Exercise Alone May Help Those With Type 2 Diabetes

July 26, 2013

Story at-a-glance

• Engaging in a six-month moderate-intensity exercise program led to significant health improvements among people with diabetes, including decreases in fat in the abdomen, liver and around the heart, all of which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease
• Heart disease is the number one cause of death among people with type 2 diabetes, so exercise could be potentially lifesaving for diabetics
• Type 2 diabetes arises from faulty leptin and insulin signaling and resistance, both of which are directly related to lack of exercise and a diet high in starchy carbohydrates or sugar.
• When you exercise for diabetes prevention or treatment, intensity is key; high-intensity interval training (HIIT) should ideally be included in your fitness program to achieve optimal results

By Dr. Mercola

Nearly 8 percent of the US population, or close to 26 million people, have diabetes, and another 80 million have pre-diabetes,¹ which means they’re on their way to developing the full-blown version of the disease… if they don’t do something to stop it. 

That something is the silver lining to this major public health epidemic, as research clearly shows lifestyle changes are extremely effective at not only preventing type 2 diabetes but also reversing it if you’ve already been diagnosed. 

Among them, exercise has recently made headlines for making major improvements in diabetics’ health.

Exercise Improves Diabetics’ Health – Even Without Other Lifestyle Changes 

In a new study of people with diabetes, engaging in a six-month moderate-intensity exercise program led to significant health improvements.² Specifically, they had decreases in fat in the abdomen, liver and around the heart, all of which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. 

In case you aren’t aware, heart disease is the number one cause of death among people with type 2 diabetes. It’s estimated that at least 65 percent of those with diabetes die from some form of heart disease or stroke.³ 

While the exercise program didn’t lead to direct changes in heart function, the reductions in dangerous visceral fat around key organs – as well as reductions in pericardial fat, which is the second layer of fat around the heart – will undoubtedly improve heart health among this at-risk population. The study’s lead author noted:⁴

“ … reduction of liver fat content and visceral fat volume by physical exercise are very important to reverse the adverse effects of lipid accumulation elsewhere, such as the heart and arterial vessel wall."

Also noteworthy about the study was the relatively small amount of exercise needed to prompt such beneficial changes. The participants exercised between 3.5 and 6 hours a week (and ended the program with a 12-day trekking expedition), which is a reasonable goal for most people.  

Further, the benefits were gained from exercise alone; no other lifestyle or dietary changes were made, which shows just how powerful staying active can be in improving your health -- even if you’ve already been diagnosed with a potentially chronic disease.

Why Exercise Has Been Called the ‘Silver Bullet’ in Diabetes Treatment 

When diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, many believe their fate has been sealed and all they can do now is "control" it. This is far from the truth. You can essentially “cure” yourself of this disease and permanently control it. Exercise can be one of your secret weapons to doing so. 

The amazing thing about exercise is that it exerts its effects very quickly. There are long-term benefits, too, of course, but you'll also get acute, nearly instantaneous benefits as well. This should be excellent motivation to those of you who are procrastinating on your exercise program, as you don't have to exercise for a year or six months to experience benefits!  

Research published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found, for example, that one single session of moderate exercise can improve the way your body regulates glucose and reduces the spikes in blood sugar that occur after a meal (elevations in these spikes, known as postprandial glucose, or PPG, are associated with type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and death).⁵  

When you exercise for diabetes prevention or treatment, intensity is key. A slow walk around the block, while better than watching TV on the couch, is not likely to cut it (although if you’re morbidly obese and very out of shape this is a good way to start). Instead, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which is a core component of my Peak Fitness program, should ideally be included in your fitness program to achieve optimal results. This technique uses short bursts of intense activity followed by a longer period of recovery, and the cycle is then repeated multiple times. All you need is about 20 minutes of HIIT two or three times a week for maximum benefits. HIIT can significantly improve your insulin sensitivity, especially if you're on a low-processed-food, low-sugar/low-grain diet as well.

