Can Diet and Lifestyle Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence?

By Meredy Birdi, Cancer Dietitian (HCPC registered) and Nutritional Therapist

During and after breast cancer treatment, one of the questions people often ask me is what they can do to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back. It’s such a natural question.

Looking for answers can quickly become overwhelming. There’s so much information online, often conflicting, and it can be really difficult to know what to trust and what to do.

The reassuring news is that there are things you can do to support your health after breast cancer, and there isn’t one rigid “breast cancer diet” that everyone needs to follow.

Current evidence points towards some key areas around diet, physical activity and body weight. These are broader principles rather than a prescriptive diet, which is really good news because it means you can shape them around the foods you enjoy, your lifestyle and what feels realistic and sustainable for you.

In this blog, I’ll talk you through what we know and some practical ways you can put this into practice.

Diet and lifestyle after breast cancer

Research suggests that our diet and lifestyle can play an important part in supporting health after breast cancer.

There are other things we need to consider too. Some breast cancer treatments can affect heart and metabolic health, and some can cause an earlier menopause. And as we get older, looking after our heart, bones, muscle and metabolic health becomes increasingly important.

What’s really positive is that we don’t need a different diet or approach for each of these things. Many of the same diet and lifestyle principles support these different aspects of our health too.

And this doesn’t need to become another set of rules to get right or something you have to do perfectly. It’s the overall pattern that matters, with realistic changes that fit around you and your life.

Body weight after a breast cancer diagnosis

Keeping to a healthy weight after a breast cancer diagnosis is linked with better long-term health. Research from the World Cancer Research Fund suggests this may help to:

• reduce the risk of breast cancer coming back (recurrence)

• lower the risk of death from any cause

• reduce the chance of developing a new, separate breast cancer

  
  

There are several possible reasons why excess body weight may affect breast cancer outcomes. Excess body fat can alter biological factors including circulating oestrogen, insulin resistance and systemic inflammation.

Weight changes during and after breast cancer treatment

During breast cancer treatment, many people notice their weight changes in ways they weren’t expecting, and weight gain is quite common. There can be many reasons for this. For example:

• Some breast cancer treatments can cause an earlier menopause, which can affect weight and body composition.

• Steroids can increase appetite and cause fluid retention.

• Fatigue and other treatment side effects can make it harder to be physically active.

• Changes in appetite, sleep, stress and usual routines can also play a part.

Understanding that weight management is about much more than calories in and calories out is really important.

You’re not alone in this. Many people experience weight changes during and after treatment, and managing your weight shouldn’t become another source of stress.

If weight loss is appropriate for you, rapid weight loss isn’t a good idea. It can mean losing valuable muscle as well as body fat, which can leave you feeling weaker and more tired.

Restrictive diets can also make it harder to get the nutrition your body needs.

Muscle is a really important part of this conversation. It’s easy to focus on the number on the weighing scales, but maintaining muscle supports your strength, bone health and metabolic health, and becomes increasingly important as we age.

Rather than focusing on restriction, I encourage a nourishing, whole-person approach. The aim is to look after your health in a way that feels realistic and sustainable for you.

Physical activity after breast cancer

Being physically active after a breast cancer diagnosis is linked with better health outcomes. Research suggests that women who are more physically active have a lower risk of dying from breast cancer or from any cause, and there is also some evidence of a lower risk of breast cancer recurrence.

The benefits go beyond this. Regular physical activity can also help:

• maintain a healthy weight

• build and maintain muscle and strength

• support heart and bone health

• with fatigue and other treatment-related symptoms

• reduce stress and anxiety

• reduce the risk of lymphoedema or improve symptoms if you already have it

The key is to spend less time sitting and break up long periods of inactivity with movement wherever you can.

If you are able, aim for around 30 minutes of moderate activity, five days a week, where your heart rate and breathing increase. Try to include strength-based activities that work your major muscle groups at least twice a week too.

