by: Dr. Veronique Desaulniers |

Information about little-known compounds called oxalates can be confusing and conflicting. They are often equated with the “bad” substances in foods but, in reality, oxalates are neither good nor bad. They can become problematic, however, when too many of them accumulate in the body.

When there’s too many oxalates – they can overwhelm the kidneys and lead to kidney stones and immune deficiency. Plus, according to a recent study, high levels of oxalate in the mammary area has been linked to breast cancer tumor growth as well.

Most oxalates are formed by the body itself

Oxalates (COOH), or oxalic acid, are strongly acidic substances that help both plants and animals in metabolization. About 60% to 80% of oxalates are formed by the body’s functions themselves. The other 20 to 40% of oxalates come from food.

Most fruits and vegetables contain a small amount of oxalatic acid and they are found in the leaves of plants as opposed to the roots, stalks and stems. The following foods contain a high amount of oxalates overall:

• Rhubarb
• Chocolate
• Spinach
• Beet greens
• Swiss chard
• Some nuts, especially almonds, cashews and peanuts
• Some berries, especially gooseberries
• Lemon and lime peel
• Some grains and pastas (except brown rice)
• Some legumes, especially navy beans, black beans and soybeans
• Okra
• Parsley

How are oxalates linked to breast cancer?

Oxalates are oxidizing substances. As such, they are extremely volatile and can be damaging to tissue in large amounts. Oxalate crystals cause the formation of kidney stones which can block the flow of urine and lead to kidney infection and bladder cancer.

These crystals are also razor sharp and can cause direct damage and long-lasting inflammation to whatever internal tissues they come into contact with. Oxalate-iron crystals can lead to iron depletion. When calcium-oxalate crystals form, they can lodge in internal organs and in bone. As they grow, they will crowd out bone marrow leading to immune deficiency and anemia.

Did you know?  The liver is the most important detoxifying organ in the body.  When the liver can’t effectively neutralize and dispose of toxins, they accumulate in the body.  Excess oxalates also have the ability to chelate heavy metals. Unlike other chelators, however, oxalates trap metals like mercury and lead in tissues. Excess oxalate has been linked to fibromyalgia, vulvodynia (vulvar pain), digestive disorders and autism.

The most startling new connection between excess oxalates and disease has to do with breast cancer, however. A 2015 study conducted by the National University of Cordova in Argentina compared the oxalate levels of breast cancer tumor tissue and regular breast tissue. They found that “all tested breast tumor tissues contain a higher concentration of oxalates than their counterpart non-pathological breast tissue.”

The researchers also discovered that oxalatic acid caused tumor proliferation and stimulated the expression of pro-tumor genes. Surprisingly, proliferation did not happen when oxalate was injected into the backs of laboratory mice. This indicates that high oxalate levels do not induce cancer tumor growth in all types of tissue.

Three ways to reduce your oxalate levels

1. Obtain calcium from natural foods. Calcium has an interesting relationship with oxalates.  Approximately 5-15% of the world population will develop some form of kidney stone. Of those, 80% will be calcium-oxalate stones. When calcium is combined with foods that are high in oxalates within the intestines, the two together form an oxalate-calcium crystal that the body cannot absorb.

When this happens, a “stone” is formed that will make its way to the kidneys to eventually be eliminated in the urine. The presence of oxalate-calcium crystals which can block urine flow and cause kidney infection can also lead to a higher risk of renal, pelvis and bladder cancers.  These same kinds of crystals can also form in the lungs, nerves, brain, bones, blood vessels and joints.

Does this mean that if you are prone to kidney stones, you should limit calcium intake?  Not necessarily. Research conducted on vegetarians found that they did not have higher than normal rates of calcium deficiency nor osteoporosis caused by oxalate interference.

In fact, according to a 2014 study published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, vegetarians had a lower rate of kidney stones than meat eaters did. Those who consumed calcium supplements on a regular basis, however, have shown time and again to have higher rates of kidney stones.  Calcium supplementation has also been linked to both prostate and breast cancer. Stick to natural and preferably vegetable and fruit-based sources of calcium to avoid both kidney stones and cancer.

2. Be aware of your protein intake, especially if you are a meat-eater: Be cautious when it comes to the protein, especially if it is derived from meat and dairy. Oxalates are produced from amino acids in the liver.

