NUTRITIONAL THERAPY FOR CANCER TREATMENT

EVERYTHING YOUR BODY DOES DEPENDS ON THE

NUTRIENTS THAT ARE SUPPLIED THROUGH YOUR DIET, THE
OXYGEN THAT YOU BREATHE AND THE WATER THAT YOU
DRINK. WHAT YOU EAT OR WHAT YOU DON’T EAT — HAS A
POWERFUL EFFECT ON YOUR HEALTH, INCLUDING YOUR
RISK OF CANCER.

“LET THY FOOD BE THY MEDICINE”

Hippocrates the Greek physician and the father of modern medicine made this
astounding connection between food and how it could heal the body more than
1500 years ago. Strangely, many doctors are ignorant of the power of food as
medicine.
In the days before pharmaceutical companies took firm control of the practice of
medicine, food was the medicine for the prevention as well the treatment
of diseases; for example coconut water for urinary tract infection, aloe vera plant
sap for insect bites or cuts, nutritious chicken soup for all sorts of ailments and
many more. However, nowadays the wisdom of the ‘founding father’ is largely
being ignored as we turn more and more to prescribed patented medicine.

FOOD, FOOD AND MORE FOOD

Today, foods are mostly cheap and plentiful (too much), and gone are the days
where we have to plant our carbohydrates, hunt for our protein, climb trees for
our fruits and search the jungle for our honey. All these foods are now
conveniently placed in the supermarkets, both locally grown and imported from
afar and food stalls are operating 24/7 to satisfy our insatiable craving for food.
For busy people who are trying hard to balance their overworked and over
stressed life, there is really very little time if any to manage meals. This is where
the ‘quick fix’ meal like the instant noodles, microwaved food in a packet, ‘take-
aways’, fast food restaurants, seems like heaven sent. Most of the food
consumed from these sources are highly processed with added fats, sugars,
additives, preservatives, high sodium (salt) and stripped off most of its nutritional
values. Unfortunately, this is the type of food that many people are consuming
and this eating pattern and habits are passed down to the children as well, who
are exposed to this unhealthy lifestyle from young (in fact this exposure starts
from in-utero and is one of the reasons for increasing early onset cancers and
degenerative disease like diabetes).

Lifestyle diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension have

increased dramatically. In order for us to prevent cancer (and the other lifestyle
diseases) and win the war on cancer it is important that we begin to pay attention
to what we put into our body, for as amazing as our bodies are, it sets the stage
for an eventual breakdown.
The nutritional therapy is based upon the simple premise of going back to
wholesome food, avoiding foods that are known to be harmful and focusing on
using foods that have been proven to be beneficial. Once we recognize that our
health (and that of our families) is compromised every time we open a ‘pre-
packed’ processed meal or those fast food ‘take-aways’, we would have taken
the first step towards understanding “what food heals and what foods kill”.

GETTING STARTED
So you are ready to adopt a healthy diet but aren't sure where to start? In this
section we will give you simple tools to guide you towards healthy eating. You
will need to learn some nutritional basics such that you won’t be easily influenced
by misleading, half-truths by a wide range of sources. We hope that the
information provided will equip you with the necessary knowledge to sort through
the latest research, advertisement and advice and empower you to make
meaningful and lasting changes to your nutritional plan.

BASICS OF NUTRITION - NUTRIENTS

NUTRIENTS - EVERY CELL REQUIRES OPTIMUM NUTRIENTS

TO SURVIVE AND SUSTAIN ALL OF YOUR BODY PROCESSES.

GOOD NUTRITION DOES NOT DIRECTLY CURE CANCER, YOUR

BODY DOES, BUT IT NEEDS THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS TO
CARRY OUT THE TASKS.
 Nutrients are substances found in the food that are needed (in varying amounts)
in every living cell for energy, growth and various bodily functions Cells are the
smallest component and fundamental units of life from which all your tissues and
organs are made. Each living cell is surrounded by a thin layer of fluid which
contains the nutrients, hormones, waste products and other substances essential
for its function and well-being.

WHAT NUTRIENTS ARE IMPORTANT FOR HEALTHY

CELLS?
Thanks to extensive research we now know with a high degree of scientific
certainty that our body needs about forty to forty five nutrients to function
optimally. Broadly, the nutrients can be categorized under macronutrients,
micronutrients and trace minerals as tabulated below:
Macronutrients - “macro” means large, hence macronutrients are nutrients
needed in large amounts. These are carbohydrates, Proteins and fats
Micronutrients - nutrients that are required in small amounts. They enable the
body to produce enzymes, hormones and other substances essential for proper
growth and development. These are:
Vitamins : 13 essential vitamins of which
Fat soluble vitamins are vitamins A, D, E and K
Water soluble vitamins are vitamins B1(Thiamin), B2 (Riboflavin), B3
(Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic acid), B6 (Pyridoxine), B7 (Biotin)
B9 (Folate), B12 (Cobalamin) and Vit. C

