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From My Heart to Yours

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Whether you want to reduce your risk of breast cancer or you’ve survived it and never want to face it again, what I’m about to share is something everyone can benefit from knowing.

I’m a clinical nutritionist, best-selling author, and certified Omega Balancing Coach, which means I specialize in helping people reduce inflammation, one of the most overlooked causes of disease.

My purpose in writing this article is straightforward: to share information that I know can genuinely help people reduce their cancer risk and enhance their overall health.

But my passion for this runs deep. I’m a mama’s boy. My mother has survived breast cancer three times.

I’ll never forget the day she called to tell me the cancer had returned. I had just landed in San Antonio, Texas, to attend the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, one of the world’s most respected cancer conferences.

That moment changed me. It felt like everything had come full circle, as if life was telling me that what I know about inflammation and cellular health can no longer be kept secret.

If I had known back then what I know now, I truly believe I could have helped reduce my mother’s risk of going through cancer three times. Of course, there are many factors that contribute to cancer. But everything I share with you here is scientifically validated and can help you take charge of your health today.

This is personal.
It is my hope that what you learn in this article will empower you, or someone you love, to take steps to reduce inflammation and build a healthier, stronger body from the inside out.

A New Way to Think About Breast Cancer Risk

Most women have heard that early detection saves lives, and that’s true. But what if you could take steps to reduce your risk of breast cancer long before it starts? And if you’ve already faced breast cancer, what if you could lower your chance of it coming back?

The key lies in understanding and managing one of the most overlooked factors in cancer development and recurrence: chronic, low-grade inflammation.

Inflammation is a natural part of the body’s healing process. It helps repair damage and fight infections. However, when inflammation persists, it becomes harmful. It’s like leaving a small fire burning in your home; over time, it damages what’s around it, even if you can’t see the flames.

This type of inflammation can weaken cells, damage deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and create conditions that increase the likelihood of cancer growth or recurrence (Mantovani et al., 2008; Coussens & Werb, 2002).

When Balance Turns to Fire

One of the biggest drivers of chronic inflammation is an imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.

Both are essential fats, meaning your body cannot make them on its own; you must get them from food. They are part of every cell membrane in your body and help regulate important functions like blood pressure, immune response, and how your cells communicate with one another.

Think of omega-6 and omega-3 like a gas pedal and a brake in your car.

• • Omega-6 fatty acids accelerate the inflammatory response; they help trigger inflammation when your body needs to fight infection or heal a wound.
  • Omega-3 fatty acids help press the brake, calming inflammation once healing begins.

When both are in balance, your body runs smoothly. But when the gas pedal is pushed too often, and the brake isn’t used enough, inflammation spins out of control.

• • Omega-6 fats, found in seed and vegetable oils (such as corn, soybean, safflower, and sunflower oils), are not “bad,” but when consumed in excess, especially from processed foods, they can contribute to inflammation.
  • Omega-3 fats, found in wild fish (like salmon, sardines, and mackerel), certain plants (like flaxseed and chia), and algae, reduce inflammation and help keep your cells flexible and healthy【3】【4】.

Decades ago, the average person’s omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, which measures the balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory fats in the body, was about 3:1.
This means that for every three parts omega-6 fat, there was one part omega-3 fat, a level that helped the body stay in balance.

Today, the typical ratio is closer to 20:1, meaning most people eat far more omega-6 fats than omega-3s.
This imbalance pushes the body toward chronic inflammation, which can damage cells and increase the risk of many health conditions, including cancer【4】.

A study from Weill Cornell Medicine (2025) found that linoleic acid, a common omega-6 fatty acid, can stimulate the growth of aggressive breast cancer cells [5]. This may help explain why women in Japan and Mediterranean regions, where diets are rich in omega-3 fats from fish and extra virgin olive oil, have significantly lower breast cancer rates.

