Breast Cancer in Both Women and Men

Since it is Breast Cancer Awareness month I thought it apropos to do a blog on breast cancer prevention.  Many times we think this is a female problem but men develop breast cancer as well.

Lifestyle choices can increase risk, but genetic factors play a powerful role in development of breast cancer even with healthful living.

Let’s focus on things we can do to help prevent and help reoccurrence of breast cancer.

Research has consistently linked high insulin levels to development of inflammation and cancer.  A high glycemic carbohydrate diet can increase production of insulin, which in turn can increase cell growth or tumors in the body.  When insulin levels are high, tumor cells can get the food they need to divide and multiply.

How do we keep insulin levels normal?

1.  Eating foods close to the earth that do not come with in a package or have a label -  such as fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, avocados, etc.

2.  Eating animal products from animals that eat what they were designed to eat – cows that eat grass, chickens that eat grass and insects and fish that eat food from the sea.  Many of our animals are eating corn which increases inflammation and insulin levels.  The exact terms are “grass-fed beef,”  “pastured chicken and eggs, “  “grass-fed or European cheese” and “wild fish.”

3.  Making sure you have omega 3’s every day – best sources are ground flax seed and fish oil that is concentrated in DHA and EPA.

4.  Optimize your Vitamin D levels – many of us have low levels since we wear sunscreen, are indoors much of the time, and our diets do not contain adequate amounts.  Have your physician check your vitamin D.  Keeping your level above 60 ng/dl is a good form of prevention.

5.  Limit alcohol.  Alcohol is linked to breast cancer since it increases estrogen levels in the blood, increases blood triglycerides levels and lower’s the liver’s processing of excess estrogen besides decreasing the immune system.

6.  Do some form of physical activity for 30 minutes per day.  Exercise lowers insulin resistance by 40-50% - an unbeatable statistic for a short amount of time.

These 6 steps may not prevent breast cancer but can dramatically lower your risk of developing it.  And it can set the stage for health in many other arenas of your life.

An Omega 3 per day Keeps the Doctor Away: Will Omega 3 or Omega 6 Fats Win the Race in your Body?

What would you do if there was a supplement or food that could lower all forms of inflammation in your body, decrease risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke, and make you smarter?

That supplement/food is omega 3 fats.  Omega 3 fats came into fashion a few years back, but many did not realize its critical significance for health and longevity.

Lowering Inflammation

Omega 3 fats lower inflammation in the body, and omega 6 fats increase inflammation.  When animals eat grass, we receive omega 3 fats as a result of consuming them, and when they eat corn or grains we receive omega 6 fats.

Since omega 3 and omega 6 fats compete for first line in the body, whichever is more prevalent will win the race.

The 3 omega’s are ALA, DHA, and EPA.  DHA is essential in brain development.  It also can lower cortisol and stress levels in the body. 

ALA is found in ground flax seed and is important for hormone stabilization.  Studies show the lignan found in flax seeds rids the body of bad hormones which can lead to cancer.

EPA can lower risk of disease states including diabetes and heart disease.  It is imperative to get three omega’s to have the most benefit in the body.

Studies show omega 3 fats:

Lower depression
Increase IQ in children whose mother’s took omega 3’s during pregnancy
Lower violence in general
Lower risk of autoimmune diseases
Lower insulin resistance, heart disease and diabetes

The list of positives is fairly long.  If you go to the search engine pubmed which shows abstracts of major studies, and type in omega 3’s, you’ll find at least 20,000 studies in their database.

Are we getting enough omega 3’s?  100 years ago we did not have to worry about getting enough omega 3’s.  Our animals ate grass and pre-packaged processed foods did not exist.

In the last few decades our government and control of farms geared our food supply away from the natural way animals ate, which increased our intake of omega 6 fats.

In addition, the food supply is filled with soybean and cottonseed oils, omega 6 “seed oils” that require industrial processes to extract the oils, and did not exist 100 years ago.

The hard drive of your body starts in the brain – the way you walk, move, hormone function, etc.  If the brain does not get the food it needs, these systems can become compromised.

What can you do for the Omega 3 fats to win the Race in your body?

1. Eat grass-fed beef, pastured poultry and eggs
2. Eat Wild Fish a few times a week
3. Avoid prepackaged processed foods
4. Use at least 1 tablespoon per day of ground flax seed
5. Take an omega 3 supplement with at least 500 mg. each of DHA and EPA
   
6. Use an oil high in omega 3’s such as extra-virgin olive oil and lower intake of omega 6 oils such as soybean, cottonseed, corn, vegetable, safflower, and sunflower

Your brain and body will thank you and you’ll spend less time visiting your doctor.  Maybe the old adage should say “an Omega 3 per day keeps the doctor away."

What about Omega 3 Supplements?

Omegas 3’s have made it into the mainstream of lifestyle importance.  Until about four years ago I recommended omega 3’s to only those with heart disease.  Research exploded exponentially linking increased intake of omega 3’s to lowered risk of not only heart disease, but other types of inflammation such as arthritis, insulin resistance, diabetes, gastrointestinal issues, hormonal disorders, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.

In addition, the fish oil/flax seed combination is helpful for symptoms associated with PMS, menopause, and hormone stabilization in general.  ADD and ADHD can also be helped.

