Elizabeth first came to my office immediately after her twin sister received the overwhelming diagnosis of breast cancer. Elizabeth was worried that the same fate might be in store for her. She said, “I will do anything to prevent this – what do I need to do?”

Elizabeth was onto something that I wish more women considered – prevention. These days, we hear so much about the genetic factors involved in cancer that it’s easy to overlook just how much our lifestyle choices influence how our genes express themselves. Elizabeth knew that while she had genetic risk factors since her twin sister received a cancer diagnosis, she wasn’t doomed to the same fate.

Even without her sister’s diagnosis, seeking out information about preventing cancer would have been a smart move for Elizabeth. Sadly, one in eight women in the United States will receive a breast cancer diagnosis at some point in her life. And mortality rates for breast cancer have remained about the same over the past couple of decades, despite extraordinary advances in treatment technology.

The truth is we simply don’t fully understand the disease yet. We aren’t completely sure what puts individual women at greater risk than others. But we are making quite a bit of headway. Scientific evidence increases every week. As it does, many of today’s leading oncologists and nutritional scientists are beginning to believe that in order to prevent breast cancer, we have to look at a multi-faceted plan. This includes lifestyle, diet, exercise, and emotional well-being. In fact, according to Dr. Christine Homer, who developed the Program to Protect Against and Fight Breast Cancer, healthy lifestyle strategies can cut your risk of cancer by as much as 50%.

Elizabeth was willing to give these strategies a try. She wanted to down-regulate her genes and up-regulate her health. So she and I began putting together a plan to help maximize her chances of staying cancer-free.
That was nine years ago. Elizabeth has not received the cancer diagnosis
she was worried was inevitable – not for breast cancer or any other form. And I think we’d both agree that she’s healthier today than when she first walked in the door. Elizabeth is living proof that there is plenty we can do to positively influence our gene expression.

Create a body where cancer cannot thrive

As we grow older, we make cancer cells every day. Yes, all of us. With a healthy immune system, our genes stop the deadly development and spread of these cells. How many times has a patient come to see me with this history: “Well, I was given a ‘clean bill of health.’” Then I’ll ask, “Did you alter your diet, lifestyle, or anything?” They almost always say, “Not really.” And they live with the same old lifestyle until bam – a reoccurrence – and here they are in my office. What we eat, drink, think, etc. makes a large difference in turning on the “good” genes that slow the spread of cancer.

When Elizabeth came to see me, she had a few pounds that she wanted to lose1, she wasn’t sleeping well, and she was occasionally suffering from constipation. She had diligently gotten mammograms and ultimately ultrasound screenings for her naturally dense breasts. But she wanted to make sure that she was doing all she could to ensure there was nothing for these screenings to find. She knew that her dense breasts increased her risk for breast cancer too, and she wanted to fight against that risk. (If you have dense breasts like Elizabeth, you should consider ultrasound and/or thermography screenings, as both are additionally informative for women with dense breasts.)

In addition to the information Elizabeth was able to give me, I wanted
to find out a bit more about her health. I ran metabolic blood work on her first visit and found that her vitamin D level was considerably lower than normal2. This was a bit concerning to me, as breast cancer patients often have low vitamin D levels3.

Since Elizabeth had a few pounds to lose, we took a careful look at her diet. According to researchers in a new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, “The larger your waist — regardless of your weight — the greater your risk of dying from cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease.” We needed to get the extra pounds off Elizabeth, particularly off her middle. Elizabeth also had an issue with late night eating, which was contributing to the extra pounds.

Say no to sugar

You may have heard that cancer’s favorite meal is sugar. Controlling your blood glucose levels can be one of the best ways to prevent and recover from cancer. When I tested Elizabeth’s fasting glucose, and when she tested it at home, it was always around 120, with a HgbA1c of 5.9. (This measurement is a three-month accumulation of how sugar is influencing your red blood cells. It’s a biomarker used to diagnose pre-diabetes and diabetes.) Elizabeth’s levels didn’t call for a diabetes diagnosis, although she did fit more of a pre-diabetic profile. Still, they were too high for somebody with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer.

