Breast Cancer Survival and Trans Fat

“With a growing number of breast cancer survivors, there is tremendous interest in establishing whether changes in lifestyle influence breast cancer outcome.” So started the introduction of this 2011 study, suggesting two things about our diet can significantly alter the survival of women with breast cancer.

We talked about one already: saturated fat—increasing one’s risk of dying 41%, and what foods to avoid. The second factor was even more significant: trans fat—increasing one’s risk of dying 78% after diagnosis, within a seven-year period. How do we avoid that stuff?

Once again, cakes, cookies, and animal products top the list. And then, it’s basically margarine, French fries, potato chips, and Crisco. So, junk food and animal products may be contributing to a 78% increase in mortality in women already burdened with breast cancer.

As the federal 2010 Dietary Guidelines concluded for everyone, not just those with cancer, Americans should keep their intake of trans fatty acids as low as possible.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.

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