Actress Angelina Jolie is in the news again for her radical approach to health.
In May 2013, she revealed the shocking news that she had opted for a double mastectomy in an attempt to ward off breast cancer.
Ms. Jolie’s reasons? Her genetic history of inheriting the defective gene BRCA1 which apparently increases her breast cancer risk to 87%.
Angelina’s own mother tragically died of ovarian cancer at the age of 56 after a courageous and hard fought 10 year battle. Jolie’s aunt died of breast cancer at the age of 61.
Both women had the defective gene BRCA1. Defective mutation of the BRCA2 gene also results in increased risk.
Now, Ms. Jolie is making headlines again for hinting that she plans additional preventative surgery. This next round of going under the knife would involve a hysterectomy and an oophorectomy to remove her ovaries. These surgeries will eliminate the estimated 50% chance she may develop ovarian cancer, again due to the BRCA1 gene.
However you may feel about Ms. Jolie’s health decisions, one thing is clear: some women will go to extreme lengths to avoid the risk of female cancers.
While I am not personally of the philosophy that we are a slave to our genes and need to remove body parts to be healthy over the long term, knowing our genetic history and biological tendencies can indeed be helpful as we navigate our life choices, including dietary and environmental influences.
While I admire Ms. Jolie’s determination and gumption, it’s not at all certain that undergoing surgery will actually prevent cancer. The harmful mutation of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes may also increase the risk of other types of cancer such as pancreatic.
Would reducing cancer risk for the breasts and ovaries by surgically removing them in fact spike the risk for the more deadly pancreatic cancer, the third most common cancer for those with a defective version of these genes? Pancreatic cancer can’t be avoided by surgically removing it as the pancreas is a vital organ. Worse, it is a silent disease with few if any symptoms and is difficult to screen for.
In fact, this is exactly what happened to one BRCA2 positive woman with a strong family history of ovarian cancer. She had her tubes and ovaries removed in what she thought was a smart preventative move only to be diagnosed with the more deadly pancreatic cancer.
Time will tell if a surgical approach for preventing cancer is truly effective, but until that time, it seems wise to manage cancer risk with appropriate diet and lifestyle choices, not by removing body parts and organs.
How to Protect Yourself With a Cancer Prevention Lifestyle
According to the Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF), Traditional Diets, which all contained both animal and plant foods farmed by nontoxic methods, are rich in factors that are highly protective against cancer. Many of these protective factors are found only in animal fats such as butter, cream, tallow, lard, egg yolks and organ meats.
Below is a list of the nutrients suggested by the WAPF that are especially critical for preventing cancer and the foods that contain them in high amounts. Please note that obtaining these nutrients via supplements manufactured in a factory setting is not an optimal way to consume them.
Co-enzyme Q10: Highly protective against cancer. Found only in animal foods.
Vitamin A: Beta carotene in plant foods is not Vitamin A, is not easily converted to Vitamin A in the body and never converted in quantities to support optimal health. True Vitamin A strengthens the immune system. Essential for mineral metabolism and endocrine function. Helps detoxify. True vitamin A is found only in animal foods such as cod liver oil; fish and shellfish; and liver, butter and egg yolks from pasture-fed animals. Traditional diets contained ten times more vitamin A than the typical modern American diet.
Vitamin C: An important antioxidant that prevents damage by free radicals. Found in many fruits and vegetables but also in certain organ meats valued by primitive peoples.
Vitamin B6: Deficiencies are associated with cancer. Contributes to the function of over 100 enzymes. Most available from animal foods especially grassfed raw milk.
Vitamin B12: Deficiencies are associated with cancer. Found only in animal foods. Liver is the best source by far.
Vitamin B17: Protects against cancer. Found in a variety of organically grown grains, legumes, nuts and berries.
Vitamin D: Required for mineral absorption. Strongly protective against breast and colon cancer. Found only in animal foods such as cod liver oil, lard, shellfish and butterfat, organ meats and egg yolks from grass-fed animals. Traditional diets contained ten times more vitamin D than the typical modern American diet.
Vitamin E: Works as an antioxidant at the cellular level. Found in unprocessed oils as well as in animal fats like butter and egg yolks.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): Strongly protective against breast cancer. Found in the butterfat and meat fat of grass-fed ruminant animals.
Cholesterol: A potent antioxidant that protects against free radicals in cell membranes. Found only in animal foods.
Minerals: The body needs generous amounts of a wide variety of minerals to protect itself against cancer. Minerals like zinc, magnesium and selenium are vital components of enzymes that help the body fight carcinogens. Minerals are more easily absorbed from animal foods.
Lactic Acid and Friendly Bacteria: Contribute to the health of the digestive tract. Found in old fashioned lacto-fermented foods.
