Vegetable-Rich Diet Linked WIth Lower Risk Of Breast Cancer

Yet another study has been released suggesting that vegetable-rich eating is linked with better health -- this time, showing that women whose diets include lots of veggies are less likely to develop breast cancer than women who eat more red meat, salt and processed carbohydrates.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, looked at the breast cancer risks for women based on how similarly their diets fell in line with the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which includes lots of vegetables and fruit, beans and nuts, low-fat dairy and grains with fiber.

The researchers found that women with the highest DASH scores had a 20 percent decreased risk of developing estrogen receptor negative breast cancer, which accounts for about a quarter of all breast cancers, Reuters reported.

However, it's important to note that this is simply an association between a plant-heavy diet and a decreased risk of the breast cancer, not proof that the diet can actually prevent cancer, Reuters reported.

The study included 86,000 women, followed for 26 years, of whom less than 1 percent developed estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer. Researchers said they weren't positive why this particular kind of diet seemed linked with the incidence of the breast cancer. However, they told Reuters that it could be because other kinds of cancers have other factors that outweigh the beneficial effects from diet.

In another study published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found that people with high levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol who ate a diet high in plant-based sterols, soy and soluble fiber lowered their LDL cholesterol levels by 13 percent over a six-month period.

CNN also recently did a special report on how a plant-based diet has the potential to reverse heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. Former president Bill Clinton has gone on a vegan-like, plant-based diet after he underwent a quadruple bypass in 2004 because of blocked arteries.

A plant-based diet has also been shown in past research to help people with diabetes better control their glucose levels. And a 2008 study showed that eating this kind of diet can increase the enzyme telomerase, which lengthens telomeres. Telomeres are the ends of our chromosomes that are indicative of our lifespan, so the research shows that eating a plant-based diet could actually alter our genes for a longer life.

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Comments

[megwolff]

05:55 PM on 09/15/2011

Dear Amanda, As a person that has embraced a plant-based way of eating because of advanced breast cancer (now 13 years cancer-free!) I can say I whole-heartedly agree with this article! Thanks for writing it, Amanda. For anyone reading this and wants to put it into practice with quick & easy plant-based recipe ideas, here's a few: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/meg-wolff

[timetomoveon]

05:34 PM on 09/10/2011

As a breast cancer survivor, I started juicing fresh vegetable juice as a way of gaining more confidence in my health. I feel more energy, have more focus, my complexion is glowing and my digestion runs like a clock. Some people take issue with the taste, but if you add an apple, it tastes pretty good and well worth the wonderful results. I start each day with my 5...cucumber, celery, carrot, spinich and apple and all the rest is a bonus. Highly recommend.

[jgarma]

07:08 PM on 09/09/2011

Good news that a veggie based diet helps to lengthen telomeres, because long telomeres is a marker for long life. Nobel prize winner Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn won her Nobel based on her work on telomeres, which she describes in some detail in this presentation she gave at Google headquarters: http://wp.me/pA04z-Jh

Getting the bulk of your vegetable protein from soy is something I disagree with based on all I've read about the hormonal effects of soy and how much of soy is grown and processed in the USA.

The longevity and health of the Japanese are often cited as examples of soy's benefits, but what is not widely known is that the Japanese eat small amounts of soy -- it's not their main course -- and it's often fermented, a healthy version. I don't have a specific source to cite here, but check around the Web and get informed before soy becomes your total protein replacement.

[DocHeather]

05:12 PM on 09/08/2011

I'm glad you've written this article. But it's kind of sad that it even has to be done. Eating more fresh fruits and veggies is better for you and preventing all sorts of diseases. More people are embracing plant based living and getting healthier.

[DavidMG]

10:45 AM on 09/08/2011

To help get kid's to eat these important foods take a look at "The ABC's of Fruits & Vegetables and Beyond." Used in many classrooms.

[Shannon CoggburnDipple]

11:42 PM on 09/07/2011

Great post. Part of the plant-based diet the I keyed in on was how it lowers blood sugar levels. Cancer cells feed on sugar, so it makes sense to include vegetables and fruits in an anti-cancer diet. It's also interesting to note that eating an overabundance of simple carbs raises estrogen levels in males, contributing potentially to male breast cancer symptoms.

Some specific foods that known as cancer fighting herbs and spices are New Zealand wasabi, bay leaf and turmeric. Well worth considering adding in to a vegetable rich diet.

http://www.cancer-aware.com/breast-cancer-and-diet.html