Ketogenic Diet May Be Key to Cancer Recovery
March 10, 2013
Story at-a-glance
-
Many cancer patients have reportedly overcome the disease by
adopting a ketogenic diet, which calls for eliminating
carbohydrates, replacing them with healthy fats and protein
-
Animal studies have shown that mice fed a carb-free diet
survived highly aggressive metastatic cancer even better
than those treated with chemotherapy
-
Your normal cells have the metabolic flexibility to adapt
from using glucose to using ketone bodies. Cancer cells lack
this metabolic flexibility, so when you eliminate carbs,
which turn into sugar, you effectively starve the cancer
-
Eating fat is NOT bad for your heart. Particularly
beneficial fats include coconut oil, butter, organic
pastured eggs, avocado and raw nuts. Most people need as
much as 50-70 percent healthful fat in their diet to
optimize health
By Dr. Mercola
To some, a ketogenic diet amounts to nothing less than a
drug-free cancer treatment. The diet calls for eliminating
carbohydrates, replacing them with healthy fats and protein.
The premise is that since cancer cells need glucose to
thrive, and carbohydrates turn into glucose in your body, then
cutting out carbs literally starves the cancer cells.
Additionally, low protein intake tends to minimize the mTOR
pathway, which accelerates cell proliferation.
This type of diet, in which you replace carbs with moderate
amounts of high quality protein and high amounts of beneficial
fat, is what I recommend for everyone, whether you have cancer
or not. It’s simply a diet that will help optimize your weight
and health overall, as eating this way will help you convert
from carb burning mode to fat burning.
Ketogenic Diet May Be Key to Brain Cancer Recovery
The featured video shows Thomas Seyfried, Ph.D, who is one of
the leaders in teasing the details of how to treat cancer
nutritionally. I am scheduled to interview him shortly and hope
to have that interview up later this year. In the video,
Professor Seyfried discusses how, as a metabolic disorder
involving the dysregulation of respiration, malignant brain
cancer can be managed through changes in the metabolic
environment.
“In contrast to normal neurons and glia, which
transition to ketone bodies (beta-hydroxybutyrate) for
respiratory energy when glucose levels are reduced,
malignant brain tumors are mostly dependent on non-oxidative
substrate level phosphorylation due to structural and
functional abnormalities in mitochondria. Glucose and
glutamine are major fuels for malignant cancer cells.
The transition from glucose to ketone bodies as an
energy source is an ancestrally conserved adaptation to food
deprivation that permits the survival of normal cells during
extreme shifts in nutritional environment. Only those cells
with a flexible genome, honed through millions of years of
environmental forcing and variability selection, can
transition from one energy state to another.
We propose a different approach to brain cancer
management that exploits the metabolic flexibility of normal
cells at the expense of the genetically defective and
metabolically challenged. This evolutionary and metabolic
approach to brain cancer management is supported from
studies in orthotopic mouse brain tumor models and from case
studies in patients.
Calorie restriction and restricted ketogenic diets (R-KD),
which reduce circulating glucose levels and elevate ketone
levels, are anti-invasive, anti-angiogenic, and
pro-apoptotic towards malignant brain cancer.”1
Current conventional cancer treatment typically involves
chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy is a cytotoxic
poison, and radiation is devastating to the human body. More
often than not, the treatment is what eventually kills the
patient. This can no longer be accepted as “the best we can do.”
As Dr. Seyfried says:
"The reason why we have so few people surviving is
because of the standard of care. It has to be changed, if
it's not changed, there will be no major progress. Period."
Metabolic Therapy/Ketogenic Diet Being Investigated as Cancer
Treatment
CBN News recently published an article on the ketogenic diet.2
Clearly, many people are realizing that what we have been doing
in terms of fighting cancer is simply not working, and we cannot
afford to continue in the same way. Prevention must be
addressed if we ever want to turn the tide on the growing
incidence of cancer across all age groups. But even more
astounding, in terms of treatment, is that cancer may
respond to diet alone.
“Dr. Fred Hatfield is an impressive guy: a
power-lifting champion, author of dozens of books, a
millionaire businessman with a beautiful wife. But he'll
tell you his greatest accomplishment is killing his cancer
just in the nick of time,” CBN News writes. "The
doctors gave me three months to live because of widespread
metastatic cancer in my skeletal structure," he recalled.
"Three months; three different doctors told me that same
thing."
Dr. Hatfield was preparing to die when he heard of metabolic
therapy, also known as the ketogenic diet. He had nothing to
lose so he gave it a try, and... it worked. The cancer
disappeared completely, and at the time of his interview
(above), he’d been cancer-free for over a year.
The video above also features Dr. Dominic D'Agostino who,
along with a team of researchers at the University of South
Florida studies metabolic therapy. They found that when lab
animals were fed a carb-free diet, they survived highly
aggressive metastatic cancer better than those treated with
chemotherapy. CBN reports:
“'We have dramatically increased survival with
metabolic therapy,' [Dr. D’Agostino] said. 'So we think it's
important to get this information out.' It's not just lab
mice. Dr. D'Agostino has also seen similar success in people
- lots of them. 'I've been in correspondence with a number
of people,' he said. 'At least a dozen over the last
year-and-a-half to two years, and all of them are still
alive, despite the odds. So this is very encouraging.'”
