Anti Cancer Diet

8/7/2019 Anti Cancer Diet

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Anti Cancer Diet

Antioxidants work well in an anti cancer diet since they preventfree radical reactions. They also prevent faulty cell metabolisms

and protect the intestinal membrane cells. Beta carotene fightsagainst cancer by both boosting the immune system andreleasing a specific chemical called tumor necrosis factor. Thisblocks the growth of potential cancer cells. You can find betacarotene aplenty in colorful vegetables and fruits such as carrots,cantaloupe, pumpkins, butternut and other types of wintersquash, spinach, broccoli, mango and papaya. Vitamin C in yourdiet can help in fighting potent carcinogens, especially thosefound in processed meats. It also boosts the production oflymphocytes, thereby giving a fillip to your immune system.

Women who have low levels of Vitamin E and selenium are morelikely to contract breast cancer.

Follow a diet that is low in saturated fats. Cancerous tumorcells need LDLs to grow. A low LDL diet can be beneficial toprevent cancer. Omega 3 fatty acids and monounsaturatedoils do not contribute towards cancer. In fact they offerprotection against cancers. Use of cooking oils such assoybean, sunflower, sesame and virgin olive can providehigh omega-3 fatty acids. Use of hydrogenated fats can bepotentially carcinogenic.

Including salads of raw fruits and vegetables in your diet canarm you with cancer-fighting properties since they containphytochemicals, phenols, indols, flavones, cumines, andisothiocyanates, all of which are carcinogen-blocking agents.

Eating cruciferous vegetables can lower the risks of breastand colon cancer significantly. Include garlic, dark leafy

spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, red peppers, kidney beans, andgarbanzo beans and vital sources of beta-carotene.

Including soy products as a source of protein can go a longway in your anti-cancer diet.

Incidence of breast cancer is very low among Greek andother Mediterranean women whose diet is rich withmonounsaturated oils. Large amounts of fruits, vegetables,


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seafood, nuts and legumes are also responsible for loweringthe risk of colorectal cancer.

Include sources of Selenium in your anti cancer diet - lobster,shrimp, whole grains, brown rice, cottage cheese, lamb

chops, chicken, sunflower seeds and garlic. Flaxseeds are said to be full of cancer-preventive

compounds that can help you reduce the risk of breastcancer and colon cancer.

Green tea and garlic are also credited with anti oxidantproperties that fight cancer cells.

Cancer Fighting Food

broccolisweetpotatoes papayas

brusselsprouts

tomatoes peaches

cabbage yamstangerines

carrots apricots almondss

cauliflower

blueberries

sweetpotato

eggplant grapefruit spinach

greenbeans

grapes pumpkin

peppers lemons yogurt

radishes mangoes Salmon

squash oranges tuna

1. Eat the right foods2. Limit dietary fat and keep your weight under control3. Include a healthy exercise regimen into your lifestyle4. Keep stress at bay5. Include daily supplements of Vitamin C, Calcium, Flaxseed,Vitamin E and Selenium


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6. Limit caffeine and alcohol consumption7. Quit smoking

12 DIETARY CHANGES THAT WILL LOWER YOUR CANCER RISK

Some foods actually contribute to the development of cancer;other foods lessen the risk. The following anti-cancer diet greatlylowers your risk of colorectal cancer and nearly all other types ofcancers. It can also prevent cardiovascular disease. For peoplewith a genetic tendency toward colorectal cancer, it is not just anoption, it's a lifesaving necessity.

1. Keep your diet low in total fat and very low in saturated fats.There are at least two ways in which dietary fat contributesto cancer. First, tumor cells need low density lipoproteins(LDL's) to grow. Therefore, a diet that helps to lower LDLlevels could keep potentially cancerous cells from growing.Eating fat also stimulates the production of bile, which isneeded to digest fat. If a lot of bile is allowed to stagnate inthe large intestine for a long period of time, it's convertedinto apcholic acid, a proven carcinogen. Here are tips foreating not only less fat, but eating the right fats:

Eat less total fat. Limit your daily fat intake to no morethan 20 percent of your total food calories. This means thatif you average 2,500 calories a day, fat should provide nomore than 500 of these calories. This means you should eataround 55 grams of fat per day, maximum. (On a 2,000calories per day diet, you would eat about 45 grams of fat.)

