Breast cancer is the common term for any cancer that develops in the cells of the human breast. While it occasionally occurs in men, women make up the vast majority of cases, and breast cancer is the second-most common women's cancer in the U.S. For reasons that are not fully understood, breast cancer rates are actually in decline. Still, it is a persistent threat to women's health. Recently, researchers have begun focusing on macrobiotic diet as a potential aid in combating the disease.
What Is a Macrobiotic Diet?
Macrobiotic concepts come largely from elements of Eastern philosophy that emphasize holistic, or "balanced", living. In food terms, eating a macrobiotic diet means eating foods that balance out yin and yang energies in the body. According to the theory, evening out these "male" and "female" energies in food encourages proper body function and discourages disease. Stripped of its Eastern context, a macrobiotic diet is simply a diet that is meant to treat or prevent disease.
Macrobiotic diets generally feature measured proportions of certain foods considered conducive to health. A typical diet might include 50 percent grain, 25 percent cooked or raw seasonal vegetables, 10 percent proteins from legumes or seafood, 5 percent fruits, 5 percent soups and 5 percent sea vegetables like nori or kombu. Generally, these foods are from organic sources or at the least are free from heavy pesticides. Irradiated foods are also avoided.
Certain other foods are considered harmful and are typically excluded by followers of the diet. These include eggs, dairy products, coffee, sugar, meat, poultry, aromatic herbs and processed foods. Members of the nightshade family, including potatoes, peppers and eggplant, are also avoided. Many macrobiotic practitioners also avoid using microwaves or Teflon-coated cooking implements and do not take vitamin supplements.
Macrobiotic Diet As Medicine?
Proponents of the macrobiotic diet have long touted its curative benefits. Elements of the diet tend to support that possibility, but specific claims are still being investigated. In 1997, the American Institute for Cancer Research, along with the World Cancer Research Fund, issued a report that predicted a possible 20 percent decrease in worldwide cancer with increased consumption of fruits and vegetables. Additional evidence indicates that eating whole grains can reduce some cancer risks, and sea vegetables have been specifically indicated for their potential to lower breast cancer risks.
Breast Cancer
Taken together, these findings might seem to indicate that eating macrobiotic is the way to go if you are dealing with breast cancer. But the issue has not been studied thoroughly enough to warrant that conclusion. Studies do suggest that a macrobiotic diet lowers levels of circulating estrogen, and lowered levels of estrogen have been linked to a decreased risk for breast cancer. Still, there is a real problem of having too little research to make definitive statements.
Things You Should Know
If you do choose to begin a macrobiotic diet, there are some things you should watch for. Strict followers of the diet may be prone to certain nutritional deficiencies, including lack of vitamins D and B-12. Macrobiotic diets have also not been well-tested in pregnant or breastfeeding women, and there are possible concerns about nutritional needs of developing fetuses. For more thorough information on possible problems, consult your doctor or nutritionist.
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