This is the last of our series on how to not become a victim of breast cancer. Knowledge is power. We hope you use the this knowledge that we have shared to your benefit and overall health.
Melatonin is thought of as a sleep aid but what most don’t realize is it has anti-estrogen effects (estrogen drives most breast cancer growth) as well as being an immune modulator (the immune system destroys cancer). In regards to sleep melatonin helps regulate our circadian rhythm. When we sleep our body heals and repairs so it is important that we honor this natural circadian rhythm by going to sleep by 10 or 11 pm and wake up around 5 or 6 am.
A common complaint I hear from patients taking melatonin is it causes them to wake up groggy in the morning. This usually happens because they are not taking it properly. A tip that will usually help with this morning grogginess is upon taking melatonin at bedtime avoid all light. This means no television, iPad’s, and no reading.
Insulin levels do matter. Hyper insulinemia contributes to not only breast cancer but all cancers. A 2020 study showed that when insulin is elevated there is a higher rate of breast cancer and a higher rate of mortality. Insulin works in 3 way to foster cancer growth.
1. It decreases hormone binding globulin which increases free estrogen levels.
2. Resistance to insulin leads to elevated glucose level which feeds all cancers.
3. It is associated with higher leptin levels that indirectly stimulate blood vessel growth to the cancer allowing it to receive the nutrients it needs to grow and metastasize.
The best ways to decrease insulin is regular exercise, a healthy diet, and weight loss. If you have diabetes focusing on the above will allow you to minimize the amount of insulin you need to inject. Focus on whole, unprocessed foods, lean protein, and plenty of vegetables, while limiting refined carbohydrates, and sugary drinks.
Inflammation Twenty-five percent of cancers are directly due to chronic inflammation. This inflammation drives cancer by creating a pro-tumorigenic environment through DNA damage (via reactive oxygen species), promoting cell proliferation, inhibiting cell death (apoptosis), and fueling tumor growth and spread (metastasis) via cytokines, growth factors, and angiogenesis. Chronic inflammation turns the body’s defense into a catalyst for malignancy, whereas acute inflammation usually helps fight cancer.
How would you know that your body is chronically inflamed? Signs of inflammation often include persistent fatigue, “brain fog”, joint pain/stiffness/ digestive issues (bloating, diarrhea, constipation) mood changes (anxiety, depression), rashes, frequent infections and unexplained weight changes, with some even experiencing balance issues or low-grade fevers. If you experience any of these symptoms ask your provider to run some labs that measure the presence of inflammation. These include HS-crp, Sedimentation Rate, Ferritin and Fibrinogen.
Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) is one of the best way to reduce inflammation. Astudy out of England shows that taking 1mg/day helps prevent breast cancer. Among my colleagues many use LDN daily as a preventive measure not only for cancer but also to lessen the likelihood of coming down with flus or colds. If we are to eliminate chronic inflammation it is crucial to determine the underlying cause. Always it is important to determine what is the cause of this inflammation. This could be a hidden infection, emotional stress, poor diet, or persistent irritants to name a few.
GI health What most people don’t know is that the GI tract is responsible for 70% of our immune system. And it is our immune system that keeps cancer in check. A study investigating differences in gut microbiome composition among postmenopausal women showed a less diverse fecal microbiome and a statistically significantly altered composition in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients compared with healthy controls.
The key to a healthy gut microbiome is eat a diverse, plant-rich diet full of fiber (fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans) to feed good bacteria. Aim for 30+ different plant types weekly to boost microbial diversity for better immunity and digestion. Also, incorporating fermented foods (yogurt, kimchi, kombucha) for probiotics is highly recommended. And then as we have discussed previously limit processed foods and sugar, manage stress, exercise regularly, stay hydrated, and use antibiotics only when necessary.
I hope this series of articles on “Preventable Causes of Breast Cancer” has been insightful. You don’t have to be perfect in all these areas but the more you can practice these principles not only will you have less of likelihood of getting breast cancer but more importantly your overall health will improve thus allowing you to accomplish your dreams and aspirations.
Terry Pfau DO, HMD