Elizabeth began eating a lower glycemic diet. She cut white sugar, most gluten, and processed foods from her diet. Slowly, she began losing weight exactly where she needed to — from her stomach. She also began eating dinner on the early side, as nightly fasting can help reduce breast cancer risk.9 The better your glycemic regulation, the less vulnerable you are to breast cancer and many chronic degenerative diseases. It’s best to eat dinner early and leave as many hours as possible between when you eat, when you go to bed, and when you wake up. If you experience low blood sugar, try to have a low- sugar, low-glycemic snack.

Eat the right fats

Omega-3: We also measured Elizabeth’s omega-3 level. She measured quite low even though she was eating salmon twice a week. Surprisingly, omega-3s help weight loss by switching on enzymes that actually trigger fat burning. Omega-3s also help to improve mood, which helped Elizabeth reduce her emotional eating. Omega-3s also help to improve leptin signaling in the brain, helping to dial down the appetite. I prefer a liquid fish oil for getting started to move the dial initially. There are some reputable brands including Nordic Naturals, Carlson, Spectrum, and Thorne.

MUFAs (Monounsaturated Fatty Acids): MUFAs have been shown to increase fat burning by .04% after six months. That sounds like a really infinitesimal amount. But, in fact, the addition of good quality olive oil, nuts, and seeds can aid in reducing appetite and keeping blood sugar more steady. And it can do this all while helping you slowly lose weight. Better yet, it’s weight that stays off.
Polyphenols: Polyphenols are nature’s weight loss pump. They’re found in superfoods such as green tea, apples, blueberries, artichokes, broccoli, celery (especially the hearts), garlic, and cocoa (to name a few). Individuals who get 650 mg of dietary polyphenols daily have been shown to have a 30% lower mortality rate than those who took in less than 500 mg.10

Note: Metabolism of polyphenols often depends on intestinal enzymes. This is one more reason to intermittently use a probiotic. It keeps the gut bacteria in good health to absorb nutrition coming from polyphenols and healthy food.11
Elizabeth told me during her first visit that she wasn’t sleeping well. We knew we needed to correct this, as sleep disorders have been linked to breast cancer.12 When people over 45 struggle with sleep, I often have them try melatonin.13 Melatonin is a hormone that is secreted from the pineal gland. It is responsible for keeping our body’s 24-hour clock or circadian rhythm in working order. Remarkably, melatonin has even been shown to enhance outcomes of women receiving treatment for breast cancer.14

Elizabeth began using 3 mg of melatonin in the evening. After a couple of months, she asked me about Pure Sleep (800-791-3395). I gave her the green light to use this formula to begin helping correct her poor sleep pattern. She used Pure Sleep for three months and found it much easier to regulate her sleep pattern. She told me that she noticed not only was she sleeping better, but her mood seemed to come up a notch also.

The last issue Elizabeth had mentioned to me was occasional constipation. Believe it or not, women who are constipated are more likely to develop breast cancer. Better bowel movements have been associated with increased negative estrogen excretion and lower serum estrogen levels.15 To avoid constipation, it’s important to have enough fiber in your diet. The Institute of Medicine recommends women up to age 50 take in 25 grams of fiber a day. For women 51 and older, the recommendation drops to 21 grams. Elizabeth made an effort using the addition of flax and chia seeds to meet this recommendation and soon found relief from her constipation issues.

One final change Elizabeth made in her diet had to do not with what she was eating, but what she was drinking. In animal and laboratory studies, green tea has been shown to down-regulate the growth and reproduction of breast cancer cells.16 In addition, green tea extract and in particular EGCG (a polyphenol that green tea is rich in) have been associated with the delay or prevention of the development of tumors in mice and a decrease in the total number of tumors throughout the body.17

Elizabeth liked green tea, but she reported only drinking a cup a day. I encouraged her to drink two to four cups a day or take a green tea extract supplement. The one I recommend is Green Tea Extract from Advanced Bionutritionals. It is remarkable in that it contains 40% EGCG and 90% polyphenols.

The Detox

Months later, when Elizabeth began feeling better, she asked me about detoxing. She told me that she had tried a juice fast and felt miserable and was wondering if there was something else she could do. She began taking PectaSol Detox Formula. I have been so impressed with the results of PectaSol. I recommended to Elizabeth to begin using three PectaSol at night.

PectaSol is a modified citrus pectin that behaves like a magnet, attracting heavy metals (which all of us have – especially after the age of 50) and ushering them out of the body through the bowel. PectaSol was a game changer for Elizabeth. A few of the aches and pains that she had learned to live with vanished. She has continued to use a couple of courses of PectaSol each year. Interestingly, after she began feeling better, she decided to actually do a three-day juice cleanse and she was ok. She attributes this to simply feeling so much better in general.

Elizabeth made some significant changes to her life, but they weren’t nearly as disruptive as cancer would have been. And she’s lost weight, she sleeps better, and she feels better thanks to the changes she’s made. Of course, those are all added bonuses compared to being cancer-free. Elizabeth is a great example of just how powerful our choices can be – no matter what our genes are.

I have learned that our bodies are designed to heal – through my own experience, by working with thousands of patients. You can improve your energy, mind, muscles, mood, bones, and sex life... even into your 90s. My personal mission is to help you be all that you can be.

You can order Vitamin D3, Green Tea Extract, and PectaSol Detox Formula from Advanced Bionutritionals by calling 800-791-3395 or online at www.advancedbionutritionals.com. The other supplements I mentioned are available at most health food stores and on the Internet.

1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3107569
2 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25882760
3 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25603674
9 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25896523
10 http://www.ub.edu/web/ub/en/menu_eines/noticies/2013/10/020.html
11 http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/79/5/727.full
12 http://www.journalsleep.org/Articles/240509.pdf
13 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25876649
14 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7710954
15 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2848455
16 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18059161
17 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16519995

What Does Vitamin D Have To Do With Cancer?

Vitamin D has the unique ability to reduce cell division in many kinds of cells—including cancer cells. And less replication means fewer cancer cells. In the lab, vitamin D3 has been shown to actually block signals that create cancer cell growth. Vitamin D does this by improving communication to cells that inhibit cancer cell growth. It actually alters the signals and creates better, healthier cell communication4. It has been shown to prevent disfigured cells, which are inherently vulnerable, of becoming malignant cells.

A large study that looked at the relationship between vitamin D intake and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women found that those who consumed at least 800 IU per day from diet and supplemental sources had a lower risk than those consuming less than 400 IU daily5. In another study of 1,394 postmenopausal women, those who had the highest D3 levels had a remarkable 70% reduction in their risk of breast cancer6. And in the US, the areas that receive more sunlight have fewer breast cancer cases.

You can get vitamin D from the sun by spending 15-20 minutes outdoors without sunblock, like I had Elizabeth do, but if you live in the northern latitudes or simply don’t have time to get outside, vitamin D3 supplementation is important. The optimal amount of vitamin D supplementation you need will vary according to your sun exposure, skin type (women with darker skin need more sun exposure than do lighter-skinned women to create the same amount of vitamin D), and your dietary sources7.

Ideally, you want to have a vitamin D3 level between 50-75nmol/L, which has been shown to offer protection against breast, colon, prostate, ovarian, lung, and even pancreatic cancers.8 You may be getting some vitamin D from your diet through fatty fish, dairy foods, and fortified soy and nut milks. Have your doctor test your levels and consider supplementing with 1,000 to 5,000 IU depending on your results. If your levels are below normal, it is common to use 5,000 IU twice daily or 10,000 IU once daily six days a week until your D3 level is normal. Once it is, you can use 5,000 IU five days a week. And if you feel a cold coming on, it is a good idea to increase your vitamin D3 for a few days to 10,000 IU. Vitamin D is remarkable – there are scientists who believe it should be given ‘hormone’ status because it’s so important to the body.

4 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11264464
5 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17533208
6 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17974532
7 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17934201
8 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18034918

Taking These Common Drugs Can Increase Your Risk of Painful Peripheral Neuropathy by 83%

If I told you that doctors prescribed a class of drugs to 23 million patients in 2011 for ailments as common as respiratory and urinary tract infections, you’d probably assume those drugs were relatively safe. You certainly wouldn’t expect that these drugs could have serious – and potentially permanent – side effects.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly the case with the class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. You probably know that antibiotics can cause digestive issues, as they wipe out not only the bad gut bacteria but the good bacteria too. But I’m not talking about these side effects. No, this is a problem that a probiotic won’t solve. And it’s severe enough that even the FDA is taking notice and making the warnings on these drugs stronger.

You see, new research is showing that these drugs increase your risk of peripheral neuropathy. We used to find this painful condition only in people with diabetes or those receiving chemotherapy. Now the antibiotics you took to clear up a UTI could leave you with numbness, tingling, a burning sensation, and shooting pain in your feet. What’s more, this condition can make it hard to balance and even difficult to walk.

To identify the link between these drugs and peripheral neuropathy, researchers conducted a study of 6,226 men between the ages of 45 to 80 who were suffering from the condition. They examined the drugs that they were taking when they developed the neuropathy. Only one drug demonstrated any connection to peripheral neuropathy, and its link couldn’t have been clearer.
Oral fluoroquinolone antibiotics increased the men’s chances of developing peripheral neuropathy by 83%. That’s a tremendous increase. Unsurprisingly, the researchers concluded, “Current users, especially new users of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, are at a higher risk of developing peripheral neuropathy. Despite the increase in the use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, clinicians should weigh the benefits against the risk of adverse events when prescribing these drugs to their patients.”

With the heavy-handed use of antibiotic prescriptions these days, it’s always good to ask your doctor whether the prescription is really necessary.

If an antibiotic is necessary, make sure you take a different type of antibiotic, not a fluoroquinolone. You’ll recognize these drugs because their names end in “–floxacin,” such as ciprofloxacin. Ask your doctor for something else, preferably one that researchers have had sufficient time to investigate. Most doctors are averse to prescribing the older antibiotics because they feel “global bacteria” has built resistance to them. But in most cases, unless your infection is fierce and unusual, these older antibiotics work just fine.

Finally, if you are suffering from peripheral neuropathy or simply want to avoid it in the future by keeping your nerves in optimal health, consider taking Advanced Nerve Support (800-791-3395). This powerful blend of six vitamins and nutrients helps support normal nerve function. It contains vitamins B1, B6, B12, and D3; alpha-lipoic acid; and acetyl-L-carnitine to help keep your nerves healthy and pain-free.

Don’t let a solution to a small problem create a bigger problem for you down the road. There are better alternatives to fluoroquinolones. Talk to your doctor to make sure you find the best product to keep you healthy today – and tomorrow.

Etminan M, Brophy JM, Samii A. Oral fluoroquinolone use and risk of peripheral neuropathy: a pharmacoepidemiologic study. Neurology. 2014 Sep 30;83(14):1261-3.

Nutrition Detective

A Fond Farewell to Dr. Nan –
Hello to a New Beginning

When Dr. Nan phoned me and said she was retiring, I have to say, I was surprised and saddened. Nan has been in the natural health industry for more than 30 years. She is a recognized thought leader and icon. And the fact that she was retiring from this landscape that she helped to create and make that much more robust was a big shock. We all have always looked up to Nan. Her passion, her ethics, and her willingness to take a stand on controversial issues later proved oh so right. They all stand out.

Then, soon after this initial conversation, Nan phoned me and asked, “How would you like to take over Women’s Health Letter?” Another shock wave. “But Nan,” I said, “I am not a writer like you are.”

