28/12/2025
After just 14 days of eating a healthier diet, women’s blood was able to slow down breast cancer cells growing in petri dishes—killing 20–30% more cancer cells than before the diet change. Researchers linked this effect to lower levels of IGF-1, a cancer-promoting growth hormone.
People eating plant-based diets for 14 years have half the amount of IGF-1 in their bodies, and more than twice the IGF-binding protein than those eating a more westernized diet.
What benefits do lifestyle changes have on breast cancer survival? Here are a few examples:
➡️ EAT FRUITS AND VEGGIES: Eating five or more servings a day and walking about 30 minutes a day, six days a week, were associated with a significant breast cancer survival advantage.
➡️ LOWER SATURATED FAT: Randomized studies show that when people with early-stage breast cancer lower their saturated fat intake, there is an increase in breast cancer survival.
➡️ HIGH-FIBER DIET: A higher fiber diet was associated with a 37% lower risk of dying from all causes put together and a 28% lower risk of dying specifically from breast cancer among breast cancer survivors––and it didn’t take much. There was about a 10% drop in death risk for every increment of 5 daily grams of dietary fiber. 🥦 That’s like 1 daily cup of oatmeal or broccoli, or just 1/3 cup of beans.
The diet that helps to prevent cancer also helps to prevent heart disease.
🚭 don’t smoke
👟 walk every day
🥦🫐 center your diet around whole plant foods
By living and eating more healthfully, we can increase our chances of living a long, healthy life.
📚 The revised and updated tenth anniversary edition of How Not to Die is out now. Learn more at https://see.nf/3RtYuWK.
See the following resources to learn more:
“Which Dietary Factors Affect Breast Cancer Most?” at https://bit.ly/3RsRXJH
“Diet and Lifestyle for Cancer Prevention and Survival” at https://bit.ly/3Ol8Nfs
“How to Help Control Cancer Metastasis with Diet” at https://see.nf/40Aw3vK
“How Plant-Based to Lower IGF-1?” at https://bit.ly/3ZvfSOc
“Breast Cancer Survival Vegetable” at https://bit.ly/2rSn6zO
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