In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleChronic Inflammation & Breast CancerDiet During TreatmentFoods to IncludeTips & Advice
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Chronic Inflammation & Breast Cancer
Diet During Treatment
Foods to Include
Tips & Advice
Close
Around 2.3 million people worldwide were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022.In the United States alone, it is estimated that 276,480newcases of breast cancer were diagnosed, making it the most prevalent type of cancer.The good news is that detection and treatment options have steadily improved since the 1980s, and survival probability of over 90% is possible, especially when breast cancer is detected early.
Inflammation and anti-inflammatory foods play a role in the prevention and potential treatment of breast cancer. There is a wealth of research available on the relationship between chronic inflammation and a number of major health conditions: diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer—with researchers finding a direct link between chronic inflammation and an increased risk for breast cancer.
Conversely, ananti-inflammatory dietmay have preventive benefits for each of these diseases. For those who have been diagnosed and are undergoing treatment, it may be even more important to reduce chronic inflammation through your diet. One study found that a long-term anti-inflammatory diet, implemented post-diagnosis, may lead to improved survival among women diagnosed with breast cancer.
Komar explains, “Inflammation is sometimes confusing, because it may seem contradictory. On one hand, inflammation is a healthy process, allowing the body’s ability to heal itself. When you have an infection or injury, the immune system releases white blood cells and chemicals to fight off the infection or repair damaged tissue.” This is acute inflammation, the good inflammation.
When inflammation persists, it may become dangerous; a condition called chronic low-grade inflammation. “When you don’t have an infection or injury, inflammation can potentially damage healthy tissues. Chronic, low-grade inflammation is inflammation that never really resolves. It’s the opposite of ‘good’ inflammation and may actually damage DNA,” says Komar.
This is particularly troublesome for those who are undergoing treatment for cancer as it potentially fuels the tumor. Komar shares, “Chronic inflammation can produce molecules called cytokines, which stimulate the growth of blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to the tumor. The process also may generate molecules called free radicals that further damage the DNA. These inflammation side effects may help sustain and fuel cancer growth.”
Eating an Anti-Inflammatory Diet during Breast Cancer Treatment
When looking for ways to keep chronic inflammation at bay, research consistently points to four key lifestyle factors: exercise, reducing stress, healthy weight management and getting balanced nutrition.When it comes to nutrition and inflammation, this means including anti-inflammatory foods and excluding inflammatory foods.
One way to think about this is to adopt the mindset of crowding out the bad with the good; including as many anti-inflammatory, whole foods as you possibly can in your diet to weed out the inflammatory foods that can be especially damaging during cancer treatment.
5 Anti-inflammatory Foods to Include During Treatment
During treatment, it is important to look at the overall diet you consume instead of focusing on individual foods. Komar encourages patients to look at nutrition as a part of their treatment plan, stating that nutrition “has to be a part of the medical protocol because a patient needs to stay strong, decrease side effects and maintain weight during treatment.”
Additionally, choosing anti-inflammatory foods during treatment can help with some of the symptoms often associated with radiation and chemotherapy. Komar says that “fatigue, body pain, bowel issues, anxiety, depression, poor sleep habits and unintentional weight gain or loss” are just some of the symptoms that following an anti-inflammatory food plan can help to reduce or alleviate.
1. Berries
Of all the beautiful fruits available to us, berries are the star of the show to reduce inflammation for those undergoing treatment. Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries are high in antioxidants and are just a few of the many berries that are suggested as part of an anti-inflammatory diet. Additionally, the anthocyanins that produce berries' beautiful colors are also a powerful phytochemical that may provide anti-inflammatory properties.
2. Cruciferous Vegetables
There is a reason you were always asked to eat your greens. Veggies provide nutrients that are vital to fighting inflammation and maintaining proper body function. Packed with vitamins and minerals, veggies are also an excellent source of fiber.
Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, arugula, collard greens and even wasabi are just a few of the varieties in a group of plants calledcruciferous vegetables. These veggies are recognizable for their distinct odor and sometimes bitter flavor and are often touted for their anti-cancer properties. These nutrient-rich veggies contain carotenoids, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins C, E and K, folate, minerals and fiber.