Breast Cancer Across Races and Ethnicities: Why This Matters

Breast cancer doesn’t affect every woman equally. In the United States:

• • White women have the highest rate of new breast cancer cases (about 140 per 100,000).
  • Black women are close behind (about 131 per 100,000) but have the highest death rate — about 26.5 deaths per 100,000 compared to 19.3 for White women【6】.
  • Black women are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than White women, especially at younger ages【7】.
  • Hispanic and Asian women have lower rates overall, but their numbers are rising faster each year【8】.

Many factors contribute to these differences, including access to care, stress, chronic inflammation, and the quality of one’s diet.

This highlights the importance of lifestyle strategies that can reduce inflammation and lower risk across all communities.

How Inflammation Makes Cancer More Likely

Think of your cells as small cities. Inflammation is like pollution that clouds the air and stresses the system. Inside your body, it:

1. 1. Damages deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), leading to mutations.
   2. Weakens the immune system, making it more difficult to eliminate abnormal cells.
   3. Encourages damaged cells to survive and grow.
   4. Builds new blood vessels that feed tumors and help them spread.

Inflammation doesn’t just show up when cancer is present; it helps create an environment where cancer can take hold.

Reducing Inflammation Helps Lower Cancer Risk and Recurrence

If inflammation helps cancer grow, then lowering inflammation helps make the body less inviting to cancer.

Research supports this:

• • Women with higher omega-3 levels have a lower risk of breast cancer【9】【10】.
  • Populations with diets rich in fish and extra virgin olive oil, such as those in Japan, Greece, and coastal Europe, have lower recurrence rates and longer survival times.

Reducing inflammation doesn’t guarantee that cancer will never happen, but it greatly improves your odds of staying healthier and stronger.

Do Mammograms Cause Cancer? Here’s the Truth

Some women worry that annual mammograms might expose them to harmful radiation. Here’s what studies show:

• • Mammograms use very low radiation; about the same exposure you get naturally over seven weeks【11】.
  • The benefits of early detection far outweigh the small potential risk【12】.
  • Screening should be personalized based on your age, genetics, and overall risk.

Still, mammograms only detect cancer once it has developed.

Testing for inflammation helps you identify and reduce the conditions that increase the likelihood of cancer in the first place.

Like Mammograms, You Need a Test for Inflammation

A simple at-home test, such as the BalanceTest, measures your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, one of the most reliable markers of chronic inflammation.

While the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discusses how omega-3 fats reduce inflammation and omega-6 fats increase it [13, 14], they do not currently offer or recommend testing for this ratio.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Susan G. Komen Foundation also do not include omega-6 to omega-3 testing in their breast cancer guidelines, even though Komen once funded research exploring its role in tumor development【15】.

This gap between scientific evidence and medical practice means it’s up to each of us to take a proactive role.

You can’t control everything, but you can control this: knowing your numbers and taking steps to reduce inflammation.

Eating to Lower Inflammation — Especially if You Have or Had Cancer

Food can either fuel inflammation or fight it. Eating to lower inflammation supports healing, strengthens the immune system, and may help reduce the risk of recurrence.

1. 1. Balance your fats.
      Eat wild salmon, sardines, or mackerel two to three times per week. Avoid seed oils, such as soybean, corn, safflower, and sunflower. Use extra-virgin olive oil instead. Supplement with BalanceOil+, which combines omega-3s and polyphenols for better cell protection.
   2. Eat the rainbow.
      Colorful fruits and vegetables, especially berries, leafy greens, and olives, are rich in polyphenols, which calm inflammation and reduce oxidative stress【3】.
   3. Choose clean protein and fiber.
      Lean meats, beans, and eggs rebuild healthy tissue. Fiber from vegetables and whole foods helps the body remove waste and regulate inflammation.
   4. Reduce sugar, alcohol, and processed foods.
      These can trigger insulin spikes and increase inflammation [4].
   5. Manage stress and sleep well.
      Chronic stress and poor sleep both raise inflammatory hormones. Relaxation, prayer, deep breathing, or quiet time can all help restore balance.

