The 4th February has been designated World Cancer Day. It is estimated that genetic mutations play a role in 5-10% of cancers. Whereas, 27% of cancers relate to tobacco and alcohol use. Increasing other environmental factors such as obseity also contribute to the disease.

I am a naturopathic nutritionalist and one of the tenants of naturopathic medicine to look at the whole picture, not just the symptoms or the diagnosis. Our environment: what we eat, where we live, or emotions can have both positive and negative impacts. I often speak about this when talking to cancer patients and illustrate using the Penny Brohn Whole Person Model - because we need more that just medicine. Where our environment is involved in the disease process, then there are preventative measures that can be taken to reduce the risks of developing and re-occurance of the disease.

Following a healthy diet is commonly quoted as one factor which can prevent cancer, but often the advice falls short on defining healthy. I recommend two dietary goals:

Achieving and maintaining an appropriate weight.

The published Tipping the Scales: Why Preventing Obesity Makes Economic Sense in 2015. This report stated that 10 types of cancer can be caused by obesity and a further two cancers can be caused by being overweight. Put the search criteria obesity and cancer into PubMed, limiting the studies to human studies and you will be presented with just shy of 23,000 research papers and trials published on the subject; 2,800 of which have been published since the beginning of 2017. Obesity is now considered the second most modifiable risk factor for cancer following cessation of smoking.

Goal: achieve and maintain a BMI in the normal range (18.5-24.9 for adults).

Reducing inflammation

Inflammation presents a bit of a chicken and egg story for many chronic diseases including cancer; is it the cause? is it a driver of the disease? or simply an acceptable immune reaction? Chronic inflammation is increasingly a by-product of our modern lifestyles, and its negative role in many disease processes is becoming increasingly established, with studies drawing an association with a pro-inflammatory diet [1] and all cause mortality, not just cancer.

The good news is that an anti-inflammatory diet can help modulate inflammation, and ensure that it is activated when required, but doesn’t run unchecked for long periods of time.

If these are the goals of a healthy diet then what are some of the steps that can be taken to help realise those goals?

Here are 6 which will set you on the right path:

Keep hydrated:

Many of us tend to be slightly dehydrated due to coffee and tea intake, central heating at home, air conditioning in offices as well as simply not drinking enough. Water is key to enabling our bodies to remove waste and toxins, transporting nutrients and oxygen in the blood, as well as regulating body temperature and protecting organs and tissue.

Tip: The Institute of Functional Medicine recommends the following formula for working out how much water you should consume on a daily basis:

Take your ideal weight in lbs (e.g. 10.0 stone = 140 lbs) translate to fluid oz (140 fluid oz), half this value (70 fluid oz ==> 2 litres) for your daily target.

Ditch sugar, beige and processed foods:

Significantly reducing sugar from the diet is a great step in transitioning away from a pro-inflammatory diet. But you are not just looking for the white stuff; simple carbohydrates (or what I term beige food) like white bread and pasta, cakes, pastries and crisps should also be avoided. Typically, they have more calories than nutritional value and as such do not contribute to a healthy diet. Additionally, heavily processed foods also tend to be high in salt which can disrupt your electrolyte balance and create inflammation.

Tip: Conside taking part in The Sugar Audit, find out where the sugar in your diet really is and then receive personalised advise to balance your intake.

Increase omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFAs):

Fat has been dressed up as the bad guy for many decades, but it turns out that not all fats have been created equal. The king of fats are the Omega 3 EFAs, which are nutritionally and energy dense, as well as a potent anti-inflammatories and are critical to resolving the inflammatory process.

Tip: Cold water, oily fish is the best source of Omega 3 EFAs; think: SMASH (Salmon, Mackerel, Anchovies, Sardines, Herring) and aim for 2-3+ portions a week.

For vegans and vegetarians, look at flaxseeds, avocados and walnuts as alternative non-meat sources of Omega 3.

Increase your vegetables:

Vegetables are hugely versatile, full of nutrients and I place no limits on my client’s consumption of vegetables, but do insist on variety. The phytonutrients in vegetables protect DNA, enhance immunity, aid digestion and detoxification.

Tip: Eat the rainbow; aim to eat 20 different vegetables per week and women, in particular, should include one portion of cruciferous (e.g. broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale) vegetables daily.

Moderate your fruit:

Fruit, like vegetables, have an anti-oxidant function, enhance immunity, aid digestion and detoxification. However, they have sugar content which should be moderated, make sure you eat the whole fruit and avoid fruit juices and dried fruit.

Tip: Limit to 1-2 portions a day. Check Glycemic Index (GI) and target low GI fruits such as dark red and purple berries, apples and pears over tropical fruits like bananas and mangos.

Investigate potential intolerances:

identify any intolerances and eliminate the culprits. Intolerances could be triggering your immune system unnecessarily and be responsible for activating your inflammatory response. Common food based intolerances are dairy (cows, sheep and goats, milk, cheese & yogurt), wheat and gluten foods (wheat, rye, barley), oats, eggs and the nightshade family (tomatoes, aubergines, peppers). However, also look into external factors like pollen, mould or animal hair.

One final word.

You know yourself best and it is important go with your gut intuition. If something is not right, then make an appointment with your GP. Nine times out of ten, they will be able to put your mind at rest. Worry and stress also contribute to inflammation, so you can cut this off at source, by making that appointment. Equally, if you are not satisfied, seek a second opinion.

If you have a family history of cancer, understand the early symptoms, get to know your body and make that GP appointment if you have the faintest suspicion. Choices, survival rates and quality of life are dramatically improved where the cancer is detected early, compared with later detection.

These are themes that I will be addressing when I speak at the Route to Healing event “Women’s Cancer Health Awareness Day: from Fear to Empowerment” on 16th Feburary 2019. For more information about this event please see: http://www.routestohealing.com/womens-health-day-2018/4594236220

References:

[1] Deng FE, Shivappa N, Tang Y, Mann JR, Hebert JR. (2016). Association between diet-related inflammation, all-cause, all-cancer, and cardiovascular disease mortality, with special focus on prediabetics: findings from NHANES III. European Journal of Nutrition, Published Online 29/01/2016.

I am and I will - World Cancer Day