âSHOULD I CHANGE MY LIFESTYLE AFTER BREAST CANCER?â Many people make changes to their eating habits and lifestyle after a breast cancer diagnosis. We look at the evidence around diet, exercise and the risk of cancer coming back.
What should I eat? Itâs very common for people to change their diet after theyâve been diagnosed with breast cancer. But is there anything you can eat to stop breast cancer coming back? Thereâs some evidence that fibre â found in fruit and vegetables and wholegrain foods â may slightly reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence. But a lot more research is needed. Eating plenty of fibre has numerous other health benefits though â including reducing the risk of heart disease and strokes â and most of us donât eat enough of it. So getting enough fibre will certainly have health benefits. What about so-called superfoods? Can they cure or prevent diseases like cancer, which some people have suggested? The term âsuperfoodâ has been applied to many different foods from broccoli and blueberries to green tea. But thereâs no definition of what a superfood is.
In fact, thereâs no evidence that any single food can reduce the risk of breast cancer coming back in someone whoâs been diagnosed. And the EU has banned food companies from making any health claims on their packaging unless theyâre supported by evidence. The best recommendation for everyone is to eat a healthy, balanced diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables; meals based on starchy carbohydrates like potatoes or wholemeal pasta; some dairy or dairy alternatives; and some protein, whether itâs from meat and fish or pulses and beans.
Do I need supplements? People often take dietary supplements after a cancer diagnosis, sometimes believing they could help reduce the risk of their cancer returning. Supplements usually contain vitamins, minerals or other substances normally found in foods, sometimes in high doses.
âis there anything you can eat to stop breast cancer from coming back?â
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