Understanding Fasting Mimicking Diet - A Treatment for Breast Cancer Combined with Hormone Therapy

According to a recent study published in the journal 'Nature', Fasting Mimicking Diet combined with hormone therapy is beneficial for curing breast cancer. This study has also featured in Hindustan Times. Furthermore, the study states that fasting-mimicking diet can improve the efficiency of chemotherapy treatment. However, breast surgeons in Pune or elsewhere say it is too early to conclude whether the effects will be confirmed in large-scale clinical trials. Since there is less awareness about fasting-mimicking diet, in this article, we are going to understand in detail about it. What happens when you are diagnosed with breast cancer? Doctors after diagnosing breast cancer conduct further analysis to establish the stage of cancer. If the tumour is small, the doctors use medications to control it. However, if it is on stage two or three, methods like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, etc. are used to destroy the cancer cells or reduce the size of the tumour and control it. In the chemotherapy treatment, following the fasting-mimicking diet before the chemo sessions can improve the efficiency of the process. Post this; if chemotherapy is now working in treating cancer, then mastectomy procedure is performed. What is Fasting Mimicking Diet? Fast-mimicking diet is a high-fat, low-calorie intermittent fasting method that supplies prepackaged meals for five days. This diet was suggested by Italian Biologist- Valter Longo. He is famous for his studies on the role of fasting and nutrient response genes, along with studies based on genetic diseases. Longo, in his research, stated that this method is a five-day fasting program based on healthy natural products and ingredients. Furthermore, a study by the University of Southern California supported Longo's theory. According to the USC research, A short-term fast appears to counteract the increase in blood sugar caused by common cancer drugs. Thus, protecting healthy cells from becoming too vulnerable to chemotherapy. Fasting-mimicking diet has proved as a beneficial method for those patients with genetic mutations like the BRCA genes. Such people are at high risk of cancer. What is the impact of the fasting-mimicking diet on the body? Fasting Mimicking Diet directly affects the insulin, leptin and IGF1 levels in the body by reducing them. All of which stays reduced for a longer duration, especially the insulin and IGF levels. Reduced levels also affect the overall Basal Metabolic Index, eventually reducing it. Thus, we can conclude that this therapy is a combination of dieting as well as hormone therapy. Conclusion Breast cancer is a life-threatening disease. Fasting-mimicking diet can be seen as a ray of hope for all the people who are suffering from breast cancer. However, the conclusion on the effectiveness of it can only be understood after the clinical trials of fasting-mimicking diet get a green signal. And they are successful without any side effects. Till such time, you can utilize other methods of treating breast cancer like Prophylactic Mastectomies and other surgical procedures.