Eat the right fat. Eating the wrong kinds of fat may beeven more cancer-causing than eating too much fat. Cancerresearchers became aware of this fat fact when they noticedthat the incidence of most cancers is less in some cultureswho actually have a high-fat diet, such as Eskimos (who eata lot of seafood rich in omega 3 fatty acids) and theMediterranean diet (which is plant-based, but high in


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monounsaturated oils). Some fats don't contribute to cancerand may in fact have some anticancer properties:

o Unsaturated fats, found in plant foods, such as legumeso Vegetable oils that are high in monounsaturated fats,

such as olive (Greek women who tend to eat a diet richin olive oil have a very low incidence of breast cancer)and canola oil. A 1998 study showed that men who eatless animal fat and more vegetable fat in their diets hadless prostate cancer.

o Seafood, such as salmon and tuna, that is high inomega 3 fatty acids

o Oils that contain more omega 3 than omega 6 fattyacids, such as flaxseed, pumpkin seed, canola, soybean

(not hydrogenated), walnut, safflower, sunflower,sesame, and virgin olive oils. (Heating vegetable oils athigh temperatures can change fatty acids and makethem carcinogenic. Peanut oil and extra virgin olive oilstand up best to cooking, but try not to boil them. Ithelps to keep stirring stirfrys so the oil doesn't getburnt.)

Studies in experimental animals showed that fish-oil-supplemented (high in omega 3 fatty acids) animals hadsignificantly fewer colorectal tumors. Omega 3 fatty acids(such as those found in fish oils and flax seed oil) are notonly the heart-healthiest fats, but they may have anticancerproperties. Eskimo women who have a high concentration ofomega 3 fatty acids in their diet have a lower incidence ofbreast cancer. (It is thought that omega 3 fatty acids mayblock the effect of estrogen on breast cells, thus lowering therisk of them becoming cancerous.) Go Fish ChildrensOmega-3 liquid from Dr. Sears can be added to the morning

oatmeal for added health benefits.

Don't eat bad fats. Avoid oils high in saturated fats, suchas palm, palm kernel, coconut, and cottonseed oils.Hydrogenated fats (those that have been chemicallychanged from unsaturated to saturated fats), are potentiallycarcinogenic. Adding hydrogen to a fat molecule may enable
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the molecule to interfere with the normal metabolism of cellsin the body, setting the cell up for cancerous changes. Soget used to reading labels. If any food contains"hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" fats, leave it on

the shelf. Most fast-food outlets use hydrogenated fats. (Ask!If they do, don't eat the food.) Nearly all packaged foods,such as potato chips, contain hydrogenated fats, since theseallow a longer shelf life.

MORE LEAN - LESS CANCER

Too much body fat is one of the leading risk factors forcancer, especially colorectal cancer. Obesity is also a risk

factor for breast cancer ; increased fat tissue raisescirculating estrogen levels, which increase the risk of breastcancer. Vegetarian women who typically consume a low-fat,high-fiber diet tend to have lower blood levels of estrogen,excrete more estrogen in their stools, and therefore areless prone to breast cancer. Obese men have a higher rateof prostate cancer . The two ways to stay lean are toexercise and to maintain healthy eating habits.

