A Focus on Nurses' Health: Part 3

Important information on cancer risk and diet.  Can you eat healthy?

Ovarian Cancer Risk:

The diabetes risk reduction diet (healthy diet) can be used by non-diabetics to promote better health.  The diet helps manage glucose levels and focuses on whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, plant based proteins and leand meats and less added sugars and refined carbs.  In this study of over 1000 ovarian cancer patients there was a lower risk of ovarian cancer in the healthy diet group even if they were not diabetic.

Diabetes risk reduction diet and ovarian cancer risk: an Italian case-control study - PubMed

Higher adherence to a diet aimed at reducing the risk of diabetes was inversely associated with ovarian cancer. Further evidence from prospective investigations will be useful to support our findings.

PubMedGiovanna Esposito

Breast Cancer Risk:

This article addresses the risk of breast cancer as it relates to diet.  The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) has been conducting research on diet and chronic diseases in postmenopausal US women for over 30 years. The WHI program included randomized trials of a low-fat diet high in fruits, vegetables, and grains, as well as calcium and vitamin D supplementation. The trials showed evidence of benefits related to breast cancer for both interventions. Recently, WHI investigators have focused on developing nutritional biomarkers and applying them to WHI cohorts, as well as using these biomarkers in various nutritional epidemiology studies.

Diet and Chronic Disease Research in the Women’s Health Initiative - PubMed

The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) has been a major contributor to diet and chronic disease research among postmenopausal US women over its 30+ year history (1993 to present). The WHI program included full-scale randomized trials of a low-fat dietary pattern high in fruits, vegetables, and grains, …

PubMedRoss L Prentice

Ok, now can you eat healthy?