Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Anti-Cancer Party

Wine, Cheese and Chocolate are three things you don’t always associate with an anti-cancer diet.  However, while critics may say–whoa, hold on now—hear me out.  Wine, cheese, chocolate can be good for you, in moderation and with a few rules.

Red wine, (and dark chocolate) have positive components that are actually good for your heart and may inhibit the development of certain cancers, including breast cancer. There have been studies and reports on this for years. Of course, there are studies that say ANY alcohol raises your risk for breast cancer (likely these were done by teetotalers…just kidding).  The bad news is that the body converts alcohol into DNA-destroying acetaldehyde, a carcinogen (same family as formaldehyde). However, you can help neutralize alcohol’s toxic effects by consuming certain nutrients and phytonutrients. A glass or two of red wine now and then can be a very nice social experience and can be quite enjoyable–and healthful–just don’t over-do it. 

Protective components are carotene (think carrots), folic Acid (B9), niacin (B3), vitamins B6, B1, C, D, E, and a few others in smaller amounts.  Keep in mind that red wine is a good source of folic acid, biotin, vitamin B6, niacin, potassium and magnesium….so it itself, it is part of the solution.  A note on folic acid— research indicates that women who drink alcohol and have a high folate intake are not at any higher risk of some breast cancers than those who abstain from alcohol.  But when it comes to folic acid,  go for the real thing– you can find it in abundance in citrus fruits, dark green leafy vegetables, dried beans, and peas, and yes, red wine—all in the form of natural folate, which is much safer than synthetic folic acid.  (Please don’t depend on the folate in wine…you need much more). 

Alcohol also depletes necessary glutathione; NAC helps the body produce more glutathione. (N-acetyl cysteine is also used for preventing alcohol related liver damage and to combat toxicity from Tylenol use).  Keep in mind that alcohol is tough on the liver, and you depend on your liver to remove toxins from the body. Green tea and silymarin (milk thistle) prevent damage to the liver by acting as an antioxidant and enhancing the detoxification process; grape seed extract and barley grasses are also helpful. Remember too…always have a high-fiber snack with your wine and  consider a daily  brazil nut, as they are high in selenium, of which a deficiency can increase risk for cancer; selenium levels tend to be reduced in people who drink alcohol regularly.

Take a look at these links…you can taste the controversy—so please, while there are arguments on both sides, it is best for your all around health to enjoy  your wine if it brings you pleasure, but limit consumption and load up on the protective nutrients that may eliminate or reduce risk of cancers associated with drinking alcohol.

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/prevention/redwine

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/13344967-a-glass-of-wine-a-day-helps-fight-breast-cancer

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/240065.php?utm_medium=twitter&utm_s

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2011/dec2011_Link-Between-Alcohol-and-Cancer-Death_01.htm

http://naturalsociety.com/2-glasses-wine-daily-may-half-brain-cell-production/

http://www.mentalhealthy.co.uk/news/938-study-into-the-benefits-of-red-wine.html

Cheese; a cancer no-no, right?  Most of us think cheese is the enemy; it’s loaded with fat and contributes to cancer.  Dr William Li has a different opinion. Certain cheeses contain Vitamin K2 that inhibits cancer growth.  But don’t think you are limited to Gouda and Jarlsburg; other hard and soft cheeses contain K2, as do butter and egg yolks.  Also, full fat dairy contains CLA which has powerful anti-cancer benefits, so skip the low fat versions; just be sure to buy organic, locally produced cheese made from cows or sheep not injected with hormones, and who are grass fed, whenever possible. CLA may also help reduce body fat—especially belly fat, something which increases our risk for cancer.  Remember—real food for real people; when you mess with Mother Nature you pass up on nutrients and add chemicals.  (Eat the butter and cheese, pass on the substitutes)

http://www.ericcressey.com/is-dairy-healthy-the-whole-story-part-2

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/4/894.abstract

http://www.eatwild.com/cla.html

Chocolate, oh how we love chocolate. Chocolate was once thought to be nothing more than a decadent indulgence.  We think of chocolate as forbidden as we try to avoid sugar; but chocolate actually helps regulate blood sugar.  Just be sure to eat the real thing….the general rule is to look for 70% or higher and  sugar content should be minimal; read the ingredients (there should not be many and they should be real foods). And, research shows that dark chocolate may just be the top antioxidant, right up there or even better than blueberries! For better or worse, the food you eat sends messages to your genes which alters their expression patterns, and that in turn can alter disease. Inflammation-related genes are no exception, and inflammation is the precursor to cancer. Eating plenty of blueberries and chocolate can make those inflammatory genes behave nicely. Chocolate covered blueberries anyone?

There is more to the chocolate story:

http://physicianswholisten.blogspot.com/2011/02/its-time-to-nust-myths-about-chocolate.html

http://www.drnitasbrand.com/article-foodandmedicine.html

So, enjoy your party—but don’t cry…..have some red wine, some cheese and a few truffles, soufflés and even hot chocolate as it can be a good source of resveratrol and cocoa phenols (flavonoids) as long as dark chocolate with a high content of cocoa is used.  Just remember that terrible word…moderation.  Live a little….isn’t that why we work so hard to beat cancer?