If You Want to Reverse Diabetes, Diet and Exercise Changes Are Essential 

Exercise is vital if you have diabetes, but even though physical activity alone is likely to give your health a boost, you should not rely on it as your sole treatment strategy. Type 2 diabetics need to address the root of the problem, which is insulin and leptin resistance—caused by faulty leptin and insulin signaling, which is directly attributable to not only lack of exercise but also the food you eat. The truth of the matter is that type 2 diabetes is a fully preventable condition and it’s also close to 100% reversible, provided you take the proper steps to heal your body.  

In one study, for instance, researchers randomly assigned diabetic participants, who were also overweight or obese, to an intensive program of diet and exercise, in which they were urged to cut calories down to 1,200-1,800 calories per day and engage in nearly three hours of physical exercise per week.⁶  

After one year, 11.5 percent of the program participants no longer needed medication to keep their blood sugar levels below the diabetes threshold – in other words, they were no longer diabetic. For comparison, only 2 percent of the non-intervention group experienced any significant improvement in their condition. Again, type 2 diabetes arises from faulty leptin signaling and insulin resistance, both of which are directly diet- and exercise-related. It is NOT a disease of blood sugar.  

Once you understand that, the remedy becomes clear: To reverse the disease, you need to recover your body's insulin and leptin sensitivities. The ONLY way to accomplish this is through proper diet and exercise, as detailed in my free Nutrition Plan. Bariatric surgery, which is being increasingly recommended as a diabetes treatment, will NOT do the trick, and there is NO drug that can correct leptin signaling and insulin resistance, either.

 

Why What You Eat Can Make or Break Your Health and Cause Diabetes 

Let's review the mechanics of insulin and leptin resistance

• Leptin is a hormone produced in your fat cells. One of leptin's primary roles is regulating your appetite and body weight. It tells your brain when to eat, how much to eat, and most importantly, when to stop eating. And leptin tells your brain what to do with the energy it has. Leptin is largely responsible for the accuracy of insulin signaling and whether or not you become insulin resistant.

• Insulin—Sugars and grains raise your blood sugar. When this happens, insulin is released to direct the extra energy into storage. A small amount is stored as a starch-like substance called glycogen, but the majority is stored as your main backup energy supply—fat. Insulin's major role is not to lower your blood sugar, but rather to store the extra energy for future times of need. Insulin’s effect of lowering your blood sugar is merely a “side effect” of this energy storage process.

As you can see, these two hormones work in tandem, creating either a health-damaging or health-promoting cycle, depending on what you eat. If you consume loads of sugars and grains, your blood sugar spikes will lead to increased insulin, which leads to increased fat storage. The extra fat then produces more leptin. The problem arises when your leptin levels become chronically elevated.  

At this point, you become leptin resistant—your body can no longer "hear" the hormonal signals telling your brain you're full and should stop eating. As your fat stores increase, your weight goes up, and insulin resistance sets in. Now your body has become "deaf" to the signals from both hormones (leptin and insulin), and disease follows; one of which is diabetes. 

 

Are You Ready to Send Your Diabetes Packing? 

Adhering to the following guidelines can help you do at least three things that are essential for successfully treating type 2 diabetes: recover your insulin/leptin sensitivity, normalize your weight, and normalize your blood pressure:

