diet cancer

Diet and cancer

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What we eat has a major impact on our health, before a diagnosis of cancer, during treatments and in the long term. This section separates the international evidence of the benefits and risks of separate components with common foods.

In reality, however, real food cannot be split into conveniently selected anti-cancer packages so each meal will contain a variety of healthy factors and indeed some of the unhealthy substances. Likewise, the foods considered to be anti-cancer, are likely to benefit each stage of the cancer journey, as well as helping prevent it in the first place. The rest of this section aims to explain how diet:

Affects the risks of developing cancer
Can improve the quality of life and reduce side effects during active cancer treatments
Improves the recovery from cancer treatments and can reduce long term risks
Improve the response of cancer treatments
Improve the overall cure rate

As well as addressing healthy and unhealthy foods in general, various specific advice sheets are available addressing specific diseases such as breast and prostate, specific symptoms such as weight gain, weight loss, nausea & poor appetite, diarrhoea, constipation, breathless, altered taste and dry mouth. It provided useful tips for patients with stomas or on drugs which require modifications such as procarbazine as well as advice during chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy. Apart from these examples, for practical reasons, this section addresses people who do not have any or few restrictions on their diet after their diagnosis of cancer. Likewise it doesn’t address any pre-existing long standing dietary requirements. In general, therefore, it is probably not appropriate for patients with advanced cancer or those who’s tumours or treatments have affected their ability to eat or digest food. In these situation, patients should seek formal advice from qualified dieticians preferably those attached to a mainstream cancer unit.

How does diet and nutrition affect the cancer pathway:

Meat
Fibre
Carcinogens and alcohol
Antioxidants; carotenoids; non-oestrogenic phytochemicals
Oestrogenic phytochemicals (phytoestrogens)
Xenoestrogens
Trace metals, salts & calcium
Vitamins A, C, D and E
Salicylate and Cycloxidase pathway
Fat intake and obesity:
- Insulin and insulin-like growth factor
- Leptin, oestrogen & progesterone

How to eat a healthy anti-cancer diet:

The rest of this section gives a guide to how to achieve a healthier all round anti cancer diet. For ease of explanation it has divided the advice into two sections; what to eat less of in order to avoid substances which can promote cancer growth and progression and what to eat more of in order to arm the body’s defences and promote overall wellbeing:-

What to less of:	What to more of:
Carcinogens Pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides Xenoestrogens Harmful fats Salt & sugar Meat Alcohol (in excess)	Antioxidants Phytochemicals Healthy fats Fibre Vitamins Trace minerals Fruit, veg, berries & nuts Raw healthy foods

Overall this site tries to avoid recommending specific foods, meals or dietary programs; instead it aims to embody the concepts of healthy eating. Most individuals do not need spoon feeding and are perfectly capable of adjusting to a healthy diet within their preferences, tastes, needs or cultural parameters. This is particularly important if a lasting view of dietary change is planned. A section discusses the benefits of organic foods and some concerns with excessive supplements. Changing to a “faddy” diet, eating foods which are not palatable to that individual or are not freely available in their country will lead to cravings, distress and are unlikely to succeed in the long haul.

Further general information Your doctors and specialist nurses are in an ideal position to give you relevant information on your disease and treatment as they know your individual circumstances. Cancerbackup has a help line (0808 800 1234) and a prize winning video available in English, Italian, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati & Hindi explaining Radiotherapy & Chemotherapy. Cancernet.co.uk has over 500 pages describing cancer, its management, practical tips and tool which patients, their carers and their doctors have found helpful during the cancer journey.