Mindfulness is as Effective as Anti-Depression Meds

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Stress Relief Herbs and Acupuncture Since today we need a 'research study' to validate that something truly has value, here's one for you. 

A study just published in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that depression can be treated with "mindfulness" more effectively than with an antidepressant drug or a placebo.  Since according to the National Institute of Health (NIH) there are 14 million or so Americans suffering from depression, I'm doing my part in spreading the word. 

What exactly is "mindfulness"?  Generally it refers to being in the present moment.  It incorporates meditation and "helping patients watch their feelings and  thoughts in a way that lets them work with them differently", said Zindel Segal of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health, in Toronto, Ontario.

Participants who received mindfulness therapy learned how to meditate on their own for 40 minutes a day, in addition to going to a session with a therapist.

"It’s kind of like going like going to the gym and working a muscle, except in this case you’re not working a muscle in your body, you’re working the muscles in your brain that help you understand and control your emotions," Segal said.  Ahh,  this might explain the popularity of yoga studios, we become mindful when doing yoga.

Now if you live in San Diego there is a place called "The Healing Playground" at Herbin Acupuncture and Wellness which is the perfect place to exercise your "Mindfulness". 

The founders and creators of this incredible "Healing Playground" concept are Lori Powell and  Lara Koljonen, who is also a Licensed Acupuncturist.   It's a place to carve 30 minutes (or more if you like) out of your day to listen to meditation cd's, relax in a zero gravity chair or sofa and rejuvenate.  This is an alternative to the standard coffee house.  It’s a place that will help you gain perspective, de-stress and unwind. You can drink a cup of organic tea or use many of the healing stations at your fingertips such as the biofeedback stress reduction station, a dvd station with movies centered around healing and emotional health, or aromatherapy audio programs on everything from breast health to meditation and more.

If you don't have a "Healing Playground" near you create your own meditation spot in a small corner of your favorite room.  Adding some mindful meditation or Chinese herbs to your life will help you relax and de-stress. A great option before succumbing to the soon to be out-dated anti-depressant drug therapy.

 

(The National Institutes of Health was established by the United States Congress to support the mission of the National Institutes of Health—improving health through scientific discovery.)

Stress Relief Herbs, Grab the Adaptogens

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Stress Relief herb teaScience can split an atom, create nuclear fusion and clone Dolly the sheep, but it can't copy the chemical compounds in adaptogenic herb teas.

How is that possible?  Stress relief herbs contain such a complex number of chemicals  that modern pharmacology has yet to be able to reproduce what nature can make.

Whole plant/herb remedies are very different than single compounds which is what Western medicine primarily uses. Discovering how the chemical compounds in these now very expensive herbs, also known as adaptogens, work inside our bodies is yet to be unraveled. Adaptogenic herbs adapt to what our body needs.  They can calm us if we need calm and the same herb stimulates us, if we need a stimulant. They help the body to adapt to physiological and psychological stress.

Need some of this around holiday time?  Yes, it is really possible that plants can do this.   

Where did the term adaptogenic come from?  It started  with a Soviet doctor who first coined the term in 1947.  Nikolai Lazarev, was examining psychotropic drugs, specifically stimulants such as amphetamines and cocaine which were used in the military. Lazarev saw the powerful short-term gain along with the long term side-effects from these drugs.  He recognized these drugs lead to addiction and was looking for a better solution. He needed something that worked both in the short term and long term.  In  other words, he needed adaptogenic herbal compounds. He found the answer in plants such as  American ginseng, Asian ginseng, Schisandra,  Astragalus, Cordyceps, Eleuthero, Licorice, GoJi berries, Dang Shen and Reishi mushroom and coined this term.

 

Ultimately, what he found were herbal remedies that can boost the body's resistance to stress, whether the stress is from physical exertion, infection or emotional and environmental stressors.  (The relatives coming over may fall into that last category.)

 

Adaptogens stimulate the immune system positively creating a healthy environment.  These plants such as Ginseng, Cordyceps, GoJi berries and Reishi all have two things in common, they have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries and they are rich in polysaccharides.  Polysaccharides are complex carbohydrates that act as energy stores and boost the immune system. These natural stress relief remedies increase vital energy and are also known as Chinese herbal qi tonics.