• Severely limit or eliminate sugar and grains in your diet, especially fructose which is far more detrimental to your health than any other type of sugar. Following my Nutrition Plan will help you do this without too much fuss. Avoid excessive protein as your body will convert that to sugar in your liver, which will sabotage your ability to control insulin resistance. Excess protein may even be more damaging to your health than excess carbs.
• Exercise regularly. As mentioned, exercise is an absolutely essential factor and, without it, you're unlikely to get this devastating disease under control. It is one of the fastest and most powerful ways to lower your insulin and leptin resistance. If you're unsure of how to get started, I recommend reviewing my Peak Fitness program for tips and guidelines.
• Avoid trans fats.
• Get plenty of omega-3 fats from a high-quality, animal-based source, such as krill oil.
• Optimize your vitamin D levels. Recent studies have revealed that getting enough vitamin D can have a powerful effect on normalizing your blood pressure and that low vitamin D levels may increase your risk of heart disease.
• Optimize your gut flora. Your gut is a living ecosystem, full of both good bacteria and opportunistic strains that can cause trouble. Multiple studies have shown that obese people have different intestinal bacteria than lean people. When the microbes in your gut exist in proper balance, your immune system will be stronger and the better your body will function overall. Fortunately, optimizing your gut flora is relatively easy. You can reseed your body with beneficial bacteria by eating fermented foods (such as fermented vegetables, natto, raw organic cheese, or raw milk kefir) or by taking a high-quality probiotic supplement.
• Address any underlying emotional issues and/or stress. Non-invasive tools like the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) can be helpful and effective.
• Get enough high-quality sleep every night.
• Monitor your fasting insulin level. This is every bit as important as your fasting blood sugar. You'll want your fasting insulin level to be between 2 and 4. The higher your level, the worse your insulin sensitivity is.  

Diabetes is a condition that is personally close to me, as most of my paternal relatives (my dad included), have, or have died from, diabetes. But my personal experience with diabetes and subsequent review of the literature has made it very clear to me that virtually every case of type 2 diabetes is reversible. If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes, today can be the day that you take control of your health and start the journey to cure yourself of this disease.

[-] Sources and References

• Radiology June 25, 2013
• MedicineNet June 25, 2013

• ¹ American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Statistics
• ² Radiology June 25, 2013
• ³ American Heart Association, Cardiovascular Disease & Diabete
• ⁴ MedicineNet June 25, 2013
• ⁵ Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012 Feb;44(2):225-31.
• ⁶ Journal of the American Medical Association December 19, 2012; 308(23): 2489-2496.

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/07/26/diabetes-exercise.aspx?

Killing You Sweetly: Why Sugar Substitutes aren't Worth the Risk

24 July 2013

Newsletter #311
Lee Euler, Editor

Here's something that will make you want to take your coffee black: sucralose might cause cancer. You probably know sucralose under the brand name Splenda, widely available in those little yellow packets. It's marketed under other names as well, so if you don't know what's in your artificial sweetener, you should check (I recommend avoiding ALL of them).

    The risk was uncovered by an Italian laboratory that found the sweetener caused leukemia in mice. I'll tell you a why a risk exists in the first place for this popular sweetener. But — what's most important -- there are plenty of healthy, non-disease-causing sweeteners out there, as long as you know where to look. Discover your options below. . .

The scary truth about Splenda

    Most people choose Splenda/sucralose because they've been told it's healthier than sugar. It prompts neither blood sugar nor insulin spikes. The FDA blessed its use as a tabletop sweetener in 1998, and most of the public still believes the FDA.

    In 1999, it was approved as a general-purpose sweetener. And it's better than sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, and acesulfame potassium (found in candies and gum , it's also known as Ace K and marketed as Sunett and Sweet One).

    Sucralose is a chemically-altered form of sugar. The process is patented, but essentially comes down to inserting chlorine into the sugar molecule. That makes it a chlorocarbon. Unfortunately, chlorocarbons have long been known to cause organ, genetic, and reproductive damage.

    Sucralose is also known to shrink the thymus gland by up to 40 percent. Given that the thymus is the foundation of your immune system, shrinkage can lead to many other problems.

    To put it bluntly, any creature that eats chlorine risks cancer. It's a known carcinogen as stated in both the Merck Manual and the OSHA Hazardous Waste Handbook. Obviously the risk varies according to the amount you take and how often you take it, but no matter how you look at it, chlorine is still a toxin.

    That's why the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) recently downgraded sucralose to a "caution" rating, as opposed to listing it as safe to consume. The CSPI has reviewed the Italian study and finds it used a superior protocol, even though the study is yet to be published. According to CSPI senior scientist Lisa Lefferts, "That's why we put 'caution' instead of 'avoid.'" A "caution" label means "try to avoid it, we need more testing."

    Defenders of sucralose might argue that chlorine embedded in a larger molecule differs from unbound chlorine. But the new studies suggest sucralose is toxic, too.