Saturated Fats: Strengthen the immune system. Needed for proper use of the essential fatty acids. The lungs cannot function without saturated fats. Found mostly in animal foods.
Long-Chain Fatty Acids: Arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) help fight cancer on the cellular level. They are found mostly in animal foods such as butter, organ meats, cod liver oil and seafood.
Additives in Processed Foods that Can Cause Cancer
While a cancer prevention lifestyle includes eating a whole foods diet rich in the nutrients above, it is equally as important to avoid the chemicals, additives and other dangerous substances in processed foods that contribute to its development.
The list below provided by the Weston A. Price article How to Protect Yourself Against Cancer with Food summarizes what to avoid:
Trans Fatty Acids: Imitation fats in shortenings, margarines and most commercial baked goods and snack foods. Strongly associated with cancer of the lungs and reproductive organs.
Rancid fats: Industrial processing creates rancidity (free radicals) in commercial vegetable oils which are in nearly all processed cookies, crackers and chips.
Omega-6 fatty acids: Although needed in small amounts, an excess can contribute to cancer. Dangerously high levels of omega-6 fatty acids are due to the overuse of vegetable oils in modern diets.
MSG: Associated with brain cancer. Found in almost all processed foods, even when “MSG” does not appear on the label. Flavorings, spice mixes and hydrolyzed protein contain MSG.
Aspartame: Imitation sweetener in diet foods and beverages. Associated with brain cancer.
Pesticides: Associated with many types of cancer. Found in most commercial vegetable oils, fruit juices, vegetables and fruits.
Hormones: Found in animals raised in confinement on soy and grains. Plant-based hormones are plentiful in soy foods.
Artificial Flavorings and Colors: Associated with various types of cancers, especially when consumed in large amounts in a diet of junk food.
Refined Carbohydrates: Sugar, high fructose corn syrup and white flour are devoid of nutrients. The body uses up nutrients from other foods to process refined carbohydrates. Tumor growth is associated with sugar consumption.
What Do You Think?
Do you think it’s a good idea to have surgery to remove breasts and ovaries if one has a defective, mutated gene that raises cancer risk considerably? Or, is a cancer prevention lifestyle which includes emphasis on Traditional Diet a better approach?
More Information
How to Protect Yourself Against Cancer with Food
Angelina Jolie Reveals Plans for More Surgery after Double Masectomy
Would You Ever Do Chemo or Radiation for Cancer?
Dee
I had a 60%+ chance of developing breast cancer without having any known genetic mutation. Genetic testing and my oncologist had no real answer for the high breast cancer death rate that exists throughout multiple generations in my family. Through much prayer, years of research, diet and lifestyle changes and knowing multiple internal and external influences can and will cause cancer, I chose to have a bilateral mastectomy with immediate DIEP reconstruction. It was supposed to be a prophylactic procedure since I had no previous diagnosis of cancer. But the surgical pathology results six days after my procedure returned a cancer diagnosis of multiple tumors throughout my left breast. The choice to have this procedure ultimately saved my life. I am healthy, happy and cancer free today.
Angelina Jolie has no influence on my life choices. No one (including the comments made here or within this article) will convince me the choice I made to have this surgery was poorly made, improperly researched or resulted from a paranoid delusion.
Tina Malone via Facebook
I really don’t think any of us should judge someone’s decision when faced with the cancer risk that Angelina Jolie is facing. I would make the same choice in her shoes. I had to have an emergency hysterectomy due to hemorraghing. I was bleeding to death. When they asked if I wanted them to take my ovaries, I said “Hell yes!”. I wanted to avoid ovarian cancer and if they were in there already, might as well take them. I was done having kids. You don’t cite any studies that show that pancreatic cancer increases after having your ovaries removed, however, there are studies that show that removal of the ovaries saves lives. When you are making blanket statements like “the cancer moves to the pancreas” and “cancer will just crop up in the weakest part of the body”, please cite studies instead of anecdotal data.
Caty
Took the words out of my mouth!
Kelli J
No where in this article is there a blanket statement that says “the cancer moves to the pancreas” or “cancer will just crop up in the weakest part if the body”. It clearly says “it MAY increase the risk” and asks the question WOULD the surgeries spike the risk of pancreatic cancer?
It then mentions a woman that exactly that happened to with a link to an article, written by her Doctors, stating it was unexpected & they suggest pancreatic screening also before making the decision for surgical removals for cancer prevention.
There was no judgment in this article. Simply providing information with regard to the BRCA1 & BRCA2 screening, whys & what fors with a suggestion that proper diet & lifestyle choices may be more appropriate.
Seems to me judgment quickly went pointing toward the writer when inaccurately & unjustly reading judgment where none exists.