How Does Ketogenic Diet Starve Cancer Cells?
Dr. D’Agostino explains how the ketogenic diet can have such
a dramatic (and rapid) effect on cancer. All of your body’s
cells are fueled by glucose. This includes cancer cells.
However, cancer cells have one built-in fatal flaw – they do not
have the metabolic flexibility of your regular cells and
cannot adapt to use ketone bodies for fuel as all your
other cells can.
So, when you alter your diet and become what’s known as
“fat-adapted,” your body starts using fat for fuel rather than
carbs. When you switch out the carbs for healthy fats, you
starve the cancer out, as you’re no longer supplying the
necessary fuel – glucose – for their growth. As D’Agostino
explains:
"Your normal cells have the metabolic flexibility to
adapt from using glucose to using ketone bodies. But cancer
cells lack this metabolic flexibility. So we can exploit
that.”
I’ve previously discussed ways to “starve” cancer, and
eliminating sugar/fructose and grains (ie carbohydrates) is at
the very top of the list. It’s the most basic step without which
few other dietary strategies are likely to succeed. In order to
be effective, you must first STOP doing that which is
promoting cancer growth (or poor health in general), and
then all the other preventive strategies have the chance to
really have an impact.
What Makes for a Cancer-Fighting Diet?
Please remember addressing your diet should be at the top of
your list. Rather than just adding certain cancer-fighting
foods. Naturally, processed foods and soft drinks do not belong
in a cancer-preventive diet, as they are loaded with carbs that
turn into fuel for cancer cells. Carbs also raise your insulin
and leptin levels, and keeping your insulin and leptin signaling
healthy is imperative if you want to avoid chronic disease of
all kinds, including cancer.
Processed foods may also contain
trans fat – the only type of fat you really need to
avoid like the plague. They are also loaded with omega-6 fats
which the featured otherwise excellent video failed to mention.
Increasing the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is another potent way to
increase your risk of cancer cell proliferation.
What About Protein?
One of my primary mentors in the importance of insulin and
leptin, Dr. Rosedale. was one of the first professionals to
advocate both a low-carb and moderate protein (and
therefore high quality fat) diet. This was contrary to most
low-carb advocates who were, and still are, very accepting of,
if not promoting, high protein, as a replacement for the carbs.
If you or someone you know is challenged with cancer, the
healthiest option may be to replace the carbs with beneficial
fats, and limit your protein to high quality
organic/pastured sources only. Dr. Rosedale advises 1 gram of
protein per kilogram of lean body mass which for most people
will be about 50 grams of protein a day (or 0.5 grams per pound
of lean body weight). While you can take carbs to very low
levels in ketogenic diets, you must have some protein every day
to replace your body’s requirements. The key is to add healthy
fat to replace the carbs and excess protein.
Olives and
Olive oil |
Coconuts and
coconut oil |
Butter made from raw grass-fed organic milk |
Organic raw nuts, especially macadamia nuts, which are
low in protein and omega-6 fat |
Organic pastured egg yolks and pastured meats |
Avocados |
The Fallacies of Fats and Carbs
Coincidentally, Dr. Robert Lustig – another expert on the
dangers of high carb diets – was recently interviewed by NPR
radio’s Science Friday segment.2
His new book, Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar,
Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease, tackles the
persistent myths about fat that is endangering the health of
millions. It’s difficult to know just how many people have
suffered poor health because they followed conventional low-fat
recommendations, but I’m sure the number is significant.
The fact is that you’ve been thoroughly misled when it comes
to dietary advice. Still today, many doctors, nutritionists, and
government health officials will tell you to avoid saturated fat
and keep fat consumption to below 10 percent while keeping the
bulk of your diet, about 60 percent, as carbs. This is madness,
as it’s the converse of a diet that will lead to optimal health.
As an example, you’ve probably seen the whole grain label, which
is certified by the American Heart Association3
of all things. Do whole grains support heart health? Hardly. The
following outtake from the transcript addresses this head on:
“Flatow: ...there’s something that came out yesterday
released from Harvard... and it talks about one of the most
widely used industry standards, the wholegrain stamp. [It]
actually identified grain products [bearing the stamp] were
higher in both sugars and calories than products without the
stamp.
Lustig: Absolutely. And to be honest with you,
wholegrain doesn’t mean much... Basically what it means is
you start with a whole grain; that is the starch on the
inside, the kernel, or the husk or the bran on the outside,
and then whatever you want to do with it is perfectly fine.
It’s still a whole grain. So if you pulverize it and add
sugar to it, hey it’s still a whole grain because that’s
what you started with. But you know what? All the benefits
you get from whole grain are gone as soon as you pulverize
it. So.... what it means is irrelevant because the
definition is not helpful.”
