Transform Your Health and Win the War On Cancer at the Same Time

If you have a history of cancer in your family and you want to do everything in your power to help prevent it, or are simply proactive about disease prevention, you’ll want to listen up. 

In my world, cancer prevention takes center stage. As a cancer survivor and nutritionist, I know what it feels like to want to take control of your health and do everything in your power to live a disease-free life. Educating the public about the power we hold in our hands (and on our plates) over cancer development is fuel to my soul.   

Decades of research shows us that the power of preventing, suppressing, and even healing from cancer lies largely in what we put in our mouth. The percentage of cancer deaths due to poor dietary habits is shocking (read more below). So why do more people not know about this?

And let's not forget that building a body that is resistant to cancer extends far beyond just cancer prevention. The same dietary and lifestyle habits that reduce your risk for cancer also reduce your risk for developing other chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Since chronic diseases are our number one killers in North America, it should be a relief to know that we have more control over their manifestation than we might think.

Since I specialize in oncology nutrition, let’s talk about cancer.

The number one mistake people make is believing that cancer is triggered by factors that are out of their control, like genetic defects. 

The truth is, however, that there are decades of data in the medical literature that clearly indicate that lifestyle factors can help prevent two-thirds of all cancers. Adapting healthy lifestyle habits isn't as complicated as you might think. Healthy habits can be quite simple and straight forward to put into action! You don't have to make numerous changes at once- start with one and take it day by day. 

Here’s why this belief is so dangerous.

Because despite widespread research efforts and treatment options, cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide.

In fact, cancer rates are on the rise.

The World Health Organization WHO expects the number of new cancer cases to rise by nearly 70% over the next 20 years.

According to the American Cancer Society, the lifetime probability of being diagnosed with cancer in one’s lifetime in North America is nearly 1 in 2.

Additionally, this perception is hugely worrisome because we are all cancer patients. Everyone carries dormant cancer cells. Our bodies make these defective cells all the time. That’s how tumours are born. Whether or not these dormant cells are allowed to grow and multiply to reach an advanced stage of disease, is largely up to how we nourish and treat our body.

Still, when it comes to cancer, there are two types of people out there.

There are the “I’ll get cancer when I get older anyway, so might as well enjoy my life and do as I please now”, and there are the "let’s get to the bottom of what the science says about what I can do to help prevent cancer before it manifests" type.

When I was first diagnosed with lymphoma, I was all about the first belief system- that cancer was out of my control and it would have happened to me somewhere down the line regardless.

Boy, was I wrong! 

If you’re in this same camp, you have probably resigned to the belief that cancer is a disease triggered by uncontrollable factors. Therefore, you might be fatalistic about the likelihood of ever preventing it in the first place.

 This first belief requires us to ignore what science has established to be true… that we can largely control our cancer risk through diet and lifestyle habits.

Still, most of us are still in the dark about what we can do to protect ourselves.

The statistic that tends to shock most people is this one...

As many as 90-95% of all cancers are caused by lifestyle factors, and only 5-10% are caused by genetic defects. Read that again.

Scientists know this because of enormous differences in incidences of different cancers around the world, which then change when people move from one place to another.

There is a need for a major reappraisal to how cancer is approached and to realize that the key to winning the war on cancer is to focus on PREVENTION instead of early detection.

It is more effective and works better and without negative side effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

A healthy lifestyle can nip cancer in the bud! The most important element when it comes to your lifestyle? Your diet.  

Here’s why:

30-35% of all cancers are directly caused by dietary factors.

Cancer development is a nutritionally responsive disease.

There are certain dietary patterns that have been shown to greatly reduce the risk of cancer while others have been shown to increase cancer risk.

Scientists have discovered specific foods that contain active cancer-suppressing components. The opposite is also true- there are certain foods that cause cancer.

The process of cancer development takes 20-40 years and this is where dietary measures can be so critical. We have a window of time (decades, even) to suppress cancer progression in the early stages through our diet.

The truth is simple: Whole foods give your body the vital nutrients that enable it to repair, regenerate, detoxify, and heal.

The takeaway message? We must start protecting ourselves NOW, not after a cancer diagnosis.  

Maybe you have a history of cancer in your family and you want to learn how to prevent it to the best of your ability, or maybe you’re a health-conscious individual who wants to know what the science says about cancer prevention. Either way, having access to evidence-based nutrition guidelines is key.

You deserve to be more informed, more empowered, and more awake to the greatest potential of your health and wellbeing.

Knowing how to implement a cancer-fighting dietary pattern into your daily routine with ease, simplicity, and joy is the next step. 

Decades of research show that plant-based diets are linked with reduced rates of cancer. To plant-power your diet easily, focus on the following main food groups: whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds. The key is to obtain the majority of your calories from plant foods.