Prevent A Breast Cancer Recurrence Naturally

[This previously published article has been updated on July 28, 2026]

If I had a dollar for each time I was asked, “How can I prevent a breast cancer recurrence naturally?” I could’ve been a millionaire by now. The answer lies no further than your grocer’s produce section and your gym shoes: high amounts of vegetables and fruit, and moderate physical activity and exercise every day.

Read more below, but here’s more information on us first…

PREVENT TODAY. THRIVE TOMORROW.

This is our motto at The Cancer Detox. Our goal is to bring science-backed cancer prevention that is heart-centered to everyone we work with.

Click here to download our FREE eBook “8 Prevention Facts for Breast Cancer Survivors” which includes 8 facts on how to prevent a breast cancer recurrence naturally using a breast cancer diet and lifestyle that lowers the risk of a recurrence. It also includes 3-days of healthy, plant-based recipes.

INTRODUCTION

With an ever-growing number of breast cancer cases in the United States (approximately 297,000 per year), breast cancer is now the most frequently diagnosed cancer [1]. There are well over 4 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., which includes those actively being treated and those who have ended treatment [2]. Many breast cancer survivors may want to know how to prevent a breast cancer recurrence naturally.

 

And even during cancer treatment, breast cancer patients, and all cancer patients for that matter, look to natural remedies such as cancer diets, cancer-fighting supplements, and vitamins. A recent study reported that at least 43% of cancer patients reported that they took some type of nutritional supplement during chemotherapy [4]. Not all “natural” supplements are created equal, particularly antioxidant supplements, which may cause more harm than good to the cancer patient on treatment, so it’s best to speak with your healthcare provider if you decide to do this [4]

 

The healthcare system and its providers should now be focused on educating breast cancer survivors on how to prevent a breast cancer recurrence naturally through diet and exercise. Many of our breast cancer survivor clients come to us to create a health transformation after their treatment has ended. Both breast cancer patients and survivors want to feel empowered about their health after the disempowerment they feel during their cancer treatment process. 

 

Whether breast cancer patients and survivors want to become plant-based or more physically active, they use health coaching services to help them make lasting changes for their health. The one thing we focus on is increasing their vegetable intake. Vegetables are the one food group that can help you prevent a breast cancer recurrence naturally (as you’ll see below). 

 

However, vegetables cannot be the only thing breast cancer survivors rely on to prevent a breast cancer recurrence because a holistic game plan should encompass multiple healthy habits. The two main habits I want breast cancer survivors to consider are eating vegetables and fruits, as well as exercising to help them prevent a breast cancer recurrence naturally, because the science convincingly shows they have a lower risk of a second breast cancer diagnosis.

 

However, these two habits are among the hardest for survivors to maintain consistently. Only half of breast cancer survivors report getting at least 9 metabolic equivalent tasks (MET) -h/week, which equals 30 min of walking daily. And when it comes to healthy eating, again, only half of survivors say they eat at least 5 daily servings of vegetables and fruits [3].

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RESEARCH ON BREAST CANCER DIET AND SELF-CARE ACTIVITIES

So, when researchers asked 1490 breast cancer survivors, with an average age of 50 years, and diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer to enter a study examining how the combination of vegetables, fruits, and exercise affected their risk of death, the results were encouraging. This study may help breast cancer survivors prevent a breast cancer recurrence naturally.

Here are some of the characteristics of the women diagnosed with breast cancer who entered this trial:

• 40% were stage I
• 45% were stage II
• 15% were stage III
• The majority were taking tamoxifen
• All were cancer-free, as determined by an oncologist
• The women were within 4 years of diagnosis, with an average time from diagnosis to the study analysis being 8.7 years

The women were asked to report the amounts of vegetables and fruits (V-F) they consumed over several weeks. In this analysis, the researchers excluded V-F with low nutritional value (e.g., iceberg lettuce, white potatoes, and low-nutrient fruit juices).

The breast cancer survivors also recorded their current physical activity (PA), with 3 METs considered low physical activity, 5 METs moderate physical activity, and 8 METs being vigorous physcial activity.

5 SERVINGS OF VEGETABLES & FRUITS, PLUS DAILY VIGOROUS ACTIVITY, INCREASES LONG-TERM SURVIVAL RATES

The researchers found that women with high daily V-F intake who also had high PA had a 10-year survival rate of 93%. The 10-year survival rate was lower, 86% and 87%, for breast cancer survivors

1. Ate a low amount of V-F a day but also did high PA a day (86%)
2. Ate a high amount of V-F but did low PA a day (87%) [3]

Eating a high amount of V-F daily and doing high PA every day reduced the mortality rate in women who were normal weight AND obese. This is a significant finding! As you may have read, being overweight or obese increases the risk of cancer.

Science has shown that women who are obese have an increased risk of both new and recurring breast cancer diagnoses [3].

