Breast cancer is the number one killer of women ages 20 to 59, but we can fight back.
Breasts, The Owner's Manual is written by Dr. Kristi Funk, breast surgeon to famed Angelina Jolie and Sheryl Crow (who wrote the forward to this book). In this book Dr. Funk discusses how to reduce your chances of breast cancer and what to do if you get it. To learn more about Dr. Funk and read the latest in breast news (especially having to do with Covid), visit pinklotus.com.
This book is for all women, not just those with breast cancer in their family. According to Dr. Funk a whopping 87% of the women who get breast cancer have no first degree relative with it. And, an estimated 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives. Not to be disheartened though, Dr. Funk is convinced that up to 90% of the risk factors for breast cancer are in your control.
Bottom line?
"Researchers find that women who, prior to menopause, 1) exercise, 2) don't drink alcohol, 3) don't smoke, and 4) shift their diet away from meat and dairy toward whole foot, plant-based eating slash their odds of getting breast cancer in half" (14). For postmenopausal women, those odds are slashed by 80%! There is no guarantee, but we can reduce our risks.
This is a LONG review because this information is so important to women. I know many of you won't have time to read the book, but I'm hoping you have time to read the book highlights below:
The first 2 chapters explain how to do self breast exams and dispel some myths connected to perceived causes of breast cancer such as: coffee, tight bras, deodorant, breast implants, miscarriages, etc.
Dr. Funk also sets the records straight on soy products previously thought to contribute to breast cancer and details how not only is soy not harmful but it is actually good for you (55--58).
Chapter 3 is where the fun starts--the connection between food and breast cancer. The reason food is important is that it can affect a tumor's microenvironment: estrogen levels, growth factors, new blood vessel formation, inflammation, and immune system function (38). For the top 10 breast super foods, scroll down to the end of this review.
We want to eat ANTI-CANCER foods (ones packed with phytochemicals) to keep tumors from flourishing. Phytonutrients block the cancer cells by such things as reducing inflammation, destroying harmful cells, protecting DNA, among other things (40). Dr. Funk includes a graphic on pages 46-48 of what she considers to be the A-LIST of phytochemicals--put them on your grocery list today! (Some examples: cruciferous veggies, grains, berries, tomatoes, orange fruits and veggies, turmeric, alliums, soy foods, flax, beans, citrus, mushrooms, walnuts, apples, grapes, green tea, coffee).
Dr. Funk spends time singing the praises of tea, especially green tea with a squeeze of lemon for absorption. "Three cups of green tea per day can reduce breast cancer by as much as 50%"(64).
There are so many studies supporting the reduction of cancers in plant-forward diets. The Mediterranean Diet has been proven to decrease the occurrence of all breast tumor subtypes. Studies have shown that the diet reduced triple-negative breast cancers by 68% (Spain study), 40% (Dutch study), 20% (European study), etc.
The ideal meal is largely plant-based with fruits, veggies, healthy fats, whole grains, legumes, occasional fish or lean meant. The Anti-Cancer plate should consist of: 70% fresh fruits, veggies, and leafy greens and 30% whole grains and protein (legumes and soy) (43). Ideally you should get 10 servings of fruits and veggies daily!
Dr. Funk provides a checklist of what to eat in a day to reduce your risk for breast cancer; this list can also be found on her clinic website pinklotus.com/eattobeat.
5. Chapter 4 deals with what NOT to eat:
Too much meat (poultry, beef, etc), especially meats with additives. In the Adventist Health Study-2 vegans showed a 44% drop in breast and gynecologic cancers relative to meat-eaters (76). She recommends limiting meat to 3 or less servings a week, eliminating all processed meat (84).
Another no-no is high-fat dairy products. The LACE study showed a rise of all cause mortality in 49% of those consuming 1 or more daily servings of high-fat dairy (not low-fat) . Apparently the fat from the cow holds estrogen which we we eat in the form of dairy fat (estrogen fuels breast cancer).
Another baddie is trans fats and saturated fats. So bad-read about it on pages 86-91.
