Eat for Health - The Anti-Cancer Diet

By Joel Fuhrman M.D.
As reported by the U.S. government and Center for Diseases Control, cancers of the colon, breast, prostate and lung are the top four deadliest cancers in the modern world. After billions of dollars devoted to researching drug treatments for cancer and minimal increases in life expectancy for those undergoing chemotherapy for most common cancers, many authorities such as the National Institute of Health and the American Cancer Society, have been issuing a stronger voice advocating more preventive measures to reduce cancer incidence. Diet has become a key element in the fight against cancer.
The American Cancer Society recommends that people lower their risk of developing colorectal cancer by managing the risk factors that they can control, such as diet and physical activity. Diets high in vegetables and fruits have been linked with a lower risk of colon cancer, and diets high in processed and/or red meats have been linked with a higher risk. The American Cancer Society recommends the following:
Eat a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant sources.
Choose foods and beverages in amounts that help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Eat 5 or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day.
Choose whole grains rather than processed (refined) grains.
Limit consumption of processed and red meats
However, for those desiring more powerful protection, these guidelines are not sufficient and are still somewhat vague. For example, it is well established that 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day is still not ideal for cancer protection. This recommendation was made to improve the diet-style of Americans, whose typical grocery baskets are dramatically lacking in these protective foods, but the recommendation is still sub-optimal. The recommendations as a whole were established in response to the dismally low intake of vegetables being consumed in America, and do not represent an ideal. The most recent scientific advancement in the anti-cancer research is the identification of specific foods and food elements that offer powerful protection against cancer. The purpose of this article is to review some of these recent findings so people can take action now to dramatically lower their risk of all cancers and in particular colon cancer.
Let’s review some of these research findings and then review what a powerful, anti-cancer diet will look like.
Meat and cancer
Accumulating epidemiologic evidence indicates that high consumption of red meat and processed meats increases the risk of colorectal cancer. A meta-analysis assessed the association between red meat and processed meat consumption and the risk of colorectal cancer from 29 studies. It showed a clear dose-response relationship, confirming higher intake corresponds with more cancers and a lower intake with less.1
The consumption of red meat and processed meats on a regular basis more than doubled the risk of some cancers. Even ingesting a small amount of red meat, such as two to three ounces a day, was shown to significantly increase the risk of cancer.2 Red meat and processed meats contain more saturated fat and trans fat than other animal products, and, therefore, are poorer food choices. However, the fat issue does not tell the whole story. Toxic nitrogenous compounds (called N-nitroso) occur in larger concentrations in red meat and processed meats. Red meat also has high haem (also spelled heme) content. Haem is an iron-carrying protein, and it has been shown to have destructive effects on the cells lining our digestive tract.3 Processed meats, luncheon meats, barbequed meats also contain cancer-causing heterocyclic amines. These foods must not be a regular part of your diet if you are looking to maintain excellent health into your later years of life, because they promote heart disease and dementia too.
The too frequent consumption of animal products in general increases the risk of cancer. To achieve optimal health, we require a significant exposure to a full symphony of antioxidants and phytochemicals in unprocessed plant matter that we would not ingest sufficiently when animal products comprise a higher percent of total calories and the percentage of vegetation decreases proportionally. Also, since animal products contain no fiber, they remain in the digestive tract longer, slowing digestive transit time and allowing heightened exposure to toxic compounds.