2. Increase Your Fiber Intake. In all the research betweenfood and cancer, the evidence for a relationship between ahigh fiber diet and lower chances of colorectal cancer is themost conclusive. It follows common sense as well. Fibermoves potential carcinogens through the intestines faster,decreasing the contact time between carcinogens and theintestinal wall. The less exposure to carcinogens, the lesschance of colon cancer. Besides pushing them throughfaster, fiber binds carcinogens, keeping them away from the

intestinal wall. Fiber also absorbs bile acids, keeping themfrom acting on bacteria to produce fecapentanes ,thecancerous substances that are formed by decaying foodswithin the colon. There are about twenty of thesecompounds that can mutate colon cells into cancerous cells.Fiber also promotes the growth of healthy bacteria in theintestines, which crowd out the undesirable bacteria that


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produce fecapentanes. A high fiber diet seems particularlyprotective against cancer in persons who have a hereditaryrisk of developing precancerous colorectal polyps. In a studyof persons who were at high risk for developing colorectal

cancer, those who ate at least thirteen grams of wheat branfiber a day (All-Bran is a good source) for eight weeksshowed less growth of potential cancer cells in the colon.Besides lowering the risk of colorectal cancer, a high fiberdiet can lower the risk of breast cancer by binding estrogenin the bowels, thereby lessening the estrogen effect in thecells of breast tissue.

Based on both these scientific and common sense findings,we suggest you eat at least 25 grams of fiber a day. Best

anticancer fiber sources are: wheat bran, kidney beans,garbanzo beans, navy beans, whole wheat, whole grains,legumes, whole grain bread, and prunes. Get used to lookingat the package label to find the fiber content of foods.Simple modifications in your diet can increase the amount offiber you eat. Use whole grain breads instead of white bread(white bread is junk bread). Eat beans regularly (try a saladcomposed of kidney beans, garbanzo beans, broccoli, andother raw vegetables). Have a big bowl of high fiber bran

cereal for breakfast.

NUTRITIP:An Apple a Day May Keep the Cancer Doctor Away

Pectin, the fiber in apple skin, is fermented in theintestines, producing short- chain fatty acids that preventthe growth of harmful bacteria. They also nourish the cellsof the intestinal lining, making them more resistant to

becoming cancerous.

3. Eat lots of raw fruits and vegetables. The consensus ofthe hundreds of studies exploring the link between diet andcancer is that eating more fruits and vegetables reduces therisk of all types of cancers. Eating more fruits and vegetables


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decreases your appetite for fatty foods, which themselvesincrease the risk of cancer. Plants also containphytochemicals . Substances that may help your body fightcancer. The five major classes of compounds that occur in

fruits and vegetables as natural blocking agents againstcarcinogens are: phenols, indols, flavones, cumines, andisothiocyanates. These neutralizing agents preventcarcinogens from reaching critical target sites within the cell.The vegetables most important to reducing the risk of cancerare the cruciferous vegetables : broccoli, cabbage, brusselsprouts, mustard greens, kale, and cauliflower. Thesevegetables contain three cancer-protective biochemicals:sulforaphane, which not only boosts immunity but blocksenzymes that draw carcinogens into healthy cells;

compounds that prevent the formation of carcinogenicnitrosamines in the intestines; and indoles, which lessen therisk of breast cancer.

Researchers estimate that eating lots of cruciferousvegetables could lower your risk of breast and colon cancerby 40 percent. Making your main meal, such as lunch, ahuge salad (with no more than a tablespoon of vegetable oilas a dressing) would be one of the healthiest habits you

could get into. Best salad sources of anti-cancer nutrientsare: dark green leafy spinach (instead of iceberg lettuce,which is nutritionally useless), broccoli, tomatoes, redpeppers, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans. As an addedbenefit sprinkle your salad with a bit of garlic , which hasalso been shown to have health-promoting and possibly anti-cancer properties. In addition, phytoestrogens from plantfoods, especially cruciferous vegetables, can lower the riskof estrogen-dependent cancers, such as breast cancer. Thephytoestrogens fill estrogen receptor sites on cells, keeping

the cancer-causing estrogen from promoting the growth ofmalignant cells.

