| Multiple enzyme digestive formulas can be taken with | | | | major breakthrough in that bisphosphonates have a |
| meals to aid in digestion. This is especially helpful for | | | | very low side effect profile. |
| women who are undergoing or have recently | | | | One of the richest food sources of calcium is |
| undergone any form of chemotherapy. The effects | | | | seaweed. It can be eaten daily as a salad, vegetable, |
| of the drugs used will often compromise the function | | | | condiment, or seasoning. Other rich sources are dark |
| of the digestive tract for some time and therefore | | | | green, leafy vegetables such as kale, collards, beet |
| will adversely affect the ability to digest foods and | | | | greens, cabbage, and broccoli. Additional sources of |
| nutrients properly and completely. A multiple enzyme | | | | calcium include tofu, molasses, and almonds. |
| digestive formula will aid in the absorption of | | | | Essential fatty acids are critically important but are |
| nutrients, which is important in maintaining health and | | | | largely absent in American food sources, since they |
| proper functioning of the body. | | | | are damaged or destroyed during modern food |
| Cadmium and magnesium are minerals that are | | | | processing. As a result, most Americans are |
| important in helping to maintain and create bone | | | | chronically deficient. It is recommended to take both |
| mass. It is particularly important to take them after | | | | flaxseed oil and evening primrose oil, alternating every |
| chemotherapy and radiation treatments. For reasons | | | | two weeks to facilitate replenishment of damaged |
| still unclear, women with breast cancer undergoing | | | | and hydrogenated fat that has been used by all cells |
| chemotherapy have a significant loss of bone during | | | | in the body in the absence of high quality fats. The |
| this period. Because it is difficult to digest, many | | | | dosage should be up to 1,000 mg of evening |
| women find to hard to take calcium during | | | | primrose oil or one tablespoon of flaxseed oil per day. |
| chemotherapy. On the other hand, if it is tolerable, | | | | Until more research is done on diet and breast |
| taken during this time it may be beneficial. The | | | | cancer, it is impossible to say how much soy and |
| chemotherapy drugs may affect the osteoblastic | | | | flaxseeds a woman should take following the |
| cells that are constantly replacing reabsorbed bone. | | | | consultation of her conventional Western treatments. |
| This loss is small in relation to one's total bone mass, | | | | One estimate is that 200 mg of soy equals 0.3 mg of |
| perhaps 1 to 2 percent, but it is difficult to replace | | | | pharmaceutical estrogen. Another estimate is that a |
| later. | | | | half cup of soybeans and two soybean snacks are |
| There are several medications to help correct | | | | equivalent to about 200 mg of plant estrogen. |
| osteoporosis that results from breast cancer | | | | Beta carotene is a powerful antioxidant that provides |
| chemotherapy. One class of medications is known as | | | | protection to all lipid-rich tissues in the body, including |
| bisphosphonates. A group of German doctors | | | | the skin; the mucous membrane of the mouth, nose, |
| recently performed a clinical trial using | | | | throat, and lungs; the soft tissue and linings of the |
| bisphosphonates in women with newly diagnosed | | | | digestive tract, kidney, and bladder; and breast tissue. |
| breast cancer. The groups of women receiving the | | | | Several studies have shown that an increase in |
| bisphosphonate clodrinate had a significantly lower | | | | dietary beta carotene may significantly decrease the |
| systemic recurrence rate compared with the women | | | | risk of breast cancer. Carotene is abundant in carrots, |
| who did not take the medication. Other breast | | | | but it is present in even higher concentrations in |
| cancer research groups are in the process of | | | | green leafy vegetables such as beet greens, spinach, |
| repeating the experiment to see if the results can be | | | | and broccoli. |
| repeated and reproduced. If so, this would be a | | | | |