When the researchers teased out the results on the effects of eating just V-F on death in this group of breast cancer survivors, they found that the more vegetables the women ate, the lower the mortality rate. Women who consumed fewer than 3.43 servings of fruits and vegetables daily had the highest mortality rate, at 12.4%.

The more V-F women ate, the greater the decline in mortality rates the researchers observed. This effect was observed with up to 5 servings of V-F per day.

The researchers also looked at breast cancer receptor status (e.g., estrogen receptor status) and whether daily consumption of high amounts of V-F and also doing high levels of PA a day affected survivorship when compared to women who ate low amounts of V-F and did low levels of PA.

They found the following:

• ER+/PR+: In women who were estrogen receptor-positive/progesterone receptor-positive and ate high amounts of V-F and did high levels of PA, there were significantly increased survival rates compared to women with low consumption of V-F  and low levels of PA
• ER+/PR-: In women who were estrogen receptor-positive/progesterone receptor-negative, there was a significant increase in survivorship for women with high V-F and PA
• ER-/PR+: In women who were estrogen receptor-negative/progesterone receptor-positive, there was a borderline significant increase in survivorship for women with high V-F and PA
• ER-/PR-: In women who were estrogen receptor-negative/progesterone receptor-negative, there was no significant increase in survivorship, BUT there was a numerical increase in survivorship for women in the high V-F and PA group (~10%) compared to women in the low V-F and PA group (~13%).

CONCLUSION

If you are a breast cancer survivor, talk to your healthcare provider if increasing your fruit and vegetable intake or physical activity is right for you. And thank you for taking the time to read “Prevent a Breast Cancer Recurrence Naturally.” For more information on how to get in contact with Dr. Dee Grace, see below.

WATCH THE FREE WEBINAR EVENT

There is a growing number of young people under the age of 50 being diagnosed with various types of cancer. For women in this age group, a cancer diagnosis can be financially toxic and cause upheaval in their families.

Cancer prevention for women 50 and under is a top priority and we’ve identified the silent enemy that is driving up cancer rates in this group. Watch the FREE webinar now.

 

BUY THE CANCER PREVENTION BOOK

Dr. Grace’s latest book on Cancer Prevention: The Diet and Lifestyle Habits That Cancer Hates. Available on Amazon.

 

 

GET IN TOUCH WITH DR. DEE GRACE!

Email: hello@thecancerdetox.com

Phone: 678-310-8101

Text: (737) 214-6439

Complimentary Meeting: Schedule a complimentary call with me here. Want to know what to eat to prevent a new or recurring cancer diagnosis? Recently diagnosed with cancer and need a list of questions to ask your doctor? Contact me today.

 

IMPORTANT ARTICLES

• Get info on cancer-fighting diets and cancer prevention:
  • Prostate cancer diet here and here
  • Breast cancer diet here, here, and here
  • Colon cancer diet here, and here
• Download the FREE eBook on 7 Tips to Conquer and Prevent Cancer Naturally, which is our short list of what to eat for cancer prevention and 3 days of plant-based recipes.

Here’s To Your Best Health!

Dee Grace, PhD

Hi! I am Dee Grace Ph.D., Scientist and Health Coach at The Cancer Detox. My career in cancer research has allowed me to work with doctors to find new treatments for this disease.  I brought my scientific knowledge to The Cancer Detox to help patients get better care from their doctors during their cancer treatment process, so the focus is on improving their survival outcomes and reducing the financial burden caused by cancer treatment. If you are a cancer patient Schedule a complimentary call (click here) with me now to discuss how to reduce your financial burden and get questions every patient needs to ask their doctor (schedule soon! spots fill up quickly because I am busy researching and helping clients).

I also help people adopt a “prevention first!” mindset. Why? Because, so you don’t have to experience the long-lasting financial setbacks a cancer diagnosis causes. My new book “Cancer Prevention: Diet and Lifestyle Factors that Reduce Your Risk” focuses on cancer fighting foods and how to adopt a cancer fighting diet. Sign up for my early bird NEW BOOK list and get 50% of the book price plus my newest guide on the health benefits of Spirulina for weight loss, heart health, skin care, and eye health.

REFERENCES

[1] SEER Database: Cancer Stat Facts – Female Breast Cancer https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html.

[2] American Cancer Society: Key Statistics for Breast Cancer https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/about/how-common-is-breast-cancer.html#:~:text=At%20this%20time%20there%20are,those%20who%20have%20completed%20treatment.)

[3] Pierce JP et al. Greater survival after breast cancer in physically active women with high vegetable-fruit intake regardless of obesity. J Clin Oncol. 2007;10:2345-2351 

[4] Kleckner AS, et al. The Effects of a Mediterranean Diet Intervention on Cancer-Related Fatigue for Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Aug 30;14(17):4202. doi: 10.3390/cancers14174202.