NUTRITIP:An Anti-Cancer Salad


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Antioxidants, such as vitamin C and E and beta carotene,seem to have a synergistic effect when taken together. So,eating lots of fruits and vegetables in a salad together

produces a greater anti-cancer effect than eating each oneindividually.

4. Switch from red meat to seafood. Populations who eatthe most red meat and fat in their diet have the highestincidence of colon cancer. My fifty years of eating steaks,cheeseburgers, and french fries was not worth the price ofgetting cancer. Instead of red meat being the main course,let it be an accent in a dish based on vegetables or grains,

such as stirfry or pasta.

Beginning in 1976 a group of researchers at the HarvardSchool of Public Health set out to study the role of dietaryfactors in colon cancer and test some of the theoriessuggested by earlier studies. They followed 88,000 healthywomen, ages 34 to 59 years of age, and discovered thesecorrelations:

o

The risk of colon cancer was 2.5 times higher in womenwho ate beef, pork, or lamb as a main dish every day,as compared with those eating it less than once amonth.

o The risk of developing colon cancer correlated with theamount of animal fat in the diet.

o Eating meat, especially processed meats, was highlyassociated with increased risk of colon cancer. Eatingfish and chicken without skin was related to adecreased risk.

o A low intake of fiber also increased the risk ofdeveloping colon cancer.

No association was found between the risk of colon cancerand vegetable fat or linoleic acid (the most abundantpolyunsaturated fat) in the diet.


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The reason for the red meat-colon cancer connection is stillbeing studied. Current research suggests a combination offactors. High fat diets increase the excretion of intestinal bileacids, which act as tumor promoters. Some processed meats

contain nitrosamines , which can be carcinogenic to thecolon. Also, compared with vegetarians, meat-eating personshave different colonic flora. The effects of the meat maycause intestinal bacteria to transform bile acids intopotential carcinogens.

In a fourteen-year study of 16,000 Swedish men and women,the foods that were associated with the highest risk of coloncancer were beef and lamb. As a lambchop lover, I took thisstudy personally. Whenever our local meat market got in a

shipment of lambchops, I stocked up. A month after mycolon cancer was diagnosed, Martha took the thirty poundsof lambchops that were in our freezer back to the marketand traded them in for salmon.

Not only can red meat itself be carcinogenic, but how youprepare it can also elevate the cancer risk. Grilling underhigh heat (such as searing or flame-cooking meat to well-done) can release carcinogens into the meat calledheterocyclicamines, which can damage cellular DNA.Poaching , stewing, microwaving , or slow low-heat cookingreleases fewer carcinogens.

5. Switch from an animal-based diet to a plant-baseddiet. The most compelling research linking diet to cancerare studies of groups of people who have primarily plant-based diets, for example vegetarians and Seventh DayAdventists, and who have a much, lower risk of cancer. Oneof the theories on the high incidence of cancer in modern

times is the belief that the switch from plant based to animalbased diets correlates with the increase in cancer. Plant food/ less cancer correlation is primarily due to three health-promoting factors: Plants have less fat, more fiber, and morephytonutrients. Besides providing the anti-cancer propertiesof fiber, legumes (such as seeds, rice, soy beans, beans, andchick peas) contain anticancer properties called protease


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(milligrams/100 grams)

Soy flakes 156

Soy nuts 94Soy flour 94

Soybeans, roasted 87

Soy protein isolate 56

Tempeh 40

Miso 26-38

Tofu, firm 5-30

Soy burgers 20 (varies)

Soy milk 4-10

Be sure to consume soy products from a manufacturer thatuses a water extraction process and not alcohol extraction,

which can remove much of the genistein from the soy. Checkthe label or call the manufacturer.