The goal is to gradually reduce even the non-red meat animal products in your diet until you’re only consuming them two to three times per week, but even at that low level of consumption the choice of animal products should exclude or only rarely consume processed meat and barbequed meat. Sugar and white flour and cancer
It has been hypothesized that levels of triglycerides, glucose, and insulin are associated with increased risk of colon cancer and that diets high in simple sugars and white flour increase risk of colon cancer because of their impact on these factors. There are interesting similarities in the epidemiology of colorectal cancer and adult onset diabetes. In a number of studies, diabetic patients have been shown to have an elevated risk of colorectal cancer[ and non-diabetics with elevated postprandial glucose levels also have a higher risk of colorectal cancer than individuals with normal glucose tolerance.4
One explanation for these associations is that both diseases are linked to becoming overweight and the resultant metabolic effects and heightened inflammation that results, but it is interesting to note the evidence supporting the possibility that chronic exposure to diets rich in rapidly assimilated carbohydrates may act directly as a promoter of colorectal carcinogenesis. Considering that both animal products and processed foods supply us with a rich caloric load, but not with antioxidants and phytochemicals necessary for the normal function of cells and the immune system, it may also be the lack of these nutritional elements that are important (as low-nutrient carbohydrates make up a higher percentage of total caloric intake). Free radical production increases and chronic disease develops as the level of produce decreases in the diet and the combined consumption of animal products and processed foods increases.
Epidemiological evidence supports the direct association between simple carbohydrates and risk of colon cancer. A population study reveals a particularly heightened risk when a diet high in refined carbohydrates is associated with a sedentary lifestyle.5
Vegetables and cancer
Even though the key dietary strategy for preventing cancer of the large bowel is to increase your intake of fresh vegetables and fruits (especially vegetables) while lowering the amount of animal products and meat eaten, the evidence that eating more green vegetables is protective for cancers of the colon and rectum, lung and prostate -- is building into an avalanche. Cruciferous vegetables (the cabbage and broccoli family) are simply the most powerful weapon against all forms of cancer and especially colorectal cancer.6
Cruciferous vegetables have been studied extensively for their chemo protective effects. Although they contain many bioactive compounds, the anti-carcinogenic actions of cruciferous vegetables are commonly attributed to their content of glucosinolates. Glucosinolates are relatively biologically inert but can be hydrolysed to a range of bioactive compounds such as isothiocyanates (ITC) and indoles by the plant-based enzyme myrosinase. A number of mechanisms whereby ITC and indoles may protect against colo-rectal cancer have been identified. In experimental animals, cruciferous vegetables have been shown to inhibit chemically-induced colon cancer. Human studies show a huge protective effect; people who were regular consumers of these foods had approximately 60 percent less cancer.7
Cruciferous vegetables act by altering the metabolism of carcinogens present in cooked food, such as the heterocyclic amines. They help the body eliminate carcinogens and also keep free radicals in check, but even more fascinating is the body’s ability (when fueled with a sufficient amount of these greens) to repair broken DNA cross-links and modify the expression of genes that influence the risk of colon cancer.8
Vitamin D and cancer.
Studies in recent years have added more support to the idea that higher levels of vitamin D may decrease risk of colorectal cancer. Further, typical dietary intakes such as 200-400 IU/day may be too low to exert appreciable benefits, and protection may occur with higher levels of vitamin D. Recent studies also suggest a potential benefit of vitamin D on other digestive-tract cancers, and that vitamin D status at the time of diagnosis and treatment may influence cancer survival.9 For most Americans not living in and working outdoors in southern states, supplementation with 800 to 2000 IU’s optimizes serum 25-hydroxy Vitamin D levels for protection against cancer and osteoporosis.
Eat For Health -- effective for all health conditions
The foundation of nutritional science can be explained by my simple formula: H = N / C or Health = Nutrients / Calories.
This is a concept I call the nutrient density of your diet. The key to both longevity and healthful weight loss is to eat predominantly those foods that have a high proportion of nutrients (non-caloric food factors) compared to calories (carbohydrates, fats and proteins). Maintaining a favorable body weight is an important component of an anti-cancer lifestyle.
If you had a hundred dollars to spend, would you want to purchase a pencil or a laptop computer? You would want to receive the most value for your money, right? Likewise, if you were to consume 1000 calories per day, would you want to spend those caloric bucks on empty calorie, low nutrient foods, like pasta, oil and sugar, or would it make more sense to eat foods that are rich in micronutrients such as fruits, vegetables and legumes?