Limit eggs to 2 per week--due to LDL which cancer cells use to stimulate their growth.
OH NO!!! The last baddie???? Alcohol! It increases estrogen levels (cancer fuel) among other things. One drink a day increases breast cancer risks by 10%, two by 30%, three by 40%, and then add 10% per drink after (94). Good news though, women who consumed at least one drink a day, but who ate 5 or more servings per day of fruits and veggies had a 47% drop in breast cancer compared to those eating 2 or less servings of fruits and veggies per day. One more piece of good news--women who drank 4-8 ounces of red wine as their sole choice of alcohol showed a decrease in all cancer relative to non-alcohol drinkers! Red wine inhibits estrogen conversion (sorry only red grapes will do).
6. Chapter 5 deals with things you can do to mitigate your risks other than food.
Strive to be at a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index). Obesity is deadly for breast cancer risks and survival. "In US up to 50% of postmenopausal breast cancer deaths can be attributed to obesity"(113). (68.8% of Americans adults are overweight or obese) The American Cancer Society did a study comparing breast cancer mortality rates among differing BMI groups and found that the increase in deaths correlated to increase in weight with a stunning 63%, 70%, and 112% increase in breast cancer death in BMIs over 30, 35, and 40 respectively (114). The good news? Losing weight immediately leads to a significantly reduced risk (64% pre-meno and 52% post-meno) due to the reduction of circulating estrogens (in the fat).
Strive to move. Exercise reduces your risk of getting breast cancer incrementally depending on how many hours per week--More than 4 hours/week equals a 58% decrease in risk. Exercise increases survival rates if you already have breast cancer. Why? Exercise causes our estrogen levels to drop. National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends 300 minutes per week (5 hours) of moderate exercise.
Avoid Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) if you can. But you must balance personal risks, meaning some ladies may need to use it. A study in UK showed a 66% increase in breast cancer for those using HRT (123).
Manage environmental risks such as too much radiation from scans and X-rays. Also beware EDCs (endocrine disrupting compounds) such as ones found in laundry detergents and cleaning products, BPA found in plastics or can linings, flame retardants, growth hormones (rBST) found in cattle, metals, phthalates found in plastic and cosmetics, among others.
Manage stress by practicing gratitude, mindfulness, breathing exercises, praying, finding a faith community, getting enough sleep, yoga/exercise, and seek therapy if necessary.
7. Chapter 6 is the depressing chapter because it deals with the uncontrollable factors that increase your risk of breast cancer such as: older age, early onset of puberty, height of 5' 7"or above, being white, lower socio-economic class, late menopause, good bone density in later life (yea that's bad), breast density, a family history of breast cancer (and BRCA gene), and more. Yikes, I check a few too many of those boxes!
8. The rest of the book deals with prevention therapy/medication for high risk groups, what are your choices if you get breast cancer, and how to manage life after breast cancer.
In conclusion, this is a thorough book that gives women hope and the tools to mitigate the risks of both getting breast cancer and surviving it.
The 10 best breast superfoods are (50-55):
Cruciferous veggies and leafy greens-study showed it cut pre-menopausal breast cancer by 40%
Dietary fiber (grains, beans, and veggies)-fiber binds to estrogen (cause of 80% of breast cancer) and you poop it out. Get at least 30 grams a day.
Berries-interfere with cancer cell signals and cause cancer cell death, as well as inhibit growth.
Apples (red)-those who eat them daily have 24% less breast caner.
Tomatoes-those who eat show a decrease in breast cancer.
Mushrooms-daily intake of half a button mushroom decreased breast cancer rates by 64% compared to those who didn't eat them (by 89% if you sip half a cup of green tea with it).
Garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, chives, scallions-a French study showed a 75% drop in breast cancer with 11 to 12 weekly servings of these allium vegetables.
Turmeric and spices-turmeric decreases estrogen, contributes to cancer cell death, suppresses inflammation, and inhibits free radicals.
Seaweed-reduces estrogen, a Korean study showed that a daily sheet of nori or such drops breast cancer by over 50%.
Cacao-has antioxidants.
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