 

Natural and not-so-natural sugar substitutes

    Of course, sugar itself is still a risky beast in the health world, and the daily mass quantities consumed are the main reason for our shockingly high rates of obesity and Type II Diabetes, in my opinion and that of many other researchers. I would love to be wrong — nobody's more fond of cake and pie than I am — but this substance is a killer.

    Because of the risks that come from ingesting too much sugar, the CSPI says diet soda—commonly sweetened with aspartame—is still better than sugary-sweet sodas. (I should note here that aspartame has also been linked to cancer in laboratory settings. As I said earlier, there is no good artificial sweetener.)

    What can you drink instead? The CSPI urges plain water (know as "still" water), sparkling water, or unsweetened ice tea. Works for me (just don't drink so much tea you disturb your sleep patterns.) The average American consumes an incredible 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, which adds up to 355 calories. If you're on a kick of avoiding GMO foods, be aware that half the white table sugar made in the U.S. is beet sugar made from genetically modified beets.

 

There is life after sugar

    In a moment I'll suggest some natural (or mostly natural) sugar substitutes. But first let me pitch you on giving up sugar completely. It CAN be done, and this may actually be easier than trying to cut back or use substitutes.

    You see, sugar is an addictive substance. It is the heroin of foods. Thus when you cut back, what happens is that a mere taste of it sets off all the pleasure centers in your brain and you end up going on a binge. You may start with the intention of having a bowl of ice cream but you end up eating the whole quart.

    For this reason it's actually easier not to touch it at all rather than wrestle with yourself day and night about whether a little bit will be okay, or whether you can do it "just this once." Don't try to make a decision every day about sugar. Make one big decision and stick to it.

    I weaned myself off soft drinks a long time ago, and I take my coffee and tea without sugar. Soft drinks now disgust me. I once spat out a mouthful of Hawaiian Punch, a drink I used to love as a child. I couldn't believe how sweet it was — utterly saturated with sugar. And believe it or not, coffee and tea taste excellent without sugar. For the first time in your life, you'll actually taste the beverage, not the sugar.

 

Now for the "safe" sugar substitutes

    If you really can't live without sweetening up your morning cup of Joe, there are better ways. Consider these alternatives:

Agave nectar: This is a tiny improvement over cane or beet sugar. Also known as agave syrup, this sweetener comes from the agave plant, a relative of the cactus commonly found in Mexico. Agave nectar can also be extracted from the blue agave, which is the same plant used to make tequila. The syrup is 25 percent sweeter than sugar, which is a pro because you end up using less of it. It also dissolves quickly and contains a prebiotic that nourishes intestinal bacteria. But I wouldn't call it healthy. It has the same amount of calories as table sugar—that's 16 per teaspoon. On the processing scale, agave has to be hydrolyzed down to fructose. That's one more step than honey and one less than high-fructose corn syrup.

Stevia: This sweetener comes from the leaves of the South American shrub Stevia rebaudiana. It's between 25 and 30 times sweeter than sugar and has been used for years in Europe, Japan, and South America. Yet stevia isn't as natural as most people want to believe. The stuff is highly processed to remove its natural and slightly bitter aftertaste that smacks of licorice, though some brands don't bother with this, so the slight licorice taste remains. It also gets blended with maltodextrin so it pours like table sugar. It does help you cut calories and avoid blood sugar problems. It's just a question of whether you can stand the taste.

Truvia: This one comes from rebiana, which is a compound found in the leaves of stevia. Truvia is trademarked as a "natural" sweetener, but is the brainchild of Coca-Cola and Cargill and is sweetened with erythritol. It doesn't pack any calories, but also doesn't taste much like stevia.

Honey: It's a kitchen staple, yet most people don't think of using it when they're looking for a sweetener. But honey packs a concentrated dose of antioxidants. If you buy honey local to your area, it can even help you fight seasonal allergies. Setting aside the nutrients and just considering honey as a sweetener, I doubt if it's much healthier than cane or beet sugar. It still packs calories and raises your blood sugar.

