Breast Cancer
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Effects of Alcohol:
Alcohol consumption: Three out of four Americans say there is too
much conflicting information when it comes to eating a healthy diet. This
can be particularly true when it comes to alcohol. Some say a drink a day
can provide health benefits, some say not so. So what are the facts?
Strong evidence suggests that consuming more than 3 to 4 drinks per
week increases your risk of breast cancer. One drink is equal to 12 oz.
beer, 5 oz. wine, 1.5 oz liquor. If you have included red wine to your diet
to help reduce heart disease risk, why not eat red grapes or drink purple,
100% natural grape juice. The protective phytochemicals are found in the
grapes, not the alcohol. Tea and onions are another source of these
protective phytochemicals.
However, there is no denying that alcohol in moderation is
associated with a lower risk of heart disease. A large body of evidence
supports this. But, there is convincing evidence that moderate alcohol
consumption may lead to modest increases in breast cancer risk.
In 1994 experts reviewed 38 case-controlled studies involving
alcohol and breast cancer. Their findings indicated that 1 drink per day
resulted in a 10% increase in breast cancer. More recently, a pooled
analysis of data published in 1998 showed that for every 10 grams per day of
alcohol consumption, breast cancer risk increased 9%. Did it matter what
type of alcoholic beverage was being consumed? No. In addition, this pooled
analysis showed that women who drank 2 to 5 drinks per day had a 41% higher
risk - OUCH!
What is my advice? If you are a woman who is at high risk for
developing cancer, I would advise that you limit your consumption to less
than one alcoholic drink per day.
Because heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and
women, I cannot advise you to eliminate alcohol altogether. There is
a greater chance you will develop heart disease than breast cancer.
A consistent finding in studies shows the lowest risk of death from
heart disease is among moderate drinkers. Weigh your risks. Discuss
them with your doctor. Then hopefully you can make an educated
decision about whether or not you should include alcohol as part of
your "healthy" diet regimen.
Effects of Meat Consumption:
Evidence that meat consumption increases breast cancer risk is
growing. Two culprits are speculated to be the saturated fat and the
type of animal protein in meat. Red meat consumption has
conclusively been linked to colon cancer. The conclusive evidence is
not as strong for breast cancer. Nonetheless, I would recommend
limiting red meat to no more than two servings per week (2-3 ounces
per serving or about the size of a deck of cards).
Third culprit: When meat (such as beef, poultry, or fish) is exposed
to high temperatures, harmful substances called heterocyclic amines
- HCAs - are formed. HCAs are known to be harmful to the pancreas,
colon, and prostate. Recently the Iowa Women's Health Study
published a report stating that women who consistently ate their red
meat cooked well done had almost FIVE times the risk of breast
cancer as those who ate their meats rare or medium. (Note: I am NOT
recommending you eat your meat cooked rare. It is well known that
undercooked meat carries its own health concerns, namely exposure to
harmful bacteria.)
In addition to limiting the amount of red meat you consume,
I recommend the following:
(1) Trim fat from meat BEFORE grilling
(2) Avoid foods that have been charred (black)
(3) Before grilling, marinate meat AND microwave the meat for 3 to 5
minutes to cut down on carcinogens (substances that cause cancer).
[This step is important because it limits the meat's exposure to
high-temperatures.]
Effects of Soy:
You have probably heard a lot of recent news about soy. You have
probably even heard that soy can help reduce your risk of cancer.
Interest in soy's role in preventing breast cancer developed after
scientists observed that Asian women have significantly lower rates
of breast cancer than women in the U.S. Asian women typically
consume a diet that is rich in soy products. Women in the U.S.
typically do not.
Experts are not ready to make strong claims concerning soy and its
ability to prevent cancer. However, there is substantial data that
links soy to the prevention of breast, prostate, lung, and colon
cancers. A recent study in England found a strong association
between a high intake of soy phytoestrogens (to be discussed in a
minute) and a lower risk of breast cancer. Even still, experts will
not say with certainty that soy does reduce the risk of developing
breast cancer. Because there is a large amount of evidence
suggesting that soy is beneficial, I recommend incorporating soy
into your diet.
So, what are phytoestrogens? Phytoestrogens are plant hormones that
are similar to human estrogens. Of importance is the fact that
phytoestrogens are weaker than human estrogens. Phytoestrogens are
believed to be among the key substances in soy that helps reduce the
risk of breast and prostate cancers. As weaker versions of estrogen,
phytoestrogens seem to play a dual role. When there is too much
estrogen, the phytoestrogens actually block estrogen's harmful
effects. When there is not enough estrogen, phytoestrogens make up
for the difference. In addition, phytoestrogens seem to act as
antioxidants, thus further protecting cells.
