Diseases
Cancer
NOTE: The purpose of the All Wholesome Herbs project is to gather the best information available in scientific research and clinical practice to enable every individual to manage their own healthcare. The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is subject to individual interpretation and discretion. All Wholesome Herbs is not responsible for individual medical decisions based upon the information provided.
Cancer
Cancer growth and development is extremely responsive to diet.
Turning Cancer On and Off
Cancer, like diabetes, is a metabolic disease. This means that it is both caused by and responsive to diet. Although practically any environmental toxin can cause cancer-like damage, the growth and metastasis of the cancer can be reliably controlled by diet. Animal-based foods (meat, dairy, and eggs) drive cancer growth, whereas plant-based foods (vegetables, fruits, and nuts) inhibit it. Cancer growth can literally and repeatedly be “turned on and off” by our dietary consumption of animal-based foods. Researchers have measured this both in protein and in fat:
“The promotion of cancer growth and development… can be repetitively turned on and off by non-mutagenic mechanisms, even completely, by modifying the consumption of protein.… This suggests that ultimate cancer development is primarily a nutrition-responsive disease rather than a genetic disease.”
Campbell TC. Cancer Prevention and Treatment by Wholistic Nutrition. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 59(5): 1153S-1161S, May 1994.
"A blend of fats typical of the American diet enhanced mammary tumorigenesis effectively when fed as 40% of calories. After 9 to 10 weeks on this diet, reducing the fat to 10% of calories inhibited subsequent tumor development."
Carroll KK, et al. Fat and Cancer. Cancer, 58(8 suppl): 1818-1825, Oct. 1986.
Cancer growth is turned on by elevated (>10% calories) dietary protein or fat. Interestingly, the threshold of 10% of calories is precisely that reflected by a diet of whole plant foods. In other words, when we consume protein and/or fat in excess of that provided by whole plant foods – when we consume animal-based foods, which are almost exclusively protein and fat – we effectively turn on cancer growth. The most effective treatment for the suppression and recession of cancer is a diet of whole plant foods.
We are what we eat, not just how much
It’s not just the amount of fat that we eat, but also the type that also matters significantly. Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly ALA, suppress cancer growth and progression, whereas animal fats (“saturated fats”) promote it (Tsubura et al). When we eat plant foods, such as walnuts, it is very easy to get the right kind of fat in the right amount for maximum health and disease prevention.
Research
Campbell TC. Cancer Prevention and Treatment by Wholistic Nutrition. Journal of Nature and Science, 3(10):e448, Oct. 2017.
Carroll KK, et al. Fat and Cancer. Cancer, 58(8 suppl): 1818-1825, Oct. 1986.
Campbell TC, et al. Diet and Chronic Degenerative Diseases: Perspectives from China. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 59(5): 1153S-1161S, May 1994.
McCarty MF. Vegan Proteins May Reduce Risk of Cancer, Obesity, and Cardiovascular Disease by Promoting Increased Glucagon Activity. Medical Hypotheses, 53(6): 459-485, Dec. 1999.
McCarty MF. GCN2 and FGF21 Are Likely Mediators of the Protection from Cancer, Autoimmunity, Obesity, and Diabetes Afforded by Vegan Diets. Medical Hypotheses, 83(3): 365-371, Sep. 2014.
Delimaris I. Adverse Effects Associated with Protein Intake Above the Recommended Dietary Allowance for Adults. International Scholarly Research Network: Nutrition. 2013:126929, July 2013.
McDougall J. Plant Foods Have a Complete Amino Acid Composition. Circulation, 105(25), e197, June 2002.
Grootveld M, et al. Health Effects of Oxidized Heated Oils. Foodservice Research International, 13(1); 41-55, 30 June 2006.
Ko YC, et al. Chinese Food Cooking and Lung Cancer in Women Nonsmokers. American Journal of Epidemiology, 151(2), 140-147, 15 Jan. 2000.
McMacken M, et al. A Plant-Based Diet for the Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes. Journal of Geriatric Cardiology, 24(5), 342-354, May 2017.
Tsubura A, et al. Role of Fatty Acids in Malignancy and Visual Impairment: Epidemiological Evidence and Experimental Studies. Histology and Histopathology, 24(2): 223-234, Feb. 2009.