Other Lifestyle Factors that Influence Your Cancer Risk
Other lifestyle factors that have been found to have an
impact on chronic disease and cancer include:
- Vitamin D: There's overwhelming
evidence pointing to the fact that vitamin D deficiency
plays a crucial role in
cancer development. You can decrease your risk of cancer
by more than half simply by optimizing your vitamin D levels
with sun exposure or a safe tanning bed. And, if you are
being treated for cancer, it is likely that higher blood
levels – probably around 80-90 ng/ml – would be beneficial.
To learn the details on how to use vitamin D
therapeutically, please review my previous article,
Test Values and Treatment for Vitamin D Deficiency. In
terms of protecting against cancer, vitamin D has been found
to offer protection in a number of ways, including:
-
Regulating genetic expression
- Increasing the self-destruction of mutated cells
(which, if allowed to replicate, could lead to cancer)
- Reducing the spread and reproduction of cancer cells
- Causing cells to become differentiated (cancer cells
often lack differentiation)
- Reducing the growth of new blood vessels from
pre-existing ones, which is a step in the transition of
dormant tumors turning cancerous
- Getting proper sleep: both in terms of
getting enough sleep, and sleeping between certain
hours. According to Ayurvedic medicine, the ideal hours for
sleep are between 10 pm and 6 am. Modern research has
confirmed the value of this recommendation as certain
hormonal fluctuations occur throughout the day and night,
and if you engage in the appropriate activities during those
times, you're 'riding the wave' so to speak, and are able to
get the optimal levels. Working against your biology by
staying awake when you should ideally be sleeping or vice
versa, interferes with these hormonal fluctuations.
There's a spike of melatonin that occurs between midnight
and 1am that you don't want to miss because the consequences
are absolutely spectacular. Melatonin is not only a sleep
hormone, but it also is a very powerful antioxidant. It
decreases the amount of estrogen your body produces, and
boosts your immune system. It also interacts with other
hormones. So, if you go to bed after 10, it can
significantly increase your risk of breast cancer.
- Effectively addressing your stress: The
research shows that if you experience a traumatic or highly
stressful event, such as a death in the family, your risk of
breast cancer is 12 times higher in the ensuing five years.
I believe energy psychology tools are ideal to address
stressors in your life. My favorite is the Emotional Freedom
Technique (EFT), but there are many others available as
well.
- Exercise: If you are like most people,
when you think of reducing your risk of cancer, exercise
doesn't immediately come to mind. However, there is some
fairly compelling evidence that exercise can
slash your risk of cancer.
One of the primary ways exercise lowers your risk for
cancer is by reducing elevated insulin levels, which creates
a low sugar environment that discourages the growth and
spread of cancer cells. Additionally, exercise improves the
circulation of immune cells in your blood. Your immune
system is your first line of defense against everything from
minor illnesses like a cold right up to devastating,
life-threatening diseases like cancer.
The trick about exercise, though, is understanding how to
use it as a precise tool. This ensures you are getting
enough to achieve the benefit, not too much to cause injury,
and the right variety to balance your entire physical
structure and maintain strength and flexibility, and aerobic
and anaerobic fitness levels. This is why it is helpful to
view exercise
like a drug that needs to be carefully prescribed to
achieve its maximum benefit. For
detailed instructions, please see this previous article.
Additionally it is likely that integrating
exercise with intermittent fasting will greatly catalyze
the potential of exercise to reduce your risk of cancer and
stimulate widespread healing and rejuvenation.
You CAN Beat 'the System'...
Cancer is the second most lethal disease in the US after
heart disease (not counting iatrogenic mortality, aka “death by
medicine”). We all know that the
war on cancer has been a dismal failure. Tragically,
conventional wisdom is blind when it comes to cancer prevention
and treatment and hundreds of thousands die prematurely every
year as a result. They have little to no appreciation of the
concepts discussed in this article. But you don’t have to fall
into that trap as you know better and can take control of your
health and ability to treat cancer in your own hands.
The ketogenic diet, which can be summarized as a high-fat,
moderate-protein, no-grain-carb diet, has brought many back to
health, even after being diagnosed with aggressive cancer, and
given no hope of survival. Hopefully, research by the likes of
Dr. D’Agostino will become more widely known. Until then, do
your own research and take control of your own health, and that
of your family.
Severely limiting sugar/fructose, processed foods of all
kinds, sweetened beverages (as well as diet versions, and
replacing carbs with healthy fats and high quality protein can
do what no medicine can – it can prevent disease from setting
in, and may even be the U-turn you’re looking for if you’ve been
diagnosed with cancer or other chronic disease. Add to that
appropriate sun exposure, sleep, effective stress management,
and regular exercise, and you’ll be well ahead of the rest of
the population.
© Copyright 1997-2013 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/03/10/ketogenic-diet.aspx?e_cid=20130310_SNL_Art_1&utm_source=snl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130310
|