Blackstrap molasses: Molasses is a by-product of sugarcane processing and can be used to replace as much as half the sugar in any recipe. It's also a proven way to sweeten everything from coffee to beans. Plus, this black-gold liquid has iron, vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, and several antioxidants—more than any other natural sweetener. Again — better than table sugar but not what I'd call healthy.

    I think a good rule of thumb is to never eat anything artificial. Real food doesn't have to be tested for unheard-of risks. And while sugar should be consumed in moderation just like everything else, at least consider using these alternatives so you can ingest somewhat fewer calories while you curb your chemical, processed food exposure.

 

References:

"12 Questions You Need to Have Answered Before You Eat Splenda." From Janet Starr Hull's Health Newsletter, December 2003, reprinted by Mercola.com.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/01/10/splenda-questions.aspx

"How Safe Is Splenda? CSPI Urges Caution for Artificial Sweetener." By: Rachael Rettner, LiveScience Senior Writer, Huffington Post. 12 June 2013.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/12/splenda-health-risks-cspi-leukemia-artificial-sweeteners_n_3431024.html

"Everything You Need to Know About Acesulfame Potassium." By Int'l Food Information Council Foundation, Nutrition Express.
http://www.nutritionexpress.com/article+index/vitamins+supplements+a-z/showarticle.aspx?id=120

"Jane Says: All Sugar Substitutes Are Not Created Equal." By Jane Lear, Take Part. 22 August 2013.
http://www.takepart.com/article/2012/08/22/jane-says-all-sugar-substitutes-are-not-created-equal

"Naturally Sweet: 4 Chemical-Free Sugar Substitutes." By Ashley Gartland, Oprah.com, April 2012.
http://www.oprah.com/health/Sugar-Substitutes-Healthy-Natural-Sweeteners/2

"SPLENDA® Brand Sweetener & Your Health." By Splenda® Truth, McNeil Nutritionals, LLC.
http://www.splendatruth.com/health_2

"Splenda May Not Be So Splendid After All." 13 June, 2013. Takepart.com, through Yahoo! News.
http://news.yahoo.com/splenda-may-not-splendid-194239789.html

"Which Diet Sodas Do Not Contain Aspartame?" By Laura Blunk, Livestrong.com, 15 March 2011.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/232708-which-diet-sodas-do-not-contain-aspartame/

 

http://cancerdefeated.com/newsletters/Killing-you-sweetly-sugar-substitutes.html?