3. Maintain good intestinal flora: According to research, some individuals have a physiology that is prone to higher levels of oxalate uptake in the digestive tract (thus, a higher risk of kidney stones). Although there is evidence to suggest that hereditary disposition plays a role for some people, there is also a strong link between kidney stone formation and disorders of the digestive system, such as inflammatory bowel disease, leaky gut and Crohn’s.

Could oxalate hyper-absorption have more to do with extreme gut flora imbalance than genetics? The jury is still out on that one. What is known, however, is that it is the job of specific flora, in particular, certain species of Oxalobacter formigenes, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacteria, to process oxalatic acid and prepare it for absorption. Currently, there are several studies underway which focus on the role of oral probiotics in this process.

Let food work for you to keep oxalate levels in balance

Remember that problems only emerge when there is an excess of oxalates in the system. The standard American diet contributes to oxalate overload but you can also keep it in check through being proactive with prevention. Eating anti-oxidant rich food, consuming citrate-rich lemon and lime juice (which experts say can help prevent calcium-oxalate kidney stones), staying hydrated and watching your salt intake are other ways to keep kidney stones in check.

Also, don’t let fear of kidney stones prevent you from getting adequate amounts of vitamin C . One of the ways that oxalates are formed is through conversion from vitamin C. However, studies thus far have been inclusive as to whether high vitamin C intake actually leads to increased oxalate production.

In 2003, Dr. Nancy M. Cappello got her regular mammogram, and a clean bill of health. But six weeks later, her doctor felt a lump in her breast during a physical exam. Another mammogram did not see the lump, but a subsequent ultrasound did. Cappello was shocked to discover that she had stage 3C Breast Cancer which had spread to 13 lymph nodes. Her doctor explained that because she had a condition called “Dense Breasts,” the lump could not be detected through mammography.

What Is Dense Breast Syndrome?

 “Dense Breasts” or “Dense Breast Syndrome (DBS)” indicates breasts that have more glandular and supportive tissue than fatty tissue. According to the Mayo Clinic, about 4 in 10 women have scattered areas of dense tissue, roughly 4 in 10 women have mostly dense tissue, and about 1 in 10 women have breasts that are extremely dense.

It was once believed that dense breast syndrome was mostly hereditary. Now there is some evidence to suggest that breast density may be influenced by lifestyle, including certain medications as well as hormonal changes.  Dense Breast Syndrome can affect young women in particular.

Does Dense Breast Syndrome Mean a Higher Risk of Breast Cancer?

This is a tricky question. According to conventional medicine, the answer would be yes. However, investigations thus far have been solely based on analysis of mammography screenings over time. When breast tissue is denser, it is harder for tumors to be detected by mammography x-rays.

For example, a 2018 Norwegian study of over 100,00 individuals aged 50 to 69 found that “screening examinations of women having dense breasts showed higher rates of recall and biopsy, and higher odds of screen-detected and interval breast cancers than women with non-dense breasts.”

The main take away of this statement can be that if a person relies on mammography alone to check for Breast Cancer, there is a good chance that it will go unnoticed. Unfortunately, women with Dense Breasts are also exposed to more mammograms and biopsies than those who don’t have the condition. A little less than half of the states in the U.S. require that doctors encourage those with dense breast tissue of any level be scheduled for additional mammography exams as well as other imaging procedures such as PET, MRI and ultrasound.

Mammography screening, if used as a stand alone tool,  simply cannot fully provide very accurate and very early detection . While no screening method is 100% accurate, thermography uses heat and light to detect physiological changes in the breast tissue, that could potentially be cancerous approximately six to eight years before any palpable mass may appear. Sadly, Dr. Nancy Capello passed away at the very young age of 66.  But she has left a legacy of information about the challenges with Dense Breasts. 

Changing Laws and Changing Times

From 2003 until her death last year, Cappello would lead the charge for legislation concerning Dense Breasts. A large part of her passion was education. This included the creation of her website,AreYouDense.org. Dr. Cappello also changed the law in her home state of Connecticut and elsewhere. In many states, it is now required that women be informed if they have DBS. It is also mandatory for insurance companies in many states to cover ultrasound screening for them in particular.

That being said, the jury is still out as to whether having DBS in itself can raise risk the of Breast Cancer. 

