Foods That Fight Breast Cancer

How I Fight against Breast Cancer

By Sandy Powers

It was the summer of 2005 when my diagnostic mammogram revealed a growth in the back of my chest. The biopsy confirmed it was cancer. My best option is to have a mastectomy. The day before surgery, my surgeon called me to tell me my pre-opt tests came back.

"Your liver enzymes are seriously elevated," he said.

"What are liver enzymes? I asked.

"Liver enzymes let us know how the liver is healthy," he explained. "Your enzymes are 3 times higher than normal. Surgery is on hold until we do some tests. "

If the cancer has spread to my liver?

After a series of tests, the surgeon called again.

"Cancer does not seem to have spread to your liver, but we can not pin point the cause of elevated liver enzymes. He continued: "We can not wait any longer for surgery."

Three days later I had a mastectomy. The doctors decided that I was not a good candidate for cancer treatment followed traditional radiotherapy, chemotherapy or hormonal therapy (anti-estrogen). There is no cure for breast cancer, and yet, traditional therapies are not for me. My liver enzymes were still seriously elevated. I knew I had to find an alternative treatment. I went in search mode. I paid hundreds of research studies, medical journals, and dozens of books. I went through my pile of notes. I designed my six-step plan. I became my own Guinea Pig.

My six-step plan:

1. 1. I stopped all the multiples and mineral supplements.

Recent studies, for example, in The Journal of the American Medical Association and Annals of Internal Medicine concluded daily intake of beta-carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E in the form of vitamin pills increased risk of death, vitamin A 16 percent Vitamin E by 4 per cent and beta-carotene by 7 per cent. Researchers further suggested these and other artificial vitamins overload the liver.

2. I switched to organic food and began to use olive oil for cooking and all my

cooking.

Organic food eliminated from my diet the toxic pesticides, toxic fertilizers, added hormones and antibiotics that are in conventional foods. Olive oil good for the liver.

3. I increased my intake of dietary vitamin C.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects the inside of a cell from free radicals that can cause diseases like cancer. The antioxidant vitamin C is the most important of all. According to the National Academy of Sciences, one in six adults receives less than half the recommended daily amount. Since our body can not manufacture or store vitamin C, I make sure I drink orange juice, eat tomatoes, peppers, broccoli and parsley daily. But I do not take supplements of vitamin C. According to researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, high doses of vitamin C as in supplements, also protect cancer cells inside our cells. Vitamin C taken in food sources does not.

4. I go out in the sun for 15 minutes each day for vitamin D.

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin. Science Daily reports studies show a clear association between vitamin D and breast cancer. I have a daily ritual of fifteen minutes of sun a day without sunscreen.

1. 1. I walk every day during the year.

   Since I live in Florida, where the heat can be a problem, I usually walk in Wal-Mart or Target. (I only take a few dollars with me so I'm not tempted to buy something!)

   2. I meditate twenty minutes a day to reduce stress.

A little stress makes us productive. A lot of stress makes us sick. I want my body to focus on staying healthy, not on the fight against stress. Meditation is a healer of mind while organic food is one.