ANTI-CANCER DIET AND LIFESTYLE TIPS
There are many descriptions of what constitutes the “Anti-Cancer” diet. i will outline some of the main points. If you want to read more about this important topic, I suggest the books on the Recommended Resources page.
American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention (The ACS recommends that cancer survivors follow these same recommendations)
Diet & Nutrition: Education & Self-Assessment (A fantastic reference from the University of Minnesota, Center for Spirituality and Healing and the Life Science Foundation. Not directed specifically for cancer patients, but the information is useful for everyone.)
American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention (The ACS recommends that cancer survivors follow these same recommendations)
Diet & Nutrition: Education & Self-Assessment (A fantastic reference from the University of Minnesota, Center for Spirituality and Healing and the Life Science Foundation. Not directed specifically for cancer patients, but the information is useful for everyone.)
7 Important Anti-Cancer Diet Tips
Point #1: Limit The Amount Of Fat In Your Diet
Studies suggest that diets higher in the bad fats:
- Increase the risk of developing cancer (especially more aggressive cancers) and cancer progression.
- Suppress the immune system and increase inflammation in the body.
- Increase the risk of dying from numerous cancers (i.e. breast, prostate, colorectal, lung)
Bad fats include the trans fats (partially and fully hydrogented fats) and saturated fats:
- Try to limit your intake of saturated fats to 5-10% of your total daily calories.
- Transfats are bad. There is no reason to ever consume them.
- The risk of breast cancer almost doubles among women who have high blood levels of trans fatty acids.
Healthier fats include the unsaturated fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats).
- Omega-3 fatty acids are the best, followed by Omega-9 then Omega 6-fatty acids.
Did You Know That...
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids may help prevent/fight cancer.
- Reducing Inflammation may fight/prevent cancer.
- A Strong Immune System may fight/prevent cancer.
- Obesity is associated with increased risk of cancer & cancer progression
Point #2: Limit the amount of refined carbohydrates in your diet.
Carbohydrates are the main source of glucose (sugar) in your diet.
- Carbohydrates get converted into glucose during digestion.
Cancer cells require sugar to grow.
- Keeping blood glucose down to a low or normal range seems to be important.
Insulin is produced whenever there is sugar in the blood.
- Individuals with high insulin levels (and an associated protein, "IGF-1") appear to have an increased risk of cancer progression and recurrence.
Some carbohydrates raise blood glucose and insulin higher than others.
- It is important to understand their distinction.
Stay away from refined ("bad") carbohdrates as much as possible, as these rapidly raise blood sugar and insulin (high glycemic index). These include:
Complex carbohydrates include:
- white sugar
- honey
- high-fructose corn syrup
- evaporated cane juice
- flour-based products (cookies, cakes, white bread, crackers, french fries, candy, pastries, etc.)
Complex carbohydrates include:
- Whole grains (brown rice, buckwheat, wild rice, quinoa, barley, whole-wheat pasta, whole-grain bread, etc.)
- Vegetables
- Legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils, whole and split dried peas, etc.)
- Fruit (particularly the non-tropical fruits: apples, pears, oranges, grapefruits, peaches, plums, apricots, berries, etc.)
Point #3: Limit the amount of meat in your diet.
Red meat consumption seems to be associated with an increased risk of cancer development and recurrence.
- Corn and soy fed animals (unless the package says otherwise, they were most likely fed corn or soy) are higher in pro-inflammatory omega 6-fatty acids and saturated fats.
- Many commercially-raised, non-organic, animals are subjected to growth hormones to produce larger and faster growing animals. these growth hormones may stimulate cancer cells, as well.
- Learn more here-(American Institute of Cancer Research)
Point #4: increase the amount of fatty fish in your diet.
These fish are high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids:
- Cod, sablefish, salmon, mackeral, sardines, and anchovies
- Smaller fish (i.e. sardines, mackerel, and anchovies) & wild salmon have less mercury and PCBs (a toxin) than bigger fish like tuna, swordfish and shark
Consider taking supplemental omega-3 fatty acids, especially if you do not consume enough fish in your diet.
Point #5: Limit the amount of dairy products in your diet.
Dairy products are often loaded with saturated fat. Consider using non-fat dairy products or non-dairy options:
- Soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, and others...
Point #6: Increase the amount of cancer-fighting phytonutrients in your diet
Phytonutrients are naturally occurring compounds that are found in vegetables, fruits, spices, fungi, etc.
- Many of these compounds have similar cancer-fighting effects as the drugs used by oncologists to treat cancer.
- Eating a variety of foods containing these compounds produces much greater results than when eating a lot of just one type- This is called "Synergy", and is an important concept to remember when preparing meals. Learn more about "synergy"
Juicing as a supplement to eating whole fruits and vegetables:
It may be difficult to consume large quantities of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. One way to help increase the amount of these important dietary nutrients is by using a juicer. Using a juicer will enable you to 'eat' many more fruits and vegetables than you could if you ate them in their whole form. I still recommend eating your fruits and vegetables in their whole form, whenever possible, but to consider using a juicer to get even higher amounts of their anti-cancer phytonutrients in your diet.
I recommend juicing machines that "masticate" (i.e. Omega Juicers: Masticating-type) or crush rather than grind and expel the juice. Masticating juicers extract significantly more of the anti-cancer nutrients than the other types of juicers (i.e. centrifugal and pulp ejection juicers) which simply shred and expel many of the important parts of the fruits and vegetables into a waste container.
It may be difficult to consume large quantities of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. One way to help increase the amount of these important dietary nutrients is by using a juicer. Using a juicer will enable you to 'eat' many more fruits and vegetables than you could if you ate them in their whole form. I still recommend eating your fruits and vegetables in their whole form, whenever possible, but to consider using a juicer to get even higher amounts of their anti-cancer phytonutrients in your diet.
Point #7: Limit The Amount of Alcohol You Consume
Did you know that consuming even small amounts of alcohol increase your risk of certain cancers?
- Read more here.-(American Institute of Cancer Research)
- Oregon State University- Review