What does all this mean for you? It means you should take a proactive stance in relation to your Breast Health. Consider including Thermography as a breast assessment tool, and identify any change of function in the breast tissue years before a lump is discovered. This information can allow you to restore your Breast Health by working with a qualified therapist. Learn how to do a proper and regular breast self-exam and become familiar with your own breasts.

There is a clear increase in a woman’s chances of getting breast cancer as they age, in particular once they get into their 40′s, 50′s and beyond. Why would there be such an increase in breast cancer rates in women at this age? What is the significance of this time in a woman’s life?

Hormone Imbalances and Estrogen Dominance

During this time, a woman is likely experiencing hormonal imbalance as she enters peri-menopause, and eventually menopause. The primary reasons for this imbalance are:

• declining levels of progesterone that occurs with aging, surgical removal of the ovaries or excessive stress (high cortisol equals low progesterone)
• higher levels of estrogen as the body struggles make an egg from aging ovaries
• accumulation of environmental hormone disruptors in the body from a lifetime of exposure to pollutants, plastics and pesticides (all contain xeno-estrogens)
• use of oral contraceptives (past or current)
• synthetic hormone replacement therapy
• an unhealthy digestive tract (where hormones are removed from the body)

These factors can contribute to an excess of estrogen in the body known as Estrogen Dominance.  Since estrogen stimulates cell growth, a predominance of it, especially in the absence of adequate levels of progesterone, presents an increased risk of cancer, particularly in the breast.

Don’t get me wrong, estrogen is not a demon!  It is all about balance.  To better understand, let’s explore the relationship of estrogen to cell growth, particularly in the breast.  Humans produce three types of estrogen: Estrone, Estradiol and Estriol.  Each has a different effect on breast tissue:

• Estradiol: The most potent estrogen, equally stimulates and inhibits cell growth. In other words it is neutral.
• Estrone: The second most potent estrogen, stimulates cell growth.
• Estriol: The weakest estrogen, inhibits cell growth.

The key takeaway here is that having levels of Estrone that are too high in your body may result in more breast stimulation.  While higher levels of Estriol in your body results in less breast cell stimulation, and therefore, breast protection.

Basically Estrogen = GROWTH and Progesterone = NO GROWTH.  Without adequate amounts of Progesterone to balance the stimulatory effects of the estrogen go unchecked. This over stimulation is particularly bad for the breast tissue.

Know The Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance:

• Unwanted weight gain/inability to lose weight
• Premenstrual weight gain/bloating
• Heavy/painful periods
• Irregular bleeding
• PMS
• Tender and/or fibrocystic breasts
• Mood swings
• Low Libido
• Depression
• Low thyroid symptoms
• Sleep disturbances
• Fatigue
• High stress
• Belly fat
• Low immunities/susceptibility to illness

What Can I Do to Prevent / Treat Estrogen Dominance?

If your hormones are out of balance, adding in all of the separate hormones you are deficient in makes zero sense to me. Besides the fact that this is not how we’re meant to keep our hormones balanced, this can be extremely hard on the body, especially the liver and adrenals. Hormonal imbalances have 3 main root causes: a sluggish liver, stressed adrenals, and a copper imbalance (and these 3 are all connected too!).

 It is important to find a Therapist that takes the time to discuss all your symptoms and takes everything into consideration along with your lab results.  This will give the best picture of your unique situation and is crucial to establish the root cause.

Address any problems you have with your digestive system.  Imbalances of the gut flora can reduce your ability to clear excess estrogen from your body.  Eating a whole foods diet, supplementing with a probiotic and getting adequate soluble fibre are all essential to establishing hormone balance.

• Reduce the use of pesticides, pollutants, and chemicals in your home
• Eat organic foods that are free of hormones and pesticides
• Maintain an ideal body weight (excess fat increases estrogen production)
• Exercise regularly
• Find ways to better manage your stress

Finally, consider having a Thermogram.  This is a form of breast imaging that does not require exposure to radiation.  Instead, it measures the heat released from the breast, which indicates areas of increased cellular activity/growth.  A Thermogram can identify problems in breast tissue years before they can be seen by a Mammogram or felt by your doctor.

For more information about managing estrogen dominance, hormone testing etc…. contact us Ph: 086 1623683 or e mail info@thermographyireland.ie