PSIC section 11
by Clare Styles
There are cancer cells growing in our bodies right now[1]. Microscopic tumours develop when healthy cells make natural errors during cell division or when a cell’s DNA is mutated by environmental effects. Up to ten thousand mistakes occur in the DNA of dividing cells in our bodies every day, making the formation of cancers not only common but inevitable [2]. But these minuscule cancers are entirely harmless and most of them never develop into a serious threat. If they cannot expand and invade organs, they cannot spread and kill.
Our bodies’ defences keep these tiny cancers small by depriving them of the blood supply and nutrients they require to proliferate[3].
Angiogenesis is the process our bodies use to grow and maintain blood vessels. Abnormal blood vessels can grow and begin to nourish microscopic cancers. A healthy angiogenesis system controls when and where blood vessels develop and can block tumours from recruiting a private blood supply for the oxygen they need to increase in size. When the body loses this ability to control blood vessels, a wide range of diseases can occur, including cancer[4].
This defence can be optimised by what we eat. Scientific research shows that over 200 foods can be used to defend our health, providing a wide choice for everyone’s taste. Using knowledge of the body’s five health systems – angiogenesis, regeneration, the microbiome, DNA protection, and immunity – Dr William Li, founder of the Angiogenesis Foundation, has written a guide to the detailed scientific evidence promoting this approach to healthy eating. His book includes an innovative (and user-friendly) approach to diet by listing the large number of foods that provide particular angiogenetic benefits, based on the five categories.
We can simply choose the foods we like from the five lists, all backed up by scientific studies. There are even some recipes from Dr Li to encourage us. His food list include cherries, watermelon, kimchi, asparagus, kale, chickpeas, pine nuts, pumpernickel bread and high content dark chocolate.
A similar approach is the focus of work by Richard Béliveau, PhD, a leading figure in the field of cancer research. In his book (written with researcher Dennis Gingras) Foods to Fight Cancer[5] he outlines how cancers form and grow, the process of angiogenesis and discusses the ten “nutraceuticals” – foods that fight cancer. In his companion book[6], he has assembled recipes from top restaurant chefs that use the foods with cancer-fighting properties.
The Mediterranean diet, often cited as increasing longevity, contains natural compounds that block abnormal angiogenesis[7].
In ancient times, man’s diet was based on the healthful properties of foods, including vegetables, fruits, pulses and spices, and eaten to promote health daily.
Modern diets, since the end of WW2, have shifted to convenience foods, readily available snacks, sugary drinks and ready-made desserts. This has changed the way we eat. Portion sizes have increased, along with “hidden sugars” in highly processed foods. These factors have led to an increase in cancer diagnoses, as well as heart disease, obesity and stroke[8].
Modern medicine often offers dietary advice once patients are diagnosed with cancer. This advice is predominantly negative, telling patients to avoid certain foods considered unhealthy (fats, meat, caffeine, alcohol, sugar). Whilst medical science recognises that diet is pivotal to regulating our health, until recently it was poorly understood how.
As we can see from this research there ar many foods can prevent, halt or even reverse cancer and we have the information to make healthy choices based on reliable research.
Further inspiration for healthy recipes and encouragement in healthy food choices based on scientific evidence are available in these two cookery books – Eat Yourself Healthy by Jamie Oliver, and The Happy Kitchen by Rachel Kelly and Alice Macintosh. Whilst not written specifically to support cancer patients, their focus is on general health, mental health and wellbeing, which can improve cancer patients’ outcomes and quality of life.
Links:
Dr. William Li Presenting at TED2017 on Rethinking Health
[1] Cancer without disease. (2004) J Folkman et al. Nature 427.
[2] Oxidants, Antioxidants, and the Degenerative Diseases of Aging. (1993) N Ames, et al. Pro of the Nat Acadof Sci USA 90(17). DNA Damage and Repair: Mechanisms for Maintaining DNA Integrity. (2008) S Clancy. Nature Education 1(1).
[3] Eat to Beat Disease. (2019) W Li
[4] Ibid.
[5] Foods to Fight Cancer. (2007) R Béliveau et al.
[6] Cooking with Foods that Fight Cancer. (2007) R Béliveau et al.
[7] The Mediterranean Diet, a Rich Source of Angiopreventive Compounds in Cancer. (2019) B Martínez-Poveda et al. Nutrients 11(9).
[8] The Harsh Reality of Ultra Processed Food. (2024) C van Tulleken. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QOTBreQaIk . Ultra-processed food consumption, cancer risk and cancer mortality…. (Feb23) K Changa et al. The Lancet – Disc Sci 56.
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