The Myth of Estrogen: Balancing Hormones and Our Divine Feminine

There is a myth that if we don’t use estrogen as a drug, our bodies will wither and die with brittle bones, lost libidos and broken hearts. Every woman, whether she is young or old, can find support from understanding her unique hormonal journey. Hormones support our well-being, giving us the flow of creative juices to live more fully.

Exercise Boosts Immunity and Fights Cancer

Can exercise help prevent cancer and boost the immune system? Researchers say, “Yes!”

BEAT CANCER – Studies show that exercise boosts immune systems in cancer survivors and prevents cancer.

Those cancer survivors who engage in a regular physical exercise program or routine are more likely to improve rapidly and to avoid future cancers.

WHAT DOES RESEARCH SAY?
Researchers from the University of Nebraska announced at The Integrative Biology of Exercise VI meeting, October 10-13, 2012 in Westminster, Colorado, that exercise may boost the immune system and help to prevent cancer from reoccurring.

Laura Bilek, research team leader, and other researchers stated that if cancer survivors exercised for several weeks after finishing chemotherapy,

“…their immune systems remodel themselves to become more effective, potentially fending off future incidences of cancer.”  

T cells in the blood of 16 cancer survivors were analyzed by the researchers before and after a 12-week exercise program. Researchers discovered that the immune cells of the subjects converted from a form that is less effective at fighting disease to one that is more effective in overcoming cancer and infections. Past research studies have shown that the majority of T cells become less effective at fighting off disease after chemotherapy.

Bilek said, “What we’re suggesting is that with exercise, you might be getting rid of T cells that aren’t helpful and making room for T cells that might be helpful.”

WHAT TYPE OF EXERCISE IS BENEFICIAL?
It depends on the person’s physical condition. If a person is weak and out of condition, they should start slowly and gradually increase intensity and duration of physical exercise.  For the general population, the American Cancer Society recommends “at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity at least 5 days a week.”  Cancer survivors should not expect to start at this high level of activity, however.  Research shows that women who exercise at moderate-to-vigorous levels for more than three hours per week have a 30% to 40% lower risk of breast cancer. This result held true for all women, regardless of their family history or cancer risk level. Some research has found a 38% to 46% reduced risk of uterine cancer in active women.

Kerry Courneya, PhD, professor and Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity and Cancer at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, says that many studies have been conducted that confirm that physical exercise helps to increase chances of recovering of cancer survivors and to prevent future cancers from developing. Courneya suggests aerobic exercises and weight training.

“Ideally, cancer survivors should do aerobic exercises and weight training,” says Courneya. “Both types of exercise are critical to the overall health and well-being of cancer survivors.”

Aerobic exercises include things such as brisk walking, jogging, and swimming.  Aerobic exercise burns calories and helps increase metabolism and lose weight more rapidly.  It  lowers the risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart attack. Weight training builds muscle.  Cancer survivors sometimes lose muscle weight and gain fat, through cancer treatment. For those with a high fat-to-lean mass ratio, weight training can help improve physical fitness and is especially helpful to cancer survivors.

Cancer survivors should remember that they didn’t make it through chemotherapy just to sit around all day and watch TV for the rest of their lives. The American Cancer Society recommends to start slowly, work with a coach, physical therapist, and/or with their primary doctor or healthcare professional. Survivors should set goals, have a complete physical exam and get approval from their oncologists before starting a moderate-to-vigorous exercise program.

REFERENCES
Courneya KS, “Exercise in cancer survivors: an overview of research.” University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. kerry.courneya@ualberta.ca, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise [2003, 35(11):1846-1852] Europe PubMed Central

Courneya KS, Mackey JR, Jones LW, “Coping with cancer: can exercise help?” Faculty of Physical Education, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H9, CAN. kerry.courneya@ualberta.ca. The Physician and Sportsmedicine [2000, 28(5):49-73] Europe PubMed Central

Mock V, Dow KH, Meares CJ, Grimm PM, Dienemann JA, Haisfield-Wolfe ME, Quitasol W, Mitchell S, Chakravarthy A, Gage I, “Effects of exercise on fatigue, physical functioning, and emotional distress during radiation therapy for breast cancer.” Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, USA. Europe PubMed Central,  Oncology Nursing Forum [1997, 24(6):991-1000]

