| With several studies showing a relationship between | | | | evidence that among women with breast cancer |
| fat intake and breast cancer, it is quite possible that | | | | those on low fat diets have a better prognosis than |
| the problem isn't fat itself, but overall nutrition; people | | | | those on high fat diets. |
| who eat more may be more susceptible to breast | | | | It may be that fiber, rather than fat, is the more |
| cancer. Over nutrition may also correlate with some | | | | essential element. Oftentimes diets very high in fiber |
| of the other risk factors; females with lower food | | | | are very low in fat. It may be that with a low fat |
| intake stay thinner and often begin menstruating later | | | | diet, it's the fiber or the carbohydrates or the |
| than more heavily nourished girls. People who eat | | | | vegetables, which have replaced fat are the ones |
| more also tend to be those who can afford to - | | | | responsible for reducing cancer susceptibility. Several |
| those with an overall higher standard of living, who | | | | studies show that soy protein may be protective. |
| appear to be at greater risk of breast cancer. | | | | Perhaps the problem is not that the Japanese are |
| If fat intake does indeed increase the risk of | | | | starting to eat fat, but that they stopped eating |
| developing breast cancer, what makes it happen? | | | | tofu! There is also growing evidence that certain |
| There have been many theories regarding this. Some | | | | vegetables, antioxidants in particular, which contain |
| researchers think it changes the metabolism of | | | | vitamins A, C and E, may be protective against |
| estrogen. According to a study, people with a high | | | | breast cancer. |
| fat diet tend to have more estrogen in their blood | | | | Vitamin A from vegetables (beta carotene) has |
| and a lower urine excretion of this hormone. | | | | shown in various studies to decrease the incidence of |
| Vegetarians who eat dairy foods excrete more | | | | several cancer types, including lung cancer. A recent |
| estrogen, leaving less in the blood than people on | | | | study using fenretinide, a form of vitamin A, in |
| macrobiotic diets. Macrobiotic diet involves the | | | | women who had had breast cancer showed no |
| consumption of organically grown whole grain cereals, | | | | decrease in secondary cancers (metastasis), although |
| legumes, vegetables and fruits, in meals according to | | | | there was a hint that there may be different, more |
| the principle of balance between yin and yang | | | | beneficial effects in premenopausal women than their |
| properties, in contrast to scientific dietary guidelines. | | | | postmenopausal counterparts. Vegetables with |
| Fat cells in the body can synthesize estrogen, so it is | | | | vitamin A include broccoli, kale, carrots and lettuce. |
| also possible that if you are obese you have an | | | | Folic acid and vitamin C appear to be good against all |
| oversupply of estrogen in your body, which could | | | | types of cancer. |
| heighten your vulnerability to cancer. However, | | | | You may do well to encourage your kids to spend a |
| studies aimed at confirming this hypothesis have | | | | little less time eating fast foods and to eat a bit |
| been inconsistent. | | | | more low fat, nutritional food high in vitamins. |
| It is also possible that cancer cells grow faster in an | | | | However, it is not wise to expect miracles. Even if |
| environment with a lot of over nourished cells and | | | | dietary change does have an effect, it is likely to be |
| the fatter you are the more such cells there are for | | | | a small one. |
| the cancer cells to grow with. There is also some | | | | |