Monday, September 17, 2012

Fighting Cancer with Food: Not So Farfetched


"Diagnosed with brain cancer 16 years ago, David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD was told by his oncologist that changing his diet would not impact his results. He was determined to prove his doctor wrong. Through months of research and traveling the globe, he discovered a multitude of cancer-fighting foods that helped him live a longer, healthier life."

There are two things I love about this excerpt from a Prevention.com article on Edible Healing. First of all, Dr. Servan-Schreiber, himself a doctor, did not let someone else take charge of his health. He took charge of it, with the implication is that what the medical industry was offering him wasn't good enough. Secondly, he proved his doctor wrong! How awesome is that!

The article covers quite a few foods and herbs that prevent cancer:
  • green tea and pomegranate juice
  • ginger and turmeric
  • garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, chives
  • Brussels sprouts, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower 
  • fatty fish like salmon
  • oranges, tangerines, lemons, grapefruit, and berries 
These are things we're supposed to be eating as a major part of our diets, so they are not only cancer fighting foods but also cancer preventing foods. It isn't really surprising that if you make fresh, whole foods from quality (read organic/wild/pastured) sources, your health will improve.

The Gerson Healing Diet is based on this approach. I highly recommend watching The Gerson Miracle and Dying to Have Known which examines Dr. Gerson's claim that the Gerson diet therapy can heal any and all disease, from cancer to tuberculosis. Both are available for instant streaming on Netflix, or you can watch for free here.
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Charleston, SC, United States
As a food therapist and certified holistic practitioner, I help people develop a healthy relationship with food.