Exercise , eat healthy, nourish the immune system, avoid stress and get enough sleep are the secrets that help Rosamund Dean, 53, prevent breast cancer from recurring.
In 2011, at the age of 40, Rosamund Dean, who worked in journalism, was diagnosed with stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer. She endured painful and exhausting days of chemotherapy, radiation, mastectomy and reconstruction.
Triple-negative breast cancer is different from other types of breast cancer, it is more difficult to treat and much more aggressive. For this reason, people with triple-negative breast cancer have fewer treatment options. According to published data, this type of cancer accounts for about 10-20% of all breast cancers, and has a higher recurrence rate.
Today, Dean lives a healthy life, thanks to his own tips and consultations with doctors, scientists, nutritionists and immunologists.
Exercise regularly
Strengthening your body is the most powerful cancer-fighting thing you can do, says Dean. A series of large-scale studies over the past few years have clearly shown a causal relationship between a sedentary lifestyle and breast cancer. Regular exercise reduces the risk of breast cancer by 40-60%. Trials of hundreds of thousands of breast cancer patients have also shown that exercise reduces the risk of recurrence by 50%.
Sarah Newman, founder of Get Me Back, an online community for women with cancer, said the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week. Or 30 minutes a day of gardening, cleaning the house, brisk walking, playing with children or jogging. In addition, breast cancer patients can add 15 minutes of vigorous exercise such as running fast or playing sports.
WHO also recommends two sessions of strength training per week. You can do exercises with resistance bands, a simple and cost-effective alternative to weights. If this is too much, you can do activities you enjoy such as cycling, walking, dancing...
Rosamund Dean, healthy 12 years after suffering from breast cancer. Photo: Clara Molden
Eat right
WHO recommends that breast cancer patients combine physical activity with a healthy diet. This means maintaining a healthy weight by being physically active every day, walking more and sitting less. At the same time, women should eat whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans. Limit fast food and processed foods that contain saturated fat or sugar, as well as cutting down on red meat and eating less processed meat.
You should focus on a “rainbow diet,” which means eating plant foods of different colors, such as tomatoes, carrots, beets, blueberries, and any green vegetables. They contain a variety of phytonutrients, including compounds that affect cell structure and help prevent disease.
Finally, you need to drink plenty of water and limit sugary drinks and alcohol. WHO recommends supplementing nutrition through diet, instead of using functional foods or drugs.
Cut down on alcohol
According to Cancer Research UK, alcohol is linked to seven different types of cancer, including breast cancer. "Alcohol is a carcinogen. It has no nutritional value and is converted into fat in the body. The more fat you have, the more your body produces the hormone oestrogen after menopause, which increases your risk of breast cancer," says oncologist Dr Liz O'Riordan, who has had breast cancer. Therefore, the less alcohol a person drinks, the less risk they have of developing the disease.
Nourish the immune system
The immune system is very important, especially for triple-negative breast cancer tumors, says Dr. Nina Fuller-Shavel. "That's why we treat breast cancer patients with immunotherapy. Optimizing the immune system is very important to reduce the risk of recurrence," Dr. Nina says.
Here are some ways to support your immune system, as suggested by your doctor:
First, take care of your gut by eating slower and using probiotics (live yogurt) and prebiotics (fiber-containing plants).
Additionally, you need to keep your blood sugar levels balanced by minimizing refined sugars and staying active.
Women should practice intermittent fasting by eating dinner earlier and skipping snacking. This gives the immune system time to repair and calm inflammation. You should also eat anti-inflammatory foods like garlic, berries, broccoli, and leafy greens. In addition, eat more seasonal foods, which are fresher and more nutritious as they require less transportation.
Stress management is also important for the immune system. If your body is exposed to repeated stress, this will impact your immune and hormonal health.
Hong Van (According to Telegraph )
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