These herbal remedies are all much more than the sum of their individual parts.  Which is exactly why modern science has not been able to copy them.  They continue to become more popular as the Western world discovers the benefits of these incredible, edible, Chinese herbs.

You can find herbs for stress relief on our product page. Thanks for reading.

 

 

 

Goji Berries Price Increases, How Much Are the Benefits Worth?

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best herb Goji berries

  • With the price of Goji berries going through the roof, I'm ready to plant my own bushes and grow them myself.  I guess the secret is out on the benefits of this tiny, tart berry.  It has only taken 30 years since modern day researchers discovered this marvelous little Chinese herb that has been used for centuries. 

Here is a list of benefits based on modern research and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

  • Improve brain function

  • Reduces fatigue

  • Has liver protector qualities

  • Enhances vision

  • Energy booster and Immunity booster

  • Increase libido

  • Reduces symptoms of diabetes

  • Reduces menopause night sweats

  • Over 60 studies show goji support healthy heart function

  • Goji have been combined with cancer drugs to reverse cancer growth

 

 

One of the largest scientific studies on lycium fruit, (latin name) reported  that eating 50 grams (slightly less than 2 ounces) of Goji Berry caused an increase in the white blood cell count. There was also an increase of 75 % in antibody immunoglobin A (IgA).

We added a large dose of goji berry to our Menopause Relief Herb Pac. It helped improved the taste while helping with night sweats.  Although it may have some benefit as a natural sleep aid, it has more proven benefit of helping to reduce menopausal night sweats.

Goji berry also reduces DNA damage and protect DNA in animal studies. This is great news for anyone who concerned about aging. Goji berry also protects your liver.

The berries contain a compound called cerebrosides ks and is better at protecting the liver than milk thistle.

Goji berry’s polysaccharides protect testicular cells against damage from free radicals.

Goji berry also protect against Alzheimer’s disease by protecting the neurons in the brain against beta amyloid protein. This deadly protein is associated with Alzheimer’s. This is welcome news since Alzheimer’s is expected to reach epidemic levels in aging baby boomers.

Another study showed the Goji polysaccharides increase the production of interleukin-2. This protein protects against cancer and bacteria.

Goji berry may reduce insulin resistance. Diabetic animals  fed Goji berries for three weeks show reduced weight and improved triglyceride, cholesterol and insulin levels.

In conclusion, Goji berry is immune-enhancing, cytoprotective and anti-tumor, a  true win-win-win combination.

We now have two excellent Goji berriers products, capsules and granule powder.  Our granules can be easily added to a shake or sprinkled on food or dissolved in warm water to drink as a tea. I like to place a little on my tongue and savor the flavor.    Our granules/powder are highly concentrated and one bottle will last at least a month. Capsules are easy to take and convenient. You can find them both in our store, here.    

References:

  1. Tian M and Wang M, Studies on extraction, isolation, and composition of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides, Journal of Traditional Chinese Herb Drugs, 2006 31(19): 1603–1607
  2. Yong Peng, et.al., Quantification of zeaxanthin dipalmitate and total carotenoids in Lycium fruits, 2006 Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 60(4): 161–164
  3. Trieschmann M, et.al., Changes in macular pigment optical density and serum concentrations of its constituent carotenoids following supplemental lutein and zeaxanthin, Experimental Eye Research 2007; 84(4): 718–728
  4. Rosenthal JM, et.al., Dose-ranging study of lutein supplementation in persons aged 60 years or older, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 2006; 47(12): 5227–5233
  5. Wang Qiang, et.al., Determination of polysaccharide contents in Fructus Lycii, Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs 1991; 22(2): 67–68
  6. Yu MS, et.al., Characterization of the effects of anti-aging medicine Fructus lycii on beta-amyloid peptide neurotoxicity, International Journal of Molecular Medicine 2007; 20(2): 261–268
  7. Qian JY, Liu D, and Huang AG, The efficiency of flavonoids in polar extracts of Lycium chinense Mill fruits as free radical scavenger, Food Chemistry 2004; 87(2): 283–288
  8. Cheng CY, et.al., Fasting plasma zeaxanthin response to Fructus barbarum in a food-based human supplementation trial, British Journal of Nutrition 2005; 93(1): 123–130
  9. Chang RC and So KF, Use of Anti-aging Herbal Medicine, Lycium barbarum, Against Aging-  associated Diseases, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology 2007

Sleep Aids Valerian and Hops Check Dosage

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Natural Sleep aids with Chinese herbsIf you are looking for a natural sleep aid to help you stay horizontal through-out the night, we've got news for you.  The traditional herbs used in the West for help sleeping are valerian and hops. Maybe you've heard of them.   In one of the most thoroughly conducted research studies on these herbs, it was discovered  these herbs only work when extracted together.  

