#1: Reduce inflammation
• Researchers found a 21% decrease in breast cancer risk in women who took 2 of the anti-inflammatory medications aspirin or ibuprofen a week
– Inflammation causes damage to breast cells, making cancer development more likely
• A better way to reduce inflammation? Curcumin!
• Not only does cur cumin reduce inflammation without adverse effects (such as stomach ulcers associated with aspirin/ibuprofen), it has been shown to prevent cancer development, progression and spread
Curcumin After Radiation
- 95% of breast cancer patients experience dermatitis (skin inflammation and redness) caused by radiation treatments
- Researchers believe that curcumin may be able to prevent skin damage associated with radiation therapy
- 30 patients with non-inflammatory breast cancer took 6 g of curcumin (orally) or a placebo daily during their radiation treatment
– Radiation dermatitis severity (RDA) scores were taken weekly - on a scale of 0-4 the mean score was
• Curcumin users: 2.6 • Placebo users: 3.4
– Curcumin also appeared to reduce the risk of skin peeling which affected
• Curcumin users: 28.6% • Placebo users: 87.5%
#2: Iodine
- Iodine has been shown to alter breast cancer associated gene expressions
– Turns off cancer promoting genes & turns on genes that promote cancer cell apoptosis (cellular destruction)
- Iodine makes breast cells less sensitive to estrogen
- Iodine detoxifies the toxic halogens (bromide, fluoride,
chloride)
- Iodized salt is not sufficient for supplementing iodine
- Iodine experts recommend 6.25 - 12.5 mg of iodine or more daily
– 100 times greater than our RDA
– This is the estimated individual intake among Japan’s population
• Japan has the lowest rates of thyroid, prostate, & breast cancer
#3: Daily Multiple plus Vitamin D
- Taking a basic multivitamin lowers breast cancer risk by 30%; adding 2,000 IU of vitamin D every day cuts breast cancer risk 50%
– Vitamins C and E, and Zinc, stimulate the immune system to destroy cancer cells
– Vitamin D helps cells develop normally and prevents the formation and spread of cancer cells
- Did you know? Women with the lowest vitamin D levels have breast cancer rates 5 times higher than those getting ample vitamin D. The lower the vitamin D levels, the faster breast cancer spreads.
#4: Olive oil
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) contains compounds that kill off a certain type of breast cancer cell (HER2-positive)
- When EVOO was given to animals with breast cancer, their tumors became less malignant
- Remember: diets high in trans-fats INCREASE the risk of breast cancer, while healthy oils (including EVOO) and saturated fats DECREASE the risk of breast cancer
- EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL is what is needed. It is processed without heat, preserving the cancer-killing compounds that are destroyed in processed, low quality olive oil
- The equivalent to the dosage used in clinical studies is about 2 tablespoons daily
#5 Pomegranate
- Reduces oxidative damage which leads to cancer cell formation
- In cell and animal model studies, pomegranate reduced growth of breast cancer cells by 87%
- Pomegranate seed oil which contains the omega-5 fatty acid, punicic acid, is particularly effective against breast cancer
- – In one study, pomegranate seed oil reduced the activity of aromatase, an enzyme which aids in estrogen formation, by 60-80%
- – Pomegranate seed oil showed a 90% inhibition of estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cells and a 70% inhibition of breast cancer cell spread, in a recent (in-vitro) test
- Additionally, pomegranate
- – Increases rate of cancer cell self-destruction and reduces spread of
cancer cells
- – Inhibits angiogenesis (growing new blood vessels to feed cancer cells)
- – Increases rate of cancer cell self-destruction and reduces spread of
Pomegranate and Tamoxifen
- Tamoxifen is a drug used for breast cancer treatment
- Estrogen receptor agonist – blocks the effect of estrogen from acting on breast cancer cells
– Remember – some kinds of cancer grow and spread faster in the presence of the hormone, estrogen
- In a recent study, scientists treated breast cancer cells resistant to tamoxifen with a combination of tamoxifen and pomegranate extract
- – the combination of the two nullified the cancer-causing activity of estrogen, even in cells that were previously found resistant to the effects of tamoxifen alone
- – In other words, pomegranate caused the tamoxifen to be more effective at blocking the effects of estrogen in breast cancer cells
- – Some researchers feel that pomegranate may be equivalent to tamoxifen in preventing breast cancer recurrence!
Summary
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Minimize exposure to environmental and dietary xenoestrogens
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Clean diet with healthy fats, including olive oil
• Supplemental
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– A good daily multivitamin/mineral
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– 2500 to 5000 IU Vitamin D
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– Curcumin – 750 mg of bioavilable curcumin providing 500 mg curcuminoids
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– Iodine – 6.25 – 12.5 mg daily (may want to take higher amounts as a loading dose)
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– Pomegranate – 600 mg of pomegranate seed oil and pomegranate seed extract
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