“Physical Activity and Cancer Risk,” Cancer.Net

“Active women can reduce risk of breast cancer by 12%, say researchers,” Press Association, The Guardian, Thursday 20 March 2014 14.04 EDT,

Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay Reporter, “Daily Exercise Lowers Breast Cancer Risk: Study”  HealthDay, March 20, 2014,

Jenny Hope, Medical Correspondent,“Exercising for an hour a day reduces the risk of breast cancer – regardless of a woman’s weight or age” , Mail Online, 12:39 EST, 20 March 2014

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This article is written by Jean Voice Dart, M.S. Special Education from Illinois State University. Jean is a published author and has written hundreds of health articles as well as hosting a local television program, “Making Miracles Happen.” She is a Registered Music Therapist, Sound Therapist, and Master Level Energetic Teacher, and is the Executive Director, founder and Health and Wellness Educator of the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance. The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a registered 501 (c) 3 nonprofit health and wellness education organization. For more information about the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance contact us or visit our website at www.montereybayholistic.com.

Disclaimer: The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a charitable, independent registered nonprofit 501(c)3 organization and does not endorse any particular products or practices. We exist as an educational organization dedicated to providing free access to health education resources, products and services. Claims and statements herein are for informational purposes only and have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The statements about organizations, practitioners, methods of treatment, and products listed on this website are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is intended for educational purposes only. The MBHA strongly recommends that you seek out your trusted medical doctor or practitioner for diagnosis and treatment of any existing health condition.

20 Cancer-Fighting Foods

Kia ora, health and wellness friends!

FOOD IS A POWERFUL MEDICINE
Cancer research has recently focused on cancer-fighting foods.

Research has recently shown these foods to be effective in fighting cancer. Fill at least two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans.

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), a change in diet is helpful in reducing cancer risk, yet  no single food or food component can protect you against cancer by itself.  Strong evidence does show that a diet filled with a wide variety of healthy vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans helps lower risk for many cancers.

AICR recommends filling at least two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans.  Always check with your doctor or trusted health care provider or practitioner before making a change in your diet.

WHAT ARE THE MOST POWERFUL CANCER-FIGHTING FOODS?

ORANGES and LEMONS can be helpful in fighting cancer cells.  Citrus fruits, help protect against DNA-damaging free radicals that can cause cellular damage, alter the DNA and  increase the risk of cancer.  Citrus fruits contain hundreds of bioactive compounds with anti-cancer properties. Citrus fruits contain flavonoids and monoterpenes.  Foods high in vitamin C, can protect against cancer of the esophagus, and foods high in fiber can help to decrease  colorectal cancer risk.

BLUEBERRIES and STRAWBERRIES have been shown to have cancer-fighting properties. Blueberries are among the highest antioxidant fruits, having many phytochemicals.  Strawberries also contain a wide variety of phytochemicals, called flavonoids. AICR has evidence that berries high in vitamin C and fiber protect against cancer. Laboratory studies show that phytochemicals seem to have have anti-cancer properties and that they are effective in preventing cancers of the bladder, lung, breast, skin, and esophagus.

GRAPES contain a plant chemical called resveratrol, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, hidden in grape skins – especially purple and red ones.  Studies from the AICR have shown that resveratrol keep cancer cells from growing and inhibit tumors. Laboratory research has shown resveratrol’s ability to slow cancer cell growth and the forming of tumors in stomach, liver, breast and lymph cells. Resveratrol has also shown to be effective in destroying colon and leukemic cancer tumors.

KALE, SWISS CHARD, other dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce,  and chicory  are high in fiber, folate and carotenoidssuch as lutein and zeaxanthin, and also saponins and flavonoids.AICR’s s report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective, stated that foods containing carotenoids probably protect against cancers of the larynx, pharynx and mouth.

BROCCOLI is probably the best known cruciferous vegetable. Broccoli, CABBAGE (green),  cauliflower, brussels sprouts, rapini,  and turnips (white), it forms a “head.” Others known as the “headless crucifers” are the dark green leafy vegetables like kale and collard greens. Research has shown that cruciferous vegetables can aid in preventing cancers.

GARLIC can be effective in stopping the growth of cancer tumors.  According to AICR’s report, garlic and others belonging to the family of vegetables called Allium (which also includes scallions, onions, , chives and leeks) can protect against stomach cancer and colorectal cancer and to slow or stop the growth of tumors in bladder, stomach, prostate, and colon.