EPIGENETICS for Breast Cancer Prevention

Life Extension Magazine

Life Extension Magazine November 2012

by Alexander Johnson

Every year, nearly 250,000 women learn that they have invasive breast cancer. Roughly 58,000 more will be diagnosed with early cases of the disease.1 And about 40,000 will die.2 Some women are so paralyzed by the fear of this disease that they undergo double mastectomies in a drastic attempt to prevent it from occurring. Despite these dire numbers and drastic actions, there is hope for the prevention of breast cancer. And it doesn't come in the form of risky surgical procedures—it comes from nature itself. Up to 50% of breast cancer cases are now thought to be preventable through simple changes in diet and lifestyle.3,4 The use of specific agents to prevent cancer from developing is called chemoprevention. Utilized properly, chemoprevention should be able to eliminate pre-malignant cells, block the progression of normal cells into invasive tumors, and ultimately stop a cancer before it ever reaches a size that could cause symptoms or be detected.5 Research has demonstrated that there are scores of nutrient molecules with potent, and often multiple chemotherapeutic effects. For example, calcium, selenium, and vitamin D have all shown some effect in reducing cancer occurrence.6 An even larger array of nutrients is responsible for changes that promise powerful chemoprevention against breast cancer.7 In this article we'll explore some of the most exciting implications of the power of nutritional supplementation to prevent breast cancer. Then we'll give you a rundown of nearly three dozen specific nutrients that hold out special hope in the fight against this epidemic killer. Revolutionary New Science Holds The Key to Breast Cancer Prevention A relatively new science called epigenetics has shed light on the enormous control we as individuals have on whether or not we develop cancer. The science of epigenetics is the study of long-lasting changes in gene function that do not involve changes in gene structure.9 Epigenetics has taught us that we can use factors such as nutrients to turn a gene on and off.10 If the gene that's activated is a tumor-suppressor gene (a gene that prevents excessive cell replication), or one that triggers termination of defective cells (such as pre-malignant cells through normal apoptotic processes), these epigenetic modifications are capable of blocking the progression of a cancer cell.10 The science of epigenetics has finally explained how nutrients and certain drugs can change the way breast cancer cells age and reproduce.9 Based on the science of epigenetics, Big Pharma is now racing to produce chemopreventive drugs.7 But nature is far ahead, as usual. Scores of researched nutrients have potent, and often multiple, epigenetic and chemotherapeutic effects (Table 1)—without the side effects associated with drugs like tamoxifen, which the FDA approved for breast cancer prevention. In the next section, we'll look at nature's most powerful chemopreventive nutrients (and a few drugs), how they work, and what they may mean for the future of breast cancer.11 TABLE 1. Risk Reduction for Breast Cancer By Specific Compounds Nutrient Reduction in Breast Cancer Risk Aspirin 20-32%62,66,146 Coffee 40%147 Conjugated Linoleic Acid 60%148 Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fats 73-81%149 Green Tea 22-48%150-152 Lycopene 40-68%153-155 Melatonin 38%156 Metformin 23-56%157,158 Resveratrol 61%159 Soy & Soy Isoflavones 18-92%160-162 Vitamin D 11-44%87,163 Nature's Cancer-Preventing Nutrients What follows are 11 categories of targeted nutrients that have been studied for their impact on breast health and cancer prevention. You can choose what combination of nutrients would be most effective for your situation. At the end of this report is a dosing table. Most of the nutrients in this list have multiple ways in which they help to prevent cancer. That's because each individual nutrient has many different biochemical targets in breast cancer prevention. Because cancer has multiple causes and phases of development, scientists are well aware that a multi-targeted approach is the best way to attack a disease like cancer.   1. Nutrients that Prevent DNA Damage Breast cancer, like all others, invariably begins with some change to the DNA structure or function of an individual cell. Both DNA damage and a change in the way a normal gene is expressed can trigger a cell to become malignant. In either case, a tumor suppressor gene can become silenced, allowing unregulated cell replication, or a tumor promoter gene can become activated. However, many nutrients work to prevent the DNA damage that can lead to a cell becoming cancerous. The list of nutrients proven to have anti-breast cancer effects is long, a tribute to the role of oxidant damage in breast cancer formation. Antioxidant nutrients proven to have anti-breast cancer effects include: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)14-17 Coffee and many of its constituents18-20 Curcumin21-23 Green tea polyphenols, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)24 Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C)25 Lycopene26,27 Melatonin28 Metformin29 N-acetylcysteine (NAC)30-35 Pomegranate juice and extracts36-38 Resveratrol39 Selenium40 Silibinin and silymarin21,41-47 Soybean flavonoids genistein and diadzein 40,47 Sulforaphane48 Tocotrienols49-53   2. Nutrients that Control Regulatory Genes Processes called hypermethylation and histone deacetylation can unlock undesirable epigenetic expression or suppress regulatory genes. Fortunately, a number of nutrients block these processes, and therefore can help to prevent the epigenetic changes that lead to breast cancer. These include:7,11 Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil54 Lycopene55 Genistein, a soy isoflavone55 Resveratrol56,57 Caffeic acid, a component of coffee19 Sulforaphane from cruciferous vegetables10,58,59 How Starch and Fiber Differ— And Why it Matters to You Breast cancer threatens the lives of millions of women. Breast cancer is caused by a complex interaction of multiple dietary, lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors. The science of epigenetics, the study of how genes can be expressed differently without changes in actual gene structure, has provided profound new insights into breast and other cancers. A large number of nutrients have now been found to exert favorable epigenetic effects on breast cancers from the moment a cell undergoes malignant transformation through the fully-developed tumor's attempts to invade and metastasize. Nutrient-based epigenetic chemoprevention represents an entirely new front in the battle against breast cancer.   