A food is healthy or not-so-healthy based on how much fiber, phytochemicals, antioxidants, minerals., omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and other unnamed (or yet to be discovered) nutrients it contains in proportion to its calories. Based on this N/C criterion, you can grade food quality, construct menus, and make food choices to support excellent health. Once you know which foods have the highest nutrient density, you will become an expert in nutrition and weight loss. It is that simple.
Eating large quantities of high-nutrient foods is the secret to optimal health, disease prevention and maintaining a healthy slim waistline. The health equation describes a way of eating that is truly a longevity diet, yet it effortlessly has you achieve an ideal weight and it is an anti-cancer and anti-heart disease diet-style.
A person who Eats For Health is called a nutritarian. You already may be a nutritarian if youunderstand that food has powerful disease-protecting and therapeutic effects and you seek to consume a broad array of both discovered and undiscovered micronutrients via your food choices. It is not sufficient to merely avoid fat, trans fat or saturated fat. It is not sufficient for the diet to have a low glycemic index. It is not sufficient for the diet to be low in animal products. A truly healthy diet must be micro-nutrient rich and the micro-nutrient richness must be adjusted to meet individual needs. Since the foods with the highest micro-nutrient per calorie scores are green vegetables, colorful vegetables, and fresh fruits, consumption of enough of these foods are required to meet our micronutrient needs for optimal health. It helps if the produce-rich diet is designed to be delicious. There is no reason why healthy foods can’t taste great.
A typical anti-cancer diet should contain at least 3 fresh fruits daily, at least one large raw green salad, as well as a two other cooked (steamed) vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots and peas, squash or other colorful vegetables. A huge pot of soup ladened with vegetables, herbs and beans can be made once a week and conveniently taken for lunch. Raw nuts and seeds are another important, but often overlooked food with documented health benefits contributing to longevity .
Many individuals are choosing to modify their lifestyle to improve their health or reverse diseases. Unrefined plant foods and phytochemical support is the foundation of an anti-aging lifestyle. Most diseases are effectively treated and in many cases completely reversed through aggressive nutritional intervention. Uncovering the cause, and fueling the miraculous natural repair systems that are built into your body is always a better choice that results in a more favorable outcome, rather than covering up symptoms with medications. I urge you to learn more about healthful eating, and try some great tasting high-nutrient recipes in your regular diet, the effort is worth it and it may even save your life. Remember, the prescription is nutrition.
1. Larsson SC ; Wolk A. Meat consumption and risk of colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis of prospectivee studies. Int J Cancer. 2006; 119(11):2657-64.
2. Chao A, Thun JT, Connell CJ, et al. Meat Consumption and Risk of Colorectal Cancer JAMA 2005;293:172-182.
3. Sesink AL, Termont DS, Kleibeuker JH, Van der Meer R. Red meat and colon cancer: dietary haem-induced colonic cytotoxicity and epithelial hyperproliferation are inhibited by calcium. Carcinogenesis 2001;22(10):1653-1659. Hughes R, Cross AJ, Pollock JR, Bingham S. Dose dependent effect of dietary meat on endogenous colonic N-nitrosation. Carcinogenesis 2001; 22(1):199-202.
4. La Vecchia C, D"Avanzo B, Negri E, Franceschi S. History of selected diseases and the risk of colorectal cancer. Eur J Cancer 1991; 27: 582-6. Schoen RE, Tangen CM, Kuller LH, et al. Increased blood glucose and insulin, body size, and incident colorectal cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 1999; 91: 1147-54.
5. Slattery ML ; Benson J ; Berry TD et al. Dietary sugar and colon cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1997; 6(9):677-688.
6. Lynn A ; Collins A ; Fuller Z ; et al. Cruciferous vegetables and colo-rectal cancer. Proc Nutr Soc. 2006; 65(1):135-44.
7. Seow A ; Yuan JM ; Sun CL, et al. Dietary isothiocyanates, glutathione S-transferase polymorphisms and colorectal cancer risk in the Singapore Chinese Health Study. Carcinogenesis. 2002; 23(12):2055-61.
