect against some types of cancers. The level of these bioactive compounds that are proposed to play a role in the anticancer effects of these vegetables, depends on both the amount and type of cruciferous vegetables consumed. 

It goes without saying that incorporating Cruciferous vegetables into your diet is essential as the health benefits are extraordinary!

⁠I love to steam broccoli and cauliflower, roast Brussels & sauté cabbage & kale together!⁠ You can also juice these ingredients as well and if you wish to participate in my 5-day Juice Challenge, you can learn how.  

3.   ENJOY OMEGA 3 FATTY FISH

Now, there’s nothing fishy about this one (all pun intended). Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and herring contain high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids that may stop or slow down the growth and development of breast cancer cells. Other components found in fish such as, EPA, DHA, selenium and antioxidants like canthaxanthin may also offer cancer-protective effects which may specifically reduce your risk of breast cancer (4,5,6).

Findings of from various studies suggest that intake of freshwater fish and their fatty acids may modify risk of breast cancer (7). One study in particular which involved 26 studies and 883,585 participants found that those with the highest consumption fish that are high in omega 3’s had up to a 14% reduced risk of breast cancer, compared with those who ate the lowest amount (8).

Consuming less refined oils and processed foods may also help reduce your breast cancer risk.

You can get adequate amounts of omega-3s by eating a variety of other foods which includes:

-       Nuts and seeds (eg. Flaxseeds, chia seeds & walnuts)
-       Plant oils (eg. Flaxseed oil, hemp oil)

4.   CONSUME WHOLEGRAINS

While a high intake of refined grains is linked to health problems like cancer, inflammation and obesity, wholegrains are a different story. High in fibre, wholegrains not only help you maintain a healthy weight, but may also lower the risk of breast cancer. Some of the most common wholegrains are rice, corn and wheat which include oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, barley, whole rye, popcorn etc. These can then be made into certain types of breads, pasta and breakfast cereals. 

The bioactive phytochemicals in wholegrains are a key element to breast cancer prevention. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that the bioactive components of wholegrains (and its products) employ anti-breast cancer activity by targeting signalling pathways in breast cancer through inhibiting proliferation, modulating the immune system and inhibiting metastasis of breast tumour cells.  Finally, wholegrains mediate glucose response, which has been proposed to protect against breast cancer. (9)

Wholegrains are less processed and therefore, more nutritious than refined grains. With plenty of healthy whole grain options to choose from, you can swap refined grains for whole grain alternatives to reap their health benefits. 

5.   WORK WITH A CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST TO DEVELOP A DIET PLAN

Speaking or working with your clinical nutritionist will help you make healthy diet decisions. Your clinical nutritionist will develop a personal dietary plan to determine what foods might be good to eat and what might be good to limit or avoid and guiding you on a path reduce the risk of breast cancer or managing your health after a diagnosis or treatment.

With my Nutritional Medicine Consultations I help design the best treatment and dietary plans for you providing innovative coaching methods and practical management techniques with my extensive knowledge in nutrition, health counselling and preventative health. Drawing on these skills and my knowledge of different dietary theories, I not only address your biology and health condition by finding the root cause of it, but also your emotions and how you feel. I work with people to help them make lifestyle changes that produce real and lasting results.

---