The anti-cancer diet

Yes, there’s a diet that protects against the modern scourge (which they say is the price we pay for life’s excesses) that is cancer.

“Truly, cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases,” Dr. Angel Respicio, nutrition adviser, The Sleeplab at Hawaii Medical, writes in his e-mail. “True, there have been great strides in cancer research regarding treatment options available, but unfortunately, not everybody can afford proper treatment. The best defense, therefore, is prevention for the general population. For those in remission, maintaining a healthy and strong immune system is vital.”    

Our good nutritionist clears some misconceptions (presenting the food fats and facts).  He quotes a mouthful from Dr. Mary Enig’s Know Your Fats, 2000:  “In 1965, Ernst Wynder, MD of the American Health Foundation presented a slide in a meeting which showed that animal fat and colon cancer were positively correlated across many countries. Unfortunately, the data on the slide, represented mostly processed vegetable fat for the many countries. For the US, about 89 percent of the number represented processed vegetable fats. This fraudulent data have many times subsequently been shown as being fundamental in support of the meat and fat hypothesis. These were not animal fat data. And now, after more than three decades, the anti-animal fat hypothesis continues to lead nutrition agenda. It was a false issue then, and it remains a false issue today.”        

The British Medical Journal (15 January 2005) reports, “Evidence grows that eating red meat increases cancer risk.”

According to Dr. Respicio, FYI, “their definition of red meat included — hold your breath now — bacon, sausage, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, meatloaf, or casserole with minced beef, beef steak, beef roast, beef stew, pot pie, liver, pork, hotdog, ham, bologna, salami, and luncheon meat. Only God knows which of the above could have caused cancer. It could be the preservatives, food coloring, processed fats, etc. and not red meat per se.”

 Respicio poses this mind-piquing question: “If it is true that red meat eaters increase their risk of colorectal cancers, why is it that people who eat nothing but red meat like the Canadian Inuit, American Indians, hunters, as well as the Masai tribes of Kenya did not suffer any forms of cancer at all?” 

Dr. Respicio takes note of another biased reporting by media in the news article which goes,” Colon cancer survivors who followed the high-fat Western diet are more likely to have recurrence.” This was based on the report published in JAMA (The Journal of American Medical Association Vol. 298 No 7, August 15, 2007) titled “Association of Dietary Patterns With Cancer Recurrence and Survival in Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer.” The findings were only observational, Respicio gingerly notes,  and there wasn’t any proven causality that animal fat or meat was linked to cancer. The Western diet studied consisted of meat, fat (vegetable fat or meat fat), refined grains or flour, and high-sugar dessert. “And the media tried to implicate meat as the culprit. Only God knows which of these caused the cancer recurrence.” 

Respicio makes these meaty observations, “The anti-beef agenda has gathered momentum and eventually became accepted by media who pushed it and by the unfortunate consumer who swallowed this big fraud, hook, line, and sinker.  The Japanese have the longest lifespan in the world and they have moderate fat consumption from eggs, pork chicken, beef, seafood, and organ meats What the Japanese do not consume is a lot of vegetable oil, white flour, or processed food. The Swiss rank second in longevity and they live almost as long on one of the fattiest diets in the world. Tied for third in longevity stakes are Austria and Greece,  both with high-fat (animal) diets (Thomas Moore, Lifespan: What Really Affects Human Longevity, 1990).”

The experts behind Weston A. Price Foundation (according to Dr. Respicio, it’s an independent group of scientists not funded by any self-serving interest groups; they have no biases and simply give pure and sound advice based on objective scientific research) have identified the compounds in processed foods that can cause cancer. Do take note:

• Trans fatty acids: Imitation fats in shortenings, margarines, and most commercial baked goods and snack foods. Strongly associated with cancer of the lungs and reproductive organs.

• Rancid fats: Industrial processing creates rancidity (free radicals) in commercial vegetable oils.

• Omega-6 fatty acids: Although needed in small amounts, an excess can contribute to cancer. Dangerously high levels of omega-6 fatty acids are due to the overuse of vegetable oils in modern diets.

• MSG: Yes, monosodium glutamate (vetsin) is associated with brain cancer. It’s found in almost all processed foods, even when “MSG” does not appear on the label. Flavorings, spice mixes, and hydrolyzed protein contain MSG.

• Aspartame: This imitation sweetener in diet foods and beverages is associated with brain cancer.

• Pesticides: Found in most commercial vegetable oils, fruit juices, vegetables and fruits, pesticides are associated with many types of cancer.

• Hormones: Found in animals raised in confinement on soy and grains. Plant-based hormones are plentiful in soy foods.

• Artificial flavorings and colors: Associated with various types of cancers, especially when consumed in large amounts in a diet of junk food.

• Refined carbohydrates: Sugar, high fructose corn syrup and white flour are devoid of nutrients. The body uses up nutrients from other foods to process refined carbohydrates. Tumor growth is associated with sugar consumption.

So, what are the nutrients that can protect us against cancer? Here they are, according to Weston Price Foundation:

• Vitamin A: Strengthens the immune system. Essential for mineral metabolism and endocrine function, it helps detoxify. True vitamin A is found only in animal foods such as cod liver oil; fish and shellfish; and liver, butter, and egg yolks from pasture-fed animals. Traditional diets contain 10 times more vitamin A than the typical modern American diet.

• Vitamin C: An important antioxidant that prevents damage by free radicals. It is found in many fruits and vegetables but also in certain organ meats valued by primitive peoples.

• Vitamin B6: Deficiencies are associated with cancer. It contributes to the function of over 100 enzymes and is mostly available from animal foods.

• Vitamin B12: Deficiencies are associated with cancer. Found only in animal foods.

• Vitamin B17: Found in a variety of organically grown grains, legumes, nuts, and berries.

• Vitamin D: Required for mineral absorption, it is strongly protective against breast and colon cancers. Found only in animal foods such as cod liver oil, lard, shellfish and butterfat, organ meats and egg yolks from grass-fed animals.

• Vitamin E: Works as an antioxidant at the cellular level. Found in unprocessed oils as well as in animal fats like butter and egg yolks.

• Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA): Strongly protective against breast cancer. Found in the butterfat and meat fat of grass-fed ruminant animals.

• Cholesterol: A potent antioxidant that protects against free radicals in cell membranes. Found only in animal foods.

• Minerals: The body needs generous amounts of a wide variety of minerals to protect itself against cancer. Minerals like zinc, magnesium, and selenium are vital components of enzymes that help the body fight carcinogens. Minerals are more easily absorbed from animal foods.

• Lactic acid and friendly bacteria: Contribute to the health of the digestive tract. Found in old fashioned lacto-fermented foods.

• Saturated fats: Strengthen the immune system. Needed for proper use of the essential fatty acids. The lungs cannot function without saturated fats. Found mostly in animal foods.

• Long-chain fatty acids: Arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) help fight cancer on the cellular level. They are found mostly in animal foods such as butter, organ meats, cod liver oil, and seafood.

• Co-enzyme Q10: Highly protective against cancer, it is found only in animal foods.

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