There are numerous ways to prevent and heal; nothing in medicine should ever take the cookie-cutter approach. Curcumin and CoQ10 are two powerful breast cancer supplements worth checking out. Both Curcumin and CoQ 10 may reduce inflammation and kill breast cancer cells. These bioavailable (ability to be highly absorbed in your body) supplements can also help neutralize the side effects of scans (CAT, MRI, etc.), radiation, and chemo.

A recent survey of Oncologists and breast cancer patients showed that 73% of women with breast cancer use complementary and integrative approaches during their treatment. This is why I do what I do, and why I created the 7 Essentials System®. Nothing in our world is black and white / completely one way or the other. You deserve the best. So give yourself the greatest treatment plan that can include a wide range of medicines, supplements, treatments, and therapies for your mind, body, and soul. 

Think of your body like soil in a garden. If the soil is depleted of nutrients, full of rocks, and lacking consistent water and sunshine—nothing will grow. No matter how high-tech and world-class the seeds are. Taking supplements, such as Curcumin and CoQ10, nourish your body so that it can weaken unhealthy cells, strengthen your immune system, and allow medicines and treatments to work. 

To learn more ways to get your body in peak condition, check out my Wellness Warrior Podcast, The Blog, and Healthy Breast Recipes. 

Curcumin + Breast Cancer

While CoQ10 and curcumin have antioxidant properties, they affect your body differently and provide specific results.

Intro to Curcumin

The names turmeric and curcumin are often mistakenly used interchangeably for the bright yellow/orange powder found in anti-inflammatory supplements, golden milk (treat yourself to these divine golden milk donuts!), curries, etc. Here’s the difference: turmeric contains curcuminoids, which are bioactive compounds, and curcumin is one of these curcuminoid compounds.

I strongly suggest using a top-of-the-line curcumin supplement vs. turmeric. Turmeric only gives you 2-9% curcuminoids, but curcumin contains 75% active curcuminoids! Add black pepper (piperine is the primary active component) to empower your body to absorb curcumin easily. It will increase the bioavailability by 2,000%—making it one of the most powerful inflammation reducers! 

Other Uses for Curcumin

For centuries, Ayurvedic medicine used curcumin to help people heal from health issues without side effects. Now, the medical science world is catching up with numerous studies proving what Ayurvedic practitioners already knew: reducing inflammation in the body reduces major illnesses such as:

• Heart disease: it improves your endothelial function (the thin membrane that covers the inside of your heart and blood vessels) and regulates your blood pressure.
• Arthritis: It can naturally ease pain and stiffness without nasty side effects.
• Alzheimer’s Disease: It helps increase the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that keeps neurons healthy and properly functioning.
• Depression: This brilliant study dives into how curcumin provides anti-depression effects on the brain, and how it interacts with other parts of the body. Curcumin can support serotonin and dopamine production, easing feelings of depression. It can also enhance the level of neurotrophic factors such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF. (As mentioned above in Alzheimer’s Disease).
• Cancer: Current research suggests that it may prevent cancer and slow it from spreading. It also can make some conventional treatments more effective because it protects healthy cells from the damage of radiation therapy, for example. To learn more, keep on reading! Also, check out this blog on fascinating studies about curcumin helping with a number of different cancers, such as prostate, cervical, and breast.

Today is a good day to reduce your inflammation and kick your body into high healing gear with Optimal Curcumin! Since curcumin is fat-soluble, meaning it is best absorbed with oils or healthy fats, my version of curcumin contains a high-quality MCT oil. This helps it quickly absorb into your body. As an added bonus, MCT is great for boosting your brain health!

What Curcumin Does For Your Body

Curcumin helps you fight foreign invaders and chronic inflammation to keep your body strong, healthy, and illness-free. Since chronic inflammation is the cause of many illnesses, reducing inflammation should be at the top of your priority list. 

Oxidative damage is one of the main causes of aging and the diseases that can come with it. However, if your body is properly cared for, these “old age” dis-eases do not have to be part of your vibrantly aging plan! Since curcumin is a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals due to its chemical structure, protecting your DNA from damage is possible. 

How Curcumin Supports Breast Cancer Healing

Its main claim to fame is the heroic job of protecting your DNA from damaging free radicals—aka preventing and/or slowing the spread of cancer! 

Our mighty friend curcumin can also help in many other areas of your healing journey. Here are a few examples:

• Decreases joint pain: Curcumin has been found to ease joint pain associated with aromatase inhibitors (hormonal therapies used to treat ER-positive breast cancer). 
• Reducing side effects from conventional treatments: Curcumin may also help ease the horrible side effects of conventional treatments. 
• Increases the effectiveness of conventional treatments: Curcumin can be used in coordination with a natural healing protocol called “hyperthermia” to increase the effectiveness of cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation.

Start optimizing your health and healing with Optimal Curcumin!

CoQ10 + Breast Cancer

Intro to CoQ10 

CoQ10 can also be called Q10, Coenzyme Q10, Vitamin Q10, Ubiquinone, or Ubidecarenone. However, for the sake of focusing on education, instead of a long, cumbersome name, I will refer to this supplement as CoQ10. 

CoQ10 is a chemical compound naturally made by the cells in your body. It is found in most body tissues and used for growth and maintenance. The highest amounts are found in the heart, liver, kidneys, and pancreas. As people age, natural CoQ10 production can decrease, so people supplement it to maintain optimal health levels. When purchasing CoQ10, make sure it uses all-natural ingredients, including vitamin E, medium chain triglycerides (MCT), and lecithin that is free of polysorbate 80, such as the Breast Cancer Conqueror Bio CoQ10 – Q-Eval. 

Other Uses For CoQ10

CoQ10 is currently being used to:

• Help reduce symptoms of Parkinson’s disease
• Treat infertility
• Prevent heart disease
• Reduce cholesterol
• Prevent migraines
• Reduce muscle pain caused by cholesterol medications known as statins

CoQ10 can cause mild side effects such as sleeplessness, nausea, loss of appetite, and diarrhea if taken in high doses. 

What CoQ10 Does For Your Body

Enzymes are proteins that speed up natural chemical reactions in the body. Your body’s cells use coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to make the energy needed for cells to grow and stay healthy. It also uses CoQ10 as an antioxidant to protect from free radicals that damage your DNA, leading to cancer and other diseases. In short, a coenzyme helps an enzyme do its job correctly.

How CoQ10 Supports Breast Cancer Healing

Please note: CoQ10 and ubiquinol may affect your response to certain medications. As always, please do not try anything new before talking with your medical team and Breast Cancer Conqueror Coach. 

Chemotherapy: Since CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that helps lower inflammation and empowers your body’s healing mechanisms to kick in, taking it may protect against anthracycline-induced damage to the cardiovascular system. To learn more, check out this study. You can also discover other ways to support your body before, during, and after chemo via this blog about Survival Tips.

Boosting your immune system: A strong immune system is critical during treatments and in every moment of your life. It fights off illness, stops cancer cells from growing, and keeps you healthy overall. CoQ10 is a potent antioxidant. Therefore, it will boost your immune system in a way that prevents DNA damage and cancer cells from growing.

 

Take comfort in the fact that you are getting to heal in a time of cutting-edge research on holistic healing. Your healing plan no longer has to be only “Western” or “Eastern.” It can be a balance of the two, giving you an integrative approach. Working with a private Breast Cancer Conqueror Coach will provide you with step-by-step directions and loving guidance—a hearing ear who “gets it”—to guide you through each step of your journey. You never need to fear breast cancer again!