These top researchers in Switzerland conducted a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study to demonstrate the fixed combination of chemical constituents from the plants.  What the researchers found is that only when these two herbs are used in a fixed combination at 500 milligrams valerian extract siccum to 120 milligrams hops extract siccum,  did they reduce sleep latency.  The valerian extract alone was no better than a placebo.  Always check product dosages for the best results.

Traditional Chinese Medicine has a long history of using herbs together.  When using Chinese herbs as an over-the-counter sleep aid, either mixed at a Chinese pharmacy or in prepackaged packets like our iSleep Herb Pac, it is most common to have herbs combined together to create a synergistic action that is much more effective than any one herb working alone.  Chinese herbs are always used in combination formulas for the very same reason this study demonstrates.  They simply work better, together.  Studies can prove this, but it is really history of over a thousand years of using herbs cooked together which has provided this knowledge.  

 

For more info on this study:

Koetter U, Schrader E, Kaufeler R. et al. A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, prospective clinical study to demonstrate clinical efficacy of a fixed valerian hops extract combination (Ze 91019) in patients suffering from non-organic sleep disorder. Phytother Res. 2007 May 8.

Licorice Root Chemicals Found To Help Brain and Alzheimer’s

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Just another amazing plant compound that has been around a couple thousand years.  Now 21st century science is catching up.  Licorice root, a Chinese herb, is being studied at the University of South Carolina.  The researchers found an extract in this root can prevent brain cell death in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

We’re not talking about licorice in the form of candy, you’ll have to use the root of the licorice plant.  The specific plant the researchers are studying comes from the high mountains of China, where it grows like weeds, as do many Chinese herbs.

Apparently, it is the LQ or liquiritigenin in the licorice that mimics the hormone estrogen.  The researchers are growing brain cells and studying the effects of the LQ on them. Looking at microscopic views of the brain cells, healthy cells have lots of green dots.

“Those green spots are where the cells actually connect,” Dr. Booze says. “And what happens in diseases  like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s  is that the neurons lose their connectivity. So we study the green dots of connectivity and use the phytoestrogens to increase the green dots.”

Her research is the first ever done on LQ and the first to test some of these phytoestrogens in the brain.

“My long-term goal, my dream would be a prevention, but we’re not there yet. Obviously we’re still looking at the effects in our dishes,” she says.

Introducing Menopause Relief Herb Pac – A Natural Alternative to HRT

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If you are a woman looking for a natural answer to uncomfortable menopause symptoms you need to know about Menopause Relief Herb Pac.  A natural herbal remedy for menopause symptom relief  that has worked for generations and is now easy and convenient as a tea.

Pac Herbs “Menopause Relief” is a slightly modified version of one of the most popular herbal formulas used around the world.   Originally published in 1114 A.D. called Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan, and also known as Eight Flavor Rehmannia Formula.  It is one of the most renowned classic Chinese herbal formulas used for purging fire (hot flashes/ night sweats) while simultaneously nourishing a woman’s yin energy.

Our highly concentrated granules are produced in accordance with traditional Chinese medicine standards. Simply mix a teaspoon in water and drink as a delicious tasting tea.   There are no known side-effects or adverse reactions associated with this product, nor are there any drug interactions after millions of doses and hundreds of research studies.  Menopause Relief Herb Pac can safely be taken over a long period of time, from several months to over a year.

This combination of herbs has been helpful for women who suffer from hot flashes and night sweats. It may also be beneficial for a diminished libido, urinary infections and chronic sore throats. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is used for those with insufficient liver and kidney yin plus heat signs. 

A  deficiency of yin commonly leads to (an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone) heat such as hot flashes, night sweats and restlessness, warmth in the palms and soles and sore throats. Our formula nourishes both the yin and the yang energies.

