A Vegan Diet (Hugely) Helpful Against Cancer

There certainly are a variety of factors at play in cancer development. Even if one research study doesn't provide the answer for everyone, it could stimulate the imagination of the next investigator. I'm glad to know Deanna has found a diet that helps her.

Some vegetarians, like my son who doesn't eat meat, may still choose to consume animal products such as dairy milk/cheese etc which are good sources of protein & calcium but also might contain "leftovers" from what the cows were fed (growth hormones, antibiotics).

There's not much value in regretting our past practices except to cautiously warn others. It's probably better to take the best information currently available and go forward from that point!

I would be interested to know if tofu is a problem or can be consumed by ER+/PR+?

I am trying to be vegan but also to avoid highly processed vegan foods.

Not everything vegan is necesarily healthy either.

Deanna, thanks for posting the article, I have been trying really hard to be more conscious of what I'm eating and reading that gives me a little added inspiration. 

Hugs, Annie

Thanks for the link, Deanna. 34% lower risk of breast, ovarian and cervical cancer sounds very worth it. 500 genes affected is nothing to sniff at. Combined with exercise, I'm sure one gets lots of synergy. According to this article, it's 5,000 sites on the genomes of muscle cells affected with exercise, which may or may not be better than 500 genes, but who's counting?

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/17/how-exercise-changes-our-dna/?_r=0

It's now been at least 5 years since I started eating 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day and 7 years of exercising daily. I sure hope enough genes have changed in that time!! 

Well, they are just looking at muscle cells. There are probably lung, heart, you name it, cells that are also affected. But yes, it would seem that you need to exercise the upper body as well to get muscle and bone benefits there. I try to do regular upper body work for my spine.

TB90, it would be great to KNOW FOR SURE what caused each of us to develop what we have; to date, not happenin' ...you had pre-cancer; you did not have cancer and you did not have invasive anything. Give yourself a break. Most DCIS never goes on to develop into cancer. Of all people, you should feel ok to get on with your life! My twin had precancer ALH (i had the invasive version, ILC) and she found it accidentally during a breast reduction. It's been over 5 years and still no issues.

Anxiety and stress add their own confounding factors. My onco in wisconsin (i was a wreck when I first saw him after my diagnosis) told me if I did not get a handle on my anxiety, THAT would be worse than the glass of wine I enjoy. *SHOCKED*

I won't link the studies that show increases in cancer for highest veggie consumption

because I honestly feel that cancer is a crapshoot mixed with environment mixed with genetics mixed with epigenetics. I frankly do not think they know enough to make life changing decisions. I used to tell my patients...make changes you are willing to stick with and that you won't curse if they find 5 years later they were pointless. There IS such a thing as quality of life!

Wallycat:  Thanks for your reply and you are right, I should be able to get on with my life.  I do need to clarify that DCIS is indeed cancer, not pre-cancer and I would never have had a mx and then radiation for a positive margin if it was not.  I know that it is a stage 0 cancer and unlikely to kill me, but my chances of even another breast cancer are increased.  I am changing my lifestyle to prevent further cancer.  And I do believe that is what these studies are also attempting to prevent.  I feel that I was given a warning and in heeding that warning, find it very difficult to find a balance between quality of life and being smart about my choices.  The info is confusing and contradictory and frustrating.  My anxiety may be due to trying to make sense of something that just does not make any sense.  I was not trying to find the cause or cure for cancer, I was simply trying to educate myself on best practices.  My best practice seems to be to simply stop reading studies.    

Oh Melissa, you made me smile.  Now that is what I needed!

I did not begin eating vegan for my own health reasons (unless it was mental health) but out of guilt for all the suffering and misery I was causing animals.

Every cancer research experiment on mice and other animals makes me feel bad but I know I can't realistically stop them so I decided to eliminate what other suffering I was causing animals by going vegan.

GrammyR - at first it was really difficult and I started gaining weight at an alarming rate. I went to a dietician (not a very good one though) and she helped me work out a menu that was doable and enable me to maintain a normal weight.

Melissa - as usual you call it as you see it - I love your directness - Happily I have found that after the initial shock and weight gain stopped I am coping quite well and have eaten some very tasty dishes that I enjoyed immensely.

I figure if I really need to I can have small "lapses" (like eating a free range egg after a medical procedure where I couldn't eat any fruits or vegetables for a few hours.)

I still feel happier knowing I am 80%-95% vegan than not making an effort at all.

exbrnxgrl - as usual your post is full of humor and common sense. Bon Appetite.

TB90 - maybe you could join a support group or talk with a psychologist as it is really a pity if you are feeling good physically to be feeling lousy mentally.

Incidentally I seem to be having fewer hot flashes from Tamoxifen since going vegan but maybe its my imagination.

I've had two oncs one in US and one in Canada tell me that changing to a vegan lifestyle would be just fine IF I STARTED IT 50 OR SO YEARS AGO! They both said "everything in moderation" and they worry that women over 40 with BC are taking protein out of their diets as well as dairy - like the dieticians keep telling us - eliminating one or two food groups is just dangerous - that's not to say that eliminating junk food and food court food is a bad idea because the nutritional value of those is about nil.

The same as some Onc's seem to know nothing about even medicine (apologies to all the knowledgeable caring docs out there) some know nothing about nutrition.

I don't want to start an argument or suggest anyone (especially not Melissa) should have to eat vegan against their will - but it can be done healthily with a bit of common sense for those people inclined to making that life choice.

Many non-vegans don't have healthy diets. Many vegans don't have healthy diets. It is all about balance in all spheres of life.

If anyone is missing protein from their vegan diet they can supplement with pea protein or brown rice protein supplements (soy too if they don't have issues with it).

When I heard that fasting might reduce some of the side effects of chemo I was outraged. It angered me to think that on top of all they are going through some women might be expected to fast as well during chemo!

I am sure many people have the same knee-jerk reaction to the idea of going vegan - but again - for those people who are leaning towards veganism for other possible reasons it isn't a difficult thing to do.

When the "why" makes sense, the "how" is easier. Even if the doctor disagrees.

dlb823 - Thanks for the excellent links.