Paola Brown
Ditto, Kelli J. Seems like Tina Malone could use a lesson on reading more carefully.
SoldiersforJmj Jmj via Facebook
And we all have 100% chance of dying, so shall we all commit suicide as a preventative? Shall we remove our brains for potential brain cancer, our heart for potential heart attack, our eyes for potential blindness, our skin for potential wrinkling, our ears for potential deafness, our bones and joints for potential arthritis, our liver for potential cirrhosis….where does the stupidity end? Doctors that perform such and insurance companies that pay for such should be put out of business. What happened to the Hippocratic oath that each doctor must take….first do no harm? Maybe removing the brain is not such a bad idea after all…smh.
Rhodie Brooks Green via Facebook
Removing your ability to produce important hormones is self-destructive. Living in fear will make one weary; however, monitoring the situation can prevent problems without butchering yourself. If estrogen really caused cancer, then ALL women would have it. “Fake” estrogens from pharmaceutical birth control are a completely different issue. Like most things, be careful what you put in your mouth!
Cindy Noone-White via Facebook
You “Christians” are not very Christlike. Judge not lest you be judged. You have beliefs. Angelina has beliefs. You’re both entitled. Leave it at that.
Shelby Snorek via Facebook
Every body has some cancer cells in them, it is up to you whether or not you feed them.
B Juliana Leo via Facebook
I’m not standing on any judgment either, my two cousins – ages 54 and 59 – JUST recently died from cancer, within weeks of each other. One reason that I believe could have contributed to it, was the amount of pesticides that were used in the area in which they lives – in Jackson, TN – lot of cotton fields. Their mom told me, they could smell the pesticides when they were being used. How can you completely avoid everything? Sugars, wheat, flour, corn – all GMO infected foods are part of the reason, right?! We’ve been duped for years that we’re being fed good food….all the while it was contributing to the disease. The Government and the Big Companies have been in cahoots over this for decades…and we are the by BY-product of their insane chemical usage. WE HAVE ALL BEEN GUINEA PIGS and never knew it. 🙁
Jen Coleman
you just hit the nail precisely on the head.
Kathy Ruth Ellis via Facebook
When it comes to cancer, some people are willing to try any alternative treatment. I can understand that. This is very radical, and I don’t believe many others could afford, or would do the same, just because Angelina did it. Also, we do not know her heart or her feelings. It is not right to make mean remarks, or to judge her based on what we think we see. I know as a person, she trys to help other people. Anyone who has experienced deep emotional pain in their life, would know how hard it is to live with. I am sure she has her own sorrows to deal with, rich as she is. Money does not cure everything. Also, a person shouldn’t be ridiculed for the money they earned, by their own talent and hard work. Parents should be role models, not celebrities, anyway. If a grown adult decides to copy Angelina, that is there own choice.
Kathryn Phillips Sims via Facebook
How do you know she isn’t already taking care of herself by eating well and supplementing? I would venture to say she’s already doing that. Why wouldn’t she be?
Jeni Gillespie via Facebook
My question is where does this stop?! What’s next lungs, can’t breathe without those. Brain, can’t function without that. Along with all the other organs that cancer can manifest itself in, especially when cancer seems to travel to other places sometimes once diagnosed in different areas. I agree that if people with money start making this the norm, then it’s possible it could turn into something required and isn’t an option. I’m sorry that her mother passed but take steps to less stress and more self care along with a proper diet. She should be celebrating the life her mother had instead of removing body parts and organs. It is just setting herself up for more stress of constantly worrying what next. Just my opinion.
Kristin
You might feel differently if you had been through what other BRCA mutation carriers have been through. BRCA1 mutations are known to cause breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers specifically. My mother had breast cancer at age 34, again in her early 40’s and died two years ago from ovarian cancer at age 56. Her sister died from ovarian cancer at age 34. Her mother also died from ovarian cancer. Her father from pancreatic. And all of her father’s siblings from various forms of cancer. Her grandparents both had cancer as well, but survived to their 90’s. My mother ate a plant-based macrobiotic diet for 23 years. My grandmother used essential oils, tried juice fasts, and dozens of other alternative ways of healing. My mother’s aunt had chemotherapy and surgery after she was diagnosed. None of these women survived. So if having surgery BEFORE a cancer diagnosis might prevent the devastation and suffering, then it’s worth a shot. I don’t think it’s a scam, or a fad. It’s a desperate attempt to live. And if you understood the depth of heartache and suffering in families with BRCA mutations, who have watched cancer strike down person after person, you might understand why someone would chose such a radical solution. I miss my breasts. I miss feeling normal. And I miss my mom too…
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
I am so sorry for your loss Kristin. Obviously, no one can understand that unless she has gone through it personally.