7. Change your oils. Oils that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids(i.e., fish and flax oils) have anti-cancer properties. Studies inexperimental animals have shown that fish-oil-supplementedanimals develop significantly fewer colorectal tumors.Omega 3 fatty acids, such as those found in oily fish and flaxseeds, help produce cancer-fighting phytochemicals. Flax oilalso contains the anticancer phytonutrient lignans. Best

protection against cancer is a diet that contains more omega3 than omega 6 fatty acids, just the reverse of the typicalAmerican diet. Coldwater fish, such as salmon and tuna, arehigh in omega-3 fatty acids. Most vegetable oils (except flaxoil) contain little omega 3 fatty acids and a lot of omega 6fatty acids. I take one tablespoon of flax seed oil a day,


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which mixes beautifully in a yogurt shake or as a saladdressing.

Monounsaturated oils, such as olive oil, also play a role incancer prevention. Populations with an olive oil -rich diet,such as Mediterranean cuisine, have a lower incidence ofcancer. Greek women, who tend to have an olive-oil richdiet, have a much lower risk of breast cancer. One studyfound that the incidence of breast cancer correlated with theamount of hydrogenated oils in the womens' diets. As muchas possible, avoid saturated and hydrogenated oils. (Formore information, see All About Oils.

8. Eat foods containing calcium. Studies have shown that

populations with a high intake of calcium (e.g., people inSweden) have a lower incidence of colorectal cancer.Calcium controls the multiplication of epithelial cells liningthe colon. When these cells proliferate at a fast rate, the riskof cancer increases. Calcium also binds cancer-producingbile acids and keeps them from irritating the colon wall. Onestudy showed that an average intake of 1,200 mg. ofcalcium a day was associated with a 75 percent reduction incolorectal cancer. In another study of persons with anincreased risk of colorectal cancer, a daily supplement of2,000 mg. of calcium carbonate significantly decreased therisk by suppressing the uncontrolled growth of the cells thatline the colon. To lower your risk of colorectal cancer,consider taking between 500 and 1,000 milligrams ofcalcium carbonate or calcium citrate daily, depending onhow much calcium you get from food each day. Best sourcesof calcium are dairy products, such as yogurt, and bony fish.

9. Eat a diet high in antioxidants. While there are manyunsubstantiated claims about the benefits of antioxidants,

there is reliable scientific evidence that beta carotene,vitamin C and vitamin E definitely lower the risk of colorectalcancer. Fruits and vegetables are the main sources of thesenaturally occurring antioxidants. Antioxidants protect againstcancer in several ways:

o They protect the membrane of intestinal cells.
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o They prevent free-radical reactions that can causebowel contents to be carcinogenic

o They prevent faulty metabolism in the cell, which canpredispose a cell to becoming carcinogenic.

Beta carotene. Beta carotene fights against cancer by bothboosting the immune system and releasing a specificchemical called tumor necrosis factor. Beta carotene canblock the growth of potentially cancerous cells. Therecommended cancer prevention dose of beta carotene is 15to 25 mg. per day (around 30,000 IU). This is about ten timesthe amount in the average American diet, but it's actuallyeasy to get enough beta carotene in your diet without takingsupplements. Best sources of beta carotene are sweet

potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, pumpkins, butternut and othertypes of winter squash, spinach, broccoli, mango, andpapaya. Eating pink grapefruit (which contains betacarotene) instead of white grapefruit gives you a betacarotene boost. You could get enough protective betacarotene each day by eating: half a sweet potato, half a cupof pumpkin, two medium-size carrots, 1.5 cups of cookedspinach, or two medium-size mangos. Best sources of betacarotene are these:

o carrots - 1 carrot contains 4.4 milligramso sweet potatoes - 1 medium contains 12 milligramso butternut and other types of winter hard-shell squash -

1/2 cup contains 2.4 milligrams

Tomatoes contain lycopene, which enhances the absorptionand utilization of beta carotene, so eating tomatoes withbeta carotene-rich foods provides an added boost. Carrotsand tomatoes are a good combination.

