Common Cancer Nutrition Myths

"An alkaline diet can cure cancer."

An alkalizing diet is based on the observation that cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment (low pH) and low oxygen conditions (hypoxic).

This diet encourages eating highly alkaline foods, to raise blood pH levels and discourage cancer cells from forming. 

Why this isn't effective:

Blood pH is tightly regulated by the lungs and kidneys, and food choices don't change that. 

Tumors are surrounded by pH buffers that maintain the pH of those cells, making it nearly impossible for blood pH to affect the tumor. 

Also, cancer occurs even in tissues that are well oxygenated, such as the lungs. 

Furthermore, alkalizing increases insulin, growth factors, and encourages cell division. 

Moral of the story: 

An alkaline diet will not cure or slow cancer. However, some foods that are considered alkaline - leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, garlic, and nuts are part of an anticancer diet, and should be in your regular rotation. (Ideally organic.)

"Vegan and vegetarian diets can cure cancer."  

The idea behind this is that "eating clean" cleanses the body of built-up toxins, and that animal products, specifically red meat, are linked to an increased risk of cancer. 

Why this isn't effective:

Some of this is on the right track, but a strict vegan or vegetarian diet leads to major imbalances and nutritional deficiencies. The bloodwork of individuals following these diets are often abnormal, showing dangerous depletion. 

Eating more vegetables and low-sugar fruits is a great idea, and "whole food, plant based" is a big step in the right direction. However, these diets trade in complete proteins for incomplete proteins, and lead to a diet of mostly carbohydrates, which converts to glucose (sugar).

Also, many people lack the ability to convert plant-based fats and vitamins to their active forms due to genetic variants. This is quite common. 

The most commonly seen deficiencies in vegans and vegetarians are B vitamins, iron, and all of the fat-soluble vitamins: A,D,E, and K. Deficiencies in healthy fats, such as omega 3s and ALA are also common. 

Quality animal-based products are the best sources of vitamins B12, A, E, heme iron, complete proteins, and omega 3s (fish). 

That being said...

Red meat should not be consumed in excess, and it has been linked to an increase in some cancers.

However... for all animal-based products, quality and variety are key.

There is a big difference between a conventionally-raised animal and an organic, grass fed, and/or pasture raised animal. 

Conventionally-raised: 

• Raised indoors in cramped quarters, given multiple rounds of antibiotics when disease spreads. 
• Fed corn or grains - not their intended diet. 
• Given growth hormones, which are passed on to the consumer, causing hormone imbalance. 

Organic, grass fed, and/or pasture raised:

• Antibiotic free, and allowed to roam while soaking up vitamin D from the sun. 
• Fed grass and/or consume insects, worms, etc. - the diet their bodies expect.
• Hormone free. 

Moral of the story: 

Nutritional requirements are higher for those with active cancer.

A vegan or vegetarian diet leans heavily on carbohydrates and does not adequately supply the body with nutrients to fuel key cancer-fighting processes. These diets are low in complete proteins, which impacts liver function, and is very dangerous for cancer patients experiencing the most common side effect of treatment: muscle wasting (cachexia). 

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 Basics of Anticancer Nutrition

Citations:

McKinney, Neil. Naturopathic Oncology: An Encyclopedic Guide for Patients and Physicians. Richmond, BC: Creative Guy Publishing, 2016.

Donaldson, Michael S. “Nutrition and Cancer: A Review of the Evidence for an Anti-Cancer Diet.” Nutrition Journal 3 (October 20, 2004): 19. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-3-19.

Shils, M. E. “Principles of Nutritional Therapy.” Cancer 43, no. 5 Suppl (May 1979): 2093–2102.

Block, Keith I., Charlotte Gyllenhaal, Leroy Lowe, Amedeo Amedei, A. R. M. Ruhul Amin, Amr Amin, Katia Aquilano, et al. “Designing a Broad-Spectrum Integrative Approach for Cancer Prevention and Treatment.” Seminars in Cancer Biology, A broad-spectrum integrative design for cancer prevention and therapy, 35, Supplement (December 2015): S276–304. doi:10.1016/j.semcancer.2015.09.007.

Campbell, T. C., B. Parpia, and J. Chen. “Diet, Lifestyle, and the Etiology of Coronary Artery Disease: The Cornell China Study.” The American Journal of Cardiology 82, no. 10B (November 26,1998): 18T–21T.

Minger, Denise. “The China Study Myth.” Westonaprice.org. Last modified April 29, 2016.http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/abcs-of-nutrition/the-china-study-myth/.

Kushi, Lawrence H., Colleen Doyle, Marji McCullough, Cheryl L. Rock, Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Elisa V. Bandera, Susan Gapstur, Alpa V. Patel, Kimberly Andrews, Ted Gansler, and The American Cancer Society 2010 Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee. “American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention.” CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, January/February 2012. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.3322/caac.20140/full.

Campbell, TC, B. Parpia, and J. Chen. “Diet, Lifestyle, and the Etiology of Coronary Artery Disease: the Cornell China Study.” American Journal of Cardiology, November 26, 1998. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9860369.

Cancer Center for Healing. “The Anti-Cancer Diet.” Cancercenterforhealing.com. Last modified April 29, 2016. http://www.cancercenterforhealing.com/cancer-treatments/cancer-care/the-anti-cancer-diet/.

Cristofferson, Travis. Tripping Over the Truth: The Return of the MetabolicTheory of Cancer Illuminates a New and Hopeful Path to Cure. North Charleston: CreateSpace, 2014.