April 2013 Issue 29 Breast Cancer http://www.cancerresearchuk.org F ACTs, MYTHs, /cancer-help/type/breast-cancer/ and CHOICEs about/diet-and-breast-cancer (an excerpt) Diet and cancer Research estimates that as many as 9 / 100 cancer cases may be prevented by changing our diets and that about 5 / 100 other cancers may be avoided by maintaining a healthy weight. Diet and breast cancer We eat such a variety of different foods in vastly differing quantities, but some trends about diet INDEX and breast cancer emerge when the rates of the disease in different countries are compared. RESEARCH PARTNERS Women in Japan have a much lower rate of EPIC report on breast cancer........1 breast cancer than American women. Japanese EPIC suggestions......,,..................2 women who emigrate to the US show an increased risk as time passes. Therefore the difference in risk COMMUNITY PARTNERS may relate to lifestyle, i.e. our environment rather than Updates.......................................3 rish from inherited genes. Artichoke.......................................4 Eating habits of a group of 520,000 healthy Crossword puzzle...........................6 people in about 10 European countries were recorded over time with data on particular illnesses later in life. Nutrient Density..............................8 This study (EPIC, or European Prospective Yoga Pose........................................9 Investigation into Cancer ) looked at the links between Memory-beads for clicks..............10 lifestyle and cancer. ..................................11 EPIC is the source of reports on diet and a Coffee Talks variety of cancers to be published over the next 10 to Chemicals/cosmetics...............12 20 years, including breast cancer. The EPIC study is online at the EPIC website. Contacts The role of dietary factors on breast cancer risk is not completely conclusive but there are convincing [email protected] cata for the following:. [email protected] Dietary fats Breast cancer: Windows of Susceptibility. A meta analysis of 45 studies on oils, butter NIH grant 1U01ES019480 and margarine, fat in meat, fish and nuts, biscuits, [email protected] cakes other ready made foods suggested that women PINK RIBBON GIRLS who had more fats in their diet had an increased risk of breast cancer. The EPIC study has also shown that our MISSION women who ate higher levels of saturated fats had double the risk of breast cancer compared to those TO PREVENT the occurrence of BCa eating the least. Thus, it appears that saturated fats through play a role in increasing breast cancer risk, but are RESEARCH and not the ONLY contributing factor. EDUCATION Sugars, carbohydrates There are no strong data for a direct link TO ENCOURAGE between sugars and carbohydrates and breast and SUPPORT cancer. But a large study of Chinese women in the US BCa survivors, reported in 2009 that for women younger than 50 a Visit our high carbohydrate diet slightly increased the risk of developing breast cancer. And the EPIC study Website 1 RESEARCH PARTNERS QUESTION: What are the diet and breast cancer facts? what constitutes the cows diet. ANSWER(cont...) Lignans are more common in a Western diet, and data on lignans on breast cancer risk is showed that high carbohydrate diets are linked to conflicting: Meta analyses show that in post an increased risk of a type of breast cancer called menopausal women high levels of dietary lignin estrogen receptor negative breast cancer. Eating slightly reduced their breast cancer risk, but no too much sugar may indirectly contribute through effect for premenopausal women risk. More body weight, since being overweight increases the stidoes are needed for confirmation. risk of breast cancer in post menopausal women. A study produced by Cancer Research Dairy foods (UK), the National Cancer Institute (US), and the Some recent studies have shown that a National University of Singapore (China) found high intake of dairy products may have a that a diet high in soya linked to less dense breast protective effect, lowering risk of breast cancer tissue. The lower the density of breast tissue, the though significance still needs to be determined. lower the breast cancer risk. Asian women who The effect may derive from data which show a eat the highest amounts of soy foods had a lower lower risk of breast cancer for women with risk of breast cancer. Eating phytoestrogens (soya substantial dietary calcium or calcium blood levels. flour and linseed supplements) regularly over Dietary fiber several weeks reduced estrogen levels, possibly Diets containing more than 25g of fiber per due to the isoflavones in soya. Isoflavones are day may reduce the risk of breast cancer in pre similar estrogen and can change the balance of menopausal women. natural estrogen in women. Wheat bran fiber lowers the levels of Carotenoids estrogen in the blood in pre menopausal women. Lower levels of estrogen may help to reduce the SOLUTION: Eating foods risk of breast cancer. What it is