A healthy vegetarian diet improved quality of life, reduced fatigue and lowered cardiovascular risk in women with breast cancer. The study was published in Frontiers in Nutrition magazine.
The scientists analyzed the data of 30 patients with stage 4 breast cancer. During the two months, half of the patients ate as usual, while the other half ate the food recommended by the scientists. The women have succeeded in fulfilling 95 percent of the proposals.
The diet of the women in the second group consisted of exclusively of plant foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains (including whole grain pasta), legumes (beans), peanuts, nuts, and seeds. The participants agreed to avoid foods of animal origin (meat, eggs, and dairy products). They also received multivitamins. There were no calorie or meal restrictions.
During the diet, the women managed to lose some weight. This is important because weight gain is common during breast cancer treatment. Weight gain can increase the levels of insulin and sex hormones, which can stimulate tumor growth.
A decrease in inflammation was also observed in the participants, indicating a reduction in the growth factor IGF-1, which is associated with many types of cancer. Hypothetically, this could mean that a vegetarian diet can affect the success of cancer treatment.
