Powerhouse Nutrition for the New Year
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I think it’s also noteworthy that combining flax with soy may actually create a more balanced benefit in women with breast cancer. In 2006, researchers looked at the effect of soy protein, flax, or combination soy/flax diets had on tumor bearing mice and found that when soy was used alone for long periods, growth was stimulated but the combination of soy and flax reduced tumor growth. I believe the key is to moderate your intake; the muffin study used 25 grams per day, which is about 3 heaping T per day. I usually recommend 2 T per day in conjunction with 2 soy servings per week.
On a different topic, I also wanted to talk about coffee. A few years ago, a study found that high caffeine intake increased estradiol levels – researchers concluded that 2+ cups of coffee per day might increase breast cancer risk. Most recently, just to add more confusion, a newer study suggests that drinking coffee may reduce risk in women with a family history of breast cancer. Researchers found 6 cups per day offered a 70% risk reduction while those who drank 1-3 cups only had a 10% risk reduction. Before you head off to Starbuck’s, keep in mind that coffee (like all plants) contain antioxidants. The more coffee you drink, the more antioxidants you drink and the more hyper some of you get. Coffee and tea have antioxidants that protect cells from oxidative damage and it appears that a bit of caffeine helps with absorption or utilization of certain plant chemicals. I bring this issue up because I wouldn’t want anyone giving up green tea for coffee as their hot beverage of choice – we have far more studies showing anti- breast cancer benefits with tea! Typical dosage for therapeutic benefit of green tea is 4 cups per day.
Let me talk briefly now about how therapeutic nutrition can benefit you. Therapeutic nutrition is more than the concept of “eating right”. At certain dosages, foods and nutrients within foods have various activities within the body. Most people who contact me tell me they want a diet plan to boost their immunity. I tell them that I wouldn’t dare stop there—that kind of nutrition plan is analogous to watering your lawn by spitting on it – you’ll get some of it wet, but it won’t do the job! The goals of targeted, nutritional invention include:
1) Reducing toxicity (reducing carcinogenic potential) -- Isothiocyanates found in cruciferous veggies may accelerate the flushing out of carcinogens in the body and indoles from broccoli has been found to drive the production of a weaker form of estrogen. A Swedish study showed that eating 1-2 daily servings of crucifers was linked to a 40% drop in breast cancer risk.
2) Inhibiting cell growth -- Green tea and turmeric have this action. The anticancer effect of curcuminoids (found in turmeric) has been well studied in animals; this plant chemical is several times as potent as Vitamin E in antioxidant activity.
3) Inducing apoptosis -- DAS (diallyl disulfide) found in garlic may actually destroy cancer cells by modifiying their capacity to resist certain chemotherapy drugs.
4) Blunt angiogenesis -- Green tea, soy and omega-3 fatty acids can stop the growth and development of tumor blood supplies.
5) Modulate immunity -- The immune system response can be enhanced with turmeric, citris fruits, and carotenoids.
Hopefully you can see that developing a nutrition program that will target all the levels and activities needed to fight cancer needs some strategy – real life comes into the picture. A nutritionist trained in oncology can help you. And let’s not forget that up to 70% of cancer patients take dietary supplements – so it is crucial to have your supplement program evaluated for effectiveness and safety. During treatment, for example, you will need to watch vitamin B6 levels if you take cisplatin– yet you might need more vitamin C and selenium support during chemotherapy. After treatment it will be important to review which dietary supplements you are taking. Do you need to adust your dosage of something? Do you need to take a certain dietary supplement that might have been beneficial during treatment but is no longer needed?
In closing, I would like to say this: Eating right—eating for wellness and healing—is a journey. You are listening tonight because you desire information and empowerment to achieve your healing potential through nutrition. You have learned about the latest scientific findings on foods that support your growing environment and fight cancer. And as you continue to learn you will see that with every small step you take, the closer you will be to the wellness state you desire. Please take that next step.
I want to offer this to everyone listening: I have prepared a special report on nutrition and cancer for you that can only be accessed at www.challengecancer.com/special. So make sure you take advantage of that.