8. Little J ; Sharp L ; Masson LF ; et al. Colorectal cancer and genetic polymorphisms of CYP1A1, GSTM1 and GSTT1: a case-control study in the Grampian region of Scotland. Int J Cancer. 2006; 119(9):2155-64. Walters DG ; Young PJ ; Agus C ; et al. Cruciferous vegetable consumption alters the metabolism of the dietary carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) in humans.Carcinogenesis. 2004; 25(9):1659-69. Higdon JV ;Delage B ;Williams DE ;Dashwood RH. Cruciferous vegetables and human cancer risk: epidemiologic evidence and mechanistic basis. Pharmacol Res. 2007; 55(3):224-36.
9. Giovannucci E. The epidemiology of vitamin D and colorectal cancer: recent findings.Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2006; 22(1):24-9.

Joel Fuhrman, M.D., is a board-certified family physician, best-selling author, and one of the country's leading experts on nutritional medicine. He speaks to audiences at conferences, seminars, and corporate events throughout the United States and Canada. He addresses other physicians at hospital grand rounds and has lectured at benefits for the American Heart Association and the U.S. Olympic Team. Dr. Fuhrman has appeared in hundreds of magazines, on the radio, and on television including: Good Morning America (ABC), The Today Show (NBC), Good Day New York (FOX), The Food Network, CNN, Oprah & Friends, UPN, and the Discovery Channel. His books include: Eat To Live, Cholesterol Protection for Life, and Disease Proof Your Child. His newest book, Eat For Health, was published in April 2008. Dr. Fuhrman teaches nutritional excellence is not only preventative, but is also the most effective therapeutic intervention for most chronic medical conditions. At DrFuhrman.com he supplies health and nutrition information and answers people’s health and nutrition questions.
Eating For Health
We know so much about nutrition and its powerful effects to create disease or protect against disease. The question that seems unanswered to the majority of our population is what constitutes a healthy diet and how do we know that our chosen diet is disease-producing or disease protecting? What degree of dietary excellence would make a diet therapeutically disease-reversing for those with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease or diabetes?
My 2-book set, Eat For Health is not just about weight loss, it answers these issues with logic and science. It gives individuals that ability to measure and judge the nutritional quality of their diet and discern whether their diet is adequate for them and if it contains sufficient micronutrients. What constitutes a healthy diet for a healthy person with good family history and no health problems? How do we design the right diet for those with multiple risk factors or a poor family history? What if you are faced with a serious health challenge, how should your diet be structured for maximum therapeutic effects? Eat For Health allows a person to enter into this world of dietary excellence at the level they choose and move forward at their own pace as they learn more and retrain their taste to prefer healthier options.
The quality of a diet can be judged base on three simple criteria:1) its level of micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals) per calorie, 2) if it contains adequate macronutrients (fat, carbohydrate, protein) to meet individual needs, but without excess calories that may lead to overweight or health compromise. 3) if it adequately avoids potentially toxic substances, (such as trans fat) or excesses of substances harmful in excess, (such as sodium).
A person who Eats For Health is called a nutritarian. You all may be nutritarians if youunderstand that food has powerful disease-protecting and therapeutic effects and seeks to consume a broad array of both discovered and undiscovered micronutrients via your food choices. It is not sufficient to merely avoid fat, trans fat or saturated fat. It is not sufficient for the diet to have a low glycemic index. It is not sufficient for the diet to be low in animal products. A truly healthy diet must be micro-nutrient rich and the micro-nutrient richness must be adjusted to meet individual needs. Since the foods with the highest micro-nutrient per calorie scores are green vegetables, colorful vegetables, and fresh fruits, consumption of enough of these foods are required to meet our micronutrient needs for optimal health. It helps if the produce-rich diet is designed to be delicious. There is no reason why healthy foods can’t taste great.
Book two of this set contains over 150 recipes that add a new dimension of gourmet taste from my ensemble of great chefs. Each step of this book has been designed so people can earn back their health, get the weight results they want, and get maximum pleasure and taste.

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