Do carotenoids reduce breast cancer risk?

Our next committee meeting is this coming Monday, December 10th at 5:30 PM at the American Cancer Society office in West Bridgewater - 5 Manley Street, across 106 from the Lowe's.  There is a Wendy's on the corner of Manley Street, and the ACS building is just down on the right-hand side.  Please join us if you can!

*****************************************************************

Do Carotenoids Reduce Breast Cancer Risk?

There is a new study by researchers at Brigham & Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School that found a "statistically significant association" between high levels of carotenoids and a reduced breast cancer risk, especially with the ER-negative breast cancers where tumors don't rely on estrogen to grow. 

The study, published in the December 6th issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, concluded that "A diet high in carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables offers many health benefits, including a possible reduced risk of breast cancer." (source)  Another doctor unconnected to the research, Dr. Stephanie Bernik, agreed with the assessment.  She said the researchers "have shown that there appears to be a real benefit to higher circulating levels of the micronutrients. The present study has more conclusively shown that there probably is some truth to what we tell patients regarding their diets ... the foods that your mother always told you are good for you, truly are good for you."

So, where do we find these "carotenoids", anyway?  They are in carrots, spinach, kale, tomatoes, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables.  I try to eat 3-5 servings of vegetables a day, and I find that blending a handful or 2 of spinach in a chocolate smoothie make it pretty easy to hit that goal.  (No, you do not taste the spinach at all!)  For others, a large salad with many colorful vegetables may help increase your carotenoid consumption. 

*****************************************************************

Can Certain Foods Increase Our Risk Of Cancer?

Now, I've been promoting a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables for a while.  It seems like this is a safe way to maintain a healthy weight and potentially cut our risks of developing cancers.  And, it also doesn't promote cutting out all the "bad" foods.  But, are there foods that can cause cancer?

According to a new study by the Stanford Prevention Research Center and Harvard Medical School, we shouldn't put too much stock in a study that says one food item can increase or decrease our cancer risks.  They found the evidence presented for many of the ingredients studies was particularly weak, and that the larger the study, the smaller the link between food and cancer. 

Dr. John Ioannidis from the Stanford Prevention Research Center in California, who worked on the analysis, told Reuters Health:”We have seen a very large number of studies, just too many studies, suggesting that they had identified associations with specific food ingredients with cancer risk. People get scared or they think that they should change their lives and make big decisions, and then things get refuted very quickly.” (source) 

This doesn't mean that eating large amounts of certain foods won't increase or decrease your cancer risk; it just means that one study showing that red meat increases cancer or tomatoes decrease cancer probably isn't telling the whole story.  This study took 35 years' worth of research through other studies to come to its conclusions.  Which is another reason why I feel that a well-balanced diet of lean meats, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables is probably a good start to reducing my chances of being diagnosed with cancer.  And with my family history?  I might as well try it!

*****************************************************************

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook! You can also reach the website at http://www.relaybridgewater.org/ or email us at relaybridgewater@gmail.com.