If you think about the tenacity and speed of the rate of division of a cancer cell, how could components of a diet possibly kill it off? Our immune system does play a part in destroying cancer cells so a good diet will help the immune system which in turn will help with destoying cancer. Likewise, certain foods are seen as helpful in terms of tolerating chemo and radiotherapy. I can see possibly the benefits of certain diets reducing the risk of getting cancer in the first place, (and I stress reducing the risk, not eliminating it altogether), but once cancer has started to grow, the current treatment protocol is essential.
You need to be mindful of the fact that breast cancer is not one disease - it is many diseases under one umbrella. All of us have our individual histologies and unique features.
Two women with identical cancers and identical prognoses - one will live and one will die and they haven’t a clue why.
It is a complex business.
Certain cancer food gurus claim that ALL you have to do is eat this or exclude that but it is utterly ludicrous to suggest that one-size-fits-all. (Along with the fact there is zero legitimate evidence to support their claims.)
If you are ER+ then try to keep your weight down because the adipose tissue generates more circulating oestrogen through aromatase production. If you are ER- I don’t think weight loss has any impact at all - other than improving general health.
If adjusting your diet empowers you and makes you feel as if you are doing something pro-active to deal with the disease then that is all well and good. Nothing wrong with placebo!
But to reject all proven conventional treatment is just bonkers I’m afraid.
I see two sides to this. The oncologist and medical professionals control what goes into my body to fight this disease on a medical front. I control what food goes into my body to fight this disease with diet. If there was another way to fight it I would go for it. Already had mastectomy even though I’m secondary. We read, we digest, we decide on the best way forward for ourselves.
Snoogle
x
Dear haspotential. I would favour the belt and braces approach personally. Insufficient confidence in diet alone. I, too, had a friend who rejected the medical route and didnt survive,bless his heart. Of course we dont know if convential route would have assisted any more, he started chemo initially but abandoned it as too unpleasant for him.
I’ve never been overweight, eat a really good veggie diet and go to the gym regularly and I never felt so well as I did last October, when I found the lump…which turned out to be a Grade 3 BC!! I understand all about nutrition and its effect on the immune system, still it got me!!
I wish you luck with your decision but would urge you to strike a balance, thinking of you. Carol
throw everything they’ve got at it, if i refused treatment i would be dragged kicking and screaming to the hospital by a very long line of people. I would def think again if you are thinking of this seriously,
take care
xxxxxxxxx
if diet alone could prevent breast cancer then many women should never have developed it in the first place.
Hi Haspotential
Although you have asked this question, l see you have not put your opinion, does that mean it is something you have read and just asking about it? or does it mean you are interested in doing it?
And if you are interested what is your situation and dx. Would you mind sharing your views on this?
Sandra x
I believe that the cancer, took hold when i was going through an extremely stressful situation(opening up my business), not long after having had my second child. My phlsophy going forward is not taking too much on, and limiting my stress. As far as diet goes, i believe it plays a large part, and if i didnt have two very small children i may have tried an alternative method to fight it. Chemo does seem barbaric, and i am still not convinced it works, especially when i know of people where the cancer has returned.
I going to try and love my body, and love my life. Keep the weight down and eat healthy, carnt give up the wine though, but have cut back.
I too am tn and have been told that most of the dietary advice ıs aimed at oestrogen posıtıve bc.I am trying to lose weıght and I do like blueberrıes but I would ever try to go
it alone.
My initial thought is “no , it´s not possible .” Really I suppose I base that on the fact that Linda McCartney was a vegetarian , had BC and ultimately died .So her very excellent vegetarian and organic way of eating did´nt stop her BC .On the other hand that is not a definitive anti breast cancer diet as I have read it to be.Actual anti cancer diets are extremely restrictive
What causes cancer ? I firmly believe that stress plays a big part in whether or not some get it and some don´t.
I was recently given a book “Cancer - Step Outside The Box .” Not , I might add , a book I would have chosen for myself , but as it was given by a great friend who obviously believed it herself , I felt that I owed it to her to at least scan through it .
It has made me think …hard .
While much of it I definately don´t agree with , certain parts ie pharmacutical companies having a vested interest in developing and producing high priced chemicals for long term use, I can see seems to be the truth . Makes sense for them to decry any "alternative " methods , and of course very few people would be making such vast sums of money out anti cancer diet foods .