Vitamin C. A big dose of vitamin C fights the big "C."Studies have shown that persons with the highest intake ofvitamin C have the lowest incidence of intestinal cancers.Vitamin C blocks the formation of nitrosamines in the gut.These are potent carcinogens made from nitrates andnitrites found in food, especially processed meats. Vitamin C


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also boosts the immune system by increasing the productionof lymphocytes. Best sources of vitamin C are fresh fruitsand vegetables. Taking 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams of vitaminC daily may have anticancer benefits.

Vitamin E. The anti-cancer properties in vitamin E aresimilar to vitamin C. In a ten-year study that followed 21,000men, those with high levels of vitamin E in their diet showeda 30 percent lower risk of all types of cancer. Women withlow blood levels of vitamin E and selenium had ten times therisk of breast cancer in one study. In another study at theUniversity of Toronto, researchers gave colon cancerpatients vitamin C and E supplements after surgery andfound two years later that the supplements reduced the

recurrence of precancerous colon polyps by 20 percent.Studies suggest a dose of 200 to 400 IU a day, which isnearly impossible to get from foods. You may get less thanten percent of this amount from even the best diet. . To helpyour children lead a healthy life, Little ChampionsMultivitamin has 50mg of Vitamin C and 15IU Vitamin E perpill. They are also fruit based so children love the taste ofthem.

NUTRITIP:

Natural vs. Synthetic E

Whether or not natural vitamin E from foods or the factory-made vitamin is biologically better is still a subject ofdebate, yet the natural vitamin E may be more biologicallyactive. Natural vitamin E is recognized on the package labelby the "d" prefix or "d-alpha tocophenol;" the synthetic

compound will have a "dl" prefix.

10.Don't forget your flax. Flaxseeds contain two cancer-preventive compounds: omega 3 fatty acids and lignans,which may reduce the risk of breast cancer and coloncancer. Ground flaxseeds, because they contain both the
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fiber and the oil, have more potent anticancer propertiesthan flax oil alone. Cancer researchers suggest 25 grams ofground flaxseeds a day. You can grind your own in a coffeegrinder or purchase pre-ground flaxseed meal, which mixes

well in smoothies or sprinkled like bran flakes over yogurtand cereal.11.Drink less alcohol. Alcohol consumption slightly increases

the risk of colorectal cancer, and the alcoholic beverage withthe strongest link to colon cancer is beer. Beer is thought tocontain nitrosamines, a carcinogen or pre-carcinogen that isactivated in the intestines. Tannins are a carcinogeniccompound that is found in red wine and some coffee andtea. While red wine is touted to have health-promotingproperties, due to the natural phytonutrients that are found

in the grape skin, you're better off simply eating the grapes.12.Eat other anti-cancer nutrients. Increasing several other

daily nutrients can also lower your risk of cancer.

Vitamin D . Vitamin D, which you get from exposure tosunshine (around 10 to 15 minutes a day) and from vitaminD-fortified milk and other foods, has anticancer properties. Itsuppresses angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vesselsthat nourish the growth of tumors. The rates of breast,

prostate, and colon cancer are lower in climates that havethe most sunshine. Low levels of vitamin D have been foundin some people with colon cancer. Women whose diets arehigh in vitamin D have a lower risk of breast cancer.

Selenium. This overlooked mineral is a potent antioxidantor scavenger of carcinogenic free radicals. Studies haveshown a lower incidence of colon cancer in people takingselenium supplements in the range of 100 to 200 mcg a day.Studies have shown that persons who have lower levels of

selenium in their blood are more likely to have colon polyps,and those with higher levels of selenium have much less of achance of getting cancer. Selenium is most effective whentaken along with foods or supplements that are high invitamin E. Consider taking 100 mcg of selenium a day as asupplement. Best sources of selenium in food are fish(especially red snapper) lobster, shrimp, whole grains, and