3. Legumes
A staple of the Mediterranean diet, legumes are a category of vegetables that includes beans, peas and lentils.Legumesprovide some of the highest amounts of fiber of any food and are also an excellent source of plant-based protein.
Fiberis key to reducing inflammation, and the consumption of legumes has been shown to have an impact on the body’s immune function.A diet high in fiber has even been found to help protect against certain cancers, including breast cancer.
4. Herbs and Spices
Often overlooked as a source of nutrition,herbs and spicesprovide excellent anti-inflammatory properties. In addition to eating a wide variety of veggies and fruits, Komar shares, “It is also important to incorporate herbs and spices such as turmeric, garlic, ginger and cinnamon to help decrease inflammation.”
Turmericis a major source of curcumin, a micronutrient that has long been known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. When adding turmeric to recipes, also add a pinch of black pepper to boost absorption of curcumin.
Gingeris a root that can reduce inflammation and pain, making it extremely helpful to those undergoing treatment. Studies have also found that consuming ginger helps alleviate the nausea and vomiting that many patients experience with chemotherapy.
Cinnamonis a spice that has been commonly used since 2800 B.C. It is being studied for its potential in cancer therapy and has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Garlicisn’t just a delicious way to add depth of flavor to your dishes. It’s also a rich source of selenium, and its sulfur-containing compounds are being studied for their possible effect on carcinogens.
5. Fish
Protein is essential to the formation, maintenance and repair of body tissues. Ensuring that youget an adequate amount of proteinin your daily diet is especially important during treatment in order to maintain muscle mass.
In addition to being an excellent source of lean protein, fatty fish is also high inomega-3 fatty acids, which can be beneficial to lowering inflammation. Fatty fish, like salmon, trout, albacore tuna, Atlantic herring, Atlantic mackerel, anchovies, sardines and even mussels, provide an excellent dietary source of omega-3s and lean protein.
Making It Work in the Real World
On February 20, 2020, at the age of 38, Theresa Williams was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, invasive ductal carcinoma, stage 3C. With no known family history of breast cancer and no breast cancer gene mutation, Theresa likes to say that she “hit the unlucky lottery.”
As theCOVID-19 pandemichit, so did Theresa’s treatment protocol. On March 11, 2020, she began 8 rounds of dose-dense chemotherapy, underwent a double mastectomy, had 25 rounds of radiation, endured a number of complications and in July 2021 underwent her final reconstructive surgery.
Theresa is now on a journey of healing and shares her story of hope, faith, gratitude and perseverance, along with the way in which she utilized the healing properties of food, both for comfort and to reduce inflammatory symptoms, during treatment. One of the challenges that comes with cancer treatment therapies is that they can make patients feel sick and tired, which can create issues in adhering to any type of diet.
To help solve this issue and to combat the side effects of her treatment, Theresa focused on a diet rich in variety with fruit, veggies, lean protein, herbs and spices, whole grains, nuts and seeds. She also found comfort and nutrition in teas and broths. “I sipped on broth or tea a lot! It had a dual purpose for me: it kept me hydrated, which is critical to battling side effects during treatment, and the warm tea was comforting—it felt like a hug in a mug.”
Theresa shares that she especially enjoyed sipping Beyond Broth, as well as organic chicken broth and decaffeinated green tea. She would typically start her day withlemon ginger teaand also sipped peppermint tea with licorice and ginger-turmeric tea. Each of these varieties helped settle her stomach, and theginger and turmerichave anti-inflammatory properties that were helpful with treatment side effects.
Theresa also adds that texture and temperature became challenging for her: “I had to eat lukewarm-to-warm foods due to mouth sensitivity.” Her advice: “The type of food you may be able to handle during treatment may change over time. Keep trying, be flexible and focus on eating small portions slowly and frequently.”
In addition to her nutrition choices, Theresa found that taking walks helped increase her appetite, practicing restorative yoga provided calm, and Epsom salt baths felt amazing to her sore and tired body.
The Bottom Line
If you or someone you love is going through treatment, take care. Take care of yourself and take care of your body with practices that will reduce inflammation and enhance your treatment and recovery.
Ask your doctor for a referral to an oncology dietitian to receive a nutrition treatment plan designed specifically for you. Registered dietitians will be able to work with your individual diagnosis to create a plan that works with your needs and preferences.
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Sources
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