about wheat fiber that are high in carotenoids, such as carrots, and reduction of estrogen levels may reflect that sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, greens, papaya, high fiber diets just contain less fat and more bell peppers, and tomatoes may povided some antioxidants than low fiber diets. reduction in breast cancer risk. Fruit Coffee and breast cancer Women who ate more fruit appeared to There is no research evidence to show that have a lower risk of breast cancer. One coffee increases breast cancer risk. explanation may be that the fiber and antioxidants SUMMARY are effective at reducing risk. Common dietary Replace animal fats with plant fats (such as olive antioxidants include vitamins A, C and E and oil) selenium. That this effect is indrectly related to Eat foods with isoflavones (soy, peas,beans) weight control, or dietary fiber content, is not Eat foods with lignans (vegetables, fruits, grains, known. tea,coffee) Soya foods and other phytoestrogens Eat more fiber (wheat bran, grains, beans, fruit Phytoestrogens nave a similar structure to and vegetables) estrogen, and come in many varieties, e.g. Eat foods with calcium (milk, cheese, other dairy, isoflavones - in soya and lignans - in fiber of whole green leafy vegetables (broccoli, cabbage),soya grains, fruit, vegetables and flax seed. Milk may beans, tofu, nuts. also contain phytoestrogens which are related to 2 COMMUNITY PARTNERS Saturday April 6 2013 is the 9th annual Looking Upstream for Environmental Links to Breast Cancer -- Channel 12 publicity. Coming next month, an excerpt of Cancer is a Preventable Disease that Requires Major Lifestyle Changes Human biology is actually far more complicated than we imagine 3 RESEARCH PARTNERS Artichokes http://www.rodale.com/spring-vegetables " If you've never had items reposted from this website the experience of eating an artichoke, leaves, heart and all, you're missing out on one of the true joys of spring. Delicious if you eat them alone (steam them and peel off the leaves, scraping off the meat with your teeth), artichokes actually do make everything else taste better. They contain a compound called cynarin, which stimulates taste bud receptors and has been found to make bland food more palatable. Artichokes are also used in complementary medicine to aid digestion. They're rich in inulin, a prebiotic that promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut." Artichoke: 100g, low glycemic index, great for dieters, 34% of RDI fiber, mildly antiinflammatory, beneficial for intestinal flora. Cynara cardunculus var scolymus, Asteraceae, (Compositae - daisy family). Note the root word card, cardia, cardiac, -- for heart and perhaps uncus, from greek for hooked. Artichokes, a cultivated variety of thistle, originally were in the Mediteranian area during the Roman Empire, possibly domesticated in Sicily, 2000 years ago. C. cardunculus var sylvestris, the wild cardoon, is the probable ancestor of artichokes. Don't confuse small with insignificant JoelOsteen, 2013 4 Artichoke Here is a rehash on how to prepare and eat an artichoke taken from "Simply Recipes". How to cook and eat an artichoke. Mature artichokes have little thorns at the end of the leaves. You may want to cut those sharp tips off, but they soften during cooking. Pull off any smaller tougher leaves towards the base and on the stem. Trim off excess stem leaving about an inch intact. Wash (rinse) the artichokes in running cold water. In a large pot, put a couple inches of water (optional clove of garlic, a slice of lemon, and a bay leaf. You can Insert a steaming basket. Add the artichokes. Cover. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 25 to 45 minutes or until the outer leaves can easily be pulled off. Alternatively, use more water and boil them (25 to 45 min). Artichokes can also be pressure cooked (about 15-20 minute). Artichokes are eaten either hot or cold. Hot, they can be dipped in melted butter or mayonaise or a vinegrette dressing. Pull petals off one at a time, dip, and then scrape the fleshy part at the base off with your teeth. With a knife or spoon, scrape out and discard the inedible fuzzy part (called the "choke") covering center of the artichoke taking care not to remove the fleshy bottom of the heart. Cut the remaining part of the artichoke heart into pieces and dip into sauce to eat. Medical uses The total antioxidant capacity of artichoke flower heads is one of the highest reported for vegetables.[14] Cynarine is a chemical constituent in Cynara. The majority of the cynarine found in artichoke is located in the pulp of the leaves, though dried leaves and stems of artichoke also contain it. It inhibits taste receptors, making water (and other foods and drinks) seem sweet. Studies have shown artichoke to aid digestion, hepatic and gall bladder function, and raise the ratio of HDL to LDL. This reduces cholesterol levels, which diminishes the risk for arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease.