The battle of breast cancer is not an easy feat. It takes strength, courage, and pure grit to undergo the journey of cancer treatment. Triple-negative breast cancer is the most challenging opponent for women who fight breast cancer. African-American women are most affected by this type of breast cancer.
Like an Olympic boxer who bobs, weaves, and blocks punch, triple-negative breast cancer doesn’t leave many options for a TKO. This is because triple-negative breast cancer cells do not have the 3 receptors (HER-2, ER, and PR) that chemotherapy uses to defeat other breast cancers.
Without the presence of these receptors, doctors face some challenges developing a treatment plan to kill triple-negative breast cancer cells. However, the plan of attack is improving! New studies and research are showing us how to fight and prevent triple-negative breast cancer from the kitchen!
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Pour Up Another Cup!
Not only does your morning coffee kickstart your day, but it can also help you to kick cancer’s butt! According to a study, women who drink 5 or more cups of coffee in a day were 57 percent less likely to develop breast cancer that doesn’t have the estrogen receptor (ER).
This means that if breast cancer does develop, chemotherapy drugs are more targeted to killing the cancer cells.
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How does coffee do this? Coffee contains a plant-based chemical called phytoestrogen. Since phytoestrogens act like estrogen in the body, they can decrease the risk of certain types of breast cancer. More specifically, a phytoestrogen called enterolactone is associated with decreasing the risk of estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer.
Add a Dash or Two…or Three!
Seasoning your dishes with fresh herbs is not only a good way to cut back on the salt, but herbs like thyme and parsley are powerhouses for fighting triple-negative breast cancer.
Researchers at the University of Missouri found that these herbs along with other foods like celery, broccoli, peppers, and cabbages contain a natural compound called luteolin.
Triple-negative breast cancer cells easily spread to other parts of the body and luteolin has been shown to stop the metastasis. In the near future, luteolin may be utilized in the development of drugs that specifically target triple-negative breast cancer.
If you’re not a fan of foods that contain luteolin, there are luteolin supplements available online or at your local health food store.
Hold the Steak Please!
Unless you’re vegetarian or vegan, the thought of a sizzling steak is enough to make your mouth water.
However, researchers at the University of Wisconsin have found that a diet low in methionine starves triple-negative breast cancer. What does that have to do with eating meat?
Well, methionine is an amino acid that is found in animal products such as eggs, fish, pork, chicken, and beef. The study showed that the removal of methionine from the diet killed triple-negative breast cancer cells and stopped them from growing. Not only that, the diet increased the effectiveness of cancer-fighting drugs.
So, what does a low methionine diet look like? A vegan diet, eating only plant-based foods, will eliminate the presence of methionine. Eating a vegetarian diet or significantly reducing the intake of animal products will decrease the amount of methionine present in the body.
Triple-negative breast cancer may be a tough opponent, but research has shown that what you do in the kitchen packs a powerful punch against triple-negative breast cancer. If you need help with diet planning, contact a nutritionist that specializes in nutrition for cancer patients. Let’s stay in the ring and continue the fight against breast cancer!
Dr. Candace McMillon-Dantley is on a mission to inspire and educate women to health. She is the creator of The Doc Knows, a health and wellness site for women. When she’s not health writing, she is health motivating and educating through presentations on healthy nutrition, self-care, and conditions of the body. Her experiences as a business owner, chiropractor, wife and mom of two resonate with all women. Connect with Dr. Candace on Instagram @drcandace.