Minerals: Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Calcium

Trace minerals: Iron, copper, iodine, manganese, chromium, zinc, selenium
and molybdenum

Phytonutrients are nutrients that do not fit into the above categories but are
equally critical in ensuring good health.
Water - has no calories or nutrients per say, but it keeps you hydrated. It makes
up about 70% of your body weight. It is essential and is the solvent in which all
the chemical reactions of life take place.
Oxygen (discussed under the topic of oxygenation)
 LET’S BRIEFLY LOOK AT THE VARIOUS ROLES OF
THE NUTRIENTS.
Carbohydrates - Is the main source of energy for the body, in the form of
glucose. All of the cells in our body can use glucose for energy. Carbohydrates
also create an energy reserve when they form glycogen. Good sources are
fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and other legumes
Proteins are crucial for both structural and enzymatic functions. Tissue repair,
immune system functions and growth of children all require proteins. They are
present in every living cell for example in the skin, hair, cartilage, muscles,
tendons and ligaments. Important biomolecules like hemoglobin, myoglobin and
various lipoproteins that carry oxygen and other substances within the body are
also made up of proteins. Proteins hold together, protect, and provide structure
to the body. As enzymes, hormones, antibodies, and globulins, they catalyze,
regulate, and protect the body’s chemistry.
Protein is not usually used for energy, however, if the body is not getting enough
calories from other nutrients or from the fat stored in the body, protein will then be
used for energy. When eaten, the proteins contained in foods are broken down
into amino acids. Sources of protein are fish, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products,
nuts, beans, and other legumes.
Note: Protein that comes from animal sources contains all of the essential
amino acids that we need—they are called ‘complete proteins’. Plant sources of
protein, on the other hand, do not contain all of the essential amino acids.
Fat is the most concentrated and energy efficient form of food. It is an essential
component of cell membranes, insulates and acts as a shock absorber for bones
and organs and assists in growth, development and brain functions. Some
essential fats are also required for the formation of hormones. Good sources are
animal and dairy products, fish, nuts, seeds and oils.
Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats supply 90% of the dry weight of the diet
and 100% of its energy.
Vitamins and minerals facilitates thousands of essential reactions and
processes in the body but they do not provide energy. They have unique roles
to play in maintaining your health. Vitamin A helps fight inflammation, while many
of the B vitamins assist in deriving energy from the foods you eat each day. It is
now well established that the sunshine vitamin D is one of the most important
ant-cancer nutrient as it is involved in switching on or switching off more than
2000 genes. It is also critical to immune system function.
Minerals help to maintain normal body’s biochemistry and metabolic stability
and aids immunity, inflammation, detoxification, oxidation and normal cell
growth. For example calcium gives your bone strength and density and also
builds and maintains strong, healthy teeth. Potassium keeps muscles (including
heart muscle) and the nervous system functioning normally, iron transports
oxygen through your blood and zinc helps keep your immune system strong,
helps your body fight infections and repair cells.
Sardine fish (as above) give you the following nutrients: protein, fat, vitamin D,
B2, B3, B12, minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, potassium, calcium and
trace minerals including iron and selenium.

NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY

Nutritional deficiency occurs when the body doesn’t absorb the necessary
amount of nutrients. Nutrient deficiency can lead to a variety of health problems
such as problems of digestion, skin problems, stunted or defective bone growth
and cancer.

HOW DO WE GET THE REQUIRED NUTRIENTS?

Unlike plants, which synthesize (make) their own proteins, fats, carbohydrates,
vitamins and all other phytochemicals, we must obtain all these nutrients through
the foods and beverages that we eat and drink. We digest these foods to release
the nutrients and make them available to the body.
The best way to get enough nutrients is to eat a balanced diet with a variety of
foods. A balanced diet can provide all the essential nutrients in optimum
quantity. It also delivers nutrients to the cells in a steady flow while unbalanced
diet provides either too much (eg. excessive carbohydrates) or too little (essential
minerals) of these nutrients.
The best foods are whole foods which human beings have adapted and
consumed in the course of their evolution. Modern processed foods which are
so widely available, enable us to avoid starvation, but this leads to obesity and
ironically suffer malnutrition.
Empty or naked calorie foods are foods that are deficient in nutrients. They
cannot be used in the body without vitamins and minerals and other digestive
enzymes. For example a diet heavy in sugar or refined carbohydrates are striped
of nutrients which inevitably lead to multiple vitamin and mineral
deficiencies. They cannot be metabolized unless vitamins and minerals are
present. As a result the body must get them from other food stuffs. Essentially,
you are robbing the body of the scarce nutrients available in the body by eating
junk food or “empty calorie food”.
Excessive sugar is highly inflammatory and also leads to an excessive drain on
the pancreas for insulin. High blood sugar and hyperinsulinemia is a powerful
stimulant for cancer proliferation.
Nutrient deficiency can contribute to cancer initiation and can aggravate
recovery efforts