Elyn

www.elynjacobs.wordpress.com

Twitter @survivelivewell and @elynjacobs

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Elyn Jacobs is a breast cancer survivor, professional cancer coach, radio talk show host, speaker, and the Executive Director for the Emerald Heart Cancer Foundation. Elyn is also on the peer review board of the Natural Standard Database. Elyn empowers women to choose the path for treatment that best fits their own individual needs.  She is passionate about helping others move forward into a life of health and wellbeing. Elyn lives in New York with her husband and two young boys.

 

Integrative Oncology Works!!!

This past weekend I attended the Annie Appleseed Project CAM conference; so many excellent speakers. Over the next few weeks I will be sharing some of what I learned. What resonated throughout the conference was that conventional medicine alone is not the answer.Today I will talk about Dr Gwen Stritter and her roadmap to beat cancer.

Dr Stritter provided a humorous and excellent plan for someone just diagnosed with early stage breast cancer who wants to increase her chances of a cure.  I just loved the positive tone; note she did not say to prevent recurrence, but rather spoke of that lovely word cure. She said that if she were diagnosed at 12pm, what she could do at 12:01pm that could take her on the path to wellness.

Exercise:  Fast walking 3hours a week improves breast cancer survival by 40%.  5-6 hours increased survival even more.  So, she will go for a walk. Social support: Increased contact with friends and family post diagnosis was associated with lower risk of death by 70%.  So, on the way home, she will stop in and visit some friends and family.  Alcohol:  having one alcoholic beverage a day increases death by 36%.  So, she’d give up that glass of wine with dinner…well maybe indulge only twice a week as she really loves wine.  D3: Vitamin D3 decreases metastasis and increases survival by 55%. So, she’ll pop in a 2000mg supplement as soon as she gets in the car.  Omega 3: high intake of omega 3 fatty acids from fatty fish increases survival by 25%, so she’ll call her husband and ask him to toss the fried chicken, and will stop at the fish market to buy some salmon for dinner. Controlling inflammation:  having a high CRP, (which indicates increased inflammation), results in a 100% increase of death.  So, she will take some anti-inflammatory natural products such as curcumin, omega 3 (yes, perhaps a supplement too), boswellia and a few others.  Low toxicity pharmaceuticals:  a daily baby aspirin reduced breast cancer death by 70% (alternatively, one regular aspirin taken three times a week can reduce recurrence by 50%, according to my integrative onc).  So, she will stop at the drugstore and buy some aspirin.  She might also take some other pharms that look promising, so she’ll call her primary physician. In trials, Propranolol, a cheap and non-toxic drug commonly prescribed for high blood pressure, increased  breast cancer  survival by 80% (in a retrospective study).  Metformin, which is derived from the French lilac plant, increased survival in diabetic patients by 60%, and non-diabetics with breast cancer who did not take Metformin had 3 times the risk of distant metastasis….the risk went up 300%!.  Metformin is cheap and has very few side effects.  (My doc recommends that almost everyone take it to avoid cancer, and certainly to prevent recurrence).  There is another study expected to be released by 2014, but likely you will not want to wait until then.

And of course, she will switch to a mostly plant based diet, be conservative on oil and fat intake, and if she were a smoker…she would stop asap! 

In summary, if she does all this, cancer does not stand a chance; she has provided an extremely hostile environment for her cancer to grow.    She also commented that Dr Keith Block did an excellent study on these combined steps and found a substantial increase in survival for those with advanced metastatic cancer.  Her overall deduction?  Integrative Oncology works!!! 

A few things to add:

You will likely need to ask your primary doc, not your oncologist for prescriptions for Propranolol and Metformin as they are not yet approved for cancer despite the fact that they can be quite effective.    At this conference as well as at the Integrative Healthcare Symposium, several doctors commented that Metformin was the only cancer drug that actually worked. My doc started me on this a while back, handing me piles of research to support his recommendation.

Also, remember to address stress….more on this later, but I offer this post until then:
http://elynjacobs.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/changing-the-cancer-environment/

Lately there has been much in the news about red wine and breast cancer.  Research shows that a small amount of red wine may actually reduce breast cancer risk. 
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/240065.php?utm_medium=twitter&utm_s

The trick is small.  Those who love wine (like me) might take this too far.  Your body converts alcohol into acetaldehyde, a carcinogen.  Acetaldehyde boosts cancer risk by inflicting oxidative stress that damages DNA, prevents DNA repair, and triggers a pro-inflammatory reaction.  You can help offset the damage by adding a few foods and plant-based compounds like silymarin, resveratrol, grape seed extract and barley grass, as well as adding some supps like selenium, NAC, vitamin B6, and folate, to prevent alcohol-related deficiencies of valuable cancer fighting nutrients and minerals.  The trick is to take the supps just before, with, or even immediately after accidental over- indulgence of wine. (Have a brazil nut with that wine!)So, I offer up this article, which effectively provides a good explanation of the dangers of alcohol as well as what we can do to offset the damage should we accidentally over-indulge. 
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2011/dec2011_Link-Between-Alcohol-and-Cancer-Death_01.htm

Elyn Jacobs

elyn@elynjacobs.com

elynjacobs.blogspot.com

elynjacobs.wordpress.com

Elyn Jacobs is President of Elyn Jacobs Consulting, Executive Director for the Emerald Heart Cancer Foundation, a certified cancer coach and a breast cancer survivor.  Elyn helps women diagnosed with cancer to navigate the process of treatment and care, and educates to prevent recurrence and new cancers.  She is passionate about helping others get past their cancer and into a cancer-free life. To learn more about Elyn’s coaching services, please visit: 
http://elynjacobs.wordpress.com