Would I be prepared to go the diet route alone, no .
Like others I think a combination of excercise , trying to control weight , healthy eating and for me , a less stressful life , that might be the best solution .
However I would never say that anyone that decided to go by diet alone was wrong . Proberbly the worst decision anyone has to make , but it is very much a personal decision .
Now herbal medicine ? Well thats another thread .
I think my cancer was generated by stress. I didn’t realise I had it for a long time but looking back the changes in my breast shape that heralded my cancer began taking place when I was the slimmest I have been in years but was extremely stressed and depressed. Since that time I have put on weight, and put on even more during chemo which I am now finding hard to shift on AI’s. So yes, I was overweight at the time of diagnosis, but I had a slow-growing beastie that had begun growing when I was slim.
Hi
I agree Daisyleaf.
I’m another who wanted everything, whatever it takes or might work to see my little 'uns become bigger!
I generally ate pretty well before dx, in low risk groups all round for BC, and here I am. So while I do consider what I eat, discussed diet with my onc, have cut down on some things, and eat more of others, I wanted all the drugs,surgery and rads for treating the cancer.
To echo what sandra4 has said, I was wondering if this is a choice you have made Haspotential, or are considering options.
Hi Ladies,
I found this thread very interesting,i too have had chemo ,rads and am currently taking Tamoxifen.
I’ve found that by looking at my diet and improving it has made me feel more positive,because i’m ER+ i avoid synthetic oestrogens, eat lots of green veg, broccoli, nettles ,and dandilion leaves which help lower oestrogen in the body and helps Tamoxifen.
I also dont touch tap water as this contains oestrogens (rainwater)and avoid dairy.
Love Lesleyxx
Hi Lesley,
Never heard about tap water containing oestrogens before, where did you find that out?
Snoogle
x
The oestrogen in tap water thing is entirely hypothetical - but there are a lot of people getting very rich out of selling water filters which claim to remove it.
Like Gennie, I was very slim and had had a great deal of stress over several years. We then had a very stressful house move and I lost more weight. About 8 months after that, I was diagnosed. I had been on HRT for many years and I think the combination of these factors triggered the bc.
Lesley - I had heard about oestrogen in tap water but I found this on the web:-
“In 2002, the Environment Agency said oestrogen in water did not present a risk to people as it was routinely treated with chemicals that removed pollutants, including oestrogens.”
Who knows? I have come to the conclusion that we can drive ourselves mad and cause more stress by worrying about all of this. We really need to relax more. Hard, I know.
Today, there was a piece on BBC News saying that having a short period of exercise in a green environment is very beneficial, both mentally and physically. I must say, I feel so much better after a spell of gardening - even if I do ache!
Ann x
Hello all,this post has nothing to do with diet,more about possible causes. Im 58 and 38yrs ago had a really nasty case of mastitis which I dont remember much about as I was delirious for a couple of days,needless to say,I stopped breastfeeding and didnt attempt it with my 2nd baby. It left my(now removed)boob harder,smaller,and always much more tender than the other. Then about 3yrs pre-DX,I got my belt loop caught in a door handle and the door swung round and injured same boob,lots of bruising an broken skin;makes you think doesnt it. BTW,my S-I-Law is a health guru,he says RAW food is the best food for fighting cancer,(fruit & veg,not meat of course)
Best wishes to all love Mags x
Hi I agree with Ann worrying about all these things is to stress full.And for me a waste of time, I got breast cancer for whatever reason and there’s nothing I can do about that now.I am now trying to eat healthily and loose some weight,but that is mostly to do with feeling sluggish and tired.I walk quite a bit now and feel better for it.My mum had breast cancer and she was very,very slim and breastfed all 4 of us.I have always battled with my weight and was quite slim through my teens and 20s,up and down for most of my 30s, but for the last 10 years or so I have been overweight,and I didn’t breast feed my children.So who knows.And on the original subject I definitely don’t think diet alone would fight cancer 
best wishes Mel xx
dear woody, I too had mastitis when breast feeding and then years later was hit hard in the very same boob with a tennis ball at close range.
My breast cancer was in the same spot. I think there has been talks of links with cancer and injury sites
Stress played a big part in my cancer
Best wishes
Leadie
I ate well, breastfed two babies for 6-8 months each and was slim, fit and young and i still got it so think its not down to diet particularly, just sheer bad luck.