Eat To Defeat Cancer

Of course our diet is exceptionally important to health. 

Recently we stumbled upon a very interesting TED lecture explaining some of the science as to HOW our diet is important to our health.

To summarize, Dr. William Li, President of the Angiogenesis Foundation, first points out that diet accounts for at least 30 to 35% of environmentally caused cancers.

For many of us it will be important to ask what we need to take out of our diets to reduce these risks!

But Dr. Li has spent his life as a researcher investigating what should be ADDED to our diets to bring about better health. 

Specifically, Dr. Li looks at natural angiogenesis inhibitors, or compounds that stop the formation of new blood vessels, a process that is vitally important to the growth of cancers.

Through his research, he has definitively answered whether we can starve cancer through our diets, and the answer?  A resounding "Yes!"

Certain foods, beverages and herbs contain these angiogenesis inhibitors.  Strawberries, green tea and soy beans are just a few of the most potent, but the list is actually quite extensive.

To learn more and watch Dr. Li's amazing talk, visit the Angiogenesis Foundation's website Eat To Defeat Cancer.

Although not specifically mentioned in the talk, the doctors at Vive Integrative Health Group always recommend eating organic foods as much as possible, especially those highly exposed to pesticides (strawberries are included in this list for example).  See our earlier article on Eating Organic for more.

-Dr. Colin

Controversy: Flax Seeds and their role in Cancer Prevention

When we ask our patients if they use flax seeds in their diet, most will say “YES, I have been using ground up flax seeds for years!”

Most often people eat them for their fibre, while others only know that it’s a healthy habit. 

Well, they are right!  As it turns out, they are much more than just a great source of fibre, they also help prevent cancer.

At Vive Integrative Health Group, our doctors recommend ground flax seeds for many reasons.

Flax Seeds Help to Regulate the Effects of Estrogen

Flax seeds have a special group of nutrients within them called lignans. 

These lignans act like a very weak form of estrogen, and when in the body, they occupy estrogen receptors preventing stronger estrogens from binding.

This is good because most women are "estrogen dominant", meaning that the body has an excess of estrogen.  These may come from a number of sources - birth control pills, chemicals in our environment, natural hormone production and more.

The flax effect reduces “estrogenic dominance” and can have amazing effects on the body, from reducing menstrual cramping and PMS to prevention of breast cancer.

Lignans and Breast Cancer Prevention

It is well known that various cancers are dependent on estrogen for their growth, so reducing our estrogenic potential will reduce our risk of cancer.

The regular use of flax seeds to prevent breast cancer been proven unequivocally through years of research.

So, the more lignans in the diet, the less the risk of Breast Cancer.

The controversy of Flax Seeds, Lignans and Breast Cancer Survivors

Naturopathic Doctors have recommended flax seeds to prevent recurrence of breast cancer for years, while oncologists have typically been more hesitant.  Research has now been published supporting the benefit of lignans in breast cancer survivors.

The Final Word

Flax seeds, a phenomenal source of lignans (and fibre), help to both prevent breast cancer and also prevent recurance of breast cancer in survivors.

The recommendation for breast cancer patients and survivors to avoid flax seeds and other ‘phyto-estrogens’ is out-of-date, but unfortunately still very common.

Please help to enlighten your doctors about the importance of these foods in the prevention of cancers! 

Note!!  Flax Seeds must be ground up to release the lignans!!  (A coffee grinder works very well.)

- written by Dr. Colin Race, ND


Reference:

Dietary lignan intakes in relation to survival among women with breast cancer: the Western New York Exposures and Breast Cancer (WEB) Study.  SE McCann.  Breast Cancer Res Treat (2010) 122:229-235