Our commitment to sourcing and using the highest quality botanical Chinese herbal extract is our first promise. The processing of raw herbs into concentrated granule extract is done in a modern, state-of-the-art pharmaceutical facility, under the strictest GMP and ISO standards.  Because we use only granules preserved in sealed packets, we do not have capsules or pills which need fillers such as magnesium sterate, artificial colors, binders, salt, sugar, corn, yeast, gluten, gelatin or preservatives, to insure machines don’t clog while filling capsules or making tablets and pills.   Our packets contain only pure herbal extract, nothing else.

Improve Your Memory with Ginseng – King of All Chinese Herbs

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So you want to improve your cognitive performance, or give yourself a little brain boost.  Don't we all need that from time to time. 

Ginseng is often referred to as the King of all Chinese herbs.  Traditional Chinese Medicine has used it for prevention and treatment of many diseases and as a general health elixir and performance enhancer for several millennia,.

A group of researchers in the UK decided to study the effects of Ginseng in Best gingseng healthy young adults.   This study proved this Chinese herb can improve working memory,  improve the speed of performing mental arithmetic and improve reaction times. But the findings are both dose dependent and dependent on the active ingredients in the extract used.  The known active ingredient in ginseng are specific saponins known as ginsenosides.  The extract used in this study was standardized to 4% total ginsenosides at a 400 mg dose once daily.  

What I like about this study is it was randomized, placebo controlled, and double blind. (neither researchers or participants knew which were taking the ginseng).  These are the best kinds of studies to trust the results. Although there are thousands of studies on Chinese herbs and specifically panax ginseng,  this study was the first to include a comprehensive assessment of working memory.   The authors concluded it was the 400 mg dose that made the biggest difference.  This study was conducted for 8 days, and most likely not long enough to see a chronic effect.  

If you are looking to purchase ginseng there are many varieties on the market.  The difficulty is knowing which brand to trust and which brand actually has effective properties. Does the brand you purchase have a minimum 4% total ginsenosides?   We understand the confusion and frustration of not knowing if and when an herbal product is truly worth the cost. 

Because we have a connection to an excellent source, and customers keep asking for it, we have decided to include ginseng in our store.  Our Panax ginseng is tested for impurities and active properties with both TLC and HPLC.  It is the same product used throughout hospitals in China.  It is the same product which Japanese businessmen seek to purchase, simply because they can afford it.   We buy direct so you receive both a quality product sold to herbalist and Acupuncturists, at a fair market price.  Our herbal granules can be mixed in warm water to drink as a tea or mix into your favorite smoothie drink.  You can also place a small amount of granules on your tongue and swallow with water.  Either way you will experience the power and health benefits of ginseng.

We guarantee all our products or your money back. 

You can read the study mentioned above, here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2952762/


Are You Rethinking Menopause, Revisiting Hormones & HRT?

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chinese herbs for hot flashes and night sweatsIf your taking them you might be rethinking your decision.   If your not taking them you’re wondering if they could help.  If your dealing with menopause symptoms, you are most likely also dealing with the dilemma of artificial hormones.

The recent news regarding Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is making all women of 45 and older, rethink their options as they consider what to do about hot flashes, night sweats and insomnia and a host of other typical menopause symptoms that can plague women daily.  

Yet the standard of care that we call herd medicine, or medicine for the masses,  can no longer BE the standard of care. Today we must start  with a new emphasis on the importance of treating every woman individually, with decisions about hormone use made strictly on a case-by-case basis. 

 

If your looking for answers and don’t know what to believe with all the recent studies, check out The Breast Cancer Fund.  This national non-profit organization has the most recently published studies posted in one convenient location. They connect the dots between breast cancer and exposures to chemicals and radiation in our everyday environments. They also offer a host of practical breast cancer prevention strategies.   From limiting BPA’s to minimizing your exposure to toxic chemicals,  their web site is an amazing place to educate yourself.

 

If you need more education on a natural solution to your menopause symptoms, you can find several articles here. Our solution, Menopause Relief Herb Pack,  is one that has worked for generations of women.  It’s nothing new to any Chinese herbalist and we guarantee it.  Money back if your not satisfied.  You can find it here or ask your local Acupuncturist/herbalist for your best herbs for menopause.

The Womens Conference, Health, Wellness and What? Menopause?

