There has been some controversy over the impact of various types of diets on cancer risk. The Harvard School of Public Health writes on carbohydrates that you should not be misled by fad diets which make blanket pronouncements on the dangers of carbohydrates. Harvard points out that carbohydrates provide the body with fuel that it needs for physical activity and for proper organ function, and they are a significant part of a healthy diet .
However, some kinds of carbohydrates are recognized as being far better than others. The best sources of carbohydrates are whole grains, the less processed, the better, such as vegetables, fruits and beans. These carbohydrates promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients. However, the easily digested refined carbohydrates from refined grains—white bread, white rice, and the like, as well as pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods, may contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss, and promote diabetes and heart disease.
Kristina Fiore has reported for MedPage Today "SABCS: Carb Counting May Abate Breast Cancer Risk Factors." Researchers reported during a poster session at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium that they have found limiting carbohydrate intake to just two days a week can mitigate some risk factors for breast cancer by burning body fat and improving insulin sensitivity. Michelle Harvie, PhD, of Genesis Prevention Center at University Hospital in South Manchester, U.K., said that over three months, eating fewer carbohydrates alone or combining that reduction with severe caloric restriction two days per week was found to be associated with significant changes in body fat and insulin resistance.
Both carbohydrate reduced diets showed improvement in insulin sensitivity in comparison with a regular calorie-restriction diet alone. The women in the study met monthly with a dietitian and had bi-weekly motivational phone calls. It was found that after three months, patients on either of the low-carbohydrate diets had significantly greater declines in insulin resistance and in body fat compared with those who just restricted their calories every day.
Also, three months of the low-carbohydrate diets led to better weight loss and lower levels of insulin, both of which are risk factors for breast cancer, compared with standard caloric restriction. Weight loss and a reduction in insulin levels are necessary for breast cancer prevention, however they are difficult to achieve and maintain with conventional dietary approaches. Overall, the researchers think low-carbohydrate diets are a possible alternative to full-blown calorie restriction "for potentially reducing the risk of breast cancer and other diseases."
Photographer: scottchan