How can one simple thing help so many medical problems?  Feeding your body starts with adequate food for your brain.  Since a large percentage of your brain is fat, feeding and lubricating the brain with enough fat can restore the rest of the systems in your body to balance.

The 3 Omegas

There are 3 types of omega 3 fats:  ALA, DHA and EPA. 

Ground Flax Seed

ALA is found in the highest concentration in ground flax seed.  One tablespoon per day meets your needs.  I like Spectrum brand since it has a nice taste.  Put it on your morning yogurt or cottage cheese.  The flax seed has to be ground in order to obtain the ALA.  Otherwise, it goes through your system as fiber.

Fish Oil

Fish oil contains the remaining 2 omega 3’s:  DHA and EPA.  What type of fish oil is best?  Many times the brand of a supplement is not all that significant.  However, with fish oil it IS important.  Proper storage and quality brands are important for freshness, avoiding rancidity and avoidance of PCB’s.  Several brands were sued in the last few months due to PCB’s.

The brand of fish oil I usually recommend is Carlson.  A recent study showed higher amounts of omega 3’s greatly lowered many health risks.  Therefore, having at least 1000 mg. of both DHA and EPA is recommended.

Since a typical gel capsule contains only 200-300 mg. of each it requires taking at least 5 capsules per day.  One teaspoon of the Carlson Lemon Fish oil contains 800 mg. of EPA and 500 mg. of DHA.  Taking one tablespoon is sufficient for the day.  It tastes like lemon oil and has the highest level of absorption.

One tablespoon per day each of ground flax seed and fish oil and less risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s?  It’s a slam dunk to me.

Are you Eating More Carbs than you Think?

I hear more often than not – “I’m not eating any carbohydrates.  How is my body going to function?”

Just cutting out obvious sources of carbohydrate may be adding up to more carbs than you think.  How many carbohydrates does one need per day?

The answer to that question is very individual.  If you are a healthy active person who moderately exercises and wants to lose weight you may only need 150 grams of carbohydrate per day.  If you exercise more vigorously you may need more.  If you are diabetic and/or insulin resistant you may need a little less.

What types of foods contain carbohydrates?  I usually measure carbohydrates in terms of a slice of bread which contains 15 grams.  The obvious ones are potatoes, rice, pasta, cereal, etc.  A cup of rice has 45 grams of carbohydrate.  A half cup of grape nuts contains 47 grams of carbohydrate and a bagel has 60 grams!  

Fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, and dairy products contain carbohydrates as well.  One serving of fruit has 15 grams of carbohydrate.  A cup of non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli contains about 10 grams of carbohydrate.

One ounce of nuts which is about 20 almonds has about 6 grams of carbohydrate.  A cup of plain yogurt has about 15 grams.

Eating your carbohydrates mostly from fruits, veggies, nuts and plain dairy adds up to about 130-150 grams per day depending on the volume of food you eat.  If you add just 1 cup of rice and 2 slices of bread you bump up the total to a little over 200 grams.  Add a few pretzels or chips and you’re up to over 250 grams.

Condiments can also contain large amounts of carbohydrate.  Ketchup and barbecue sauce register at 10 grams for just 2 tablespoons.

Just cutting out the obvious carbs starchy or processed carbs may mean you may be following a balanced diet.  Moderation in terms of carbohydrate is the healthiest way to prevent inflammation and disease.  The body needs at least 70-80 grams of carbohydrate per day to function.  

True low carb diets of the past recommended 20 grams per day which is not in your best health interest.  Try adding up the carbohydrates you eat during the course of the day – you might be surprised at the number – and that the low carb diet is truly a thing of the past.

Statin-Induced Muscle Pain - What is the Culprit?

About 10 years ago I got a drastic call from one of my patients.  He was in the hospital and felt like he was dying.  He had a multitude of medical problems but at his last visit he complained of horrible muscles aches and pains.  Since he was on a high dose of statin drugs I asked him to speak to his physician regarding his symptoms.  On the other end of the line he said “Susan – you were correct.  I woke up unable to move this morning and they took me to the ER.  It was the statins.”

Although this story is drastic, there are many individuals who have moderate to crippling muscle aches and pains shortly after beginning statin drugs.  What causes this pain and is there a solution?

Physicians prescribe statin drugs for a high cholesterol level.  All the cells of our bodies have a framework of cholesterol – i.e. cholesterol is the structure of the cells.  Changing the cholesterol level can change the structure of the cells, which can be a precursor to muscle pain.

In addition, remember your school days in Science class learning about the mitochondria or “powerhouse” of the cells.  Statins actually lower a compound that helps make energy within the mitochondria called Coenzyme Q10.  Lowering this important compound can lead to muscle wasting, weakness and inflammation of the tendons and ligaments.

A more recent study showed that Vitamin D deficiency could be partly responsible for statin-induced muscle pain.

If you have a high cholesterol level or are at risk for heart disease consider taking fish oil.  It contains the powerful omega 3 fats called DHA and EPA which can substantially lower inflammation in the body. Cells that have adequate DHA and EPA are healthy and flexible.  Good nutrients can enter and waste can exit.  Cells that are deficient in DHA and EPA are rigid.

If you do take a statin drug, make sure you are taking a Coenzyme Q10 and Vitamin D3 supplement to avoid possible symptoms.    Consider speaking to your physician if you have muscle aches or pains so you don’t end up in the hospital like my patient of long ago.