About
This book is a comprehensive summary of everything you need to know about diet and nutrition after a diagnosis of breast cancer.
Feeling unsure about what to eat after a diagnosis of breast cancer is a source of stress for many women. There is a lot of information available on nutrition and cancer, but little for women already diagnosed with breast cancer. There is even less information available that is written by a qualified expert in nutrition (who is also a breast cancer survivor herself!).
Dr Susan Hart has summarized all the facts and fads about breast cancer in one easy-to-read resource. It not only provides up-to-date nutrition information in plain English, but also provides practical ideas that can be used when purchasing, preparing, and eating food. It will help you to feel confident when making nutrition-related decisions, using the helpful acronym BABE.
The BABE Method
Healthy Living after Breast Cancer: The BABE Method summarizes healthy eating recommendations for women with breast cancer. It represents the specific factors that stand out as being the most important in reducing the risk of breast cancer recurrence:
B for body weight – aim to be at your healthiest weight. A for alcohol – limit or avoid alcohol. B for bones – prioritize calcium, and vitamin D for healthy bones, as bone health can suffer from breast cancer treatments. E for exercise – exercise reduces the risk of recurrence.Read on and start enjoying food again, confident that you can make choices that are good for your health too.
Foreword
As a medical oncologist working in breast cancer care, not a day would pass without a patient saying “What should I do about diet?”. It’s a very natural instinct to look for causes of ill health in what we put in our mouths, and the motivation to change is heightened by a wish to take control of at least something, in the tornado of diagnosis and treatment. Confused by the information on the Internet or passed on by well-meaning friends, patients are vulnerable to the suggestions of supplement sellers and “food fairies”. Until now, no written resource was comprehensive enough to address all of our needs for information, and to give direction to that energy for change. Enter Susan Hart, to throw us a lifeline. Her book evolved out of our discussions, her extensive research and professional background, and her talks with patients in our support groups at the Mater. She has gradually pieced together a comprehensive action plan to address the concerns of women, in a constructive and accessible format. Interspersed with vignettes from her own experiences, it reminds the reader that recovery is possible, and that an experience of breast cancer might even be an opportunity to make changes to lifestyle that will enhance health in the long term. Read on, and you will find yourself thinking about diet in a different and empowering way, and be well equipped to deal with new information as it comes to light in this important area of cancer research.
—Prof Fran Boyle AM
Director, Patricia Ritchie Centre for Cancer Care and Research Mater Hospital, Sydney, Australia
One of the major concerns raised by my patients after a diagnosis of breast cancer is diet, and exercise. In this marvelous book, Dr. Susan Hart is unafraid to address the unique issues that many breast cancer survivors are facing on a day-to-day basis. Concerns about which foods to eat, whether or not vitamins can be used, the role of supplements and soy, as well as exercise, are often neglected in the comprehensive care of the cancer patient. Yet Dr. Hart addresses these concerns with compassion, medical accuracy, and humor; all of which is underpinned by peer-reviewed research. The book provides clear, understandable solutions that put the reader at ease. There is also a lot of information about what to eat, and what to avoid during chemotherapy treatment. It is an excellent resource for patients and caregivers, and a valuable addition to the oncology and cancer survivorship fields.
—Prof John Boyages MD PhD
Director of the Macquarie University Cancer Institute Author: Breast Cancer: Taking Control
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