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New Research Indicates Exercise Not Protective Against Non-Invasive Breast Cancer
Researchers from 10 European countries published a study in the ‘Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention‘ journal which examined the association between physical activity and in situ, non-invasive breast cancer.
The European researchers examined whether physical activity might have a protective effect against non-invasive breast cancer. The study was a large one, it followed 283,927 women, 1,059 of whom had non-invasive breast cancer, and concluded that physical activity had no such protective effect. Even the researchers were surprised at this finding, they clearly didn’t expect it.
According to the American Cancer Society, in 2011 230,480 American women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and an estimated 57,650 women were diagnosed with non-invasive “in situ” carcinoma. Of these cases, about 85% will be ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), meaning the abnormal cells are contained within the milk ducts, and approximately 15% are lobular carcinoma in situ.
Controversy Over DCIS and Over-Treatment
To get slightly off the topic of exercise, I’d like to explain that “in situ” breast cancer is the most frequent form of non-invasive breast cancer and is thought to be a risk factor or precursor for the development of invasive breast cancer. There is much controversy, however, about this. To my knowledge, there is no available data on DCIS that is left untreated, but I did locate a interesting review of autopsy records which showed that somewhere between 9%-15% of women have undetected DCIS at death (Welch, 1997).
Which totally supports the idea that many diagnosed with DCIS will not have a problem with progression into invasive cancer. The problem is that we do not know how to identify which ones will and which ones won’t yet. How best to treat DCIS, and even whether to consider it cancer, remain controversial and many women have undergone invasive procedures and toxic therapies that they probably should not have been subjected to. See my recent article Breast Cancer Action Webinar Discusses Screening Mammography and Breast Cancer Overdiagnosis for more information.
Exercise Does Have Benefits For Invasive Breast Cancer
Interestingly, previous studies have shown that exercise does have value and protective benefits against invasive breast cancer.
There are many studies which have discovered that physically active menopausal women have a decreased chance of developing invasive breast cancer compared to their not-so-active menopausal counterparts.
Even though, according to the European study discussed above, exercise does not necessarily confer protective benefits against developing non-invasive breast cancer, it still carries so many other positive benefits and I will continue to recommend regular exercise to women.
References:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/f-sf-pad022813.php
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23074288
Welch HG, Black WC. Using Autopsy Series To Estimate the Disease “Reservoir” for Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast: How Much More Breast Cancer Can We Find? Annals of Internal Medicine 1997; 127 (11) 1023-1028.
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Natural Remedies for Chemo-Related Constipation
Going through chemotherapy and having constipation is NOT fun. I mean, it’s not bad enough that you’re going through chemotherapy, you’ve lost your hair, now you gotta have this problem too? I can SO sympathize with you.
Just so we’re clear, you are considered to be constipated if you have fewer than three difficult bowel movements in a week. Which is not much!
My oncologist gave me a couple of recommendations but I wasn’t crazy about them – they were all pharmaceuticals and I prefer to use the things that nature has provided us (which is why it took me four months to make my decision about doing chemotherapy!).
So I searched further afield (let’s face it, I was motivated!) and found some more natural things to help. When I had my next office visit with him, he asked how I was doing with the constipation and I told him I had a good herbal formula that was working for me he exasperatedly said to me (laughing) “Do you listen to anything I tell you?” I guess he wasn’t used to having patients do things their own way.
My List of Recommendations for Constipation
- Eat foods high in fiber like nuts, bran, vegetables, legumes, freshly ground flaxseed, whole wheat breads and pastas, and fruits
- Drink 2-3 liters of non-alcoholic fluids (water, juices) each day, unless you are told otherwise by your doctor
- Avoid sodas, coffee, alcohol and caffeine-containing drinks, which can have a diuretic effect and worsen constipation
- Exercise 20-30 minutes most days of the week, as tolerated, and if okay with your doctor. A lot of patients find that walking for exercise is convenient and easy to do
- Take 3 capsules of fish oils (500-1000 mg) three times per day
- Try drinking a glass of lukewarm or hot water just after you wake up. The warmth helps stimulate your intestines so that they start moving
- Try my herbal formula (recipe below)
- If you hate the herbal (and some will), try the Prune, Fig & Raisin tea recipe below
My naturopath in Perth, Sue Bartoll, made a herbal formula for me and she’s been kind enough to share the recipe. You will still probably want or need a naturopath or herbalist to blend this for you. You may have to convert milliliters to ounces but most measuring devices have both these days.