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Womens conference, health wellness, menopause and womens healthI just returned from a night at the Women's Conference in Long Beach, the premier convention for women.  Our 1st lady of California, Maria Shriver  does a fantastic job and in fact tomorrow First Lady Obama will be speaking.   What I love about the conference is that's it's predominantly women attending, (4000 tonight), great women's products, and great speakers.  One exception, I saw a  lone male strutting around topless. (ok he was part of a dance group) All the women I saw were  goo goo eyed over him.   Ok he had a great body but posing for pictures with him??…a bit over the top for me.  Maybe because he was the only walking testosterone in the building.

What Donna Karan and her Urban Zen organization are doing is quite amazing.  I was very impressed to hear about the level of internal healing that is coming from her pursuits at the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City.  Urban Zen brings yoga and an entire Complementary Medicine program to  hospital patients and personnel.   Changing the face of the hospital environment.  Kudos to her and her vision.

I spoke with a lot of interesting folks.  Someone dared tell me there was no herbal cure for menopause symptoms such as hot flashes. She believes HRT therapy is completely safe, regardless of the studies show cancer rates sky rocketing for women on artificial hormones.  Clearly she had not done her homework and knew nothing about Chinese herbs or Chinese herbal medicine.  I hope I cleared up some of her misconceptions. Chinese herbal medicine is the oldest documented medicine on the planet and has been used continuously for over 2000 years. 

It's easy to understand why Americans don't know this.  Our media is dominated with prescription drug commercials and promises of a new pill or vaccine.  Herbs cannot be patented so drug companies want to keep us in the dark ages.   But the light continues to shine.  Alternative medicine messages, including Chinese herbs, naturopathic medicine and yoga booths dominated the Women Conference.  Messages like Donna Karan's are meeting a welcome and receptive audience.  You can't stop change and you can't hold down women.  They want safe answers for menopause symptoms and natural solutions to preventing breast cancer.  

Also, an amazing organization called The Breast Cancer Fund, the only organization giving truly preventative advise.   That topic is another blog, coming soon. 

Thanks for reading. 

Mayo Clinic’s New Book and Thoughts on Disease “PREVENTION”

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best natural sleeping aidsThe top 20 health issues are all discussed in the Mayo Clinic’s new book on Alternative Medicine.   The author, Dr. Bauer, details dozens of natural therapies that have worked safely.   Dr. Bauer asserts that “an opportunity has risen that may hold the promise of a new paradigm for better health.”

Firstly:  “The best way to manage an illness is to prevent it from happening in the first place” This is one reason there has been explosive growth in the field of alternative medicine. People are looking for more “natural” or “holistic” ways to maintain good health!!

Secondly:   By combining the best of complementary and conventional health care practices to meet your individual needs, you’ll be practicing integrative medicine.

Sounds simple enough to me!!

Start with reducing stress and get a good nights sleep.  Stanford University recognizes the importance of these two factors.  They are currently recruiting women  for a sleep study, to learn how lack of sleep and too much stress may be linked to breast cancer and breast cancer survival.

You may be surprised that Mayo Clinic now urges you and your doctor to consider yoga, garlic, acupuncture, dietary supplements and other natural therapies. The record is clear. Many of these alternative therapies can help you achieve reduced arthritis pain, healthier coronary arteries, improved diabetes management, better memory function and more.

So find some local fitness classes, get a group of friends together and walk,  go to your local health food store and stock up on quality herbal supplements, there is no excuse. 

Alternative Medicine is “Preventative Health Care” and the new mantra is:

“What’s alternative today will be conventional tomorrow.”

 

Celebrating John Lennon and His Visits to a Chinese Herbal Medicine Doctor

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When John Lennon was shot, the world lost a hero.  If you are like me, you remember where and when you heard this news.  It was a sad day.   In honor of what would have been John's 70th birthday,  I celebrate his brilliance. 

John Lennon was always ahead of his time, even in the 1970's.  John and Yoko visited "a practitioner of Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture for spiritual and physical cleansing and healing" acording to an article in the New York Times today.   This news has apparently never before been made public.  The doctor,  originally from Shanghai China was an immigrant and  living with his family in San Mateo, CA.   It was reported that Keith Moon, the drummer for The Who, also came to Dr. Hong for treatments and may have been the liaison that brought John and Yoko to him. 

