Interview with Patricia Dean-Escoto, Author and Breast Cancer Survivor

We have seen lots of media coverage about breast cancer recently. Angelina Jolie’s decision to undergo mastectomy to prevent breast cancer was widely publicized. Everyone praised Angelina’s brave decision but not many talked about preventing this disease with right nutrition.

As a result, most women fear that they need to undergo the same expensive procedure for prevention.

What got lost in the media coverage was that breast cancer can be prevented naturally on a budget. Eating organic food and following a healthy lifestyle are very important when it comes to prevent this disease.

That’s why we are excited to interview Patricia Dean-Escoto, breast cancer survivor and author of The Top Ten Superfoods for Preventing Breast Cancer.

Patricia was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2006.

In this book, Patricia discusses why genetics is not the only factor that causes breast cancer. Environmental factors play a huge role in causing this disease. So with the right healthy living strategies, it is easy to conquer breast cancer on a budget.

1) What prompted you to write this book?

My intention for writing the book was to share, not only my personal story with readers, but to also help those interested in arming themselves against this deadly disease, that despite our best efforts, continues to claim thousands of lives each year.

I strongly believe the best way to cure cancer is to prevent it.

Sadly, only a tiny fraction of the billions of dollars collected each year, by the various charities and organizations throughout America, goes to educating the public about prevention.

Having also worked in the Healthcare industry for a number of years, I have seen firsthand what insurance companies call wellness and prevention. It’s a system of ‘managed’ care, one that is centered on illness after its onset rather than educating the public about what they can do to prevent disease.

Mainstream medicine considers the mammogram to be a part of a person’s prevention plan, along with the cessation of smoking. However, by the time a tumor is detected in a mammogram, it has been growing anywhere from 2 to 5 years.

There is so much evidence showing a direct link between nutrition and the development of cancer, but no one is talking about it. These were my main reasons for writing the book – to help those who want to focus on prevention or re-occurrence.

2) Many women are quite concerned about breast cancer. What is the likelihood that you may be diagnosed with breast cancer in the present or future?

The likelihood that a woman in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer has risen from one in twenty chances in 1950, to the current rate of one in eight.

Breast cancer among white women from 1950 to 1989 increased by 53% (or by over 1% annually) and today, it is the most prevalent type of cancer in women. Furthermore, it is the leading cause of death among women between the ages of 40-55.

3) In the book, you mention that genetics is not the only factor that causes breast cancer? Can you elaborate on that?

Yes. According to the CDC, about 12 percent of women who have a negative BRCA gene will develop breast cancer, and about 60 percent of woman who have a positive BRCA gene will develop breast cancer. Although this percentage seems high, it is important to note that 90 – 95 percent of all breast cancers are developed in women who have a negative BRCA result.

Therefore, although women with a positive BRCA gene have a higher chance of getting breast cancer, they do not comprise the majority of the breast cancers reported today.

4) What steps can we take today to prevent this disease?

First, and foremost, it is important to understand the relationship between what we eat and how that affects our body on a cellular level.

Highly processed foods, containing trans fats and simple sugars, are gene altering. They are extremely addictive and provide little in the way of key nutrients the body needs to function.

Equally as important is being mindful of the negative effects of the many chemicals we use on a daily basis. These include what we use to clean our homes and what we put on our skin.

The Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) has a wonderful website devoted to informing consumers about where these chemicals exists, and healthier alternatives to them.

5) What are some common myths about breast cancer?

The biggest myth about breast cancer is that is strikes out of nowhere and that there is little you can do about it.Cancer, of any form, is a signal from our body, telling us our internal system is seriously out of balance. This imbalance can be caused by a mental, physical, or spiritual misalignment.

The other myth is that we are winning the war on cancer. We are far from winning this war because the tools we are using to fight this battle are not the right ones.

Until we focus and what we are doing to our food system, in terms of GMOs, soil depletion, and our willingness to serve up nutrient-devoid food imitations, we will continue down the path of contracting preventable diseases and looking for pharmaceutical ways to cure them.

6) Where can our readers purchase your book?

You can purchase my book at directly from my website: www.pathways2healing.us or at Amazon.com.

7) Do you have any final recommendations or suggestions for living a healthy lifestyle on a budget?

Yes. Replace one of your meals with a home-made smoothie made from fruits and vegetables. It’s the best way to incorporate a variety of fruits and vegetables into your meal plan.

It also helps to unburden your gastrointestinal system, aiding in the detoxification process.

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