This isn’t a diet, it’s a plan for improving how your body functions, heals, and protects itself.

Five Ways to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

1. 1. Balance Your Fats: Eat more omega-3-rich foods and avoid inflammatory seed oils. Replace with olive oil or take BalanceOil+.
   2. Eat the Rainbow: Colorful foods are rich in polyphenols that calm inflammation and protect your cells.
   3. Choose Clean Protein and Fiber: Lean proteins and high-fiber foods keep your gut healthy and inflammation low.
   4. Cut Back on Sugar, Alcohol, and Processed Foods: They raise insulin and inflammation. Small daily changes make a big difference.
   5. Manage Stress and Sleep Well: Relaxation and rest lower inflammatory hormones and support healing.

Remember: You can’t control everything, but you can control your habits. Reducing inflammation helps create a body that’s less hospitable to cancer and more conducive to healing and longevity.

Learn your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio with the BalanceTest and discover how your body is truly functioning. You can contact the person who shared this article with you, email me at robert@dietfreelife.com, or schedule a free consultation.

The Takeaway

Breast cancer doesn’t appear out of nowhere. It develops in an internal environment that allows it to grow, and inflammation plays a key role in that environment.

By learning your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio and making simple daily changes, you can reduce your cancer risk and strengthen your body’s defenses.

Mammograms detect cancer after it appears. Inflammation testing helps you understand what’s happening before it does.

Be your own health advocate.
Get tested. Know your numbers. Restore balance.

You may not be able to control everything, but you can control what you do today, and that can make all the difference in your future health.

References

1. 1. Balkwill, F., & Mantovani, A. (2001). Inflammation and cancer: Back to Virchow? The Lancet, 357(9255), 539–545.
   2. Coussens, L. M., & Werb, Z. (2002). Inflammation and cancer. Nature, 420(6917), 860–867.
   3. Calder, P. C. (2017). Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory processes: From molecules to man. Biochemical Society Transactions, 45(5), 1105–1115.
   4. Simopoulos, A. P. (2016). An increase in the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio increases the risk for obesity and chronic disease. Nutrients, 8(3), 128.
   5. Weill Cornell Medicine. (2025). Omega-6 fatty acid promotes the growth of an aggressive type of breast cancer.
   6. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. (2024). Breast cancer: U.S. incidence and mortality by race and ethnicity.
   7. Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). (2024). Black women and breast cancer disparities.
   8. Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network. (2024). Trends in breast cancer incidence by race and ethnicity, 2010–2019.
   9. Zheng, J. S., Hu, X. J., Zhao, Y. M., Yang, J., & Li, D. (2013). Marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are inversely associated with risk of breast cancer: A meta-analysis. BMJ, 346, f3706.
   10. Gago-Dominguez, M., et al. (2022). Circulating omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and risk of breast cancer: EPIC study. International Journal of Cancer, 150(3), 480–491.
   11. National Cancer Institute. (2023). Radiation from medical imaging: What you need to know.
   12. American College of Radiology. (2022). Mammography and radiation exposure.
   13. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. (2023a). Is seed oil healthy?
   14. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. (2023b). Which foods can reduce inflammation?
   15. Komen Foundation Abstract (American Association for Cancer Research [AACR]). (2010). Elucidation of dietary omega-6/omega-3 ratio in cancer development.
   16. American Cancer Society (ACS). (2024). Breast cancer early detection and diagnosis.
   17. Thun, M. J., et al. (2002). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as anticancer agents. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 94(4), 252–266.
   18. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2018). Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammation.

 ________
Robert Ferguson is a California- and Florida-based single father of two daughters, clinical nutritionist, Omega Balancing Coach™, researcher, best-selling author, speaker, podcast and television host, health advisor, NAACP Image Award Nominee, creator of the Diet Free Life methodology, and Chief Nutrition Officer for iCoura Health. He also serves on the Presidential Task Force on Obesity for the National Medical Association and the Health and Product Advisory Board for Zinzino, Inc.

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