“You will learn,” she said. That is Dr. Nan – an optimistic force of nature.
So, here I am. This is my first issue.

So I wanted to let you in on a bit of my philosophy.

I have been steeped in natural medicine – seeing patients and associating with physicians, researchers, and a host of health care practitioners for the last 30 years. I am a huge fan of modern medical research. I’m sort of a science geek. I wake up each morning and, embarrassingly, before I get out of bed, I check the day’s new research.

I forward all the juicy studies to various friends and colleagues of mine in different disciplines. Then I get up and think about the best ones while I brush my teeth. But in medicine, science is not just a bunch of experiments. There’s more to it.

Usually, medical research involves isolating a troubled organ system from the environment and challenging, measuring, and assessing. A car engine can be tested this way, but nature is more complex. Dysfunction might appear in a particular organ system, but it is usually the result of multiple factors. These can include diet, exercise, lifestyle, and emotional and spiritual factors. A particular treatment might relieve symptoms temporarily, but it won’t necessarily restore full function.

Our bodies are not car engines. Our bodies must be examined in their entirety. In Traditional Chinese Medicine and in naturopathic medicine, we believe that the stronger the “terrain” – the entire body – the easier to heal and cope with any condition. In upcoming issues of Women’s Health Letter, you will read about ways to strengthen your terrain, as well as address health issues that challenge us all. Please feel free to email me with topics you would like to hear about and questions you would like answered.

Yours in good health,
Janet Zand, OMD, LAc

LETTERS

Q: Is there a permanent eye brow procedure that is safe? I’m tired of trying to use an eye brow pencil to darken my graying brows. – Helen H., via email

Dear Helen,

The only permanent procedure I am aware of is permanent makeup, which is essentially a tattoo procedure. The most popular area for permanent makeup is eyeliner. But eyebrows and lip color are popular too.

Charles S. Zwerling, MD, chairman of the American Academy of Micropigment-
ation (AAM) in Goldsboro, NC, says he’s totally opposed. “What I’ve seen has been very poorly done. You can’t be sure what the color is going to do, and if you get an allergic reaction, you’re dealing with a large surface area. You’re talking about major reconstructive face surgery.”

I have this concern for all of the treatment areas. There are a lot of unqualified people wielding needles these days, so you’ll take some risk in getting any of the procedures done.

Recently, tattoo ink has come under scrutiny and the long-term health issues are causing some concern. Did you know that your body treats tattoo ink as if it’s an infection? I think until a more natural ink is developed I would tend to stay away from inking my eyebrows. The brow is simply too close to the eye. 

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm048919.htm

Q: I took CircO2, but nothing changed. Do you think large doses of l-arginine would work better? Dr. Whitaker recommended l-arginine & l-carnitine fumarate for the heart in the late ‘80s. Is that still valid? – Francis M., via email

Dear Francis,

There are some people who do not respond to nitric oxide supplements, but it is unusual. I have to wonder if you took it correctly.

Some people quickly chew the tablets and swallow them. But sucking on the lozenge and allowing it to dissolve slowly in your mouth helps increase its efficacy. Also, taking it between meals or away from food and drink helps bump up its strength.

You also need to remember that supplements don’t always work quickly. You may need to take CircO2 (or any supplement) for three to six months before you see a measurable difference.

If you are over 50, it is unlikely that high amounts of l-arginine will move the NO production in your body. It could take 4-6 grams or more to see any effect. 
Plus, if you’ve suffered a heart attack, have a history of herpes or shingles, or if you have peripheral artery disease (also known as PAD), taking large doses of L-arginine like this can be contraindicated.

Some studies found that supplemental L-arginine lead to death in a number of patients with cardiovascular and PAD history.

L-carnitine fumarate is a fine supplement, but won’t necessarily increase NO production. The best amino acid proven to improve your NO levels is L-citrulline, which is in CircO2.