Constipation Herbal
40 ml Senna
30 ml Golden Seal
40 ml Fennel
50 ml Butternut
5 ml Ginger
40 ml Liquorice
Dosage 5mls 2 x day with water or juice. Start with 2.5mls twice a day and increase over the next 2 days to full dosage. Sue says: “Please note that everyone is individual and may require another prescription that is appropriate for the person’s symptoms.”
Prune, Fig & Raisin Tea
Cut up about 12 organic figs and place them in a saucepan together with about 12 organic prunes and 2 tbsp organic raisins. Cover with 1 liter (4 cups) of filtered water and simmer for about 30 minutes. If desired, lemon juice may be added to vary the flavor. Drink the tea before breakfast and dinner time. You can make this ahead the night before and refrigerate.
Why Constipation Occurs with Chemotherapy
Because anticancer drugs are made to kill rapidly growing cells, they also affect normal, fast-growing cells such as blood cells forming in the bone marrow and cells in the digestive tract (i.e., mouth, stomach, intestines, esophagus), reproductive system, and hair follicles. Some anticancer drugs may affect cells of vital organs, such as the heart, kidney, bladder, lungs, and nervous system.
The anti-nausea drugs and steroids used during chemotherapy can also cause constipation. It may take a few days after your infusion before your bowels return to normal. Diarrhea can also occur as the microflora in the bowel is destroyed by the chemo drugs.
I noticed that “things” just seemed to grind to a halt the day after my infusions, which was very uncomfortable. Once I started taking the above herbal though, it helped me a lot. I found it helped for me to take the herbal the day before an infusion and then to continue it until things normalized, usually 2-4 days later.
If These Occur, See Your Doctor Right Away
Sometimes, chemo-related constipation can get out of hand. If you get any of these symptoms, see your doctor right away:
- Pain in your stomach
- Fever
- Unable to pass gas
- Nausea, and/or vomiting along with your constipation
- If you have not had a bowel movement in three days despite following the above recommendations
- If your stomach looks swollen and/or feels hard to the touch
References:
http://cancer.stanford.edu/information/cancerTreatment/methods/managing_effects/organs.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/359781-diet-for-constipation-chemotherapy/
“Better Health Through Natural Healing” by Ross Trattler, Harper Collins Publishers
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The Benefits of Exercise for Breast Cancer
Exercising when you have breast cancer is one of the best things you can do for yourself. In fact, it was one of the few things that my oncologist and I could agree upon!
I was selected (after I was finished with all of my treatments) to be part of an Australian study on the benefits of exercise after breast cancer. So I joined a gym and though there were many days when I really was not in the mood to go, I went anyway – 3 times a week, faithfully. I did this for 8 weeks, and at the conclusion of the study I felt so much better, I just kept up with my gym membership and kept going. I also did yoga and walking on the days when I wasn’t in the gym.
Exercising made sense to me, for several reasons:
- Research shows that excess fat on your body puts you at a higher risk for breast cancer (and I didn’t want it back!)
- It helps your body detox after all the treatments
- Exercise brings fresh oxygen into your body and I was aware that cancer HATES oxygen, it thrives in anaerobic conditions
- It increases muscle strength and bone density and reduces risk of injury
- It lowers blood pressure
- All those feel-good endorphins that exercise releases helps psychological health
- It prolongs life by fortifying your immune system, helping you control weight and providing you with energy and stamina
Research Shows Exercise Helps With Radiotherapy, Depression, Anxiety
In 1997, a group of researchers in the UK followed 46 women beginning a six-week program of radiation therapy for early stage breast cancer. The exercise group scored significantly higher than the group that didn’t exercise on physical functioning and symptom intensity, particularly fatigue, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping. Here’s a link to that study.
Another research study done in the UK in 1998 followed 24 breast cancer survivors (mean time following surgery 41.8 months; ranging from 1 to 99 months) with an average age of 48.9 years. They were followed for 10 weeks and asked to do aerobic exercise 4 days per week, 30-40 minutes/session. The study revealed that women who exercised had significantly less depression and anxiety compared to those who did not exercise.
What Sort of Exercise Is Best?
This is a hotly debated topic. Some think that you need to get out there and sweat and work your butt off for exercise to be therapeutic but that simply isn’t the case. A good 45-minute yoga session can be just as effective on body and mind as going for a run.