GREEN TEA contains polyphenols and flavonoids, which are strong antioxidants. Tea is the best source of catechins in the human diet, and green tea contains about three times the amount of catechins found in black tea.  Catechins have been recently studied for their anti-cancer properties.  Green tea has been shown to slow and/or prevent the development of cancer cells in liver, breast, prostate, and colon in laboratory studies.

TOMATOES can be powerful cancer-fighting foods. The red color comes primarily from lycopene.  AICR’s report shows convincing evidence that foods containing the phytochemical lycopene probably protect against prostate cancer.  Lycopene and its related compounds tend to concentrate in tissues of the prostate. Researcher’s have been studying the tomato in the laboratory, and tomato components have stopped the forming of cancer cells including endometrial, breast,and  lung.

LENTILS and beans are legumes. They are also an excellent source of folate, a B vitamin. Foods containing folate most likely help reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer because of folate’s role in healthy cell division and repair of damaged cells.

CHILI PEPPERS contain a plant compound known as capsaicin. Recent research with laboratory animals suggests that capsaicin may represent a potential treatment for colon cancer.  A study in Taiwan in Taiwan exposed human colon cancer cells to capsaicin and suggested that capsaicin may effectively block tumor growth in colon cancer patients. The results of this research appeared in the December 2010 issue of the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.”

AVOCADOS may be helpful in stopping cell growth in prostate cancer. Avocados contain the highest amount of the carotenoid luteinutein of all common fruit. They also contain related carotenoids, including zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene, and significant amounts of vitamin E.   A very recent study showed that an extract of avocado containing these carotenoids and tocopherols inhibited the growth of prostate cancer cells.

GINGER has been shown to halt cancer cell growth. Scientists at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center studied the effect of ginger in ovarian cancer cells. Ginger selectively killed the ovarian cancer cells that resisted standard cancer therapy treatment.

TURMERIC is a spice produced from the rhizomes Curcuma longa. Curcumin gives turmeric most of its medicinal benefits. Researchers at the University of California-San Francisco and  Jane Higdon, a cancer researcher at Oregon State University examined the possible reasons why turmeric provides protection against cancer and aids in apoptosis, the process where the body removes genetically damaged cells and unwanted cells.

FLAXSEED and its oil have been promoted since the 1950s as a food and dietary supplement with anti-cancer properties. Most of the evidence of its ability to prevent the growth or spread of cancer has come from studies in animals. Recently there has been some clinical evidence suggesting that flaxseed supplements may be useful in men with early-stage prostate cancer.

More research is being conducted every day. Always check with your trusted, chosen health practitioner and health-care provider when choosing a new diet or plan of treatment.

RESOURCES
American Cancer Society – “The Color of Prevention,”
American Cancer Society  – “ACS Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention,”
American Institute for Cancer Research – “AICR’s Foods that Fight Cancer” 
American Institute for Cancer Research – “Carotenoids and Breast Cancer Prevention”
American Institute for Cancer Research – “Tomatoes Plus Soy May Reduce Risk of Prostate Cancer”
American Institute for Cancer Research – “The Spices of Cancer Prevention”
Oncology Nutrition, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “Cancer Fighting Foods”
Dyer, Diana. A Dietitian’s Cancer Story, www.cancerrd.com

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This article is written by Jean Voice Dart, M.S. Special Education from Illinois State University. Jean is a published author and has written hundreds of health articles as well as hosting a local television program, “Making Miracles Happen.” She is a Registered Music Therapist, Sound Therapist, and Master Level Energetic Teacher, and is the Executive Director, founder and Health and Wellness Educator of the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance. The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a registered 501 (c) 3 nonprofit health and wellness education organization. For more information about the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance contact us or visit our website at www.montereybayholistic.com.

Disclaimer:  The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a charitable, independent registered nonprofit 501(c)3 organization and does not endorse any particular products or practices. We exist as an educational organization dedicated to providing free access to health education resources, products and services. Claims and statements herein are for informational purposes only and have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The statements about organizations, practitioners, methods of treatment, and products listed on this website are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is intended for educational purposes only. The MBHA strongly recommends that you seek out your trusted medical doctor or practitioner for diagnosis and treatment of any existing health condition.