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THE TOP ANTI-CANCER FOODS

Anti-cancer vegetables:

broccoli brussel sprouts cabbage carrots cauliflower eggplant green beans kale onions (red) peppers

radishes soy squash sweet potatoes tomatoes yams

Anti-cancer fruits:

apricots blueberries grapefruit grapes lemons mangoes oranges papayas peaches persimmons

strawberries, organic tangerines

Back to topTHE 10-STEP ANTI-CANCER PROGRAM

1. Reduce stress.
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2. Stay lean.3. Increase exercise.4. Limit dietary fat to 20 percent of total calories, with less than

10 percent of total calories as saturated fats. Eliminate

hydrogenated fats.5. Increase fiber to between 25 and 35 grams a day.6. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.7. Eat foods high in the antioxidants beta carotene, vitamin C

and vitamin E.8. Switch from red meat to seafood and soy products.9. Eat foods high in calcium.10. Consider daily supplements of the following:

o Vitamin C, 500 mg.o Calcium, 500 mg.o Flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed), 30 gramso Acidophilus powder, 1 teaspoono Vitamin E, 200 IUo Selenium, 100 mcg.

With trillions of cell duplications occurring inside you every day, itstands to reason that a few of those cells will become out ofcontrol renegades. If your body's immune system is strongenough to search out and destroy these cells, you don't "get

cancer." If the cells win the battle with your body, you do getcancer. Good nutrition is one of many ways you can help yourbody fight this daily battle. If you think of phytonutrients in plantfoods as chemo-prevention, you may someday spare yourselfchemotherapy. Enjoy your food and your health!

Back to topEXAMINING THE LINK BETWEEN DIET AND CANCER

Cancer is a preventable disease. In fact, the Harvard Report

on Cancer Prevention lists the relative risk factors as thefollowing:

CANCER RISK FACTORSPERCENT OF CANCER

DEATHS

Smoking 30


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Diet (animal food-based) 30

Lack of exercise 5

Carcinogens in the

workplace5

Family history of cancer 5

Since one-third of cancers are diet related, change your diet andyou drastically decrease your chances of getting cancer. Eachyear the United States spends billions of dollars on cancerresearch, and our country excels in the treatment of cancer. We

have some of the best cancer specialists and cancer treatmentcenters in the world. Yet, the United States is pitifully inadequatewhen it comes to cancer prevention. After battling and survivingcolon cancer, my main concern was how to keep from gettingcancer again. As part of my treatment program, I consulted topcancer specialists and visited one of the top cancer centers in theworld. When asked what I could do nutritionally to lower mychances of having, shall we say, a "return visit," the oncologistglibly said, "Don't eat too many hamburgers." Such was theextent of nutritional counseling for cancer prevention. That'swhen I realized that a cancer survivor is more motivated thaneven the top cancer specialists to do his homework on preventivemedicine.

After all, cancer centers and cancer specialists make their livingon treatment, not prevention. While there is no lack of money forcancer research in America, research money is targeted primarilyat developing new understandings and treatment of cancer with apitifully small proportion of government research funds directed

toward prevention. Cancer research is a glaring example offunding the wrong end - too much money spent on treatment, toolittle spent on prevention.

No one in the world is more motivated to seek out an anti-cancerregimen than a cancer survivor who wants to be sure he remainsa survivor. I was also motivated by concern for my children. There


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is a strong hereditary tendency within our family for cancer. BothMartha's mother and my father died of colon cancer. Some peoplehave genes that give cells an increased chance of mutating,meaning becoming malignant. These are called oncogenes,

meaning cancer risk genes. The influence of these genes does notbecome apparent unless they're activated by certain carcinogens.If you inherit oncogenes for a particular cancer, there are threeways to lower your risk of getting that cancer:

1. Decrease your exposure to carcinogens - cancer-causing irritants, pollutants, or substances in your diet.

2. Boost your immune system so it can fight against andeliminate cells that have become precancerous by mutation.

3. Consume a diet that decreases the formation, or

growth, of potentially malignant cells.

