Excess weight creates excess estrogen: That spells cancer

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Excess weight creates excess estrogen: That spells cancer

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  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 4,276
    edited June 2012

    When my MO prescribed Arimidex, I tried to convince her that I'd been post-menopausal for 14 years and had already had a hysterectomy, so there was no estrogen in my body.

    She then politely informed me that estrogen is still produced in the adrenal glands, as well as in ......BODY FAT!!!!

    So for the past 16 weeks I've been in a medically-supervised Optifast program and have lost 44 pounds. Still have 20 to go, but I feel like I'm doing something positive - not just for my cancer, but for my overall health.

    I'm also going to the gym, to water aerobics, riding my bike, and aiming for 10,000 steps a day on my pedometer.

  • LtotheK
    LtotheK Member Posts: 2,095
    edited June 2012

    Though the medical field is not sure why, excess weight in young women seems to have the reverse effect.  The Komen risk assessment tool is quite amazing to look at all the studies compiled in one place.  I found this information there.

  • AlaskaAngel
    AlaskaAngel Member Posts: 1,836
    edited June 2012

    Another piece to that puzzle is that excess weight seems to be inflammatory, which also promotes of cancer. In that regard, the each actual food consumed has different inflammatory ratings, so it is possible that it is not only the excess weight itself that is problematic, but the food that one chooses that promotes it. In other words, whether or not one is overweight, the food consumed has an inflammatory value. So being overweight AND eating mostly the more inflammatory diet selections may both increase the risk.

    Weight has been a constant struggle for me ever since becoming chemopausal 10 years ago. I admire your determination.

  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 4,276
    edited June 2012

    AlaskaAngel - very interesting about the inflammatory foods. Being on Optifast has given me the best oportunity to be on an elimination diet for four months - something I never would have done on my own.

    I always wanted to get off white flour, white sugar, and gluten. (Optifast is gluten-free.)

    We've already given up red meat in our house due to my husband's kidney disease.

    When we DO start Transition (adding regular foods back into the diet) I am going to be VERY watchful about what I add.

    I want to stay gluten-free, organic as much as possible, and think carefully about acidic and inflammatory foods.

  • maize
    maize Member Posts: 184
    edited June 2012

    I didn't realize that the body still produces estrogen after menopause, as I understand it,  from the adrenal glands, the pituitary gland...and that estrogen is stored in body fat, Blessings20. I thought that there was so little estrogen circulating after menopause...but if there is enough body fat to store lots of estrogen...

    Alaska Angel, I just read about a doctor saying that cancer may be an inflammatory process--in some cases, caused by chronic inflammation. He recommended that people take aspirin daily (if they are able to take it and realize that it reduces blood clotting) to reduce the amount of inflammation. Whether it works or not??? He mentioned prostaglandins and COX-2.  I know that COX-2 is mentioned in some reports about breast cancer, but don't know how it relates to breast cancers.

    Every doctor I've asked recommends limiting the amount of red meat in the diet.

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