Some outgoing women love to dance and will join dance classes. Some prefer gentle stretching and the mind/body connection that yoga provides, while others would much rather go for a solo walk in the woods with their dog. My best advice is to do what you love because you are more apt to do it frequently if you love it.
Hate to Exercise?
If you don’t love exercise, here are some ideas for you:
- Get a stationary bicycle and read while you’re on it – or watch your favorite TV show
- Walk or run to the grocery store to buy one or two items
- Try Zumba, it’s a blast
- Water aerobics can be fun
- Buy a yoga or dance or aerobics DVD by somebody who’s nice to look at!
- Try belly dancing or tennis or roller blading
- Get a workout buddy and make a pact to keep exercising even when you don’t feel like it – research shows that if someone else’s workout depends on yours, you will be more likely to exercise, so as not to disappoint or let down the other person.
- Get an iPod and choose music you love to exercise to and put that on a playlist – music can be a great distractor
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator or park your car at the far end of the parking lot
- If you have a PlayStation 2, there are a bunch of dancing games and fitness programs you might enjoy
- Gardening is good exercise
- Hiking is rewarding and great exercise
- Play Frisbee with your kids or grandkids
We have to stop thinking about exercise as a nuisance. Our bodies were designed to move! Once you find the thing that you love to do, it becomes a joy and you really notice the difference on the days you don’t exercise. So get out there and shake your booty!
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Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and creativedoxfoto
8 Crucial Things to Reduce Chemotherapy Side Effects
There are a diverse range of side effects involved with chemotherapy drugs given for breast cancer.
The anti-nausea pills that are prescribed these days do a remarkably good job.
I’m an 8-year breast cancer survivor and I went through 6 months of various chemotherapy drugs. I never once vomited during the entire 6 months of my chemotherapy regimen – that really surprised me! I managed to stay incredibly well during the entire process and I’d like to share my list of the things I did that really helped me.
Quite possibly you may have different results but if even only one thing on the list helps you, I’ll be happy with that result!
Here’s my list of the 8 crucial things that helped me reduce chemotherapy side effects:
1. Meditation & Positive Thinking - the first thing I had to do was to quit thinking about the chemotherapy in a negative light – like it was something to be scared of. I worked hard on this and managed to come up with a meditation that I would do each time I sat down for the treatment (if you’d like to sign up for my newsletters, I’ll share the exact meditation I did with you). I envisioned the drugs entering my system as being a healing golden or white light (use a color that works for you personally) that moved through my entire body and eradicated any little weakling of a cancer cell (also important to think of the cancer cells as weak and easily overcome by the chemotherapy). This was a very calming thing to do and helped with anxiety.
2. Juicing of Organic Fruit & Vegetables – I juiced in the morning before my chemotherapy appointments (and every morning afterward too) and took the juice with me in a stainless steel thermos. I sipped it once I’d finished my meditation. My favorite was a combination of carrot, beet (a potent anti-cancer veggie), apple and ginger. Fresh ginger helps a lot with nausea and adds a spicy zest to the juice. You don’t need too much, just about a 1″ knob of it. I juiced every morning – for more information on juicing, go to my page Diet and Cancer
3. Glutamine – this is an amino acid that helps to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy, especially the mucosal lining of the mouth and gut. Since these cells grow rapidly (and that’s what the chemotherapy is targeting), they take a big hit during chemotherapy and you can get mouth sores and heartburn problems. Glutamine really helps – I took about 2,000 mg per day, but someone else might need more or less.
4. Yoga and Walking – it is so important to keep moving! If you’re tired, just slow down and do what you can. Movement therapy helps you to detox, it helps your state of mind, it even helps constipation.
5. Vitamin C and Bioflavonoids – help on so many different levels and side effects I can’t list them all here. I took 1000-5000 mg daily and found it really helped. Each person will have to play around with the dosage though to find the one right for them.
6. The Power of Prayer – don’t underestimate this! Tell your friends when you’re going for each dose of chemotherapy and have them spend 5 minutes actively saying a prayer for you to coincide with your appointment time. You will be amazed at how uplifted you feel. Powerful stuff. I did this prior to surgery too.
7. Laughter – I had a best friend who’d take along some kind of gag gift or joke book or something silly – she’d get the whole place chuckling. Laughter is good medicine!
8. Massage or Reiki – get some bodywork regularly. It makes a huge difference to how you feel when going through chemotherapy.
The combination of these 8 things got me through 6 months of chemotherapy with a minimum of side effects and problems. I hope this helps you!
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