If you’re not currently active, start small and build up gradually. Find ways to move that feel enjoyable and realistic for you. A 10-minute walk, dancing in the kitchen, walking with a friend or some gentle strengthening all count.

Physical activity is safe and beneficial for most people with cancer, but everyone’s situation is different. If you have concerns about your health, treatment or side effects, check with your treatment team before increasing your activity.

What should I eat after breast cancer?

There isn’t one specific diet that everyone needs to follow after breast cancer. The evidence points towards an overall healthy eating pattern, including plenty of plant foods such as vegetables and fruit, wholegrains, beans and lentils, nuts and seeds.

This type of eating pattern also supports heart and metabolic health, helps reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and can support a healthy weight.

There’s plenty of flexibility within this. You absolutely don’t need to be vegan or vegetarian, unless you want to be, of course. It’s about building an eating pattern around a wide variety of nourishing foods that you enjoy and that works for you.

If you are experiencing side effects from treatment, such as digestive problems, poor appetite or unintentional weight loss, some of this advice may need to be adapted for you. If you’re unsure about what’s right for you, it’s best to get individual guidance.

Practical ways to eat well after breast cancer

1. Include more fibre-rich foods

Fibre does much more than help keep your bowels regular. Research from the World Cancer Research Fund suggests that people who eat more fibre have better health outcomes after a breast cancer diagnosis.

Fibre also has lots of benefits for our wider health. It can:

• support healthy cholesterol and blood glucose levels

• help the body remove oestrogen through the digestive system by reducing the amount that is reabsorbed

• feed beneficial gut bacteria, which produce helpful compounds called short-chain fatty acids that support gut health

Good sources of fibre include vegetables and fruit, wholegrains, beans and lentils, nuts and seeds.

If you don’t currently eat much fibre, increase it gradually and make sure you’re drinking enough fluid too. This gives your digestive system time to adjust.

PRACTICAL TIPS:

• Leave the skin on fruit and vegetables when you can

• Keep frozen fruit and vegetables in the freezer for easy use and less waste

• Add tinned beans or lentils to soups, stews, casseroles and salads

• Try wholegrain or lentil-based pasta instead of white pasta

• Keep a jar of mixed nuts and seeds in your fridge - sprinkle over yoghurt, porridge, cereals, salads, or add to a smoothie.

2. Choose nourishing fats more often

There isn’t clear evidence that saturated fat affects the risk of breast cancer recurrence. However, the types of fat we eat are important for our overall health.

Where you can, include more unsaturated fats from foods such as extra virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado and oily fish, while having foods high in saturated fat, such as butter, fatty and processed meats, pies and pastries, less often.

This also fits with looking after our heart and metabolic health, which are important considerations after breast cancer.

PRACTICAL TIPS:

• Swap butter for avocado in sandwiches sometimes

• Use extra virgin olive oil for cooking, dressings and drizzling

• Grate hard cheese rather than slicing it. A smaller amount can go much further

• Swap processed meats such as ham for cooked chicken or turkey, tinned oily fish, hummus or other bean-based fillings

• Replace a chocolate bar with a homemade trail mix of dark chocolate, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit such as cherries or apricots.

3. Cut back on sugary drinks

Sugary drinks such as cola, lemonade and energy drinks can contain a surprising amount of sugar, often around 9-10 teaspoons in a single can.

The issue isn’t having an occasional sugary drink. It’s when they become something we drink regularly. They’re an easy way to take in a lot of free sugar and extra energy, while providing very little nutritional value.

Regularly drinking sugar-sweetened drinks is associated with weight gain and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Cutting back on them is another way to support a healthy weight and look after our metabolic health as part of the bigger picture after breast cancer.

PRACTICAL TIPS:

• Muddle fresh or frozen berries in the bottom of a glass and add still or sparkling water

• Chill a fruity herbal tea such as a berry blend

• Infuse water with cucumber, mint, or slices of citrus fruit

• Add a small splash of fruit juice to still or sparkling water

If fizzy drinks are something you enjoy, you can find more ideas and alternatives in my article Exploring Diet Fizzy Drinks.