While there is ongoing debate in many fields of preventivemedicine, the diet-cancer link is no longer controversial, thanks toa monumental six-year study called the "China Project,"conducted by universities in America, China, and Great Britain.This study concluded that the standard American diet contributesgreatly to the high incidence of cancer and cardiovasculardisease. The most influential studies linking cancer and dietshowed the following significant correlations:

A plant-based diet instead of an animal-based diet lowersthe rate of breast, prostate, and colon cancers.

Lung, breast, prostate, and colon cancers (the "big badfour") account for more than half of all cancer deaths. Thegood news is these are also the cancers for which dietarychanges can lower the risk.

Diet can be implicated in at least one-third of all cancers. Increasing your daily consumption of fruits and vegetables

can greatly lower your cancer risk. Diet probably plays more of a role in cancer development

than genes. It is well known that the incidence of mostcancers are less in Asian cultures. The evidence for the diet-cancer link is studies have shown that when Asians moved tothe United States and switched from primarily a plant-based


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diet to an animal-based diet, the cancer rates in theseimmigrants increased to approach those of Americans.

During my recovery from surgery, chemotherapy, and radiationtherapy for colon cancer, I thoroughly researched many claimsabout diet and lifestyle in relation to cancer risk. The anticancerregimen on this site is based on solid scientific information.

You don't all of a sudden "get cancer." Chances are great thatyou, and even your children, have a few cancer cells lurking inyour body. This is why we emphasize beginning the anticancerregimen, especially the anticancer diet, in early childhood, sincecancer cells develop very slowly over decades and may not bedetected until decades later.

Back to topHOW EXERCISE FIGHTS CANCER

Moving your body moves your bowels, which reduces the risk ofcolon cancer. Many scientific studies have shown that people whoexercise regularly have a much lower incidence of cancer thanpeople who don't exercise much. A study that tracked 17,000Harvard alumni for 25 years showed that the group of men whowere highly active (burning at least 2,500 calories in exercise

each week, the equivalent of 45 minutes a day) had half theincidence of colon cancer when compared with their sedentarypeers. Another study showed that men who had sedentary jobshad a 1.6 higher risk of developing colon cancer than their moreactive colleagues. Cancer researchers believe that a high-fat diet(especially a diet high in saturated fats) and inactivity accountsfor as much as 60 percent of all colorectal cancers in men and 40percent in women.

Exercise moves waste products through the intestinesmore quickly, thereby reducing the time that the intestinalwalls are exposed to carcinogens.

Exercise promotes insulin efficiency, which decreases therisk of all diseases, thus accounting for a common themeamong cancer researchers:


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"If you have no time for exercise, you better reserve a lot oftime for disease."

Exercise boosts your immune system by increasing the

amounts of lymphocytes, interleukin, neutrophils, and otherimmune substances circulating in your body. One studyshowed that exercise more than tripled the circulating levelof killer T-cells.

Exercise also raises the level of high density lipoproteins,the good cholesterol that sweeps excess cholesterol off thewalls of your arteries.

When you build muscle mass through exercise, the muscleitself burns more fat and therefore helps the body maintain

its leanness. Once you're lean it's easier to stay lean.Increasing your muscle mass actually enables you toconsume more calories without increasing your body fat. Astudy of 13,000 men and women followed for fifteen yearsby aerobic expert, Dr. Kenneth Cooper, showed that theincidence of all forms of cancer closely correlated with a lackof physical fitness and that the combination of a high-fat dietand inactivity accounted for as much as 60 percent of allcolorectal cancers in men and 40 percent in women. Unfitmen and women were 300 percent more likely to develop

cancer. The study concluded that a half-hour of exerciseseveral days a week can dramatically lower your risk ofcancer. In another study of 8,000 men over 21 years, thosewith the lowest resting heart rate had the lowest risk ofcolorectal cancer.

A link between diet and cancer is difficult to study because of themany factors that contribute to the development of disease. Forexample, persons with healthier diets tend to have healthier

overall lifestyles. Researchers use various statistical methods tofactor in their variables when drawing diet-cancer correlations.

Anti Cancer Diet

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