3. Nutrients that Fight Cancer-Promoting Inflammation Once a cell has become malignant, inflammation is a powerful epigenetic promoter of the next steps in the process of cancerous transformation.60 Nature provides many natural anti-inflammatory molecules with specific promise in breast cancer chemoprevention, including the following: Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)61-66 Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)67,68 Coffee compounds18,69 Curcumin70,71 Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA from fish oil72 Pomegranate extracts73 Quercetin74 Resveratrol39 Vitamin D75   4. Nutrients that Block Excessive Cell Replication The excessive rate of cell replication is one of cancer's best-known features. Many nutrients are capable of blocking the continuous churning of the cellular replication cycle and slowing or stopping cancer growth, which ultimately contributes to breast cancer chemoprevention through epigenetic means. These include: Apigenin, a yellow flavone molecule found in many plants76 Aspirin77 Coffee components78 Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) from cruciferous vegetables79,80 Melatonin81 Pterostilbene, a close relative of resveratrol82 Selenium83 Sulforaphane from cruciferous vegetables10,84   5. Nutrients that Transform Malignant Cells Back into Healthy Ones Breast carcinoma Even after cells have undergone malignant transformation, there's a chance to reverse that process by forcing them to "differentiate" back into normal tissue-forming cells. Nutrients that promote the differentiation of breast cancer cells include: Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)85 N-acetylcysteine (NAC)32 Vitamin D86,87   Breast Cancer Facts Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Western countries.12-13 It takes a greater toll on women 40 or older, among whom 95% of new cases and 97% of deaths occur. The median age at breast cancer diagnosis is 61 years. The peak incidence of the disease occurs between ages 75 and 79, with 421 new cases per 100,000 women.1   6. Nutrients that Trigger the Death of Cancer Cells A powerful natural means of controlling cell replication is the process of apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Normal cells have the ability to self-destruct if they receive signals that they are replicating too rapidly. Malignant cells lose this ability, contributing to their overwhelming growth rate. A number of nutrients have the ability to restore breast cancer cells' ability to die by apoptosis, including the following: Apigenin76,88,89 Coffee compounds78 Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)90 Curcumin91,92 Green tea polyphenols and EGCG24 Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C)79,93 Melatonin94 N-acetylcysteine (NAC)95 Pomegranate96,97 Quercetin98 Selenium83 Silibinin99 Soy Isoflavones97,100,101 Tocotrienols102,103 Vitamin D94   7. Nutrients that Restore Receptors that Enhance Standard Treatments Roughly 70% of breast cancer cells depend on a continuous supply of estrogen for their growth, while a smaller number of cancers depend on the growth factor called HER2/neu. These cancers can potentially be treated by interfering with the receptors, making them (at least in theory) less dangerous. Between 15 and 25% of breast cancers, however, are so-called "triple-negative" cancers, meaning that they lack any of the three receptors (estrogen, progesterone, or HER2/neu), and are correspondingly resistant to treatment. Among the most exciting discoveries in the epigenetics of nutrients for cancer chemoprevention is that many nutrients can restore one or more of those receptors to the surface of breast cancer cells, lowering the bar to effective standard treatments such as the estrogen receptor blocker tamoxifen.15 Other nutrients can modify at least one of the receptors, impairing the cells' ability to receive the growth signals they require, and triggering their early death. Nutrients (and a drug) capable of epigenetic chemoprevention through modification or restoration of breast cancer receptors, or which have effectiveness against triple negative cancers include: Coffee104,105 Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)106 Curcumin107 Green tea polyphenols11,108 Melatonin109 Metformin110 Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil111 Sulforaphane from cruciferous vegetables11,112   8. Nutrients that Inhibit Estrogen Production The enzyme aromatase is responsible for producing estrogen in body tissues, including breast cells. Therefore, inhibiting aromatase activity is an important means of slowing the growth of the 70% of estrogen-dependent breast cancers. Nutrients capable of chemoprevention through aromatase inhibition include: Chrysin113 Enterolactone from lignan extract114 Grape seed extract115 Hops extracts116 Melatonin109 Pomegranate117 Vitamin D75 Note: aromatase inhibiting drugs like Arimidex® (anastrozole) have far more potent estrogen-suppressing effects, but they lower estrogen so much that they can induce severe menopausal effects.   9. Nutrients that Block Abnormal Growth Factors In addition to estrogen, progesterone, and HER2/neu, a number of other growth factors act on breast cancer cells. Inhibition or epigenetic modification of these growth factors is a major target in breast cancer chemoprevention, especially by the following nutrients: Apigenin118 Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)119 Curcumin92 Gamma tocotrienol120 Green tea polyphenols108,121 Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C)80 Melatonin94 Omega-3 fatty acids111 Silibinin41 Sulforaphane59 Vitamin D94 Breast Cancer: The Basics Growing tumor By the time breast cancer is detectable, it has already gone through a lengthy and complex series of events that turned a normal, healthy cell into a cancerous one. Basically, cancer occurs when cellular replication has gone awry.8 In a healthy body, excess cell replication is under tight control by genetic signals from genes called tumor suppressor and suicide genes.5 When a tumor suppressor gene is turned on in response to an abnormal signal, it prevents cell division from getting out of control. Similarly, the activation of a suicide gene triggers a programmed form of cell death called apoptosis. Ultimately, the development of cancer is the direct result of how genes express themselves in tissues. Cancers form when the function of a gene changes—either activating cancer-producing genes, or deactivating cancer-suppressing genes.7

