Breast cancer at age 45 came as a shock. With no family history and a model of good health and habits I wondered how this could happen to me? Both physical and emotional healing have taken years and, still there is not a day goes by I don’t fear a future recurrence.

Ten years later I continue to take many paths toward healing. One of the many paths is wellness and another is breast cancer advocacy. The path toward personal wellness began during chemotherapy when I consulted with a dietitian to become an ova-lacto (eggs and dairy) vegetarian.

About a year later, after reading Michael Lerner’s book, Choices in Healing: Integrating the Best of Conventional and Complementary Approaches to Cancer, I decided to consult with Dr. Keith Block of Evanston, Illinois. Dr. Block specializes in a holistic health approach and prescribes a modified macrobiotic diet, meditation, exercise and dietary supplements. The modified macrobiotic diet prescribed for me consists of eating the following daily:

• 12 whole grain servings (i.e. brown rice, quinoa, whole oat groats, etc.) 
• 6 vegetable servings (2 below ground, 2 cruciferous and 2 leafy green)
• 2 fruits
• 2-3 protein servings (protein from ocean fish, legumes, and soy products)
• no dairy products
• no sugars

To sweeten foods, the diet allows maple syrup, brown rice syrup and malt barley. Upon returning to Iowa I followed the diet, learned to meditate and continued my daily two mile walks with an aerobic and strength training class two times per week. Keeping my oncologist and internist completely informed, I purchased and took the dietary supplements Dr. Block prescribed and sold. From the beginning I was skeptical about the supplements because I had to purchase them exclusively from Dr. Block.

After taking the supplements for about a year, I became uneasy about the amount I was taking and the huge expense. I quit taking the supplements but continued the diet, meditation, and exercise. After two years I stopped meditating because I disliked it and found a long walk, in the outdoors, made me happy and content and better served my personal style. Nine years later I continue my diet and exercise program.

Why do I continue the diet and exercise? It is not because I think it will prevent cancer or a recurrence. I continue both because:
1) I no longer have after lunch and after supper slumps where I feel tired and sleepy
2) I am able to eat enormous amounts of food and not gain weight
3) I seem to have more resistance to colds and flu.
So, I follow the diet and exercise to feel good and enjoy today.

Another path to healing is breast cancer advocacy. I joined the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) and within a year was NBCC’s lead Iowa field coordinator. I founded Iowa Breast Cancer Edu-action, the local advocacy organization which brings you the Iowa Breast Cancer Resource Guide-2004 and the Serbo-Croatian translation of the American Cancer Society booklet, For Women Facing Breast Cancer. Yearly I fly to Washington DC to lobby for NBCC’s priorities in hopes we figure out what in the environment - personal and social - is causing cancer and [then work toward] creating policy changes to eliminate those causes. 


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by Michelle Busch, RD, LD

What dietary factors can influence a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer or surviving that diagnosis? Much media attention has been directed at examining how diet can affect cancer risk. Some of the information you read may seem to be contradictory. One study says that fat increases breast cancer risk and another says it decreases risk. It is important to look at the big picture when interpreting research. What does the preponderance of the evidence suggest? One or two studies will not provide adequate information upon which to base lifestyle decisions on.

Information also evolves over time as we learn more. That fat controversy mentioned earlier has gone from fat as the culprit to total caloric intake. Total caloric intake in some studies was a stronger determinant of breast cancer than dietary fat. Obesity and gaining weight during adulthood are also risk factors. Research is continuing in this area to determine how different types of fat may affect breast cancer risk. At this time, the best recommendation is to try to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and to keep total fat intake to around 30% of total calories. Choose “heart healthy” oils such as olive and canola oil. These fats may also affect cancer risk, not just your heart.

Alcohol consumption is another known risk factor for breast cancer. The risk increases as the amount of alcohol consumed increases. There is a weak association between alcohol consumption and breast cancer in women who drink one alcoholic beverage a day. Drinking more, about two to five drinks per day, may be associated with a rate of breast cancer that is about 40% higher than the rate for nondrinkers. And wine is not any better than beer or hard liquor. The 1996 Guidelines on Diet Nutrition and Cancer Prevention from the American Cancer Society suggest that most adults can drink, but they should limit their intake.

As much as 30% of breast cancer risk has been linked to the way we eat. Dietary changes to eat more fruits and vegetables may provide women with an easy way to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer. Most of the studies report that the consumption of vegetables may provide women with an easy way to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer. Most of the studies report that the consumption of vegetables is more strongly linked to breast cancer risk reduction than the consumption of fruits. Specifically, there is strong evidence for carrots and other yellow-orange vegetables such as squash and sweet potatoes, as well as dark green vegetables like broccoli and spinach. In one recent study, the consumption of more than five servings per day of vegetables versus less than three servings per day was associated with a 54% reduction in the breast cancer rate. It is not that difficult to eat five or more servings a day once you know what counts as a serving. A serving is: 1 piece of fresh fruit, ¾ cup of 100% fruit juice, ½ cup of cooked vegetables or canned fruit, 1 cup of leafy vegetables or salad, 1 handful of dried fruit, or ½ cup dried peas or beans.

The jury is still out on how meat consumption might affect breast cancer risk. Fish has no association with breast cancer risk. High protein diets are currently very popular to lose weight. Many experts are concerned with this dietary trend as high protein, low carbohydrate diets are low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. All are foods that have been shown repeatedly to reduce cancer risk.

Many women believe that soy consumption reduces breast cancer risk. A concern with soy is that studies of women eating soy products daily have shown that soy foods can act like estrogen and cause cell proliferation in the breast. This could have a negative effect on breast cancer survival. Phytoestrogens in soy have also been reported to both oppose and complement the effects of tamoxifen in breast cancer cells. More study is needed in this area. For now it is advised to avoid soy supplements and use soy foods in moderation. While there is a wealth of evidence that consuming more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and even soy decreased the risk of developing cancer, there is not enough evidence to support taking any type of supplement. Some may even be harmful.

Don’t forget physical activity! New research is emerging showing that exercising can reduce the risk of cancer development. The best information at this time to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer is to increase your fruit and vegetable consumption, decrease or avoid alcohol intake, and try to exercise most days of the week. 


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