Guidelines for Lowering Inflammation in breast cancer survivors, part 2

Guidelines for Lowering Inflammation in breast cancer survivors, part 2

Don’t Believe Everything You Read

According to nutrition educator Mira Dessy, author of the blog
Grains & More (grainsandmore.blogspot.com), the label on
packaged foods doesn’t tell the whole story. Loopholes in labeling
laws allow manufacturers to list “0 trans fats” if the amount present
is less than .5 gram per serving. Keep in mind that a serving size is
not the same as a portion size, so you may be getting more trans fats
in your snack than you bargained for.

MIND YOUR EFAS

EFAs, or essential fatty acids, are fats that the body can’t live without and that we
can’t synthesize internally and therefore must obtain from food sources. The EFAs
we need to survive are known as the omega-6 fatty acids and the omega-3 fatty
acids. Simply put, omega-6 fatty acids start the fire of inflammation, and omega-3
fatty acids put it out. Since we need to both start and stop inflammation, we need
both types of fat. That’s why nature provided us with plenty of both. Most grains,
nuts, and seeds contain large amounts of omega-6 fats. These fats work their way up
the food chain in several ways. For example, cattle that are fed grass create meat and
dairy products that are high in omega-3 fats. These days, cows are fed primarily
corn and soy in feedlots, which produces much higher levels of omega-6 fats in the
meat and dairy products that result. Because of this and the ubiquitous presence of
corn, soy, canola, and other omega-6–rich vegetable oils in processed food and on
supermarket shelves, our fat consumption habits have changed dramatically in the
last century. Whereas our ancestors are believed to have eaten about twice as many
omega-6 fats as omega-3 fats, many experts believe Americans now eat fifteen to
seventeen times more omega-6 fats than omega-3 fats (Simopoulos 2006). The
result is an unbalanced inflammation response.

An ideal balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fats would go a long way in keeping
inflammation under control. Omega-3 fats act as natural COX-2 inhibitors, much
like ibuprofen or celecoxib (such as Celebrex), but without the potential side effects.
You will want to get your omega-6 fats from whole grains, seeds, and nuts, and to
avoid the refined, bleached, and processed oils you find on supermarket shelves
(corn, soy, canola, safflower, and so on). And you’ll want to incorporate more
omega-3 fats into your diet by adding wild salmon, halibut, sardines, and occasional
tuna, and by eating lots of flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts, all high in omega-3
fats. Salmon is a particularly rich source of eicosapentaenoic acids and
docosahexaenoic acids, the two potent omega-3 fatty acids that are so proficient at
extinguishing inflammation. Try to include some oily fish, such as wild Alaskan
salmon, in your diet twice a week. If your CRP levels are not where they should be,
you might consider adding a fish oil supplement to your regimen, which has proven
to be a valuable asset in keeping cancer at bay.

Remember to keep your oils tightly covered in a dark-colored glass bottle.
Exposure to air, light, and heat oxidizes oils, rendering them rancid, and rancid oils
are potent provocateurs of inflammation.

What about olive oil? 

Olive oil is rich in oleic acid, a member of the family of
fatty acids called omega-9, which, although not classified as “essential,” provide
great anti-inflammatory value. For this reason and all of its other wonderful health
benefits, we highly recommend the regular consumption of olive oil. Like other
precious oils, be sure to store it in a dark container.
For high-heat cooking and baking, we recommend organic coconut oil, which,
although saturated, contains a host of healthy medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs)
and other beneficial components.