4. Whole soy foods are safe to include if you enjoy them

Soy foods have historically been surrounded by confusion, particularly for people with hormone-sensitive breast cancer. Soy contains natural plant compounds called isoflavones (phytoestrogens), which have a similar chemical structure to oestrogen but don’t behave in the same way in the body.

Research shows that whole soy foods such as tofu, tempeh, miso and edamame are safe to include after breast cancer, including for people with hormone-sensitive breast cancer.

Some studies also suggest that eating soy foods may be associated with better outcomes after breast cancer, including a lower risk of recurrence.

Soy foods have other nutritional benefits too. They provide plant protein, fibre and a range of vitamins and minerals, so they fit really well within the overall healthy eating pattern we’ve been talking about.

The important distinction is between soy foods and concentrated supplements. Soy or isoflavone supplements aren’t currently recommended after breast cancer because we don’t have enough evidence about their effects.

PRACTICAL TIPS:

• Snack on edamame beans, fresh or frozen

• Add tofu cubes to stir-fries or soups, or use silken tofu in smoothies or creamy dressings

• Use miso paste to add flavour to dressings, soups, or marinades

• Use tempeh in a chilli, curry or stew

• Try this recipe for edamame falafel wraps

5. If you choose to drink, keep alcohol to a minimum

We know that drinking alcohol increases the risk of developing breast cancer. It’s less clear whether alcohol affects the risk of breast cancer coming back.

If you choose to drink, NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) recommends that people who’ve had breast cancer keep their alcohol intake below 5 units a week.

PRACTICAL TIPS:

• Try kombucha (a mildly fizzy, fermented drink made from tea) served in your favourite glass to make it feel special

• Explore some of the many no-alcohol and low-alcohol beers and lagers available, such as Lucky Saint, Heineken and BrewDog

• Experiment with alcohol-free spirits and drinks, with options from brands such as Seedlip, Pentire, CleanCo, and Three Spirit

• Set your intention before you leave the house. For example, "I'm not going to drink tonight" or "I'll only have one drink tonight". Knowing your intention can help you feel more in control and stick to your guns

• You can find more ideas in my article Can you drink alcohol after cancer?

6. Don't forget about vitamin D

Some research suggests that low or inadequate vitamin D levels may be associated with poorer health outcomes after breast cancer. However, this doesn’t mean that higher and higher levels are necessarily better, and there isn’t currently evidence that taking vitamin D supplements specifically reduces the risk of breast cancer coming back.

Vitamin D is still really important for our health. It helps keep our bones and muscles healthy and plays an important role in the normal functioning of our immune system. Bone health can be particularly important after breast cancer, as some treatments and an earlier menopause can affect our bones.

Low vitamin D levels are common in the UK, particularly during autumn and winter when we can’t make enough vitamin D from sunlight. UK guidance recommends that everyone considers taking 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D a day during autumn and winter, with some people advised to take this throughout the year.

In my one-to-one work, I encourage people to have their vitamin D level checked. I often find that levels are low, and knowing your level means supplementation can be tailored to your individual needs rather than guesswork.

Would you like some support?

If you’d like some individual support with your nutrition, you are welcome to find out more about my nutrition support programmes.

Originally published during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 2022. Updated September 2026 to reflect current evidence and guidance.

This blog is for general information only and is not a substitute for individual medical or dietetic advice.

References

1. World Cancer Research Fund International (2024). Diet, nutrition, physical activity and body weight for people living with and beyond breast cancer.

2. American Cancer Society. Can I Lower My Risk of Breast Cancer Progressing or Coming Back?

3. Boutas I, Kontogeorgi A, Dimitrakakis C, Kalantaridou SN (2022). Soy Isoflavones and Breast Cancer Risk: A Meta-analysis.

4. Collins K, American Institute for Cancer Research (2024). Soy and Breast Cancer: Myths and Misconceptions.

5. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Early and locally advanced breast cancer: diagnosis and management (NG101).