Foods that Prevent Cancer
“The Key to Starving Cancer: High Fiber & A Healthy Gut”
A Blog Post by Elissa Goodman
Have you heard the idea that we can “starve” our cancer cells? I am not only talking about limiting the harmful foods that fuel their growth. Sure, for most people who have cancer, it is imperative to significantly limit certain foods, like sugar, processed foods and low-quality animal protein, that encourage cancer cells to grow even more. We know that a poor diet is a key factor in increasing your cancer risk. But it goes even further than food being used as cancer fuel. There is a magical aspect of our bodies that actually works to starve cancer from the inside out: the potent cancer-fighting cells that live in our gastrointestinal tract.
If you have taken a basic biology or anatomy class, you have likely heard about the cells that work to strengthen and support the immune system. Like me, your high school years may be a bit behind you, but does the term “Helper T Cell” ring a bell to you? T Cells are the most critical cancer-fighting immune cells in the human body – and research shows that a whopping seventy percent (!!!) of them reside alongside the lining of the GI tract. This is hugely significant because it means that they can be affected by whatever they interact with – the foods we eat and the medications we take. On top of keeping the immune cells in the gut healthy, it is important to keep the rest of the microbiome in the intestinal tract functioning optimally as well because it all relies on each other.
Over the years, the research has seemed to show that, in general, the more variation in intestinal microflora (also known us gut bacteria) someone has, the better their T Cells will stand up to some forms of cancer and the better their immunotherapy response will be. What scientists and doctors are now finding is that it is not just one kind of bacteria in a probiotic that they can prescribe to cancer patients to help with immunotherapy. In fact, recent data has shown that in some cases prescribing a probiotic prior to treatment made the treatment less effective – sometimes by a significant degree. However, what health professionals are discovering is that there is something else they can “prescribe” to increase the likelihood of effective immunotherapy treatment: fiber.
Yes, a high-fiber diet has been shown to increase the chances of successful immunotherapy treatment by fivefold! This is because the good bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract feed off of fiber. So, while it is important to have a healthy microbiome within the gut, it is also very important to be feeding it the correct nutrients. Unfortunately, the data is still limited on what, exactly, the best nutrients are for an optimal gut microbiome for cancer patients. One of the main roadblocks on modern research is the fact that pharmaceutical companies are willing to invest in trials that revolve around immunotherapy drugs, but not on nutrition. That is because there is a lot of money in the medication industry, but it is much harder to patent a certain type of eating pattern than a drug. One thing is clear: a healthy gut positively impacts immunotherapy. There are some steps that you can take today to ensure that your gut microbiome is as healthy as possible – especially if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer.
Reduce toxic trigger foods in your diet such as gluten, dairy, sugar, GMO corn & soy, hydrogenated fats, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, processed foods and anything you might be allergic or have a sensitivity to: a food allergy can cause an immune system reaction that affects numerous organs and can be life-threatening. Consider taking a daily probiotic to regenerate healthy bacteria in your gut and improve your immune system (unless you are about to begin immunotherapy treatment in which case, speak with your doctor about whether probiotic supplementation is a good idea for you). My favorite brands for probiotics are Seed, Renew Life and Dr. Ohhira’s. You can also add fermented foods into your diet because they have live probiotic cultures that work to increase the health of your gut and immune system. Some of my favorite fermented foods include coconut kefir, coconut yogurt kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, tempeh, and unpasteurized miso.
You can also supplement daily with L-glutamine, which supports digestion by helping to maintain the mucosal lining of the intestinal tract, which, in turn, supports immune function. Also, it is used throughout the body for tissue repair and immune support. Pure Encapsulations has a fantastic L-Glutamine supplement. I also recommend regularly drinking gut-healing bone broth or adding collagen powder to your nutrient routine. Bone broth contains gelatin- one of the most important nutrients for healing and sealing the gut. It essentially spackles holes in the gut lining, preventing food and bacteria from leaking. My favorite collagen powder is Further Food. You can also take a digestive enzyme because they help to breakdown food better and extract more nutrients. Enzymedica Digest Gold ATPro is wonderful for this. Finally, and most important, add fiber to your diet! Not only does a high-fiber diet fuel the good bacteria in the gut, as I mentioned earlier, it also reduces levels of disease-causing bacteria. We need a minimum of 25 – 35 grams of fiber per day and many people are not consuming anywhere close to that. Some of my favorite sources of fiber are chia seeds, berries, avocados, various legumes and flax seeds.
As always, please speak with a doctor before beginning a new supplement. Happy gut healing!
This post was originally published on Elissa Goodman’s website at – https://elissagoodman.com/health/cancer-fighting-gut-cells/ and The Foundation for Living Beauty was given permission by Elissa to republish on our blog.
To learn more about Elissa Goodman, please visit, https://elissagoodman.com/
The recommendations above are based on the author’s research and findings and do not guarantee the prevention of cancer.
If you enjoyed reading this blog check out this one about cancer-causing foods!
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Hello. My name is Falefusi Fautanu from Hawaii. I am diagnosed with Stage 3 Pancreatic adenocarcinoma. I want to know what is the best Breakfast, best food, best fruits/veggies for Pancreatic Cancer? Really need your help. Thank you.
I really need help on gut help. I don’t know which way to go
Hi Lashanda, please feel free to email us at [email protected] and we can share some of the resources we have in regards to gut health! Thanks for reaching out and for reading this blog!
MY GRANDSON WAS DIAGNOSE WITH KIDNEY CANCER
KIDNEY REMOVE, NOW THERE IS 50/50 THAT IT CAME BACK
IS THERE HOPE , HELP
I have ovarian cancer which is stage four, I need help trying to shrink it. the masses are pushing up on my bladder and bowls causing it hard to pass a bowl movement etc.
Hello, thank you so much for reaching out. We understand how hard a stage 4 diagnosis is and can imagine how painful it is to go through this. We do not offer any medical advice here at The Foundation for Living Beauty, but we have some resources that may be able to help you alleviate your pain. If you’d like information on these resources, please email us at [email protected].
Just curious about the prevention of reversing blood or bone cancers. What would that diet look like? I usually fast until 2pm every day and have my last meal at 7pm. I typically drink some detox juice fresh pressed green or beet etc to try and prevent these things but I still ended up with a slightly enlarged liver. I just don’t know how that could have happened with my lifestyle being healthy and exercising.
can collagen peptides do just as well? Also can it be consumed while on chemo treatments? Pleas list you top 5 fiber foods that aide in battling cancer …..thank you……Aaron
I just found out I have cancer of the uterus and opt for surgery, but what steps are good before and afterwards?
I do not know where to start. My wife and I have been with each other for 50 yrs. She has stage 4 gaul bladder cancer, what a shock. I am a retired cook/chef and want to find foods that will help her conditioin. I also need an outlet to express how difficult it is to experience this horrible diease. One thing that struck me as we were going to different hospitals in search of diagnosis was the overwhelming number of people with cancer, it was shocking. We need a cure, now. I emphasize with all who are going throught this event in their lives.
I hope to find food that will help me help her. Any suggestions will be helpful. Thanks.
My sister have pancreatitis cancer first stage need to know what to eat before surgery. She has a mass close to her, pancreas and need to know what to strink the mass or tumor to avoid surgery