We want people and doctors to become partners in cancer prevention that goes beyond the basic and rises to the “best.”

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The Mediterranean Diet is all the rage. I'm sure you’ve seen those eye-catching, colorful, plant-based food bowls on social media. Some may throw a small portion of lean meat on the side. Noticeably absent is bread, pasta, dessert. So this diet is heavy on plant-based foods, minimal meat, and very little white flour and white sugar. Which makes the Mediterranean Diet great for cancer prevention. The Science-based Cancer Prevention Diet There are hundreds of studies that have looked at how the Mediterranean Diet prevents a wide variety of cancers.  A recent study called a “meta-analysis” (it reviews many other studies, combines the data and analyzes it) found that the Mediterranean diet has the potential to prevent certain cancers. (Reference: L. Schwingshackl’s, et al., “Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Risk of Cancer.” Nutrients. 2017) The authors gathered data from 83 different dietary studies

How many cancer drugs can one find in nature? Well according to recent reports, approximately 60% of cancer drugs get their start from a plant, with 84 anticancer drugs isolated from Brazil’s Amazon forest [1].  The Lapacho tree, also known as the herb pau d’arco, is one of them, having been hidden to those outside of the Amazon for centuries, perhaps millennia, with historical uses in indigenous medicine for the following: Bacterial infections Cancer, several types including breast, lung and leukemias Fever Fungal infections Inflammation Malaria Stomach ailments Viral infections In recent years the ingredient that gives this tree its healing properties was discovered and coined beta- (β) lapachone, a natural quinone compound. If you’re a malaria survivor, or familiar with the disease, then you’ve heard of quinone drugs, as they're used to fight this infection. Pau D’Arco’s Anticancer Effects In lab experiments,

Can We Trust the Reports on Cancer Prevention? I just came back from a relaxing and enjoyable weekend in suburban Boston getting trained on yoga for breast cancer patients and survivors. The focus was on reducing the side effects of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation with gentle yoga. Our breast cancer yogini was Camille of exclusive yoga, and she did a fantastic job of not only demonstrating the movements, but also on the science behind benefits of yoga. The added bonus of this training was learning about how to read the statistics of scientific studies. Camille expertly explained that reports of the latest drugs for treating breast cancer may overly state the benefits. Could that be true for healthy eating studies focused on cancer patients? I went back to a recent study I quoted on this blog to see if it were true.

Last week I had a consult with a woman newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Besides her fear of the diagnosis, which is understandable, she expressed concern about the treatment options given to her by her doctor. It seems that she was offered an extremely long course of radiation therapy. She expressed to me that she remembered hearing a story on NPR some months ago that there were shorter treatment options for women with early-stage breast cancer.  I assured her that she was correct, there are shorter courses of radiation treatment. Mastectomy vs. Lumpectomy For women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, breast-conserving therapy is the standard of care that should be offered to every woman. What does this treatment entail? 1) Breast-conserving therapy means just that: the breast is conserved. There is no mastectomy performed. Mastectomy is total removal of the breast.  A recent

What exactly does “cancer awareness” mean? After years of being conditioned into thinking that it has to do with finding a cure for cancer, we can now say the exact opposite to be true. Based on recent statistics, 14 million new cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2012 resulting in 8.2 million cancer-related deaths (National Cancer Institute (NCI); available at: www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/what-is-cancer/statistics. Accessed February 23, 2016). Despite the millions of dollars raised during various cancer awareness months, it seems that this does not translate into cancer prevention. And with February being cancer prevention month, it's a good idea to highlight ways the public can prevent certain cancers. We all know someone who's been affected by cancer. And for those with a family history, there may be a heightened fear of getting a cancer diagnosis.  However, very few cancers are due inheritance. In fact,

In a previous post I explained how during a recent doctor’s visit with one of my prostate cancer clients I asked the question if supplementation with Vitamin D could slow the progression of disease. The healthcare provider said it could be helpful in lowering risk of disease, however, there were no human studies that showed it benefited men with low-grade disease on active surveillance. Well, I pulled out my tablet and did a quick search of the medical literature while the doc and patient (my client) continued discussing other topics.  I came across an interesting study, which is discussed below. Do high doses of vitamin D slow progression of prostate cancer? 43 Men diagnosed with low-grade prostate cancer, and on active surveillance, had a biopsy to remove portions of the prostate so it could be examined for evidence of disease (NOTE:  active surveillance means

I recently attended a doctor’s visit with a prostate cancer client serving as his Patient Advocate.  I was there to help ask questions my client didn’t feel comfortable asking or might not have thought to ask.  We discussed his recent lab results and lifestyle interventions with his healthcare provider and I asked ‘what about his Vitamin D level?” After a quick glance, the HCP said they were on the low end (less than 30 ng/mL), but not too low. I decided to share recent research suggesting low levels of Vitamin D could impact prostate cancer risk. The HCP responded that his patient currently has prostate cancer and there’s no research on if Vitamin D could slow the progression of prostate cancer (read my response in the next post). He agreed more Vitamin D would be good, so my client is now

During a recent coaching session with a prostate cancer client, I listened closely as he explained how his weight had decreased while eating more plant-based on our program. He asked, “why didn’t you tell me that I’d lose weight on your program?” I thought for a second and replied, “it never crossed my mind to tell you that. I’m more concerned with you eating more plants and improving your health outcomes than promoting a weight loss program.” Facts on Obesity and Prostate Cancer Obesity is now linked to over 13 cancers and prostate cancer is no exception. Prostate cancer has dire consequences in African American men that are obese. Their risk of low-grade prostate cancer increases by 122% Their risk of high-grade prostate cancer increases 88% Estimates are that 37% of African American men are obese compared to non-Hispanic White men Prostate

In a previous post, I discussed how men who adopted a vegan diet and exercise could help reverse the signs of prostate cancer. That study included men who were vegan for 1 year. After 1 year all the men who went vegan saw their PSA levels stay the same, while men who did not adopt a vegan diet had an increase in their PSA. As previously mentioned, PSA (prostate specific antigen) is a marker in the blood that indicates the presence of prostate cancer. So what if the men ate vegan for more than one year? Well, Dr. Dean Ornish extended the study for two years and the results are still promising for men on active surveillance and want to adopt a vegan lifestyle: How can 2 years of eating vegan slow down prostate cancer? After 2 years on a vegan diet, only 5% (2

Recently I was consulting with a gentleman newly diagnosed with prostate cancer.  While his cancer was diagnosed as “early stage” (doctors put him on “active surveillance”) he wanted more facts on how changing his eating habits could help slow the progression of cancer. When I shared with him data on how a vegan diet can reverse the progression and blood markers for prostate cancer he was intrigued but skeptical.  As most cancer patients are when they hear news like this since these scientific studies are not shared in mainstream news outlets as commonly as that shiny new drug that is the cure for cancer (so we think

You've Been Diagnosed with Cancer, Now What? Cancer patients describe feeling like they've been “hit by a sledgehammer" after hearing these three words: ‘you have cancer.’  Most patients describe going into a “mental shut-down” or “brain fog,” unable to process anything after that. As cancer patient advocates, we say it’s “ok” to shut-down when you receive a cancer diagnosis. It’s a normal response. Plus, it’s not the time to take notes or try to understand every word being told to you. However, your very next few steps are important for your health outcomes and survival. Below is a list of 3 things your oncologist may not tell you to do when you first get a cancer diagnosis. Top 3 Things to Do Immediately After a Diagnosis 1) Get a copy of your medical record: Do not leave the office without a copy of your