Years later, it was reported that John sent the family money and saved them from poverty.  Barbara  Hong, the daughter of the Chinese herbal doctor said,  "Lennon liked to joke ..and play his harmonica, and one day he shared a new tune. “He played it on our piano,” Barbara Hong said. “He said, ‘This is a song I’m going to release soon.  It was “Imagine.”

Imagine that happening in your living room.   Thank you John for your vision to see the value in Chinese Medicine  when it wasn't even a licensed health modality in the 1970's.  We wish you were alive to see the state of Acupuncture and herbal medicine today.  I know you would be pleased to see how treatments like what you received  from Dr. Hong are now available from coast to coast and Chinese herbs are on every continent in the world.   Imagine what another 30 years will bring us!

 

New York Times article here:   http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/08/us/08bcjames.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss


October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – New York Times Says Prevention Starts with Diet

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Breast Cancer awareness month is here and unless you are living in a bubble, you see pink everywhere.  From foods to football, products show their support with pink ribbons plastered on them.  I saw a pink oatmeal container at the market and now Monday night football.  The entire half time show of the Dolphins-Patriots game honored breast cancer survivors with a huge pink ribbon spread across the football field.  I say “great”, but let’s also concentrate on prevention and not just hope for “a cure”. 


This article, written by a guest blogger, originated in the NY Times Science section, and shows that living a healthy life style can actually decrease your cancer risk.  Chinese Herbs have been used for decades to help with diet, digestion and weight loss.  If you struggle with maintaining a normal body weight, consider adding  digestive enzymes and Chinese herbs to your daily routine for proper digestion and restful sleep.  Sleep rejuvenates your body and provides the vital energy that you may otherwise try to compensate for with extra food.  (See this article on how restorative sleep can improve weight loss)


by Kath Bartlett MS. L.Ac. –  Ashville, NC
Obesity dramatically increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer by 50-100%, the risk increasing “the older the woman gets and the longer she remains obese.” (1) The reason being is that the abdominal fat cells convert steroid (fat soluble) hormones to estrogen. In the breasts, the additional estrogen created binds to the breast cells, promoting “cell division and potentially tumor growth.” (2) Cancer cells are abnormal cell growth: the additional cell division cause the tumor growth. Adipose tissue (fat) contains an enzyme, aromatase, that converts steroid hormones into estrogen. After menopause, the ovaries and pituitary gland are no longer signaling for estrogen production through the monthly menstrual cycle. To compensate, the amount of aromatase in the adipose tissue increases to step up estrogen production. Obese women have higher levels of estrogen production taking place in the body fat of the hips and stomach, which increases during menopause, which raises the risk of tumors developing in the breast.

“Glucose [blood sugar] is the preferred substrate for cancer cells. . . [In a study] mice injected with aggressive mammary [breast] tumors were placed on 3 diets. After 70 days 95% of the mice on the low-sugar diet were alive. Of the mice on the moderate-sugar diet 67% were alive. And only 33% on a high-sugar diet were alive. Also ‘moderate’ alcohol consumption is associated with elevation in the risk for breast cancer from 50-100%.” (3)

Phytoestrogens have a chemical structure similar to estrogen. They bind to the receptor sites on the breasts, preventing the body’s estrogen from binding and causing tumor cell growth. The phytoestrogens that bind to the breast cell estrogen receptor sites have a weaker influence on breast cell production, so that it is less likely that tumors will form. Common food sources of phytoestrogens include: soy (tofu, tempeh, miso), flax and raw pumpkin seeds, clover and mung bean sprouts. Avoid powdered soy concentrate, these have caused some to develop Hashimoto’s thyroid disease. (4)

Studies have shown that phytoestrogens increase the effectiveness of breast cancer treatments. Borage oil has shown to decrease the growth of breast cancer cells. (5)

Eating an organic diet, and limiting exposure to chemicals, including household cleaners, detergents, pesticides, food packaging (plastics leach into foods, especially when warm foods are put into plastic containers) is also important to reduce cancer risk. Chemicals and pesticides can change the DNA of cells, causing them to mutate into cancer cells. Studies have shown higher levels of pesticides and pollutants in fat and blood of women with breast cancer than in healthy women.

1-6. Lahans, T. Integrating Conventional and Chinese Medicine in Cancer Care. Elsevier 2007; 92-102.