10. Nutrients that Cut Off the Blood Supply to Growing Tumors Once a cancer has begun its rapid growth phase, it requires a vast increase in its blood supply. Tumor cells are capable of inducing new blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) through multiple epigenetic mechanisms. A number of nutrients are capable of reversing that process and depriving growing tumors of blood supply. These include: Apigenin122-124 Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)17,125 Coffee diterpenes18 Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)85 Curcumin126 Grape seed extract127,128 Green tea129,130 Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C)79 Lycopene27 Melatonin27 N-acetylcysteine (NAC)30,33,34 Omega-3 fatty acids131 Pomegranate132 Quercetin74 Silibinin133 Soy isoflavones134-136 Vitamin D75,86   11. Nutrients that Prevent Tumors from Spreading Growing tumor Growing tumors develop the ability to invade local and regional tissues, and to "seed" other body areas with malignant cells through the process of metastasis. To accomplish these processes, tumors increase their production of "protein-melting" enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases, or MMPs. Effective chemoprevention involves epigenetic changes that impair tumors' production of MMPs, as is seen in the activities of these nutrients (and drugs): Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)137 Coffee diterpenes and phenolics18,138 Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)139 Cruciferous vegetable components sulforaphane and isothiocyanates140 Curcumin141 Green tea polyphenols24, 121,130 Melatonin142 N-acetylcysteine (NAC)31 Silibinin41,42,133 Soy isoflavones101,135 Compounds that function via other mechanism to inhibit metastasis include: Modified citrus pectin143+ Aspirin144 Cimetidine145+ +Note that cimetidine and modified citrus pectin are only used by those with existing cancers. They have not shown preventive effects. Summary Breast cancer, the leading malignancy among women, has long evaded attempts at prevention. However, breakthroughs in the science of epigenetics has led both to a greater understanding of how breast cancer forms—and ultimately to the discovery of novel approaches to chemoprevention. A large number of nutrients are capable of beneficial epigenetic modifications in breast cancer cells. These nutrients are capable of impeding breast cancer initiation, promotion, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. They accomplish these multiple effects through the activation of genes that suppress cancer, the deactivation of genes that promote cancer, the promotion of cancer cell death through apoptosis, the modification of hormonal and other growth factor receptors, and fundamental effects such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. With the broad range of breast cancer chemoprevention available through nutrient supplementation, it only makes sense to include a wide variety of these supplements in your health promotion regimen. 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