Insight #1 How the way we eat can turn on and off the genes that drive our cancer risk.
Insight #2 How the foods we eat can enhance or undermine our body’s natural defenses against cancer.
Insight #3 How to lower our cancer risk even further by losing weight and keeping it off for good, WITHOUT counting calories or spending our life in the gym.
Trying to help end cancer
Cancer is dynamic and flexible Changes in gene expression
Changes in metabolism
DeBerardinis RJ, et al. Science Advances. 2016. Hanahan D, et al. Cell. 2011
When is a cancer breakthrough coming?
Patients who benefited
Precision medicine only improves outcomes for 7% of patients.
Massard C, Cancer Discovery. 2017
Should we be more focused on prevention? 32% of cancer deaths in the United States could be prevented through changes in what we eat.
Willet W, Environmental Health Perspectives. 1995
Does the way we eat truly impact cancer risk? 6x breast cancer risk
15x colon cancer risk 8x prostate cancer risk
Regina G, et al. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 1993 O’Keefe SJ, et al. Nature Communications. 2015
Does the way we eat truly impact cancer risk? HIGH FAT, LOW FIBER
LOW FAT, HIGH FIBER
African Americans
Decreased Inflammation Normal Cell Growth
Cancer Risk
Increased Inflammation Abnormal Cell Growth
Native Africans
Cancer Risk LOW FAT, HIGH FIBER O’Keefe SJ, et al. Nature Communications. 2015
HIGH FAT, LOW FIBER
How consistent is this effect?
Can the way we eat even protect individuals at very high risk? Inherited BRCA gene mutations lead up to a 80% lifetime risk of breast cancer
Diverse fruit and vegetable intake decreased the risk of breast cancer in this group by 73%
Inherited MMR gene mutations (Lynch Syndrome) lead up to a 70% lifetime risk of colorectal cancer
Highly processed foods increased the risk of colon adenomas in this group by 117%
Ghandirian, P, et al. Breast Cancer Research & Treatment. 2009 Botma AA et al. Cancer. 2013.
Can the way we eat even reverse cancer risk?
Plant-based lifestyle
Control
Ornish D, et al. Journal of Urology. 2005. Ornish D, et. al. PNAS. 2008 Frattaroli J, et al. Urology. 2008
1 year
2 years
PSA decreased 4%
0 radical prostatectomies 1 radiation therapy 1 androgen deprivation
PSA increased 6%
5 radical prostatectomies 6 radiation therapy 2 androgen deprivation
6x lower cancer progression on a plant-based diet
START
How does nutrition affect genetics?
3 MONTHS
Cancer-promoting genes turned off
Cancer-suppressing genes turned on
Ornish D, et al. Journal of Urology. 2005. Ornish D, et. al. PNAS. 2008 Frattaroli J, et al. Urology. 2008
Insight #1 How the way we eat can turn on and off the genes that drive our cancer risk.
Insight #2 How the foods we eat can enhance or undermine our body’s natural defenses against cancer.
Insight #3 How to lower our cancer risk even further by losing weight and keeping it off for good, WITHOUT counting calories or spending our life in the gym.
What is so powerful about plants?
Do the plants we eat have powerful compounds too? Quercetin Lutein Resveratrol Sulforaphane Curcumin
Do the plants we eat have powerful compounds too?
Lui, Rui. Advances in Nutrition. 2013
Do supplements prevent cancer?
Schwingshackl J, et al. Advances in Nutrition. 2017. Manson J, et al. New England Journal of Medicine. 2018. Manson J, et al. New England Journal of Medicine. 2019.
How is food different? Micronutrients vitamin C, folate, potassium Fiber cellulose, pectin, mucilage Flavonoids tangeretin, nobiletin Limonoids limonin, nomilin
Craig, Winston. Journal of American Dietetic Association. 1997
Carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin, B-cryptoxanthin
What’s the harm in animal products? Polyaromatic hydrocarbons Heterocyclic amines
Saturated fat Animal protein
Microplastics Heme iron Carnitine and Choline
Inflammation TMAO N-nitroso compounds Endotoxemia IGF-1 DNA damage Metabolic acidosis
How does our pattern of eating impact cancer risk?
v
Reedy J, et al. Journal of Nutrition. 2014. Deshmukh AA, et al. Journal of National Cancer Institute. 2018.
Insight #1 How the way we eat can turn on and off the genes that drive our cancer risk.
Insight #2 How the foods we eat can enhance or undermine our body’s natural defenses against cancer.
Insight #3 How to lower our cancer risk even further by losing weight and keeping it off for good, WITHOUT counting calories or spending our life in the gym.
Does body fat have an impact on cancer risk?
Li, Y, et al. Circulation 2018
Cancer risk increases: 12% for BMI 30-35 24% for BMI >35
Can a plant-based diet lead to sustainable weight loss? 0
Weight loss (lbs)
-4.5
Plant-based Trial 1 Plant-based Trial 2 Caloric-restriction Trials
-9
-13.5
-18
Trial endpoint
6 months
1 year later
Wright N, et al. Nutrition and Diabetics. 2017. Turner-McGrievy, G, et al. Obesity 2007. Franz M, et al. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2015.
18 months
2 years later
What makes plant-based eating simple? Fat & Oil
Cheese
Meat
Grains & Legumes
Calorie Density (400 calories)
Rolls, Barbara. Physiology & Behavior. 2009.
Fruits & Vegetables
Why might this feel so challenging?
1830s
1960s
2010s
Americans averaged 6 drinks of alcohol per day
45% of Americans smoked cigarettes
2 in 3 Americans overweight/obese
How does the weight gain happen?
Malhotra R, et al. Obesity. 2013.
Insight #1 How the way we eat can turn on and off the genes that drive our cancer risk.
Insight #2 How the foods we eat can enhance or undermine our body’s natural defenses against cancer.
Insight #3 How to lower our cancer risk even further by losing weight and keeping it off for good, WITHOUT counting calories or spending our life in the gym.
Table Rock Ultramarathon
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