Help! I Have Cancer… What Should I Eat?
I’ve often wondered about the perfect human diet, and whether one actually exists. Nutrition has always been a fascinating subject to me and throughout the years I’ve found myself reading more and more about this topic.
Why is it that some people can eat in a certain way and appear fine, whereas others need to avoid certain foods or else end up with bloating, gas, inflammation among other problems? 🍕🍔🍟
Is there a link between diet and cancer, and if so, what is it? I decided to do some research on this and found out some important information linking diet and cancer…
Here’s what I discovered…
Nutrition is about the relationship between food and how our bodies use it for growth, repair, sustaining daily activities and essentially, supporting quality of life.
Diet plays a pivotal role in cancer recovery. In fact, cancer recovery is incredibly responsive to the food you put in your body.
In my experience, there is no single cancer diet that every cancer patient must adhere to… Variables in diet sway from one ethnic group to another, from one blood type to another, from one constitution to another and more… options include raw food, keto, Mediterranean diet, OMAD, or a modification of any of these…
But the bottom line is that CLEAN EATING is mandatory to help in the prevention and recovery of cancer, as well as the side-effects of conventional treatments.
What do I mean by clean eating? This boils down to several guiding principles that include choosing whole, organic, plant-based foods… and cutting out refined and processed foods.
Why organic and plant-based?
Organic foods are free of pesticides and have a higher mineral content than non-organic foods.
Plant-based food contains phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber – these are all the components your body needs to help fight cancer.
Phytochemicals are able to stimulate the immune system, slow the growth rate of cancer cells, and prevent DNA damage that can lead to cancer. They work as antioxidants to protect the body’s cells from oxidative damage, which can occur from the food and drink you put into your body, as well as the air you breathe.
Your body needs antioxidants such as those within phytochemicals to provide protection against the oxidative damage that may lead to cancer and other diseases.
Some examples of plant-based foods to include in your anti-cancer diet include vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes.
An example of a cancer fighting plate is ½ vegetables, ¼ quality protein and ¼ good fats.
Why low glycemic?
Foods should be low on the glycemic index!! The glycemic index (GI) is a value assigned to foods based on how slowly or how quickly those foods cause increases in blood glucose levels.
Foods with a low GI value are preferred because they are slowly digested and absorbed, causing a slower and smaller rise in blood sugar levels. On the other hand, foods with a high GI value should be limited. They’re quickly digested and absorbed, resulting in a rapid rise and fall of blood sugar levels.
Examples of foods with a low glycemic index are most vegetables, most fruit, legumes, eggs and nuts.
Should you go gluten-free?
One question that I get asked a lot is whether or not to go gluten-free. The reality is that eating a diet high in gluten can be inflammatory for the body. Gluten is a protein found in many grains, including wheat, barley and rye. It’s common in foods such as bread, pasta, pizza, cereal, cakes, muffins and cookies.
Chronic inflammation is a key driver in creating an environment within the body that is receptive to cancer. Gluten provides no essential nutrients and can damage the gut as well as other tissues within the body. It is simply not a friend to the anti-cancer diet! By eliminating gluten, you are also removing sources of hormonal imbalance, weight gain and environmental toxins.
What to do if you’re still confused about what to eat
Still confused about what to eat during your active cancer? Do you want to know what to eat while undergoing chemo or radiation? What a good pre/post surgery integration to lower metastasis risk, speed healing, reduce/eliminate pain, looks like?
I have lots of tips for you on how certain foods will improve these outcomes!
Click here to request a free 30 minute consultation with me, and receive answers to support your best efforts while fighting cancer with a healthy diet.
My online program, Cancer Recovery Roadmap, goes into diet and nutritional repair in much more detail and provides guidance on implementing healthy dietary changes along with recipes, and a step-by-step daily anti-cancer diet plan for eating. Check it out!
I’ve taken all my research on diet, environment, lifestyle and mind-body and put it into a very comprehensive program which will help you create your own cancer recovery plan. If you want to take your recovery from cancer to the next level, click on the image below.
Also, if you want to join a free community of people with cancer looking for holistic and integrative strategies to encourage cancer recovery CLICK THIS LINK to join the Holistic Strategies for Cancer Recovery Facebook group to help support your journey and connect you with likeminded people.
